How to Measure a Cow

Margaret Forster

Mar 2016 · Random House

About this ebook

‘Compelling...taut and suspenseful’ Guardian

Tara Fraser has a secret.

Desperate to escape herself and her past, she changes her name, packs up her London home and moves to a town in the North of England where she knows no one.

But one of her new neighbours, Nancy, is intrigued by her. And as hard as Tara tries to distance herself, she starts to drop her guard.

Then a letter arrives. An old friend wants to meet up. Struggling to keep her old life at bay, Tara soon discovers the dangers of fighting the past.

Ratings and reviews

masterful storytelling, but unfortunately no story to tell. A pleasant read that went no where and by the end of the book I had no better idea of Tara's character than at the start, or whether I even liked her. The best part of this book is the title. The next best thing is that it isn't terribly long so I felt I'd only wasted a few hours reading it.

About the author

Born in Carlisle, Margaret Forster was the author of many successful and acclaimed novels, including Have the Men Had Enough?, Lady's Maid, Diary of an Ordinary Woman, Is There Anything You Want? , Keeping the World Away, Over and The Unknown Bridesmaid. She also wrote bestselling memoirs – Hidden Lives, Precious Lives and, most recently, My Life in Houses – and biographies. She was married to writer and journalist Hunter Davies and lived in London and the Lake District. She died in February 2016, just before her last novel, How to Measure a Cow, was published.