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Combined Book and CD Review
After years of peace cultivating orchids in the greenhouse of her large country
house, middle-aged widow, Grace, learns that her husband has thrown himself
out of an aeroplane leaving her without money or house, but with vast debts
through ill-advised business ventures. Grace desperate to save the house
she loves resorts to illicit use of her 'green fingers' growing cannabis
on a vast scale aided by her somewhat dim young gardener Matthew whose expectant
girlfriend Nicky is understandably miffed at the idea of her provider ending
up in the nick. This farcical situation with half the characters high on
cannabis half the time is slow moving until Grace tries to off-load her crop
in London where with the help of her husband's former mistress she meets
some shady underworld characters who pursue her back to Cornwall. The screwball
comedy that ensues is more frenetic than funny and the book's swift throwaway
conclusion is something of a dopey (if you will excuse the dreadful pun)
copout.
The CD is a curious mix of pop styles with three or four excerpts from the
dialogue - for instance when the news breaks of Grace's husband's death from
a great height, somebody comments, "Maybe he was looking for the bathroom
and picked the wrong door!?!". There is one attractive piece of instrumental
music at the beginning of the disc, featuring a solo violin in Vaughan Williams
Lark Ascending mode with a muted string background that suggests the serenity
of the life that grace was used to before calamity overtook her.
Book and CD 
Ian Lace
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Reviewer
Book and CD
Ian Lace
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Harper Collins Entertainment
(paperback) 
