The Silver Ladies Do Lunch

by Judy Leigh

Join me in Middleton Ferris in Oxfordshire to enjoy a story of friends.

Meet the Silver Ladies—four ladies of a certain age: Josie, a widow of only one year; Lin, married to Neil who is devoted to her regardless of her lack of culinary skills; Minnie, the Doc Martin wearing, single,  retired professor; and Cecily, their former teacher who taught them the importance of friendship.

Look in on all their childhood friends who still, along with many of their children, populate the little town. 

Listen in on their opinions.

Cheating men: “all men who cheat are pigs.”

Charred food: “It’s burned to a cinder.”  “I like my food well done. It’ll be all right—with ketchup.”

Unwed mother: “When will people learn that a pregnant woman is not a target for gossip? It’s a baby we’re talking about here.”

Passage of time: …everyone was so much older now, yet time had passed so quickly and she felt no different. It didn’t make sense.

Aging: “I hate getting older…there’s so much prejudice about aging—and so many problems.”

Friendship: “A good friend is like a four-leaf clover; hard to find and lucky to have.”

Relish the way their attitudes about friendship overflow the little group to affect so many other likable characters in the small town from Odile who runs the café to Dangerous Dave, the accident prone mechanic and his daughter Florence who was deceived by a charmer.

The Silver Ladies Do Lunch has a lot of characters, but the important ones rise to the top. Relationships and circumstances tie them to the more minor characters as various threads emerge. When the author switches to a different thread, the reader becomes anxious to find out what happened to the characters in the previous thread. Never fear! Author Judy Leigh will not leave you hanging for long. I love the way she skillfully provides tension by alternating storylines.

This is my first read of this author who has written many books about women of a certain age. I will return for more of her stories that provide both depth and humor.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Women’s Fiction

Notes: Standalone

Publication:  6/2/2023—Boldwood Books

Memorable Lines:

Miss Hamilton read clearly, her voice comforting, and all around the classroom eyelids grew heavy, faces puckered with smiles as everyone drifted into a wonderful world of imagination and hope, where friendship was everything.

The first scent of dusty pages and old tomes or the inhalation of a crisp new book made her heart race, and she was ready to delve inside and fill her head with the knowledge stuffed between the pages.

The sight of the Thames twisting into the distance always thrilled her. Minnie liked unfathomable depths; it was like knowledge, it intrigued her, there was always more waiting to be plumbed, to be discovered beneath the smooth surface.