Miss Benson's Beetle

A Novel

By: Rachel Joyce

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

National best seller

“A beautifully written, extraordinary quest in which two ordinary, overlooked women embark on an unlikely scientific expedition to the South Seas.” (Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand)

From the best-selling author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry comes an uplifting, irresistible novel about two women on a life-changing adventure where they must risk everything, break all the rules, and discover their best selves - together.

She’s going too far to go it alone.

It is 1950. London is still reeling from World War II, and Margery Benson, a schoolteacher and spinster, is trying to get through life, surviving on scraps. One day, she reaches her breaking point, abandoning her job and small existence to set out on an expedition to the other side of the world in search of her childhood obsession: an insect that may or may not exist - the golden beetle of New Caledonia. When she advertises for an assistant to accompany her, the woman she ends up with is the last person she had in mind. Fun-loving Enid Pretty in her tight-fitting pink suit and pom-pom sandals seems to attract trouble wherever she goes. But together, these two British women find themselves drawn into a cross-ocean adventure that exceeds all expectations and delivers something neither of them expected to find: the transformative power of friendship.

Praise for Miss Benson's Beetle:

“A hilarious jaunt into the wilderness of women’s friendship and the triumph of outrageous dreams.” (Kirkus Reviews)

©2020 Rachel Joyce (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[Miss Benson’s Beetle] feels larger than Joyce’s other books—more expansive, swashbuckling, a wild adventure. It is the best so far of her novels, and the most inspiring. . . . At the heart of the story is the slow, unlikely friendship that builds between the two women and how that friendship enables them both to grow stronger, more capable and more self-reliant. . . . There is resilience, there is redemption, and there is beauty—great beauty.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

“I fell in love with the unlikely friendship between two wildly different women—their devotion to each other as they trek up and down mountains in someplace called New Caledonia is a hysterical delight. This novel made me realize how hungry I am for stories about women loving each other into being their best selves.”—Ann Napolitano, author of Dear Edward

“Miss Benson’s Beetle is a pure joyride. Sweet, witty, poignant, filled with intrigue and unlikely friendship, it’s a perfect escape. I loved it.”—Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours and The Book of Lost Friends

Was lost in this story for a few days

I loved everything about this book. First of all the narration was one of the best I’ve ever heard- and I listen to a lot of books. It was so engaging that I completely disengaged from life for a few days because I simply couldn’t stop listening. I adored the characters’ development, their personalities, and the story. I’ll be thinking about this book for a while and would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Absolutely spectacular in every possible way-- substance, narrator

Such a wonderfully full-bodied novel with heart, soul, humour, tension & perfectly timed but wholly unexpected plot twists for even the thriller genre listeners to enjoy.
Narration fabulous ....

Better than 5 stars

Fell in love with both the women in this story. I laughed and I cried. So sad when the book ended. What a beautiful friendship they shared.

Such a great story

Loved the story and the narrator. So many surprises. I chuckled and I cried. Worth the read!

Great Narration--Listen!

Juliet Stevenson! Juliet Stevenson! Juliet Stevenson! Juliet Stevenson! Juliet Stevenson! Juliet Stevenson! Great story read by the best narrator ever!

Wonderful storytelling

A truly creative story with wonderful detail. A couple of scenes toward the end went on a bit long. However, weaving together the disparate story threads of the characters was wonderfully done.

And Juliet Stevenson - wow. I've always enjoyed her acting, and her audio performance here is outstanding.

Good

Excellent narration. A wild story with a not so satisfactory ending. At times the descriptive writing was too much. I liked the story, but the last three chapters were disappointing.

Charming

Rachel Joyce again takes seemingly mundane characters and brings them fully to life. Their interaction with the world will bring joy to your heart.
The story is just a little bit out there, but fits so well with the characters.
I loved every moment of this Joyce book, as I did with her others.

Great book

It’s add to find a book you really love, but I loved this one. Great narrator, great theme. It’s not often a book makes me shed a tear, but this did near the end. It was so engaging, I want more.

Unlikely Adventurers

What a charming book! I loved the friendship that developed between 2 very different women as they pursued their unlikely adventure together. Proper, staid Marjorie Benson and spontaneous, hair-brained Enid Pretty search for the Golden Beetle of New Caledonia and along the way, find themselves.

Juliet Stevenson's narration was perfect! I can't tell if I like the book better for the story or for her performance. She changed not just the accents for each main character but also the pacing and inflections, springing Marjorie and Enid to life for me.

When I ordered this book, I felt like I was taking a chance, as my main genres are mystery, memoir and non-fiction. I was not disappointed. If you enjoy adventures, unique personalities and a little bit of mystery, you won't be disappointed either.