The Walnut Tree

A Holiday Tale

By: Charles Todd

Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham

"I was in Paris the day the French Army was mobilized."

In 1914, while visiting her friend Madeleine, Lady Elspeth Douglas's life is thrown into chaos when war breaks out and the Germans quickly overrun Belgium, threatening France. Having just agreed to marry Alain, Madeleine's dashing brother, Lady Elspeth watches him leave to join his unit, and then she sets out for England, only to find herself trapped on the French coast.

Caught amid a sea of stranded travelers, terrified refugees, and wounded men overflowing the port of Calais, the restless Elspeth - daughter of a Highland aristocrat whose distinguished family can trace its roots back to the court of Mary, Queen of Scots - decides to make herself useful, carrying water to weary soldiers near the Front. It is an act of charity that almost gets her killed when enemy shells begin to explode around her.

To her rescue comes Captain Peter Gilchrist, who pulls her away from the battle and leads her to safety. But before they can properly say good-bye, Elspeth and Peter are separated.

Back in London, surrounded by familiar comforts, Elspeth is haunted by the horrors she witnessed in France. She also cannot forget the gallant Peter Gilchrist, even though she has promised herself to Alain.

Transformed by her experience, Elspeth goes to London and enrolls in a nursing course, where she meets a fellow nurse in training, Bess Crawford. It is a daring move, made without the consent of Elspeth's guardian, her cousin Kenneth, a high-handed man with rigid notions of class and femininity.

Yet Elspeth Douglas is a woman with a mind of her own, which - as she herself says—is a blessing and a curse. She is determined to return to the battlefields of France to do her part . . . and to find the man she has no right to love, no matter how far Cousin Kenneth may go to stop her. But before she can set things right with Alain, he goes missing and then Peter is gravely wounded. In a world full of terror and uncertainty, can the sweetness of love survive or will Elspeth's troubled heart become another casualty of this terrible war?

A poignant, compelling tale brimming with adventure, danger, and love, The Walnut Tree is an enchanting holiday gift and a wonderful companion to Charles Todd's acclaimed Bess Crawford series.

©2012 Charles Todd (P)2012 HarperCollins Publishers

Love Charles Todd!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Walnut Tree to be better than the print version?

DId not read the print version, but I love to listen and to read Charles Todd novels.

What other book might you compare The Walnut Tree to and why?

A lot like the Bess Crawford series, Bess was even in this book. A little too much like Bess Crawford actually.

What does Fiona Hardingham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

That beautiful Scottish accent!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Hmmm, I always listen in my car, so that's hard to say.

Any additional comments?

Keep them coming, Charles Todd!!!

Loved it!

Loved Lady Elspeth and her desire to be of value despite or in spite of her class. Such a different point in time from our own and yet I felt each person's motivation was genuine and and I understood. My eyes have been opened a little wider in understanding just how difficult the war was in every conceivable way and how brave they all truly were.

Wonderful narration; plodding narrative

This selection, which I started with much anticipation given my admiration of the work of the mother-son team writing under the pseudonym of 'Charles Todd,' has been a real disappointment. Despite a sterling performance by the narrator, who not only has a delightful voice but also superbly renders the various accents of diverse characters, was undercut by a first-person-told tale that lacks in drama and dynamism. Scene-setting and description are fine; there are strong period details thoughout; and the lead character's decision to train as a nurse, despite her high-born heritage, is compelling. However, this gutsiness is then subdued by convention, and her elder cousin's having guardianship until the protagonist attains the age of 30 is something that we are regularly reminded of-- making it seem more of an authorially-imposed device than something organic. Furthermore, the narrator has a equally contrived habit of keeping secrets for insufficient reasons: not telling her guardian how committed she is to becoming a nurse, thus not even attempting to get his permission; not telling him, nor anyone else close to her, about a pledge to one man; not telling another man she's drawn to about the pledge to the first; etc. etc. Finally, at many points during the story, we hear her offer information about the same issues or situations to different characters, resulting in redundancy. And the frisson of a brush with criminality, when she provides the authorities a link to a looting operation, comes along quite casually and very late in the story, and a great deal of the tale overall feels "told" vs "shown." All this makes the stakes feel quite low. This is a real pity, because the narrator is so excellent, and it's a true pleasure to listen to her.

Improbable plot elements

If you want a summer, very lightweight romance this will do. Not quite on par with the Bess Crawford series, which is pretty light as well.

Great addition to WW1 Mysteries

The team of Charles Todd write great heroines for their World War One stories. Bess Crawford makes a cameo appearance but the story has a different set of characters. The main character is a Scots noblewoman. The descriptions of France, England, and Scotland are well done and the reader is excellent. This is a good listen for anyone looking for a quaint holiday story - more a novella than a meaty novel.

Narrator Fiona Hardingham

I found this book because I had just completed reading another book narrated by Fiona Hardingham and searched under her name to find another book narrated by her as I enjoyed the first one so much. NOT dissapointed! Looking for another one of her narrations now. Also very interested in WWI books that are historically correct but not too graphic.

Engaging and enjoyable…

This was less engaging than other novels by Charles Tod, but I still enjoyed it.

Tearjerker

Loved this story line and characters. And I love how it flows with the Bess Crawford series. The story was sweet and heartwarming as well as heartbreaking. Kept my attention until the very end.

Wonderful!

I love Charles Todd books, but this is my favorite. Love stories aside, the detail and imagery of the front line aid stations are excellent and gripping.

Excellent

Beautiful story. Beautiful prose. Another gem from Todd. So familiar with social attitudes and customs of that era.