What better setting for a mystery than the real "lost" village of Tydeham, an abandoned ghost village in Dorset, England? That's where I found myself when reading The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen.
This story begins in 1968 with Liz Houghton, a London newspaper reporter whose ambition backfires and relegates her to obituary writing. When the city becomes enthralled with the disappearance of a young girl, Liz tries to jump-start her languishing career by investigating the story, with the help of her best friend and police officer, Marisa.
When Liz arrives in Dorset, she's mystified by how familiar the place feels. Then she stumbles across the disappearance of three girls during the World War II evacuation of London. One was found murdered in the woods by a nearby train line, and the other two were never found.
From visit-dorset.com
Liz's investigation brings her to Tydeham. (The correct spelling of the village name is Tyneham, but Bowen used a common misspelling.) The residents were forced to move out of their homes in December, 1943, so the military could use it to practice for the WW II D-Day invasion. Tydeham went from being a village filled with the feelings of home and community to a decimated war site of Britain's own making, left unlivable because of unexploded munitions. (Today it is still used as a British Army training facility, though it is also open to the public at specific times.)
Do the three girls from the past connect with the ghost town and the current missing child? And why does Liz feel like she's been here before — a place her family says she's never seen?
I chose this book because I absolutely loved another one by the author, Mrs. Endicott's Splendid Adventure, and was intrigued by the story of Tydeham. Also, as a journalist, I liked how Liz was battling to prove she could be more than an obituary writer.
I would have liked this book better if it had focused solely on the Tydeham storyline. The stories behind the girls' disappearance were intriguing, as were Liz's discoveries about her past. However, too many mysteries were crammed into one book! Each could have been its own book, with much more detail and intrigue.
Even so, I enjoyed the book overall and the chance to immerse myself in the Dorset of both the 1940s and 60s. In fact, I liked it enough to seek out other books by Rhys Bowen.
Are any of you fans of Bowen's stories? What should I try next?
If you'd like to learn more about Tydeham/Tyneham, log on to visit-dorset.com.
I miss traveling. Since the Covid pandemic started last year, I've daydreamed about all the places I will visit once things get better. Top on my list is a return to the United Kingdom. My last trip there was in 1992.
Mom and I have spent the past year streaming a variety of British television programs like Great British Baking Show, Land Girls, Midsomer Murders, Shakespeare and Hathaway, Call the Midwife, Inspector Lewis, Death in Paradise, and Father Brown. (We're also fans of Australian shows My Life if Murder, 800 Words, and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.) Add to that numerous PBS Masterpiece shows, such as the current All Creatures Great and Small and Miss Scarlett and the Duke, and it’s easy to understand how we’ve become proper anglophiles in this house.
I find myself drinking a lot more tea. Maybe because anytime a crisis happens in these programs, someone always says, “I’ll put the kettle on.” A pandemic is a crisis, right?
I’ve always enjoyed the occasional cuppa, but now it’s an almost daily ritual. However, my tea time is a cup in the evening after dinner, with just a random cup in the late afternoon.
Tea cuisine is also a favorite of mine. I love scones loaded with strawberry jam and clotted cream, buttery shortbread cookies, and crisp cucumber or watercress sandwiches.
However, tea cakes are my number one selection. Also known as loaf cakes, these sweet treats are just the right size for my small household, and they aren’t loaded with frosting. In the past, I’ve posted recipes for Walnut Apricot Tea Bread, Honey Spice Loaf, and Orange Marmalade Teacake.
This recipe for Ginger Carrot Tea Cake is now my favorite. Moist and flavorful, with a hint of ginger and the brightness of orange—perfect! You’ll notice I’ve listed the measurements for the ingredients by weight first, then volume. Paul Hollywood and Mary Barry have made me a food scale convert. Trust me, using a scale is soooo easy, more accurate, and with less clean-up!
I’ve also posted in the past instructions on how to make a proper pot of tea. You’ll find them here.
Are you a tea fan? What kind do you like most? And are you streaming shows from across the pond? I’d love to hear about your favorites so I can get some new ideas for my next binge-watching venture.
Cheers!
Yield: 1 9 x 5-inch loaf
Author: Linda Ditch
Ginger Carrot Tea Cake with Orange Glaze
A flavorful tea cake, with just a hint of warm ginger and a bright orange glaze.
Ingredients
For the cake:
225 grams (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
225 grams (1 cup packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
3/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 medium carrots, grated (165 grams/1 1/2 cups packed)
For the glaze:
Zest and juice from 1 medium orange
100 grams (1 cup) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and eggs by hand for two minutes until light an and silky. Add the oil, cinnamon, ginger and salt, and whisk until smooth and combined. Add the dry ingredients and combine together with a rubber spatula until smooth. Fold in the grated carrots.
Pour the now thick batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top. Bang the pan on the countertop a couple of times to allow any air bubbles to rise to the surface. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the cake is golden and a tester comes out clean.
Remove the loaf pan from the oven and set it on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan onto the rack and allow it to cool completely.
To make the glaze, place the confectioners’ sugar and orange zest into a small bowl. Wisk in the orange juice a bit at a time until the glaze ins pourable but still thick. Place the cooling rack on top of a piece of waxed paper or foil. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to ooze down the sides. All the glaze to set for a few minutes before slicing the cake.
Store cake wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.
