This is a book about a quiet, steady woman in her 50s who is dogged in her pursuit of justice. Margaret is a research assistant and she’s perfectly suited to the job: she’s methodical, reliable and devoted to science. When her boss dies unexpectedly, it is Margaret alone who suspects murder. In the way of these things, she is dismissed and not believed.
As to that disbelief: the book is frank about how older women who don’t conform to beauty standards are invisible to the greater world. When they are seen, they’re a topic of pity or ridicule, depending on the viewer’s degree of kindness. Margaret is a figure of fun to many of her colleagues. She’s a big boned tall woman and she’s called ‘Big Bird’ as a cruel nickname.
Nevertheless, Margaret sets out to find the killer or, at least, prove that her boss was killed. Margaret is based at a small university and the cast of characters is varied in terms of personality. Although there is a relatively large number of characters that we meet, they are introduced to us slowly and each is so individual in their character that it is very easy to keep track of who did what with whom, etc.
In her investigation, she meets Joe, the custodian for the Botany department. In Joe she finds an ally, not least because he is willing to unlock offices that Margaret needs access to. I should point out now that there is not even the slightest bit of romance between Margaret and Joe. It’s purely platonic, just a lovely warm friendship. In fact, there’s no romance in the book at all.
The mystery is really well-plotted and while in hindsight the culprit was quite clear, it was a genuine surprise to me when they revealed themselves. There’s not a huge amount I can say about the mystery though, as the death happens at the start of the book and the twists begin almost immediately. I do not want to spoil the reading experience for you, dear Bitchery!
Something that this book has in spades (via Margaret’s POV) is an absolute love for nature and the role it plays in our lives. There are tender asides about certain plants, how those plants are used for medicinal purposes, and other scientific tidbits. This really added not only to my enjoyment of the book, but it also added to the rich nuance that is Margaret’s character.
Unsurprisingly, Margaret’s garden is her pride and joy.
Unlike the rest of her ordered and plain life, Margaret’s garden is a riot of colours, textures and scents. Dainty violets line a winding path of stepping stones next to a row of silvery dusty miller. Gaudy gladiolas lord it over black-eyed Susans while lilies erupt in clumps and deer grass sways in the breeze.
The plants are characters in themselves.
As Margaret investigates, she finds allies and eventually friends as she starts to build closer connections with those around her. Joe, for one, but there are others she becomes closer to as well. And because Margaret is so observant and thoughtful, the narrative is as much a yarn for me to enjoy as it is a close study of human behaviour and people’s various foibles.
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This is nowhere more evident (or more delightful) than in the welcoming of a cat into her house.
This particular subplot is a little love letter to cat owners and I was a sucker for it. It was delicious.
Overall, the writing is immersive. I sank happily into Margaret’s POV and for the hours this book held my attention, I lived another life. Margaret’s world is filled with unkindness and treachery and skulduggery (it’s academia, after all) but she is such a force for good. Not loud. Not demanding. Just resilient, down-to-the-bone goodness that never becomes twee or cosy. This book has no whimsy in that sense. Rather it is serious and certain and good.
This is a book about being loyal to the truth, the scientific method and to yourself.
When Margaret and [REDACTED] are talking near the end of the book, Margaret shares this wisdom with us.
“You, um, probably don’t know this but, um, some people call you Big Bird behind your back, including me.”
“I’ve known that for a very long time” [says Margaret]
His eyebrows lift. “And you don’t mind?”“Of course I mind, but what people call you isn’t what you are. Am I an eight-foot-two yellow bird who can rollerskate and write poetry?” she says. “Do I live in a large nest? … No, I’m just a scientist who happens to be tall and large-boned, and when you don’t fit a mold, people must find a way to set you apart so they can assure themselves they are the normal ones.”
I thoroughly enjoyed this masterclass of human nature.
