The Queen Of The Tambourine

Eliza Peabody is one of those dangerously blameless women who believes she has God in her pocket. She is too enthusiastic; she talks too much. Her concern for the welfare of her wealthySouth London neighbours extends to ingenuous well-meaning notes of unsolicited adviceunder the door. It is just such a one-sided correspondence that heralds Eliza's undoing. Did her letter have something to do with the woman's abrupt disappearance ? Why will no-one else speak of her? And why the watchful, pitying looks and embarassment that now greet her?

Winner of Whitbread Prize (Novel) 1991
Winner of Whitbread Book Awards: Novel Category 1991

“ 'Brilliant' SUNDAY TIMES 'Marvellously subtle and moving'THE TIMES 'An ingenious, funny, satirical, sad story...Vivid andpoignant' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'Excellently done ... manicdelusions were never so persuasive ... very moving when it is notbeing exceedingly funny' ANITA BROOKNER 'Wickedly comic ...masterly and hugely enjoyable' DAILY MAIL”

'Brilliant' SUNDAY TIMES 'Marvellously subtle and moving' THE TIMES 'An ingenious, funny, satirical, sad story...Vivid and poignant' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'Excellently done ... manic delusions were never so persuasive ... very moving when it is not being exceedingly funny' ANITA BROOKNER 'Wickedly comic ... masterly and hugely enjoyable' DAILY MAIL

Jane Gardam has been awarded the Heywood Hill Literary Prize for a lifetime's contribution to the enjoyment of literature. She has twice won a Whitbread Award and has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Her most recent novel, OLD FILTH, was shortlisted for the Orange Prize 2005.

Re-issued with a stunning new cover.A wonderful bittersweet story about a misguided do-gooderEliza Peabody is one of those dangerously blameless women who believe they have God in their pocket. She is a modern-day Florence Nightingale, always up at the Hospice or the Wives' club; she is too enthusiastic; she talks too much. Her concern for the welfare of her wealthy south London neighbours even extends to ingenuous, well-meaning notes of unsolicited advice under the door.It is just such a one-sided correspondence that heralds Eliza's undoing. Did her letter have something to do with Joan's abrupt disappearance from number forty-one? What to make of the long absences of her husband and Joan's, and of the two men's new, inseparable friendship? And why will no one else on Rathbone Road speak of Joan? As Eliza's own life seems to disintegrate, she finds that, despite the pity and embarrassment with which her neighbours greet her, she is at last being drawn into their lives - although not in the way she had once fantasised about. This is a sharp, poignant and wickedly funny tale of love, heartache and disillusionment.

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