EXCERPT: Everything was Celie Sheppard's fault.
Her fault they were hungry. Her fault they didn't have shoes. Her fault Molly was sick and Tom fell off the wall and the fox got the small brown hen.
Celie was to blame for every ill that befell her family, and had been from the moment of her birth, when John Sheppard's black eyes had looked down on the blue-eyed, white-browed baby seeking its first nipple.
'She takes after my mother,' Enid Sheppard had ventured desperately.
'No,' he'd spat, 'she takes after her father.' And he'd driven away from Metland Farm and never come back.

ABOUT 'THE IMPOSSIBLE THING': A sweeping tale of obsession, greed, ambition, and a crime that has remained unsolved for a hundred years

How do you find something that doesn’t exist?

1926. On the cliffs of Yorkshire, men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of the sea birds who nest there. The most beautiful are sold for large sums. A small girl—penniless and neglected by her family—retrieves one such treasure. Its discovery will forever alter the course of her life.

A century later. In a remote cottage in Wales, Patrick Fort finds his friend, Nick, and his mother tied up and robbed. The only thing missing: a carved case containing an incredible scarlet egg. Doggedly attempting to retrieve it, Patrick and Nick discover the cruel world of egg trafficking, and soon find themselves on the trail of a priceless collection of eggs lost to history. Until now.

MY THOUGHTS: It took me a wee while to find my feet with The Impossible Thing, but when I did, I was swept along by the drama and tragedy of it all. There is a lot of drama. A lot of tragedy. More than I could ever have envisaged being caused by a desire to own a bird's egg, never mind a whole collection of them. But then I guess, some people just don't understand my passion for collecting books either.

Rubbernecker was the first book I read by Belinda Bauer and young neurodivergent Patrick Fort featured in that. It does, by the way, still remain my favorite of all the books I have read by this author. It was unexpected and rewarding to reconnect with Patrick in The Impossible Thing; Patrick and his friend Weird Nick and Meg.

The Impossible Thing is set over two timelines - the 1920s when collecting birds eggs was a badly needed source of income and where we meet Celie who will find the means to support her family; and one hundred years later when Nick tries to sell an egg he found in his attic, online, to fund the purchase of a gaming chair. And that's all you are going to get out of me about the plot because, strangely enough, it all ties together beautifully and I don't want to spoil a thing.

Looking at the subject matter, I can't believe that I found this book so gripping and interesting that I finished it in two days. I read through the night. I picked it up every chance I got. I told everyone about it at coffee after aquarobics. We have a book group once a month, but I couldn't wait another two weeks for that!

Bauer has created some superb characters. Celie, who is loved by only one person. Robert, the farm hand. Patrick and Nick who don't always understand one another but who make an awesome and formidable team. The tactics they learned in their gaming marathons stand them in good stead. I will never roll my eyes again when gaming is mentioned.

And that ending! Tense! Breathtaking! Exciting! And oh, so satisfying - in both timelines.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheImpossibleThing #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Belinda Bauer is a famous writer of crime novels, who was born in 1962 in England. She also spent some of her childhood years in Africa. Bauer didn’t have a very easy life. In fact, she had to experience a sudden dive from a wealthy home, where she lived with her parents in South Africa to a poverty west country house in Britain, when she returned there with her mother. Finally Belinda settled in Cardiff and lived longer in Wales than anywhere else in her life. She also attended the Welsh Academy as a member. But she had some good opportunities there. She was trained as a journalist at Cardiff University and worked as a journalist there for 7 years, which was incredibly valuable for her. Right from when she was a trainee, her copy was going straight to the news desk of every national paper.

According to Belinda, crime is actually the story of how lives of people can change by the misdeeds of others: from the pensioner who may lose his savings in a stock market crash, to the refugee, to the mugging victim. Life is a river and crime is the rocks. And it is just when people hit a rock, that they find out whether they are the ones of life’s swimmers or sinkers. Belinda focuses on survival and recovery – the rock itself is almost incidental. (Source: bookseriesinorder.com - abridged)

DISCLOSURE: Thak you to Grove Atlantic via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The characters and the story crafted around wild bird egg collecting are stunningly well written. It opens in the present day with someone named Garrett trying to catch a man named Barr as he digs up some sort of contraband. They show up much later on and all is explained. Then, we are on a cliff in Yorkshire overlooking the sea. It is 1920m and the "climbers" are at work. Men are lowered down via ropes to steal seabird eggs from nests which they sell, sometimes for quite a lot of money.

Next, we meet Celie, a tiny little girl who is obviously not the offspring of her mother's husband. She is always treated as less than, blamed for the family's fall into poverty when the other four kids' father left their mother. Their rental farm now has only one farmhand, Robbie, who has some sort of intellectual disability. Celie is left to his care and she feels very close to him. While their farm, Metland, borders on the cliffs, there is an overhang that prevents climming, so no one works this area for the lucrative birds' eggs. And then, Celie convinces Robbie to drop her down in this dangerous area because she wants the family to get some eggs for omelettes. They must sell the farm eggs and she is not fed very well, so this is something of an obsession for her. And one of the eggs she grabs and saves without breakage is so unique it becomes known as the Metland egg. This gives rise to an egg hoarding greedy man's efforts as well as those of other egg collectors. to secure ownership of the egg and leads to years of resentment and competition over what happened to it and who ended up purchasing it. Can't share why, exactly without a spoiler, but I will say that much is learned about different seabirds as we follow the machinations of the many 1920 egg afficionados, and it is not boring but fascinating and totally integrated into the story.

Meanwhile in a remote area of present day Wales, Patrick, a young man with some sort of intellectual disability finds his friend Nick (next door neighbor/friend to but user of Patrick) and Nick's mother tied up. They were robbed of something odd that Nick had tried to sell on eBay. He had withdrawn from offer the scarlet egg nestled in an elaborately carved box because, he was notified by eBay that in 2025 it is illegal to possess wild bird eggs. Oh, there's a museum with a large collection, but new collecting is forbidden and possession can lead to serious criminal charges. Nick is not one to take this lying down. He is a man of principals, as is hilariously illustrated in a story over an argument he had about a set of silver spoons he bought on eBay. In fact, the relationship between Patrick and Nick and their escapades connected with trying to track down the egg are often slapstick.

Celie's story is a more serious tale of how her life was both changed for the better but caused her to live a restrictive life for quite a while after her find improved her family's financial well-being. We follow her from her original find to young adulthood and root for her all the way. The story of Celie is lovely and complex and she is a person we want to see be okay. At all times, she has a strength beyond her stature and years.

The novel unwinds in the two timeframes and not always chronologically in each, although it is not hard to follow. The legal status of eggs and egg collecting as well as the unpleasant nature of the collectors featured in the past and present in this piece of historical fiction plays an important role throughout. Read the shorter vignettes that pop up, as well as all the pieces of the longer stories because everything is interesting. The smaller interspersed stories do show that there are environmentally conscious good folks out there protecting eggs.

In any event, I read this novel in the equivalent of one sitting with a night's sleep in the middle. A very late start to that night's sleep. The characters alone make this an exceptional book, but to make eggs so interesting to a reader who did not come to this novel with such an interest takes a gift beyond my comprehension. Read this if you care about good writing, like a good mystery, enjoy historical fiction and enjoy learning new things in an interesting way.

April 8 posted expanded review on TikTok

Crimes, danger, obsession, poverty, wealth, fascinating characters, friendship, loyalty, and a remarkable adventure spanning decades. The most beautiful books are the most difficult to review. At least they are for me.

Belinda Bauer is remarkably talented. Her multi-strand novel pulled me in from the first page and kept me mesmerized by places and things entirely foreign to me. I knew nothing about egg collecting prior to experiencing this book. On the surface, it might not sound like a scintillating topic. The web of events and lives held me spellbound. This is one of the most gripping historical novels I've read, and it's equally successful as crime fiction.

Bauer displays great mastery of suspense and compelling characterization. There's wonderful dialogue and great power in the things that aren't said. The emotional nuances are orchestrated across multiple scenes, rising in small revelations to great crescendos.

Although there are disturbing things in the book, it never became overwhelming. There's a lot of heart and some humor, and overall, it's uplifting.
The settings in nature and in homes of people at different economic levels were vivid and added to the immersion.

She's as adept with action, adventure, and believable men as fully dimensional girls and women. Aspects of women's lives that are often hidden or left out of history appear here powerfully and with respect. Being Neuro-atypical is presented in a matter of fact manner. The Impossible Thing moved me. The ending landed perfectly and left me choked up.

Highly recommended to readers of general and literary fiction as well as to those who enjoy historical, crime, and mystery novels. The Impossible Thing transcends genre. I'm going to read more books by Belinda Bauer.
Thank you for the e-ARC for consideration.
I'll add links soon.

“The Impossible Thing,” by Belinda Bauer, Atlantic Monthly Press, 336 pages, April 8, 2025.

It is 1926. On the cliffs of Yorkshire, England, men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of the sea birds who nest there. The most beautiful are sold for large sums. The Chandler gang is the most successful of the thieves because Jim Chandler keeps meticulous records of where the best are found.

Celie Sheppard, 6, is neglected by her family. Her father, John, deserted them when she was born. Enid is her mother. Celie has four older siblings. They are tenants on Metland Farm.

Robert, no last name, is 8. He just showed up one day and stayed. Celie becomes Robert’s responsibility. One day, she and Robert realize that they can steal seabirds’ eggs for food. When she gets stranded on a cliff, the men rescue her, not knowing that she has hidden a rare red egg. The men then realize she is small enough and brave enough to help them steal eggs.

A century later in a remote cottage in Wales, Patrick Fort finds his friend, Nick, and Nick’s mother tied up and robbed. The only thing missing: a carved case containing a scarlet egg. Nick had listed the egg, which had belonged to his father, for sale online. Patrick and Nick decide to try to recover the stolen egg.

I was excited to read this because of rave reviews online, but the large number of characters and the jump in timelines caused me to lose interest. I knew about the theft of rare eggs from “The Crow Trap” by Ann Cleeves, which I enjoyed more than “The Impossible Thing.”

I rate it three out of five stars.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Sometimes the impossible is possible.

This is my fifth book by the talented Belinda Bauer. The Impossible Thing veers in a different direction than the usual mystery/thrillers penned by Bauer. It's more of a journey into the lives of the haves and the have nots. Bauer presses her finger on the entanglements of greed, privilege, and the burning quest for wealth. Winners and losers line the pages.

It's 1926 in Yorkshire and the rumblings heard are not necessarily coming from nature's cliffs. It's the growling of an empty stomach within the likes of Celie Sheppherd who lives on a near barren farm with her family. Celie dreams of an omlet and almost tastes it in those dreams.

Celie's playmate, Robert, devises what they think is a near perfect plan. Eight year old Robert will lower six year old Celie down along the cliff where seabirds perch upon their eggs. With rope tied in a so-called proper way, Celie feels both the wild wind and her wild fear. She's nearly been dropped, but the rope is yanked up quickly. A man from the area berates the two and tosses the rope out into the sea. But Celie has something in her pocket.

Fast forward to the present in Wales where Patrick and Nick have engaged in egg trafficking. Nick has tried to sell their wares on EBay, but EBay informs them that selling eggs is against the rules. Both know the value of their collection, especially the red guillemot egg kept in a carved wooden box. But so do others with bad intentions.

The Impossible Thing showcases Belinda Bauer's stellar gift of storytelling. While the characters here are fictional to a degree, the subject of egg trafficking is certainly not. Like fine jewels, eggs are noted for their exceptional color and rarity and collected and won by the highest bidders. We'll even have a roudy court scene as well. The Impossible Thing is a rare experience, too.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Grove Atlantic and to the talented Belinda Bauer for the opportunity.

The Impossible Thing is the second book in the Rubbernecker series by award-winning British journalist, screenwriter and author, Belinda Bauer. Immediately post-WW1, making a living on a small-holding farm in Yorkshire isn’t easy; even harder for Enid Sheppard when her husband takes one look at their new baby daughter and abandons the family.

Tiny Celie Sheppard is given to the care of eight-year-old farm boy, Robert, but turns the family’s fortunes, and perhaps their sentiments about her, when at six years old, she shows a talent for climming. In a makeshift harness fashioned by Robert, she returns from under the overhang on the edge of her family’s holding, Metland Farm, with an extremely rare red guillemot egg. Egg Broker George Ambler is beside himself: what won’t a collector pay for such a beauty!

Almost a century on, Patrick Fort has been washing dishes at the Rorke’s Drift for three years and not yet tired of it. Returning home one winters evening, he discovers his friend and neighbour, Weird Nick, and Nick’s mum Jen gagged and bound in their unlit house. Two men in ski masks (it’s not even snowing!) with cable ties to secure the residents of Ty Newydd have ransacked the place. The only thing missing is a red egg in a fancy carved box.

Belatedly, Nick has discovered it’s illegal to sell, or even own, wild bird eggs, but the fleeting listing on Facebook Marketplace was sufficient, it seems, to make their little Welsh cottage a target. Legal or no, he wants the egg back. Patrick’s brilliant deductive work leads them to the probable thief, and Nick ropes in his unwilling friend to confront eggman456.

That doesn’t end well: “Before Nick could open his mouth, the big man grabbed him by the front of his jumper, yanked him forward, headbutted him, then withdrew and slammed the door. It all happened so fast that Patrick was left open-mouthed with amazement, already replaying it in his head. The door, the arm, the fist, the head, the door. It was like a very violent cuckoo clock.”

Before they finally locate the egg, and several more like it, there’s a courtroom scene with lots of shouting, a visit to a museum with thousands of eggs, and a jaw-droppingly vindictive destruction of a felon’s collection.

Patrick has a too-close encounter with dog droppings, is an accidental stowaway in the car of a nasty, violent man, and has to climb through a toilet window. A balaclava and a potato masher play significant roles. At one point, Nick asks where his sense of adventure is: “Patrick didn’t answer. He’d already accidentally had one adventure in his life and it had been very stressful. He didn’t really fancy another.”

Told through multiple narratives and a dual timeline, Bauer gradually reveals the path that the Metland egg takes from 1920’s Yorkshire to modern-day Wales and beyond. She gives the reader some wonderful descriptive prose “…barristers in yellowing wigs and black cloaks flitted between them like giant bats”, and only the hardest hearts won’t have a lump in the throat at the poor guillemot’s ordeal. There’s plenty of action drama which, together with the dialogue, offers some very black humour. Fans can only hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Patrick Fort. Utterly brilliant.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Grove Atlantic.

A mystery/suspense told in dual timeline structure. Based on the historical phenomenon of collecting bird eggs and featuring a lot of commentary on wealth and greed.

Told in two timelines, this book blends historical fiction and adventure. In the present-day storyline, Patrick and “Weird Nick” set out to solve the mystery of a stolen egg. In the past, we learn about climmers and egg collecting in the 1920s.

I love a book that entertains and teaches me something new. I knew nothing about Guillemot eggs or the history of egg collecting, and I found it fascinating. The earlier timeline takes place before egg collecting was illegal, and the way people risked everything to steal rare eggs from cliffside nests was both interesting and sad.

Bauer's writing is clean and clear, and the story moved at just the right pace.

This is a great pick for anyone who likes layered stories, historical detail, and interesting characters.

The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer

Book review - 5*

The book moves back and forth between two timelines throughout the book.

The first timeline centres on the climmers in the 1920s who scale the Bempton cliffs in North Yorkshire to steal eggs, particularly prized guillemot eggs, to sell to brokers who then sell them on to collectors who are always competing against each other to get a better and rarer egg each year.

A neglected and rejected young girl, Celie Sheppard lives at Metland Farm. The climmers do not work the cliffs at the edge of the farm due to a dangerous overhang. However, Celie is small enough to get through a crack to reach under the overhang and persuades her only friend, Robert, the farmland to help her to get to the cliff. She’s not thinking of selling the eggs; she just wants to try to get eggs from the birds for herself so that she can have omelette to eat every day.

However, Celie finds an egg that will change her family’s fortunes.

The story follows the sale of the prized egg and what follows after.

The second timeline brings the reader up to 2023 and introduces Patrick Fort, who is neurodivergent, and his neighbour, Weird Nick. Weird Nick finds an egg in the attic and puts in for sale online to put towards a new gaming chair but before it is sold there is a violent break in at his home and the egg is stolen.

This timeline follows Patrick and Nick as they try to retrieve the egg and try to fathom out why it was stolen in the first place.

Wealth, privilege, and greed are all themes covered in this book.

Who knew that collecting birds’ eggs was such a dangerous and cut-throat business.

I loved reading this book. I thought it was a fascinating subject to cover, and I enjoyed the dual timeline throughout the book and making the connections between events of the past and the present day.

I highly recommend this book.

5 stars.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher, Grove Atlantic for an ARC e-book copy, which I received in return for an honest review.

I expected this to be an intriguing and suspenseful story. Unfortunately, it did not end up capturing my interest. I found the dual timeline narrative to be choppy in its delivery and the beginning of the story to have an overabundance of characters that detracted from my overall enjoyment. The second half of the book was a little better than the first half but had this not been an ARC it might have ended up on my DNF shelf. Though this was the first time that I have read a book by this author, I would still consider reading another work by her. Many other people saw this book differently and enjoyed it more than I did, and I would encourage readers to definitely check out some of their reviews.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic Publishers for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm one those persons that never heard of eggshells collection and I was intrigued when I read the book synopsis. The story is interesting as it's told from two different time observations, one from when the shells where collected and how they changed the life of those involved with it, and the other, a century later, when a boy not knowing the importance of the eggshell decides to sell it on ebay and then gets it stolen from his home and sees himself involved in a plot of greed and mild violence. The Rubbernecker - Patrick - is a strong character with a flawless way of thinking and his best (and maybe only friend) Nick is his antithesis, and they make a strong duo, which is sometimes complemented by Meg (a medical student with powerful beliefs on right and wrong). The Impossible Thing is an easy and engaging read.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is my second book by Belinda Bauer, Blacklands being my first. This was a hybrid read, meaning I read the book while alternating with the audiobook - the reader did a read job bringing this story to life.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started, a book about eggs. It sounds not that interesting but I was intrigued. What I got was an entertaining and highly educational read about a subject I knew nothing about.

Beginning in 1926 as recently laid eggs are stolen from the nest of migrant birds. I did not realize how sought after these eggs are because of their colour and shell designs. An act that is illegal now and rather barbaric. A tiny hole is made to empty out the shell.

This is a dual time-period story that shows what length people will go to for these treasures. A captivating story about greed, friendship and deceit. It was mysterious, suspenseful and like I said educational. And yes, I did Google it, what a fascinating subject. It gives homage to the learn something new every day saying.

My thanks to Grove Atlantic (for the kindle edition) and Dreamscape Media (for the audiobook) in exchange for a honest review.

What a strange, but interesting story this was. It's a dual timeline about poor little Celie, malnourished and undersized, who is dropped over the side of a cliff in a homemade harness by her brothers to steal colorful eggs from the birds nesting there to be sold to collectors in the 1920s. She was really just interested in eating the eggs! (Why they didn't have chickens on their farm was a mystery to me!) The poor girl had a hard life all the way around.

The present day story features a character from 'The Rubberneckers', an autistic man who likes to solve crimes. His friend is selling off his absent father's possessions from the attic, one of which was a big red egg in a beautiful carved display box. The egg is stolen from him and the game is on.

This story stands alone just fine without needing to read the first book. It was a slow burn for a while as the backstory is fleshed out, and then the pace picked up a bit. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC to read and review.

I had no idea what climming was before reading this book. It is collecting eggs from a cliff. Apparently egg collecting was a big thing among the British gentry between the world wars. This story is told on two timelines, one centered around a young girl who is small and brave enough to get the most valuable eggs of the era from the most treacherous cliff, and the other centered around a young boy and his neurodivergent friend, who find one of these eggs in the attic in the present day. Both timelines have their share of twists and turns, lovable heros and heroines and Dickensian villains The connections between the two timelines are finally revealed at the end, and the endings of both timelines will leave you teary-eyed and happy. A very well-constructed romp through this obscure piece of history and unusual.obsession. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Gosh I loved this book. From the cover, over the characters to the plot. This is egg-cellent.

What I particularly liked were both the timeline of Celie as well as the one of Nick and Patrick. I was crushed for Celie, laughed about Nick and loved observing Patrick.

The plot was so intricately written, filled with small details, pop culture references, trivia and love. The central topic, eggs, was dealt with so beautifully. It was not just depicted as either a good or bad practice. The author showed all sides of the collection of eggs.

I never knew that there are colors and patterns specific to a couple of birds; I didn’t know that it is illegal to sell eggs. But I loved learning it. I loved seeing Patrick open up to Meg and to see Nick be proud of himself.

All in all this is a fantastic book.

Birds eggs collected off the Yorkshire sea cliffs by local men and boys are sold to collectors for a few pounds. None are collected off Metland though as there is an overhang, until one day Celie, the youngest daughter of the impoverished farm has the idea to get through the fissure in the overhang. Here starts the legend that is The Metland Egg, red eggs collected each year and sold to a London broker, only to be never seen again.
The story swings between the 1920s and the present time where one such egg is found and stolen.
A wonderful story of poverty, greed and survival that I devoured.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc.

Thank you, Netgalley and Grove Atlantic, for providing me with a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Impossible Thing is a fictional account of the collection and disappearance of real Metland Eggs, the priceless red Guillemot eggs collected in Yorkshire, England. The novel volleys between the 1920s when the eggs were first collected by an impoverished young girl and sold to collectors for large sums of money. A century later, Patrick Fort is aiding his friend Nick, whose egg was stolen. It was nice to revisit Patrick, the neurodivergent protagonist of <I>Rubbernecker</i>. He's earnest and clever. Once again, I appreciated how well Bauer wrote a character on the autism spectrum. I also enjoyed "Weird Nick" and the 1920s characters Celie and Robert.

The book is also an eye-opening look at the world of egg poaching. Bauer covers this criminal trade from all angles: the people that risk their lives to obtain the eggs as a means of feeding their families, the wealthy collectors, the conservationists, and the birds themselves. The cruelty imposed on these birds is hard to read but important as it is based on real-world practices.

Bauer once again delivers incredible prose. I highly recommend this to readers of historical fiction and crime novels. I hope Bauer brings Patrick Fort back for another mystery soon.

"From the exceptionally original mind of CWA Gold Dagger Award winner and Booker longlisted author Belinda Bauer, a sweeping tale of obsession, greed, ambition, and a crime that has remained unsolved for a hundred years.

How do you find something that doesn't exist?

1926. On the cliffs of Yorkshire, men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of the sea birds who nest there. The most beautiful are sold for large sums. A small girl - penniless and neglected by her family - retrieves one such treasure. Its discovery will forever alter the course of her life.

A century later. In a remote cottage in Wales, Patrick Fort finds his friend, Nick, and his mother tied up and robbed. The only thing missing: a carved case containing an incredible scarlet egg. Doggedly attempting to retrieve it, Patrick and Nick discover the cruel world of egg trafficking, and soon find themselves on the trail of a priceless collection of eggs lost to history. Until now.

A taut, wonderfully imagined novel brimming with skullduggery at every turn, The Impossible Thing is a blazing testament to Belinda Bauer's status as one of our greatest living crime writers."

Reminiscent of The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson.

Whisked Through It

Belinda Bauer has quite a reputation as a crime writer, she has even been longlisted for a Booker Prize. This may have been the reason I requested a copy of her latest novel, “The Impossible Thing.” It delves into the mesmerizing world of… wait for it… egg collecting.

A valuable egg, one of thirty stolen from a dangerous Yorkshire cliff nest beginning in the 1920s, resurfaces a century later in the attic of a young man, Weird Nick. Oblivious to its worth, he lists the egg on eBay, only to have it stolen during a home invasion. Determined to recover the pilfered egg, Nick and his friend Patrick embark on a quest to find the thieves.

The story, told across two timelines, features well-developed characters and a brisk pace, making for a competent "whodunit" plot. Despite numerous positive reviews, I found the book to be slightly fluffier than I prefer. It's a good beach read, but not much more.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
This starts off really interesting looking at the once popular tradition of collecting precious eggs aka "climming" off the cliff in Yorkshire, England. You simply drop a rope over the cliff and scaled down to collect eggs that are then brought back up, carefully hollowed out, and then sold off to collectors.

I would've loved more about the actual life of those that lived in the village and collected eggs along with some of the politics surrounding that. But, this was more about the egg collectors and collecting in general. The book has two time points and I definitely had a favorite time frame to read about.

Overall, it was fine, but I felt like the storyline was a bit boring and could have done so much more. That said, I was definitely looking up pictures of these popular collector eggs of guillemot eggs.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the gifted e-copy of this book.