Miss Benson’s Beetle caught me by surprise.   The premise sounded interesting, enough to prompt my interest, and a friend had recommended it, so I started the book in good faith.    The story started with a light touch, but with some humorous spots and some interesting characters.    The main character initially did not stir much interest, but that changed over the course of the novel.    Enid Pretty was introduced and seemed larger than life for the rest of the tale, but she added humor and fresh ideas, in contrast with the duller character of the spinster Miss Benson.

The central plot of the story is a quest to find a famed golden colored beetle in New Caledonia in the South Pacific.  Miss Margery Benson and Enid embark on an unlikely journey.    Tracking them was the muddled, but sinister Mr. Mundic.   Along the way Margery and Enid are helped or hindered by various people, but they forge on, not always playing by the rules.   Revelations are added by the author at strategic points and their friendship builds.   Themes of the value of friendship and of following your dreams are developed through the characters personal growth.

“But no matter how awful life was, I would never want to give up. I would always want to keep living. Just waiting for that moment when it might get better. You need to remember that, Marge. You must never give up again.” She touched her belly. “We are not the things that happened to us. We can be what we like.”

This book grew on me and as it wound down, I understood how much I really appreciated the author’s careful development of the characters, theme, and carefully-crafted picaresque storytelling.    A recommended book…

And, a word from the author:

My Rating: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars4.6