Twice Removed is Jo's latest novel.
Our most treasured possession is a friend.
It’s wonderful when a friendship evolves into love, particularly in later years.
Such is the case when Tony, a man in his sixth decade, befriends Julia, a spirited lady a generation older. They met in unlikely circumstances. He caught her as she fell off a bus. It was a simple, bizarre encounter and the start of a wonderful friendship. Julia’s advanced years have not dulled her appetite for adventure and Tony listens, cajoles and ultimately helps his friend to unravel her origins.
Julia describes their relationship as, 'a crinkly love affair,’ based not on the fever and passion of youth, rather an affection evolved through tenderness and respect.
Our story is set in Thistledean, a quirky town nestled below the Northumberland Fells in the far north of England. It is a unique place, a blend of the recent past and distant past, held together by wacky assortment of inhabitants. The community feverishly protects its way life. They prefer the patina of aged leather and walnut veneer to the maelstrom of the modern world. They have been this way for generations. Residents are wary of anything that could upset their equilibrium but ultimately, Thistledean is a warm place.
As one transient visitor said, ‘It’s somewhere I’m not sure I want to visit again, but perversely a place I would like to live.’