Join us for a discussion of The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise on June 26 at 2:30 p.m. in the Community Room. 

Library Journal (06/15/2010):
Bleak times have fallen upon the Tower of London's residents. Grief, infidelity, loneliness, and other sorrows have begun to shadow the lives of those who guard and run the tower-everyone from the barmaid to the Beefeaters have felt the touch of misfortune. Until, suddenly, their splintering lives are drawn back together by a most unexpected decree; the queen wishes to house her menagerie of gifted pets within the tower's confines. Before long, the animals take merely complicated lives and send them into mayhem. Strained marriages crumble, long-simmering feuds spark back to life, and precious personal possessions turn up in the strangest places. Life works in mysterious ways, however, and the animals may just be the breath of fresh air that the tower's inhabitants need to repair their broken hearts. VERDICT: Charming, witty, and heartfelt, Stuart's second novel is even more delightful than her debut, "The Matchmaker of Périgord" A perfect suggestion for fans of "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" highly recommended. [Reading guide available.]-Leigh Wright, Bridgewater, NJ Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.