It's a crockpot of all sorts, held together by a strong central character and a couple of plot lines which merge neatly. Not because she's unimportant but because that's the way she wants to be ,she wants to fade into the shadows and not bring attention to herself. The author Sally Page’s debut novel, a delight to read and the characters were so different, unique and fascinating. I absolutely loved every word in this beautiful novel and was sad when it ended (although the ending was just what I’d hoped for). From recently-widowed Fiona and her son Adam; to opera-singing Geordie; and the awful Mrs ‘YeahYeahYeah’ and her fox terrier, Decius, Janice has a unique insight into the community around her.

The Keeper of Stories - HarperCollins Australia The Keeper of Stories - HarperCollins Australia

Life-affirming, hopeful fiction that can definitely fit into the 'Uplit' genre, this wonderful novel will definitely be on my list of 'Best Books of 2022'. Before too long a connection between these stories and the characters who star in them emerges, by which point you’ll be well and truly hooked. The author has developed quite the cast of characters in this one and I definitely rooted for Janice to find her happy ending.Everyone who reads this will fall in love with Janice … and Mrs B … and Euan … and obviously Decius the terrier. Mrs B is a feisty woman in her nineties who is determined not to leave the home she shared with her beloved husband, the now deceased Augustus. This is a really sweet and charming book, uplifting and entertaining and designed to play on peoples natural curiosity about others. Stories are the lifeblood of our collective spirit, the way we remember who we are and where we come from.

Sally Page on how The Keeper of Stories became a best-seller Sally Page on how The Keeper of Stories became a best-seller

There are some fascinating characters in the book, almost all of whom are Janice’s clients or their family members.Janice has many voices in her head - Decius, the dog she walks for Mrs Yeahyeahyeah, Sister Bernadette, and the protagonists of all the stories she collects. Written with empathy and humour, it conveys the author’s love of books and story-telling with aplomb. Topla priča koju je takvom iznijela Janice pričat će vam o ljubavi, kako onoj romantičnoj tako i o svim ostalim kojih se možete sjetiti i lagano vas bockati da i vi pokušate ući u tuđe cipele, kako biste razumjeli tuđe postupke. Janice is a cleaner, and a collector of stories, stories from the people she works for, from people she overhears on the bus as she travels between jobs, from anyone interesting she encounters in her day to day life.