If Only They Could Talk by Ian Walker
Paperback published by Clink Street
Miles Goodyear’s whole life has been planned out for him. Born into a wealthy brewing family in Chesterfield between the wars, he knows he will go to the local grammar school. Followed by St John’s College, Oxford. After graduating, he will then follow his older brother into the family business where he will remain until the next generation eventually takes over when he retires.
But life and a series of bad decisions go against him and, as a result of things turn out very differently from what was originally planned.
If Only They Could Talk is the tale of one man’s reflection on his life, his failed relationships, his regrets and his dashed hopes. It’s about someone born with so much, who loses everything as he struggles to cope with a changing world. Or at least that’s what his relatives are led to believe as they clear out his house following his death.
Gradually, the house reveals its secrets, but nothing his relatives find can prepare them for the final twist to Miles story.
My review
Mike Goodyear at 92 years old had a lovely funeral service. Nigel was the nearest relative. What I found one of the most interesting parts is that If Only They Could Talk was written way before before the Coronavirus, and character Nigel was formerly the financial controller for Rolls Royce in Derby joining them straight from university. It was one of the good old fashioned jobs for life, or so he thought until they offered him early retirement in 2018. Now fast forward to our present day in 2020 during the Coronavirus crisis Rolls Royce in Derby are due to make 8,000 of its large global workforce redundant. Here is just one part of the story but there is a meaning to the story as a whole that I don’t want to spoil for you.
I would like to thank Faye Rogers @fayerogerspr for sending me this book to read and review and for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.
About author Ian Walker
Ian Walker was born in Chesterfield in 1956. His father was chief clerk for a brewery in the town and his mother was a ballet teacher. He went to Chesterfield School before gaining a place at Leicester University where he studied Chemistry and Maths. After graduating he got a job working in the laboratory at Truman’s Brewery in Brick Lane London. The following year he transferred to Watney’s Brewery in Mortlake, where he moved into the sales department 18 months later.
A variety of sales rolls then followed until eventually he ended up as Regional Sales Director for Scottish and Newcastle in the West Country based in Bristol. All this came to an end in 2006 when aged just 50 he suffered a stroke and had to give up work. After 12 months of physiotherapy he felt sufficiently recovered to buy a pub in the North York Moors along with his wife Eunice.
In the eight years that they owned it they achieved listings in both The Good Beer Guide and the Good Pub Guide. They also were in The Times the list of the top 50 places to eat in the British Countryside.
In 2016 he decided to retire and move back to Chesterfield where he hadn’t lived for 40 years. He and his wife now live just around the corner from the house where he grew up. He has two grown up sons by his previous marriage.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ian-Walker-Author-103223348058236/
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53482988-if-only-they-could-talk
Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/If-Only-They-Could-Talk/dp/1913340279/
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