JUNE 2025: Secrets of the Bees by Jane Johnson – CORNWALL

6th June 2025

Secrets of the Bees by Jane Johnson, novel set in CORNWALL (and Cyprus)

I’d like to propose Secrets of the Bees by Jane Johnson as an early candidate for Book of the Year; it really is the perfect summer read. I loved this book enormously. It has wonderful descriptions of wild Cornwall but also enough intrigue and mystery to make it exciting. Combining a domestic saga, several mysteries and a romance or two, the book also has its darker moments, all within wonderfully described settings in Cornwall and Cyprus.

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Ezra Curnow is an elderly man who has lived his entire life in a tiny cottage near Mousehole, West Cornwall, as did his parents and grandparents. He is at one with the natural world around him and relishes the tranquility and unique history of his native land. He is friends with Merlin the jackdaw, the local fox and of course his bees, to whom he tells the latest news, in true countryman style. He is sad when his elderly neighbour, Eliza Rosvear, dies and the big house on the estate is sold.

The Hardman family are the new proprietors of Trengrose House and their arrival promises many changes for the property that time forgot. Toby Hardman is a city businessman, and his wife is a celebrated interior designer. They have moved to Cornwall to improve their lifestyle but they are also leaving problems behind them. Their plans for Trengrose involve completely updating and improving the estate, bringing tourists to their glamping site and letting the cottage – Ezra’s home – as an Airbnb. But their plans don’t go smoothly, with both legal and local problems arising that set them back. Then Araminta Hardman and their son, Dom, begin to make discoveries that shine a new light on their Cornish home and distract them even further from their original purpose. Can Ezra’s home be saved? Ezra’s only advocate is his grand-nephew, Sam, but he lives in London and feels powerless to stop the changes. Although Sam forms a new friendship with young Miranda Hardman and she also begins to appreciate Cornwall for the way it has always been. There is much soul-searching for all parties concerned before the final twists in the plot are revealed.

I found Secrets of the Bees a much more involving book than I expected. The lyrical descriptions of the Cornish countryside and its wildlife are skilfully contrasted with the brief periods of violence in wartime Cyprus and nearer home. The author has written the characters cleverly too; they are original and vivid. It seems obvious who the reader will empathise with, but each character turns out to be more complex than first appearances suggest. Much like the settings, which are each both beautiful and dangerous for different reasons. The narrative spans three generations in the history of the Trengrose estate, with hidden secrets and puzzles to keep the reader’s interest along with way. I loved the way that Johnson creates bonds between the characters and the way that they evolve as the book progresses.

As with her previous novels, such as Black Crescent, Johnson tackles some themes in the book that others might quail about addressing. Over-tourism is a political hot potato for many communities at home and abroad, for example. Johnson knows Cornwall intimately, and she’s familiar with the issues that second homes and holidaymakers represent for the locals. There’s also the thorny issue of the 1950s British conflict in Cyprus, which I’ve never seen addressed in a novel before. All this written using the most poetic and unapologetically grown-up vocabulary, which is quite refreshing.

A thoroughly enjoyable book, which I am excited to recommend. I can see it being very popular.

Sue for the TripFiction Team