[Beyond the Vicarage] is written with objectivity, using the device of writing in the third person. It is an honest book which, while it answers many of the questions readers would like to ask their favourite authors, does not pander to idle curiosity nor add personal details for effect.

The most impressive section of the book deals with the author's experiences in the war in Deptford. It is not only a vivid and moving account of what happened, but one cannot read it without realising the unassuming courage of the writer and her compassion for those who suffered so greatly. Even in these tragic situations, her wry humour and sense of the ridiculous lights up what could have been unbearable occasions.

Noel Streatfeild's contribution to children's and adult literature has been a distinguished and popular one and she is always eminently readable. Her modest account of her life...