THE WEAVER AND THE FACTORY MAID

The Weaver and the Factory Maid
by Deborah Grabien
192 pages
$22.95
St. Martin’s Minotaur
December 11, 2003
ISBN 0-312-31422-1

The Weaver and the Factory Maid is a charming diversion of a legend from an old English ballad. Ringhan Laine, works as an expert in restoration of period architecture and as musician. When one of his clients cannot pay for the work Ringhan has spent months completing, the client, Albert Wychsale, compensates him then by giving him an eighteenth-century cottage with an ancient tithe barn complete with ghosts inhabiting both.

What was very interesting throughout this novel was the mixing of the present events with the historical legend of the two forbidden lovers who were murdered. At the beginning of each chapter was a section of the lyrical song which aligned with the historical research of the legend.

I felt as if I needed to hear ballad sung while I was reading this novel. Shouldn’t an attached musical CD then be with the book?

This is the first of a series of books based upon English ballads planned to be written by Deborah Grabien. It is fast-paced and a delightfully fun book to read. The ghosts are not horrifying, but are realistic for ghosts, that is.

This is the fifth book published by Deborah Grabien. She has lived in Europe, but now spends her time in San Francisco while running a catering service.