THE BAILEY CHRONICLES

Book Club Edition. Set in the northern English countryside, this modern-day tale features an irresistible hero, Bill Bailey, who take up residence in Fiona Nelson's home. As a young widow with three chi ldren to bring up, Fiona has come to know the problems of trying to make ends meet. So, despite the viper-tongued comments of her vain, selfish mother, Fiona advertises for a lodger. The result is Bill" somewhat rough around the edges perhaps, but n obody's fool, and doing very nicely with his own business as a builder. It is not long before Fiona finds that she can't remember what her life had been like before he came into it-for Bill Bailey possesses some extraordinary qualities that prove to have a lasting effect on the lives of Fiona and her young children, who quickly come to depend on "Mr. Bill" for everything. When Fiona and Bill marry, Mr. Bill adopts not only Fiona's children-Mark, Katie and Willie-but also the orphaned Mamie.