Paperback fiction: Crumbling house of secrets

All families have secrets, but the Tempest family has more than most. Ilana Fox's The Glittering Art of Falling Apart (Orion Books, £7.99) charts the story of the romance-obsessed Cassie Cooke, an antique-books enthusiast who delves into her family's past and uncovers a lot more than the standard broiges.

The story is told in several different time-frames, from the start of the 1960s to the present day, as we follow Cassie's attempts to uncover the truth behind the apparent banishment of her great-aunt from the rather grand family estate in Buckinghamshire.

Why Cassie's own parents have allowed the crumbling mansion - Beaufont Hall - to fall into such a state of disrepair lies at the centre of this heartwarming tale.

Cassie's discreet questioning of her mother fails to bring satisfactory answers, and it is only when she goes to visit Beaufont Hall that Cassie begins to piece together the puzzle that is her family history.

The discovery of a relative's set of diaries helps Cassie get to the bottom of the sad saga, as she busily works her way through the dilapidated rooms of Beaufont Hall, transforming it once more into a house in which to live and love.

Along the way, Fox neatly captures the changing decades, and the sexy yet seedy - and drug-driven - world of London's Soho in the 1970s and '80s is cleverly drawn.

The writer of the diaries, Eliza, is revealed as vulnerable and desperate for love and excitement. As the shy, reserved Cassie learns more and more about her once-glamorous relative, Ilana Fox keeps her readers guessing - what exactly did Eliza's mother do to incur the wrath of her entire family, and will the persistent Cassie find true love along the way?

The more astute reader will guess the satisfying denouement before it occurs - there are plenty of pointers - but whether or not you unravel the complex strands of the plot before the final page, you can still enjoy this thoroughly enjoyable, and ultimately moving book.

The Glittering Art of Falling Apart is just the thing to pack in your hand luggage to read on a long flight, or help to pass a few hours in the sunshine by a hotel pool. But be warned: you might need to pack a few Kleenex, too.