The Essex Serpent (Broché)

London 1893. When Cora Seaborne's cruel husband dies, she steps into her new life as a widow with relief, and leaves town for the village of Aldwinter in Essex, hoping that fresh air and open space will heal the past. Soon after arriving with her son, she hears rumours of the 'Essex Serpent', a creature pf folklore said to have returned to roam the marshes. Cora, a keen amateur naturalist, is enthralled, believing it may be an undiscovered species.
Setting out on its trail, she meets local minister William Ransome, who thinks the cure for superstitious hysteria lies in faith, while Cora is convinced that science offers the answers. Nevertheless, William and Cora find themselves irresistibly drawn together, changing each other's lives in unexpected ways. Set in an age of exhilarating - and alarming - change, The Essex Serpent is a celebration of love in all its forms, and of what we share even when we disagree.