NAMED OF THE DRAGON lets us into the life of Lyn Ravenshaw, a widow whose baby died at birth, leaving her touchy about small children and devoid of a partner, though interested in looking. In a holiday cottage in a coastal village she meets the novelist James Swift and his brother Christopher, an antiques dealer. Bridget is sure they'll all get along, but Lyn is nervous of a neighbouring playwright, Morgan. Amusingly these writers are egotistical and pretentious, though not caricatures, and the experienced Lyn takes them in her stride. Their talk is of their various romances and book awards, so they come across as self-centred. Lyn has to tread a careful ethical line, as an agent is not supposed to steal clients from another firm. But the talented James might come over to her of his own accord.

A large part of this leisurely tale is the setting, which I enjoyed throughout; the coastline, rugged countryside and pastel-painted small houses of Pembroke; log fires, woollen jumpers and country pub dining. The Christmas holiday aspect builds on the atmosphere, with a locally grown tree and good cheer from almost all persons. Lyn's upsetting dreams provide a contrasting dimension to her account, with a ghostly mother and boy added to her haunting regret over her own child's loss. Real ghost, or a figment of her submerged grief? And why does the woman talk of Merlin and the Dragon's banner? Lyn starts hunting up legends.

In a wry aside, a character mentions that books set in Scotland are easier to sell than those set in Wales. But pulling in the Arthurian legends seems to me like a good way around the problem. Susanna Kearsley is a quality British author and I love her book, THE SHADOWY HORSES, about a London archaeologist on a Roman dig in Scotland. To me, NAMED OF THE DRAGON has many similar characteristics but lacks the intensity of the dig because the characters are kicking off work over Christmas. This lovely work will suit adult readers looking for a relaxing yet haunting book to wile away an evening by the fire.

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