Well written of course, but disappointing after reading Hidden Lives and The unknown Bridesmaid. Apart from Nancy Armstrong the other characters seemed completely unreal and living in an unreal world and I couldn't get up much enthusiasm. ( )

Sarah is trying as hard as she can to blend in to the background. Newly moved to Workington, of great interest to her neighbour Nancy, who is she and what is she hiding?
The answer to this slowly unfolds throughout the story as Sarah returns for a reunion with friends from her old life, then back to her new life.
A captivating story. ( )

Quite hard to like a main character who is a murderer. Other characters are her potential friend (an elderly neighbour) and her old friends (who haven't had any recent contact as she has been in prison). Until the final chapter we don't know how or why she killed her husband (and that explanation is rather half hearted with no remorse). Although the title comes from a conversation detailed in the book, its significance alluded me. ( )

New name, new town. new life.

This short, concise novel by Margaret Forster was an enjoyable read that I looked forward to picking up, but I felt that it was let down by a rushed, unsatisfactory ending. I had previously read only one other novel by this author, 'Over', similarly short and succinct and also about people reeling from the after-effects of a life-shattering event.

The central character of How to Measure a Cow, is the vibrant, unstable Tara Fraser who chooses to restart her life as the dull, grey, Sarah Scott. The blurb doesn't say why she needs to make a new start so I shan't add any spoliers here. She chooses her destination by sticking a pin into a map and moves into Workington to begin her new unobtrusive existence.
An elderly neighbour, Nancy, watches her move into the house over the road and is desperate to know more about her, while simultaneously shrinking from being too forward or asking invasive questions. This fear of stepping out of line rules Nancy's life entirely, she is the total antithesis of the gossipy neighbour. Tara/Sarah has no friends in the area and the two start to form a guarded friendship, in spite of the large difference in age.
We learn a fair bit about Tara's past but, frustratingly little about Nancy's - other than the fact that she was a farmer's daughter and knows how to measure a cow!
Three friends from Tara's teenage years bring a bit of colour to the line-up, but none of them are particularly likable and they're not sure how much they really like Tara either.

This is one of those well written books that conjure up convincing characters and images, while failing to produce anything much that actually happens. In spite of that I enjoyed it, I just wish the ending had been a bit more conclusive.

As Margaret Forster, sadly, died in February, this will be her last book, but there is an extensive back catalogue and I'm sure I shall be enjoying more of her books in the future. ( )

We meet Sarah (not her real name) who has recently been released from prison for something we are not sure of yet (we do find out however as the story goes on) Her friends abandoned her just when she needed someone.
She needs to start again somewhere entirely new with a different name, so she sticks a pin in a map and ends up in Workington in Cumbria.
Across the road lives Nancy (who does in fact tell Sarah how to measure a Cow!) a taciturn woman used to keeping herself to herself, don't ask questions, don't get involved! But she wants to be!
A tenuous friendship evolves without them really knowing each other!!
You are entirely drawn into the story, obviously wanting to find out why these women are so odd, what Sarah did and why, and you are intrigued by both women.
Sarah (not her real name!) is not a likable character, and you keep waiting to hear what dreadful things happened to her to cause her to do what she did. She is a very complicated person, controlling, manipulative and not altogether innocent! ( )