Round Ringford Stories
Pastures New
Round Ringford village shop has new owners, Peggy and Frank, and encounter animosity, friendship and many humorous moments. Meet Ivy Beasley, readers` favourite , who rules the village with an iron hand.
Spinster of this Parish
Ivy Beasley has a starring role in this Round Ringford story. A new vicar takes her fancy, but does she really have a heart of gold?
Orphan Lamb
Orphan Lamb is a bit weepy in part. It would tell too much to say why, but Round Ringford is challenged to deal with a new problem in its midst. In part it succeeds, but there are all the ups and downs of newly married life for Robert and Mandy before the sun finally shines fitfully on the small community.
New Every Morning
This is a story of village life, especially its small school threatened with closure. Plenty of excitement and a cheery ending!
Thy Neighbour’s Wife
Well-off, well-meaning newcomers move into the old vicarage, intending to take part in village life. They are not as welcome as they`d hoped, and there are tragic repercussions.
Mixed Doubles
Trouble at the tennis club, and Standings at the Hall are deeply involved. Ivy Beasley finds romance at last, but for poor Ivy it does not well.
94 Responses to “Round Ringford Stories”
Leave a Reply
Please note: Comment moderation is currently enabled so there will be a delay between when you post your comment and when it shows up. Patience is a virtue; there is no need to re-submit your comment.
I love the Lois Meade series, I have read each one about four times and I pick up a new detail each time, I call them my comfort books. I am trying to order the Round Ringford series from our local bookseller, apparently it takes years to have british books brought across the pond.
I look forward to more of your work.
Sincerely, Karen
I have completed all the Lois Meade and Round Ringford series books and have absolutely loved them. My library was able to order 3 books from other libraries from even out of my state of Maryland. (I’m told they buy them for the library if someone orders the book and they can get it in print at a decent price) I really enjoyed the Round Ringford’s the most, makes for relaxing reading. Will there be any more in the Ringford series?
Thanks for great stories and characters.
Suzann
Thanks for your comments, Suzann! Glad you enjoyed the books. The Round Ringford stories were very much based on the village where we lived some time ago. It`s always risky to base characters too closely on real people, but so far I haven`t been challenged. No, that`s not quite true. I wal giving a talk to a local women`s group, and one of the them said `I know who Miss Beasley is based on.` And she was right! The original is now long gone to Ringford in the sky, but it was a tricky moment.
No more Round Ringford planned at the moment, but a new series starring Ivy Beasley as detective (!!) is due out next year.
I`m not sure if I replid to your nice message, Karen. But never mind! I can say again how nice it is to receive comments from readers. If you completely fail to find a title that you are looking for, let me know, and I will try to find one for you. AP
Dear Ann,
I have just finished reading Orphan Lamb and have asked my husband to order for me New Every Morning, Thy Neighbours Wife and Mixed Doubles. (We run a small bookshop by the way!) I am always sad when I come to the end of a book because I want to carry on reading about the characters and what they get up to. Your books are fabulous and leave me wanting more. Thank you very much.
Dear Janet – I replied at once, but don`t know what happened to it! Anyway, I was very interested to have your message. How nice to run a small bookshop, though I suppose Amazon has made life more difficult in the retail trade. We had a very useful bookshop locally, but it closed a couple of years ago.
So glad you are enjoying the Round Ringford books. Ivy Beasley, one of the most popular characters, is returning as unlikely detective in a new series next Spring!
Best of luck – and if you have any problems finding titles, let me know. I have some spares tucked away in the airing cupboard ……..
Ann P
Dear Ann, I found a used and well loved copy of Secrets on Saturday at a yard (boot) sale in North Carolina where I now live. I read through it in no time and could identify with the small village life in rural England, and felt that I was again traveling and staying in the villages of East Anglia. We had the great opportunity to live in Suffolk for 4 years and loved every minute of it. I have a British friend who reminds me a bit of Lois Meade but is as formidible as Mrs. T-J! I have since purchased the rest (used) of the Ringford and The Lois Meade series and eagerly purchased your new book Warning at One (I can’t wait to read Frightened at Forty!!
). You are so creative and so able to capture the essence of village life, that it just makes me homesick, for my second home. 
) Thank you for “taking me back” to England and for the great read and entertaining story lines! Val H
I was so interested in your comment, Valerie, as I was brought up in Suffolk, and lived there for fifteen years. My mother`s family came from Sudbury, and we lived in Great Cornard – then a village quite separate from Sudbury! So glad you are enjoying the books – I hope you`ll read the new series with Ivy Beasley in an old folks`home in Suffolk. Should be out in May next year, with lots of new characters. The title isn`t finalised yet, but I`ll post it when it is. Ann
Ann.
I have read all the Round Ringford books over and over again and wish there were more. Havent been able to get the Lois Meade Mysteries here in Ireland, but am going to order them online straight away. I often thought of writing to you, so I was thrilled today to find your website. I always thought of Ivy as being so like Mrs Mac from the TV series ” Take the High Road”. I am so looking forward now to a winter of great reading.
Lovely to hear from you in Ireland, Siobhan. I am sorry you cannot find the Lois Meade Mysteries there, but wish you luck with Amazon. Do let me know if you fail to find any title. We are not great telly watchers, as my husband was a television critic for thirty years and now finds it hard to look at the box! So haven`t seen Take the High Road, but it sounds good.
I am glad you liked the Round Ringford novels, and do hope you enjoy Lois and a whole new cast of characters. AP
Just thought your American readers might like to know that your books, including the Round Ringford series, are available at bookdepository.co.uk with free international shipping. I order from them regularly and have had exceptional service.
Dianne
Many thanks for the info, Dianne! AP
Hello Ann,
My Mum has discovered your books and is reading them avidly! She asked me to look out for one called ‘All for Love’ which was apparently listed in the front of one of the books she already has. I can’t find any record of this book, was it a mistake or did it come out under a different title please?
Thanks for bringing so much pleasure to my Mum,
Best wishes,
Alison
Hi, Alison. It is great to hear that your Mum likes the Round Ringford stories. There were six of these, and All For Love was a working title for one of them. I am ashamed to say I can`t remember which one at the moment, but will try to trace it! Can you tell me which title mentions All For Love? Thanks, and regards to your Mum. Ann P.
Thanks for your reply Ann!
I’ve asked her and apparently it was listed in the paperback of ‘Pastures New’.
Best wishes,
Alison
Thanks for taking the trouble, Alison. Found it! There were several editions of the paperbacks, and this was an Orion one. They must have printed that before the title All For Love was changed and the book published as Thy Neighbour`s Wife. As a matter of fact, the last one, Mixed Doubles, was originally called by me For Better, For Worse. But that`s publishing for you! Ann P
Hello Ann,
Trying to find the Round Ringford Series. Help!!!!
So sorry you can`t find the Round Ringford series! The original Orion editions are now out of print, but there have been paperbacks around, including an edition of the first five of the six, published by Knight, an imprint of the Caxton Publishing Group. It might be worth trawling Amazon, Abebooks, etc., as they do turn up. Maybe I can persuade a publisher to do another edition! Best of luck – Ann
Ann,
Sorry for the delay in replying, just wanted to say ‘thank you’ for solving the ‘All for Love’ mystery for us! My Mum (Mary) has now started reading the Lois Meade books as well, having visited the newly opened central library in Cambridge and discovered how to reserve books on their computers….oh dear!!!
Best wishes,
Alison
Well done, Mary! A girl after my own heart …
Dear Ann…I LOVE LOVE LOVE all your Round Ringford books. I am currently nearing the end of Mixed Doubles. Are there really going to be no more??? Please write some more, I care so much for the characters and your novels are an absolute joy.
Best wishes Esther
Thank you for your enthusiastic message! I have no plans for Round Ringford at the moment, BUT if you are in the middle of Mixed Doubles, you will getting to know Ivy Beasley really well, and she is the main character in my new series, the Ivy Beasley Enquiries. Should be out in the Spring. In the meantime, anything might happen!
Best regards – Ann
Dear Ann
Thank you for your reply.
I’ve just finished Mixed Doubles (which was, as all the other Round Ringford novels, a real joy). Great news about the up and coming Ivy Beasley Enquiries. Will really look forward to that! (And of course, as you said, who knows what might happen between now and Spring!)
Best wishes, Esther
enjoyed the first 4 Round Ringford, pleased to find more. i will look out for the Ivy Beasley Enquiries
Nice to hear from you, Barry. Hope you enjoy Ivy`s new life as detective! AP
Hi Ann,
LOVE the Lois Meade mysteries! Feel like I’ve just spent two weeks in Long Farnden visiting friends. I’m in the middle of “Warning at One” and noticed that Enid was not present, nor mentioned at one of the Monday meetings. Did I miss something? Entirely possible as I’ve been ripping right through the series so that I’m ready for “Tragedy at Two” December 1. Looking forward to the Round Ringford novels and the Beasley Enquiries next. Thanks so much for the trip!
Cheers,
Bobette
Just discovered your books about two weeks ago. I read Pastures New loved it and so quickly checked our local library which did have a couple in the series but not the next two, thank goodness for Amazon.ca I sent for all the rest of the series and they have just arrived yee-haw!!! A good afternoon and evening Ill have reading the next book. I live in Canada so Amazon is a life saver sometimes.
Sincerely Carol
I had such fun writing this series! Hope you enjoy them all. Lovely to hear from you. Ann P
oh Ive just finished Orphan Lamb. Can`t begin to tell you how very much Im enjoying these books. The only problem is that there are only three left in this series I think, then what will I do haha!!! Do you have more in the works or a new series for me to begin.
Sincerely Carol
Well. I have only recently been introduced to Lois Meade and have rapidly brought myself to date on her activities (pending anything?). My uncle owned a shop/post office in north Scotland for a while after retirement from HRH Navy and then Harbor Mastor – his stories and Josie’s activities were bang on! Wonderful stories, wonderful series – and thank you for writing a good tale and keeping it going! Go Mrs. M – I’m not a great house-keep but do work as a police officer – does that mean sympathtic understanding? In any case – good work, please keep it up!!!
Or rather, HMS – sorry, translation from American to British…
Hi Bobette! You are right that Enid does not appear in all the novels. I probably let her go without noticing! I shall check back. So glad that you are enjoying the books, and happy festive season!
I was fascinated to receive your comment. Not sure how far you have got with the series, but Tragedy at Two is out now, and there is another, Threats at Three, to follow. Also a new series starting, starring Ivy Beasley (Miss). who has retired from her home in Round Ringford to a luxury retirement residence in Suffolk. There she has reorganised most things to her liking, and is launched on a career as an enquiry agent. You can`t keep a good girl down!
Funnily enough, we have a friend, Roger Banks, artist, who is now retired from being Harbour Master of Crail in Scotland. Any relation? I quaked when reading you worked as a police officer, thinking you might find Inspector Cowgill a little unlikely. But love can strike at any time! – and I am sure you are as sympathetically understanding as most police persons I have met.
Lovely to hear from you. (I suppose HRH could mean Her Royal Highness?)
All good wishes for the New Year. Ann P
I love the Round Ringford novels so much and am very pleased that Ivy Beasley will be back in the new series. I hope one day you can be persuaded to write some more Round Ringford!!
Who knows what 2010 may bring! Nice to hear from you, and best wishes for 2010. Ann P.
Ann, I also wish to read Round Ringford but cannot find a copy in any of our bookshops, nor the library (though I am pestering them to start buying them) and because I am 15 and live in New Zealand, one find’s themself running out of options! I suppose I could pester my parents haha and ask them to buy from Amazon
Not sure if my first reply got through. Sorry you can`t find the Round Ringford stories, Jaden. The original edition is out of print, but there was a subsequent edition of five of the six. Caxton/Knight. If it`s ok with your parents, I could send you a couple of paperbacks. They are not crime stories, but tales of village life in a contemporary English village. Their strength is in the characters, I hope, people of all ages. I would have to have your address, which you could send to me in an email. Happy New Year! AP
That would be great. I would really love to read them but since there hasn’t been a new edition to them it’s a little harder. I will definitely still hope my local library purchases them. My email (under my dads name) is ewanmcleod@slingshot.co.nz
The only problem you could have is that I live in New Zealand!
Something definitely went wrong there. Scary. I can’t give you my email?
Hi Jaden, your email address is stored securely to prevent spammers harvesting your address. I’ll email Ann your address. Thanks!
Thank you! and thank you Ann!
I have just finished reading Mixed Doubles and like the other five in the series enjoyed it so much. I look forward now to reading the Ivy Beasley book coming out in the spring I believe. Thankyou for your work.
After Mixed Doubles, you will be all set to see what happened next to Ivy Beasley! Best wishes – Ann P
will there be any more Round Ringford books?
Will there be any more Round Ringford books? I love these.
Glad you`re enjoying Round Ringford, Melanie! I have no plans at the moment to add to this series. But Ringford character, Ivy Beasley, stars in the new mystery series, The Hangman`s Row enquiry. She has a legitimate reason for poking her nose into other people`s business at last! Ann P
Dear Ann,
I thank you so kindly for your “air-mail”. It was so generous of you and I have enjoyed the novels so very much. I’m starting Pastures New just now which is ironic becuase…I have just been on holiday to Taupo Lake in New Zealand which is an absolutely beautiful place with stunning views and I went for a morning walk with my family and noticed a market with a wide array of stalls. I noticed one with several books and decided to wander over. Most were Danielle Steele and I nearly gave up when ANN PURSER caught my eye. It was a Round Ringford novel which I have been looking for ever since. Spinsters of this Parish surrounding Ivy which is also great because I will be purchasing The Hangman’s Row Enquiry in just a few days! So now I have three of the Round Ringford novels which is very exciting. I’m still working hard at my mystery novel and I hope some day it will be published and can reach other English cozy standards someday (I still have many years…I’m 16) so yes thats coming along now. Anyway, many thanks Ann from New Zealand. Just thought I would share that great piece of news. Keep in touch!
Jaden
Fancy you finding Spinster of this Parish on a market stall in New Zealand! That is so nice to hear. Keep up the writing, and be sure to let me know when you publish! All best – Ann
Hello Ann,
Jaden here again. Just wanted to tell you that I have finished Pastures New and soon will start Spinster of this Parish which I truly look forward to. I just wanted to give you my thoughts on the excellent book:
(THERE MAY BE A FEW SPOILERS SO DO BE CAUTIOUS!)
I absolutely adored Peggy and was pleased with her ultimate decision to keep the Stores and give it a go. Bill was a lovely guy and I knew (and you did hint at us) that he and Peggy would become involved but Frank’s death was a huge shock and with a novel like Pastures New where one becomes so involved in every characters story when he crashed I nearly cried! It was truly saddening. Joyce is vile, but I do in a way feel for her…but only minimally. Ivy Beasly is such an interesting and important character and she truly is fantastic and at the same time cruel. Doris Ashbourne was lovely and I was pleased she brought something to the story with Ivy near the end, Ellen Biggs as well was rather funny. Cyril Collins we didn’t really see just heard of and I’ve a feeling he is going to pass away soon. Sandra and Sam was truly lovely and when they visited Peggy after her mother told her to tell Roberts and he punched her I nearly spit bullets, I truly dislike that man (real or not). Jean Jenkins is superb, loved every moment that she was involved in and Eddie’s a treat. Warren, Gemma, Amy, Marc? and Eddie (what a clan) and Foxy was lovely (and what a nice name! haha) Fred Mills made me laugh once or twice and as everyone does he added well to the plot. Richard Standing is an upstart, that much I’m certain of and though I didn’t much fancy Susan either when she drove up the Bagley road and caught him and Josie Barnett, I thought it was rather fantastic. Nearly thought the book would turn out to be a murder-mystery. Octavia annoyed me and Robert Bates was lovely (his little afternoons with Ivy!). Mary York was sweet and I liked her little addition at the end. Osmans and the chap who had his home’s view messed with after the houses dilemma were a bit rude, but the chap (who’s name I’ve sadly forgotten sorry!) did soften up and ask her to go up to get the blueberries. Sheila and David I loved especially the former, she was a hoot and I hope they do return at some point. And last but not least, Doreen and Tom Price. Their friendship was lovely and Doreen was especially kind and caring. Frank’s death hit me hard considering the Palmer’s hardships so that was sad and Gilbertine, Gilbertiney, Bertie, Gilbert, Puss was a wee cutie as well (nicely done with the kitten part) that made me smile!
Ann this book is truly a gem and I thank you for sending me it. I read it religiously for the past week or two (slowly considering schoolwork) but the pace was lovely, the story lines engaging and I have to say that though I am young I have read many novels and this is high on my list, truly a favourite and seeing Cowgill made me wonder if thats DCI Cowgill from the later novels (considering Tresham is also in those novels) I thought it probably him!
Well I’m sorry for it to be so long but I had to write it out to bring closure to reading it and I cannot wait for your 2nd. I’ve looked for Orphan Lamb and will probably buy it soon if I cannot find it.
Thanks so much again for sending me them and know I’ve read one I see why people wish them to come back!
Take Care,
Jaden xox
Thanks very much for your lovely long message, Jaden! It
was really interesting for me to read your reactions. I do hope you find time to do your homework, but we all need a little light relief … Ann
PS Yes, it`s the same Cowgill!