Pets Are A Pleasure
by
Malcolm D. Welshman
This novel is the fourth in the Pets in a Pickle series and describes the antics of young vet, Paul Mitchell, now in his second year at Prospect House, the veterinary hospital, as he continues to tackle an endless variety of pets and clients. There’s an escaped griffon vulture, which terrorised staff in the garden. A bouquet of roses for Beryl, the receptionist, in which lurks a venomous frog. Dealings with Dave, the chameleon. And on the way to treat one of the Stockwells’ cows, Paul is confronted by Boris, their amorous bull, who has escaped and now blocks the lane.
Meanwhile in the practice cottage, Willow Wren, he and his fiancé, the junior nurse, Lucy, raise an orphaned fox cub, curb the roamings of a randy cockerel and cope with marauding badgers and the sighting of a possible lion. Fans of the earlier books will relish this opportunity to delve into more zany encounters deftly written with the self-depreciating humour that characterises Malcolm’s style.
My Thoughts on Pets Are A Pleasure
Back in 2018, I was lucky enough to read and review An Armful of Animals by Malcolm D Welshman . I really enjoyed reading the memoir of the retired vet. The book is packed with amusing and heartwrenching stories and is a must-read for all animal lovers.
I was thrilled to get the chance to read Malcolm’s new publication Pets Are A Pleasure which is again based around the life of a veterinary surgeon, but this time as a fictional novel. It is the fourth in the Pets In A Pickle series but works fine as a standalone.
Paul Mitchell is a young vet who starts his career in a veterinary hospital in the Sussex countryside. He lives in a cottage called Willow Wren with fiance Lucy and an ever growing menagerie of pets. At work, he is joined by a colourful cast of colleagues including the lovely receptionist Beryl who gives Paul romance advice and always has her one steely eye on the ball.
The eccentric clients and their pets provide some real laugh out loud moments and the author’s expertise in the field really shines through. Paul is a likeable chap who is patient, kind and adores animals and nature. He has a strong wit, which is much needed in his line of work and the stories are funny, warm and really show his affection for animals.
I loved some of the improvised techniques he used to cure injured pets. This included Strudel the dachshund with a back problem…she was strapped up with an orthopaedic corset made from one of her owner’s cricket pads.
I loved the wonderful descriptions of the English countryside. Malcolm Welshman has a beautiful writing style with great imagery, which really makes the story come alive.
This is the perfect escape novel and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. If you love animals, quirky characters and like to see the funny side of life, you will love this charming book.
About The Author
Malcolm is a retired vet and author of three fictionalised novels about the life of a young vet in his early days in practice. In September 2011, the ebook of the first, Pets in a Pickle, reached number 2 in Kindle’s bestseller list. The following year, Barnes & Noble in the US chose Pets in a Pickle as its Free Friday selection from their Nook books. As a result the ebook got 68,000 hits and 450 reviews, over half of which were 5*.
The third novel in the series, Pets Aplenty, was a finalist in the People’s Book Prize 2015.
His latest memoir, published September 2018, relates, through a series of very personal and heartfelt anecdotes, how animals that have influenced his life from a youngster in Nigeria through to his early years as a vet, starting with Nigel the newt.
Malcolm also writes features for national newspapers such as The Daily Mail, and magazines such as Dorset Life, Parrots Magazine and Cat World. The People’s Friend has run two series each of 30 stories, entitled ‘Tales from Prospect House’.
In addition, his writing and plethora of animal anecdotes, has enabled him to participate as a guest speaker on cruise ships with a tally of 44 engagements worldwide to-date.
His website is: http://www.malcolmwelshman.co.uk
Twitter @malcolmwelshman
Many thanks to the author for a copy of Pets Are A Pleasure, which I have reviewed honestly.
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