Mary Scott Novels in English

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I have read Mary Scott's novels since I was a teenager. She has been my favourite author for quite a while and I still care a lot for her books. They are natural, you can tell she lived through them.

Unfortunately, I only know her books in the German translation. I have always wanted to read them in the original but by the time the internet came up and it was easier to order books in different languages, they were out of print and I was unable to find them.

A while ago, I found a used copy. Hurray! Finally I could read at least one of her novels in English.

I was not disappointed. However, I noticed that not everything found its way into the translation. Not that the book story was changed but a lot of the minor characters and their stories were left out. So, now I wonder what was left out in the other books and would love to read more of them. I will carry on looking through the internet and hopefully find some of her other writings.

I will keep a list here of all the books I read in English now and put up a link in my post "Mary Scott writes about New Zealand".

Scott, Mary "Yours to oblige" (Na endlich, Liebling) - 1954
Scott, Mary "Breakfast at Six" (Frühstück um Sechs. Ich und Paul und Tausend Schafe) - 1953 - the first book in my favourite series about Susan who marries a sheep farmer

Scott, Mary "What Does It Matter" (Macht nichts, Darling) - 1966 

McKinley, Tamara "Lands Beyond the Sea"

McKinley, Tamara "Lands Beyond the Sea" - 2007

I would file this novel under "Catherine Cookson with a little Australiana thrown in". Too much "Lord loves poor girl, poor girl loves Lord but they can't get together" for me. The stories of the convicts have been described a lot better in other books (Capricornia, English Passengers, The Floating Brothel, For the Term of His Natural Life, The Secret River).

The story about the convicts might have been good if it hadn't all the chick lit paraphernalia thrown in. And I might have enjoyed the book if it hadn't been such an "easy read". Not my thing, I'm afraid.

I read this is the first of a series. I doubt I will read the following ones.

From the back cover:

"Discovery
By the 1700s, the Aborigine people have lived in harmony with the land in Australia for sixty thousand years. But now, ghost-ships are arriving, their very existence is threatened by a terrifying white invasion.

Love
When Jonathan Cadwallader leaves Cornwall to sail on the Endeavour, he leaves behind his sweetheart, Susan Penhalligan ... But an act of brutality will reunite them in the raw and unforgiving penal colony of New South Wales.

Hardship
Billy Penhalligan has survived transportation and clings to the promise of a new beginning. But there will be more suffering before he or his fellow convicts can regard Australia as home ...

A powerful, romantic epic weaving the lives of the Cadwalladers, the Penhalliagnas, the Aborigine and the convict settlers into the untamed tapestry of newly discovered Australia."

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "Who Put It There?"

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "Who Put It There?" - 1965 (Inspector Wright #5)

This was a sad book to read because I know it will probably be the last book by Mary Scott that I read for the first time. I doubt I'll ever find any of her other ones. If any of my friends and readers knows of one that I didn't mention in my post "Mary Scott writes about New Zealand".

In this novel, the authors let a young girl find herself in the position that there is a body in her boot (or, if you're American, in her boot). And that's how the trouble starts …

Another pleasant read - despite the murder - of one of my favourite authors from my teenage years.

From the back cover:

"On her way to take up a position as companion to the wealthy Mrs Warwick-Smith, Delia Hunt is held up by a thick fog. By the time she is clear of the fog she has had morning tea with an attractive man and been stopped by policemen who discover a body in the boot of her car. The body is that of Mr Warwick-Smith. Who put it there?

Who killed the unpopular Mr Warwick-Smith? When Inspector Wright is called in, he finds that any one of several people, from friends to groundskeepers to mysterious cousins, could have done it. To complicate the mystery further, the overpowering Augusta Wharton, famous author of 'novels of passion', and her meek secretary, Miss Minnie Pink, become involved. The deeper Inspector Wright digs into the murder, the more strange things he discovers in what is normally a quiet country district.

In an exciting, deftly written climax, the murderer gives themselves away - by attempting a second murder."

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "No Red Herrings"

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "No Red Herrings" - 1964 (Inspector Wright #4)

Another lovely book by my favourite New Zealand author, Mary Scott. In collaboration with Joyce West, she wrote five Inspector Wright novels. This is the fifth. There are always horses in those stories, much more obvious than in any of Mary Scott's own novels, at least their role is a lot more prominent.

Anyway, just another easy but pleasurable read.

From the back cover (translated):
"In a peaceful area in New Zealand, with peaceful people, strange things happen all of a sudden. Vida Cox, the dodgy landlady of a disreputable hotel, has been murdered. Then little Beth Sutherland has disappeared. And what about the missing hibiscus brooch?"

Scott, Mary, West; Joyce "Fatal Lady"

Scott, Mary, West; Joyce "Fatal Lady" (Inspector Wright #1) - 1960

Another charming novel by Mary Scott, one of my favourite author from teenage years. It's so lovely that I found her crime novels that she wrote with another author from New Zealand, Joyce West.

Did I say charming? Someone was killed. Apparently, not a nice guy but nobody deserves to get killed. But the rest of the characters are all wonderful. Well, all except one ...

I already had 26 of her books, now with the added murder mysteries, I have 32. Nice books I can always pick up when I need an easy read.

From the back cover (translated):
"Old Jack Hawkins is found dead in the paddock of his farm. Nearby, his racehorse Fatal Lady is grazing. The body shows terrible head injuries that can only stem from horse hooves. Did Fatal Lady kill her master? Or is the whole thing a cleverly planned and executed murder? After all, several people have a motive ..."

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "Such Nice People"

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "Such Nice People" (Inspector Wright #2) - 1962

The second time I come across Inspector Wright and his work in the New Zealand bush. Mary Scott's books are lighthearted and pleasant to read, even if there is a murderer among the lovely people on the pages.

If you have read my other reviews about Mary Scott's novels, you will know that these are about the most easy going books I read. This is not different, not scary or anything. Mary Scott, in collaboration with Joyce West, has written another lovely book.

From the back cover (translated):
"Lucia happily accepts her uncle's offer to take over his petrol station at the Half Moon Lake- at least temporarily. Because - as the uncle writes - "I can't promise exciting adventures you, all the people here are downright scarily law-abiding but you will find the freedom to live your own life, books, enough people, the lake and the bush.

A rural idyll - just the thing for someone like Lucia, who suffers from a broken heart. But the hope of a secluded, peaceful life is not fulfilled. Just after her arrival, Lucia experiences an earthquake - and a fire! And when she learns the next day that the local postman, Bert Davies, is probably the victim of a murder, Lucia senses that exciting days are coming.

However, should there really be a murderer among these law-abiding, alluringly lovely people?"

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "The Mangrove Murder"

Scott, Mary; West, Joyce "The Mangrove Murder" (Inspector Wright #3) - 1964 

I found this book by my favourite author from my teenage years. And I hadn't read it, yet! Because, in general, crime stories are not really my genre.  But since I have read and re-read all her other books, I thought it was time to tackle the five stories she wrote with another author from New Zealand, Joyce West.

The people in this story are just as charming as everyone in Mary Scott's other books, well, except for the killer, of course. But other than that, we read about people who live in New Zealand at a time when life was still very different from today.

I also found her other crime books in the meantime and will read them at my leisure

From the back cover (translated):

"Pauline's engagement broke. When she wants to take a break in the countryside, instead of the longed-for rest she finds the body of an unknown person."

Find my reviews of her other books here.

Scott, Mary "Days that have been"

Scott, Mary "Days that have been" - 1966

A reread of Mary Scott's auto-biography. She has written many funny stories about her life in New Zealand on a remote farm about a hundred years ago.

I have loved all her stories and red every single one that I could get my hands on but this is probably my favourite. Not as funny as the other ones but you can see where she gets her humour. A lovely account of a woman who had to endure many hardships, who lived a life long forgotten, at least in our part of the world. Born in 1888, she was a little older than my grandmothers but I know from their stories (and those of my parents) that times were about the same, no electricity, no technology, no cars etc. And since none of them has written a book, this is also a sort of getting together with those from my family who have been gone for a long time now. One of my favourite books by one of my favourite authors.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

I have not read any of her crime stories or her early and later books "Barbara Bakes", "The Prisoner Escaped" and "The Unwritten Book" and would be grateful if anyone could let me know how I could obtain a copy.

From the back cover: (translated)
"Mary Scott, the farmer's wife and best-selling author from New Zealand, has retold her own life in this book - from her childhood, from her school and university days, from her honeymoon 'on horseback' to living on a farm in the New Zealand bush, isolated and far away from culture and civilization.
As Mary Scott, an almost perfect countrywoman and mother of four children, begins to write between cooking, sewing and milking (for chronic money shortage, by the way) and comes to world fame with her optimistic novels - that itself reads like a cheery novel. Only this time he is not invented by Mary Scott, but experienced."

Scott, Mary "Away From It All"

Scott, Mary "Away From It All" - 1977

My last novel written by Mary Scott (see my list here). I have one more, an autobiography, but that is it.

Adrian Medway is an author who is very sensitive about critics. When he inherits some money, he packs up his family and buys a small farm in the middle of nowhere. Here, he finds some hidden talents, as do his son and daughter.

As always in Mary Scott's stories, there are problems arising that you might only have in the environment she used to live in but you can also see the beauty of it, people who help each other out, no matter what.

A funny novel, a typical one by Mary Scott.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

Description (translated):

"An inheritance enables the Medway family to spend a year  on a farm. Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, everyone soon discovers forgotten skills and talents in the new environment."

Scott, Mary "It Was Meant" - 1974

Scott, Mary "It Was Meant" - 1974

Another reread of the pleasurable books by Mary Scott. Since I read her novels as a teenager, I always dreamt of New Zealand. Not that I would have loved to live during the time Mary Scott and her husband had to run their farm but the author makes it sound so pleasant and lovely.

As in all her other books, there is so much humour in this one, even thought she doesn't even mention a library, usally one of the locations her heroines are seen in. This story shows us a bus tour, a pre-school, a gas station, a hospital and a farm. And a dog, of course, there always has to be at least one animal in her stories.

Maybe these books are outdated but they are a reminder of my youth and I always like coming back to them.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover: (translated)
"A storm can be good for many things, as witnessed by Elizabeth Mortimer, called Liz, on an adventurous bus trip to the north of New Zealand. She meets a group of enterprising women from Windythorpe, and these newfound friends give her life a new meaning.
Liz decides to start her new life in Windythorpe. And, of course, this decision is right. Firstly, she unexpectedly rediscovers her friend Kay and secondly she finds the man of her life. In the end there is even a nice double wedding - to the delight of the people of Windythorpe."

Scott, Mary "First Things First"

Scott, Mary "First Things First" - 1973

Like all of Mary Scott's books, I have read this before, I managed to buy most of those that were translated into German years ago. I do remember this as being one of my favourites, probably because the protagonist is a librarian.

Also in this case, Mary Scott drew from her own life, she did take care of a village library for a while during the time one or several of her kids attended school far away from home.

Again, this book is funny from the first page to the last, always a pleasure to read novels by this great author.
Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover (translated):
"Robert Henderson and his granddaughter move to the countryside. In an idyllic small village, the girl takes a job as a librarian. Assisted by her ardent, sometimes somewhat old-fashioned, but certainly very well-read grandfather, she supplies the not so uneducated rural community with everything her poorly equipped library provides.
But Jill does not want to read about love just in books and therefore decides to marry a farmer. But suddenly she falls in love with the busy young veterinarian ..."

Scott, Mary "If I Don’t, Who Will?"

Scott, Mary "If I Don’t, Who Will?" - 1971

As all of Mary Scott's book, this one is quite funny. Laura, a young woman, inherits her grandmother's farm and house but has to take care of her cousins, as well. Most of them are older than her, so you would think that's not a problem but they all think of the house as their home and take advantage of Laura. Sometimes you would like to shake her and tell her not to be exploited by those selfish people but the whole plot is always so funny that you don't mind, after all, none of this would happen if she reacted like any of us.

Anyway, I can only recommend to read any of Mary Scott's books, they are all full of humour. Unfortunately, they are all out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover (translated):
"Laura, a young woman of twenty, inherits her grandmother's house and farm. But the inheritance has a condition: Laura is to take care of her relatives, she is supposed to make sure that her cousins and the aged uncle have a comfortable home Joseph in Brookside. This does not seem to be more than right and wise..
But as time goes by, it turns out that the condition has a catch. For Lester and Eva, Christine and Uncle Joseph and finally Hugh, the youngest, come to Laura with all their worries, rob her time and occupy Brookside so much that Laura soon no longer knows where her head is.
Then Laura's husband takes a stand ..."

Scott, Mary "Haven't We Met Before?"

Scott, Mary "Haven't We Met Before?" - 1970

Mary Scott's books are always funny and I love them all. This one is just as hilarious as many of the others. The young painter Tessa paints an abstract picture - as a joke. But she wins a prize and now has to hide from everyone because they all want to celebrate her.

As always, Mary Scott writes about what she knows best, the New Zealand countryside. And her characters are as lovely as always.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover (translated):
"A Reluctant Star
What happens if a freelance painter suddenly gets the crazy idea to create a completely abstract, completely unintelligible painting and on top of that submits this concoction to a great art exhibit?
It happens what Tessa Nelson - that's the name of the jester - hadn't even expected in her wildest dreams: her 'work' is enthusiastically celebrated and - awarded a prize.
Tessa is a reluctant star. To escape the prying reporters, photographers and fans, she flees to the countryside to her brother. But there it seems she's come from bad to worse..."

Scott, Mary "Strictly Speaking"

Scott, Mary "Strictly Speaking" - 1969

Time for the next book by Mary Scott. This time, two friends buy an old house in the middle of nowhere to open a tea shop. But Mary Scott hardly needs any setting or concept in order to start writing a lovely little story about friendship, love, trouble and a happy end. Like all of her other books, this was a nice read.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover: "So often, delightful and pretty Vicki O'Brien would begin her sentences with the words 'Strictly Speaking'. And it was one thing that Vicki rarely did, for she would tell lies - harmless little fits she called them - in order to keep everybody happy. Although this irritating habit frequently led her into trouble, even her great friend Lucy thought she would never be cured of it..."

Scott, Mary "Yes, Darling"

Scott, Mary "Yes, Darling" - 1967

Another Mary Scott story. If you have followed my blog for the last two years, you might have met her before, otherwise I can only recommend to go to my post with her books here.

Well, the stories were written in the fifties/sixties and times have changed. Or at least I hope so. Because Margaret, the heroine of our story, lets herself being bullied all her life. First by her father, then her husband and in the end by her husband's daughter and nieces. I think this might actually be a good book to discuss feminism and how it shouldn't be.

But it wouldn't be a Mary Scott story if that would last forever. With the help of some friends, Margaret gains enough self-confidence to finally start her own life.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover:

"For every demand that her stepnieces and beloved stepdaughter made of her, Margaret Nevill had one answer: "Yes, darling." Since her exacting husband died, leaving her a legacy of the three girls, Margaret had threatened to become what they called a door mat.

However, when Margaret suddenly decides to leave her dreary city house and return to the country she had loved as a girl, her life changes completely - and for the better."

Scott, Mary "What Does It Matter"

Scott, Mary "What Does It Matter" - 1966

Another nice little Mary Scott novel. As most of the readers of my blogs might know my now, I read all these stories when I was a teenager. Here is another one that talks about a young girl that tries to get through life in the New Zealand outback. Her father left her a farm that is highly in debt and she has a lot of problems trying to manage it. But she is a happy go lucky kind of girl and finds humour even when life gives her more than the obvious lemons.

It wouldn't be Mary Scott if the book didn't have a happy ending, though, so it is a very enjoyable read.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover (translated): "When a young, carefree girl suddenly sees herself given a task, to manage a farm - and moreover one in a debt - then everything else is easy.
But thanks you her merry temperament and unclouded optimism, Sally goes through the difficulties with ease, she knows how to help herself and her friends through all the big and small troubles.
Even when her childhood friend Simon Hunter is in a jam, Sally quickly finds a solution. Spontaneously she declares herself Simon's fiancé - and suddenly she's in trouble herself.
In the end, there is a way that is as startling as it is obvious ..."

Scott, Mary "It’s Perfectly Easy"

Scott, Mary "It’s Perfectly Easy" - 1963

There are books by Mary Scott that I remember almost verbatim and I can tell you every little episode that happens in just that novel. This is not one of them. I had a vague memory of the story and the characters but that was about it.

However, I found it wonderful that I could re-read this book and it was almost like a new one to me. I have no idea why I forgot so much about the story because it's perfectly charming, just like all the other novels written by one of New Zealand's greatest writers.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover (translated):
"It's perfectly easy, to establish a campsite in the countryside with a lot of enthusiasm but little money. But of course, things turn out differently than Helen imagined everything.
How lucky that besides her sick brother and a huge Danish Dane, Helens also counts Trina to her household, her lively, bubbly girlfriend. With her disarming, infectious cheerfulness, Trina copes with even the most difficult guests. And even a small flood disaster cannot tarnish Trina's vitality.
After all, you can survive everything with humour ..."

Scott, Mary "The Long Honeymoon"

Scott, Mary "The Long Honeymoon" - 1963

Another book from the favourite author of my teenage days. These simple stories about a life on the other side of the world in a time before I was born still fascinate me.

In this case, there is Lee who marries the farmer Andrew and they hope to have a quiet life on their farm. However. Many of their friends take them up on their invitation to visit them and the life is not as quiet as they had thought it would be.

As always, Mary Scott puts a lot of humour into her stories, there are the usual neighbours, both nice and, uhm, not so nice, the former student friends who start a Shakespearean theatre group in the middle of nowhere, the helpful Maoris without whom the community couldn't survived. Like all her other stories, a nice and pleasant read.

From the back cover: (translated) "Honeymoon with obstacles
Living on a farm, riding over large paddocks, swimming in the beach surf - that has always been the wish of city girl Lee Connor. When she marries the young farmer Andrew Marsden, her dreams become reality. Full of expectation, the young couple moves into the old house, which belongs to the farm shortly after the wedding.
Lee and Andrew hadn't been stingy with invitations on their wedding to visit them on the farm, and this carelessness takes its revenge soon. After a few days, the first guests appear: the snobby Lawrence with his counterpart Grant, Miss Connor from Ireland, Lee's only aunt; even Andrews capricious cousin Sally arrives full of curiosity.
Lee is doing everything possible to ensure a pleasant stay for the farm guests. But the hopes for a nice honeymoon for Lee and Andrew dwindle from day to day."

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

Scott, Mary "The White Elephant"

Scott, Mary "The White Elephant" - 1959

As all my friends and readers know in the meantime, I love Mary Scott. But I have my favourite books among her novels, as well. This is definitely one of them. I always liked the idea of two young girls opening a boarding house of their own.

As usual, Mary Scott manages to describe them all very well again, the two young cousins, their friends who help them out, the first guests, both the loveable ones and the weird ones. And then there are her hilarious stories, episodes that happen to the characters. As always, a nice, easy read that makes you forget all sorts of things for a while.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks.

From the back cover: "Misfortunes never come alone ... It was an unfortunate coincidence that Katherine Lee ended her engagement with Deryk Ross exactly on the same day when her cousin Jane terminated her position at Park, Fairbrother and Park. For Katherine, it was a case of incompatibility of tempers, for Jane it was her spelling ... The amusing, optimistic novel by Mary Scott about two young girls who don't give up starts with this double misfortune .As Katherine and Jane inherit an old house on the coast, they open in the boarding house The White Elephant'. This does not go without difficulty and trouble, without minor and major disasters, but at the end success is inevitable - even in love ..."

Find all of my reviews of Mary Scott's books here and a list of all her books here.

Scott, Mary "One of the Family"

Scott, Mary "One of the Family" - 1958

Another lovely book by Mary Scott. I read somewhere that it was one of her most successful ones, I have no idea why because they are all nice but here you go. I would have probably chosen another one as my favourite but this certainly is also a good one.

Yes, uncle Robert returns from England after having taught hundreds of boys in his life. He visits his niece on a remote farm, a niece he has never seen in his life. But apparently, they all get on well together and so uncle Robert stays on for a lot longer than he had intended to.

Anyway, as in most books by Mary Scott (to whom I dedicated her own blog entry here), there are a lot of wonderful people living in the backblocks and they all help each other, the good ones win in the end. I don't think I'm telling anyone any secrets. If you've read some of her books, you will know anyway.

Unfortunately, Mary Scott's books are out of print and only available second hand. I have heard in the meantime, that you can buy some of them as eBooks, like this one here.

From the back cover (translated): "Robert Macalister, teacher, childless and widowed, retires and returns to England. Because he wants to spend his old age in his native New Zealand. On the sheep farm of his niece Dora Moore.
The fact that the farm is in big trouble does not frighten him. On the contrary. He wants to help his niece. And so his planned short visit turns into a longer stay.
At the end of the first year, it turns out that Uncle Robert has stood his ground. He's just the best. For him, only one thing counts: He started a new life in old age and breached his loneliness ..."

I also happened to find an article about Mary Scott and her novels called "The New Zealand Novel".