Voices in the Garden

First published 1981, this is Dirk Bogarde’s second novel.The fabulous but wavering old Lady “Cuckoo” Peverill, lives with her husband, Napoleon-mad military historian, Archie. Dissatisfied and overcome by sheer boredom, she ventures down to the lake at the edge of their estate, pockets filled with stones, she begins to walk into the water. Before she is too deeply submerged, she is pulled away by sparsely-clothed drifter, Marcus Pollock. Feigning that he merely saved her from an ‘accident’, he is brought back to the villa, where he moves in. Cue the arrival of Marcus’ girlfriend, as well as a whole horde of eccentric film-makers and you have the stage set for an effortlessly entertaining story. Set in Cap Ferrat, in one of the last great villas of the twenties, Voices in the Garden is a heart-felt tale of mature and immature love.

A funny, bright, and lusciously decadent diversion

Sir Dirk Bogarde was an English actor and novelist. Initially a matinee idol, Bogarde later acted in art-house films such as Death In Venice. As well as completing six novels, Bogarde wrote several volumes of autobiography.Between 1947 and 1991, Bogarde made more than sixty films. For over two decades he lived in Italy and France, where he began to write seriously.In 1985 he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by the University of St Andrews and in 1990 was promoted to Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.