The Chilbury Ladies' Choir

A Novel

By: Jennifer Ryan

Narrated by: Gabrielle Glaister, Laura Kirman, Imogen Wilde, Adjoa Andoh, Tom Clegg, Mike Grady

"Just because the men have gone to war, why do we have to close the choir? And precisely when we need it most!"

As England enters World War II's dark early days, spirited music professor Primrose Trent, recently arrived to the village of Chilbury, emboldens the women of the town to defy the Vicar's stuffy edict to shutter the church's choir in the absence of men and instead carry on singing. Resurrecting themselves as The Chilbury Ladies' Choir, the women of this small village soon use their joint song to lift up themselves and the community as the war tears through their lives.

Told through letters and journals, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir moves seamlessly from budding romances to village intrigues to heartbreaking matters of life and death. As we come to know the struggles of the charismatic members of this unforgettable outfit - a timid widow worried over her son at the front, the town beauty drawn to a rakish artist, her younger sister nursing an impossible crush and dabbling in politics she doesn't understand, a young Jewish refugee hiding secrets about her family, and a conniving midwife plotting to outrun her seedy past - we come to see how the strength each finds in the choir's collective voice reverberates in her individual life. In turns funny, charming and heart-wrenching, this lovingly executed ensemble novel will charm and inspire, illuminating the true spirit of the women on the home front, in a village of indomitable spirit, at the dawn of a most terrible conflict.

This audiobook includes popular versions of classical music sung by women's choirs, including the songs "Abide with Me" and "All Creatures", "Ave Maria", and "The Lord's My Shepherd".

©2017 Jennifer Ryan (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"There's so much happening in Chilbury: intrigue, romance and an unforgettable cast of characters who aren't always as they appear. The Chilbury Ladies' Choir is a charming slice of English wartime life that warms the soul like a hot toddy." (Martha Hall Kelly, New York Times best-selling author of Lilac Girls)

"Lyrical, poetic, emotional, funny, endearing, surprising - it is a masterpiece." (Veronica Henry, author of An Eligible Bachelor)

" The Chilbury Ladies' Choir sinks you deep inside the rich, intricate atmosphere of an English village in the middle of war, when quiet lives are upended and secrets unravel. With her unforgettable characters and vivid narrative, Jennifer Ryan creates the kind of wartime novel that plays out over the intimate territory of the human heart - full of soul, full of hope. You'll be thinking about this book long after the last page turns." (Beatriz Williams, New York Times best-selling author of A Hundred Summers and The Secret Life of Violet Grant)

Charming, Delightful

This is a delightful, charming novel set during WWII in a small English village where most of the men have gone off to war, leaving mainly women in the village to tend the homefires.

The story is filled with intrigue, heartbreak and triumphs of small town living all set against a backdrop of war.

I listened to this on audio, read by an ensemble cast of actors, and thought it added to the experience. In fact, I think I wouldn't have liked it quite as much if I had just read it myself. Since the novel is written in letters and journal entries each character comes to life with their own unique voice, especially the character of Mrs. Edwina Paltry, the town's conniving midwife. The reader is perfect for the part!

The ending is all wrapped up in a neat little bow, and while I usually find that a little off putting and contrived, I thought it was rather perfect for this book (similar to the ending of the Help). Highly recommend to anyone looking for a fast, enjoyable read.

Why did this book have to end?

The characters were positively enduring. The audible voices were shear joy! The setting , characters and stories an absolute delight. I'm begging for more!

Great story, wonderful performance!

I absolutely loved this book. I love epistolary novels. Once I began listening, I couldn't stop. The performance is marvelous. I finished it far too quickly because now I'm missing the characters. I will definitely listen to this book again.

Good first book

very much enjoyed the narrators reading this book. also engaging story plot . nice to hear a book without expletives and violence.

A Delightful Story.....

Would you listen to The Chilbury Ladies' Choir again? Why?

yes, I would listen to this again, mainly because of the variety of narrators, giving every person their own voice.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The enthusiasm in Kitty's voice........no matter the circumstances.....even at her young age...showed strength, compassion to everyone around her. Believing, if we stand together, we will always win.

Any additional comments?

Loved, loved listening to this book. The music, all the different narrators voices......if you like PBS Call The Midwife, Downton Abbey, etc, you will not be disappointed.

Delightful! Includes several choral arrangements!

With most the men off to war, the women of Chilbury decide to continue on with the choir to help boost the towns spirits. This book is full of town gossip and drama with the backdrop of air raid alarms from nazi bombings. I love the bonus of listening to the audiobook which includes several choral arrangements accompanied by the organ. Beautiful!

Makes History feel real

I laughed, blushed, cried and everything else inbetween. Loved it!

One has to get used to the "correspondence way" that the story is written in, but I found myself actually enjoying it very much in the end. The choice of the two readers' voices made the story even greater.

The historic theme of the time it is written in, touches me as well. it is only a few years before my mother's birth. Her family roots are in Germany and lost all they owned because the Nazi's seized everything. Thank God, the family was able to leave the country because they had lived in Germany for three generations, but were citizens of another country.

An exceptional story! Great performances!

Very engaging , must get more by this author and group !highly recommend especially for WWII aficionados, especially of women's roles.

I loved it!

What a refreshing story read by perfect voices! In these dismal days with uncertainty everywhere, it was a pleasure to spend a while in the little village of Chilbury during World War II. I think the audio perfectly fit this novel. Highly recommend it!

Chilbury's Ladies' Choir: A Novel

I read this book first on my Kindle and I thoroughly enjoyed it. A friend of mine suggested that I listen to it on Audible. It was absolutely fantastic. All the different voices made the story come alive!! I definitely recommend listening to the Audible version.