The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer
I picked up a copy of The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer at Sainsbury’s recently.. Published in 2025, it is her latest novel. Belinda Bauer writes stories with a cosy crime kind of setting. The actual crimes are often far from cosy, but there’s always a good dose of humour. I’ve read most of her books and really enjoyed them. The Impossible Thing is right up with her best.
Set in the 1920s and 30s and the present day, The Impossible Thing is about the dark world of illegal egg collecting. In 1926, a hungry six year old girl hangs precariously off a cliff, looking for an egg to eat. But she finds something different, something special. Celie is the youngest, unwanted, child of a farming family living in poverty. What she finds will change the fortunes of her family forever.
But it is so precious that it will be stolen again and again, until eventually nobody actually knows where it is.
In the present day, a remote cottage is ransacked, by someone looking for that same precious thing.
The Impossible Thing sees the return of Patrick from Belinda Bauer’s novel, Rubbernecker. It’s not a sequel, but it’s nice to have the character back. Patrick is now in his early 20s. He is autistic and highly intelligent. He is slowly starting to understand what people actually mean when they speak, with the help of his friends Meg and Weird Nick.
Together, they go in search of the impossible thing. Will they solve a mystery or are they putting themselves in danger?
The Impossible Thing is a really fun read and it’s also very interesting to learn about the world of illegal egg collecting. It’s nice to have the addition of the historical element to the novel. If you’re looking for a fun crime novel, which isn’t too dark and with really likeable characters, I would definitely recommend The Impossible Thing.
I remember reading Exit by Belinda Bauer and I enjoyed it. I think I need to catch up on some of her other books.
Exit was the first Belinda Bauer I read. I’ve read nearly all of her other books. They are all quirky and entertaining. This is the first one with a historical element to it.