I had no idea about the illicit trade in specific kinds of birds' eggs, but that is the foundation for this fascinating dual timeline story. There are incidents that begin in 1926 that reverberate a century on, when Patrick Fort finds his friend Weird Nick and Nick's mother tied up and robbed in their home. The one item that was taken was a scarlet egg that Nick had posted information about online.

In 1926 we meet Celie Sheppard, who is the illegitimate daughter in a farming family, whose father left them when Celie's parentage was revealed. Celie is ignored, except by Robert, who helps around the farm. When Robert persuades Celie to help him collect eggs from the cliffside near the farm, Celie retrieves a rare, red guillemot egg. And this is the first of many she collects; she is employed by a local criminal, and becomes a vital part of the man's lucrative trade in eggs.

In the present, the neurodivergent Patrick and his hapless friend Nick begin to search for the missing egg, while trying to figure out who stole it. Patrick discovers the trade in eggs and the staggering prices people pay for certain highly sought eggshell colours and the like.

This book was great. I've only read one other book by Belinda Bauer, which I enjoyed a lot, and now I have to read her "Rubbernecker".

I loved the use of the two timelines, as well as how well characterized both Celie and Patrick were. Celie's life is hard and sad, but at the same time, she's not weak-willed or naïve. Patrick is a delight.

Bauer tells a complex, compelling story, with fascinating characters. I learned about egg trafficking (awful!), and its interesting history.

I listened and read this book, and found Phil Dunster's narration terrific. I loved his Patrick, and found his Celie sympathetic, and Weird Nick funny.

Thank you to Netgalley, Grove Atlantic and to Dreamscape Media for these ARCs in exchange for my review.

Thanks to the Grove Atlantic and Netgalley for this eARC.

Belinda Bauer’s "The Impossible Thing" is an electrifying, high-stakes mystery that expertly blends suspense, wit, and psychological intrigue. Known for her razor-sharp storytelling and mastery of tension, Bauer once again delivers a novel that keeps readers on edge, questioning the nature of truth and deception.

From its opening pages, "The Impossible Thing" immediately establishes itself as a novel that refuses to adhere to conventional mystery tropes. Instead, Bauer constructs a narrative that twists unpredictably, forcing the reader to reevaluate what they think they know. The pacing is taut, yet never rushed, allowing each revelation to land with maximum impact.

The protagonist is not merely a detective or amateur sleuth; but someone deeply intertwined with the mystery in ways that become clearer as the novel unfolds. Bauer excels at crafting flawed, compelling characters who are as intriguing as the puzzles they attempt to solve. Motivations are layered, relationships tested, and by the final chapters, readers feel they have lived every moment alongside them.

"The Impossible Thing" is elevated above standard thrillers as its central mystery—one that seems, as the title suggests, utterly unsolvable. And yet, Bauer’s ingenuity ensures that the resolution is both shocking and deeply satisfying. It’s a novel designed to challenge its audience, demanding careful attention to detail without ever becoming convoluted.

For readers who crave unpredictable narratives, intelligent plotting, and psychological depth, "The Impossible Thing" is an unmissable entry in Bauer’s repertoire. With tight prose, sharp dialogue, and enough twists to keep even seasoned mystery lovers guessing, Bauer proves once again why she is one of the most compelling voices in modern crime fiction.

The novel is narrated in a non-linear style, interspersing the events from the past and present. While the narrative from the past unfolds the history of the Metland Egg and the effect that it has on everyone associated with it, the present strand of narration describes the effort of Patrick and Nick to track the stolen egg. The plot has an abundance of hidden 'eggs,' both literal and metaphorical. While the protagonists of the novel are on a quest involving a set of missing eggs, the writer has cleverly concealed several 'eggs' in the narrative for the attentive reader to discover, some of which are elementary in providing closure.

The Impossible Thing - Belinda Bauer

If you know me, you may be aware that Belinda Bauer is one of my favourite authors. Why? So many reasons - the writing is clever and original, the characters leap off the pages and make me laugh out loud and the story line so immersive that the pages seem to turn themselves.

In The Impossible Thing, we are introduced to Celie Sheppard. Celie is small and brave, spirited and smart. She grows up in the 1920s on a farm on the North Yorkshire coast, near the Bempton cliffs. Celie, due to her size, bravery and desperation in the face of her family’s extreme poverty is one of the prime candidates to be a “climmer” - a child lowered in a harness, dangling before the cliff face, so she can collect rare guillemot eggs. Dangerous and exploitative - yes. Lucrative - that too. Also terrifying.

In the current day story, we re-meet (for those of us who have read Rubbernecker - but you you don’t have to have) Patrick Ford, who I am very fond of. He and his friend Nick, who was recently subject to a home invasion, decide to investigate why a valuable collector’s item - now illegal to sell on eBay, as Nick has discovered - is the only thing taken.

Welcome to the world of egg collecting. I’m not sure I would ever have read a book on this topic, but since I’d read anything (and have read everything published) by this author - if anyone can make this exciting, edge of your seat, breathtakingly fascinating, Belinda can and does.

The egg collecting world is corrupt and dangerous. The wealthy and greedy and obsessed individuals are as scary as the actual collection process. And there’s even a lovely tribute to and description of the birds themselves - at which I had tears in my eyes.

So stop rolling your eyes at my shameless raving, take a risk and dive right in to this beautifully written, creative and original thriller. You won’t be sorry.

With thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5 sparkling stars

I really liked this one but feel at a bit of a loss as to how to describe it. Stealing from the book's description, "a taut, wonderfully imagined novel brimming with skullduggery at every turn" is the best summary It isn't a typical mystery, but I think it would appeal to both mystery and literary fiction readers.

I loved this book . It’s a story about obsession and greed told in a dual timeline. We meet Patrick and Nick in the present day , I just loved their relationship, so funny and warm . In 1926 we meet Cecile, who steals birds eggs for a fee to try to get her out of the poverty she’s in . We go on an adventure to find the rare Metland egg, which were stolen from birds nests to make money for bird collectors. We find out what a cruel obsession this is and the disrespect for the birds. It’s an adventure story with lots of twists and turns . We have the RSPB man who is on a mission to find the missing egg and the Dr at the museum, we are not quite sure who the villain is at times. We are given an insight to this horrible trade and although things have improved since 1926 these birds still need protection from such a cruel sport. I really hope we meet Patrick and Weird Nick soon.

I loved Bauer's earlier work "Exit", and was excited to get an early review copy of "The Impossible Thing". I didn't realize until I finished that it was the second book in a series featuring the character Patrick Fort.

This book wasn't as funny as "Exit", but it did have its moments, especially in the modern part of the dual timeline story. The historical story was interesting, dealing with egg collectors in the early 1900's. In the modern story, a valuable lost egg is found, and then lost again. The characters from Rubbernecker are back, and hunting the thieves. Patrick and Weird Nick are an oddly matched pair, but their dynamic is very entertaining. 5* for this successful blend of history and a modern crime caper.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Das Buch beginnt im Mai 1920. Jim Chandler und seine Söhne stehlen in den Klippen von Yorkshire wertvolle Lummen Eier. Jeden Tag lassen sie sich viermal über die steilen Klippen herab und bringen jedes Mal an die 50 Eier mit. Von Mai bis Juli arbeiten sie in Konkurrenz zu drei anderen Gruppen auf verschiedenen Abschnitten der Klippen. Tagsüber zieht das Geschäft Händler und Verkaufsstände an, Familien machen Ausflüge hierher, manche lassen sich auch herunter seilen.

Celie Shepard ist das schwarze Schaf ihrer Familie und an allem schuld. Als sie geboren wurde, hat ihr Vater die Familie verlassen da sie offensichtlich von einem anderen Mann war. Die Mutter musste fortan allein für das Baby und die anderen vier Kinder sorgen. Sie lebten in ärmsten Umständen. Von ihrer Klippe aus waren solche Beutezüge nach Eiern nicht möglich, da sie einen viel zu weiten Überhang hat. Mit sechs Jahren kommt Celie aber auf die Idee sich zu den Eiern abseilen zu lassen. Sie könnten immer genug Eier zu essen haben und die leeren Eierhüllen wären ein wunderschönes Spielzeug. Sie hat einen schmalen Bruch im Klippenrand gefunden, durch den sie aufgrund ihrer geringen Köpergröße passen könnte. Der geistig eingeschränkte Robert, der auf der Farm arbeitet hilft ihr dabei. Bei diesem halsbrecherischen Unterfangen, das fast böse ausgeht, gelangt sie zufällig an ein ganz einzigartiges Ei.

In der Gegenwart bemerkt Patrick Fort auf seinem Heimweg die offene Tür bei seinem benachbarte Freund Nick. Er entdeckt, dass er und seine Mutter überfallen wurden. Die Diebe haben alles durchwühlt und sie gefesselt zurückgelassen. Aber das einzige, was fehlt, ist ein seltenes rotes Lummer Ei in einer geschnitzten Holzkiste, das Nick auf dem Dachboden gefunden und bei eBay zum Verkauf angeboten hat.

Die Autorin hat für ihren Krimi ein ganz besonderes Thema ausgewählt. Über die Geschichte und die Machenschaften der Eier Sammler hatte ich noch nichts gehört. Historisch und biologisch ist das sehr interessant! Es macht einen traurig und wütend über das Schicksal der Wildvögel und ihrer Brut zu lesen. Patrick und Nick haben ja so ihre Schwierigkeiten die Welt, um sich zu begreifen, aber kommen trotzdem mit ihren Ermittlungen voran. Die Geschichte ist sehr spannend zu lesen, man mag den Lesefluss gar nicht unterbrechen.

Sehr speziell wird es, wenn die zwei sich in den Autoverkehr stürzen, man muss auch schon mal schmunzeln. Aber auf seltsame Weise ergänzen sich die zwei. Sie kommen trotz aller Widrigkeiten mit ihren Entdeckungen voran, es wird ganz schön gefährlich für sie.

Es folgt ein sehr fesselndes Ende, das überraschen kann und auch etwas Gutes bringt. Ich würde gerne weiteren Geschichten mit Patrick Fort folgen. Ein wirklich überzeugender Krimi.

This book shows the best and the worst in people. The story was engaging and interesting, with many twists and turns. I would highly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

1926. On the cliffs of Yorkshire, men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of the sea birds who nest there. The most beautiful are sold for large sums. A century later in a remote cottage in Wales, Patrick Fort finds his friend, Nick, and his mother tied up and robbed. The only thing missing: a carved case containing an incredible scarlet egg. Attempting to retrieve it, Patrick and Nick discover the cruel world of egg trafficking and become involved in a crime that has remained unsolved for a hundred years.

This is flagged as Rubbernecker #2 but in my opinion it's not necessary to read #1 first. Seeing as it was first published in 2013 you've likely forgotten a lot of it anyway. I read it recently in preparation for reading this one so it was still fresh in my mind. I loved Rubbernecker and recommend reading it but I think I loved this one even more. The descriptions of egg collecting in the 1920s had my heart in my throat and the colourful characters made it even more outstanding. The current-day story following Patrick and Nick's exploits in trying to recover the missing egg was at times humorous and at times scary and the two friends are interesting and unusual characters. The history covered in this book is totally different from anything I've read and I highly recommend it. There are so many threads to follow and so many characters to love or hate, it would be too easy to accidentally give something away so I'll just say, Read It! A touching ending as well. I rather hope there's more of Patrick and Nick in the future.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic, via Netgalley, for granting my request to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: April 8, 2025

The crime was egg-trafficking. The real mystery? Why I couldn’t get into it.

I wanted to love The Impossible Thing. It has rave reviews, it tackles themes I usually eat up like candy and it opens with a bold premise. But for some reason… it was impossible for me to get through.

Sure, it’s unique — egg trafficking! That’s definitely a first for me in a crime novel. It’s an unusual subject, with an unpredictable plot. Endangered birds, obsession, and the dark lengths people will go to get their hands on rare eggs — sounds like it should be gripping, right?

But… it never really hatched for me.

While I liked where this one was going, the pace absolutely did me in. Seems like a recurring theme for me lately: struggling with slow burns. I found myself zoning out, flipping pages, then realizing I had no clue what just happened — and worse, didn’t care enough to rewind.

The bird stuff, It should have been interesting — new territory, high stakes — but it never quite soared. I kept waiting for the plot to take off… but it fluttered, then stalled,and never took flight. The message is beautiful — that even the impossible might not be. But ironically, it felt impossible for me to stay hooked.

This witches’ buddy read took flight for Debra and Carolyn—but I was the bird left behind in the nest

I’ve really enjoyed several of Belinda Bauer‘s novels, so I couldn’t resist the opportunity to read her newest story The Impossible Thing.

The main topic of this dual time-line novel was egg trafficking. The first I had ever heard of such a thing. And it WAS a big thing! And IS still a big thing. Check out this article dated January 2025. The book and the topic reinforces my belief that some human beings are a varied and bizarre species with obsessions that defy common sense.

"Two golden eagle eggs would fetch thousands on the black market, or give bragging rights for life."

The earlier time line highlighted the infancy of the practice of stealing wild bird's eggs from their nests. They often used child labour for this practice as children were lighter to dangle over the high sea cliffs. In particular, in this story, a young, neglected, malnourished girl was used. Her name was Celie Sheppard, and she was tiny enough to scale a particularly dangerous Yorkshire cliff. It was there that she found the first Metland egg. A startlingly red egg, hatched by a guillemot. (The Metland Eggs were a real phenomenon. See this article.) Celie's life situation really tugged at my heartstrings. The descriptions of the poor guillemot were quite distressing, as were the cruelty of the entire practice of climming to obtain bird's eggs.

"The egg was red. Not reddish. But red. A rich, royal colour undimmed by history, and which defied nature. It seemed an impossible thing."

In the modern time line, two young men feature prominently. They live in rural Wales and have little to occupy their free time. One is Patrick Fort. Patrick is clearly neurodivergent, and his Asperger's Syndrome makes for some interesting, at at times humourous segments of the book. He is an engaging, likeable, and highly intelligent man. I have to say that Patrick, with his brilliantly logical thinking, was the star of this novel in my opinion. The other young man was Nick. Obsessed with gaming, he longs for a gaming chair to make his hobby more comfortable. To that end, he scours his mother's attic for things to sell online in order to get some money to buy his chair. One of the things he finds is a red bird's egg in a fancy carved wooden box. He puts it up online, but is told that it is illegal to sell eggs, and the add is immediately taken down. Shortly after, his house is robbed! The only thing the robber takes is the red egg...

Without involving the police (as owning such an egg is illegal), the two very different young friends come up with a caper for retrieving the stolen egg.

I appreciated the writing and characterization in this novel. Though this book was fascinating and clearly well researched, I found that I was not as invested in the story as I was with previous novels by this author.

The topic was fascinating, but not enough for me to relish it through an entire novel. I realize that I am in the vast minority with this opinion, so grab a copy of the book to prove me wrong.

Based upon true historical facts, and with themes of obsession and avarice, this novel will likely be appreciated by many readers.

3.5 stars rounded up

To start off, I would like to thank Grove Atlantic|Atlantic Monthly Press and author Belinda Bauer for allowing me to read this novel, The Impossible Thing, via #netgalley. All opinions following are my own.

This book has two timelines. In 1926, we meet Cellie, who has not had an easy life. She is constantly blamed for everything that is wrong in her family's poor existence and is given to the boy on the farm, Robert, who isn't much older to take care of. One day, desperate for food, Cellie convinces Robert to let her go down and grab an egg from the local birds, so they can have omelets. He begrudgingly agrees because egg collecting is what all the men do in their small town, but no one goes to the Metland Farm, where they are, to collect because the cliffs there are too narrow and dangerous. Using an old rope, Robert lowers Cellie down. She grabs two eggs, but drops one. That night, she remembers she has it. That egg changes both her and her family's fortune for the rest of her life because it is a very rare egg red egg.

Back in the present day, Patrick Fort, who readers met in an earlier book by Bauer, arrives home and notices that his best friend and neighbor's house is open. He goes into see what is going on to find his best friend's mother and his best friend, Weird Nick have been robbed and are tied up. Upon untying them, he finds out that all the robbers stole was a red egg in a fancy box. With the police officers not bothering to care, Patrick and Weird Nick decide to get back the egg themselves.

I loved the first book in this series, Rubbernecker, so I was excited to read this one. However, I found it underwhelming. I honestly just think that rare egg collecting is something I am not invested in or interested in. That being said, I still really enjoyed the characters and their relationships, so I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️. If this is something that piques your interest, I would give it a chance. It was just released on April 08, 2025!

#brenbreathesbooks
#brenreviewsbooks
#3starreads #patrickfort #belindabauer #rubberneckersequel #theimpossiblething #crimefiction #HistoricalFiction #groveatlantic #atlanticmonthlypress #netgalleyreviewer #arc #arcreader

EXCERPT: Everything was Celie Sheppard's fault.
Her fault they were hungry. Her fault they didn't have shoes. Her fault Molly was sick and Tom fell off the wall and the fox got the small brown hen.
Celie was to blame for every ill that befell her family, and had been from the moment of her birth, when John Sheppard's black eyes had looked down on the blue-eyed, white-browed baby seeking its first nipple.
'She takes after my mother,' Enid Sheppard had ventured desperately.
'No,' he'd spat, 'she takes after her father.' And he'd driven away from Metland Farm and never come back.

ABOUT 'THE IMPOSSIBLE THING': A sweeping tale of obsession, greed, ambition, and a crime that has remained unsolved for a hundred years

How do you find something that doesn’t exist?

1926. On the cliffs of Yorkshire, men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of the sea birds who nest there. The most beautiful are sold for large sums. A small girl—penniless and neglected by her family—retrieves one such treasure. Its discovery will forever alter the course of her life.

A century later. In a remote cottage in Wales, Patrick Fort finds his friend, Nick, and his mother tied up and robbed. The only thing missing: a carved case containing an incredible scarlet egg. Doggedly attempting to retrieve it, Patrick and Nick discover the cruel world of egg trafficking, and soon find themselves on the trail of a priceless collection of eggs lost to history. Until now.

MY THOUGHTS: It took me a wee while to find my feet with The Impossible Thing, but when I did, I was swept along by the drama and tragedy of it all. There is a lot of drama. A lot of tragedy. More than I could ever have envisaged being caused by a desire to own a bird's egg, never mind a whole collection of them. But then I guess, some people just don't understand my passion for collecting books either.

Rubbernecker was the first book I read by Belinda Bauer and young neurodivergent Patrick Fort featured in that. It does, by the way, still remain my favorite of all the books I have read by this author. It was unexpected and rewarding to reconnect with Patrick in The Impossible Thing; Patrick and his friend Weird Nick and Meg.

The Impossible Thing is set over two timelines - the 1920s when collecting birds eggs was a badly needed source of income and where we meet Celie who will find the means to support her family; and one hundred years later when Nick tries to sell an egg he found in his attic, online, to fund the purchase of a gaming chair. And that's all you are going to get out of me about the plot because, strangely enough, it all ties together beautifully and I don't want to spoil a thing.

Looking at the subject matter, I can't believe that I found this book so gripping and interesting that I finished it in two days. I read through the night. I picked it up every chance I got. I told everyone about it at coffee after aquarobics. We have a book group once a month, but I couldn't wait another two weeks for that!

Bauer has created some superb characters. Celie, who is loved by only one person. Robert, the farm hand. Patrick and Nick who don't always understand one another but who make an awesome and formidable team. The tactics they learned in their gaming marathons stand them in good stead. I will never roll my eyes again when gaming is mentioned.

And that ending! Tense! Breathtaking! Exciting! And oh, so satisfying - in both timelines.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#TheImpossibleThing #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Belinda Bauer is a famous writer of crime novels, who was born in 1962 in England. She also spent some of her childhood years in Africa. Bauer didn’t have a very easy life. In fact, she had to experience a sudden dive from a wealthy home, where she lived with her parents in South Africa to a poverty west country house in Britain, when she returned there with her mother. Finally Belinda settled in Cardiff and lived longer in Wales than anywhere else in her life. She also attended the Welsh Academy as a member. But she had some good opportunities there. She was trained as a journalist at Cardiff University and worked as a journalist there for 7 years, which was incredibly valuable for her. Right from when she was a trainee, her copy was going straight to the news desk of every national paper.

According to Belinda, crime is actually the story of how lives of people can change by the misdeeds of others: from the pensioner who may lose his savings in a stock market crash, to the refugee, to the mugging victim. Life is a river and crime is the rocks. And it is just when people hit a rock, that they find out whether they are the ones of life’s swimmers or sinkers. Belinda focuses on survival and recovery – the rock itself is almost incidental. (Source: bookseriesinorder.com - abridged)

DISCLOSURE: Thak you to Grove Atlantic via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

The characters and the story crafted around wild bird egg collecting are stunningly well written. It opens in the present day with someone named Garrett trying to catch a man named Barr as he digs up some sort of contraband. They show up much later on and all is explained. Then, we are on a cliff in Yorkshire overlooking the sea. It is 1920m and the "climbers" are at work. Men are lowered down via ropes to steal seabird eggs from nests which they sell, sometimes for quite a lot of money.

Next, we meet Celie, a tiny little girl who is obviously not the offspring of her mother's husband. She is always treated as less than, blamed for the family's fall into poverty when the other four kids' father left their mother. Their rental farm now has only one farmhand, Robbie, who has some sort of intellectual disability. Celie is left to his care and she feels very close to him. While their farm, Metland, borders on the cliffs, there is an overhang that prevents climming, so no one works this area for the lucrative birds' eggs. And then, Celie convinces Robbie to drop her down in this dangerous area because she wants the family to get some eggs for omelettes. They must sell the farm eggs and she is not fed very well, so this is something of an obsession for her. And one of the eggs she grabs and saves without breakage is so unique it becomes known as the Metland egg. This gives rise to an egg hoarding greedy man's efforts as well as those of other egg collectors. to secure ownership of the egg and leads to years of resentment and competition over what happened to it and who ended up purchasing it. Can't share why, exactly without a spoiler, but I will say that much is learned about different seabirds as we follow the machinations of the many 1920 egg afficionados, and it is not boring but fascinating and totally integrated into the story.

Meanwhile in a remote area of present day Wales, Patrick, a young man with some sort of intellectual disability finds his friend Nick (next door neighbor/friend to but user of Patrick) and Nick's mother tied up. They were robbed of something odd that Nick had tried to sell on eBay. He had withdrawn from offer the scarlet egg nestled in an elaborately carved box because, he was notified by eBay that in 2025 it is illegal to possess wild bird eggs. Oh, there's a museum with a large collection, but new collecting is forbidden and possession can lead to serious criminal charges. Nick is not one to take this lying down. He is a man of principals, as is hilariously illustrated in a story over an argument he had about a set of silver spoons he bought on eBay. In fact, the relationship between Patrick and Nick and their escapades connected with trying to track down the egg are often slapstick.

Celie's story is a more serious tale of how her life was both changed for the better but caused her to live a restrictive life for quite a while after her find improved her family's financial well-being. We follow her from her original find to young adulthood and root for her all the way. The story of Celie is lovely and complex and she is a person we want to see be okay. At all times, she has a strength beyond her stature and years.

The novel unwinds in the two timeframes and not always chronologically in each, although it is not hard to follow. The legal status of eggs and egg collecting as well as the unpleasant nature of the collectors featured in the past and present in this piece of historical fiction plays an important role throughout. Read the shorter vignettes that pop up, as well as all the pieces of the longer stories because everything is interesting. The smaller interspersed stories do show that there are environmentally conscious good folks out there protecting eggs.

In any event, I read this novel in the equivalent of one sitting with a night's sleep in the middle. A very late start to that night's sleep. The characters alone make this an exceptional book, but to make eggs so interesting to a reader who did not come to this novel with such an interest takes a gift beyond my comprehension. Read this if you care about good writing, like a good mystery, enjoy historical fiction and enjoy learning new things in an interesting way.

April 8 posted expanded review on TikTok

Crimes, danger, obsession, poverty, wealth, fascinating characters, friendship, loyalty, and a remarkable adventure spanning decades. The most beautiful books are the most difficult to review. At least they are for me.

Belinda Bauer is remarkably talented. Her multi-strand novel pulled me in from the first page and kept me mesmerized by places and things entirely foreign to me. I knew nothing about egg collecting prior to experiencing this book. On the surface, it might not sound like a scintillating topic. The web of events and lives held me spellbound. This is one of the most gripping historical novels I've read, and it's equally successful as crime fiction.

Bauer displays great mastery of suspense and compelling characterization. There's wonderful dialogue and great power in the things that aren't said. The emotional nuances are orchestrated across multiple scenes, rising in small revelations to great crescendos.

Although there are disturbing things in the book, it never became overwhelming. There's a lot of heart and some humor, and overall, it's uplifting.
The settings in nature and in homes of people at different economic levels were vivid and added to the immersion.

She's as adept with action, adventure, and believable men as fully dimensional girls and women. Aspects of women's lives that are often hidden or left out of history appear here powerfully and with respect. Being Neuro-atypical is presented in a matter of fact manner. The Impossible Thing moved me. The ending landed perfectly and left me choked up.

Highly recommended to readers of general and literary fiction as well as to those who enjoy historical, crime, and mystery novels. The Impossible Thing transcends genre. I'm going to read more books by Belinda Bauer.
Thank you for the e-ARC for consideration.
I'll add links soon.

“The Impossible Thing,” by Belinda Bauer, Atlantic Monthly Press, 336 pages, April 8, 2025.

It is 1926. On the cliffs of Yorkshire, England, men are lowered on ropes to steal the eggs of the sea birds who nest there. The most beautiful are sold for large sums. The Chandler gang is the most successful of the thieves because Jim Chandler keeps meticulous records of where the best are found.

Celie Sheppard, 6, is neglected by her family. Her father, John, deserted them when she was born. Enid is her mother. Celie has four older siblings. They are tenants on Metland Farm.

Robert, no last name, is 8. He just showed up one day and stayed. Celie becomes Robert’s responsibility. One day, she and Robert realize that they can steal seabirds’ eggs for food. When she gets stranded on a cliff, the men rescue her, not knowing that she has hidden a rare red egg. The men then realize she is small enough and brave enough to help them steal eggs.

A century later in a remote cottage in Wales, Patrick Fort finds his friend, Nick, and Nick’s mother tied up and robbed. The only thing missing: a carved case containing a scarlet egg. Nick had listed the egg, which had belonged to his father, for sale online. Patrick and Nick decide to try to recover the stolen egg.

I was excited to read this because of rave reviews online, but the large number of characters and the jump in timelines caused me to lose interest. I knew about the theft of rare eggs from “The Crow Trap” by Ann Cleeves, which I enjoyed more than “The Impossible Thing.”

I rate it three out of five stars.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Sometimes the impossible is possible.

This is my fifth book by the talented Belinda Bauer. The Impossible Thing veers in a different direction than the usual mystery/thrillers penned by Bauer. It's more of a journey into the lives of the haves and the have nots. Bauer presses her finger on the entanglements of greed, privilege, and the burning quest for wealth. Winners and losers line the pages.

It's 1926 in Yorkshire and the rumblings heard are not necessarily coming from nature's cliffs. It's the growling of an empty stomach within the likes of Celie Sheppherd who lives on a near barren farm with her family. Celie dreams of an omlet and almost tastes it in those dreams.

Celie's playmate, Robert, devises what they think is a near perfect plan. Eight year old Robert will lower six year old Celie down along the cliff where seabirds perch upon their eggs. With rope tied in a so-called proper way, Celie feels both the wild wind and her wild fear. She's nearly been dropped, but the rope is yanked up quickly. A man from the area berates the two and tosses the rope out into the sea. But Celie has something in her pocket.

Fast forward to the present in Wales where Patrick and Nick have engaged in egg trafficking. Nick has tried to sell their wares on EBay, but EBay informs them that selling eggs is against the rules. Both know the value of their collection, especially the red guillemot egg kept in a carved wooden box. But so do others with bad intentions.

The Impossible Thing showcases Belinda Bauer's stellar gift of storytelling. While the characters here are fictional to a degree, the subject of egg trafficking is certainly not. Like fine jewels, eggs are noted for their exceptional color and rarity and collected and won by the highest bidders. We'll even have a roudy court scene as well. The Impossible Thing is a rare experience, too.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Grove Atlantic and to the talented Belinda Bauer for the opportunity.

The Impossible Thing is the second book in the Rubbernecker series by award-winning British journalist, screenwriter and author, Belinda Bauer. Immediately post-WW1, making a living on a small-holding farm in Yorkshire isn’t easy; even harder for Enid Sheppard when her husband takes one look at their new baby daughter and abandons the family.

Tiny Celie Sheppard is given to the care of eight-year-old farm boy, Robert, but turns the family’s fortunes, and perhaps their sentiments about her, when at six years old, she shows a talent for climming. In a makeshift harness fashioned by Robert, she returns from under the overhang on the edge of her family’s holding, Metland Farm, with an extremely rare red guillemot egg. Egg Broker George Ambler is beside himself: what won’t a collector pay for such a beauty!

Almost a century on, Patrick Fort has been washing dishes at the Rorke’s Drift for three years and not yet tired of it. Returning home one winters evening, he discovers his friend and neighbour, Weird Nick, and Nick’s mum Jen gagged and bound in their unlit house. Two men in ski masks (it’s not even snowing!) with cable ties to secure the residents of Ty Newydd have ransacked the place. The only thing missing is a red egg in a fancy carved box.

Belatedly, Nick has discovered it’s illegal to sell, or even own, wild bird eggs, but the fleeting listing on Facebook Marketplace was sufficient, it seems, to make their little Welsh cottage a target. Legal or no, he wants the egg back. Patrick’s brilliant deductive work leads them to the probable thief, and Nick ropes in his unwilling friend to confront eggman456.

That doesn’t end well: “Before Nick could open his mouth, the big man grabbed him by the front of his jumper, yanked him forward, headbutted him, then withdrew and slammed the door. It all happened so fast that Patrick was left open-mouthed with amazement, already replaying it in his head. The door, the arm, the fist, the head, the door. It was like a very violent cuckoo clock.”

Before they finally locate the egg, and several more like it, there’s a courtroom scene with lots of shouting, a visit to a museum with thousands of eggs, and a jaw-droppingly vindictive destruction of a felon’s collection.

Patrick has a too-close encounter with dog droppings, is an accidental stowaway in the car of a nasty, violent man, and has to climb through a toilet window. A balaclava and a potato masher play significant roles. At one point, Nick asks where his sense of adventure is: “Patrick didn’t answer. He’d already accidentally had one adventure in his life and it had been very stressful. He didn’t really fancy another.”

Told through multiple narratives and a dual timeline, Bauer gradually reveals the path that the Metland egg takes from 1920’s Yorkshire to modern-day Wales and beyond. She gives the reader some wonderful descriptive prose “…barristers in yellowing wigs and black cloaks flitted between them like giant bats”, and only the hardest hearts won’t have a lump in the throat at the poor guillemot’s ordeal. There’s plenty of action drama which, together with the dialogue, offers some very black humour. Fans can only hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Patrick Fort. Utterly brilliant.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Grove Atlantic.

A mystery/suspense told in dual timeline structure. Based on the historical phenomenon of collecting bird eggs and featuring a lot of commentary on wealth and greed.