A Solitary Walk on the Moon, by Hilde Hinton

Evelyn runs a laundrette, with precision and attention to detail. She also pays attention to her customers and neighbours, going above and beyond to help them out, whether they want it or not. Observant and judgemental, Evelyn is something of a chameleon. She adapts her behaviour and language to remain largely unobtrusive to those around her, which allows her to overstep and get away with it. It soon becomes clear that Evelyn has a habit of reinventing herself; leaving her past behind to start fresh. When she intervenes in the lives of a troubled woman and her eight-year-old son there is a chance to change this pattern and build a rag-tag family – but can she take it? Although there are no supernatural elements in this tale, the writing holds a touch of magic. Evelyn operates as a kind of ephemeral fairy godmother, solving problems and making connections in her community to improve everyone’s lives. This includes her own, but there is a residual sadness as it seems she is unable to resolve her own issues and enjoy the benefits of her labours.