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The Wild Rose Press

The Madness of Celia Summers

Celia Summers, intrepid mother of two, loves her work as an art therapist. She’s proud that she gives her elderly independents something to look forward to each day, even if her partner, Martin, is disparaging of her efforts.
But then Martin has a secret agenda Celia knows nothing about. Meanwhile she defends her geriatric charges, fights to secure gallery space for their artwork, and fights to keep The Harbour, a home the residents can truly call home, from being closed.

She takes on the might of the town council; to the point of leaping from a church steeple to bring attention to the plight of her independents, no matter that she might fall and end up splattered all over the pavement. When she does fall, however, it’s much more painfully.

Police Constable Alex Burrows, the son of long time Harbour resident, Colonel Burrows, whose sense of humour has made her laugh, whose tragic personal circumstances have made her cry, whose smile has stolen her heart; turns out to be just as much a liar as Martin.

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Fallen Angel Review

The Madness of Celia Summers by Charlotte Chalmers is a funny, well-written glimpse inside the doors of a rest home inhabited by characters who are each remarkable.

Long and Short Review

The Madness of Celia Summers a page-turner. Add in a bit of mystery and a strong dose of the funnies, and you have a very satisfying read which I highly recommend.

Simply Romance Reviews

The Madness of Celia Summers is one of those books you just fall in love with. You laugh, you cry but most of all you’ll fall for these characters. Charlotte Chalmers has a winner here – from the first page through the last you’ll love every minute of it.

Reading The Madness of Celia Summers was such an enjoyable experience, I just had to say thank you. I haven't read a book in a long time that made me smile so much. Your characters are delightful and the dialogue is brilliant. I'll certainly be looking forward to the next Charlotte Chalmers book. All the best to you, Twila Hanna

A group of soon to be homeless seniors, a sexy policeman and a teenage son, who only wants the best for his mum, finds Celia Summers in an interesting predicament. This witty book with just the right touch of innuendo deals with the fragility of the human heart. Charlotte Chalmers has woven a tapestry of interesting characters laced with the right amount of humor to keep the reader going until the end and wanting more. Vicki Caine - Author

“You’re nuts,” Alex said as they gazed heavenward.

“I know. I’ll just, ahem, ring Martin,” Celia said, her voice rather high-pitched.

Tell him to dig out her last Will and Testament should she die before she was wed. Oh, Lord, get a grip, woman, she told herself firmly, aware that Alex was watching her, amusement dancing in his eyes. She could do this. Of course she could. She had to do it, for her old people. Saga Radio were on site to promote the Faith in Action Fun Day. The Birmingham Mail too: poised for a photo opportunity, and what better opportunity for they themselves than front-page news. She pictured the headline: Elderly Independents Take Housing Battle to the Top. Yes, more like: Deranged Do-Gooder Air-Rescued from Church Steeple.
Oh, God, she couldn’t. Absolutely couldn’t. She’d be paralysed with fear before she’d climbed the steps to the roof. Or be drawn irresistibly to the edge, vertigo driving an urge to throw herself off.

Yes, well, that was the aim, wasn’t it, though preferably after they’d attached the rope?

She took a calming deep breath, forgot to breathe out and tripped over a tombstone. “Sorry,” she mumbled to the inhabitant therein.

“Okay?” Alex asked behind her.

“Wonderful. Never better. “Um, no signal.” Celia waved her mobile by way of explanation for dilly-dallying on the flagstones--where it was nice and flat.

“Wait until you get to the top,” Alex suggested. “You should get a pretty clear signal up there. Direct line to God, in fact.”

“Good idea.” Celia nodded enthusiastically. Bad idea, she thought. The worst she’d had in her life. She wasn’t ready for a one-to-one with God, for pity’s sake.

“I’m not so sure it is.” Alex glanced up at the church, standing tall in its monolithic splendour, extremely tall, and shook his head. Then shook it again as Eleanor sailed past in an olive green kimono and glass beaded slippers.

“She’s going to abseil in that?” He looked at Celia, bemused.

Eleanor ground to a halt. “Do you have a problem with it?”

“No. No,” Alex said quickly. “It’s very fetching. Just a bit, er…”

Eleanor folded her arms and tapped her foot.

“…exotic.” He looked this way and that as she looked him frostily up and down. “For abseiling, I mean.”

“It may interest you to know, Mr. Burrows, that your thoughts on my dress-sense interest me not one iota. It may also interest you to know that I am not the cat’s mother.”

“Come again?” Alex cast confused eyes in Celia’s direction. Celia shrugged and hoped he hadn’t noticed the two legs she’d stuffed into one of her outdoor trousers. Oh, sh…ugar. He had. She hopped around, her back to him, smiled wanly at a child regarding her coolly over his ice cream, then hopped full circle. Better he think her a pupating caterpillar than get another birds-eye view of her bum.