IF you want a long dream of a holiday read based in Dorset and Burma, then this book is for you.

Rosanna Ley lives in West Dorset and her descriptive powers of the Dorset countryside are second to none.

The novel is very long, so in order to finish all 563 pages, make sure you start at the beginning of your holiday.

Eva, the principal character, is an antiques dealer in Bristol. She takes a trip to Burma at the request of her employer, Bristol Antiques Emporium, and at the same time finds herself returning an artefact to her grandfather’s friend, Maya.

The story takes place both today and during the Second World War, when Lawrence, Eva’s grandfather, was based in Burma.

Eva’s mission in Burma proves both complicated and dangerous, and the chinthe (a lion-like statue) she is requested to deliver to Maya becomes the centre of a scandal.

The very detailed and descriptive style of the book does impede rapid reading but it is so charming that it is worth savouring every page.

Rosanna Ley is very skilled at making sure the book flows smoothly from one location and time to another, and the reader quickly becomes engrossed in an unusual, stunning story.

BARBARA DAVIS