CS 00 Tales from the Chalet School by Helen Barber and Katherine Bruce

Popular demand has led us to publish a book of short stories. Included in this book are 18 short stories – nine by Helen Barber, and nine by Katherine Bruce. Eight by each author have been published in GGBP editions of the Chalet School books, and each author is writing one brand new CS story for this new book.

The stories will be arranged in series order, not in author order, and are:

1       KB “Home is Where the Heart is” Portmanteau story spanning the entire series – themed around a chair which had belonged to Madge and Jo’s mother. First published in Two Sams at the Chalet School

2       HB “A Piece of Shortbread” Set during Jo of the Chalet School – Grizel and her grandmother First published in The Head Girl of the Chalet School

3       HB “The Abbess” Set during Miss Annersley’s first term at the CS, so Head Girl or earlier – how Miss A got her nickname First published in The New Chalet School

4       HB “Hares and Hounds” Set during Head Girl – Jo’s long ago exploit of climbing the Dripping Rock First published in The Coming of Age of the Chalet School

5       HB “A Camp-fire for Stacie” Set during Chalet Girls in Camp – making it up to Stacie that she’s not well enough for Guide camp First published in The Chalet Girls in Camp

6       KB “A Problem to Solve” Set during Exploits – Jo’s last art lesson First published in The Exploits of the Chalet Girls

7       KB “A Sad-hearted Widow” Set immediately before Lintons – how Frau Mieders comes to the School First published in The Chalet School and the Lintons

8       KB “Dark Nights” Set during Jo Returns – the measles when Peggy is so ill and which keep Jo at the school, primarily from Madge’s point of view First published in Jo Returns to the Chalet School

9       KB “A Royal Romance” Set between New CS and Exile featuring Elizaveta and Raphael’s engagement,

10     HB “A Song for Freedom” Set during Highland Twins, looks back over an episode six months earlier – Emmie Linders’ flight from the Nazis First published in The Highland Twins at the Chalet School

11     KB “Sybil’s Darkest Hour” Set during Gay – Josette’s accident from Sybil’s POV  First published in Gay from China at the Chalet School

12     HB “A Storm in a Teacup” Set during A Chalet School Headmistress, and thus also during Mystery – a squabble between the Ozanne twins, arising from an episode in Headmistress First published in A Chalet School Headmistress second edition

13     KB “Tom’s Big Shock” Set immediately before Tom – horrified aunt visits and says Tom must go to school First published in Tom Tackles the Chalet School

14     KB “Letter from Sophie Hamel”   Set immediately after Peace – the first letter Joey receives from Sophie after the war First published in Peace Comes to the Chalet School second edition

15     HB “The Tree House” Set between Carola and Wrong – Bride and Rix combine to try and improve relations between Peggy and Maeve First published in The Wrong Chalet School

16     HB “The Adventure of the Black Hand Gang” Set during Shocks  – the story of Maeve’s dramatic club, later elaborated in Maeve of the Chalet School First published in Shocks for the Chalet School

17     KB “Stranger at the Play” Set during Does it Again – establishes the identity of the strange woman Miss Wilson thinks she recognizes First published in The Chalet School Does It Again

18        HB “A Change of Perspective” Set during Feud – Maeve Bettany draws on her experience of being both a much younger and a much older sister.

Tales from the Chalet School was published on 20 June 2023.