Books like The Queen of the Tambourine

Every year in December I try to do some "clean-up reading" and pluck a few books off my shelves that have been sitting there for a while. This one seemed like a good choice because I love Jane Gardam and am never disappointed. I've read several through the years and have a few more left to go. I knew I could count on a great experience.However.....what the heck? I was confused from the get-go, with Eliza Peabody being the most unreliable narrator in the history of literature. I couldn't believe a word she said. Was she hallucinating, did any of these people around her really exist, did she have one dog or two? Was she dangerous to herself or others? And why, because she had apparently been normal at one point in time. Was it the fact that her husband of 30 years left her, loneliness, age, menopause? I read and re-read some of the reviews, which told me to keep reading, it would all be made clear in the end. And it was, and it was worth it, and it was heartbreaking and uplifting, simply because Eliza never gave up.Also, it's really easy to keep reading a book with so much wicked humor. Eliza may have been a nut-job, but she was right on target about her neighbors and their motives. She was the Queen of Snark. Her one-liners were masterful. I'd quote a few, but they need context to fully appreciate them.So to future readers: If you've never read a Jane Gardam novel, this is not the place to start. But do start somewhere, because she is brilliant. And to Jane Gardam fans, don't give up. It's worth it in the end.