Comments from facebook:
I've just reading finished Emma Batten's 'But First Maintain the Wall'. It's a beautifully constructed story, meticulously researched. Her description of the maintenance of the sea wall in the 18th century is fascinating, her characters are well drawn and she describes places atmospherically. Recommended reading. CO'D 18/9/18
We highly recommend “But First Maintain the Wall” it is the sort of book that once you start reading you cannot put it down, we look forward to getting the others.
Totally agree. Emma’s books are highly recommended. Especially But first maintain the wall. Difficult to put down... SP 24/8/18
I enjoyed this book. It was well written with a nice story. The historical background was nice, but did not get in the way of the story. I am looking forward to reading the author's other books.
Your novels are amazing...once I start one I can't put it down. They are excellent stories and give such a realistic feeling of life on the marsh all those years ago. Anyone who loves this unique area....enjoy Emma's books. SS 24/8/18
Have just finished reading What the Monk Didn't See. Kept me enthralled though the whole book. Thank you very much for writing it. KW 8/6/18
I have just read What the Monk Didn’t See. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Brilliant 👏👏Which shall I read next ? MR 28/6/18
THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT I love a good story set around here and Dungeness and it’s by a local author bloody good read good Christmas present. And she signed my one recommend getting your own one . CH 16/12/17
I’ve read your other 3 books and have thoroughly enjoyed them. Living on the marsh , I know the areas you have written about. They are well researched and the stories transport you back in time. I’m ordering this one now. KB 6/5/18
Halfway thru this book its a great book... Emma you are the next Catherine Cookson MF
Reviews
I was privileged to read Emma Batten’s novel as she wrote it and found myself urging her to write the next section, so great was my desire to see how her characters developed. She creates a whole world in the forgotten outpost of Dungeness on the Romney Marsh, a place I happen to know well. She is true to the sinister atmosphere of the place while peopling it with vivid characters who interact with each other in dramatic ways. She widens her canvas by depicting the urban landscape of Newtown, Ashford, an emerging railway suburb. You will want to read on both to enjoy her vivid style of writing and to see how the characters ultimately achieve redemption in a hostile environment.
Maud Matley - April 2016
Local author Emma Batten has just released her first work of fiction – and a very good read it is.
The story is set in Dungeness around the 1890’s and really does provide a good ‘picture’ and feel for the area around that time. Emma has gone to great lengths for factual accuracy – even down to the times of the trains running from Lydd to Dungeness.
The story of a school teacher from Ashford expecting her new position at the Dungeness school to be in a lovely seaside village. Some hopes! And of course her difficulty in fitting in with the locals.
Mike Golding (from www.dungeness.org.uk) - November 2016
‘What The Monk Didn’t See’ is a really good read; definitely one of those books that it is difficult to put down. I liked the way the story line wove into what could well have been the circumstances for the community of Romney at the time of the Great Storm, something most people would tend not to think about. I also liked the way so many basic human emotions such love, desire, jealousy and hatred were covered.
Joan Campbell (Romney Marsh Historic Churches Trust) - September 2017
Once again Emma Batten transports us back in time to a timeless place, the Romney Marshes. The story setting was brought to life by her meticulous attention to historic detail, starting the story on an eventful day in marsh history, introducing believable characters and weaving a string of plotlines together in a thoroughly enjoyable story. By the end of the book, I had to remind myself that the author hadn't actually lived in the time the novel is set, it felt that real. Whether you are interested in the Romney Marshes and their history or not, if you like intrigue, adventure and a damn good read, you'll love 'What The Monk Didn't See', and what he did see, and what everyone else saw and did following the great storm of 1287.
James Collins September 2019 (Amazon review)
I've just reading finished Emma Batten's 'But First Maintain the Wall'. It's a beautifully constructed story, meticulously researched. Her description of the maintenance of the sea wall in the 18th century is fascinating, her characters are well drawn and she describes places atmospherically. Recommended reading. CO'D 18/9/18
We highly recommend “But First Maintain the Wall” it is the sort of book that once you start reading you cannot put it down, we look forward to getting the others.
Totally agree. Emma’s books are highly recommended. Especially But first maintain the wall. Difficult to put down... SP 24/8/18
I enjoyed this book. It was well written with a nice story. The historical background was nice, but did not get in the way of the story. I am looking forward to reading the author's other books.
Your novels are amazing...once I start one I can't put it down. They are excellent stories and give such a realistic feeling of life on the marsh all those years ago. Anyone who loves this unique area....enjoy Emma's books. SS 24/8/18
Have just finished reading What the Monk Didn't See. Kept me enthralled though the whole book. Thank you very much for writing it. KW 8/6/18
I have just read What the Monk Didn’t See. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Brilliant 👏👏Which shall I read next ? MR 28/6/18
THIS BOOK IS BRILLIANT I love a good story set around here and Dungeness and it’s by a local author bloody good read good Christmas present. And she signed my one recommend getting your own one . CH 16/12/17
I’ve read your other 3 books and have thoroughly enjoyed them. Living on the marsh , I know the areas you have written about. They are well researched and the stories transport you back in time. I’m ordering this one now. KB 6/5/18
Halfway thru this book its a great book... Emma you are the next Catherine Cookson MF
Reviews
I was privileged to read Emma Batten’s novel as she wrote it and found myself urging her to write the next section, so great was my desire to see how her characters developed. She creates a whole world in the forgotten outpost of Dungeness on the Romney Marsh, a place I happen to know well. She is true to the sinister atmosphere of the place while peopling it with vivid characters who interact with each other in dramatic ways. She widens her canvas by depicting the urban landscape of Newtown, Ashford, an emerging railway suburb. You will want to read on both to enjoy her vivid style of writing and to see how the characters ultimately achieve redemption in a hostile environment.
Maud Matley - April 2016
Local author Emma Batten has just released her first work of fiction – and a very good read it is.
The story is set in Dungeness around the 1890’s and really does provide a good ‘picture’ and feel for the area around that time. Emma has gone to great lengths for factual accuracy – even down to the times of the trains running from Lydd to Dungeness.
The story of a school teacher from Ashford expecting her new position at the Dungeness school to be in a lovely seaside village. Some hopes! And of course her difficulty in fitting in with the locals.
Mike Golding (from www.dungeness.org.uk) - November 2016
‘What The Monk Didn’t See’ is a really good read; definitely one of those books that it is difficult to put down. I liked the way the story line wove into what could well have been the circumstances for the community of Romney at the time of the Great Storm, something most people would tend not to think about. I also liked the way so many basic human emotions such love, desire, jealousy and hatred were covered.
Joan Campbell (Romney Marsh Historic Churches Trust) - September 2017
Once again Emma Batten transports us back in time to a timeless place, the Romney Marshes. The story setting was brought to life by her meticulous attention to historic detail, starting the story on an eventful day in marsh history, introducing believable characters and weaving a string of plotlines together in a thoroughly enjoyable story. By the end of the book, I had to remind myself that the author hadn't actually lived in the time the novel is set, it felt that real. Whether you are interested in the Romney Marshes and their history or not, if you like intrigue, adventure and a damn good read, you'll love 'What The Monk Didn't See', and what he did see, and what everyone else saw and did following the great storm of 1287.
James Collins September 2019 (Amazon review)