NEWYORKTIMESBESTSELLER-“Abeautifullywritten,extraordinaryquestinwhichtwoordinary,overlookedwomenembarkonanunlikelyscientificexpeditiontotheSouthSeas.“--HelenSimonson,authorofMajorPettigrew’sLastStandWINNEROFTHEWILBURSMITHADVENTUREWRITINGPRIZE-FromthebestsellingauthorofTheUnlikelyPilgrimageofHaroldFrycomesanuplifting,irresistiblenovelabouttwowomenonalife-changingadventure,wheretheymustriskeverything,breakalltherules,anddiscovertheirbestselves--together.She’sgoingtoofartogoitalone.Itis1950.LondonisstillreelingfromWorldWarII,andMargeryBenson,aschoolteacherandspinster,istryingtogetthroughlife,survivingonscraps.Oneday,shereachesherbreakingpoint,abandoningherjobandsmallexistencetosetoutonanexpeditiontotheothersideoftheworldinsearchofherchildhoodobsession:aninsectthatmayormaynotexist--thegoldenbeetleofNewCaledonia.Whensheadvertisesforanassistanttoaccompanyher,thewomansheendsupwithisthelastpersonshehadinmind.Fun-lovingEnidPrettyinhertight-fittingpinksuitandpom-pomsandalsseemstoattracttroublewherevershegoes.ButtogetherthesetwoBritishwomenfindthemselvesdrawnintoacross-oceanadventurethatexceedsallexpectationsanddeliverssomethingneitherofthemexpectedtofind:thetransformativepoweroffriendship.PraiseforMissBenson’sBeetle“Ahilariousjauntintothewildernessofwomen’sfriendshipandthetriumphofoutrageousdreams.“--KirkusReviews
