The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart

This is a great little book that suffers from a cumbersome, awkward title ... I'd love to recommend for people to read this book, but I can't ever remember the name of it!

It's a quaint little book about life inside the Tower of London. The yeomen (also called beefeaters) are required to live inside the walls, and some of their families adjust to the demands better than others. Like any little village, the Tower's got its share of eccentrics - and some are the ghosts of former prisoners. Essentially, it's a quirky, cozy story of community and relationships.

The main storyline follows Balthazar Jones and his wife, Hebe, who are still grieving the loss of their young son. Since his death, their picture-perfect marriage has started to show cracks. And the things carved into the walls of their tower home by former "residents" aren't helping anybody's sanity.

I loved this book, and highly recommend it. It's the kind of small, goofy story that's heartwarming without being sappy, and you'll quickly become endeared to it's oddball characters.