The Man in the Wooden Hat tells the story of Betty Feathers, wife of Sir Edward Feathers, whose story was told in
Old Filth. Born in China and raised in a Japanese internment camp, she married Edward more out of sensibility than passion. She soon met the unkempt and ambitious Terry Veneering, her husband's rival and antagonist, only to find that she's more drawn to him than Edward. Her marriage to Edward and life in Hong Kong required her to learn and adapt to changing environments. Even without the passion, she fashioned a close relationship with Edward that lasted the rest of her life. Jane Gardam's novel has received positive reviews with the New York Times saying, "On its own,
The Man in the Wooden Hat is funny and affecting, but read alongside
Old Filth, it's remarkable. Gardam has attempted to turn a story inside out without damaging the original narrative's integrity - moving from black to white without getting stuck with gray. Little here is as it seemed in
Old Filth, and both books are the richer for it."
