A charming, comfortable series of stories that unfold in the quiet town of Cranford, mostly in the homes of spinsters who practice great economies to maintain genteel appearances. The narrator pokes very gentle fun at her Cranford friends and their airs and social rules, but it becomes clear that the women of the town (it's mostly women; they get quite flustered when there are noisy, messy men about) have utmost care and affection for one another.