"The mammals were being evacuated..." The Animals at Lockwood Manor opens with a reverse reenactment of Noah's Ark as animal specimens from the British Natural History Museum are dispersed to the far corners of the continent. The protagonist, Hetty Cartwright, has the opportunity of a lifetime to shepherd a collection of fossils and artifacts to Lockwood Manor and assume the role of museum director. The first chapter of the story is quite captivating--although this is her debut novel, Jane Healey writes like a seasoned author. I look forward to reading the rest of this novel.