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Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Mon January 8th, 2018, 11:24 am
by Madeleine
January

Death on a Longship by Marsali Taylor - this is the first in a new series of mysteries set in the Shetland Isles, which I came across in a discount book shop last year. Cass Lynch is a qualified sailor who has lived abroad (and on boats) ever since she left home at 16, after her parents split up and she was packed off to France to live with her mother, a well-known classical singer, leaving her father, a businessman, on Shetland. She's come back to be the skipper of a reconstructed Viking longship for a film being shot on the island, but when the leading lady is murdered (and found on by her on her boat), she's thrust into the media spotlight and is also a suspect. Further acts of sabotage follow and Cass finds herself trying to identify the killer before more harm is done to either herself or her friends and family. I found this an enjoyable read, and wonder if, in subsequent books, Cass will team up with the policeman, Macrae, with whom she seems to have an affinity. It'll be interesting to see Cass reconcile with her family, and how she adapts to living on solid ground! 7.5/10

Nemesis by Jo Nesbo - another Harry Hole novel in which, as with all long running series, the hero inevitably finds himself the main suspect when an ex-girlfriend is found dead from a gun shot wound. Everything points to suicide, but Harry had been with her the night before and can't remember anything about what happened, and it soon becomes clear that someone is out to frame him. And what's the connection with a series of bank robberies which are being committed in Oslo? Another solid, fast-paced read, although at times it seemed to ramble slightly, and I'm not sure if this is down to the translation, or the original intention of the author. It was an entertaining read, albeit a bit convoluted, with a bit of globe-trotting involved too! 8/10

Thin Air by Michelle Paver - another spooky tale, this time set during an expedition in 1935 to climb Kangchenjunga, a mountain in the Himalayas which is the meant to be the most dangerous of all. Stephen is the team's doctor, and he joins his brother Kits and several other ex-military types; feeling out of place, he is also often at loggerheads with his brother as their old sibling rivalry surfaces, although there are also lighter moments, including the arrival of Cedric, a stray dog who befriends Stephen. But as they climb higher, following in the footsteps of a previous expedition which ended in tragedy, Stephen starts to feel increasingly haunted; is it due to altitude sickness, the cold, his imagination or is there something else on the mountain with them? This follows pretty much the same formula as Dark Matter, which I loved, although there's not quite the sense of loneliness as Stephen is, for the most part, accompanied by the rest of the team, along with their Sherpas and porters. But there is a great sense of foreboding, and a few genuinely creepy moments. It's not quite as eerie as Dark Matter, but still very enjoyable. 8/10

Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell - ten years after she disappeared one day on her way to the library, teenager Ellie Mack's remains, or some of them at least, are finally discovered. After her funeral, her family gradually start to live again, but the story focuses mainly on her mum, Laurel, who starts a tentative romance with a man called Floyd who she meets one day in a local cafe. He has two daughters from previous relationships, the eldest is a rather ethereal creature, but the younger one, poppy, who lives with him, reminds Laurel uncannily of Ellie. And as she gets to know the little girl better, a series of coincidences lead her to think that maybe this relationship wasn't such a chance event at all. We gradually find out what happened to Ellie, and also get the other sides of the story from other characters too, as Laurel finally finds out why and how her daughter really disappeared. For the most part this was an enjoyable, if slightly lurid thriller - I can't say too much without giving away all the plot twists, but I found the last part rather rushed, with a few plotlines seemingly almost forgotten about, or at best skimmed over, so it lost a mark for that! And Floyd was probably the least convincing character. 7.5/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Sat February 3rd, 2018, 12:31 pm
by Madeleine
February

Murder of a Lady by Anthony Wynne - this is a British Library crime classic and an old-fashioned locked room mystery. The unfortunate lady of the title is Mary Gregor, who lives in a castle on the shore of a loch with her widowed brother, his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. She's found murdered in her bedroom, with all the doors and windows locked from the inside, so where is the murderer, and how did he/she escape? Mary had a lot of enemies, as she seemed to have a talent for making people, especially her daughter-in-law, unhappy. Then the police detective assigned to her case is found dead, under exactly the same circumstances, so another detective turns up, along with a local doctor who both try to solve the case. All the family and the few staff are suspects, and all had cause to want the lady out of the way, but just when it seems that the case is solved, there's another twist and we're back to square one. It all gets a bit convoluted, with more murders, and the local people are convinced that a fish type creature is responsible, as herring scales are found on the victims. I did eventually guess what the murder weapon was, but the final denouement wasn't very convincing - it may have worked for one murder as a fluke, but the rest? Too much of a coincidence! So it lost a point for that, but was an entertaining bit of hokum, with much pipe-smoking and snuff-taking. 7/10

The Butcher Bird by S D Sykes - this is the second of the Oswald de Lacey crime series, and is set in the mid 14th century, when the country was still recovering from the horrors of the Plague. Oswald is trying to get used to running his estate, but his workers and tenants are insisting on higher wages and, whilst he'd like to oblige, he's forbidden by law to do so. Then a young baby is found in a hedge, and the villagers are convinced the Butcher Bird killed her. Oswald knows this is nonsense, but then another infant dies in similar circumstances, he's forced to take drastic action. But he has family problems too, and when his sister's stepdaughters run away to London, he's forced to go and bring them back, but it looks like the Butcher Bird is following him. This was another entertaining adventure, a bit gruesome in parts but with some light relief mosty provided by his hypochondriac, melodramatic mother who insists on accompanying him to London. 8/10

Nightblind by Ragnar Jonasson - the second in the Dark Iceland series in which policeman Ari Thor is disappointed at being passed over for promotion when his superior relocates to Rejkyavik. However it's not long before his new colleague is shot and fatally wounded whilst investigating a derelict house on the outskirts of their small town. At first Ari is of course horrified, then he starts to wonder if maybe the shot was meant for him, as he was originally on duty that night, but was instead at home in bed with the flu. Soon it seems that the new mayor and his deputy could be implicated, and Ari is given an unmistakeable warning - basically, back off! It soon turns out that everyone, including the murdered cop, has secrets. This was another compelling story - set five years after the first book, Ari is now living with his girlfriend and their baby son, but the relationship is stalling, and the couple seem to be drifiting apart - but Ari has no time for this unfortunately, as he hunts a police killer. 8/10

Date with Death by Julia Chapman - thus is the first on a new series of Midsomer Murders style mysteries set in the Yorkshire Dales. Delilah Metcalfe is hoping that her Dales Dating Agency will flourish and solve her dire financial problems. Then Samson O'Brien, a local guy who has been in London for years serving with the Metropolitan Police, roars back into town and upsets everyone, for he is something of a black sheep. He sets up his Dales Detective Agency (despite being suspended from the Met on full pay) and rents his office from Delilah, and when men who are registered with the dating agency start dying violently, both Samson and Delilah :roll: join forces to find out what exactly is happening. This was enjoyable, and I look forward to more in this series. 8/10

The Body in the Ice by A J MacKenzie - this is the second in the Romney Marsh mysteries, and this time Rev Hardcastle and his friend, widow Amelia Chaytor, try to find out who killed a young black woman found dead in the pond of a local house, which had been more or less empty for years, and why was she dressed as a man? And why have the family who own the house suddenly returned to live there from the US, where they've been based for many years? I found it a bit convoluted, but the Reverend and Amelia are likeable characters, and there's some light relief from the Rev's sister, who comes to stay with him so that she can work on her latest novel. Another promising instalment in this series, which seems to be developing nicely. 7.5/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Fri March 16th, 2018, 9:51 am
by Madeleine
March

Her Frozen Heart by Lulu Taylor - this is a book set over two time periods, the present day and just after the end of WW2. In the present day we meet Caitlyn and her son Max, who are both devastated when husband and father, Patrick, is killed in a car accident. Caitlyn starts to suspect that Patrick and her best friend Sara were having an affair, as he was about to tell her something when the accident happened. Meanwhile, in 1947, a woman called Thomasina (Tommy) has also lost her husband, this time in the war, and is struggling to keep their house, Kings Harcourt, going. On a rare trip to Oxford she bumps into a couple of old school friends, and is persuaded to let one of them, Barbara, another widow, and her daughter Molly stay with them. Then a severe winter hits, and as Barbara starts to worm her way into the household, Tommy finds herself caught up between family politics, and trying to keep everyone warm and fed as supplies dwindle even more. Meanwhile, Caitlyn, fed up with trying to handle an increasingly hysterical Sara, has also renewed her acquaintance with an old school friend Nicholas, whose aunt was Tommy's sister, and he invites Caitlyn and her son to stay at Kings Harcourt, where his aunt still lives. No real surprises as to how the rest of both stories play out, and although I enjoyed the book, the stalker storyline was a bit overblown, and Patrick was such a manipulative, controlling character that I found it difficult to see how anyone could stay with him for long! But the setting was lovely, and the harsh winter and struggle to keep going were well evoked. 7.5/10

Under a Pole Star by Stef Penney - This tells the story of two rival expeditions, one British, one US, attempting to reach the North Pole in the late 19th century. The British team is led by Flora, who undertook her first trip north as a young girl with her father, and caught the exploring bug and was determined to go back. To this end she marries fellow explorer Freddie Athlone, but the marriage is a disaster; despite this, they set off on their first expedition but when Freddie is seriously injured in an accident on board ship, they agree that Flora can carry on without him. Once there, she meets the American team and there is a definite spark between her and Jakob, the US geologist, but nothing happens until they meet again back in England when they begin a passionate affair, and it's at this point that the book fell down, for me anyway, as the rest of it seemed to be more about the affair than the expedition. There are some return trips, during which the rivalry between the US and the UK, as well as within the teams themselves, especially the Americans, is well described, but ultimately the seemingly endless sex scenes soon got quite boring (too much detail :o ) and the final mystery seemed to be dealt with rather hurriedly. A shame, as I loved Tenderness of Wolves by the same author, but I preferred To the Bright Edge of the World, which was slightly similar, by Eowyn Ivey. 7/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Sat April 7th, 2018, 11:57 am
by Madeleine
April

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley - archaeologist Verity Grey travels up to the coastal Scottish town of Eyemouth, just over the border with England, to help out with a dig in the grounds of a large house, Rosehill - supposedly looking for a Roman camp, but she instead discovers that the owner of the house, Peter Quinnell, is convinced that his estate is the last resting place of the famed 9th Legion. A surreptitious dig begins but once real evidence is found funding for a further dig is secured, and the search for evidence of the lost legion continues. Meanwhile Verity has to contend with a budding romance with fellow digger David Fortune, and also her ex Adrian, who is involved with the dig as well. Plus there's Robbie, the estate's cook's young son, who talks to The Sentinel, a Roman soldier who is said to stand guard over everything. It's a tale of mystery, romance and a bit of a ghost story too, and bowled along nicely. Very atmospheric albeit a bit predictable, but a nice comfort read. 8.5/10

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman - I wasn't quite sure what to make of this book, it's had lots of publicity, film option by Reese Witherspoon etc but a few things didn't really sit rightly with me - something awful has obviously happened to Eleanor when she was young; the reader does find out what this is quite early on, and the full story is gradually unravelled, but I didn't quite believe how naïve Eleanor was, bearing in mind that she'd been working for several years (she's 30) and therefore mixing with people, I found it a little strange how someone of her age was so out of touch with popular culture - she did after all live in a major city not a tiny village, but seemed oblivious to modern fads such as zumba classes. Her character does eventually evolve after she and a work colleague go to help an elderly man who collapses in the street, and I did like the way she did finally break out from her past, and her friendship with Raymond was very touching too. A huge crush on a local musician has a horrible inevitability as it runs it's course, and I did think there was something odd about her relationship wit her mother, although it turns out my suspicion was directed at the wrong person! An interesting read with a touching ending, although it did feel a bit rushed towards the end, which again didn't seem totally convincing to me. 7.5/10

How to stop time by Matt Haig - this is a time travel novel with a difference: Tom, currently in present day London working as a history teacher, is over 400 years old, suffering from a condition known as anageria, although the doctor who "discovered it" is found dead shortly afterwards, drowned in the Thames. Tom isn't immortal, he will eventually age fully and die of something (although an injury would carry him off sooner, and he seems immune to all diseases) but at present he only looks around 40-odd years old, instead of 400+ years. He has to keep moving on from various places - 8 years is recommended by the Albatross Society, a group formed to protect the identity of the so-called Albas. But Tom is tiring of this existence, and the main thing keeping him going is the search for his daughter, fathered in 16th century, who has inherited the condition. His search takes him all over the world, and at times becomes precarious and fraught with danger as he is given assignments to either bring in other Albas, or despatch them to prevent them revealing their secret, as several government agencies are already onto them. I enjoyed this, it was well-written and I preferred the historical sections, as Tom's childhood and gradual evolution into adulthood progress throughout the centuries, I particularly liked his time spent as a musician at the Globe Theatre during Shakespeare's time. The present day sections, by contrast, felt a little sluggish but eventually it all came togehter in a sweetly satisfying ending. I'd love to know more about Tom's earlier life, there must be lots more to tell! 8/10

The Miller's Dance by Winston Graham - this is the 9th instalment in the Poldark series and much better than it's predecessor, although I can now see how the author set things up in "The Stranger from the Sea" for what happens in this book. We get to know the "Stranger" much better as Ross and Demelza's daughter, Clowance, falls for him and the pair have a whirlwind romance, but to say he's unsavoury is putting it mildly, especially when he and the Poldarks' son, Jeremy, hatch a shocking scheme. In the meantime there's plenty going on, as George Warleggan carries on with his social climbing, and the fortunes of the various families rise and fall. There's less of Demelza's brothers in this book, which focuses mainly on Ross, Demelza, and their two eldest children, Jeremy and Clowance. One of the best books in the series. 9/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Mon May 7th, 2018, 7:07 pm
by Madeleine
The Riviera Express by T P Fielden - this is the first in a new cosy crime series set in the seaside town of Temple Regis, following the fortunes of a reporter on the local newspaper of the title. Judy Dimont is the intrepid reporter desperate for a story other than lost cats and the local flower show, and one day her dream comes true, when not one but two high-profile men die on the same day. One of them is a famous actor, who is found dead on the other Riviera Express - the train from London. It's first thought he had a heart attack, but when another local journalist falls to his death from nearby cliffs, although his death is put down to suicide, Judy thinks something must be going on, especially when the owner of the local theatre goes missing. But of course, the local townsfolk don't want a little thing like 2 murders tarnishing their image, and Judy is also faced with the actor's temperamental widow who, it turns out, has lots of secrets, but she's not the only one. This was an enjoyable story, and I look forward to more of Judy's adventures in the pretty seaside town. 7/10


A Voice in the Night by Andrea Camilleri - this is the latest in the Montalbano series (although I don't think it's the latest chronologically) and the Inspector is feeling his age as he turns 58. A road rage incident takes on a more sinister turn when the young male culprit reports that he has found his girlfriend dead, but his story doesn't ring true and Montalbano is soon determined to get to the real killer, a difficult task as the young man's father is a prominent local politician. Meanwhile a burglary at a local supermarket is also giving the team a headache; again it seems that people much higher up than a supermarket manager (who reportedly hung himself after the robbery) are involved, and that the burglary was merely a distraction from a much bigger crime. This was another entertaining read, with Montalbano and his team a likeable albeit very eccentric bunch, and despite using unorthodox methods, they are a decent determined team. Very funny in parts as well, although the blurb on the back of the book gives the wrong name of a murder victim, which meant I spent half the book waiting for this character to get bumped off! 8/10

The Secret of High Eldersham by Miles Burton - this is the first in a series of novels featuring amateur detective Merrion, and is one of the British Library Crime Classics. High Eldersham is rocked when the landlord of the local pub, Samuel Whitehead, is found dead one evening. Inspector Young is called in, but the locals seem reluctant to talk, and once the prime suspect has been cleared, Young finds himself having strange suspicions after he finds a doll with the murder victim's name on it in the house of the chief suspect. So he calls in his friend Merrion, who discovers that Young's hunch about witchcraft could be correct, when he sees many of the locals enacting a strange ritual in the woods, although initially it seems harmless enough. But then other dolls start appearing, and there are signs of smuggling in the local estuary. Who's behind the smuggling ring, and is it connected to the witchcraft? It all gets a bit convoluted, and Merrion becomes personally involved when he falls in love with the daughter of the man whom he thinks may be the self-styled Devil who leads the witchy services. It all builds up to an exciting climax and is a genuine ripping yarn, with the somewhat now outdated language giving it the feel of a real Boys' Own adventure. A fun read, and more fast-paced than some of others I've read in this series. More like an episode of Midsomer Murders in fact! 7/10

The Venetian Game by Philip Wynne Jones - this is the first in a new series of crime novels set, as the title suggests, in Venice, where the main investigator is the British honorary consul, Nathan Sunderland. Separated from his wife who's gone back to Edinburgh, he gets by translating boring instruction manuals, in between helping UK tourists who've had lost their passports or been robbed, or who simply want directions, plus the occasional drug dealing teenager. So when a strange man offers him a large sum of money to keep a small package safe for a few days, he's dubious about getting involved, but naturally of course his curiosity gets the better of him and he opens the package, which turns out to be a small book which may or may not be an original artwork by one of the famous Venetian artists, Bellini. But other people want the book too, and as he traces it's history (it was supposedly stolen many years ago) he comes across many shady characters and finds himself in increasing danger. This was an entertaining read, with a likeable main character, although the baddies were a bit stereotypical. However it was engrossing enough to make me buy the next one, and it looks like there are a couple of others too. It also has a nice sense of humour, especially where Nathan's psychotic cat is concerned! 7/10

The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch - this is a novella in the Peter Grant series, and stands alone from the main thread of the books, but most of the old favourites are here - Toby the dog, Nightingale, Molly gliding around, and Peter's cousin Abigail and Jaget, his friend and contact in the British Transport Police, who is much needed here as the little team find themselves investigating ghost commuters on the Metropolitan Line (which is the oldest underground line in London). This leads them to something more sinister though, when it looks like a woman has been kidnapped and it becomes a race against time to find her whilst she's still alive. This was another entertaining read and a worthy addition to this series. 7/10

Sycamore Gap by L J Ross - this is the second in the DCI Ryan series, this time set near Hadrian's Wall when a woman's body is found hidden in the section of the wall near Sycamore Gap (which is a real place). It looks like she has been there for around a decade and was reported missing at the time. Then another much more recent body also turns up, again at the Wall in almost the same place, so the obvious question is - could these murders be linked? And there are also clues which link them to Ryan's nemesis, the serial killer called The Hacker, who murdered Ryan's sister and has been taunting him ever since. It was another very entertaining, atmospheric read with great settings and characters, despite a not particularly original story arc involving corrupt police and a mysterious group called The Circle, who we first met in Holy Island (and thought we'd seen the back of). But there's certainly enough to make me have the next books in the series lined up! 8/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Fri June 8th, 2018, 8:38 am
by Madeleine
June

The Music Shop by Rachel Joyce - I haven't read any of this author's books before and read this as a BOTM read on another book forum. It's set mainly in the late 1980s and the main character is Frank, who owns a music shop in a run-down street in an unspecified English city. He claims to be able to match up any style of music with anyone who comes into his shop, so that a heavy metal lover might find his or herself being sent off with a Vivaldi album. One day a woman standing outside the shop faints, so Frank and his other customers bring her in to look after her, and Frank is instantly smitten. She turns out to be German, says she is engaged and has a job locally, and from then on they begin a tentative friendship, in which she and Frank meet in a café whilst he tells her what music she should listen to, and why. He thinks she in unattainable as it becomes apparent that she has many secrets. Eventually, due to a misunderstanding, they part company and after this the book jumps forward to 2009 and circumstances have changed for everyone. I can't really say much more, and although many others rave about it I found it quite twee and almost gave up a couple of times as I was so fed up with nothing happening, and the unbearable, almost child-like procrastination of the main characters, especially when the woman's secret turned out to be something relatively basic (is that it? was my immediate thought) I really wanted to tell them to get a grip and get on with it! We also eventually gradually get Frank's background, brought up by a rather feckless, bohemian mother which forms a lot of his character. It did remind me a bit of "Chocolat" but with music, but that was much better. I would think of it as almost a modern fairytale, a bit like a frothy romantic comedy, especially given the ending. It didn't really do it for me, and my favourite character was the tattooist, Maud, who was the most vivid character for me. It did bring back memories of record shops though, the smell of all those records and the crackle which you don't get with CDs - the first part is set just as CDs where coming in and vinyl (which is now making a bit of a comeback) was on it's way out - Frank's stubbornness to stock CDs is part of his problem, but I think it does give a bit of a golden view of the recent past. 6/10

The Mermaid's Scream by Kate Ellis - the latest in the Wesley Peterson crime series set in Devon, this concerns the murder of a young man who is writing a biography of Wynn Staniland, a once famous author who wrote several bestsellers, but stopped after his wife committed suicide, in a manner which mocked the plot of one of his books. A couple are found dead in a caravan at a holiday park, and the woman was reading one of Staniland's books - a tenuous link but one which makes the police curious, as all their leads seem to lead back to the author, who lives in seclusion with his step-daughter. Meanwhile, Wesley's friend, archaeologist Neil, is excavating the garden of an old ruined house, where a notorious murder took place over 100 years ago, but the house's new owner's ancestor was accused of the murder, but he wants to clear his relative's name. The two cases went along nicely side by side, and although these books are pretty much standard police procedurals, the main characters are engaging. The plot was very convoluted and it took me a while to get my head around it, so although these books are deceptively simple at first glance, they are very tightly plotted. There's also a bit of family trouble for Wesley, as his son befriends a wrong 'un, and gets into a bit of bother. The historical element is partly based on a notorious murder case, according to the author's note, and the ruined house still stands! 7/10

The Thief's Daughter by Victoria Cornwall - this is a thoroughly enjoyable novel set in 18th century Cornwall, and would appeal to fans of Poldark and Jamaica Inn, although it most resembles the latter du Maurier novel (the political period is roughly the same as the current series of Poldark, including a guest appearance from the future PM, Pitt the Younger). Jenna Cartwright comes from a tainted line of thieves, her parents were last heard of languishing in prison, while two of her brothers have gone to sea and the remaining brother, Silas, to whom she is the closest, is currently in a debtors' prison, largely through his own greed and failed schemes. She brings him food and money when she can, but with her background finds it hard to find work. However things look up when Jack Penhale employs her as his housekeeper; he likes her spirit and helps her learn to read. But he is a thief-taker, hated by her family and when Silas finds out he is consumed with jealousy, and when he's offered a get out of jail free card in exchange for information to bring down a large ring of smugglers, he puts both Jack and Jenna, who by this time have of course fallen in love, in terrible danger, and neither knows whether they can trust each other any more. No surprises as to how it will all turn out, but I found this a well-written historical romp, with great characters and just the right amount of danger and romance. 8/10

Falling Creatures by Katherine Stansfield - 19th century Cornwall, and two young women - Shilly and Charlotte - are hired to work on a lonely farm on Bodmin Moor. The two begin a relationship, but Charlotte also captivates most of the local men, and Shilly is annoyed at sharing her with others, and is also intrigued by her mysterious visits over the moor on her days off, supposedly to visit her family in Boscastle. Charlotte also has supernatural powers, which include striking down a wealthy land-owner's cattle, so when she is found murdered on the moor, the list of suspects is quite long, but one of the farmhands, Matthew, is arrested and quickly tried and found guilty. Shilly is convinced he is innocent, and she is joined by a mysterious stranger calling himself Mr Williams, who is also convinced of Matthew's innocence, and so begins a desperate race against time to find the real culprit, and save Matthew from the gallows. I found it hard to categorise this book - part Gothic novel, part romance, part historical thriller - it was very well-written and easy to read, and also hugely atmospheric, although Shilly is a slightly unreliable narrator, which gives the book a rather surreal feel at times, making the reader (well this one anyway) not sure how much to believe. However I did like it, and look forward to the sequel in which Shilly and Mr Williams continue their adventures on Bodmin Moor. According to the author's note, this was based on a real murder from this period, which is still talked of today.7/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Mon July 16th, 2018, 8:46 am
by Madeleine
July

Force of Nature by Jane Harper - this is the second book to feature Federal policeman Aaron Falk, and is quite different from the first book, The Dry, in that it's more of a straightforward mystery, with Falk as one of the investigating officers, rather than the more personal events of the first book, which is briefly touched on here but you don't need to have read it to enjoy this book. Falk and his partner, Carmen, have been investigating a company called BaileyTennants for various possible fraud etc, and their main contact has been a woman called Alice. When the company send two teams of colleagues - five men and five women - on a "survival" weekend in the dense Giralang range, only 4 of the women return; the missing person is Alice, but is her disappearance connected with Falk's case, or a coincidence? The story is told in alternating chapters, switching from the police investigation/search for the missing woman, and what really happened on the team-building weekend, which starts out cheerfully enough but by the end of the first day is already descending into resentment and conflict, especially between Alice and Jill, who is a member of the Bailey family and their boss. It's a fast-paced, enjoyable novel, with old battles recurring (Alice and one of the other women were at school together and have a history of enmity) and as the book goes on the chapters get shorter and shorter, increasing the tension as we get closer to finding out what really happened to Alice. I must admit that I found the final reveal to be slightly disappointing, although at least it wasn't as sensationalist as it might have been (the area was targeted by a serial killer several years previously, and that history still casts a sinister shadow over everything) but I thought this was an entertaining, fast-paced read, perfect for holidays, and Falk is an engaging character ,and I was glad to see him back again after the first book. 8.5/10

A Suitable Vengeance by Elizabeth George - this is my first Inspector Lynley and overall I enjoyed it, although I did find it a bit wordy at times. Tommy (Lynley) has taken his fiancée Deborah to his ancestral home (he's a Lord after all) down in Cornwall, to meet his mother, and for some reason his work colleague and close friend, Simon St James, plus Simon's sister Sidney, come too. They are followed by Sidney's on/off boyfriend, the charmless Justin Brooke, and also by Tommy's dissolute, drug addict brother Peter, and his equally shambolic girlfriend Sasha. Not surprisingly there is plenty of tension, both between the brothers and Tommy and his mother, who fell out years ago and although reconciled have had an uneasy relationship ever since. But they're all distracted when the editor of the local newspaper is found brutally murdered in his cottage, and the police look at several possible motives, was it a burglary that was interrupted, an irate husband (the man was a notorious womaniser, despite being married with a baby), or was someone trying to suppress a big story he was working on? Lots of red herrings, then, and quite a bit of angst too as Tommy and his brother deal with each other and their own resentments (real or imaginary), their mother tries to keep the peace, and poor Deborah wonders what she's getting into (run Deborah run!). Then Justin Brooke is found dead at the bottom of a nearby cliff, and although an arrest is made for the journalist's murder, many are convinced that the police have the wrong man. There are further twists and turns until all is revealed,, and although it was well plotted I found it a bit convoluted. However I did like reading about Lynley (having seen most of the TV shows, and I vaguely remember this one, although Havers only features very briefly in this book) who is quite different to his TV version (he's blond for a start) and have several others to read. 7/10

The Dark Angel by Elly Griffiths - this is the latest Ruth Galloway adventure, and in this one Ruth is in Italy, after an old colleague (and brief lover) contacts her for a second opinion on a skeleton he's found, one which seems to have been buried with a mobile phone! It looks like someone is out to sabotage the dig, and events become more sinister when the local priest is murdered. Meanwhile, Harry Nelson, kicking his heels at home and livid when he finds that Ruth has taken their daughter abroad without first consulting him, flies out to Italy after an earthquake takes place in the area. He inevitably gets involved in the murder investigation, but he and Ruth enjoy their brief time together. But back in Norfolk, it looks like someone from his past is about to catch up with him and his family. This was another enjoyable adventure, although perhaps not quite as engrossing as the earlier books; perhaps the different setting didn't feel right? Or maybe it's just that it's becoming a little unconvincing as to how trouble follows Ruth around so much! But not a bad read, I still like Ruth's character and it was nice to see Nelson's family developing a bit more, even though I felt one storyline was ended a little too conveniently....7.5/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Sat August 4th, 2018, 10:48 am
by Madeleine
August

The Lost by Mari Hannah - this is the first of a new detective/crime series set in Northumberland. The leads here are Detective Inspector David Stone, originally from the area, but who's now returned following a demotion in rank due to something that happened whilst he was serving with the Metropolitan Police in London. HIs sidekick is Detective Sergeant Frances aka Frankie Oliver, 3rd generation police officer and Northumbrian born and bred. When a 10 year old boy goes missing after school, it's all hands on deck to search for him, but when he turns up unharmed a couple of days later it's written off as a misunderstanding, lack of communication etc. Then his au pair is found dead in a nearby country road, and although it was made to look like a road accident, some of her injuries suggest otherwise. Stone and Oliver are put on the case, but both are haunted by their own past in different ways, with Stone's in particular being especially disturbing. All links point to a member of the boy's family, but are the police looking at the right person? And when a relative of the family is also murdered, this time in London, David has to call on his former colleagues for help, but not everyone is keen to see him back in London. I enjoyed this, the leads were engaging and although there were many of the usual crime tropes in the novel, and the murderer's identity wasn't that surprising, I still really liked it, it was a fast easy read with some good banter between the police team. A promising start to a new series. 8/10

The Wildflowers by Harriet Evans - this book tells the story of Tony and Althea Wilde, two successful actors in the Burton/Taylor mould, and their children Ben and Cordelia. I't's told over 3 time periods - Tony's traumatic childhood during the second World War, during which he saw his mother killed when their house took a direct hit from a German bomb, and which resulted in his being taken under the wing of his eccentric great aunt Dinah, an archaeologist who he barely knows, and who comes back from Baghdad to take him to the Bosky, the family retreat on the Dorset coast which figures strongly in the other 2 main threads - Ben and Cordelia's childhood, and finally the present day, which sees Ben working mainly in LA as a successful scriptwriter, and Cordelia in London, trying to get by as a singing teacher after her voice (she was a successful singer) was ruined when surgery to repair damaged vocal cords didn't work. The third wheel in Ben and Cordy's story is Mads, a young girl who stayed with her father in a nearby house, The Beeches, and was obviously unhappy (her mother died young and her father was very strict, to put it mildly) and who gradually becomes friends with the children, eventually marrying Ben. In the present day, Cordy is estranged from her family, but when Althea announces that she is dying, she reluctantly returns to them, to find out what really happened all those years ago, and that there are some secrets which can never be shared. This was an OK read, some of the big secrets I suspected (and guessed correctly) early on; most of the characters weren't that likeable and a couple of the storylines were rather vague, and I never found Aunt Dinah and her ghastly friend Daphne that convincing, they were very stereo-typical. Not bad for a holiday read though, and very evocative of the glorious Dorset coast if you're familiar with the area. 7/10

The Blood Card by Elly Griffiths - in the latest of the Stephens/Mephisto mysteries, set in 1950s Brighton and London, the two friends find themselves involved in a crime which takes them back to the War, after their boss, Cartwright, is found dead in his London flat. The police think it's a botched burglary, but clues are left which point towards their involvement with the Magic Men, a secretive group who tried to build decoy tanks, ships etc during the war to stop the Germans from bombing the real thing. The death of a gypsy fortune teller in Brighton seems unconnected, and Stephens is even more bewildered when he's sent to New York to interview a vaudeville performer who also knew his boss, but when the man is knocked and down and killed in a hit and run incident the day before Stephens arrives in the US, and then he himself is almost run down, things start to look dangerous, and when a playbill is discovered in the old lady's house, with the name of the recently deceased American showman on, it looks like all the cases may be connected after all. i thought this book took a while to get going, and seemed to almost ramble for a while until the storylines gradually came together, and then the second part was more gripping than the first. It was amusing to see the introduction of TV too, when Max (the magician) is invited to take part in a new variety show called "Those were the days", he's convinced it will never catch on, but even he can see that times are changing, so he reluctantly agrees to appear. But the threat isn't over yet.....7.5/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Thu September 6th, 2018, 8:31 am
by Madeleine
September

Earthly Remains by Donna Leon - latest in the Brunetti crime series set in Venice, and Brunetti is beginning to feel the strain and stress of his job, to the extent that he fakes a "turn" to prevent his colleague from over-reacting during the questioning of a possible suspect in the investigation into a young girl's drug overdose at a party. To his surprise, he's carted off to hospital, given tests and finds his blood pressure is very high, so he's immediately told to take at least 2 weeks off and have complete rest. His wife arranges for him to stay at a relative's villa on one of the islands in the Lagoon, and once there he befriends the villa's caretaker, who it turns out was friendly with his father. But crime is never far away, and when his new friend is killed in what looks like a boating accident during a violent storm, he's convinced there's more to the supposed "accident". Cue the opening of a can of worms which means digging back (literally) into his friend's background, and finding out some unsavoury truths about what really goes on in Venice. This was quite a languid read, but picked up halfway through once the investigation got going, although it did fizzle out a bit towards the end, but the author sometimes doesn't have a neat conclusion to her stories, which makes a change in crime fiction. There's a sense of fighting a losing battle here, but there is still a fair bit of humour, and the goodness of Brunetti and other characters comes through. 7.5/10

The Loving Cup by Winston Graham - this is the 10th in the Poldark series, and carries on directly from the events of the previous book, again it focussed more on the offspring of the Poldarks and Warleggans, although the adults are still very much in evidence. There are marriages, and more schemes, and the fallout from the last book still exerts a hold over some characters, I can't say more without spoilers! Suffice to say this was another good read in the series. 8/10

Heavenfield by L J Ross - this is the 3rd in the DCI Ryan crime series, set in glorious Northumberland, and this time Ryan finds himself a suspect, when he's found standing above the dead body of a man who was a close friend of his girlfriend, Anna, with blood on his hands. Of course his team knows he's innocent, but there are people in the force who would love to see him go down, in some cases probably literally, and they have to fight to help him prove his innocence, especially as he's already been suspended from the force. Then members of the Circle, a clandestine group of men and women from all walks of life, start to die, including some who were imprisoned following the murder investigation in the previous books. Then their own boss is also attacked, and his wife disappears - the team know that he's involved, but can they prove it? And can they stop the Circle from removing everyone who gets in their way? This was another gripping adventure, with a thrilling, if slightly OTT, denouement, at Bamburgh Castle, and at only 250 pages it was a snappy read. In fact, I wish it could have been a bit longer! But the characters are developing nicely, although it would be nice if the story could move on from the Circle now. A great series, with a fabulous setting. 8/10

Lost for Words by Stephanie Butland - Loveday Cardew works in a second hand bookshop in York; she's had a traumatic past and grew up in care, and gradually we find out what happened, although it's not difficult to guess early on. Terrified that someone will find out about her past, she keeps herself to herself, especially following a disastrous relationship with Rob, who has mental health problems but is also quite a piece of work. Then one day Nathan walks into the shop, having dropped a book in the street, which Loveday happens to have found, and slowly the two of them form a sweet relationship, but Loveday is convinced it can't last, and when a mysterious box of books is brought into the shop one day, she finds that her past is finally catching up with her. Truth will out, but we also find out that it is possible to move on, with the help of the right people, even through tragedy. I thought this was a lovely book, and I liked the way Loveday's past was revealed. Annabel was a lovely character and so of course were Archie (the bookshop owner) and Nathan, and, despite another tragedy happening towards the end of the book, I liked the positive note on which the book ended. I've been to Whitby and it was nice reading about the Whitby bookshop and all the steps again. I thought it was well-written and well paced, and a bit deeper than some books which tend to get labelled as chick lit. It did remind me quite a bit of Eleanor Oliphant, but I prefer this book to Eleanor. A good choice and will be in my top 10 this year 8/10

Re: Madeleine's Reading Log 2018

Posted: Fri October 5th, 2018, 10:21 am
by Madeleine
October

Emotional Geology by Linda Gillard - this is one of Linda Gillard's early books, in fact I think it might have been her first, and whilst it's good and is well-written, I think her later books are better. It's set mostly on the Hebridean island of North Uist, where Rose Leonard has set up home following a traumatic relationship breakdown which led to her being hospitalised, and to years of self-harming. Gradually she builds a new life, making friends with Shona, her nearest neighbour, and then becoming increasingly attracted to Shona's brother Calum. But the ghost of her old love affair still lingers, especially when she realises that it's quite possible that Calum may have met her ex, as both men are keen mountaineers; to the point of obsession in the case of her ex, and there's also the fractious relationship with her adult daughter, who suddenly turns up, to contend with. It's a story of healing, and learning to trust again - Rose's ex was a total **** but even so I think her reactions were a bit extreme, but it's not hard to see why she's so hesitant to fall in love again. But Calum has his own ghosts and traumas to come to terms with, too. A nice story, with a glorious setting, and a fair bit of humour, with the author handling the issues of mental illness and guilt very well. 7/10

The Witch-Finder's Sister by Beth Underdown - this is another take on the story of Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witchfinder General who briefly terrorised parts of Essex and Suffolk (and a little further afield) in the first half of the 17th century; he was after women who had been accused of witchcraft, and rounded them up for questioning and then for trial. But the story is told by his sister, Alice (who may or may not have existed) who is forced to return to live with Matthew in the Essex town of Manningtree after her husband is killed in an accident in London. She's also expecting a baby, but, because she's had several miscarriages, is too scared and superstitious to tell anyone about the pregnancy. So she finds herself generally friendless, and with a cold brother who seems set on his macabre crusade against alleged witches. Apparently this had happened before ,but previously the suspects were released without charge, after cooling their heels in prison for a while, and initially Alice thinks the same thing will happen this time. But once it becomes apparent that things are more serious, she starts to wonder who she can trust, and eventually has to admit that her once beloved brother is on a path of evil obsession, and when he takes her with him to help "search" the witches for suspicious marks, she comes close to despair. Only the thought of hopefully being able to help and maybe save some of the women keeps her going. This was a well-written book, although the subject matter doesn't really make it enjoyable, but it's a slightly different look at Matthew Hopkins, which tries to show him not totally as a monster, although sadly by the end even Alice has to admit that he has become one. A neat little twist at the end too. This is her first book and she's certainly a promising writer. 7.5/10

The Silent Companions - Laura Purcell - this is a Gothic novel set in 2 time periods - the 1860s and about 2 hundred years earlier, the 1680s and focuses mainly on the Bainbridge family and their crumbling house, The Bridge. The main character is Elsie, who married Rupert, the heir to The Bridge, who dies suddenly not long after they're married. Pregnant with their first child, Elsie returns to the Bridge and to her brother Jolyon, but he promptly has to go back to London for business reason and she's left with just Rupert's mousy cousin, Sarah, and a bunch of surly servants for company. Disturbed by strange noises during the night, she investigates and finds, in true Gothic style, a locked attic! But suddenly the door opens , and she finds, among the usual old bits of furniture, chests, etc, some strange life-size wooden figures, which for some reason are brought downstairs. Gradually more "companions" begin to appear, and whilst initially they seem harmless, they soon take on a sinister aspect, especially when they seem to move. Back in the 1600s, we get the story of Anna Bainbridge, who was married to an ambitious husband who was desperate to gain royal favour, and they are the original owners of the companions, and they have one daughter, the mysterious mute Hetta, who seems strange for her tender years (about 9 or 10). And when the King and Queen come to visit, it ends in disaster, and seems to set in motion the chain of events which still plagues the house 200 years later. We also get Elsie's story of what happened later; we first meet her recovering in hospital from a serious incident (no prizes for guessing it's a fire) and on a possible murder charge, and gradually we get her back story. I did enjoy this, it was well-written and quite creepy, although eventually it got a bit over the top towards the end. Elsie is a bit of an unreliable narrator, and the ending is a bit ambiguous, although I suspected it was going that way. Enjoyable if somewhat OTT Victorian gothic, very atmospheric. 7/10

The Travelling Bag by Susan Hill - this book consists of 5 spooky short stories; the first titular one concerns a private feud between rival medical experts, which is made worse when one of the men passes off the other's research work as his own, and gets all the glory; there's also Boy Number 21, about a mysterious schoolboy who befriends another lad who's feeling very isolated; Alice Baker - a new girl starts work in a large office, she seems rather strange and keeps herself to herself, but it's not until the team move offices that the weirdness really starts, with one employee, who narrates ,being particularly affected; in The Front Room a family discover that no good deed goes unpunished when they decide to be charitable and invite the father's elderly stepmother to come and live them; and in Printer's Devil Court a group of medical students, who share digs, try a ghoulish experiment goes horribly wrong and continues to haunt them long after. I thought this was a good collection, each story was well-written and atmospheric, and just about the right length. Worth a read for Halloween! 7.5/10

Agatha Raisin & The Witches Tree by M C Beaton - yet another adventure for Agatha, who is finally feeling her age - she's been 53 for about 5 books now - and getting lonely as she thinks she'll be left on the shelf. In the meantime, she's kept busy by a couple of strange deaths in a nearby village, where the bodies have been found in or under the so-called ~Witches Tree. But is witchcraft really involved? It's another romp, not very well-written and feeling very rushed, these books are a fun interlude, and a nice quick read, but maybe MCB should think about winding them up now?. Still strangely addictive though! 6.5/10