Time for fireside reading; enveloping yourself into another world with other people . It’s been a while since I did a book review and I have to say many books have passed my way since then. Too many to go into any great depth but I will highlight the goodies to share with you. Hopefully your libraries will stay open during this latest looming lockdown, otherwise many books seem to appear for 99p these days on kindle.
My reading is often heavily laced with murder mysteries and I often ponder why they fascinate me so much. Possibly it’s the way they analyse everyone, looking at character in detail and flaws within that character . They are often set in intriguing places too and landscape is described in detail. Historical mysteries also tend to be high on my list. Nicola Upson writes a wonderful series set in 1930’s Britain. The stories are based on fact featuring a theatre writer called Josephine Tey. They analyse characters to perfection and the atmosphere of the period is wonderful.’The Death Of Lucy Kyte’ is one of her best set mainly in Suffolk and based on a true murder from the Victorian period. The main character Josephine inherits a cottage in a very rural corner of Suffolk and the cottage has a history. Upson’s descriptions of rural Suffolk are evocative as is the story as it unfolds.
Susie Steiner is another new writer recently discovered. All three of her detective novels are brilliant. Laced with humour throughout they manage to deflect from the gruesome nature of the plots. Again set in Suffolk, descriptions of place are interwoven by perceptive and humorous comments.
An easy read are the novels by Jacqueline Winspear. Again set in England between and during the first and second world wars they are a cosy read. A little bit Agatha Christie like with a veritable list of heart warming characters. Oh and of course the odd murder.
Getting away from murder for a while I did pop over to America and dip into an Anita Shreve. Always a brilliant, albeit depressing, read I wasn’t disappointed with ‘Testimony’. Setting is important to Shreve and most definitely character. This story takes place in a public school involving a student rape. She cleverly tells the story though the student and teachers various testimonies. Starting at the end of the story she gradually weaves back and gets to the reason why. Well worth a read.
Stacey Hall’s latest ‘The Foundling’ won’t disappoint. Set in Georgian London it tells the story of the foundling hospital and one particular baby that is left there. The sights and smells of this period are beautifully recreated and it feels as if you have stepped back in time with the characters. Only her second novel and an excellent yarn.
Back to murder and I read another set in Dublin by Tara French. ‘The Trespasser’ was set in a bitterly cold winter with a detective who has a rather large chip on her shoulder. Half the story is about office politics and particularly that she is a woman. The other is about the murder of a young woman found in her own home. Some rather gruesome descriptions but French’s prose is well worth the time.
Another hop across the pond had me reading Anne Tyler’s Accidental Tourist. Anne Tyler featured on one of my recent podcasts called ‘Fortunately with Fi and Jane’. She came over as a fascinating lady and I popped over to see if I could find any 99p kindle books. Sure enough The Accidental Tourist appeared and enchanted me from page one. A rather autistic gentleman has separated from his wife after the death of their young son. Yes there is pathos but also bucket loads of laugh out loud moments as he manages life on his own. Definitely a must read.
I could go on at length with more books but maybe I will come back for a part two. Meanwhile I must head to the library van which is still running. Only one person in at a time and hand sanitising of course. I must return a brilliant book called ‘Beautiful Place’ by Amanthi Harris. A totally new author to me and I feel it may have been the jacket cover than caught my attention first. A beautiful and worrying read from start to finish, telling the story of an adopted daughter Padma and her Austrian father. Her real father Sunny doesn’t make life easy as they run their guest house in a coastal region of Sri Lanka. The prose is perfect and the ending will haunt you for some time.
So over to you. Please let me know any good books and authors to add to my list.
Barbara xxx
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