This was a reasonably entertaining version of the final stages of the Wars of the Roses, the disappearance of the “Princes in the Tower” and the defeaThis was a reasonably entertaining version of the final stages of the Wars of the Roses, the disappearance of the “Princes in the Tower” and the defeat of Richard III by Henry VII, told from the perspective of a (fictional) servant in the household of Edward V. However, I have to agree with other reviewers that it was marred by the presence of several glaring historical inaccuracies, which was disappointing. As an alternative covering similar subject-matter, I would strongly recommend Josephine Tey’s excellent The Daughter of Time....more
I read this Agatha Raisin short story (sub 40 pages) as part of a volume featuring the full-length "Agatha Raisin and the Blood of an Englishman". It'I read this Agatha Raisin short story (sub 40 pages) as part of a volume featuring the full-length "Agatha Raisin and the Blood of an Englishman". It's the first of several Christmas-themed stories by well-known writers that I intend reading this December. Apart from its length, this story also departs from the Agatha Raisin oeuvre in that it is not in fact a "whodunit" detective story, but a simple narrative, albeit featuring a suspicious death! Encouraged by her friend Mrs. Bloxby, Agatha decides to embrace the Christmas spirit of goodwill, rather than heading abroad as she usually would. She invites several local elderly people, who would otherwise be alone for Christmas, to her home for a slap-up lunch and lavish gifts. Predictably for Carsley, these are not lovely fluffy harmless oldies, but a challenging group of misfits, including an irascible spinster and an unrepentant octogenarian letch. While employing caterers for the majority of the lunch, Agatha courageously attempts to make a Christmas pudding from scratch, under the scrutiny of her former employee / friend Roy Silver. As expected, the results are hilariously disastrous, but fortunately the pudding becomes the instrument of death for one of Agatha's guests before anyone has to eat it. The remainder of the story follows Agatha's attempts to extricate herself from suspicion, while her surviving guests reap the consequences of Agatha's act of Christmas kindness. This was a humorous and light-hearted Christmas tale, with Agatha at her self-centred and disaster-prone best. ...more
This is the fourth in the Agatha Raisin series that I've read in 2018, albeit a fair way further through the series than the initial three (#1, #2 andThis is the fourth in the Agatha Raisin series that I've read in 2018, albeit a fair way further through the series than the initial three (#1, #2 and #7). As with the previous books, I picked this one up at a time when I was in a temporary reading rut, as they're a guaranteed quick and relatively entertaining read. Added to that, I'm aiming to read half-a-dozen Christmas themed books this December, and while the initial murder in "Blood of an Englishman" takes place during a traditional English Christmas pantomime, the volume I have also includes the Agatha Raisin short story "Christmas Crumble" (which, for the sake of clarity, I'll review separately). In this instalment, retired-PR-exec-turned-private-investigator Agatha reluctantly accompanies her good friend Mrs. Bloxby to an amateur Christmas pantomime in the nearby village of Winter Parma. Agatha's boredom with the cringe-worthy play is suddenly relieved when the leading man, the local baker, is murdered in a grotesque way during the performance. Agatha follows her usual form, ignoring police tape and antagonising witnesses and potential suspects as she investigates the crime (and others) over the succeeding several months. The story in fact includes four murders, three of which are committed in a particularly ghastly manner. Agatha also manages to pursue four separate men, each completely unsuitable for one reason or another, over the course of the novel. I was pleased to find that this book signalled a return to the lighter mood and humour of the first two books in the series, which I felt was somewhat missing in the seventh (perhaps due to Agatha's rather depressed and self-critical state, due to her life circumstances at the time). I was also pleased to see the character of Charles Fraith appear as Agatha's principal sounding-board / chauffeur in this book, as he's a far more entertaining character than Agatha's pompous neighbour James Lacey. I feel a bit mean giving this a 3, rather than a 4, as I did enjoy it and it fit the bill perfectly for the sort of lightweight-but-entertaining read I was after at the time. However, I have to agree with other reviewers that the editing could have been tighter. ...more
Although I’m a long time aficionado of Miss Austen’s novels, I’d never before read this slim volume, which is a collection of the author’s early work Although I’m a long time aficionado of Miss Austen’s novels, I’d never before read this slim volume, which is a collection of the author’s early work (aged between 11 and 18!), first published in 1922. The writing inevitably lacks some of the polish of her better-known work, but I felt was still worthy of a 5-star review in light of her age when she wrote it, and the fact that the stories had me laughing out loud with their finely-tuned acerbic wit. Also the fact that Austen herself never edited and prepared these stories for publication, instead they were found in their relatively raw form among her private papers after her death. There are clear precursors to her future writing - one wonders whether Pride and Prejudice might have more closely resembled the title story - Austen’s original version was charmingly misspelled “Love and Freindship” - had the later novel been written from Lydia’s perspective, rather than Elizabeth’s. Similarly, “Three Sisters” foreshadows the discomfort in the Bennet household once Mr Collins voices his intention to marry one of the daughters. Familiar names pop up here and there - Dashwood, Musgrove etc. - and we se glimpses of the character and plot formations to come. I also thoroughly enjoyed Fay Weldon’s forward to the Hesperus edition, in which she points out that, with these works Austen appears to have successfully debuted the short story a good 50 years before Poe officially did the same. A short read (slightly under 100 pages), but well worth seeking out and enjoying....more
This is a charming and evocative story of a young boy’s adventures living in Western Australia’s remote Pilbara region which the author laments in hisThis is a charming and evocative story of a young boy’s adventures living in Western Australia’s remote Pilbara region which the author laments in his afterword “was written for twelve-year-olds, and will probably be read mostly by adults”. I found de Berniere’s prose bittersweet and compelling, as the central character comes gradually to love the alien landscape, quirky gaggle of wild and domestic animals that inhabit the station and the tough yet sympathetically drawn farm employees and nearby inhabitants with whom he becomes acquainted. A wonderful Australian story, capturing a disappearing way of life....more
Having lived in Melbourne at one time, and spent a great deal of time there over the years, I found it interesting to read a police thriller set on faHaving lived in Melbourne at one time, and spent a great deal of time there over the years, I found it interesting to read a police thriller set on familiar territory. I really felt the author was successful in creating an engaging central character in DS Gemma Woodstock, although I should add that I hadn't read the first Woodstock book ("The Dark Lake") prior to reading this instalment. While some oblique references are made to events which I take it occurred during that book, I don't feel that my failure to read the books in order impacted significantly on my enjoyment or understanding of the characters or story. Bailey paints a realistic and gritty portrait of Melbourne, one of Australia's two really big cities (population approximately 5 million in 2018), in particular the disparity between the world of up-and-coming professionals lapping up the city's cosmopolitan delights and that of the homeless who inhabit the dark alleys and railway tunnels at night. Fairly new to her big city homicide position, DS Woodstock is concurrently involved with three ongoing murder investigations over the course of the novel - the suspicious death from falling of a prostitute, the stabbing death of a homeless man in a lonely railway underpass and the shock death of a rising film and television actor during the filming of an action sequence on location in Melbourne's Spring Street. Gemma struggles to balance her work and personal lives - she aspires to prove herself before her new colleagues, experiences daily guilt over her choice to move away from her child and meanwhile frequently gives into her inclination to seek out anonymous sexual encounters in the early hours of the morning. Despite her apparent lack of sleep or sustenance, Gemma works to pull the threads of the various criminal investigations together, discovering that there may be significant overlaps between the cases. I really enjoyed reading this book, although I foresaw some of the twists as Gemma worked her way towards solving the crimes. I've already requested a copy of "The Dark Lake" from the library, and shall look forward to reading it in the new year to discover more of Gemma's backstory....more
To be honest, I'm much more familiar with the quirky and colour-saturated television adaptation of this series than I am with the books, of which thisTo be honest, I'm much more familiar with the quirky and colour-saturated television adaptation of this series than I am with the books, of which this is my third instalment. I certainly find several of the television characters more appealing than their literary counterparts - the main character of Agatha for a start - Ashley Jensen is hilarious - but also her off-sider Roy (flamboyantly gay in the adaptation), on-again, off-again love interest James and good friend, down-to-earth Vicar's wife Sarah Bloxby. The wonderful character of Agatha's loyal house-cleaner turned investigative assistant Gemma Simpson doesn't appear in any recognisable form in the books! That said, this was an enjoyable, though lightweight, read. Agatha is still feeling emotionally bruised following the the disintegration of her relationship with neighbour James and is irritated by a newcomer to the village. She becomes embroiled in investigation a murder in nearby Ancombe, after being persuaded by her former colleague Roy to take on a freelance PR job for his new firm. She antagonises the members of the local parish council by asking impertinent questions, launches into a torrid albeit reluctant affair with an attractive younger man, and shares dreadful pub food with friend PC Wong, consoling him after the demise of yet another relationship. It seemed to me that this book wasn't as overtly humorous as its predecessors, which I missed, although I did enjoy Agatha and Roy's attempt at punting in Oxford....more
Robotham uses the now somewhat familiar device of alternating chapters from the perspectives of the two protagonists, women due to give birth at arounRobotham uses the now somewhat familiar device of alternating chapters from the perspectives of the two protagonists, women due to give birth at around the same time. Both have some pretty major secrets to conceal around their pregnancies, and the tension heightens as the due dates approach. I found this to be a gratifyingly gripping thriller, balancing some pretty out-there plot lines with the realisation that we know very little of the reality behind the facade of everyday happy families. ...more
I found this book compelling from the first paragraph and read it in two sittings (it probably would have been one if life hadn’t gotten in the way!).I found this book compelling from the first paragraph and read it in two sittings (it probably would have been one if life hadn’t gotten in the way!). Well-drawn and complex characters, surprising plot developments and a genuinely surprising denouement. This was the first of the Joe O’Loughlin series I’ve read, and I’ll definitely now be seeking out his backstory from the start....more
I was intrigued by the premise of this book from the moment I read an online review. It's been described as Cluedo-meets-Downton Abbey-meets-GroundhogI was intrigued by the premise of this book from the moment I read an online review. It's been described as Cluedo-meets-Downton Abbey-meets-Groundhog Day, which I think is an apt description. The novel is set in and around Blackheath, a dilapidated country estate with a chequered past. A houseful of guests have arrived to attend a weekend party to celebrate the return to Britain and coming-of-age of prodigal heiress Evelyn Hardcastle. The main protagonist, Aiden (while he's named as such in the blurb, it takes the reader a while to discover what his identity actually is in the book) must repeatedly live through the same early 20th century day, by the end of which Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered during her 21st birthday party. That is, unless he is able to identify her killer before the day "re-sets" and he must start again from scratch. The twist is that he lives through the day inhabiting the physical bodies of seven different party guests in succession, each of whom predictably have a different perspective on relationships and events as they unfold. Not unexpectedly, I found that it took me about 100 pages to orient myself within the universe of the novel, but once I did I found it a stimulating and enjoyable read....more
I'm a little hesitant giving this book a rating of 4, as I didn't feel it was quite to the standard of several other books in the genre to which I've I'm a little hesitant giving this book a rating of 4, as I didn't feel it was quite to the standard of several other books in the genre to which I've assigned the same rating this year. However, I did enjoy the homage to classic "film noir" that the book contains (it actually shares a title with a 1944 Fritz Lang film from the genre). However, the plot is basically a re-working of the 1954 Hitchcock classic "Rear Window", starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Rather than the broken leg that photographer Jeff (Stewart) is confined with, the book's protagonist, child psychologist Anna Fox, suffers from post-traumatic amnesia and is thus housebound within her sizeable multi-storey New York abode, filling her days by drinking too much, watching black and white suspense films and spying on her neighbours. As Jeff does in "Rear Window", Anna witnesses the apparent murder in a neighbouring house of a woman with whom she's recently become acquainted. As with the plethora of "The Girl..." and "The Woman..." books that have been published over recent years, Anna proves a somewhat unreliable witness in the view of investigating police, as she is also a questionable narrator to the reader. The details of Anna's trauma, which has led to the isolated situation in which she finds herself, is gradually revealed over the first three-quarters of the book, but to me didn't come as quite the shock reveal that it was perhaps intended to be. That said, after a slow start (I put the book aside for several days after reading about 50 pages) I did read the last approximately 60% of the book in a single sitting into the early hours of the morning, which speaks to the fast-paced style, with short chapters and rising suspense. The final confrontation between Anna and the murderer is particularly well-executed. As a fan of the film noir and suspense genre of cinema (particularly the Hitchcock classics), I appreciated the references peppered throughout the narrative. This isn't the best thriller I've read this year, but it's sufficiently well-plotted to warrant a read by those fond of the genre....more
This was another book I felt a bit mean about giving a 3-star review to - I quite enjoyed it, but not as much as several of the solid "4s" I've read tThis was another book I felt a bit mean about giving a 3-star review to - I quite enjoyed it, but not as much as several of the solid "4s" I've read this year. As seems to be a bit of a fashion over recent years, this story is arranged in alternate chapters set in the present, in a competitive research lab environment, and ten years in the past, when the two main protagonists were in high school together. While not particularly original as a structure, I felt that this format worked particularly well to sustain the suspense in "Give me your Hand". I found the basic premise for the novel quite intriguing, and was stunned to discover weeks after having finished the book that the part of the plot around Kit and Diane's friendship at school is basically a blow-by-blow retelling of a true case that occurred in Texas in the early 1990s. The present-day plot, in which Kit and Diane meet again, apparently fortuitously, as members of a high-level biomedical research team, is completely fictional. While the novel bubbles along in a moderate air of darkness and suspense for the first three-quarters, in the last 50 pages the story really goes batshit crazy! Over the course of the book, we get to know the complex character of Kit, who has conscientiously worked her way up from an under-privileged background to reach the upper echelons of the competitive world of medical research. Meanwhile, the nature of the privileged and beautiful Diane's secret, knowledge of which still haunts Kit, is gradually revealed. As the book reached its conclusion, I was conscious of numerous plot holes and the actions of several characters seemed fairly incomprehensible to me. While all the strings were neatly tied off by the end, I felt that perhaps a more open ending might have been more satisfying, and certainly more realistic. I've seen this book tagged as Young Adult fiction, as well as Crime/Thriller/Suspense, and while the two central characters are 15-17 year old girls for much of the novel, I'm not sure the subject matter would really be appropriate for younger readers....more
This is my introduction to the work of Kate Atkinson, and I will certainly seek out some of her earlier novels on the basis of Transcription (I alreadThis is my introduction to the work of Kate Atkinson, and I will certainly seek out some of her earlier novels on the basis of Transcription (I already own a copy of Case Histories, so that will be next!). My rating is honestly closer to a 4 than a 3, so I will probably change it up, but I'm trying to standardise my ratings of recent reads - so difficult when the majority have been in the region of a solid 4. I've never been a huge fan of the espionage / secret agent genre, so this was a little of a leap into the unknown for me, although I know the author comes highly rated. I certainly enjoyed the portions of the book (about two-thirds, I estimate) set during early WWII, when the central character is working as a transcriber and occasional spy/informant for M15, more than the parts set in 1950, when she is a producer of children's programs for the BBC. Those sections felt a little colourless and cynical after the M15 chapters, within which the subject matter was simply more dramatic and suspenseful - I suppose this mirrors the way many former service-people must have felt when returning to their "ordinary" jobs after the danger, excitement and camaraderie of the war. Other reviewers have referred to the slightly jarring flippancy with which the prose deals with very important historical events and potentially life-threatening situations. To me, this wasn't unrealistic, given the youth (18? years old in 1940) and character of Juliet, the main character, desperately naive in some areas, but having dealt with the harshness of life at a young age. As an example, this paragraph, in which the protagonist has infiltrated a group of society women who are members of the anti-Semitic and pro-Hitler "Fifth Column": "It seemed unlikely to Juliet that the Jews were brewing 'world revolution'. Although really, why wouldn't you? It seemed like an excellent idea from where Juliet was, drowning amongst the salmon damask cushions." I certainly find inappropriate thoughts and connections popping into my mind in social situations. Doesn't everyone? Maybe not....more
This was a good read with a distinctly Australian feel, in a similar vein to Jane Harper’s “The Dry”. As with that book, the key to this mystery lies This was a good read with a distinctly Australian feel, in a similar vein to Jane Harper’s “The Dry”. As with that book, the key to this mystery lies in the characters’ adolescent pasts. As with Bailey’s second book “Into the Night”, I found that the twists and revelations weren’t quite as unexpected as perhaps they were intended to have been, and by the end I found that I’d correctly identified the murderer by about the halfway point of the book. Others have been turned off by the internal emotional turmoil of the central character, and her fairly indifferent treatment of her live-in partner. I found her three-dimensional and believable, and her complicated personal situation added to the dramatic tension of the major storyline. I did have to suspend disbelief at the fact that she’d ever have been appointed to investigate a case in which she had so much personal involvement, although I find that’s not an uncommon occurrence for me when reading in the crime genre....more
I’d had a vague recollection that J.K. Rowling has written a couple of crime novels under a pseudonym, but hadn’t bothered to seek them out until a PoI’d had a vague recollection that J.K. Rowling has written a couple of crime novels under a pseudonym, but hadn’t bothered to seek them out until a Potter-obsessed (fellow adult) friend insisted that I, as a general aficionado of crime fiction, must read one. Thank you for the recommendation, Kirstan, as I did really enjoy this, and was buoyed from the outset by the cover quote from one of my very favourite writers, Val McDermid - “The Cuckoo’s Calling reminds me why I fell in love with crime fiction in the first place”. High praise, indeed! While I can’t say I was hooked from the outset, I did rapidly become enthralled with the plot and the entertaining cast of characters. I found the use of dual narrators, down-on-his-luck amputee P.I. Cormoran Strike, and his newly-engaged and increasingly-less-temporary secretary, Robin, quite effective in drawing the narrative along, while sprinkling clues for the reader. Galbraith/Rowling follows the “rules” of detective fiction in this regard, which isn’t always the case with modern crime fiction (nor should it be, I suppose). All-in-all, an enjoyable and undemanding read. I will eventually catch up with the rest of the series, but won’t be rushing out to devour them immediately, which is a good indicator for my rating at a solid 4, rather than a rare 5....more
This fictionalised account of the final months of Agnes Magnusdottir, the last person executed in Iceland, is undeniably sad and somewhat bleak. And yThis fictionalised account of the final months of Agnes Magnusdottir, the last person executed in Iceland, is undeniably sad and somewhat bleak. And yet it was strangely uplifting in a way that Tess of the D'Urbervilles wasn’t.
By my calculations, the author was 26 years old when she won the inaugural Writers Australia Unpublished Manuscript Award for Burial Rites, in 2011. I find that quite remarkable, given the assuredness of the plotting and prose. Her writing is evocative and lyrical, reminding me of Geraldine Brooks’s excellent Year of Wonders (Brooks actually mentored Hannah Kent as she developed her manuscript for publication).
Agnes’s story gradually unfolds, through a deftly-structured series of historical legal documents (some real, some fictionalised), Icelandic poetry, saga and song, the narrative of Agnes’s developing relationships with the family at Kornsa and with the Assistant Reverend Thorvardur “Toti” Jonsson, and Agnes’s own internal monologue.
As the endless daylight of the Icelandic summer slips relentlessly towards the frigid winter, the inverse applies to Agnes, as she becomes involved in the seasonal workings of the farm and allows the sympathetic Toti to draw out the story of her life. The family members’ perception of her also thaws, from their initial fear and chagrin at being forced to house an infamous condemned murderess to a dawning realisation of Agnes’s qualities as a complex and intelligent woman, a skilled and diligent worker, occasional healer and, eventually, friend.
As the events leading up to the double-murder of which Agnes has been convicted are revealed, sympathy for her inevitably grows - no person’s character can or should be reduced to a single bad act or the conglomeration of rumour, speculation and shadeless judgment that follows a notorious crime.
I’ve been intrigued by the culture and landscape of Iceland for many years, and hope one day to visit this mysterious and beautiful place, but only in high summer! If I ever do, I will seek out the grave of Agnes Magnusdottir in Tjorn. I expect hers is a story that will stay with me a long time....more
Loading...
