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Week beginning 24 July 2024

Valerie Keogh The Mother Boldwood Books, June 2024. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review. Valerie Keogh has provided readers with yet another good read, with some twists and, in my opinion more importantly, an intelligent consideration of the qualities that are believed to make the perfect husband. It isContinue reading “Week beginning 24 July 2024”

Week beginning 17 July 2024

Kristy Cambron The British Booksellers Thomas Nelson, April 2024. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review. * Kristy Cambron has used the way in which her characters interacted during World Wars 1 and 2 to produce a fine historical novel based on solid research. An additional explanation of her reasonsContinue reading “Week beginning 17 July 2024”

Week beginning 10 July 2024

Laura Thompson Agatha Christie An English Mystery Headline Publishing Group, Hatchette, 2013. (First published 2007; Headline Paperback 2008; Hardcover published March 2018, Pegasus Books). Laura Thompson’s Agatha Christie is an excellent accompaniment to reading John Curran’s The Secret Notebooks. I read them in close succession and found their perspective and perceptive commentary on Agatha ChristieContinue reading “Week beginning 10 July 2024”

Week beginning 3 July 2024

Maryann D’Agincourt, Glimpses of Gauguin, Portmay, January 2015. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected copy for review. This is an elusive narrative, but one that is worth while attempting to understand. I wonder if the clue to how Maryann D’Agincourt would like her novel read is in a paragraph in the textContinue reading “Week beginning 3 July 2024”

Week beginning 26 June 2024

Kate Galley Old Girls Behaving Badly Boldwood Books, May 2024. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review. I was attracted to this book because, after reading criticisms that older women do not feature in many novels, Old Girls Behaving Badly suggested that in this case this is not justified. InContinue reading “Week beginning 26 June 2024”

Week beginning 19 June 2024.

In the 1950s, as Dictys 23 the prize I won in an Argonauts Club* competition was Enid Blyton’s Sea of Adventure. This was when I met Blyton’s appealing characters, Phillip and Dinah Mannering and Jack and Lucy Trent, Mrs Mannering, Bill Cunningham, and Kiki, the parrot. Most importantly for my travel plans in the future,Continue reading “Week beginning 19 June 2024.”

Week beginning 12 June 2024

Paul Kahan Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania Press, October 2024. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review. Philadelphia is an immense narrative history, laying out a story that is engrossing, while so dense that initially it is difficult to decipher the themes that some readers will want to draw from theContinue reading “Week beginning 12 June 2024”

Week beginning 5 June 2024

Zöe Wheddon Jane Austen: Daddy’s Girl, The Life and Influence of The Revd George Austen Pen & Sword Pen & Sword History, March 2024. Thank you NetGalley and Pen & Sword for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review. A significant part of Jane Austen’s life has been omitted in the concentration on herContinue reading “Week beginning 5 June 2024”

Week beginning 29 May 2024

Priscilla Masters The Quiet Woman Book 2 of A Florence Shaw Mystery, Severn House, July 2024. Thank you, Net Galley, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review. The Quiet Woman is an intriguing murder mystery in so many aspects –characterisation, plotting, pace and writing style. Nurse Florence Shaw is a quiet woman, herself,Continue reading “Week beginning 29 May 2024”

Week beginning 22 May 2024

Hannah McGregor Clever Girl, Jurassic Park ECW Press, October 2024. Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review. Clever Girl, Jurassic Park is written in a style that I often find unappealing. However, I must acknowledge that I was so captivated by the perceptive commentary, the substantial research that underlies theContinue reading “Week beginning 22 May 2024”