Another round-up

 I've been neglecting both the Bookshelf and Hurlyburlybuss recently - today's post, on the excellent The Way to Sattin Shore can be found on the latter.


Meanwhile, I've been reading my way through a heap of books, mainly crime. Here is the briefest of roundups, on books that I won't post about otherwise.

Appleby's Answer by Michael Innes (1973): A spinster-ish writer of detective fiction is propositioned by man on a train. For £500, will she advise him on the writing of a crime novel? Sir John Appleby finds his curiosity aroused when he hears the story. Quite what crime is contemplated he isn't sure, but his instinct tells him that something is amiss and, reluctant wife in tow, he proceeds to investigate over the course of a somewhat hysterical afternoon. Fun if you like Appleby, but by no means one of the best.

News from Thrush Green by Miss Read (1970): A gentle tale about a troubled young woman who arrives in Thrush Green with her small son, causing a ripple of interest amongst the villagers and some mildly heightened pulses among the men. Village characters abound, and homes are sought for kittens. I'd have one.

The Family Trade by Charles Stross (2007): I much preferred The Atrocity Archives, but this story of parallel worlds holds the attention enough to make me want to read the next in the series. Moving between worlds turns out to be a good way to conduct a "family" business. Don't tell that Italian bunch.

A Woman of Consequence by Miss Anna Dean (2011): The third of the Dido Kent mysteries, set in Regency England. I haven't read 1 and 2, but it didn't seem to matter much. Dido is living with her brother and his wife -- the latter regards an unmarried sister as a useful addition insofar as she can take over a number of tasks and ought to be grateful enough to be entirely at the disposal of her family, a view Dido doesn't agree with, having had some success in solving mysteries already. When a body is found on a neighbour's estate, Dido agrees to investigate in order to prove that the death wasn't a suicide. There is some musing on the role of women at the time -- readable but unmemorable.

The Day is Dark by Yrsa Siggurdardottir (2012): Thoroughly enjoyed this, although I was a little troubled by the number of holes that seemed to be cropping up. These were resolved far enough to make the ending work, and ignorable enough not to spoil my enjoyment, though I can imagine some pickier readers might find it more difficult. The atmosphere was terrific and it reminded me very much of Michelle Paver's Dark Matter. On a Greenland mining station three people have disappeared and the Icelandic workforce refuses to return. A team is sent to investigate the circumstances and prevent a possible insurance claim: as a lawyer, Thora joins the team led by her partner Matthew, to consider contractual issues. A doctor and a rescue worker accompany them, along with two erstwhile members of the workforce who clearly loathe each other. The deserted mining base is claustrophobic and the telephone lines are down. There's a mysterious shaman, a tragic history and lots of alcoholism. Despite my reservations about the plot I liked this best of this author's books.

Some "proper" reviews to follow, including one of Dragonwyck, by Anya Seton, which I reacquainted myself with this week. When I was a teenager, everyone read it. Have you, or has it gone out of fashion?


Comments

  1. I haven't read any Anya Seton other than Green Darkness which, at about 16, I loved. I'll look forward to your post on Dragonwyck.

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  2. Loved the Thrush Green when I read it... must get back to Miss Read. Like the sound of the Siggurdardottir, especially if it reminded you of Dark Matter!

    Gosh yes, read Dragonwick in my twenties along with every other Anya Seton I could lay my hands on. My favourite by a long chalk was Katherine, but also loved My Theodosia, Avalon and The Winthrop Woman. A couple I wasn't so keen on, including Foxfire I think. Look forward to your review.

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    1. I knew I'd find some Seton readers! I couldn't say, at this distance, what my favourite was, though My Theodosia sticks in my mind as a title, and I'm sure I remember loving Katherine. I shall be re-reading more...

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  3. I have three "Village" books by Miss Read and loved them all when I read them. The book about the deserted mining station on Greenland sounds intriguing - I love stories in an unusual setting, and I do have a "thing" for deserted, neglected and/or ruined places.

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    1. Miss Read is just so comforting :-)

      The deserted mining station setting was really very spooky, though whether I found it particularly so because it reminded me of Dark Matter, I don't know. I find Greenland rather fascinating, though I never really want to go there (too cold, too bleak, I need trees) but like you, I find neglected places very intriguing. There are some wonderful pictures of such places on the web.

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  4. The Yrsa Sigurdadottir book sounds a good one - I read her first couple and quite enjoyed them (the first more than the second) but haven't read on since then. Must see what the library have.

    If you liked Dark Matter, have you read Sarah Moss's Cold Earth? Set on an archaeological dig on the edge of the Arctic and very creepy.

    Miss Read and Anya Seton are definitely blasts from the past for me!

    I read Anya Seton in the 70's when I was a teenager -all except Dragonwyck and Green Darkness funnily enough. Much preferred her historical novels and still have my copies of Katherine, Avalon and The Mistletoe and Sword. I recall enjoying The Winthrop Woman as well but wasn't that keen on Foxfire although I still have a mental image of its cover for some reason or another!

    Read and loved Miss Read in the 80's, maybe because I was living here in Yorkshire by then and raising a family and they reminded me of the Chilterns where I grew up although I don't think they are set there.
    I am trying to re-collect them now and wishing I hadn't let them go in the first place!

    Thinking of writers I used to enjoy: does anyone else remember reading Dorothy Eden or Phyllis Whitney? I think that they were writing in the 50's, 60's and 70's and Dorothy Eden at least specialised in the Mary Stewart type of adventure crossed with a touch of Victoria Holt gothic!

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    1. Cold Earth definitely looks interesting - thanks. Just the thing, now that a cold snap has set in!

      I think Thrush Green is Cotswolds, isn't it? but could see how it would remind you of the Chilterns. I don't recall either Eden or Whitney, but I devoured Holt in all her incarnations, I'm sure I learnt far more history from Jean Plaidy than I did in school. Looking at her Wikipedia page, I can see that there is lots of her work I missed when it was new.

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  5. I wasn't so keen on Dragonwyck, as far as I recall, but I loved Derwentwater and the Winthrop Woman, while Katherine is a long-time favourite. Must dig them out again.

    Never got into Dorothy Eden but I did like Phyllis Whitney who only died a few years ago aged over 100, I think! I'm also a fan of Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters though not her Amelia Peabody books so much.

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    1. I like Barbara Michaels too - Vicki Bliss is such a giggle! I passed on one in the library book sale last week because I'd read it, but now I wish I'd bought it. I like her romantic novelist/librarian too (can't remember her name), more than I expected when I first came across them. I've enjoyed some of the Amelia Peabody series more than others, and I find it really hard to keep track of which ones I've read because, honestly, on the library shelf they all seem the same. I've read them completely out of order, but that doesn't seem to matter much. Ultimately, I find there's a bit too much of Rudolph Valentino drooling about them, which isn't *quite* offset by the humour.

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  6. I just picked up The Day is Dark, so looking forward to reading it shortly. I've had a copy of Thrush Green out from the library and couldn't get to it. You and Cath very much make me want to read them all!

    I have the first Anna Dean book, not read yet. Thanks for your review of the third.

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    1. Thrush Green is just so soothing! Hope you emjoy The Day is Dark :)

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