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Books - November 2022
Nov. 30th, 2022 02:19 pmI've reached (and passed) my Goodreads Challenge of 75 books.
Six Against the Yard by members of the Detective Club
This month's Shedunnit book club read. The idea was that six writers, all members of the Detective Club, including Margery Allingham and Dorothy L Sayers, all write a short story which is deemed a 'perfect murder' and an ex-Scotland Yard Superintendent judges whether the criminal would have got away with it. I was not convinced. Some of the stories were told in first person POV and then written down (which seems a particularly silly idea) and the detective is convinced that the police would have picked up on lots of little clues which I just think is highly unlikely. Not recommended unless you are particularly interested. [E11]
Light Thickens by Ngaio Marsh
The last Inspector Alleyn mystery which Marsh wrote. In my view it takes too long for the murder to happen and then I had guessed who the murderer was. There's a lot (perhaps too much) theatrical description. I don't feel that any of the later Alleyn novels are as good as earlier ones. [D11]
Appleby and the Ospreys by Michael Innes
Borrowed from the library because I wanted to read another Appleby novel. I enjoyed this story. The plot was convoluted and clever and I much preferred it to the earlier Appleby I'd read, although I think many feel differently. [A11]
A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier
Recommended by a friend and borrowed from the library. This is set in the inter-war period and features one of the 'surplus women', trying to earn a living in Winchester. It involves broderers (women who embroider kneelers for the cathedral) and bellringers. The characters are well-drawn and I could really sense the atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with an interest in any of those categories. [F24]
The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey
Since both SM and I enjoyed the first Perveen Mistry story we bought the second book in the series between us. It's another excellent read, set in India in 1922, with a complicated story which draws many different strands together. Thoroughly recommended. [C11]
Faithful Unto Death by Sarah Hawkswood
I had run out of books I was currently reading and with the next few on my list being Christmas stories I hadn't wanted to get started on them. I went to the library to see if there was anything which would fill the gap between mid-November and the beginning of December, and found this, which was on my list for 2023. It's the next book in the Bradecote and Catchpoll series, set in Worcester around the 1140s, so I promptly borrowed it. Another engaging story - if you are a fan of the Cadfael stories, then I would definitely recommend you try these. [F25]
The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan
Last year I had the offer of a free book from Bloomsbury - and this is the one I chose from the available selection. It's a long book covering from pre-300 BCE to 2015 and it took me all year to read, as I was only reading a few pages at a time. It's a fascinating subject, seeing how various states have sort to control the area and the trade which has flowed along it. The last few chapters, while still interesting, included more of the author's personal opinions, which I could have done without. But overall it's definitely given me a better understanding of the area. [B11]
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
This was the other library book I borrowed, which was also on my next year's reading list. It's set in Victorian times, with an interesting premise, but in the end all the loose ends came together far too neatly. [F26]
[Letters refer to which of my reading lists each book was on - F being the catchall category]
Next month, all the Christmas books!
Six Against the Yard by members of the Detective Club
This month's Shedunnit book club read. The idea was that six writers, all members of the Detective Club, including Margery Allingham and Dorothy L Sayers, all write a short story which is deemed a 'perfect murder' and an ex-Scotland Yard Superintendent judges whether the criminal would have got away with it. I was not convinced. Some of the stories were told in first person POV and then written down (which seems a particularly silly idea) and the detective is convinced that the police would have picked up on lots of little clues which I just think is highly unlikely. Not recommended unless you are particularly interested. [E11]
Light Thickens by Ngaio Marsh
The last Inspector Alleyn mystery which Marsh wrote. In my view it takes too long for the murder to happen and then I had guessed who the murderer was. There's a lot (perhaps too much) theatrical description. I don't feel that any of the later Alleyn novels are as good as earlier ones. [D11]
Appleby and the Ospreys by Michael Innes
Borrowed from the library because I wanted to read another Appleby novel. I enjoyed this story. The plot was convoluted and clever and I much preferred it to the earlier Appleby I'd read, although I think many feel differently. [A11]
A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier
Recommended by a friend and borrowed from the library. This is set in the inter-war period and features one of the 'surplus women', trying to earn a living in Winchester. It involves broderers (women who embroider kneelers for the cathedral) and bellringers. The characters are well-drawn and I could really sense the atmosphere. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with an interest in any of those categories. [F24]
The Satapur Moonstone by Sujata Massey
Since both SM and I enjoyed the first Perveen Mistry story we bought the second book in the series between us. It's another excellent read, set in India in 1922, with a complicated story which draws many different strands together. Thoroughly recommended. [C11]
Faithful Unto Death by Sarah Hawkswood
I had run out of books I was currently reading and with the next few on my list being Christmas stories I hadn't wanted to get started on them. I went to the library to see if there was anything which would fill the gap between mid-November and the beginning of December, and found this, which was on my list for 2023. It's the next book in the Bradecote and Catchpoll series, set in Worcester around the 1140s, so I promptly borrowed it. Another engaging story - if you are a fan of the Cadfael stories, then I would definitely recommend you try these. [F25]
The Silk Roads by Peter Frankopan
Last year I had the offer of a free book from Bloomsbury - and this is the one I chose from the available selection. It's a long book covering from pre-300 BCE to 2015 and it took me all year to read, as I was only reading a few pages at a time. It's a fascinating subject, seeing how various states have sort to control the area and the trade which has flowed along it. The last few chapters, while still interesting, included more of the author's personal opinions, which I could have done without. But overall it's definitely given me a better understanding of the area. [B11]
Things in Jars by Jess Kidd
This was the other library book I borrowed, which was also on my next year's reading list. It's set in Victorian times, with an interesting premise, but in the end all the loose ends came together far too neatly. [F26]
[Letters refer to which of my reading lists each book was on - F being the catchall category]
Next month, all the Christmas books!
