Still here!

   

    I'm not sure where the weeks have gone, but I am still here and have books to talk about. There will be posts coming on recent good reads, Devorgilla Days by Kathleen Hart and White Spines by Nicholas Royle, but for today, a word or two on a few others.

    After long being on my radar I've now read my first Louise Penny: I thoroughly enjoyed Still Life, especially its village setting and central character Inspector Gamache, and despite a bit of an over-stretched plot device I am definitely in the market for the next in the series.

    Anthony Horowitz's The Word is Murder was cleverly done, with the author putting himself into the book as an aide to an investigating officer. I don't read much crime, but this struck me as a nice twist on the norm.

    Agatha Christie: First Lady of Crime edited by HRF Keating is a reprint with a new introduction by Sophie Hannah. To get the most out of it you'd probably need a closer acquaintance with Dame Agatha's work than I have, but nonetheless it includes many interesting observations on what makes her the famous and enduring success she is.

    On to another huge bestseller: Rosamunde Pilcher. I recently re-read The Shell Seekers with much pleasure. It's a warm bath of a book, immersive and comforting, but what struck me was the editorial licence it displayed - nowadays a similar manuscript would be extensively pruned.

    As to current reading, I've just begun Ruby Ferguson's Apricot Sky and I'm delighted so far. It looks like being a sweet and happy story and has already had me laughing out loud. Stay tuned ...

Comments

[booker talk]

Hooray, another fan to join the Gamache appreciation society. I've read about eight now I think - yes the plots are sometimes a bit unbelievable but its the setting and the characterisation of Gamache that makes them very readable

[Cornflower]

Yes, very much so!
I've listened to several interviews with Louise and she's an interesting subject and a good advert for her books.

[Joan Kyler]

I'm glad you're planning to stick with Louise Penny. Still Life is not her best book by far and many readers stop after reading it. However, she keeps getting better and better. I've read them all.

[Cathy]

Another Louise Penny fan here. What I find amazing is the although Three Pines isn't on any map, everyone seems to be able to find their way there. Almost like Gilligand's Island. But the characters are so interesting. I got to hear her speak when she came to Pittsburgh, PA in the US several years ago. She was a delightful speaker.

Thanks to you, I learned about the new Barbara Pym biography. I was able to order it (from Britain!) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I feel I should reread her novels, since I know more of the backstories.

[Cornflower]

That's great to hear - thank you, Joan.

[Cornflower]

Despite buying it as soon as it came out I've still to read the biography! Glad you enjoyed it, Cathy.
I agree with you that Louise Penny is delightful. I get her monthly newsletter, and from that and various interviews I feel she'd be a lovely person to know.

[Les in OR]

I've had The Shell Seekers on my re-read list for years, but never seem to make the time to read it again. I think it was around 1988 that I first read it and quickly became a fan of Pilcher's fiction. I'm glad to see that you enjoyed it, in spite of its length. :)

[Cornflower]

I did enjoy it, Les. I didn't mind the length, as it's such a pleasant read, but I was conscious of many passages which an editor today might trim in order to move things on a bit!

[Paulette]

Apricot Sky sounds like just the kind of book I want to read! Just the other day my reading searches were "novels set in Scotland" but I didn't find anything. Now it seems I have thanks very kindly to you. Your reviews have led me to many wonderful books and reading joy. Always appreciated

[Margaret Powling]

I think all Rosamunde Pilcher's longer novels (not her short romantic novels_ are worthy of re-reading. I love The Shell Seekers, but best of all is her last novel, Winter Solstice. A beautiful story (made into a dire film!)

[Cornflower]

Thank you, Paulette.
I've hardly read at all over the last week as I was away and very busy, but a few pages of Apricot Sky at bedtime have been the perfect way to end the day.

[Cornflower]

I don't think I've read it so I'll add it to my list. Thank you, Margaret.

[Rebecca Leamon]

I dropped in to second what Margaret has already said: I think my favorite of hers is Winter Solstice, which I reread whenever I need bolstering (early in the pandemic, as you might expect. . .). Highly recommended as another lovely bath of a novel, as you put it so aptly.