Time travel and opium

I am still experimenting with Japanese literature, and I am loving them. My latest discovery is "Tales from the Cafe", by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. It was humorous but also really moving. The focus is a coffee shop in Tokyo, which not only sells great coffee, but also allows people to travel in time. Most people travel back in time to resolve something that occurred in the past, that they can't change without going back in time. There are strict rules. If you travel in time, you have to go to the cafe and sit in the right seat - this is problematic, because someone is already sitting in that seat and only leaves her position once a day, to go to the toilet. You have to accept the coffee that is poured for you, and most importantly, you have to return to the cafe before the coffee gets cold, otherwise you cannot return. There are four stories, each with their own purpose and journey. It is such a lovely read, full of warmth, love, and wonderful colourful characters.

I am really enjoying the Japanese books I am reading, but I was a bit disappointed to read a post on another social media site, which said that Japanese books about cats and books are written because they appeal to sentimental overseas readers, and not for a typical Japanese audience. I don't know if that is true, but I hope it isn't, because I think the Japanese would be missing out.

I have just discovered a series of books written by Philip Pullman, author of the Dark Materials series, back in 1985! I hadn't heard of the Sally Lockhart Mysteries before, but I found "The Ruby in the Smoke" in another charity shop, and I was gripped. I was 15 years old when this was written, and it is aimed at young adults. The theme of the book is the opium trade, and I am trying to remember if I would have found that topic interesting at that age. I am not sure I would have been interested then, but I definitely am now. It was fascinating to read the history of opium trading, and there were some wonderful descriptions of London in historical times, particularly the docks. Again, so many great characters, some very dark. I enjoyed this book so much, I have ordered the rest of the series, so I will be busy for a little while now!

More Japanese translations and French cuisine mixed with crime

Sorry. It has been too long again, but at least I have new books to write about...may there be many more!

I have continued my discovery of Japanese translations, and I am still loving that genre. "The Cat Who Saved Books" by Sosuke Natsukawa is so beautiful and magical. It is about a small second-hand bookshop on the edge of a town, jam-packed with wonderful books from floor to ceiling. Rintaro Natsuki is the main character of this story, a young man, whose grandfather owned the bookshop but has recently passed away. Rintaro has no-one else, except for an aunt who lives far away. He wants to stay at the bookshop, and skips school to tend to it, but realises that he will have to close it. Suddenly, a talking cat called Tiger comes up to Rintaro and asks him for help. The cat needs someone who loves books to join him on three adventures to save books from people who have either kept them hidden away or damaged them or betrayed them. This book was so creative and unique, gentle, sympathetic, tender, thought-provoking....just lovely to read.

"The Goodbye Cat" is written by Hiro Arikawa, and it is the follow-up to "The Travelling Cat Chronicles", which I posted about in my last blog. This is a compilation of short stories, filled with love and warmth, about seven cats and the impact they have on the people they live with/visit, exploring the cycle of life from birth to death, and the afterlife, and emphasising the loyalty of a well-loved cat. 

The translations of both these books are brilliant, and I assume they capture the original intentions. I would love to be able to read and understand Japanese, just to see how they are in their mother tongue.

My husband has decided to randomly choose books, but picking a letter, going into a bookshop, and picking an author whose surname begins with that letter. This time, he chose R for James Runcie, who wrote the Grantchester Mysteries. My husband hasn't seen the television series, so this was completely new to him. I had watched it, and now having read some of the books, I think that they were well-cast. I am in the midst of the series, and I am still enjoying them, although the earlier ones are the best, in my opinion. "Sidney Chambers and The Shadow of Death" is the first in the Grantchester Mysteries, and introduces Sydney as an unconventional clergyman, who has the ability to solve crimes that the police cannot. He works closely with his friend Inspector Geordie Keating, where they discuss cases over a pint and a game of backgammon. In the first book, we are introduced to his best friend Amanda, where you wonder if there will be some romance, and this is teased throughout the earlier books. It covers his love of jazz music and his attendance at a jazz club, where there is an unexplained death. There are several, well-thought out mysteries in each book, and combined with the religious aspects of his work, it provides a good mystery with interesting back stories too. On the whole, it is quite gentle, but there are some shocking moments, particulary the story of the art forgery.

My next book "Let It Snow" is a clever collaboration between John Green, who I have posted about before, and two other authors - Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, who I haven't read before. I like books like this because you know for sure that you are going to like one of the stories, but you have the prospect of discovering two new (to me) authors. This book is made up of three holiday romances, which feature three different teenagers who's lives are somewhat intertwined. Each story follows their lives as they end up in Gracetown, at Christmas, during a huge snow storm. The first story features a young girl who has been forced to leave her boyfriend on Christmas Eve, because her parents have been arrested in a very comical scene. On the train she meets a young man who is trying to call his girlfriend, but has no phone signal. On the train, there is a group of very excitable cheerleaders, and when the train gets stuck in Gracetown because of a snowstorm, the first girl ventures out to find some food, and gradually the others follow. It is quite complicated, as teenage lives can be, but their stories are carefully intertwined, and there are several comedic scenes, such as the team of cheerleaders demonstrating their winning moves in a waffle house managed by a group of teenage boys. The boys call a range of friends to come down and bring a game of Twister so that they can persuade the cheerleading team to play the game in the hope of becoming closer with them. There are all sorts of shenanigans, but eventually all the stories join up. It isn't complex or deep, but it is fun to read.

As you know, I do love a good detective story, and I was lucky to find two written by the same author, ML Longworth, in a charity shop. They are both set in Aix-en-Provence, and are part of a series starring a magistrate and an inspector, whose wives both provide insights to the cases, and who all love good French food. There are wonderful descriptions of wine and French food, and the detectives seem to spend endless time in their favourite cafe, eating pastries and drinking coffee, or dining in nice restaurants with many-coursed meals, while discussing their cases. Because they are finds rather than organised purchases, I am reading them out of sync, but it doesn't seem to matter. The first is called "The Vanishing Museum on the Rue Mistral" and focuses on a small museum in Aix, the contents of which, mysteriously disappear over a weekend, leaving a bench, a reception desk, and a fern. Coincidentally, a few weeks earlier, there had been a similar mysterious robbery from an elderly lady's apartment. There are some lovely characters, including the suspects, and it is a lovely, leisurely read, with lots of twists and turns.

The second book, "The Secrets of the Bastide Blanche", follows the arrival of a controversial author, who was once very famous, particularly for his first novel, and then all of a sudden changed genre to romantic fiction. He has moved into a grand old house which hasn't been lived in for many, many years, with a plan to retire. However, his nights become disturbed by sinister presences, and although he hires a housekeeper, they both experience strange happenings. He befriends the young daughter of the detective who lives across from him, and soon the magistrate becomes involved. They question whether the author is losing his mind, and find out what happened previously in the house, leading it to become empty. It feels like it is going to be a ghost story, and they make, and there are, comparisons with Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca. The unfolding of the story happens while a young editor interviews the author in a restaurant known for its food and wine, and the author tests the young man by seeing which wines he chooses for each course. It is quite different from the first book I read, but just as engaging and entertaining. I loved both books, but they did leave me wanting to head straight over to Provence for some leisurely dining in the beautiful scenery of Aix.

So, I am caught up now, and looking forward to reading more books over the Summer.

Apologies for the 3-year delay in posting - books, books, books!

My only excuse is that I have been busy with work, with life, and with reading. During this time, I have read a lot of books, and I am not going to comment on all of them. Some have been my usual re-reads, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic), Sarah Addison Allen (Garden Spells), Laurie R King (Beekeeper's Apprentice), Elinor Brent-Dyer (Chalet School), Agatha Christie, etc, but I have also discovered new, fabulous authors! So many talented writers and so little time :-)

So where to start!?! I live in the South West of England, and WJ Burley writes wonderful detective stories set in Devon, Cornwall, and the Scilly Isles. I have read many over the past few years, and they are creative and beautifully written. I haven't read them all, but my favourite so far Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death, which is set in a bookshop, in Penzance, a lovely harbour town, near to where I live. There were so many twists and turns, and yet a gentleness due to Superintendent Wycliffe's quiet and pensive nature.

Another detective series I like is Inspector Morse, created by Colin Dexter. I have to admit, I am not a great fan of the books, as the couple I read were quite seedy. However, I found Morse's Greatest Mystery and Other Stories in a charity shop, and was totally blown away by it. I love short stories, and this collection is brilliant. Only a few stories are about Inspector Morse, and the Greatest Mystery is a lovely surprise. There are other stories, which are still about crime, but more about prisoners and their antics. One of the tales was absolutely brilliant. It was a pastiche of Sherlock Holmes, and it is done so well, that I had to double-check that it had not been written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was my favourite and had a great twist at the end....very unexpected and enjoyable! This has rekindled my interest in the Morse books, so watch this space.

So, if you have read my previous posts, you will know that I don't just read crime fiction; I have quite a varied taste, although I do focus on fiction. Recently, I have discovered Japanese translations, and they are so beautifully told, gentle and creative. The first I read was The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa, and translated by Philip Gabriel. I am in awe of translators. The translations of Asterix and Obelix were brilliant because the many jokes translated so well. Obviously, I can't read the original versions, but I am assuming the translations are true to the original. This one is poetic, as I imagine the original version is. I was sceptical at first. I love cats, adore them, but I wasn't sure if I would want to read a book from a cat's perspective, but I truly loved it and happily give copies of this book away as gifts, because it feels like I am spreading the love. This book is described as heart-breaking, but I would say it is heart-warming. There is so much kindness and gentle emotion throughout the book as the cat takes us on a journey through Japan, and introduces us to the beautiful Japanese culture and customs.

The next book I found was What you are looking for is in the library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts. This one focuses on a very special librarian, and a community which has a special attachment to a particular brand of biscuits, and needs the help of the librarian to solve their life problems, through the choice of books she issues to them, along with a little hand-made, felted gift. Each chapter introduces a member of the community, who is looking for something, but is not sure what, and they are directed to a large, rather intimidating, librarian, who surprises them with the book choices she gives them. This is such a lovely story, so inspiring, and makes me proud to be a librarian. I wish I could be as magic as her! Incidentally, the biscuits they are fans of are the Honeydome Cookies by Kuremiyado - I don't know if they actually exist, but someone has posted this recipe, in case you want to give them a go - in the book, they are described as "half-moon shaped cookie with a soft, honey flavored center".

The last book I am going to talk about today is The Book of Beginnings by Sally Page. My sister bought this for me as a gift and it was so beautiful. I have bookmarked so many wonderful quotes! The book is about a young woman who is taking care of her uncle's stationery shop. I don't know about you but I love stationery, and a shop full of pens, pencils, and paper, would be a fabulous place to work. This book has inspired me to write again, using a fountain pen, because she adds new stock to the shop, and encourages potential customers to try writing with a fountain pen and she collects what they write. She makes friends with a female vicar and an elderly customer, and discovers Highgate Cemetery, which is a place close to my heart - if you ever get the chance to visit, do go; it is full of the most incredible people. Anyway, together with her new friends, the main character moves forward with her life and helps them to find themselves too. It is such a beautiful story. The author created a fountain pen shop, PLOOMS, and I was tempted to buy a pen from them, but then I decided to do some research, and found a lovely company in Wales, and I bought a lovely, chunky fountain pen, which inspires me to write, rather than type, and I chose some gorgeous ink colours - magenta, forest green, and turquoise! I like this book because it encourages you to handwrite - there is one sentence, which describes how she learned to write by using exercise books and practising her letters, as a child - it reminded me of my own schooldays. And best of all, this book encourages you to reach out, make contact, stay in touch - "'Dear' is a good place to start" - absolutely, a small word, straight from the heart..."dear" - full of love and care.

And, on that note, I will sign off for now, but I hope to post again soon, Dear Readers. Stay in touch.

Celebrating reading!

So, yesterday, we were listening to Ireland playing France, in the Six Nations Rugby, on Irish radio station, RTE, and an advert came up about “Ireland reads”, a national day to celebrate reading! “Squeeze in a read” on February 25^th.What a fabulous initiative, although personally I would prefer a national month J But I do love this idea. It reminds me of the Icelandic tradition, where they give books on Christmas Eve, and spend the evening reading with their loved ones, and drinking hot chocolate. Jolabokaflod translates into “Christmas Book Flood”.

I am doing very badly with my blogging, and I do keep on meaning to improve, but so much is going on. We have a lovely home, but it requires a lot of work, both inside and out, and together with working full-time, I tend to use my spare time to read! With that in mind, I have seven books to blog about on this occasion. Three are from the same author and so I shall start with them. Actually, I am shocked to see that I have already blogged about one of them, back in November 2020!!! So I won’t blog about it again, but I have been continuing to work my way through Ian Fleming’s James Bond series. I went on to From Russia With Love. I have been very lucky, as my local post office, in St Just in Penwith, sells books to raise money for Cancer Research, and they always have treasures, and I found this lovely 1961 edition. It is worth just having for the cover.

Anyway, it was entirely gripping, not just the plot, but the characters and the locations were beautifully described. One of the villains was an absolutely grotesque and perverse woman, and it made me wonder why, in the films, the villains tend to be male. Perhaps an ugly female one is just too ghastly to contemplate! The description in the book about her still makes me shiver with disgust as she was horrid inside and out. Anyway, I really enjoyed reading this book. I haven’t seen the film, but the book was so exciting, I don’t think I need to. Lots of twists and turns, and heroic acts. After that one, I read Live and Let Die, one of my favourite Bond films, especially for the soundtrack, and all the voodoo traditions.

The film very much followed the book, and I found the detail about the Haitian traditions so interesting, although quite terrifying too, the zombies in particular! Ian Fleming clearly researched his backgrounds in great depth to make them credible. It makes the books much more interesting reading. I do remember A Caribbean Mystery, by Agatha Christie, where she introduced a character who was an author, who was stuck for a name for his lead character, and she introduced another character who was giving a lecture, and his name was James Bond, and the author immediately noted the name down. Anyway, again, this was a super-exciting read, with great characters, wonderful descriptions of the locations, and quite gory endings involving fish….similar to Octopussy. In fact, I am noticing that many of Ian Fleming’s stories include some aspect of natural history in them.

Another book that I picked up at my fabulous post office, was “The Case of The Glamorous Ghost” by Erle Stanley Gardner. I hadn’t heard of the author before, but I was attracted to the book, because it is a Perry Mason mystery, and I used to love watching those on television. Published in 1955, it also had the most wonderful cover, and the book was fantastic. It was actually like a screenplay. You could imagine it all being acted out. The story was about a society girl who was regularly getting into trouble and on this occasion, she was suffering from amnesia, but had been seen looking like a ghost in not very much clothing! The story has a complex plot and some very colourful characters. I hadn’t read anything like it before, but I will definitely keep an eye out for more by this author.

Over Christmas, there is nothing better than reading a sentimental Christmas book. As usual, I came across The Six Tales of Christmas by accident, and it was just perfect. It was about an independent bookshop that had fallen on hard times. The husband had health problems, and so the wife didn’t want him to know the extent of their problems, and is worrying away to herself, while he worries about her, not knowing what is going on. They decided to have a competition. They randomly chose six books and wrapped them up and then asked their customers to nominate people who they felt should get a free book. And this is how the six tales unfold. There is a special story attached to each book, and it is just lovely. So heart-warming, without being to schmaltzy. It was a really lovely book to read, and it really emphasises the importance of supporting independent bookshops J

I really like books by Rosamunde Pilcher. They are very romantic and
quite dramatic, and the females are usually strong and independent, while still wanting to be in love. The plots follow a similar pattern, involving tragedy and hope, but they are comforting, and always set in gorgeous locations, like Scotland and Cornwall. I read The Shell Seekers over Christmas about a woman who grew up in Cornwall and London and went to live in Cornwall during the war with one of her children, before the other two were born. Her father was a famous artist, and she still had some of his works. She is old now and her children, all grown up, are trying to persuade her to sell them as his work has become very popular, and they knew that they would be worth a lot of money. She doesn't want to though, but instead wants to return to Cornwall for a visit with her family. They are all too busy, so she goes with two young friends she has met, and revisits old friends and memories. It is a complex tale, but lovely, full of memories of how Cornwall used to be, and what it was like during the war. She also writes

lovely short stories, and after her passing in 2019, a young assistant at a literary agency searched through old folios of magazines for stories written by Rosamunde Pilcher, but not published in book form, and A Place Like Home, is the culmination of this search. It contains 15 short stories, and I loved them all, with the exception of number 14, which just felt hopeless. The others were full of hope, magical, romantic, set in beautiful locations, with heros and heroines, and many different plots. It was a delight to read, and so wonderful to have found new stories from this lovely author. I wonder how many other authors have short stories originally published in magazines, that have never been published in collections. I quite like the idea of that job. Searching through the archives for magazine articles by some of my favourite authors, just as they are starting out. Imagine what treasures one could find!!!

So that’s it from me for now. Hopefully it won’t be another six months before I write again, because I have a whole pile of books to read, but Spring is coming, and the garden is calling, speaking of which, I am looking into creating a medicine garden, based on the one described in Alice Hoffman’s Nightbird.

Shangri-La, the story behind the name

I love discovering books by accident. Years ago, we were in Capel Curig, in Snowdonia. Such a beautiful place! We were walking past a hotel, when we noticed they were selling books. So, as self-confessed bibliophiles, we ventured in and were not disappointed. I picked up Lost Horizon, by James Hilton. I watched the film in the 70s, and was mesmerised by the magic. I have never watched it again, although I have watched the trailer since reading the book, and am astonished at how it was translated. It is an amazing story of a group of people who are escaping from a revolution in Persia (Iran), on a plane to Pakistan. The plane crashes in the middle of nowhere, but fortunately they are rescued by a group of travellers who take them to a beautiful sanctuary, which has everything they could ever want. Their new home is very cut off, particularly during Winter, and it is a long time before the group might be rescued. 

The visitors are made up of three men and a woman, and they adapt (or not) to their new surroundings in different ways. The youngest male struggles the most as he just wants to get home and find a wife. He has left too much behind to give up, and cannot see a future where they are, despite being treated very well by all the other inhabitants, and having everything he could desire. The woman appears to relish living there, and both of the older men, also settle in very well. There is a magical atmosphere in the remote community, surrounded by mountains. They have found a way to extend life, giving them time to indulge in the pleasures they enjoy. The isolated community is led by one man, and it soon becomes clear that he is training one of the new visitors to take his place. Eventually, some leave, but the book ends with wonder and mystery. It is a very exciting story, and beautifully written, tempting one to go and look for this wonderful place or just wonder if it actually exists. I really hope it does. I love the idea of being able to extend my life so I have time to read all the books that I want, without the distraction of work. Perhaps I am already. Living in Cornwall, feels a bit like Shangri-La. It just feels like there is time, which is the greatest wealth ever. This book is one of my new treasures, and I shall revisit it again and again.

Uncertainty, loss, and new hopes

I have been reading, but working in public health and spending my days reading a lot of literature about COVID, I have reverted back to gentle, re-reads in the evening, where I know the outcomes. However, I have read three books which were totally new to me.

The first one was The Whole Town's Talking by Fannie Flagg. If you have read my previous blog posts, you will know I am a huge fan of Fannie Flagg's writing, and this was no exception. It was absolutely wonderful and beautiful, focussing on a small town in Missouri, created by Lordor Nordstrom and his Swedish mail-order bride. Together they create a small town for family and friends, and the book explains each story and how the town grows, including the development of the town cemetery, and what happens to the town residents when they die. It is such a great story and a pleasure to read.

The second book I am writing about is in sharp contrast to the first one. Endorsed by Amnesty International, the Windrush Child was an emotional rollercoaster. It is about a young boy who has the ideal life with his Mum and Grandmother, when he has to move to England to be with his Father, who has been creating a new life for them. When he gets there, he has to adjust to seeing his Dad after all this time, the new climate, the different food, culture, people, etc. It is such an interesting story, and I was gripped throughout. I learnt so much about Jamaica, and the experience of Jamaicans moving to England. It must have been such a shock to this little boy, Leonard. He must have felt really torn, choosing between his Grandmother and his Mum and Dad. The book takes you through his experiences as a child and later as an adult. He has a family, and one day, when his daughter is all grown up, they decide to return to Jamaica for a visit together, and that is where the story comes to a shocking conclusion. The ending is so powerful and thought-provoking. It took me a while to process the outcome of this book. It was brilliantly written, by Benjamin Zephaniah, who made me feel everything that Leonard went through. It really is well worth reading.

The last book I am writing about was a surprise. I picked it up in a charity shop for a pound. I bought it because I liked the front cover, which was illustrated by Sylvia Dyson. Melissa Ann was written by Ethel Parton. There are no details of dates, but it sounds as though it was written in the 1800s. It is a delightful story about a young girl called Melissa Ann. It reminds me very much of Anne of Green Gables, by LM Montgomery. You learn about Melissa's, known as Mitty, family and friends. In a similar manner to the Windrush Child, she has to move from her childhood home, with her grandparents to another home. There is much uncertainty in her life, and she deals with it all, with courage, and she seems like a really sweet character. The book is filled with lovely characters and storylines. It was a wonderful surprise, and makes me want to learn more about Ethel Parton.

Detectives and spies

Shocked to see we are in November and my last post was in January of this year! Well, it has been a strange year, but fortunately we have books to take us to other worlds and adventures. I have continued working, and therefore have needed some gentle books to relax in my spare time. I started off my re-reading my beloved Chalet School books, but as time went on, I branched out and tried some new authors. 

I love Bond films, but had never thought to read the books, so I took the opportunity to read a collection of four of Ian Fleming's short stories, "Octopussy and The Living Daylights". Octopussy, the story, was brilliant, as it brought together, in a short tale, so many elements from the different Bond films, and finished with a very creative suicide. I enjoyed it, because the author clearly enjoyed natural history, and shared his knowledge, making the story even more interesting. Property of a Lady was wonderful as it described the auction of a Fabergé egg, belonging to a lady who worked in the offices of Bond's headquarters, and earning £50 per month. Clearly there is a mystery there, but I am not going to spoil it. It is a superb read, and again very interesting, as I hadn't realised that Fabergé created these eggs to help the aristocracy make their jewels more portable, when they had to disappear in a rush! By the way, interesting fact, Ian Fleming also wrote "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang", which I really must add to my list!

Another book I have read is "Enola Holmes: The Case of the Missing Marquess", written by Nancy Springer. I had watched the film first, and really enjoyed it, so I thought I would see what the book was like. They were quite different, and to be honest, I think that if I was the author, I would be quite annoyed at how much of the book was changed. They took the main character, and pretty much created a different story. They are both equally good, but I think it would have been interesting to see the book translated accurately in to a film. In case you don't know, Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes, and they return to the family home when their mother disappears. In the book, Enola is poorly educated but clearly very bright, and applies the same deductive techniques as her older detective brother, Sherlock, as she tries to find out what has happened to her mother. It was a really good read, and I have ordered the next two in the series, and I am looking forward to the next in the series, although I have just discovered that I missed a book that Fannie Flagg has written called The Whole Town's Talking, so I am quickly catching up with that first! Stay safe and well everyone!

Finally, an update and some book reviews

I am shocked to see how long it is since we last posted. I know that you have been viewing our web-site, and I am so pleased that you, do, but I am sorry for being so hopeless at updating it. The reasons are, that I work full-time, our house in Cornwall is a lifelong project and needs loads doing to it, we are trying to reduce our use of plastics, and therefore, we are doing lots more cooking from scratch, and in my spare time, I love to read books. So, where is the time to blog!?! But I do also enjoy blogging, so here we finally are. I should say, that one day, we would still like to open Pilchard Books, but at the moment, we are happy doing what we are doing, and exploring the options open to us.

We live on the outskirts of a fantastic town, called St Just, about 9 miles from Penzance, (the best train station to come in to), in Cornwall, UK. It is the most wonderful community, with amazing people, fabulously, useful shops, heavenly cafes, and just so much to do! In July, we made a 13ft Snow White out of willow/withies, and paper, for our local festival, Lafrowda, to promote Pendeen Pantomime. Anyway, I am digressing…in our lovely town, there is a post office, which also sells second-hand books for 20p (money going to Cancer Research). I always find treasures in that pile of books, and one of those treasures helped me discover a new author, who I hadn’t read before: Susan Wittig Albert (https://susanalbert.com/), a best-selling author in America, but not one I had heard of in the UK, which, if you read the rest of this post, you may find truly surprising!

So I started off with “The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree”, (one of a series of 5 books), and I loved it. It isn’t deep, but it is engaging, entertaining, and educational. It is set in the 1930s, in a small town called Darling, and is about the members of a gardening club, The Darling Dahlias, who unravel the story behind the mysterious death of a local blond bombshell. Being a small town, there are lots of rumours, leading to speculation and drama. The story is full of wonderful characters, and at the start of the book, there is a brief biography for each one. For example, Miss Dorothy Rogers, is Darling’s librarian. She knows the Latin name of every plant and insists that all the garden club members know them too! The author writes really well, and clearly researches her topic, because there are useful details about gardening, and at the back of the book there is a section called “Makin’ do: 12 ways to stretch whatever we have”, which is full of useful advice, still relevant in today’s society. For example, “Save old letters and envelopes and use the backs or notes and lists. But be careful not to use a letter you don’t want someone else to read.” Finally, there are recipes, along with interesting facts, from food that is described in the book, for example, Florabelle’s Soda Bread, and Euphoria;s Peanut Butter Meringue Pie. The author seems to include recipes in all her books, some more appetising than others 😊

Once I had finished that book, I was intrigued to know more about this author. I soon found that she has written lots of books. Two series are along the same lines as the first Darling Dahlias book, set in small American towns, with lots of gossipy and earnest characters. But she has also written a series of books which feature Beatrix Potter as a character, and not only in her capacity as an author, but also as a sleuth! Now, being a huge fan of Beatrix Potter, I was a little concerned about an American author turning the most wonderful Beatrix Potter into a detective, so I ordered just one of The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series of 8 books. I started off with “The Tale of Briar Bank”, and it was absolutely charming, and so clever. The author portrays Beatrix Potter, just as one might imagine her, describing her life in the Lake District, the challenges she faces with her family, and being a new farmer in a man’s world, and her growing romance with Will Heelis, whom she eventually married in real-life, I believe. It is so well-researched, it is difficult to tell what it fact and what is fiction. I really love this series of books, because it not only presents such a brilliant picture of what it was like in the Lake District at that time, but it also integrates Beatrix Potter’s characters so well, alongside new animal characters. So, you have wonderful human characters, along with the original Beatrix Potter animals who meet new ones created by Susan Wittig Albert. Beatrix Potter is still a successful author, but is also a very well-respected part of the community, with many friends and admirers. In these stories, she has a knack of being very perceptive and manages to resolve any issues between other characters in the book. And this proves very useful, because in this series, there are many problems which need a calm and fair person to find a resolution. But, on top of the usual village goings-on, there is also a mystery to be solved, and in this book, someone is killed, and treasure is involved. Beatrix Potter does solve the mystery, along with Brock the Badger, and Rascal, a Jack Rascal Terrier, and in the two books I have read of this series, the answer is not at all what I thought! 

The second book I read in this series, is The Tale of Hawthorn House, another mystery, about an abandoned baby, and the sad demise of a farmer. The villagers, suspect fairy-folk involvement, but Beatrix Potter, despite having such a wonderfully creative mind, figures out what really happened, and ensures that everything becomes right with the world again. In this book, you are reminded of the story of poor Jemima Puddleduck, who just wanted to raise ducklings, but everyone thought she was too fickle to remember to look after them. In this book, the story continues, and you find out what happens next to Jemima. There is quite a troubling section about badger baiting, which I didn’t like, because it explained it quite thoroughly, but it did also make me understand quite a bit, so I found that very educational. Once again, at the end of each book, there are useful additions, including a list of resources, which the author used to inform the book, recipes from food mentioned, and a glossary to explain the dialect. I am not from the Lake District, so I don’t know how accurate it is. If you like Beatrix Potter, then I think you might like this series. The books are so well-written, magical, informative, and I really treasure them. I have managed to track down another two, which I will read once I have

finished a book from another series by Susan Wittig Albert, about a lawyer turned herbalist, who solves crimes. Wormwood is set in a Shaker community, and I am learning so much about what is involved in this religion. I know they had a unique style with regards to the furniture they built, but I didn’t know that Shaker comes from dancing and singing, which was part of their religion. There are really interesting facts about herbs, which are actually making me want to take a herbalist course, and recipes, although I am not too convinced by Vinegar Pie.

At 79 years of age, Susan Wittig Albert is still going strong, and has another book published this year – “A Plain Vanilla Murder”. The common themes to all of her books are that they involve natural history in some way, they have strong female and feminine leads, they contain recipes and other, useful supporting material, and they are just a very good read. Let me know what you think!  

The Ordinary Tale of Captain Love by Padraig De Brún

The next book I am going to talk about is The Ordinary Tale of Captain Love, not yet published but fresh from the pen, and written by the co-owner of Pilchard Books (my husband). You will need to read the book to find out the significance of this picture.

I had already posted a review about The Ordinary Tale of Captain Love, but I didn't do it justice, mainly because I was worried I would be accused of bias. But so what? The author is my husband, and I have just finished, this, his third novel, as yet unpublished, and I feel really excited and proud. I am quite fussy about books, and if they don't grip me, I am very shallow and move on to something more gripping. This was not the case with this tale. I struggled to put it down. My main concern with this story, and I say this very carefully, is that it might not suit the audience that likes the Richard and Judy or Oprah book recommendations, and so it might be tricky finding a publisher. However, a recent event has made me realise that there is a strong possibility that I am wrong.

A couple of weeks ago we attended an event organised by the School of Creative Startups, and the first session was a debate about the Business of Books. We actually went because I thought it was going to be about bookshops, but it was more about authors, agents, and the publishing industry. It was very interesting, but one thing that stood out for me was that publishers are looking for that something different, special. And that's when I realised that that is exactly what my husband has. It is a very creative and unusual story, with twists and turns into the lives of a range of unique characters. Although William is the main character, there are several other fabulous characters, including two policeman, who remind me of the two policemen in Much Ado About Nothing. This story has everything: unexpected death, celebrity scandals, genuine love, cultish religions, adventure in the form of a young girl seeking love from a weak manipulator, and very strong and believable characters, my favourite being Bertie, the misunderstood creative writing tutor, who has made his success via dark pirate stories. This book does have some controversial moments, such as the debate over the character of Bertie, and the cruel treatment of Sophie by David, but there are some characters who you will really treasure. It is a really good read, and a genuinely creative tale.

Michael Crichton, writing as John Lange

I am a huge fan of Michael Crichton, although I preferred his older books (Andromeda Strain, Timeline, The First Great Train Robbery, Congo, Jurassic Park, Sphere) to his newer ones (Rising Son, Disclosure). I suppose it was the fantasy and creative elements of the early ones; they really challenged the imagination. I remember the twist in Jurassic Park (the book, not the film), which was so fantastic. I was such a fan, that I even read his autobiography, Travels, which was so brilliant, that bizarrely, I left a few pages unread, because I didn't want it to end. Michael Crichton seems to have been a remarkable man. So, you can imagine my delight, when I discovered that he had also written under a pseudonym! John Lange, recently republished by Hard Case Crime, and written in the late 60s early 70s, when he was a student at Harvard Medical School. He wrote eight books in six years. I have just read two of them, and although slightly raw in places, they were both fantastic, and as exciting and creative as all of his books. They were both proper action adventure stories, with a tiny little bit of romance thrown in.

Easy Go is about an illegal archaeological dig, looking for the last tomb, and it is brilliant, from the fabulous characters to the history and knowledge conveyed about the tombs in Egypt, to the amazing twist at the end.

Grave Descend is set in Jamaica, and focuses on a diver, who is recruited to bring up some treasure from a boat that has recently sunk. It is a complicated story, involving wartime treasure transported by boat to Jamaica, followed by the Sicilian mafia. I can't tell you what happens to the treasure, but it is a very exciting finish. I particularly liked reading about the diving at night experience, and also the walk through the jungle area. Great descriptions in both books, making me gasp when there was a scare! If you are a fan of Samuel Johnson (often referred to as Dr Johnson), there are some nice quotes throughout the book too.

The books are a little bit sexist perhaps, particularly the front covers, but that is understandable, given when they were written. Both of these books are real page turners, easy to read, interesting, and full of adventure, quite in the style of James Bond, but with the heroes a little more rugged, like Indiana Jones. I can't wait to read the rest of them now. Are there any other Michael Crichton fans out there? Which ones are your favourites?

Geek fact of the day: One of my favourite films is Hackers (great film, great soundtrack), and one of the characters is called Zero Cool, which is also the name of one of the books in this series!

Switched - Amanda Hocking

If you liked Twilight, then you may like this. Even if you didn't like Twilight, then you may still like this. It is a fantasy story, with action, romance, and food for thought, as it is different and well thought out. It is about trolls (not the ugly ones we hear about in Lord of the Rings and the Billy Goats Gruff), and changelings. The trolls swap their children with children in the outside world who come from rich families and therefore will inherit, and then collect them when they are grown up so that they can use their Trust funds to support the troll community. There are different classes of trolls, which is where the romantic problems arise, when the princess troll falls in love with one of the lower-class trolls. The trolls have lots of quirks, and are similar to the vampires of Twilight as they too have individual powers. Amanda Hocking, the author, self-published her first book and it has become a bestseller. This is the first in a trilogy, and I have enjoyed all of them, and am reading them. I was going to go on to the next one in the series, but I have just discovered that when Michael Crichton (author of Jurassic Park and The First Great Train Robbery) was a medical student, he wrote under different names, so I have discovered some more of his books written in the 60s/70s, and I am really enjoying them. I will let you know how I get on in my next post, and I will for certain come back to the Trylle trilogy by Ms Hocking.

The Future Homemakers of America - Laurie Graham

Laurie Graham's books are wonderful. Always such a pleasure to read, and descriptions, so completely unexpected, such as in this one, instructions for how to cook an eel, caught in the Norfolk Fens, on a barbecue, alongside recipes for Fried Squirrel, and, more to my best, Betty's Best Ever Brownies.

However, recipes are not the main focus of this story. It is about strong friendships across continents, new experiences, differences in lifestyles. It tells the tale of the wives of American airforce men, based in Norfolk and trying to fit in with the locals, and how they eventually build a very special friendship with a particular couple and how this friendship is sustained through relocation, transport developments, and bravery. They see the funeral cortege of the King of England, and then celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. But they also focus on more personal issues, such as hereditary medical illnesses and how they are managed during these times.

It is very moving in some places, and hilarious in others. The passages about the Americans' rich way of life compared to the spartan provisions available to the English during ration times are so interesting, and the animosity facing the Americans, quite sad at times.

I really like Laurie Graham's books because they are about people you can really believe in. Real people. Another one by her, The Importance of Being a Kennedy, is about a nanny from County Meath in Ireland who becomes nanny to the Kennedy children in America, and again it has great scenes describing the differences between the two cultures, and gives a very personal feel to the the Kennedy family.

These are not stories of adventure and mystery, but of real people and real lives. They are fascinating, interesting, and just a complete pleasure to read. If you like books by Fannie Flagg (another one of my favourites), then you might like these too.