December Books & Looking ahead to 2020
Jan. 1st, 2020 10:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pandop44: The House on the Strand Daphne Du Maurier
December's book club read. I had not read a Du Maurier before (only seen adaptations of Rebecca on the tellybox), and although I didn't know what to expect, this wasn't it. It was an odd mix of time travel and a family saga, and I am not sure the two meshed that well. I didn't really warm to any of the characters, and found the ending quite unsatisfying.
45: Stitches in Time: the story of the clothes we wear Lucy Adlington
I enjoyed this so much, it was fascinating, and funny. I learnt so much - the book is very readable, and quotable, full of little gems. Has had an unfortunate effect on my reading list though.
46: The Daughter of Time Josephine Tey
The November read for the Shedunnit Book Club. Quite an interesting way of having your key detective investigate a historical case (and I am wondering if this inspired Colin Dexter's The Wench is Dead). I like the varied range of characters and assistants, but I do think they book is let down a bit by the obsession with faces - but that is probably just of it's time.
47: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding Agatha Christie [Kindle]
Beautifully crafted short story - and I think far better than the novel length Christmas Poirot (see below). Good plot, nice range of characters, and Poirot seems to enjoy himself, especially once he is reassured about the presence of central heating in the house.
48: The Santa Klaus Murder Mavis Doriel Hay [Kindle]
An enjoyable seasonal re-read. A good country house mystery with an interesting plot and characters. Also some elements of it's time that really show how some things have changed (like needing someone with skill at electrics to supervise the lights on the tree)
49: Hercule Poirot's Christmas Agatha Christie [Kindle]
Not very festive, but seasonal. This is the December read for the Shedunnit book club, and I have also suggested it for our January book group meeting - I will be interested to see what they make of it. In this Christie combines two classic mystery tropes, the country house murder, and the locked room mystery, and does so very well. Not so many likeable characters though (just a couple of the 'wives'), but very well written with an excellent twist - although that may be cheating on Christie's behalf. Once again we have Poirot and his views on the need for central heating.
50: Murder on Christmas Eve: classic mysteries for the festive season Cecily Gayford [Kindle]
Good selection of Christmas mysteries, with a mixture of modern and golden-age. G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown stories are still too wordy for me though! I think my favourite story is the one where the cat solves the crime!
Looking ahead:
After having a tatty notebook on the go since 2012, I now have a nice new reading journal courtesy of my Mum.
Reading wise, I want to catch up on my magazines, and continue with my efforts to read through the paperback stash and see what I do and don't want to keep
December's book club read. I had not read a Du Maurier before (only seen adaptations of Rebecca on the tellybox), and although I didn't know what to expect, this wasn't it. It was an odd mix of time travel and a family saga, and I am not sure the two meshed that well. I didn't really warm to any of the characters, and found the ending quite unsatisfying.
45: Stitches in Time: the story of the clothes we wear Lucy Adlington
I enjoyed this so much, it was fascinating, and funny. I learnt so much - the book is very readable, and quotable, full of little gems. Has had an unfortunate effect on my reading list though.
46: The Daughter of Time Josephine Tey
The November read for the Shedunnit Book Club. Quite an interesting way of having your key detective investigate a historical case (and I am wondering if this inspired Colin Dexter's The Wench is Dead). I like the varied range of characters and assistants, but I do think they book is let down a bit by the obsession with faces - but that is probably just of it's time.
47: The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding Agatha Christie [Kindle]
Beautifully crafted short story - and I think far better than the novel length Christmas Poirot (see below). Good plot, nice range of characters, and Poirot seems to enjoy himself, especially once he is reassured about the presence of central heating in the house.
48: The Santa Klaus Murder Mavis Doriel Hay [Kindle]
An enjoyable seasonal re-read. A good country house mystery with an interesting plot and characters. Also some elements of it's time that really show how some things have changed (like needing someone with skill at electrics to supervise the lights on the tree)
49: Hercule Poirot's Christmas Agatha Christie [Kindle]
Not very festive, but seasonal. This is the December read for the Shedunnit book club, and I have also suggested it for our January book group meeting - I will be interested to see what they make of it. In this Christie combines two classic mystery tropes, the country house murder, and the locked room mystery, and does so very well. Not so many likeable characters though (just a couple of the 'wives'), but very well written with an excellent twist - although that may be cheating on Christie's behalf. Once again we have Poirot and his views on the need for central heating.
50: Murder on Christmas Eve: classic mysteries for the festive season Cecily Gayford [Kindle]
Good selection of Christmas mysteries, with a mixture of modern and golden-age. G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown stories are still too wordy for me though! I think my favourite story is the one where the cat solves the crime!
Looking ahead:
After having a tatty notebook on the go since 2012, I now have a nice new reading journal courtesy of my Mum.
Reading wise, I want to catch up on my magazines, and continue with my efforts to read through the paperback stash and see what I do and don't want to keep