Book Review: Murder at Whitby Abbey by Cassandra Clark

Dark Age monastic thrillers have been around for a while, ever since the days of Brother Cadfael (and possibly before) and while I wouldn't say I’m an insatiable fan, I dod enjoy them. Cassandra Clark’s Murder at Whitby Abbey, is the first I’ve met featuring a nun, and i have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Sister Hildegard of Meaux is sent with a young monk and two seasoned older monks (veterans of the Crusades and so termed “monks militant”) to Whitby Abbey to bid for a holy relic, a lock of hair purporting to be that of St Hilda of Whitby. When the quartet they discover a monastery at increasingly violent odds with the local townsfolk, three other contenders for the ownership of the relic — and a mysterious death. The death turns out to be murder — but who killed Brother Aelwyn and why? Hildegard and her companions are determined to find out. 

The book was a slow starter and in places I found it confusing, but once the pace picked up it turned into a really gripping read, with moments of heart-stopping fear as Hildegard  faced not only an unknown adversary determined to stop her unmasking the murderer, but also risks to her own virtue in a world where being a nun was no guarantee of respect. 

Set in the late fourteenth century against the background of raucous Christmas revels and rising civil unrest, the book is full of local colour. What made it for me, though, was the characters. Hildegard is no saint, a real woman paying penance for past misdemeanours; devout Luke falls in love with a prostitute; and the two monks militant, Egbert and Gregory, were action heroes of a most unusual type. (I confess: I think I possibly fell a little bit in love with them both.) 

Though it’s the tenth in the series and I haven’t read any others (though I now will) it worked fine for me. Apart from the slow start I thought it was a terrific read and the conclusion was both clever and satisfying. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Severn House for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Book Review: The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen by Ada Bright and Cass Grafton

Hmmm. Maybe I should start with a disclaimer. While I quite enjoy Jane Austen I wouldn’t class myself as her biggest fan, though I read a lot around the period. Bearing that in mind I approached Cass Grafton and Ada Bright’s The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen with an open mind.

It’s a time-slip novel, cleverly plotted (perhaps too cleverly as there were a few places where I got confused) and engagingly written. The story is one in which Austen fan Rose, participating in a Jane Austen festival in her home town of Bath, meets a stranger who turns out to be Jane Austen herself, trapped in the present day. Rose’s task is to get Jane back so that the world won’t be deprived of the books she will one day write.

I enjoyed a lot about this book but for me there was fundamental weakness and that was the utter desperation with which Rose felt she had to return Jane to her own time so that she could write all those books. The authors set this up as if they were Saving The World but to me that felt slightly silly as (gulp) I can’t help feeling we would all have survived without Miss Austen’s existing six novels, just as we’ve survived without all the ones she might have written if she hadn’t died young.  

In theory not being a huge fan shouldn’t be a problem as one would expect a book to have a wider appeal than just the die-hard fans. (I’m not a great Charles Dickens fan either, for example, but I’ve recently enjoyed books which feature him as a character). The problem was that I felt rather as if I was on the outside looking in, invited to a party where I know a few people but they all know everyone else better and want to talk in detail about mutual (to them) acquaintances whose names I barely know. I feel a bit churlish saying this but I did feel the significance of some of the plot passed me by. 

A lot of it was very clever, though. I loved the parallel worlds, with and without Jane, in which Rose is confronted with the person she would have been if her interest in the Austen novels and their author hadn’t existed. Her online friendship with American girl Morgan, over in Bath for the festival, would never have existed and in particular I was taken with the dilemma in the romance which was failing for Rose’s in the world with Jane’s writing blossomed in the world without it — a clever touch which genuinely had me struggling to see who it would be resolved. 

I did enjoy this book, as I say, and any Austen fan will surely love it. It’s not the authors’ fault it didn’t quite touch my heart in the way I would have liked. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Canelo for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Book Review: A Dream of Italy by Nicky Pellegrino

Sometimes a book just hits the spot and Nicky Pellegrino’s A Dream of Italy did just that. Good books — even great books — don’t work for every reader and I confess I’m a bit picky, but I thought this book was utterly fabulous. 

It’s set in the small, declining village of Montenello in southern Italy where the mayor, Salvio — young, handsome, single and with a matchmaking mamma at his back — decides that the way to attract new blood is to offer some of the derelict properties to foreigners for a Euro apiece on condition they renovate them. The first three properties sold bring very different newcomers to the village. Divorcee Mimi is looking for a new start; Elise applied for the project with boyfriend Richard but carries on alone after their relationship breaks up; and middle-aged couple Edward and Gino are struggling with what they both want from their relationship.

Nicky Pellegrino weaves together these diverse characters and the village locals to create and intriguing and uplifting tapestry. As I read I felt the sun on my skin and the sweet sugar blast of cake from the pasticceria on my tongue; I saw the vivid colours of the deep Italian south and heard the lilt of the accents. 

All of the characters were well-drawn, believable and appealing and their stories drew me in, individually and collectively. As their stories progressed and Salvio’s dream of a revived Montenello (not to mention his mother’s dream of a daughter-in-law) met with bumps in the road, I became entirely absorbed in this new and entrancing world. 

It’s rare that I rave about a book quite as completely and maybe another reader will spot flaws in it. If there are any, I don’t care. It swept me along and I kept reading until it was done. A lovely, lovely read. 

Thanks to Orion and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review. 

Book Review: The Reversible Mask by Loretta Goldberg

I have to say straight out: Loretta Goldberg’s The Reversible Mask is one of the best-written books I’ve read for a very long time. 

It’s billed as a historical mystery but it’s much more than that, the journey of a soul in troubled times. Edward Latham is a Catholic at the court of Queen Elizabeth I but, unable to reconcile his beliefs with his service at court, he flees to Scotland to offer his service to (Catholic) Queen Mary. But Scotland is as unstable as England is unsafe and it’s only the beginning of Edward’s adventures. 

As he careers around Europe in the service of various Catholic powers we learn about his life and his loves, his good side and his bad. The portrayal of the battles between his heart and his head, his faith versus his inherent allegiance to his country, all make for a sensitive and, in the end, compelling portrayal. 

I say “in the end” because this book isn’t without its weaknesses and the middle section seemed to drag for me, to the extent that I almost gave up on the book. It was a section where Edward is in Constantinople pursuing information on the Ottoman Empire’s trade policies, and while this isn’t quite as dull as it sounds it’s certainly a section where there’s relatively little action. The main part of it is Edward’s romantic adventure with the man who seems the love of his life, but the section is too long a lull in what’s otherwise an action story. (There is an scene where Edward and his servant disguise themselves as a camel, but that was all the action, and I found it more than a little unbelievable).

I feel a bit mean criticising the book in this way, especially given that Goldberg’s writing is so deliciously inventive and luxuriant, but the best books marry plot, pace and character in the perfect balance and for me this book didn’t quite deliver in this respect. It’s definitely one I’d recommend, though. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Madeglobal Publishing for a copy of this book in return for an honest review. 

Book Review: Churches and Churchyards of England and Wales by Richard Hayman

 Churches are such a fixture of the English and Welsh countryside that I barely pay them much attention, though if I find myself in a town or village with half an hour to spare I usually take a wee wander around a churchyard. In truth, I really haven’t had much of an understanding of how and when these buildings developed, and the social and cultural contexts within which they are built. 

Richard Hayman’s Churches and Churchyards of England and Wales has changed that. The book is split into sections — on the churchyard, the exterior, the interior and so on —  and for each takes the reader from the earliest churches to more modern times, pointing out different styles, different features to look out for and describing the background to the evolution of the churches as we see them today.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a well-illustrated treasury of knowledge, slotting a lot of new information into the framework of the little I did know about the subject. There was a lot to take in and it’s something I’ll definitely go back to, dipping in and out of it as a source of information. It’s well-laid out, easy to read and has a short but useful section at the back which points the reader towards some of the best places to see some of the features illustrated in the book.  

All in all, strongly recommended for anyone with even a passing interest in church history. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Shire Publications for an advance copy in return for an honest review. 

Book review: The Time For Murder is Meow by T. C. LoTempio

TC LoTempio’s The Time For Murder is Meow belongs firmly (or should that be furmly?) in what I’m beginning to recognise as a popular subgenre in crime — the cosy small-town murder mystery with cats. Who knew something like that would take off? But it has — and yes, though I think you can have too much of a good thing, I read it and will continue to do so. 

The Time For Murder is Meow is the first in a series in which actress Shell McMillan takes over her aunt’s pet shop after losing her role in a major TV series. Arriving in small-town New England, Shell finds herself at the centre of a lot of small-town small-mindedness, and it all ends in murder. 

I enjoyed this book, but only up to a point. It galloped along at a cracking pace (possibly too quickly to be realistic, but I don’t imagine that really matters). I did have some problems with it. I found the whole premise of the plot, which was based around the local museum’s decision not to display Shell’s aunt’s collection of theatre and cinema posters, very slender, and when further secrets were dug up they didn’t really provide a convincing motive for murder either. 

When I think about that I wonder if it’s because the characters didn’t quite convince me. Other than Shell and her partner-in-crime (and former costar) Gary, they really weren’t very well developed and the potential bad guys tended to merge into one another. The effect of that was that I didn’t really engage with much of the plot and the whole murder side of it felt like much ado about nothing. And, dare I say it, the cats weren’t particularly appealing characters either. (Sorry!) 

I did find Shell’s attraction to (and flirtation with) the handsome detective Josh to be a little different and, the local colour was greatly entertaining. The problem, I think, is that I found this subgenre has been so much better done by others (specifically Lilian Jackson Braun).

Nevertheless it was a pacy and an entertaining read, and anyone who enjoyed Braun’s The Cat Who… series will probably enjoy this one, too. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Midnight Ink for a copy of this book in return for an honest review. 

Murder at Morrington Hall by Clara McKenna: Review

I love a good mystery, especially a good murder mystery. I love a good historical novel. And I love a good romance. Clara McKenna’s Murder at Morrington Hall promises all three. It’s 1905 and American heiress Stella accompanies her father to attend a wedding in the south of England only to discover that she’s the intended bride, traded along with her wealth and a prizewinning racecourse for a title. But Stella, being as spirited as the horses, isn’t having any of it — even though Viscount Lyndhurst, her intended, brings a flutter to her heart. And then there’s a murder. 

There’s very little original in fiction, I suppose, which means we judge a book on its execution, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a light-hearted romp through a country house setting, perhaps a little light on the characterisation but great fun to read. It was engaging without being riveting and the characters were likeable. There are humorous touches and a couple of points where I laughed out loud. 

The book is the first in a series, which is intriguing because unless something significant happens the romance is effectively concluded (no spoilers but, look, you know whats going to happen). Ms McKenna may surprise me, in future books, though, and actually I’m pretty certain the pairing of Stella and Lyndy is strong enough to stand the test of a happy marriage if that’s what she has planned for them. 

I’m looking forward to reading more in this fun, light-hearted series and finding out what high jinks this entertain gin couple get up to in stuffed-shirted Edwardian England. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.