Historical Mystery Is a Hit

"The Hellfire Conspiracy" is a gem of a book. It is the fourth in a series of mysteries by Will Thomas set in Victorian England, ca 1885.

Thomas Llewelyn is an assistant to private enquiry agent Cyrus Barker. After a young girl is kidnapped and subsequently ravaged and murdered, the two take on the case of finding and stopping what is a serial killer in the East End of London.

Llewelyn is a former Oxford student who has lost his wife and has previously run afoul of the law. Barker is a former captain plying the Chinese trade routes. Their relationship is a neat fit, similar to that of Watson and Holmes.

The author has done a marvelous job of incorporating real-life personalities into his book including W.H. Stead, Amy Levy, Beatrice Potter and others. His knowledge and depiction of London at this time is equally admirable. Not since Caleb Carr's "The Alienist" have I read such a wonderfully accurate and well-researched historical suspense and mystery.

I think I will try to read Thomas' previous books. My interest is piqued!

Until next time, may your reading be both pleasurable and profitable.

Touching Story Moves Children

"Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes" by Eleanor Coerr is the story of a small child who contracts the "atom bomb disease" (i.e., leukemia) after the bombing of Hiroshima.

Sadako is a vivacious young girl who loves to run. She is a bundle of energy. She does contract the disease, and eventually she succumbs to it. In an effort to bring about healing and good luck, Sadako endeavors to make 1,000 paper cranes.

This is a sad story made even more sad by the fact that little Sadako puts her faith in ancestor worship and superstitious practices rather than in Jesus Christ. The author communicates well the fact that innocent people are hurt in war, and that life bring us many things that are outside of our control.

My children were moved by the story, but they didn't like it. But such is life. Stories don't always end happily.

Ahoy, matey! Pass the rum!

Wayne Curtis' book, "and a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails," is just a delight to read. If only every history book could be this fun!

The author strives to take us through the history of the New World as shown through the history, evolution and development of that most quintessential of New World spirits, rum. I wasn't sure how rum fit into the history of our country, but it truly does. From colonial times, through temperance movements, Prohibition and the post-modern era, rum has been through it all. And what a driver of commerce it has been!

Curtis' writing style is wonderful. He has wit and humor; all of it is subtle. He must be the Jerry Seinfeld of history and travel literature. One example (about the privateer/buccaneer/pirate, Capt. Henry Morgan):

Most of all, retirement meant that Morgan could now frequent the rumshops more
often, regaling all with tales of his past adventures. But soon his health
declined, and even visits to the rumshops became too taxing for him. He
was confined to his estate, where he spent his days drinking with the few
friends who hadn't abandoned him. Each morning began with a bout of
vomiting. His legs were so swollen that he couldn't walk. He was
unable to urinate and often weak from diarrhea. The naturalist Hans Sloane
described him as 'lean, sallow-colored, his eyes a little yellowish and Belly
jutting out or prominent.' Captain Morgan's later life goes unmentioned in
the marketing material for his namesake rum." (p. 50)

Even when explaining the differences in the production of various spirits:

Distillation concentrates and intensifies the subtle tastes found in the
original low-alcohol product.. Brandy has thus been called the
distilled essence of wine, and whiskey the distilled essence of beer.

And rum? It is, as we shall see, the distilled essence of fermented
industrial waste." (p. 23-24)

In any case, if you are searching for a fun historical read or even some recipes for some cocktails serving rum (but a cocktail is in actuality a drink that contains bitters), then this book is for you!

May your reading be both pleasurable and profitable.