Daring Tour de Force

I don't know why I haven't read Sharon Kay Penman's "The Sunne in Splendour" before now. Although it is over 25 years old and has recently been reprinted, I had never heard of it. I am sad that it took me this long to discover it. I think it is one of the finest books that I have ever read. I cannot praise it highly enough. It is quite simply phenomenal. There isn't a dull moment in the entire 900+ pages.


But, I should tell you something about this book. It is such a daring tome. Can one imagine turning King Richard III, he of the hunched back, he of the murder of the Princes in the Tower,
he of the lame foot/leg, into a likable, heroic character, even a noble prince?

It is difficult to imagine such an undertaking. It is even difficult to consider that it might be plausible. But Penman's writing, research and gifts make the impossible not only plausible but possible and probable. Yes, she did it. She has literally turned everything most of us think we know about Richard III.

The story is a complete cast of characters including Richard's parents, Richard's older brothers King Edward IV (Ned), and George, Duke of Clarence, as well as the various relations associated with the house of York including the Kingmaker, Warwick, his family and daughters who were both married to George and Richard. Even with a overabundance of characters who share names and the various alliances, marriages, etc., within the nobility, Penman manages to draw out character traits of each one and convincingly portrays Richard as perhaps the only principled, noble, earnest man in the lot!

I don't want to give away Penman's solution to who killed the Princes, but I do believe her conclusion to be possible. We shall never know, and again, this is a work of historical fiction, but I daresay that William Shakespeare has some explaining to do! (Not really .... we know he wrote populist history, and how could one very well portray the house of York sympathetically when it was not so far in the past and the Tudors were the very killers of Richard.)

In any case, if you enjoy historical fiction, if you think you know all there is to know about the War of the Roses, if you enjoy some romance with a bit of history, then you must read this book. You won't regret it.

And if you really get interested, check out the Richard III Society, dedicated to research and scholarship on the king.

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

Peach Cobbler Murder is a Treat

Our library had a large display of mystery books in the lobby. Now, I'm not entirely sure that for me this was a good thing --- all it did was convince me that I don't have enough time to read all that I want to read. I limited myself to picking up one new book off the display. That took some discipline.

The book I selected was "Peach Cobbler Murder" by Joanne Fluke. This is the seventh in a series featuring bakery shop owner Hannah Swenson of Lake Eden, Minnesota. I like Hannah. She is a somewhat plump woman with frizzy red hair. It would have been frustrating to me to have a skinny woman running a bakery. She has a penchant for correct grammar (how could I not like that?!). She has two love interests who are strikingly different ---- one a handsome cop, the other a dependable dentist. Hannah's sister, mother and niece figure prominently in her escapades. And Hannah also has the obligatory overweight cat.

My only complaint about the book was that it seemed to take too long to get to the murder, and it wasn't that complicated at all to figure out. The murder victim in this book is Shawna Lee, the Georgia flirt who opens up a competing bakery almost directly across the street. I hadn't figured out the entire thing, but I was completely on target for who the murderer was.

The author intersperses some recipes for various treats throughout the book which is nice. I may have to try some of those!

This book is reminiscient of Monica Ferris' series for needlework. She has a new book coming out this year, and I can't wait to read that one. It is also similar to Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mystery series featuring amateur sleuth Theodosia Browning. I don't think I've written much about them in this blog, but I've read all the Ferris books and most of the Childs books. I love them.

I am not sure when I'll pick up another of the Hannah Swenson mysteries, but it is a nice, light read. Quite a nice break from those grueling, rather ominous Victorian tales.

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

Face of a Stranger

I picked up the first book of Anne Perry's other Victorian mystery series entitled "The Face of a Stranger." This book shows a bit more maturity in writing, and it is a bit more introspective in that we get to know the main character William Monk in a more personal and intimate way than we do Inspector Pitt in "Cater Street Hangman."

The story begins with Monk waking in a hospital suffering from a head injury. This sounds trite, but Perry really pulls it off. We get to watch Monk go through the process of recovering his memory while attempting to hide it from his superiors and his other associates. We watch Monk struggle to find out what kind of man he was/is, and not liking what he discerns and learns. We also cheer when his intuition and abilities surface, as he instinctively navigates through the maze of Victorian culture.

This story is replete with plot twists and great characters. I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm looking forward to see what else Monk does in the future. The ending was satisfying, but there are plenty of loose ends to make future developments quite interesting.

All in all, this one is another winner!

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

Victorian Mystery Theme Continues

I just finished another Victorian-era mystery. This one is the first in a series about Inspector Pitt published in 1979 by Anne Perry. It's called "The Cater Street Hangman."

This book is finely nuanced. While Will Thomas hits you with fast-action, witty, sly commentary and rather exotic characters, Tyler's book mirrors Victorian restraint. The characters are well-developed, and the plot moves along nicely with the requisite twists, turns and surprises. I would have liked to know more about Pitt, but I know more will information will follow. I am anxious to see how the romance between Pitt and the privleged Charlotte comes along. I believe those would be my only "wishes" for this book. I truly enjoyed it, stayed up way too late reading it and can't wait for the next installment!

On a sidenote, Anne Perry has a rather interesting background and childhood. She and a girlfriend murdered the girlfriend's mother back in the early 1950s. You can read more about it here. Ms. Perry herself has a website with wonderful information on her books and her style as well.

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

"Limehouse Text" Great Read

I cannot tell you how disappointed I am that I have now made it through all four of Will Thomas' Barker and Llewelyn mysteries. I devoured these books. They are SO GOOD! I want more!

This third in the series (I started with the fourth and then went from first through third) ties up some loose ends. In this one we get to learn a little more about the mysterious woman coming to groom Harm, Barker's Pekingese dog. We also watch Barker and his sublimely witty assistant solve the murder of Barker's previous assistant, Quong. This is a tour de force of Victorian England's China Town (Limehouse) replete with underground kingpins, bruisers, cops on the take, etc.

I can't say enough about this series. I can't wait for the next one.



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

To Kingdom Come is Another Explosive Story

Will Thomas' second Barker and Llewelyn novel furthers the development of Llewelyn's role as an assistant to a private enquiry agent, a.k.a., a private detective. This time around our two protagonists must infiltrate an Irish terrorist group masquerading as builders of "infernal devices." Our young assistant falls in love with the sister of one of the Irishmen.

While the ending seemed a bit transparent to me, I still enjoyed the book. I love Llewelyn's wry sense of humor and his self-deprecating style. Barker continues to be an anomaly only serving to pique my interest further.

All in all, this really is a wonderful series. I'm truly enjoying it.

May your reading be both pleasurable and profitable!

Some Danger Involved Great Debut

After reading Will Thomas' most recent novel, I decided to go back and start from the beginning of his series. "Some Danger Involved" is the first of the Barker and Llewelyn mysteries.

We get to meet Thomas Llewelyn, downtrodden and despairing. He answers an advertisement for a private enquiry agent's assistant. I think the chapter detailing his interview is one of the best meeting of what becomes a partner and his assistant ever written! Here comes another Holmes and Watson.

Thomas has a great knack for description of both characters and setting. His research is meticulous, and it shows through his crisp writing.

This plot of the book revolves around Llewelyn's coming of age and experience in his travails as Barker's assistant. The case which they are hired to investigate is the crucifixion of a immigrant Jew and the subsequent stoning of another Jewess. Is there a pogrom fomenting through the machinations of eugenic ministers and academics, or is this the act of some deranged lunatic?

I'm really enjoying this series, and I've already started on the next one!

May your reading be both pleasurable and profitable!