Arabella (by Georgette Heyer)

(Amazon UK link)

I don't know exactly what it is about Georgette Heyer that makes her my absolute favourite writer of historical fiction. It's partly her excellent characters - each one a little different, despite similar backgrounds in upper class Regency England. 

It's also partly her clever plots, which are fast-paced and very well written. But perhaps most of all I love her humour and irony, too - and the absolute authenticity of the writing, without too much dull detail.

So, I re-read all her books every so often.

'Arabella' is the eldest daughter of a Vicar. She's loving and loyal, and extremely good-hearted and generous. But she's also very strong-minded. She goes to London for a season, having hinted (in anger at someone's arrogance) that she is excessively wealthy.

Arabella shocks her godmother by her humanitarian streak, leading her - amongst other things - to rescue a mongrel dog and a sweep's boy from their fates. However the bored but elegant Mr Beaumaris is fascinated by this unusual young lady.

As ever, the book races to a most satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended. One of the best.

Still in print in the UK, and widely available second-hand.

(You can also read my longer review of Arabella, written on re-reading yet again seven years later)

The Butterfly Box (by Nora Naish)

(Amazon UK link)

I've never heard of Nora Naish, and can't find anything about her on the Internet (other than lists of her books, and a few book reviews). However this was another of those books that looked good from the cover and blurb on the back. I found it in a second-hand bookshop...

'The Butterfly Box' opens with Lucy's 80th birthday. There's a family reunion, with some inevitable tensions.

An old heirloom, a box with a secret, is opened. Then there's a very lengthy flashback to the past, which gradually uncovers an unpleasant family secret.

However, by the time it was revealed, it was no surprise to me. I didn't find the book terribly interesting, really.

No longer in print, but perhaps worth picking up if you come across it inexpensively in a charity shop.

Goodbye Piccadilly (by Betty Burton)

(Amazon UK link)

I haven't really come across Betty Burton before. But the cover of this book looked interesting, and I found it in a charity shop inexpensively, so I thought I'd give it a go.

'Goodbye Piccadilly' opens with a young woman called Otis, on holiday with her parents in Southsea. She finds that her friends Jack and Esther are also staying there. They've all grown up since the last time they met...

Their lives continue to cross as they grow up, go through the war, take part in suffragette rallies, and more.

It's probably all historically authentic, and no doubt provides a good example of social history. But the early 20th century isn't my favourite period, and I didn't find any of the characters particularly appealed to me. So although I read it, and thought it well-written, I didn't find it terribly interesting.

Not currently in print, but reasonably easy to find second-hand.

Moving on (by Alexandra Raife)

(Amazon UK link)

I do like Alexandra Raife's books, and am sorry to see that they seem to go out of print within a year or two of publication. They're nostalgic, character-driven sagas that I think would be enjoyed by a lot of people in times to come. I'm just glad that I manage to collect them fairly soon after they are published - although they are usually available second-hand.

'Moving on' is a sort of sequel to some of Alexandra Raife's previous books, although it's not necessary to have read any of them before this.

Catriona's dog has died, and Helen decides to leave her husband Walter. Helen moves in with her son and his family, and Catriona goes to college.

Eventually, Helen buys an old, run-down cottage, which she rents to Catriona.

It doesn't sound all that exciting, but the characters are delightful and realistic, in a gently-moving pot that is nonetheless interesting, even compulsive reading at times, as Catriona eventually finds that it may be possible to be loved.

I liked this book. It feels as if the author is becoming more confident, and I was glad to see that it was less explicit than some of her previous novels.

Enjoyable. Highly recommended.

Stately Pursuits (by Katie Fforde)

(Amazon UK link)

I haven't come across Katie Fforde before. But I came across this book on a relative's shelves, and the cover looked interesting, as did the blurb on the back.

'Stately Pursuits' features Hetty, a young woman who tries to recover from a broken heart by house-sitting in a stately home. She quickly finds herself caught up in village life, and the battle to save the house from its heir, Connor, to whom she finds herself quickly and unexpectedly attracted.

I thought the plot was good, but all the characters were rather flat. I suppose it's typical 'chick-lit', which is a style that hasn't ever really appealed to me. For my tastes, there was far too much conversational banter (irrelevant to the story), and recorded thoughts rather than any action. This meant that some of Hetty's reactions felt rather unlikely.

It was also a bit more explicit than I am comfortable with in places. But, overall, pleasant enough light reading. Still in print at the time of writing.

The new rector (by Rebecca Shaw)

(Amazon UK link)

I have only previously read one book by Rebecca Shaw. I found the plot generally interesting, in a soap-opera kind of way, and some of the people intriguing. Yet the characters, I thought, were fairly shallow and the conversations a bit trite. 

Still, 'Talk of the village' made good light reading. I discovered, after finishing it, that it was second book in a series about a fictional village called Turnham Malpas. So when I saw 'The new rector' inexpensively in a charity shop, it wasn't a difficult decision to buy it. This is the first in the series. 

In this volume, a couple called Peter and Caroline are new to the village. Peter is a clergyman, but seems rather naive. He soon finds himself having to comfort the recently bereaved Suzy Meadows, which turns out to be rather a risky situation.

Meanwhile, some teenagers are running wild, and a nasty joke is played on Muriel, an elderly spinster. She is devastated, but then cheered by the arrival in the village of an old friend called Ralph.

The subplots are cleverly intertwined, and the people fairly believable on the whole, if somewhat two-dimensional. There is slightly more violence than I'm comfortable with, which was a surprise in what seems to be a cosy village novel. But I thought it made pleasant light reading on the whole.

Recommended in a low-key way if you want something very light that doesn't require too much thought, but which covers one or two interesting issues. 'The new rector' was re-issued in the year 2000, and is still in print in the UK.

Gay from China at the Chalet School (by Elinor M Brent-Dyer)

(Amazon UK link)

Elinor M Brent-Dyer was a prolific writer, best known for her series of over 50 books for teenage girls, about the Chalet School. I read them avidly in my teens, borrowing them all from my school library, and as an adult have collected many of them. They are pleasant light reading at any age, in my opinion.

'Gay from China at the Chalet School' (later re-titled 'Gay Lambert at the Chalet School' for the Armada version) is one of my favourites. Some of the Chalet School books can seem a bit samey, but this one - along with several others - stands out from the crowd. It begins with the arrival of Jacynth Hardy at the school. Her aunt - her only living relative - prepares for a major operation, and feels that Jacynth needs to be away at boarding school.

Gay Lambert, one of the slightly older girls, befriends Jacynth, discovering that they are somewhat kindred spirits who share a love of the cello. Gay takes lessons at school but Jacynth can't possibly afford them - her aunt is not well off - so Gay offers to teach her.

Meanwhile, four of the Chalet School staff, including the two Heads, are involved in a nasty road accident. And, to add to the drama, Josette Russell, a toddler, and youngest daughter of the founder of the School, receives a very nasty scalding that endangers her life.

So a temporary head has to be engaged. Miss Bubb appears on paper to be ideal for the position, but turns out to be entirely unsuitable, with no understanding at all of the ethos of the school. She makes some highly unpopular changes in the school before Jo Maynard - aunt of Josette, and sister of the founder - takes a hand and writes to Miss Wilson, one of the Heads, who is almost recovered from the road accident.

Gay, meanwhile, is involved in quite an adventure, and Jacynth has to grow up fast. Very moving in places, some humour, and plenty of the loyalty and challenges that characterise this series.

Originally published in hardback, there were several slightly abridged paperback editions by Armada. It was then republished again in the UK by Girls Gone By, in a facsimile edition of the original. More expensive than abridged versions, but recommended for any serious fans. Having said that, the older editions are sometimes sold for huge amounts second-hand, too.

The clocks (by Agatha Christie)

(Amazon UK link)

Staying in a house with several Agatha Christie crime novels means I'm tempted to read several of them. The problem is that they can become a bit samey.. but so far I'm enjoying them.

'The clocks' begins when a young typist discovers a murdered man. She then becomes a suspect in a rather dramatic case. There are four clocks in the room where he is found, which belongs to a blind woman.

As the police investigate, secret services agent called Colin Lamb is trying to find a spy in the same neighbourhood.

When another typist is discovered, also murdered, Hercule Poirot the Belgian detective gets involved. As ever, he solves the puzzle cleverly and logically. The conclusion, in my view, was totally unexpected - although, no doubt, there were clues planted along the way.

Very cleverly written. Recommended. Still in print, as are all the Agatha Christie books I have looked for so far. Widely available second-hand, too.

Larry's Party (by Carol Shields)

(Amazon UK link)

I don't think I've come across Carol Shields before. I found this book in the home of some relatives, and it looked interesting.

'Larry's Party' is an intriguingly constructed book. It begins with a chapter about a man called Larry, who is a florist. The second chapter is about Larry and also his wife. The next is about his family... and so on. Each chapter spreads the net wider and wider, and introduces new people.

At the same time, the story progresses through the years, until the climax when Larry holds a remarkable dinner-party. He invites his two ex-wives, and has his current girlfriend as co-host.

It's very well-written, although I didn't really feel that the characters came alive, and I wasn't particularly gripped. There's an unexpected but satisfying ending.

Recommended as something a bit different from normal.

Lord Edgware dies (by Agatha Christie)

(Amazon UK link)

I'm really getting into Agatha Christie crime novels, in a low-key sort of way. She really was a very clever writer. Although the plots seem a little samey, if too many are read in a row, she manages to use some different styles. I rarely manage to guess 'whodunit' in the mysteries until the closing chapters.

'Lord Edgware dies' (or Edgeware, in some editions) features Jane Wilkinson, an actress, who hates her husband Lord Edgware. So when - as we know is going to happen, from the book's title - he is found murdered, Jane is the first suspect.

The plot is complicated by another actress who does an excellent imitation of Jane - until she is also found murdered.

There are several people who are possible suspects, but Hercule Poirot, as ever, comes to the rescue and solves the puzzle.

Lively, well-written, and I was guessing right until the end. Very clever.

Still in print, as is the case for almost all of Agatha Christie's novels. Recommended.

The Hollow (by Agatha Christie)

(Amazon UK link)

I didn't really discover Agatha Christie until the last few years - and am pleased to find so many of her novels, although I try not to read too many at once as they can become somewhat 'samey'. Her plots are always extremely clever and well-planned, but her characters are rather two-dimensional, and my personal preference is for character-driven novels, with people who feel 'alive'.

Having said that, I find Agatha Christie a quick light read when I want something different from my usual choices.

In 'The Hollow', the hospitable Lucy has gathered a houseparty together featuring several different people. She invites Hercule Poirot to lunch, whereupon - unsurprisingly - a man is murdered by the swimming pool.

Eventually Poirot pinpoints the murderer, as usual, after a trail of red herrings. It wasn't entirely unexpected, but I certainly couldn't see the answer clearly until it was revealed.

Not one of the very best, but fast-paced and mostly believable, and - as usual - very cleverly plotted. Still in print many years after publication, in both UK and USA.


(I wrote a much longer review of 'The Hollow' when re-reading this two years later)

Man overboard (by Monica Dickens)

(Amazon UK link)

I have mixed feelings about Monica Dickens. She has quite a literary heritage - being a descendant of Charles Dickens - and I usually enjoy her writing style. However I tend to find her novels a bit depressing or disturbing.

Still, I'll try almost anything once, so when I found 'Man overboard' second-hand, I thought I'd see what it was like. The blurb on the back sounded interesting.

The story is about Ben, a widowed naval officer, who starts an affair with the glamorous - though self-centred - actress Rose Kelly.

Then Ben loses his job, and struggles hard to find another, while trying to stay close to Rose - and also wanting to spend time with his 11-year-old daughter Amy.

He tries a variety of jobs, from dish-cleaning at a restaurant upwards, before finally finding somewhere that he can be happy. Predictably, he also finds a nicer woman who may be able to give him lasting happiness.

Nothing special - I kept reading, but none of the characters leapt out at me, and I didn't feel any emotion. I probably won't read it again, but it was pleasant enough light reading while it lasted.

Not always in print, but fairly widely available second-hand.