Pale as the dead

I finished reading Pale as the Dead by Fiona Mountain last night and while it wasn't quite a five star book it was certainly a good four and a half stars. Natasha Blake is a genealogist and Bethany Marshall asks her to research her family history. Before Natasha can find out exactly what Bethany wants her to do, Bethany disappears. She leaves behind a handwritten 19th century diary which Adam - Bethany's boyfriend - passes to Natasha. He asks for her help in finding out where Bethany has gone. Natasha has to find out how the past is influencing the present.

Being interested in tracing ancestors I found the book fascinating as it shows what sort of things Natsha had to do to try and find out about the author of the diary and how she was connected with Bethany. There is a connection with the Pre Raphaelites especially Lizzie Siddal and the scenes in Highgate Cemetery were very atmospheric. I thought the ending was a little too neat and tidy and seemed a little too contrived but apart from that minor complaint the book was a good read.

Fiona Mountain

I started reading Pale as the Dead by Fiona Mountain having had it on the to read pile for some time and found myself quite engrossed. I read the same author's Bloodline some months ago and found it good but I think this earlier novel is better.

Natasha Blake the heroine is a genealogist by profession. She is contacted by a mysterious girl called Bethany who then disappears. Her boyfriend, a photographer, contacts Natasha to give her a diary left behind by Bethany and to ask her to see if she can find the girl. The diary was written by someone apparently close to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

These seem to be the only two books in a projected series featuring Natasha which have been published so far as Fiona Mountain's other books are historical novels. I hope she is going to write more of these genealogy based mysteries as they make excellent reading.

More people about today and journeys

One and a half more to be precise!

The bus journey home tonight was interesting as the bus driver - ex-tour guide - was trying to get a couple of us to guess his surname and talking about emperors and kings and statues in front of York Minster. It was when he said about the Roman Emperor who converted to Christianity that I realised he was talking about Constantine! Oddly enough, even though he was a bit full of himself - in a sort of proud of my knowledge sort of way - he had the same sort of face as a Roman Emperor.

From there the conversation digressed to all sorts of historical subjects including the different names places have been given over the centuries - e.g. York - Eboracum, Jorvik and the modern day York. We also took in why Harold lost the Battle of Hastings - too tired after the battle shortly before - was it Stamford Bridge?; whether it is better to worship the sun - giver of life - as the Romans did or Christ on the cross and a detour round surnames and family history - which was really where we started.

Coincidentally I finished reading Bloodline by Fiona Mountain last night which has tracing family history as its background. Good crime novel with an interesting background.

Never say we aren't intellectual in the wilds of Lincolnshire!