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.
Thursday, 9 July 2009
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Ox Tales
Oxfam have recently launched a series of four little books of short stories by well known authors. Earth, Air, Fire and Water are the themes for each book and the books are called Ox Tales. They are about 200 pages each and contain stories by some of the best known names in fiction today. I've read the first volume - Earth - and found it well worth reading. If I was still travelling to and from work by bus they would be ideal books for the journey.
Earth contains stories from Rose Tremain, Ian Rankin, Kate Atkinson and Nicholas Shakespeare, amongst others and a poem by Vikram Seth. All the stories are of a high standard and I found the book useful as an introduction to authors I hadn't read before such as Jonathan Coe and Marina Lewycka. I can see I shall have a list of new authors to try when I've finished all four volumes.
If you like short stories - try these - you won't be disappointed
Earth contains stories from Rose Tremain, Ian Rankin, Kate Atkinson and Nicholas Shakespeare, amongst others and a poem by Vikram Seth. All the stories are of a high standard and I found the book useful as an introduction to authors I hadn't read before such as Jonathan Coe and Marina Lewycka. I can see I shall have a list of new authors to try when I've finished all four volumes.
If you like short stories - try these - you won't be disappointed
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
The Many Conditions of Love
Not the title of a philosophical post but the title of a book by Farahad Zama. The Many Conditions of Love is the second in the series which started with The Marriage Bureau for Rich People. It is just as good as the first one and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are the usual issues of arranged marriages and marrying outside one's caste and religion as well as the treatment of widows in Indian society.
This story features Mr Ali's son Rehman, who falls in love with a glamorous journalist - Usha. But Rehman is Muslim and Usha is Hindu and her parents are less than impressed when they hear about the relationship. There is also the ongoing story of how Aruna is getting on with her rich husband Ram's family. Aruna is still Mr Ali's right hand woman at the marriage bureau even though she has no need to work. Her life is about to change with the advent of her unpleasant sister-in-law Mani into the household while she awaits the birth of her second child.
Life in India is vividly portrayed and I could almost smell the food and experience the heat and the monsoon rains while reading the book. I loved the author's understanding of human nature displayed in the story and the gentle humour. There are happy events and sad ones and the book does not have a neat and tidy ending where all the loose ends are tied up. I look forward to the next one in the series.
This story features Mr Ali's son Rehman, who falls in love with a glamorous journalist - Usha. But Rehman is Muslim and Usha is Hindu and her parents are less than impressed when they hear about the relationship. There is also the ongoing story of how Aruna is getting on with her rich husband Ram's family. Aruna is still Mr Ali's right hand woman at the marriage bureau even though she has no need to work. Her life is about to change with the advent of her unpleasant sister-in-law Mani into the household while she awaits the birth of her second child.
Life in India is vividly portrayed and I could almost smell the food and experience the heat and the monsoon rains while reading the book. I loved the author's understanding of human nature displayed in the story and the gentle humour. There are happy events and sad ones and the book does not have a neat and tidy ending where all the loose ends are tied up. I look forward to the next one in the series.
Monday, 6 July 2009
Washing machine is fixed!
The man from planet Zanussi turned up this morning at 9.30am and the machine was repaired and working in 30 mins - well I'm saying that when it hasn't finished its first drying cycle! I'm confident he's done it if only because he knew exactly what it was and had the part with him though it looks from the paperwork he left that he had every conceivable part with him just in case. All this for the sum of £72.00 0f which £56 was the call out charge. So why couldn't the insurance company have organised this instead of someone who had to check everything and then still wasn't sure - and what's more I still haven't heard from them about when it would have been repaired.
I have phoned them this morning and asked for my money back and they offered me about 25% so I've written and pointed out that their service is less than perfect and that the extra warranty is incorrect as EU law states manufacturers have to provide 2 year warranties not the one shown on the agreement. So according to EU law the extra warranty should only have come into effect 18 months ago and not the 2.5 years ago that they say.
In future I shall not be taking out extra warranties as I'm beginning to think they're not worth the paper they're written on. We're still waiting for someone to tell us when they'll replace the door catch on the dishwasher under manufacturer's warranty - good thing we did it ourselves! This business of sending out people who are not trained on particular makes of machine is not satisfactory. I think they're trying to do it cheaper and probably hoping 80% of cases will be repaired immediately and won't need spare parts. They offered me some money back suspiciously quickly.
I have phoned them this morning and asked for my money back and they offered me about 25% so I've written and pointed out that their service is less than perfect and that the extra warranty is incorrect as EU law states manufacturers have to provide 2 year warranties not the one shown on the agreement. So according to EU law the extra warranty should only have come into effect 18 months ago and not the 2.5 years ago that they say.
In future I shall not be taking out extra warranties as I'm beginning to think they're not worth the paper they're written on. We're still waiting for someone to tell us when they'll replace the door catch on the dishwasher under manufacturer's warranty - good thing we did it ourselves! This business of sending out people who are not trained on particular makes of machine is not satisfactory. I think they're trying to do it cheaper and probably hoping 80% of cases will be repaired immediately and won't need spare parts. They offered me some money back suspiciously quickly.
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Good book
The Day I Died by Polly Courtney is something a bit different. The heroine regains consciousness after a bomb in a London nightclub. She remembers nothing about her life up to that point not even her name. But she feels an overwhelming urge to escape. She decides to call herself by the name of a person whose wallet she finds beside her though she doesn't believe it is her name.
'Jo' gets on a bus and ends up near Oxford where she manages to get a job and find somewhere to live. She still can't remember who she is or anything about her previous life. Her only clue is Saskia Dawson the name written on her hand. Jo has several problems to overcome and she starts to wonder whether she actually likes her previous persona from what little she can remember. She has a drink problem, knows she has used illegal drugs and is worried about something she may have been involved in. Gradually memories start coming back to her.
The book is well written and the plot is fast paced and intriguing. Even though the heroine is not terribly likeable at times I still found I wanted to know what happened to her. The other characters are interesting as well - Pearl - her landlady; Saskia - the stripper; Matt - who helps Jo get another job. I enjoyed it and I shall be watching out for other books by this author.
'Jo' gets on a bus and ends up near Oxford where she manages to get a job and find somewhere to live. She still can't remember who she is or anything about her previous life. Her only clue is Saskia Dawson the name written on her hand. Jo has several problems to overcome and she starts to wonder whether she actually likes her previous persona from what little she can remember. She has a drink problem, knows she has used illegal drugs and is worried about something she may have been involved in. Gradually memories start coming back to her.
The book is well written and the plot is fast paced and intriguing. Even though the heroine is not terribly likeable at times I still found I wanted to know what happened to her. The other characters are interesting as well - Pearl - her landlady; Saskia - the stripper; Matt - who helps Jo get another job. I enjoyed it and I shall be watching out for other books by this author.
Saturday, 4 July 2009
A little bit cooler today
I am ever the optimist! We did have a short sharp shower of rain yesterday but considering it was supposed to be thundery showers all day I feel a little short changed. I walked to the doctors yesterday to pick up prescriptions and the sky could only be described as lowering but it didn't rain. I felt as though I wouldn't care if it did rain on me while I was out!
Today does feel a little fresher but there's virtually no wind and brilliant sunshine so I suspect it'll be hot again. I did manage to strip beds this morning without dissolving on the floor in a little pool.
I don't really understand all the 'good advice' the Government keeps issuing about this 'heatwave'. Most is so obvious - keep out of the sun, drink plenty, use sunscreen, wear loose clothing. How old do they think we are? I really hate the Nanny State. Do this, don't do that, eat this, don't eat that, fat people need to get thin, thin people need to put on weight. Why not give us rations and dress us like the Chinese under Chairman Mao? For the powers that be reading this I AM being sarcastic and if you try it I'll be the first to rebel!!
Today does feel a little fresher but there's virtually no wind and brilliant sunshine so I suspect it'll be hot again. I did manage to strip beds this morning without dissolving on the floor in a little pool.
I don't really understand all the 'good advice' the Government keeps issuing about this 'heatwave'. Most is so obvious - keep out of the sun, drink plenty, use sunscreen, wear loose clothing. How old do they think we are? I really hate the Nanny State. Do this, don't do that, eat this, don't eat that, fat people need to get thin, thin people need to put on weight. Why not give us rations and dress us like the Chinese under Chairman Mao? For the powers that be reading this I AM being sarcastic and if you try it I'll be the first to rebel!!
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Playing with Bones
Kate Ellis's Playing with Bones is a crime story with supernatural overtones and very well done it is too. DI Joe Plantagenet is missing his girlfriend Maddy who has gone to London for a job interview. Then he gets a phone call to say a young girl's body has been found in Eborby (York) and he is suddenly too busy to worry about his private life. The victim has been strangled, one of her big toes removed and there is a Victorian doll with a similar injury by her side. The alley in which she is found is known as Singmass Close and it has an atmosphere all its own.
Gradually it emerges that there was a series of similar murders 50 years ago in the same place for which the killer was never identified. Has the same killer struck again? Or is someone copying his methods? Joe and his boss Emily have plenty of problems to solve with two more teenaged girls missing and an escaped prisoner on the run who may or may not be connected with the latest murder.
This fast moving plot will keep you guessing until the end. I loved it and finished it in less than 48 hours. I recommend it.
Gradually it emerges that there was a series of similar murders 50 years ago in the same place for which the killer was never identified. Has the same killer struck again? Or is someone copying his methods? Joe and his boss Emily have plenty of problems to solve with two more teenaged girls missing and an escaped prisoner on the run who may or may not be connected with the latest murder.
This fast moving plot will keep you guessing until the end. I loved it and finished it in less than 48 hours. I recommend it.
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