Monthly Archives: April 2009

C. J. Sansom’s Tudor mysteries

Posted on April 21, 2009 by Ela

Dissolution / Dark Fire / Sovereign – C. J. Sansom These are a trilogy of Tudor-set detective novels which provide a vivid and thrilling glimpse into England during the 1530s and 1540s, during the later part of the reign of … Continue reading →

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Black Magic Woman – Justin Gustainis

Posted on April 21, 2009 by Ela

This is the first book featuring the supernatural detective team of Quincey Morris, “occult investigator”, and Libby Chastain, a white witch. Two main plot strands are entwined: a powerful curse against the descendants of a woman who denounced another at … Continue reading →

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Round Britain kayak adventure

Posted on April 15, 2009 by Ela

Just a short post to link to Graham’s blog – he is paddling round Britain in a kayak, and has got to Weymouth so far, after an unfortunate start at Sheerness, Kent, where his kayak and equipment were stolen. I … Continue reading →

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Miss Silver detective novels (list)

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Ela

Grey Mask The Case is Closed Lonesome Road Danger Point (aka In The Balance) The Chinese Shawl Miss Silver Intervenes The Clock Strikes Twelve The Key The Traveller Returns (aka She Came Back) Pilgrim’s Rest (aka Dark Threat) Latter End … Continue reading →

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Miss Silver detective novels – Patricia Wentworth

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Ela

I’ve been re-reading several of these books recently (they’ve been re-issued in rather nice retro covers, all from old advertising archives). I’d been vaguely aware of Wentworth’s mystery novels, featuring her former-governess detective, Miss Maud Silver, but only remembered reading … Continue reading →

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The Sirens of Titan – Kurt Vonnegut

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Ela

Kurt Vonnegut is not (as far as I know) primarily known for science fiction. His most famous novel is Slaughterhouse 5, inspired by his experiences of being a prisoner-of-war in Dresden during the bombing of the city in the Second … Continue reading →

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S is for Silence – Sue Grafton

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Ela

This is the latest but one of Sue Grafton’s “Alphabet” crime series (A is for Alibi, B is for Burglar, etc.). It’s something of a departure for her, for although her heroine private eye, Kinsey Millhone, has investigated “cold” cases … Continue reading →

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Blink – Malcolm Gladwell

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Ela

The premise of Blink is that human beings are good at making instantaneous and generally quite accurate decisions based on very little information. In some cases, apparently, when we have more information, the accuracy of our decisions does not increase … Continue reading →

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The Shadow of the Sun – Ryszard Kapuscinski

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Ela

This is a book about Africa, in all its variety and puzzling contradictions. For a European, Ryszard Kapuscinski manages to get into the African mindset very easily, and he writes with great compassion and understanding. The book is a series … Continue reading →

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Patricia Wentworth – Danger Point

Posted on April 7, 2009 by Ela

This is one of Patricia Wentworth’s Miss Silver novels, of which I am very fond. Miss Silver herself is a character whose solid morals and Edwardian values stand her in good stead for the detection of crime. A little like … Continue reading →

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