Tag Archives: wartime

N or M? – Agatha Christie

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Ela

(HarperCollins 2006, in ‘1940s Omnibus’; originally published 1941) This is the third of the five books featuring Christie’s husband-and-wife detective team, Tommy and Tuppence (really Prudence) Beresford. It’s the early days of the Second World War, and both Beresfords, who … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime fiction, Fiction, Re-read, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A Good School – Richard Yates

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Ela

(Vintage e-book 2007, originally published in USA 1978) There has been a resurgence of interest in Richard Yates of late years, fuelled by the film of his first novel Revolutionary Road with Kate Winslet and Leonardo di Caprio. I’ve not … Continue reading →

Posted in 2011 New Reads, Fiction, Read on my Kindle, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Atonement – Ian McEwan

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Ela

(Vintage 2002) I came to this book after having seen the film adaptation with Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, and am rather glad I did so. It’s actually a very faithful adaptation, except for a few minor details, and except … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010 New Reads, Fiction, Filmed adaptations, Historical fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Miss Ranskill Comes Home – Barbara Euphan Todd

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Ela

(Persephone Books 2008, originally published 1946) This delightful and satirical book begins on a desert island, where Miss Nona Ranskill is burying the body of her companion and friend of the last four years, a man whom she refers to … Continue reading →

Posted in 2010 New Reads, Fantasy, Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Clock Strikes Twelve – Patricia Wentworth

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Ela

(A ‘Miss Silver’ mystery) It is late December, 1941, and the Paradine family are gathered as usual to celebrate the New Year: James, his sister Grace, her adopted daughter Phyllida; James’ step-son Frank Ambrose, his sister Brenda, wife Irene and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime fiction, Fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

‘Diary of a Provincial Lady’ – E. M. Delafield

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Ela

The Virago edition I read also contained three sequels, namely: The Provincial Lady Goes Further; The Provincial Lady in America; and The Provincial Lady in Wartime. E. M. Delafield wrote these books originally as weekly entries in Time and Tide, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Humour, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in Meta-review, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment