October 2020 Wrap-Up

Books Read:

Vallista by Steven Brust (2017) 

4/5 stars

In this adventure, which fits in between two of the previous books, Vlad is trapped in a house that straddles time spans, trying to release a mysterious child who has come to him from the future to ask for help in her past.  The metaphysics of Necromancy, time travel, and the Halls of the Dead weren't always easy for me to follow, but the story in general was witty, well-written, and a good deal of fun.  I do hope Brust continues this fantastic series.

The Duke Decides by Headon Hill (1903)  4/5 stars (my review here)

The Unwilling Guest by Grace Livingston Hill  (1902)  3/5 stars

This is a sweet turn-of-the-century romance, with average prose, a strong Christian message, and a gentle story.  It gives a good glimpse into the mores of that time, and touches on contemporary events.  While it's not exceptional, it is still a pleasant fluff novel.

The Hollow Needle by Maurice Leblanc (1909)  4/5 stars (my review here)

False Faces: Further Adventures from the History of the Lone Wolf  by Louis Joseph Vance (1918)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Audio Books Completed:

Evans Above by Rhys Bowen  (1997)  3/5 stars
Taking place in a small Welsh town in the 1990s, this light mystery has a charming setting and a likable protagonist. However, the crime was convoluted, the love angle was cringe-worthy, and the confrontation with the villain had me rolling my eyes.  I wasn't impressed when I read the first of Bowen's other series ("Royal Spyness") and I have no interest in reading more in this series, either.

Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier (1936)  3/5 stars 

After the death of her mother, Mary Yellan goes to live with her maternal aunt, who is married to the landlord of the Jamaica Inn.  She soon discovers that her Uncle Joss is an evil, dangerous man and becomes desperate to deliver herself and her aunt from his intrigues.  Du Maurier is one of my favorite authors, though I had not read this early novel; sadly, I found Jamaica Inn disappointing, and not up to her later standard.   There are still glimpses of the talent later realized, and the characters were generally well drawn, but both prose and plot were immature, the twists were not surprising, and the ending quite anticlimactic. I certainly wouldn't recommend this as an introduction to du Maurier's works.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (2012)  4/5 stars  (my review here)

They Found Him Dead by Georgette Heyer (1937)  3/5 stars

Heyer's considerable talent for characters, dialogue, and situations is obvious throughout, but the mystery's (somewhat abrupt) solution was weak and unsatisfying.

Harbour Street by Ann Cleeves 

(2014)  5/5 stars

DI Joe Ashworth and his daughter are present when a woman is murdered on the Metro, involving DCI Vera Stanhope in a twisty case that centers on Harbour Street in the south Northumberland town of Mardle. The characters in this mystery are well-developed, the plot complex and mostly believable, and the solution satisfying.  Every time I read one in this series I am both more impressed with Cleeves and more attached to Vera.  I was truly surprised a couple of times, which brought this excellent novel to a full five stars.

The Whisper in the Gloom by Nicholas Blake (1954)  4/5 stars  (my review here) 

Did Not Finish:

Queen Lucia by E. F. Benson

I disliked the pretentious, selfish, smug Lucia from the beginning.  I know this is satire, and supposedly quite funny, but I simply could not continue reading about this unpleasant woman.

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn

I didn't make it an hour into this mystery.  The anti-Victorian Victorian woman was enthralling the first time I read it, years ago; by now, it is a character so over used as to be laughable.  The heroine was not particularly likable, and I couldn't stomach hours of her and the dull writing.

A Memory of Violets: A Novel of London's Flower Sellers 

by Hazel Gaynor

An hour into the audiobook and so many coincidences and improbabilities had occurred, in addition to historical inaccuracies and obvious "secrets", that I gave up.  After reading the negative reviews on Goodreads, I saw that I was not alone in my gripes and that, for those bothered by such things, it just got worse.