Georgette Heyer's Regency World

Georgette Heyer's Regency World
Jennifer Kloester
2010
5/5 stars

Kloester gives a detailed look at the culture of the upper class society during the British Regency period.  A Heyer fan, she gives instances of where Heyer used the information in her novels.  Despite this focus, it is a great resourcd for anyone who loves the Regency world, not just fans of Heyer's novels.  Kloester writes well and is accessible to the layman, not just history buffs.

The book presents a wealth of varied information.  Just for example, there are lists of important people, Regency cant, books referenced in Heyer's works, as well as facts on the newspapers of the time, explanations of how the mail worked, and descriptions of the Regent's Royal Pavilion. She also gives an extensive list of resources for further study.

Overall, this is an excellent work on Regency society life, and well worth a read for any interested in that period.  I highly recommend it.

July 2018 Wrap Up

Books Read:
The Native Heath by Elizabeth Fair  4/5 stars
The third of Fair's charming, sometimes snarky novels sees widowed Julia returning to the village she visited regularly as a child, and becoming involved in the lives of some of her neighbors.  Witty and thoroughly enjoyable, the Native Heath is well-written with believable characters.

The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell  4/5 stars
Thirkell continues her Barsetshire series with this 1945 novel.  As with all of her novels, it is witty and charming, and quite well written.

Regency Buck by Georgette Heyer  4/5 stars
I'm currently reading a nonfiction book about the Regency world, and it caused me to crave one of Heyer's excellent novels.  I am not a fan of romance, but I am certainly a fan of Heyer.

Audio Books Completed:
My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni   3/5 stars  (my review here)

Fall of a Philanderer by Carola Dunn  3/5 stars
Daisy and her husband find the body of a man dashed on the cliffs while  on vacation and investigate the murder.  Another average mystery from Dunn; enjoyable but not memorable.

Unconditional Surrender by Evelyn Waugh  4/5 stars
The third in the tragi-comedic "Sword of Honor" trilogy is, as I said about the two previous volumes, a good read thanks to the strong writing, understated humor and masterful satire.

The Yellow Mask by Wilkie Collins  2/5 stars
This is a short Victorian romantic thriller, hampered by it's brevity and hence a lack of detail, and overall not fully satisfying.

The Moor by Laurie R. King  4/5 stars
Thoroughly enjoyable Russell/Holmes mystery.  King has a good idea of Holmes, and keeps his attitude consistent with canon.

My Sister's Grave by Robert Dugoni

My Sister's Grave 
Robert Dugoni
3/5 stars

Tracy Crosswhite's sister disappeared twenty  years ago.  A man was convicted of her murder, even though a body was never found.  Now, her body is discovered by hunters, giving new evidence that the conviction may have been incorrect.  Tracy, a homicide detective, is determined to find the answer.

This novel effectively uses backstory alternating with the current story to bring the reader into the plot.  The characters are well-developed and most motivations believable.  However, the book is just too long; it drags in the middle, and the ending is tediously extended.  In addition, while there is suspense, the solution to the mystery itself is apparent before the denouement. This is by no means a bad book, but it isn't better than average.

June 2018 Wrap Up

Books Read:
Measure for Measure  by William Shakespeare  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Heat and Dust  by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala  3/5 stars
This novel simultaneously tells the story of Olivia, living in India during the 1920s, and an unnamed woman, who comes to India some forty years later, trying to piece together Olivia's life from her letters.  It goes back and forth between the third person narrative of Olivia's life, and the first person narrator who details both her current life in India and her search for Olivia's past.  Jhabvala is a fine writer, and her prose is excellent.  The stories didn't flow together as well as expected, however, and neither was engrossing.

Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Audio Books Completed:
Decline and Fall  by Evelyn Waugh  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Spotlight  by Patricia Wentworth  3/5 stars
A blackmailer is murdered during a house party, and Miss Silver helps the police with the investigation.  This follows Wentworth's standard formula (young girl becomes involved in a police investigation, seeks Miss Silver's help, and finds love in the end), but is still a relatively good mystery.  The murder itself, though, wasn't fully credible, lowering the rating.

You Sent Me a Letter by Lucy Dawson  4/5 stars
Sophie is awakened in the middle of the night by an intruder with a letter that is to be opened at her birthday party the following night; if she doesn't, her family will be hurt.  This psychological thriller drags a little about three-quarters of the way through, but other than that it is a stressful, intense read that will keep the reader guessing.

Men at Arms by Evelyn Waugh  4/5 stars
The first of Waugh's "Sword of Honor" trilogy, Men at Arms follows Guy Crouchback as he attempts to join the Army at the beginning of WWII.  While a serious novel, Waugh's understated humor and masterful satire make this a good read.

Silent Child by Sarah A. Denzil  4/5 stars  (my review here)

I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll  4/5 stars  (my review here)

Officers and Gentlemen by Evelyn Waugh  4/5 stars
In this second of the "Sword of Honor" trilogy, Guy Crouchback is assigned to a commando unit, then is involved with the messy retreat after the Battle of Crete.  (See Men at Arms above.)

Did Not Finish:
Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson
Lawson's memoir did not resonate with me like her five star book about mental illness (Furiously Happy).  It was funny in parts, but some bits that were intended to be humorous just didn't work for me.

I Am Watching You by Teresa Driscoll

I Am Watching You
Teresa Driscoll
2017
4/5 stars

Ella witnesses two fresh-from-prison men chatting up two teenaged girls, thinks about stepping in, but doesn't.  When one of the girls, Anna, goes missing, Ella blames herself.  A year later, Ella begins to receive threatening postcards from someone else who blames her.  In the meantime, Anna's family issues another appeal for help, and this time new witnesses step forward, involving Anna's family and friends, showing that they all had something to lie about during the investigation.

While one of the premises of the story is flimsy, the rest of the plot is strong.  Driscoll is a fine writer, neatly combining thrills with every day occurrences.  The slow way that the backstory was shared was particularly effective.  Overall, with the one flaw, it's a suspense novel that is a solidly good read.

A note on the audiobook: Elizabeth Knowelden is an excellent narrator, with varied voices and well-expressed emotions.

Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves

Goodbye to All That
Robert Graves
1929, updated 1957
Everyman's Library Contemporary Classics Series
4/5 stars

This autobiography tells briefly of Graves' early life, in depth about his experiences in World War I, and then quickly covers the ten years following the War, when he wrote the book.  He writes frankly about the War, sharing the tragedies, stupidities, and horrors of trench warfare.  His prose is engaging, drawing the reader into the events.  While the War episodes are the most absorbing, it was still interesting to read about the before and after years.  It will appeal most to those researching WWI, but the average reader will also find it fascinating as the documentation of the formative years of a famous author.

Note: This edition was updated by Graves in 1957, and according to the Introduction, some changes were made.

Silent Child by Sarah A. Denzil

Silent Child
Sarah A. Denzil 
2017
4/5 stars

Emma's six-year-old son Aiden, is drowned in a flood, his body never recovered.  Shockingly, ten years later, he stumbles out of the woods, mute from the trauma of a decade of abuse.  With Aiden not talking, Emma suspects everyone of the heinous crime, and her life becomes a mess of fear and doubt, distrusting those closest to her.

This thriller is tense and stressful, and completely compelling.  The reader is gripped from early on, and the first-person narration adds to the experience.  Denzil is a talented writer, and Silent Child is hard to put down, giving multiple surprises and twists, and delivering a satisfying ending. 

A note on the audiobook: Joanne Froggart is a masterful narrator, who delivers a stunning, emotional performance.