It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This weekly meme is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

The heat and humidity continues ... despite it I finished two very different mysteries last week. One was a Regency mystery, the other was set during Victorian times. I enjoyed both books from two authors I had not read before.

To Love, Honour and Obey is Valerie Holmes' first full length historical novel. A gripping start is followed by lots of twists and turns before the leader of the smuggling and spy ring is unmasked.

Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best is the other book I finished. As a sequel to Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist it is a very believable and intriguing tale. This book is much darker than Dickens' novel and the ending is totally unexpected.

This week I'm still reading Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore and The Virgin of the Wind Rose by Glenn Craney. I have also started All That I Am by Anna Funder.

I'm not sure what will be up next. I have a few new releases to tempt me, one of which is The Butterfly Summer by Harriet Evans. I also added two classics to my TBR pile, Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, and War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. I love the cover of War and Peace which ties in with the latest BBC drama.

What I Read Last Week

To Love, Honour and Obey by Valerie Holmes

The year is 1805. Six years ago, Willoughby Rossington’s father was murdered while searching for the kingpin of a smuggling and spy ring. Taken under the wing of his uncle, who is running a counter-intelligence operation against Napoleon’s spies, Willoughby is assigned to take up his father’s last mission—and, hopefully, in the process find who killed his father and bring them to justice. He encounters a young woman, Beth, who works at the local inn. Her spark and resilience against her master’s attempts to break her will strike a chord in him and he, albeit reluctantly, takes her with him when he leaves town. As they begin to talk, he finds out that her master is more involved in the ring that could have been thought. She overheard things and knows things about the seedy side of villages that could be helpful to him and his mission. Though Beth hasn’t had the opportunity for education, she’s smart and quite cunning while still maintaining a child-like wonder. Even as Willoughby makes plans to set her up with a family in order to protect her from the perils of his mission, he finds himself a bit melancholy at the thought of losing her company. Beth is having none of it. She knows she can be of help to Willoughby and isn’t going to be left behind now that she’s found someone nice. Part on purpose, part because of fate, their two lives become intertwined as they race against the villains that plot to destroy them both. Will they uncover the truth behind the smuggling ring and find who is responsible for the death of Willoughby’s father? Can they stay safe as they continue to work their way deeper into the ring?
‘To Love, Honour and Obey’ is a thrilling historical read, perfect for adventurers and historians alike.

Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best

Who killed Nancy? Did Charles Dickens frame Bill Sykes and if so, why? As an adult, Oliver Twist receives deeply unsettling information written years earlier by Fagin while he was awaiting execution. It convinces Oliver that Dickens did not tell the entire truth about the events leading to Nancy's death. Now Oliver must embark on a complex investigation that takes him into the worst slums of London as he seeks out the whereabouts of some of the most memorable figures from his past—Betsy, Noah Claypole, Mr Bumble, and Charley Bates—not forgetting, of course, the Artful Dodger. Oliver's life is set to change dramatically as he uncovers not only what happened to Nancy, but also the astonishing truth about his own identity.

What I'm Reading Today

Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore

An early 19th century romance set in Yorkshire. Mary Anerley falls in love with smuggler Robin Lyth, but the relationship is discouraged by Mary's family due to Robin's obscure beginnings and his occupation as a smuggler.







The Virgin of the Wind Rose by Glen Craney

While investigating the murder of an American missionary in Ethiopia, rookie State Department lawyer Jaqueline Quartermane becomes obsessed with a magical word square found inside an underground church guarding the tomb of the biblical Adam. Drawn into a web of esoteric intrigue, she and a roguish antiquities thief named Elymas must race an elusive and taunting mastermind to find the one relic needed to resurrect Solomon's Temple. A trail of cabalistic clues leads them to the catacombs of Rome, the crypt below Chartres Cathedral, a Masonic shaft in Nova Scotia, a Portuguese shipwreck off Sumatra, and the caverns under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Intertwined with this modern mystery-thriller, a parallel duel is waged:
The year is 1452. One of the most secretive societies in history, Portugal's Order of Christ, is led by a reclusive visionary, Prince Henry the Navigator. He and his medieval version of NASA merged with the CIA scheme to foil their archenemies, the Inquisitor Torquemada and Queen Isabella of Castile, who plan to bring back Christ for the Last Judgment by ridding the world of Jews, heretics, and unbelievers.
Separated by half a millennium, two conspiracies to usher in the Tribulations promised by the Book of Revelation dovetail in this fast-paced thriller to expose the world's most explosive secret: The true identity of Christopher Columbus and the explorer's connection to those now trying to spark the End of Days.

All That I am by Anna Funder

All That I Am is a masterful and exhilarating exploration of bravery and betrayal, of the risks and sacrifices some people make for their beliefs, and of heroism hidden in the most unexpected places.When eighteen-year-old Ruth Becker visits her cousin Dora in Munich in 1923, she meets the love of her life, the dashing young journalist Hans Wesemann, and eagerly joins in the heady activities of the militant political Left in Germany. Ten years later, Ruth and Hans are married and living in Weimar Berlin when Hitler is elected chancellor of Germany. Together with Dora and her lover, Ernst Toller, the celebrated poet and self-doubting revolutionary, the four become hunted outlaws overnight and are forced to flee to London. Inspired by the fearless Dora to breathtaking acts of courage, the friends risk betrayal and deceit as they dedicate themselves to a dangerous mission: to inform the British government of the very real Nazi threat to which it remains willfully blind. All That I Am is the heartbreaking story of these extraordinary people, who discover that Hitler's reach extends much further than they had thought.Gripping, compassionate, and inspiring, this remarkable debut novel reveals an uncommon depth of humanity and wisdom. Anna Funder has given us a searing and intimate portrait of courage and its price, of desire and ambition, and of the devastating consequences when they are thwarted.

What I Hope to Read Next

The Butterfly Summer by Harriet Evans

What magic is this?

You follow the hidden creek towards a long-forgotten house.
They call it Keepsake, a place full of wonder ... and danger. Locked inside the crumbling elegance of its walls lies the story of the Butterfly Summer, a story you've been waiting all your life to hear.
This house is Nina Parr's birthright. It holds the truth about her family - and a chance to put everything right at last.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Tolstoy's beguiling masterpiece entwines love, death and determinism with Russia's war with Napoleon and its effects on those swept up by the terror it brings. The lives of Pierre, Prince Andrei and Natasha are changed forever as conflict rages throughout the early nineteenth century. Following the rise and fall of some of society's most influential families, this truthful and poignant epic is as relevant today as ever.




Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

'I shouldn't mind being a bride at a wedding if I could be one without having a husband'
Independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene finds herself attracting three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a humble sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a handsome and reckless sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor.
Each of them, in their own way, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life.
The story of Bathsheba's choices and passions explores the nature of love – and how the human spirit can overcome hardship and adversity.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This weekly meme is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

Since my last posting for this meme over two weeks ago not much has been happening on the reading front. The weather turned cool and so outside jobs abandoned due to the heat took precedence over reading. Just when I believed summer had finally lost its sting, a spate of hot, humid days confined me indoors once again. Unfortunately instead of taking advantage of this time to read lethargy set in and made it difficult to focus on any activity for long.

The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox was the only book I finished. While not a page turner it is a compelling read. The ending was not what I expected and left me feeling sad.

I'm still reading Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best and Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore and have started two others, The Virgin of the Wind Rose by Glenn Craney and To Love, Honour and Obey by Valerie Holmes. Looking at what I'm currently reading I'm amazed that I have three ebooks and only one print book on the go. Usually, it is the other way around.

I'm still hoping to read Anna Funder's novel, All That I Am, next

What I Read Last Week

The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox

The Orphan Gunner is an unconventional romance set in bomber command in Lincolnshire during the Second World War. Evelyn and Olive grew up together in the Canabolas Valley near Orange. They are in England at the outbreak of war: Evelyn as a pilot in the Air Transport Auxiliary, Olive in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. They're joined by Evelyn's brother Duncan, a novice gunner in Lancaster L-Love, flying bombing raids over Germany. The raids take their toll on the crew, and the two women are drawn into a plot involving disguise and mistaken identity, to get the exhausted Duncan out of service. The Orphan Gunner explores the seductions of passing, the licence granted by risk, and the selflessness - and selfishness - of sacrifice. The relationship between the two women is portrayed with subtlety and warmth, and an extraordinary sense of historical detail which brings its wartime setting vividly to life.

What I'm Reading Today

Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore

An early 19th century romance set in Yorkshire. Mary Anerley falls in love with smuggler Robin Lyth, but the relationship is discouraged by Mary's family due to Robin's obscure beginnings and his occupation as a smuggler.







Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best

Who killed Nancy? Did Charles Dickens frame Bill Sykes and if so, why? As an adult, Oliver Twist receives deeply unsettling information written years earlier by Fagin while he was awaiting execution. It convinces Oliver that Dickens did not tell the entire truth about the events leading to Nancy's death. Now Oliver must embark on a complex investigation that takes him into the worst slums of London as he seeks out the whereabouts of some of the most memorable figures from his past—Betsy, Noah Claypole, Mr Bumble, and Charley Bates—not forgetting, of course, the Artful Dodger. Oliver's life is set to change dramatically as he uncovers not only what happened to Nancy, but also the astonishing truth about his own identity.

To Love, Honour and Obey by Valerie Holmes

The year is 1805. Six years ago, Willoughby Rossington’s father was murdered while searching for the kingpin of a smuggling and spy ring. Taken under the wing of his uncle, who is running a counter-intelligence operation against Napoleon’s spies, Willoughby is assigned to take up his father’s last mission—and, hopefully, in the process find who killed his father and bring them to justice. He encounters a young woman, Beth, who works at the local inn. Her spark and resilience against her master’s attempts to break her will strike a chord in him and he, albeit reluctantly, takes her with him when he leaves town. As they begin to talk, he finds out that her master is more involved in the ring that could have been thought. She overheard things and knows things about the seedy side of villages that could be helpful to him and his mission. Though Beth hasn’t had the opportunity for education, she’s smart and quite cunning while still maintaining a child-like wonder. Even as Willoughby makes plans to set her up with a family in order to protect her from the perils of his mission, he finds himself a bit melancholy at the thought of losing her company. Beth is having none of it. She knows she can be of help to Willoughby and isn’t going to be left behind now that she’s found someone nice. Part on purpose, part because of fate, their two lives become intertwined as they race against the villains that plot to destroy them both. Will they uncover the truth behind the smuggling ring and find who is responsible for the death of Willoughby’s father? Can they stay safe as they continue to work their way deeper into the ring?
‘To Love, Honour and Obey’ is a thrilling historical read, perfect for adventurers and historians alike.

The Virgin of the Wind Rose by Glen Craney

While investigating the murder of an American missionary in Ethiopia, rookie State Department lawyer Jaqueline Quartermane becomes obsessed with a magical word square found inside an underground church guarding the tomb of the biblical Adam. Drawn into a web of esoteric intrigue, she and a roguish antiquities thief named Elymas must race an elusive and taunting mastermind to find the one relic needed to resurrect Solomon's Temple. A trail of cabalistic clues leads them to the catacombs of Rome, the crypt below Chartres Cathedral, a Masonic shaft in Nova Scotia, a Portuguese shipwreck off Sumatra, and the caverns under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Intertwined with this modern mystery-thriller, a parallel duel is waged:
The year is 1452. One of the most secretive societies in history, Portugal's Order of Christ, is led by a reclusive visionary, Prince Henry the Navigator. He and his medieval version of NASA merged with the CIA scheme to foil their archenemies, the Inquisitor Torquemada and Queen Isabella of Castile, who plan to bring back Christ for the Last Judgment by ridding the world of Jews, heretics, and unbelievers.
Separated by half a millennium, two conspiracies to usher in the Tribulations promised by the Book of Revelation dovetail in this fast-paced thriller to expose the world's most explosive secret: The true identity of Christopher Columbus and the explorer's connection to those now trying to spark the End of Days.

What I Hope to Read Next

All That I am by Anna Funder

All That I Am is a masterful and exhilarating exploration of bravery and betrayal, of the risks and sacrifices some people make for their beliefs, and of heroism hidden in the most unexpected places.When eighteen-year-old Ruth Becker visits her cousin Dora in Munich in 1923, she meets the love of her life, the dashing young journalist Hans Wesemann, and eagerly joins in the heady activities of the militant political Left in Germany. Ten years later, Ruth and Hans are married and living in Weimar Berlin when Hitler is elected chancellor of Germany. Together with Dora and her lover, Ernst Toller, the celebrated poet and self-doubting revolutionary, the four become hunted outlaws overnight and are forced to flee to London. Inspired by the fearless Dora to breathtaking acts of courage, the friends risk betrayal and deceit as they dedicate themselves to a dangerous mission: to inform the British government of the very real Nazi threat to which it remains willfully blind. All That I Am is the heartbreaking story of these extraordinary people, who discover that Hitler's reach extends much further than they had thought.Gripping, compassionate, and inspiring, this remarkable debut novel reveals an uncommon depth of humanity and wisdom. Anna Funder has given us a searing and intimate portrait of courage and its price, of desire and ambition, and of the devastating consequences when they are thwarted.

Book Review: Amy Snow by Tracy Rees

Lonely eight year old Aurelia Vennaway finds an abandoned baby girl in the snow and takes her home to Hatville Court. She aptly names the baby Amy Snow and dissuades her parents from sending the baby to an orphanage.

Amy's life is not easy in the Vennaway household.  She is brought up by the servants, treated cruelly by Aurelia's mother and with indifference by Aurelia's father. Her only champion and protector is Aurelia, who contrary to her parents' wishes, nurtures Amy and later changes Amy's role in the household from servant to companion.

When Aurelia dies young, 17 year old Amy is no longer welcome at Hatville Court. The day after Aurelia's funeral, grieving and uncertain about her future, Amy departs the only home she has ever known, but she has not been totally abandoned for Aurelia has left Amy a series of letters. These letters contain instructions and puzzles to be solved, hinting at a discovery of a secret should Amy complete this unusual quest

The story, set in the middle of the 19th century, is told from Amy's perspective and weaves memories of her life with Aurelia with her present situation. Deciphering the clues in Aurelia's letters takes Amy on a journey around England where she experiences many aspects of life for the first time including what it would be like to be part of a warm and loving family.  At times self-doubt threatens to derail the quest, but such is Amy's trust in Aurelia that she carries on, gaining confidence, finding self-worth and eventually happiness.

Amy and Aurelia are two wonderful characters. I warmed to them both immediately. Aurelia, despite her cold and aristocratic parents, has a loving nature. This, combined with a strong will and the fact that she is independently wealthy, allows her to mentor Amy and provide the love and companionship that would otherwise be missing from her life. Amy in turn adores Aurelia and both are drawn closer by the secrets they share.

I loved this debut novel from Tracy Rees. I was hooked from the very first page. It is a treasure hunt with a difference and even though I guessed the outcome of Amy's quest, this did not diminish my enjoyment in any way. Amy Snow is 551 pages of absolute delight. A very quick read given its length and a story that will leave you uplifted and wanting more from this author. I am looking forward to Tracy Rees' next novel, Florence Grace, due out in June, 2016.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

This weekly meme is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

My reading last week was slow and steady. After finishing Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer, the first in her new historical Australian saga, I continued on with The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox. Last week, after only having read the first chapter, I said it was too early to form an opinion of it and I'm finding that even now when I'm half way through my feelings are mixed. The relationship between the two friends is a strange one, but I'm liking the story enough to keep reading.

The other book I began last week was the classic Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore. I was reading this on my tablet when disaster struck. My charger decided it had had enough and until the replacement charger arrives Mary Anerley must wait. I could continue reading it on my lap top, but as my preferred reading positions are to curl up comfortably on the sofa or in bed I'll just wait for the charger.

Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best was the other book I picked up last week. I've only read the preface so far, but that in itself is intriguing. The author explains how the book is an old manuscript found in a trunk full of Victorian documents he purchased at an auction "on the off-chance that they might contain something of interest". He divided the manuscript into chapters and amended the spelling and punctuation. Of interest also was a letter attached to the manuscript which "purports to have been written by Fagin".

Waiting for me at the library is Anna Funder's debut fictional novel, All That I Am. This novel won various awards in 2012, including the Miles Franklin Literary Award. Anna Funder is another Australian author I have recently discovered. My plan is to read this book next.

What I Read Last Week

Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer

1846. Newly arrived from England, Thomas Baker is young, penniless and alone. Eager to make his mark on this strange new place called South Australia, he accepts work as an overseer on a distant sheep property, believing this will be the opportunity he seeks. But when Thomas’s path crosses that of ex-convict, Septimus Wiltshire — a grasping con man hell bent on making a new life for himself and his family at any price — trouble is on the horizon.
But Thomas is made of stern stuff and his fortunes take a turn for the better when he meets spirited farmer’s daughter Lizzie Smith, and soon he envisages their future together.
But this land is like no other he has encountered: both harsh and lovely, it breaks all but the strongest. When his nemesis intervenes once more and drought comes, Thomas finds himself tested almost beyond endurance with the risk of losing everything he and Lizzie have worked for… even their lives.

What I'm Reading Today

The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox

The Orphan Gunner is an unconventional romance set in bomber command in Lincolnshire during the Second World War. Evelyn and Olive grew up together in the Canabolas Valley near Orange. They are in England at the outbreak of war: Evelyn as a pilot in the Air Transport Auxiliary, Olive in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. They're joined by Evelyn's brother Duncan, a novice gunner in Lancaster L-Love, flying bombing raids over Germany. The raids take their toll on the crew, and the two women are drawn into a plot involving disguise and mistaken identity, to get the exhausted Duncan out of service. The Orphan Gunner explores the seductions of passing, the licence granted by risk, and the selflessness - and selfishness - of sacrifice. The relationship between the two women is portrayed with subtlety and warmth, and an extraordinary sense of historical detail which brings its wartime setting vividly to life.

Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore

An early 19th century romance set in Yorkshire. Mary Anerley falls in love with smuggler Robin Lyth, but the relationship is discouraged by Mary's family due to Robin's obscure beginnings and his occupation as  a smuggler.







Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best

Who killed Nancy? Did Charles Dickens frame Bill Sykes and if so, why? As an adult, Oliver Twist receives deeply unsettling information written years earlier by Fagin while he was awaiting execution. It convinces Oliver that Dickens did not tell the entire truth about the events leading to Nancy's death. Now Oliver must embark on a complex investigation that takes him into the worst slums of London as he seeks out the whereabouts of some of the most memorable figures from his past—Betsy, Noah Claypole, Mr Bumble, and Charley Bates—not forgetting, of course, the Artful Dodger. Oliver's life is set to change dramatically as he uncovers not only what happened to Nancy, but also the astonishing truth about his own identity.

What I Hope to Read Next

All That I am by Anna Funder

All That I Am is a masterful and exhilarating exploration of bravery and betrayal, of the risks and sacrifices some people make for their beliefs, and of heroism hidden in the most unexpected places.When eighteen-year-old Ruth Becker visits her cousin Dora in Munich in 1923, she meets the love of her life, the dashing young journalist Hans Wesemann, and eagerly joins in the heady activities of the militant political Left in Germany. Ten years later, Ruth and Hans are married and living in Weimar Berlin when Hitler is elected chancellor of Germany. Together with Dora and her lover, Ernst Toller, the celebrated poet and self-doubting revolutionary, the four become hunted outlaws overnight and are forced to flee to London. Inspired by the fearless Dora to breathtaking acts of courage, the friends risk betrayal and deceit as they dedicate themselves to a dangerous mission: to inform the British government of the very real Nazi threat to which it remains willfully blind. All That I Am is the heartbreaking story of these extraordinary people, who discover that Hitler's reach extends much further than they had thought.Gripping, compassionate, and inspiring, this remarkable debut novel reveals an uncommon depth of humanity and wisdom. Anna Funder has given us a searing and intimate portrait of courage and its price, of desire and ambition, and of the devastating consequences when they are thwarted.

Book Review: Highwayman Ironside by Michael Arnold

This is not the first Michael Arnold novel I've read. His English Civil War Chronicles following the exploits of the Royalist soldier Stryker have turned up in my reading pile from time to time. Highwayman Ironside is much lighter in tone than these novels, but just as good.

The setting is 1655 during the Protectorate, a time after the Civil War when Oliver Cromwell was installed as Lord Protector and a period in history I know very little about other than it was a time of relative peace and Royalists were still paying the price of defeat.

Major Samson Lyle, a Parliamentarian deserter, has taken to the highway as an act of revenge against the New Parliament. He is assisted by his young ward, Bella; an ex-smuggler, Eustace Grumm, and a horse that suffers from what can only be described as equine traumatic stress disorder, making it more of a liability than an asset.

Among papers found in a strongbox taken from their latest victim is a letter concerning the movement of a Royalist prisoner from one prison to another. Setting this prisoner free is an opportunity to strike at the New Protectorate, but the only way to find out when the transfer will take place is for Lyle to attend a masquerade ball given by a prominent Parliamentarian and question one of the guests. A simple but daring plan that could put an end to Lyle's career as a highwayman should he be recognised.

This novella is an exceptional piece of writing and so much fun to read. An exciting and humourous start grabbed my attention immediately and the story held me captive through all of its three parts.

Highwayman Ironside is a classic adventure story, with the hint of a romance, close shaves, sword fights, chases and a hero bent on outwitting those who want to see him captured and punished.

I enjoyed this introduction to Major Samson Lyle and can't wait for the next installment. Michael Arnold states at the end of his historical note that "The Ironside Highwayman will ride again". Whether it is another novella or a full length novel remains to be seen.

I received this ebook for free from Endeavour Press as a participant in their first ever Virtual Historical Fiction Festival to be held in April, 2016.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

This weekly meme is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

As I predicted last Monday most of my reading time for the rest of the week was devoted to  Now Face to Face.  While I enjoyed the continuing story of Barbara, Lady Devane, I was a little disappointed with the ending. The fates of the important characters were made known in the epilogue, but it seemed a little rushed. I'm hoping that there will be another book in this series. After all Barbara is still a young woman and the Jacobite cause is still very much alive. At least I still have the prequel to Through A Glass Darkly, the first book in the series, to read.

The other book I was reading last week, and is still my main read for this, is Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer. I am enjoying this Australian saga very much. I also managed to read the first chapter of The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox, but it is still too early to form an opinion of it. Another book I started this week is Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore. I nominated this book as part of the Reading England/Reading Yorkshire Challenge. Once again I have not read enough to form an opinion but the little I have read has me intrigued as it involves wills, deeds and inheritances. Mary Anerley is yet to make an entrance.

The book I hope to read next is Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best, which uses the premise that  Oliver Twist was a real boy and not just a fictional character created by Charles Dickens.

What I Read Last Week

Now Face to face by Karleen Koen

The beloved heroine from Koen's bestselling Through a Glass Darkly returns in a passionate, unforgettable, romantic tapestry. A widow at age 20, emotionally devastated and financially ruined by the death of her husband in scandalous circumstances, Barbara Devane leaves colonial Virginia for London to confront her enemies and to pursue a deeply satisfying yet dangerous clandestine love.





What I'm Reading Today

Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer

1846. Newly arrived from England, Thomas Baker is young, penniless and alone. Eager to make his mark on this strange new place called South Australia, he accepts work as an overseer on a distant sheep property, believing this will be the opportunity he seeks. But when Thomas’s path crosses that of ex-convict, Septimus Wiltshire — a grasping con man hell bent on making a new life for himself and his family at any price — trouble is on the horizon.
But Thomas is made of stern stuff and his fortunes take a turn for the better when he meets spirited farmer’s daughter Lizzie Smith, and soon he envisages their future together.
But this land is like no other he has encountered: both harsh and lovely, it breaks all but the strongest. When his nemesis intervenes once more and drought comes, Thomas finds himself tested almost beyond endurance with the risk of losing everything he and Lizzie have worked for… even their lives.

The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox

The Orphan Gunner is an unconventional romance set in bomber command in Lincolnshire during the Second World War. Evelyn and Olive grew up together in the Canabolas Valley near Orange. They are in England at the outbreak of war: Evelyn as a pilot in the Air Transport Auxiliary, Olive in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. They're joined by Evelyn's brother Duncan, a novice gunner in Lancaster L-Love, flying bombing raids over Germany. The raids take their toll on the crew, and the two women are drawn into a plot involving disguise and mistaken identity, to get the exhausted Duncan out of service. The Orphan Gunner explores the seductions of passing, the licence granted by risk, and the selflessness - and selfishness - of sacrifice. The relationship between the two women is portrayed with subtlety and warmth, and an extraordinary sense of historical detail which brings its wartime setting vividly to life.

Mary Anerley: A Yorkshire Tale by R.D. Blackmore

An early 19th century romance set in Yorkshire. Mary Anerley falls in love with smuggler Robin Lyth, but the relationship is discouraged by Mary's family due to Robin's obscure beginnings and his occupation as  a smuggler.







What I Hope to Read Next

Oliver Twist Investigates by G.M. Best

Who killed Nancy? Did Charles Dickens frame Bill Sykes and if so, why? As an adult, Oliver Twist receives deeply unsettling information written years earlier by Fagin while he was awaiting execution. It convinces Oliver that Dickens did not tell the entire truth about the events leading to Nancy's death. Now Oliver must embark on a complex investigation that takes him into the worst slums of London as he seeks out the whereabouts of some of the most memorable figures from his past—Betsy, Noah Claypole, Mr Bumble, and Charley Bates—not forgetting, of course, the Artful Dodger. Oliver's life is set to change dramatically as he uncovers not only what happened to Nancy, but also the astonishing truth about his own identity.

Book Review: Shadow of the Hangman by Edward Marston

My first book for 2016 was Shadow of the Hangman by Edward Marston.  Marston is famous for a number of crime series set in various historical time periods ranging from the 11th century through to World War I.

My introduction to this author was through his 18th century adventure series about the exploits of Captain Daniel Rawson, a soldier serving under the Duke of Marlborough during the Wars of the Spanish Succession. I have also read several of Marston's Victorian series featuring Inspector Colbeck, the Railway Detective.

Shadow of the Hangman is the first in Marston's new Regency crime series. It introduces identical-twin private detectives Peter and Paul Skillen, whose physical resemblance makes for some very entertaining moments and causes some heartache for one of the brothers.

The setting is 1815: the Battle of Waterloo has been fought and England is no longer at war with the French or the American colonies, though prisoners from both conflicts are still being held in prisons around the country.

Following a riot and massacre at Dartmoor prison, two American seamen escape and make their way to London hoping to tell the authorities their version of what happened during the riot without being recaptured. Over at the Home Office, a respected cleaning lady disappears leaving behind untidy offices and overflowing waste paper baskets. Has she run off with a lover or is her disappearance a part of something more sinister?

The Bow Street Runners are called in to provide security for an upcoming public function at which the Home Secretary and other dignitaries will be present. While their nemeses, the Skillen brothers, are hired to investigate the disappearance of the cleaning lady and to track down the American fugitives. This does not go down well with Micah Yeomans, a Principal Officer of the Bow Street Runners, and even though his men have not been assigned these cases he is determined to solve them before the Skillen brothers, by fair means or foul.

I enjoyed this first offering of the new series from Edward Marston. It has a great line-up of characters made more interesting by the protagonists being twin brothers, identical in looks but dissimilar in nature. Multiple sub-plots keep the pace of the story moving and the animosity that Micah Yeomans feels for the Skillens adds another level of suspense as he plots to thwart their investigations and bring them into disrepute. The Bow Street Runners are outsmarted by the Skillens more than once, sometimes unintentionally, bringing a dash of humour to the story.

As in all the Edward Marston novels I've read to-date, the historical detail is subtly introduced. In Shadow of the Hangman it is present in sufficient quantity to transport the reader back to post-Waterloo era London with all its social and political problems.

I'm looking forward to seeing what the Skillen brothers get up to next and the continued rivalry between them and the Bow Street Runners, which I'm sure will be another entertaining read. The Bow Street Rivals has all the elements to be another successful series for Edward Marston.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

This weekly meme is hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

This week's post will be short as the book I was reading last week is still the book I'm reading today, Now Face to Face  by Karleen Koen. 

This is the sequel to Through a Glass Darkly and continues the story of Barbara, Lady Devane, as she comes to terms with the loss of her husband and his financial ruin due to the collapse of the South Sea Company in 1720.

The first part of the book is set in colonial Virginia where Barbara has been sent by her grandmother, the matriarch of the family, who has a plantation there. The latter part of the book sees Barbara return to an England preparing to defend itself against the threat of another Jacobite Rising.
  
I'm enjoying this novel very much. Barbara's extended family are an interesting mix of characters, as are her friends and acquaintances.  Some are sympathetic to the Jacobite cause, some  are loyal to King George I and others seek only personal gain. I knew very little about this period in history except for the basics and I'm gaining a greater insight into the political machinations of the time. This book is a great family saga full of espionage, family intrigue and romance. 

Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer has been set aside for the time being and I'm still eager to read The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox

What I Read Last Week and What I'm Reading Today

Now Face to face by Karleen Koen

The beloved heroine from Koen's bestselling Through a Glass Darkly returns in a passionate, unforgettable, romantic tapestry. A widow at age 20, emotionally devastated and financially ruined by the death of her husband in scandalous circumstances, Barbara Devane leaves colonial Virginia for London to confront her enemies and to pursue a deeply satisfying yet dangerous clandestine love.




What I Hope to Read Next

Heart of the Country by Tricia Stringer

1846. Newly arrived from England, Thomas Baker is young, penniless and alone. Eager to make his mark on this strange new place called South Australia, he accepts work as an overseer on a distant sheep property, believing this will be the opportunity he seeks. But when Thomas’s path crosses that of ex-convict, Septimus Wiltshire — a grasping con man hell bent on making a new life for himself and his family at any price — trouble is on the horizon.
But Thomas is made of stern stuff and his fortunes take a turn for the better when he meets spirited farmer’s daughter Lizzie Smith, and soon he envisages their future together.
But this land is like no other he has encountered: both harsh and lovely, it breaks all but the strongest. When his nemesis intervenes once more and drought comes, Thomas finds himself tested almost beyond endurance with the risk of losing everything he and Lizzie have worked for… even their lives.

The Orphan Gunner by Sara Knox

The Orphan Gunner is an unconventional romance set in bomber command in Lincolnshire during the Second World War. Evelyn and Olive grew up together in the Canabolas Valley near Orange. They are in England at the outbreak of war: Evelyn as a pilot in the Air Transport Auxiliary, Olive in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. They're joined by Evelyn's brother Duncan, a novice gunner in Lancaster L-Love, flying bombing raids over Germany. The raids take their toll on the crew, and the two women are drawn into a plot involving disguise and mistaken identity, to get the exhausted Duncan out of service. The Orphan Gunner explores the seductions of passing, the licence granted by risk, and the selflessness - and selfishness - of sacrifice. The relationship between the two women is portrayed with subtlety and warmth, and an extraordinary sense of historical detail which brings its wartime setting vividly to life.