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Review – The Dark Enquiry

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The Dark Enquiry

By Deanna Raybourn

Harlequin

ISBN: 9780778312376

4.5 stars

First, I have a confession.  I did something I never do — I read a book out of order in a series.  OK, so not a big, earth shattering confession but I felt I needed to say that for readers of this series.  I’ve heard fabulous things about the Lady Julia Grey novels and have been meaning to read one for a long time.  So when I saw this one on NetGalley I requested it and proceeded to read with abandon. Yes, abandon people.

I feel I should warn of spoilers since this is a series so here you have it but since I haven’t read any of the previous books, I can’t be sure that’s an accurate statement.

Lady Julia Grey is now back in London navigating and negotiating her marriage to Brisbane.  While the two are very much in love, it’s Julia’s insistence on being a true and full partner in Brisbane’s life, which includes his work as an investigator and private detective, that’s causing a small wrinkle in their otherwise happy marriage.  He balks but she insists, and being Julia, she wins.  Brisbane does everything to keep her out of his latest case, including building her a photography studio as a distraction, but Julia manages to not only get involved but also nearly get herself killed in the process.

This book was so entertaining and if they’re all like this, I want to read them all now.  Julia and Brisbane are a great couple and for as annoying as she can be, Julia’s delightful.  Obviously, there’s much I missed in regard to the relationship but I didn’t feel lost which is a testament to Raybourn’s.  She gives you enough to go on and lets you fill in the rest, which in a series I don’t mind and was perfectly at home with here.

There’s one more thing I need to mention — I didn’t care who the killer was.  Remember, a mystery is at the heart of this story, and I don’t usually pick up mysteries because I mostly spend my time trying to figure out who did it without paying attention to characters or plot.  Here, I didn’t even care who did it and I didn’t read ahead which is HUGE for me.  A first actually.  Maybe I finally found the right mix for me when it comes to a mystery; I need ghosts and really great characters.  Also, the romance is good.  I must say this because I’m pretty sure from reading this one installment that many readers are invested in this relationship too.

I probably don’t have to say this but I will anyway — I plan to go back and read the four previous books in this series.  If this one was any indication of the goodness I will be experiencing, I will be a very happy reader.

I downloaded an advanced review copy of this book from NetGalley.

Review – The Gates

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The Gates

By John Connolly

Washington Square Press

ISBN: 978-1-4391-7540-8

4 stars

I love me a little humor with my demons and end of world type books and The Gates delivered on that promise.  This is my first Connolly book but I’ve picked them up before thinking that a fantasy thriller might work for me.  It did, and now I can say it won’t be my last either.

Samuel Johnson is an enterprising 11 year-old.  Instead of waiting for Halloween and having to fight the crowds, he decides to start trick or treating a few days early.  Unfortunately for him, his mildly brilliant plan doesn’t work out the way he intended.  Instead of loads of candy, he sees something in the neighbors’ basement that makes him believe his neighbor, Mrs. Abernathy, is now a demon.  He soon finds himself attempting to convince his mother and friends that not only is Mrs. Abernathy an actual demon but that more demons will be arriving very soon through the portal that now exists in the Abernathy’s basement.  No one wants to believe Samuel the end of the world is nearing which makes for an amusing little apocalypse tale.

Don’t pick up this book and think it’s a dark one; it’s actually a really funny take on the usual end of the world scenario and I enjoyed it quite a lot.  There’s some slapstick here — even the dog gets in on it at times — and random jokes laced throughout reminding you what you’re reading isn’t serious.  And that’s good!  I wanted a break from my normal reading which was starting to feel heavy and this came along at the right time.  One particularly amusing character in the book is a demon named Nurd who was banished to a flat, deserted world with a little annoying fellow as his only company.  Somehow he ends getting sucked into Samuel’s world and befriends him.  You see, Nurd is a nice demon looking for a friend to connect with.  His little adventures, especially his one driving a Porsche, are a good interlude and I do wish there had been more time featuring Nurd.

What can I say, if you’re looking for a small break in your regular reading pattern, pick this one up.  Connolly didn’t disappoint and thanks to this book, I plan to pick up more of his work.

Review – Autumn: The City

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Autumn: The City

By David Moody

St. Martin’s Griffin

ISBN: 9780312570002

4 stars

Donna Yorke is reporting for the early shift at her office when her colleague is overcome by a strange coughing fit that quickly turns into a bloody, choking convulsion killing her in minutes. After trying unsuccessfully to help several colleagues and friends in the office experiencing the same symptoms, she moves the bodies to a far off section of the office not wanting to look at her dead co-workers. Afraid to leave not knowing what she’ll face outside, Donna gathers supplies and holds up in her small office with a sleeping bag, some snacks from the vending machine, and a flashlight to ward off the dark.

On the other side of the city, Jack Baxter is hiding in his home when he makes the fateful decision to leave his refuge in the hope of finding other survivors. He finds one; a young girl named Clare who lost her parents to the disease. Together they make their way into the city center and after spending a comfortable night in a department store, they make a gruesome discovery — the corpses are moving around, awkwardly, but they’re moving on their own. When Jack and Clare hear a car they track it down hoping to find others like themselves. Not only do they find two survivors but are told there is a group of about fifty people living at the local university.

The university has become a beacon for not only survivors but the dead who surround the place. Drawn to the living, the re-animated corpses flock to the university, and at first are calm almost unaware of the living walking among them but that soon changes. In a few short days, the rather sedate corpses become violent, attacking survivors venturing out and stalking out places where the living are congregating.

Soon after, a soldier left behind after a failed mission into the city joins up with the university group. Knowing food supplies are running low, a decision is made by the survivors to make their way to the military base in the hope of finding supplies and other survivors. What they don’t count on is how the dead will react to the plan.

I wasn’t sure if I should refer to this book as apocalypse or zombie fiction. As far as the survivors are concerned, it’s the end of the world they knew. Then again, it’s also a story full of the walking dead; although I was appreciative of the fact Moody doesn’t mention the word zombie anywhere in the book. Reminding me of Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, Moody manages to evoke a loneliness that feels surprising real slowly introducing us to each survivor along the way. One thing he doesn’t do is get bogged down in details and in a way it’s refreshing. Why should I know what’s going on when none of the survivors do? Some might find that annoying but in this book, I enjoyed the sense of lawlessness and the unknown Moody created and he didn’t deviate which can be so tempting in a story like this one. Leaving the reader with very little knowledge made it interesting to imagine what would have caused the metamorphosis.

This isn’t a book for everyone. While it’s not gross or disgusting, quite restrained actually, it’s not something you read at lunch either. And it does have a few scenes that reminded me of a popular zombie movie but if you’re willing to look past those small bits, Autumn: The City is a fast and entertaining read.

Autumn: The City is the second book in the Autumn series.

In addition to this blog, I also do reviews for The Book Reporter website. The above review was done for the Book Reporter which can be found here. The book was provided to me by the publisher.

Review – Rebecca

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Rebecca

By Daphne Du Maurier

Doubleday

ISBN: 0-385-04380-5

5 stars

My first foray into Daphne du Maurier’s writing was last year with The House on the Stand which I truly and utterly loved.  I heard wonderful things about Rebecca and decided that it would be my second du Maurier book.  I’m asking forgiveness up front for all the gushing that will now be hurled at you because I loved this book so very much.

Rebecca has been dead for months when Maxim de Winter meets his second wife in Monte Carlo.  She’s training as a companion to a bitter, slightly haggard, older lady with no sense of class.  When her companion comes down with the flu, she begins spending all her free time with Maxim.  After a short and rather brusque courtship, she agrees to marry him and arrives at Manderely, his ancestral home in England, as the new Mrs. De Winter and is quickly overshadowed by the dead Rebecca.  She is shy and makes constant mistakes attempting to live up to the standards of the dead Rebecca. Mrs. Danvers, a completely domineering housekeeper who is still loyal to Rebecca, scares her but only wanting to make her new husband happy, she listens to the advice of Mrs. Danvers to her own determent.  Overwhelmed by her new life and the fancy dress ball she was talked into having to celebrate her new marriage, Mrs. De Winter  dresses up as an ancestor of Maxim’s not knowing Rebecca also wore the same outfit at the last ball held at the hall before her death.  Maxim barely recovers from the shock and smiles kindly through the whole evening but avoids his wife.  Fearing she has ruined her marriage, Mrs. de Winter plays the part of happy wife until the morning when she can take no more and decides to confront her husband.  Unfortunately, her plans change when a ship smashes into the rocks offshore from Manderley, and during the rescue, Rebecca’s small boat is found with a body inside.  It is then she finds out the secret her husband has been hiding from everyone.

This story is told as a flashback with Mrs. de Winter looking back on, and almost bemoaning her short but very vivid life at Manderley.  Mrs. de Winter and her husband are obviously living abroad and no longer at Manderly but her reminiscing makes it clear she misses the place and feels some remorse for not only her actions, and inactions as well, but also for the happiness she feels she and her husband could have had there.  In many ways it’s sad: the missing of a home, of a life missed, of a life not lived, of a life wished for and cruelly taken away.  Mrs. de Winter was not born to the life she married into.  She had no money and no hopes for a life better than the odd one she seemed destined to live as a companion to older women.  Becoming the wife of a powerful man is almost more than she can handle.  With no experience with servants, money, or appearances she worries about embarrassing her husband, saying the wrong thing, and having him leave her.  Their relationship is strange and strained.  Maxim is standoffish and you are left wondering if he really does love his new wife or if he married simply to escape loneliness which is hinted at by Mrs. Danvers and feeds on the fears of the new Mrs. de Winter.  When he finally opens up to her about his marriage to Rebecca you feel as though you understand what has made him they way he is.  Unfortunately, his secret is not one most would live with and their relationship takes one more step into the almost absurd.

I loved delving into the marriage of these two strangers and their life.  I was fascinated by the way du Maurier pulled me deeper and deeper into the psyche of Mrs. de Winter.  For as a humble and shy as she was, she could also be strong (steadfast is probably better).  She grows up suddenly in a span of 12 hours realizing the mistakes she made were out of fear and nothing more.  Using that fear, she finds her voice only to be taken aback knowing she understands so little about the man she calls her husband.

Characters are my thing.  (As a side note, the pacing is slow but the language is phenomenal and worth the build up. When all finally happens, you’ll be breathless.  This is a psychological story rather than an action one.)  The creation of Mrs. Danvers is a piece of art.  Cruel, loyal, and belittling, she is a person not to mess with and you hate her and are just as scared of her as Mrs. de Winter.  She appears out of nowhere, creeps down hallways, always dressed in black like a specter moving through Manderley.  Amazing.  I won’t say more; I don’t want to ruin her.

There is, I’m certain, much more to this book and in many ways when I read books such as this that are loved and well-known, I feel at odds.  I can’t imagine I’ve added anything of interest to a topic I have come to late so I will end with this — if you can, read this book.  You will be rewarded.

 

Review – The Forever Queen

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The Forever Queen

By Helen Hollick

Source Books

ISBN: 1402240686

4.5 stars

Emma was 13 years-old when her brother, the Norman King, married her off to the English King Æthelred.  Besides her being anointed Queen in her own right, it’s a terrible match that at times humiliates and terrifies Emma.  Her husband, who spent his life being ruled by his mother, has no idea what it takes to be a king let alone a decent man.  When Danish invaders take control, he capitulates and later dies a sad and very lonely death.  Not knowing what will become of her or her children now that the Danish king is in control of her land, Emma offers herself in marriage to Cnut, the Danish King, making him through her the new English King.  Her second marriage is much happier than her first and she and her country spend many content years with Cnut as their king.

When Cnut dies, Emma fears the loss of her crown and understands deeply the threat her country faces the day that Cnut’s son from his first marriage appears to lay claim to the thrown which he believes to be rightly his.  When her son with Cnut, Harthacnut, does not return to England to fight for the crown, she recalls her long abandoned sons from her first marriage, Edward and Alfred, to return with disastrous consequences forcing Emma to once again fight to keep her crown and position as Queen.

I usually don’t write such long descriptions in my reviews but I felt this one, being as long as it is (793 pages on my Nook) and the length of Emma’s rule, deserved a longer than normal introduction.  Emma, while not a likable character — she’s disgusted by her husband and her sons from her first marriage, isn’t motherly, is outwardly cruel to her husband and sons (the husband deserving though), and cares in some cases more for her crown and title as Queen above all else — is intensely interesting.  Her life is anything but boring; sad yes, horrid in some cases, lonely, and when she finds happiness there is always something that threatens it (another wife, more sons).  While I still don’t know if I liked her, I couldn’t put this book down wondering what would happen to her next.

Hollick is a great writer of historical fiction and since reading her Arthurian legend trilogy last year, she’s shot up my list of favorite authors.  While there were a few slow parts and an incredible list of characters to keep track of, I still liked this book a lot.  She picks subjects and characters whose parts in actual history may have been forgettable but gives them a fictional voice that makes them unforgettable.

Teaser Tuesdays – Rebecca

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.  The idea is to give everyone a look inside the book you’re reading.

Play along: Grab your current read; Open to a random page; Share two teaser sentences from that page; Share the title and author so that other participants know what you’re reading.

This week, Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.  It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate leading to the drive, and for a while I could not enter for the way was barred to me.” (pg. 1)

I finished last night and if you haven’t read this book all I have to say is read it, read it now.  It’s phenomenal.

Review – The Tudor Secret

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The Tudor Secret

By C.W. Gortner

St. Martin’s Griffin

ISBN: 978031265850-2

4 stars

A few years back, I overdosed on Tudor fiction but in the last few months I’ve been craving the drama, court intrigue, and ever present bedroom battles that come along with Henry VIII and his wives. What I liked about The Tudor Secret was that it wasn’t told from the perspective of the royal household, but from a 20 year-old with a blank past who is unceremoniously thrown into court life with the intent of letting it devour him.

Brendan Prescott knows nothing of his past other than he was abandoned as a baby and Mistress Alice, a woman who worked as a maid for the wealthy Dudley household, raised him. A child with no background or family, he knows only too well his lowly place in the household and society at-large. His hopes rise no higher than someday being a squire or a steward and even those positions don’t hold much interest for him. He would rather spend his days in the barn with the horses. When he is called to court by Lady Dudley to be a squire to her oldest son, Robert, his hopes of a peaceful life among horses are forgotten.

Knowing nothing of court life and with no one willing to teach him, he’s left alone among the court sharks looking to use him for their own gain, his Master Robert included. Robert promptly engages Brendan in court escapades that involve setting up a liaison with the Princess Elizabeth with whom he is in love. Brendan manages to find the Princess and deliver the message but he slowly begins to understand that nothing about court life is ever secret. Pulled unwillingly into a spy ring, Brendan becomes privy to the lives of his masters in ways he never imagined and ends up a double agent working not only for Master Robert but also to keep Princess Elizabeth safe and help her sister, Mary, to become Queen.

It is Brendan’s past though that keeps him involved long after he wants nothing more than to walk away. He wants to know who abandoned him that night so long ago but his real concern is for the Princesses Mary and Elizabeth. They are targets of people who want nothing more than to overthrow Mary and Elizabeth and convince their brother Edward that neither are true heirs to the throne.

Court intrigue and espionage are always terms that are mandatory when talking about the Tudors. The spying, backstabbing, and face-to-face pleasantries while secretly whispering lies behind a person’s back are well-known traits of this family and the court they created. It’s also what makes them all so much fun to read about. The fodder they have provided for future generations is enormous and I think that’s why, while I might need a break to recover from the tension of crown politics, I never entirely tire of the Tudors. Gortner zeroes in on this tension and the moment that Brendan arrives at court, he starts to ramp it up making you turn pages wanting to desperately know what comes next. Telling the story from an outsider’s point of view also makes the character of Elizabeth much more interesting. She’s well-known but an enigma to Brendan which adds freshness to a character that can feel stiff and sometimes a little standoffish.

Covering about two weeks worth of time, the story does feel a bit forced in places though and in particular Brendan who while understanding nothing of the Tudor court, manages to become involved and an integral part of a spy ring. He blunders too much in the beginning and to see him mature so quickly and in a mere matter of days, feels unlikely. But, he’s somehow still very likable and that’s what makes it work. He doesn’t immediately grasp the implications of every move made at court and that sets him apart from the others and you can’t help but side with him. If you’re looking for a book that will pull you back into the Tudor’s, this one’s a good choice.

In addition to this blog, I also do reviews for The Book Reporter website. The above review was done for The Book Reporter which can be found here. The book was provided to me by the publisher.

Review – The Woman in Black

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The Women in Black

By Susan Hill

Illustrations by John Lawrence

David R. Godine

ISBN: 0879235764

4.5 stars

Arthur Krupps is an ambitious, young lawyer looking forward to providing a secure future for his fiancé.  When his employer sends him to a small, isolated town in the north of England, he looks at it as an opportunity to make a name for himself in his firm.  On the long train ride north, he meets a man named Samuel Daily of the town of Crythin Gifford who becomes rather secretive when Arthur reveals the reason for his visit.  Arthur thinks nothing of Samuel’s odd behavior and, in fact, he finds the town a quiet, peaceful place and expects to enjoy his short stay.  He soon finds out that everyone in town is unwilling to talk about a woman named Alice Drablow, a recluse who lived at Eel Marsh House and the woman whose estate Arthur’s come to settle.  Arthur thinks it odd but brushes it off as nothing more than small town politics and just wants to get through the formalities of his work and return to London.  While attending the funeral of Mrs. Drablow, Arthur spots a woman in black but she disappears before he’s able to speak with her.  He spots her again while walking around Eel Marsh House later that afternoon but she’s much more intimidating on the marshes around the house than at the church.  Thoroughly spooked, he returns to town but is determined to return and finish his work.  When he does return, he finds a house full of sinister secrets and a ghost bent on revenge.

This story, while very short, is full of long, lush sentences that cast a creepy spell.  Arthur wants to believe what’s going on is in his mind but there are too many things happening that make him wonder, in some cases about his own sanity and well-being.  The town’s people won’t talk about the house on the marsh or what happened there and it adds a strange coldness to the story setting Arthur apart from everyone in town.  His search for answers only causes more distress and in the end, all he wants to do is run.  While Arthur’s story begins on a bright cheery note, you know his story won’t end happily.

It’s a good little Victorian story.  Angst, guilt, and anguish with a tad of soul searching thrown in make it a story you don’t want to put down.  If you like ghost stories this is it.  If you don’t, I think it will still hold some value as a story about a man coming to terms with a particular time in his life that he would prefer to forget.  If you don’t like ghost stories, consider it a story about a man and his past with a haunting element that adds atmosphere.

I came across this book while hunting for a dark ghost story.  Susan Hill has several other books, many of which seem to be well-known in England where she lives.  I plan to see what else my library has as she’s definitely a writer I want to read more of.  She has a wonderful style that is lulling but not in the way that puts you to sleep but in the way that pulls you into the story and traps you there until she’s ready to release you.