• Coffin Road by Peter May
  While waiting for the final book in the Enzo series (Cast Iron - out January) I was inspired to read his latest book. It was excellent of course. Enough said.
  It seems to have taken me a while to realise but looking back I see that a lot of his novels have "eco" themes - they run all through the China novels, and appear strongly in this one. I do find that I can fail to recognise an author's main interest or genre, which I guess is because often the first book I read is outside their "norm".


• Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood
  A collection of nine short stories (which Atwood explains need to be called tales) - the first 3 being loosely linked.
  Tales that reveal the grotesque, delightfully wicked facets of humanity - and largely focussed on "old folk":
  • Alphinland
  • Revenant
  • Dark Lady
  • Lusus naturae
  • The freeze-dried groom
  • I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth
  • The Dead Hand Loves You
  • Stone Mattress
  • Torching the Dusties
  
  
• The Wrong Side of Goodbye by Michael Connelly
  Well we all love Harry so well done for Connelly persevering with the character just for our sakes when realistically he should be long retired. We already saw him leave the PD (sadly on a low) at the end of the last book, but he is still involved in upholding truth, justice, and his own personal American way.
  I am not sure Connelly can take his old characters now, but I understand the next book introduces new ones - we just have to learn to love them as much....



• Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon
  Snowfall brings a train to a halt near the village of Hemmersby. Several passengers take shelter in a deserted country house, where the fire has been lit and the table laid for tea - but no one is at home.
  A British Library Crime Classic from 1937 reissued in 2014.
  'The horror on the train, great though it may turn out to be, will not compare with the horror that exists here, in this house.'



• A Cool Head by Ian Rankin [read by Peter Forbes]
  Gravy worked in the graveyard - hence the name. He was having a normal day until his friend Benjy turned up in a car Gravy didn't recognise. Benjy had a bullet hole in his chest, but lived just long enough to ask Gravy to hide him and look after his gun. Gravy had looked after things for Benjy before, but never a gun.


• Christmas: Five on Brexit Island, and the Pride and Puddings
  These were some terrific Christmas gifts.
  I am guessing after the issue of Ladybird books "for grown ups" - designed to appeal to exactly my age group - the excursion into Famous Five in a similar format was a natural progression. A fun idea and pretty well executed - and on a matter dear to my heart.
  The history of puddings by Regula Ysewijn is .... well what can I say?! Perfick!.
  
  



• Frenchman's Creek
  An abridged reading by Adjoa Andoh for Book at Bedtime. This took me back to my teenage years when I first read this Daphne Du Maurier historical novel (loaned to me by my friend Elaine). I do remember thinking it was a great read but hearing it again I can only think it was because teenage girls in general like romantic fiction. I also did not properly remember how it ended - and apart from anything else I believe it is known for its unusual ending. At the time it was suggested to me that it was a "sequel" to Jamaica Inn, (which I did not read until many years later), but I found no evidence of that either by reviewers or in the text - I think it is simply one of "the four Cornish novels".


• The Cinderella Killer
  A job in Panto seems the perfect way to spend the Christmas season for Charles, but the cast of Cinderella are a motley crew from reality TV and Charles finds himself having to explain the traditions of Panto to their baffled American star whose career is on a downward trajectory. It's not long before the slapstick makes way for a murder.
  Bill Nighy as the weak willed, and clearly attractive hero, Charles Paris. Based on Simon Brett's novel, once again brilliantly adapted by Jeremy Front, and directed by Sally Avens.
  

Posted by Christina at 9:27 am | Category: Art and Culture, Books of the Month | Permalink

Tis the season.
This had mixed reviews but I think only because you have to be of the right mind set to enjoy it. That's not an elitist remark, but it's just like many forms of humour that are both loathed and also have huge cult following. I think the main complaint was that it was not "about anything" - which was (more than) fine if that's what you were expecting.
I enjoyed it hugely and the icy wasteland of a set was fantastic.

"Kookily compelling." Daily Telegraph

Posted by Christina at 11:05 am | Category: Art and Culture, Days Out | Permalink

Another Sadlers Wells production - wonderful (of course) - but I have to admit in terms of "plot" it was not what I expected, being a representation of a film which I have never seen. I thought it was a traditional folk tale so when Rob kept saying "I wonder if they will have the train" I thought he must be a bit confused - but it turned out that the confusion was entirely mine.

Posted by Christina at 11:05 am | Category: Art and Culture, Days Out | Permalink

Morris Men in Kingston "annoying Santa" (!)

Posted by Christina at 4:55 pm | Category: Art and Culture, Days Out, Friends | Permalink