I can't help but compare Midnight Feast and Our Holiday as they basically deal with the same themes - affluent class-conscious "incomers" who are enjoying their piece of the countryside at the expense of locals. In both cases there is the argument that they will be bringing more business and wealth to a "dying" community - which in reality almost never materializes and which often causes the actual deterioration of local business in favour of further seasonal tourists and weekenders, who bring in their supplies in from elsewhere. There are jobs - of a kind - for local people, but those "locals" are priced out of actually living locally.
Despite the similar themes, and both being mysteries, the books are quite different in approach. And, weirdly, the self-centred, superficial, pretentious, and altogether obnoxious Francesca might seem to be offering more in the way of side benefits to local people (despite all the "local organic produce" etc on offer being sourced straight from London), than the perhaps well-meaning Londoners with their holiday homes.

• Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
  Francesca - with her architect husband Owen - has turned her family estate into a luxury dream hotel and leisure complex. It opens its doors to the super rich at the summer solstice with an amazing weekend of highly curated new-age celebrations. All the guests have been thoroughly vetted and supplied with healing crystals and garlands - and all the organic, local food and spiritual decor have been safely procured from London. Francesca is bathed in a warm chemically induced glow of anticipation - everything is perfection.
  However, it seems that malign forces are bent on disrupting Francesca's chakras - and someone has mysteriously contrived to ensure that ghosts from Francesca's past are among the guests...
  This something of a cold case mystery, (my favourite kind), written - through use of diary entries - in two time lines. We see the weekend unfold through the eyes of guests, staff, and local residents, culminating in an inevitably shocking, yet thoroughly satisfying ending.
  Another brilliant book from Lucy Foley.


• Our Holiday by Louise Candlish
  This book is about "second homes" in an idyllic fictional south coast holiday town. It examines tensions of a domestic nature - inter-generational and otherwise, as well as class tensions both within the nuanced levels of the middle-class weekenders, as well as the more obvious differences between the weekenders and the local inhabitants (which is really mostly in their relative wealth and all it can buy). The story is presented from different characters' perspectives, and over different timelines, which always increases the mystery and suspense.
  Louise Candlish is excellent in her depictions of the affluent middle classes: the "alpha" family with their apparently perfect life, and their neighbours attempting to emulate the lifestyle, but with rather less funds to support it. As always, there is a lot more going on beneath the surface with all the "perfect" family members embroiled in scandalous clandestine activities, or corrupted by the love of (even more) money.
  Despite moments of well-observed social comedy, the ever-present threat that small acts of vandalism will spiral into all-out physical violence - not to mention the dramatic events revealed immediately in the opening chapters - make for an overarching feeling of anxiety and suspense throughout the book. And as each individual sinks further into temptation, their paths lead inevitably to tragedy.
  Finally, as usual with this author, you are left not quite sure for whom your are (or were ever) rooting.


• No Wind of Blame, Envious Casca, Duplicate Death, and Detection Unlimited
  by Georgette Heyer [Read by Ulli Birvé]
  I always thought I should read some of Heyer's work as I believe she is a favourite of Stephen Fry. I saw her as a writer of only historical regency romance/adventure so I was happily surprised to find she's also a well-known (though less so for me obviously) writer of detective stories.
  The eight books I chose to read follow a pair of detectives, Superintendent Hannasyde with his side kick Sergeant Hemingway. These are the four later stories where Hemingway has been promoted to Inspector and features as the key police investigator. The stories are essentially closed circle mysteries, set in country houses, villages, or London and with plots apparently devised by Heyer's husband - though they were criticized somewhat for "unoriginal characters, methods and motives", often based around inheritance.
  I find Heyer's tone rather brittle - as I do with Margery Allingham - but if you can get past that and decode the upper class slang and banter, they are witty as well as not unworthy mysteries (as you might expect from such a popular author).
  Note that these books are on Amazon Audible with a different narrator. The Ulli Birvé versions seem to be mostly unavailable on audio CD but you may be able to download them from a Local Library digital service, as I did.
  
  

Posted by Christina at 7:44 am | Category: Art and Culture, Books of the Month | Permalink

The TV series was without a doubt a landmark drama whose impact resonated decades after its initial broadcast on BBC2 in 1982. Watching it now as a stage play was a very emotional experience, bringing back vivid memories of my "youth" and the era of the Thatcher government - despite the fact that Bleasdale created the story before Thatcher actually came to power; it generally describes the social impact of the economy throughout the 70s and into the 1980s.
All the cast were excellent but I have to have a low key shout out to Barry Sloane, who was called upon to play Yosser Hughes "one of the most intense and memorable characters in British TV history, whose image and catchphrase were imprinted on British culture". Although it may be the most interesting part to play, it's now pretty difficult, due to the fact that the character is totally synonymous with the actor Bernard Hill, such that even now, if you google either Hill or his character, you will find endless references to the 1980's TV series. Anyway... he clearly enjoyed the role and played it excellently.
It was "Boys from the Blackstuff" the TV series that really brought Alan Bleasdale to the fore in popular culture, subsequently being recognised in as one of the foremost TV dramatists of the age. Apparently he resisted all offers of adapting the play for the stage but has been finally won round by James Graham. [I note that Bleasdale is described as "the foremost TV dramatist" but I really enjoyed his play "Having a Ball" (a comedy) which I saw in 1982 - though from what I read I think Bleasdale regarded it as something of a failure - which it isn't!].

Posted by Christina at 8:37 pm | Category: Art and Culture, Days Out | Permalink