• The Drowning Place by Sarah Hilary [read by Simon Lawson]
  When we went to Woking library to see Abir Mukherjee in conversation with Sarah Hilary, I felt I ought to do my bit for the publishers and actually read the book Sarah was there to promote. (Not to mention Abir's Hunted, which is still waiting patiently on my "to be read" pile.)
  This is Sarah's latest novel, the first in a new series set in the Peak District and featuring the enigmatic DS Joe Ashe. I have to say, I found it an excellent read - ghosts notwithstanding. It's a first-rate police procedural as well as a gripping mystery, populated by wonderfully drawn characters who leave you wanting to know much more about them.
  As for the ghosts... you'll have to read the book to find out.


• The Franchise Affair by Josephine Tey [Read by Karen Cass]
  A young girl - a picture of innocence - claims to have been kidnapped, imprisoned, beaten, and kept as a "slave" by a spinster and her elderly mother, turning their quiet, somewhat reclusive lives upside down. The usual small-town prejudices quickly surface against the women, who are viewed as slightly odd outsiders. And however implausible the story may seem, the girl is so very young and pretty - why would she invent such a tale?
  The story is soon seized upon by the newspapers (I notice that Tey really does seem to have a particular dislike of tabloid journalism), and in the face of the photogenic young accuser, the two women are utterly condemned in the court of public opinion.
  The protagonist of the novel is actually the country solicitor Robert Blair, with Alan Grant appearing only as a peripheral character representing Scotland Yard. It is Blair whose sympathies are so deeply engaged by the plight of the two women that he goes to extraordinary lengths to unravel the mystery and prove the girl's story to be a lie.
  The finale takes place in the courtroom - very Perry Mason...
  [Published in 1948, the novel was inspired by real-life events from the eighteenth century.]
  Note that: I purchased one audiobook - referenced above - containing all six Alan Grant novels by Tey.


• Ironwood by Michael Connelly [Read by Will Damron]
  By some administrative error, I seem to have read the second Catalina novel before reading the first. However, as Connelly is an experienced writer, I never felt that the plot of book one was being spoiled during book two. In fact, the story worked so well as a standalone novel that I did not even realise there had been a previous instalment until afterwards.
  As usual, it is well written and full of action and suspense, despite Catalina being portrayed as a quiet backwater island where people — including our protagonist, Detective Sergeant Stilwell — are sent to see out the twilight of their careers (or perhaps not...).
  There are two entirely separate narrative threads: a police conspiracy centred on “a drugs bust gone wrong” on the island, and a serial killer/cold case investigation that brings Renee Ballard into the story.
  

Posted by Christina at 8:55 am | Category: Art and Culture, Books of the Month | Permalink

Alison came to talk at the Dorking group today and I have to say I've seldom heard such an inspiring life story. Not so much that I am inspired to follow in her footsteps - we are much the same age - but so inspired by her capacity for living. I can't set out all that she told us but starting with a teenage career in as a hairdresser, and, despite severe dyslexia (later in life diagnosed as dyspraxia) she went on to raise a family and, as a mature student, complete a textile degree at West Dean college.
She was apparently know as "the pinny lady" after some of her earliest work - but her scope is much beyond that now - and quite wonderful.

Posted by Christina at 5:00 pm | Category: Crafts, Quilting | Permalink

Off to the Everyman in Reigate.
I read Three Bags Full in 2009 - and it's a charming story. I did feel it would be hard to film, but I think they have made a good fist of it. From what I remember, they seem to have changed the plot quite a bit but they have been totally faithful to the spirit of the book. Sad that they felt they had to change the title, and also the name of the cleverest sheep, who should have been Miss Maple.

Posted by Christina at 3:15 pm | Category: Art and Culture | Permalink

This is a really excellent new play at Chichester Festival Theatre about the opposing views of Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle on the subject of spiritualism. It’s written by David Haig, who also stars as Doyle.

Sadly — for both men — they were equally eager to believe as they were desperate to contact loved ones "on the other side". However, Houdini, being a master of illusion and misdirection himself, was far more cynical, having already spent huge amounts of money on fraudulent mediums while trying to reach his mother.
Doyle, on the other hand, simply could not accept that his son, who had died of Spanish Flu after being injured in the First World War, was truly gone. He genuinely believed he had proof of the mediums’ integrity and that he was able to communicate with his son through them.
The final scenes of the play are incredibly poignant and moving, with Doyle’s despair expressed through what appears to be a physical barrier between himself and the spirit world he so passionately believes in.
David Haig has explored the devastation of a father losing his son in WWI before in his — again excellent — play about Rudyard Kipling, in which he also played the father. Beyond that, his acting career has been astonishingly varied, from prestigious stage work with the Royal Shakespeare Company to appearances in what feels like half the British television dramas of the last thirty years — far too many to list properly.

Posted by Christina at 8:29 pm | Category: Art and Culture, Days Out | Permalink

Lyn and I went to Portsmouth and Southsea - where we: wandered about, had coffee at the tennis club by the harbour - more walking along the newly refurbished prom - then a delicious lunch at Viet Quan Cafe which had a splendid atmosphere with lovely people (serving and dining!) - "strongly recommend".
More wandering where we were driven to explore "Ravelin House" which seems a bit worse for wear; it's owned by the University, but is closed ("falling masonry") but I do hope there are plans to repair it. There are references to it on line with splendid and misleading pictures - clearly it used to be open to the public - but I fear (or possibly am grateful) not now.
Finally, after a short shopping interlude, we travelled home from the Harbour station - and how wonderful that you can stand right there and admire Warrior, in the dockyard.
I should mention - the weather was delightfully sunny and breezy all the time we were out - a truly English summer day at the coast - and only when we were travelled home did it cloud over as seen in my picture.

Posted by Christina at 6:01 pm | Category: Days Out, Red Letter Days | Permalink