Reading Time 

In November I was reading some interesting books that featured the Bronte family, both books were very enjoyable. The Women's Page by Debra Adelaide a novel set in Australia, mostly in the 1960's. It is about two woman - Dove is writing a novel about Ellis. The novel is about choices people make, secrets and half forgotten memories. Dove keeps comparing parts of her life life to Wuthering Heights and Emily Bronte. Another good book by Debra Adelaide was Household guide to Dying.

At the same time that I was reading The Women's Page I was also reading The Bronte Plot by Katherine Reay a novel about a young woman who works at Sid McKenna Antiques and Design. Lucy Alling looks after the books and also assists Sid with orders and sales.

Lucy has a special interest in the book Jane Eyre and all the Bronte family. Lucy has a secret - which ruins her chance of romance James. James' grandmother asks Lucy to go with her to England to help purchase some antiques and also have a literary excursion to some of Lucy's favorite places, especially Haworth. Helen has a secret and she needs Lucy to help to put right.

This book was about secrets and family relationships.

Another book I finished reading was also about secrets, families, an old crumbling neglected house and butterflies.   The Butterfly Summer by Harriet Evans. This book was set in London and Cornwall. It was about Nina Parr and her family. Nina's father went missing when she was a baby. Her mother had help from Mrs Poll in raising Nina. When Nina is 25 she starts receiving messages that she needs to find Keepsake, her family's ancestry home.

I loved this book because of the secrets and the old house. While I was reading this book I noticed there were butterflies everywhere when I went walking at home.

In December I was reading Tattletale by Sarah S Naughton  An E-Book from NetGalley. Once I started reading this book it was hard to put down. I just wanted to keep reading just a little bit more. Abe falls over the railing from the fourth floor of an old converted church. He sustains serious injuries and is in a coma.

Jody lives in the next door unit on the fourth floor, she claims to be Abe's fiance and was with him Abe prior to the accident.

Abe's sister Mag's is called.  Gradually she discovers that there is a lot more to Abe's life. Abe and Jody's stories are unraveled but there is something missing.

I could not put down this psychological thriller. 

Book Roundup

Books I have enjoyed in August, September and October 2016. Life's been busy and I haven't had time to add reviews in this blog. I have kept a book journal with lists of books and authors I like and a quick description of what I have been reading. Last week I bought a new book journal to record my reading journey. This was my third reading journal since 2007.

In August 2016 I finished reading The House With No Rooms by Lesley Thompson. Another good murder mystery. I really enjoy reading books by Lesley Thompson. I like the characters. Stella Darnell and her friend Jack help a detective solve a murder.

Stella Darnell is the daughter of a detective. Stella is obsessed with cleaning and has a cleaning business. Her friend Jack drives trains at night and helps clean in the mornings. When he is not working he stalks murderers or people he thinks are capable of being murderers.

This week I finished reading The Dog Walker by Lesley Thompson, Again Stella Darnell and her friend Jack are involved in solving a murder. Stella Darnell runs a cleaning business and a detective agency. The book is set in the present time in London and revolves around a small area on the edge of the Thames where there is a number of cottages. One of the owners has a problem with strange noises in her cottage and hires Stella to discover the source of  the noise and to dispel stories that the house is haunted. Another owner of one of the cottages hires Stella to help solve a 30 year old murder case. This novel was full of secrets and family relationships. Jack crept around at night in and around the cottages finding clues while Stella spent time talking to the residents of the cottages.

In September 2016 I read some murder mysteries, romance and a book about witches.

Daisy in Chains by Sharon Bolton as usual another gripping murder mystery that keeps you guessing right to the end. Four women go missing, three bodies are found hidden in caves .Hammish Wolfe is locked up for their murders. Maggie Rose is a crime writer and lawyer is asked to represent Hammish to clear his name. 

The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brockston  a story about a woman whose mother was hung after being accused of being a witch. Bess surviving over many centuries taking on new identities but always trying to hide from Gideon.

All She Ever Wished For By Claudia Carroll I found this book easy to read. I liked the characters. it is about a wealthy couple who have separated and a young woman about to get married. I enjoyed the romance. If you like Cathererine Alliott or Jill Mansell you would enjoy this book. It is set in Ireland and is quickly paced.

Abstract Aliases by Ritter Ames this was a quick easy read, the pace was fast, lots of characters and non stop action. It was set in the UK, Europe and New York. It was the third in a series of Bodies of Art Mystery.

In October 2016 I was reading crime books with stolen identities also Murder mysteris and stalking and books about old houses. I love reading.

I especially love books by Louise Millar. City of Strangers by Louise Millar was an E book provided through NetGalley. The cover of this book set the scene of the sense of unknown, secrets and scrawled messages. Grace is obsessed with the identity of a man she finds dead in her flat. 

Following a clue she finds scrawled on an old envelope she sets out to find out who the man is.
Grace is helped by Ewan. Ewan works at Scots Today for Sula McGregor, who is a crime writer.

The novel is fast paced, with lots of action and car chases. It is set in Edinburgh, London and Europe.
The story switches between Grace searching for the identity of the dead man and Sula McGregor following clues for a double murder in Edinburgh. Ewan is helping Grace and Sula. 

A novel about stolen identities, crime and family tragedies.

Stalker by Lars Kelper this crime novel is set mostly in Stokholm. It is about a murderer her films victims and sends the film to the police just before murdering the victim.

It makes you afraid of who could be outside watching. It took a while to read 523 pages, but well worth the effort to finish.

At the end of October I finished reading On Turpentine Lane by Elinor Lipman set in Everton, Massachusetts in the present time. Faith Frankel buys a small cottage at number 10 on Turpentine Lane. The cottage is old and needs a lot of repairs. Faith finds a small package in the attic and the police are interested in investigating her cellar. What is the connection between the package and the attic and what happened in the cellar?

This book is about families, relationships and identities.


Also read another E book from NetGalley Beyond the Orchard by Anna Romer  - Lucy Briar comes home to Melbourne from London to see her grandfather who needs to give her something that will explain everything. Lucy’s grandfather dies before she gets to see him. Her father is unwell so Lucy travels to her grandfather’s house to clean out the house and sort out family papers and to find a photograph album that her father wants.

Most of the novel is set in 1993 but jumps back in time to 1929 and 1931 and also to 1977.

Lucy’s grandfather lived at a house called Bitterwood that was once a guest house near the Great Ocean Road in Victoria.

Lucy’s father is an author who writes twisted fairy tales. Lucy is an artist and illustrates her father’s novels.

I loved the way the novel jumped back and forward in time to different places and events to tell a story and the way Lucy unraveled the family secret hidden in Bitterwood.

This novel is about an old guest house, family secrets, relationships, lost love and romance.

Beyond the Orchard by Anna Romer was everything that I love in a book, old houses and family secrets