November and December 2020 More Holidays and Old Houses

Had a few short breaks away in November and December. Loved our couple of days at O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat and walking around the Green Mountain Gardens.

Also was given the opportunity of visiting Fenwick House in Ballina. I loved the staircase.

 Echoes of the Runes by Christina Courtenay

Set mostly in Sweden in 2000 and early history AD 869.When Mia's grandmother dies she leaves her cottage to Mia. Mia's fiance wants Mia to sell the cottage but Mia has too many memories of happy summers spent at the cottage with her grandmother.

Mia allows archaeologists to dig for Viking artefacts on her property. Intertwined throughout is Ceri a young woman who was taken from her home in Wales and held hostage in a Viking village in AD 869.

This novel switches between the present time and back in time to Ceri. Both woman are connected to a gold snake ring.

It Started with a Secret by Jill Mansell

This was a fun story full of many different characters all connected with a family living in Cornwall. Begins in France.

Lainey moves from France to Cornwall and starts working for a family in a house by the sea. This was about family relationships and secrets. Lots of secrets.

Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins

Set in Oxford in the UK in the present time. Dee is working as a Nanny in a very old house caring for Felicity who has been mute for four years. Felicity's father and step mother have little time for Felicity. Dee battles with Felicity's night time wanderings and nightmares.

The Shifting Landscape by Katherine Kovacic. An Alex Clayton Art Mystery.

Set in Australia in the present time. Alex Clayton is asked to evaluate an art collection belonging to the McMillian family in the Western District of Victoria. I loved the descriptions of landscape and life on a historic sheep station.

Before Alex can evaluate the families Art Collection the family patriarch dies and a valuable painting is stolen. Alex and her friend John get caught up in the family dispute.

The Devil's Harmony by Sarah Rayne. A Phineas Fox Mystery.

Music researcher, Phineas Fox and his friend Arabella are asked to help research a mysterious scrapbook that was found at a building site in Warsaw. The scrapbook contains copies of old documents, a music score and possible concert programme.

The novel is set mostly in the present time, 1918 and the 1940’s. Phineas Fox and Arabella help a team of professionals research the scrapbook. They uncover forgotten histories and lost memories. In the background is the memory of an old building full of secrets, hidden spaces and fragments of music long forgotten and thought lost.

I love the way history, music and musicians are interwoven into the story.

Dearest Josephine by Caroline George

This novel was told through letters, emails, text messages and an old unfinished manuscript.

Emails between friends Josie and Faith tell the story. Josie is getting over a broken romance and moves to an old house she inherited from her father. While exploring the house Josie finds a bundle of letters written in 1820 and part of an old manuscript.

Josie reconnects with Faith and shares information about the old letters and manuscript.

At first, I did not like the style of writing through emails between Josie and Faith but as the excerpts of letters and manuscript were added I started to enjoy the story. Every so often text messages would pop up adding new dimensions to the story.

Postscript Murders by Elly Griffiths

Peggy Smith dies from a hear condition but her care Natalka becomes suspicious when she discovers that many authors refer to Peggy as a Murder Consultant. Natalka and Peggy's neighbors Edwin and Benedict try to find a connection between Peggy's death and a sudden interest in one of the books owned by Peggy.

A Week To Remember by Esther Campion

This was about a group of different people staying at a guest house in West Cork, Ireland. It is about the interaction between the guests, the owners of the guest house and residents in the town. Not all the guests are happy to be there and are trying to forget their past and make the best of their situation. I loved the way the guests interacted with each other and how their life stories were revealed and what they did to resolve their problems.

This was about families, relationships and secrets.

Painting In the Shadows by Katherine Kovacic

Alex is an Art Dealer and visits a preview of an exhibition with her friend Kohn Porter. A museum worker collapses while installing a painting believed to be cursed. Soon a conservator Meredith dies and Alex and John get caught up investigating Meredith's death.

The Love Letter by Lucinda Riley

The Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena