Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time
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A Mysterious Introduction to Agatha Christie

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie

December 8, 2023 by donttrustthe_bea Leave a Comment

Having never read an Agagtha Christie book before, I decided it was only appropriate to begin with her first Poirot mystery, rather than a more well known title like Murder on the Orient Express. The reader follows narrator Arthur Hastings, a soldier recently released on sick leave from the Western Front during WW2. He runs into an old friend, John Cavendish, who invites him to stay at his families sprawling estate, Styles Court. There, Hastings is reintroduced to several characters: Emily Inglethorp, John’s stepmother Mary […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: agatha christie, British mystery, Fiction, historical ficiton, murder mystery, mystery, ww2

donttrustthe_bea's CBR15 Review No:8 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: agatha christie, British mystery, Fiction, historical ficiton, murder mystery, mystery, ww2 ·
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· 0 Comments

Two Well-Regarded Children’s Time Travel Novels

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

Charlotte Sometimes by Penelope Farmer

October 23, 2022 by GentleRain 2 Comments

I was surprised when I visited England at what a popular genre historical children’s time travel novels were, but it’s one I enjoy so I got a couple. Both are apparently much beloved classics that must have missed me when I was a child, and this was a good chance to fill in some gaps of my children’s novel knowledge. Tom’s Midnight Garden has an intimidatingly positive pull quote by Philip Pullman on the cover: “a perfect book.” This made me internally querulous and I […]

Filed Under: Children's Books, Mystery, Speculative Fiction Tagged With: boarding school, childhood illnesses, children's fiction, Edwardian England, historical ficiton, Penelope Farmer, Philippa Pearce, time travel, WWI

GentleRain's CBR14 Review No:117 · Genres: Children's Books, Mystery, Speculative Fiction · Tags: boarding school, childhood illnesses, children's fiction, Edwardian England, historical ficiton, Penelope Farmer, Philippa Pearce, time travel, WWI ·
Rating:
· 2 Comments

Winter People – a unique take on reviving the dead

Winter People by Jennifer McMahon

August 23, 2022 by MarkAbaddon 4 Comments

For the life of me, I really wish I could remember what site or person recommended the Winter People to me, because I want to thank them, as it was a refreshingly good read. Pet Sematary is one of my favorite Stephen King novels and this story plays with similar themes but places it in more of a historical and feminist context. The story takes place over 100 years and can switch times without warning, which I found a bit disorienting at first. You get […]

Filed Under: Fiction, History, Horror, Speculative Fiction, Suspense Tagged With: #feministfiction, historical ficiton, horror, Jennifer McMahon, speculative ficiton, thriller, undead

MarkAbaddon's CBR14 Review No:7 · Genres: Fiction, History, Horror, Speculative Fiction, Suspense · Tags: #feministfiction, historical ficiton, horror, Jennifer McMahon, speculative ficiton, thriller, undead ·
Rating:
· 4 Comments

It was the worst of times

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

February 14, 2022 by ElCicco Leave a Comment

Fingersmith is award winning historical fiction set in 1862 London and at a country manor known as Briar. Like a Dickens novel, it features thieves, asylums, poor, rich and table turning, but this work also focuses on women, sex, matters of power/agency and the lack thereof.  The story is told in three parts: two from point of view of Sue Trinder, a 17-year-old orphan and fingersmith (thief), and one from point of view of 17-year-old Maud Lilly, who is an orphan and an heiress. Both […]

Filed Under: Fiction Tagged With: cbr14, ElCicco, Fiction, Fingersmith, historical ficiton, lesbian literature, Sarah Waters

ElCicco's CBR14 Review No:10 · Genres: Fiction · Tags: cbr14, ElCicco, Fiction, Fingersmith, historical ficiton, lesbian literature, Sarah Waters ·
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Not as fluffy as the tv show but still a fun ride

Cocaine Blue by Kerry Greenwood

January 21, 2021 by pixifer 2 Comments

Needing some light entertainment, I decided to rewatch Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries. It’s a delightful show and the rewatch made me curious about the books.  Phryne, carrying the cocktail, decanted it unobtrusively into a potted palm against which she had no personal grudge, and hoped that it would not give her away by dying too rapidly. Content warning: the book, and my review, mention sexual assault.  Cocaine Blues is the first book in the series. Miss Phryne Fisher is a wealthy socialite in 1920s England. […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Mystery Tagged With: 1920s, amateur detective, Australia, cozy mystery, historical ficiton, Kerry Greenwood, Miss Fisher's mysteries

pixifer's CBR13 Review No:3 · Genres: Fiction, Mystery · Tags: 1920s, amateur detective, Australia, cozy mystery, historical ficiton, Kerry Greenwood, Miss Fisher's mysteries ·
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· 2 Comments

A middling Daisy Dalrymple story, but the characters make it worth reading

The Corpse at the Crystal Palace by Carola Dunn

April 5, 2020 by pixifer Leave a Comment

This review is specifically for The Corpse at the Crystal Palace but I’m including my thoughts on the Daisy Dalrymple series as a whole. The series takes place in England in the 1920s. The main character is Mrs. Daisy Fletcher (née the Honorable Daisy Dalrymple). Daisy is the youngest daughter of an English aristocrat and is married to Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher of the New Scotland Yard. Daisy keeps accidentally finding dead bodies and feels compelled to help Alec with his investigations. She is often […]

Filed Under: Fiction, Mystery Tagged With: 1920s, Carola Dunn, cozy mystery, England, english mystery, Fiction, historical ficiton, murder, mystery

pixifer's CBR12 Review No:25 · Genres: Fiction, Mystery · Tags: 1920s, Carola Dunn, cozy mystery, England, english mystery, Fiction, historical ficiton, murder, mystery ·
Rating:
· 0 Comments
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