Tag Archive | HQ

The Lamplighter’s Bookshop by Sophie Austin

Mar2

Show Me

The Lamplighter’s Bookshop by Sophie Austin is a marvellous historical novel that I read in just two sittings.

The action is set in York in 1899. The world is on the brink of change but young women were still expected to sit at home and make marriage alliances.

The leading lady is a modern miss, through necessity, and by choice, she takes a job in the lamplighter’s bookshop. She is very good at it. With her independence gained, she must keep it a secret from her mother.

There are others keeping secrets and lies. Some are outright crooks and gamblers; others are just kind hearts who cannot say ‘no!’ We witness a loan spiraling out of control due to unscrupulous money lenders who prey on those less fortunate.

The path to true love doesn’t always run smoothly. There are bumps and misunderstandings along the way. Hearts need to be brave and say how they really feel. Characters need to show their love to others.

Continue reading →

Murder On The Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood

Jan16

Engaging, Entertaining & Wholesome

Murder On The Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood is a fabulous contemporary cosy crime novel that gripped me from the start. It is the fourth book in The Marlow Murder Club series but can be read as a stand-alone.

I enjoyed meeting up with familiar faces – the trio of women who are amateur super sleuths. On the surface they look quite ordinary but underneath – the seventy-nine-year-old, middle-aged lady and the vicar’s wife – have the extraordinary capacity to sniff out and solve murders!

Like the fictional Miss Marple, the three are relentless in their pursuit of the solution to the crime. They are the thorns in the side of local police woman Tanika – although she secretly approves and appreciates their puzzle solving abilities.

We follow some amateur dramatic actors following the murder of one of their own. No one seems to have been able to commit the crime but everyone has a motive – who could it be? Is the truth stranger than fiction?

The three leading ladies are a formidable team. They all have unique qualities and work well together. Their friendship proves that together they are stronger.

Continue reading →

The Christmas Cottage by Sarah Morgan

Jan14

Jigsaw Pieces

The Christmas Cottage by Sarah Morgan is a most charming Christmas contemporary novel that I absolutely adored.

Once more Sarah Morgan has captured the essence of Christmas within her book. Christmas is family, fun, laughter – all things that had been missing from the leading lady’s life.

We see the loneliness of never having anyone to depend on, the feeling of utter abandonment as a character throws herself into her work. “When life is hard, it sometimes helps to have no time to think about it.”

When burnout is close, a character realizes that something must change. “You couldn’t undo the past, but you could do your very best with the future.” The past is gone, the future lies ahead. “The past was gone and she wasn’t going to let it contaminate the present.”

Everyone makes choices that have consequences. “The choices were their own and you had no control over that.” We are not responsible for the choices of others. We are only responsible for our own choices.”

Continue reading →

Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd

Nov27

Amateur Sleuthing

Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd is a simply marvellous contemporary cosy crime novel that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Miss Beeton is rather like a modern-day Miss Marple as when a crime occurs, she uses all her powers of amateur sleuthing to investigate. She believes that she will solve the crime quicker than the police.

Although there is a contemporary setting, the novel has a retro feel to it. It feels like a time when life was simpler. The reader feels as if they are in a bygone age of servants, masters and large houses.

Miss Beeton is a very likable heroine. She runs her agency with precision. She is also a (fictional) relative of Mrs Isabella Beeton, of the cook book fame. As an off-shoot, there are recipes included from the famous Mrs Beeton. They certainly tempt the reader’s tastebuds.

All the characters were wonderfully drawn, they were an eclectic mix. I loved the inclusion of Agatha, Miss Beeton’s little dog. She is named after Agatha Christie and really is a character in her own right.

Continue reading →