I am so ashamed that this book sat on my NetGalley shelf for so long! I was missing an absolute treat – and I’m not alone in my opinion as this was recently voted as Bert’s Books’ Book of the Year by readers on Twitter.
The story opens in Belfast in 1914, a city still grieving the loss of the Titanic two years before. A scientist, William Crawford Jackson, is working at the Institute and living in the city with his wife, Elizabeth, and three children. Having suffered a personal loss in the Titanic sinking, Elizabeth is reeling with grief and, like many of the city’s residents, open to the new ideas of spiritualism that oppose everything her sceptical husband stands for. When he hears mysterious voices at one of Kathleen Goligher’s seances, he starts on a quest to discover the truth…
Wow, this is such a cleverly-plotted book! As I followed William on his lengthy journey to find answers, I found myself really unsure what to think about spiritualism – and this is an absolute strength of the novel. Are the practitioners genuine conduits between the living and the dead, or are they frauds looking to play on other’s grief? Are those who attend the seances merely naive and silly, or pitiable figures whose emotions are being manipulated? West keeps his cards incredibly close to his chect until the end of the novel. As William vacillated in his own thoughts, I found myself being pulled along and as keen for answers as he was.
The setting of the book is also a triumph – a perfect historical moment for this story and some genuinely creepy settings, from the Goligher’s seance room to the austere halls of the Institute with their sinister statues. There are some truly frightening elements in play here and West uses them well to create a sense of rising horror – the images of the Titanic victims that keep being recalled are horrific and vivid and the sensory description slightly stomach-churning at times.
William Crawford Jackson is a brilliant choice of narrator – he is both based on a real person (as is Kathleen Goligher) and wildly unreliable as he narrates his experiences. His voice is distinctive and strong – he starts out as a kind of mildly comic Edwardian man in the model of Charles Pooter from ‘The Diary of a Nobody’ and then expands into something much more multi-dimensional and complex. Lady Adelia Carter begins as a snobby Lady Bracknell character, yet also takes quite a journey over the course of the novel. The characterisation is pitch-perfect throughout, and there is the added bonus of cameos by Arthur Conan Doyle (himself an advocate of spiritualism) and Harry Houdini (for the history nerds like me!)
I can also imagine this is a gorgeous book to have a physical copy of as there are some beautiful illustrations that start each of the novel’s main sections.
There is so much to love about this novel and I recommend it highly to all lovers of cleverly-plotted and immersive historical fiction. For me, this is up there with the best writing by authors like Sarah Waters, Laura Purcell and Andrew Taylor. I really wish I had read this sooner and it is one that will stay with me for some time to come. The end – when it comes – is surprising and eye-opening and entirely unforeseen. I defy anyone to predict it – although you will have fun trying.
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I recently reviewed ‘Dear Reader’ by Cathy Rentzenbrink (you can see the review here) and many of the comments I received were about the fact that people really love books about books!
With this in mind, I thought I’d introduce you to some of my favourites!
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‘Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading’ by Lucy Mangan
As a life-long bookworm, I could not wait to get my hands on Mangan’s book about her childhood reading. I’m always keen to read about the experiences of one of my own tribe of book obsessives and was anticipating a blast from the past of my own childhood reading.
I was absolutely not disappointed. Being a similar age to Mangan, a lot of her book choices are cosily familiar and she writes with humour and passion. It was lovely to hear her take on old favourites, such as The Borrowers and Goodnight Mister Tom, as well as many books that I loved as a child and have recently shared with my own children. It was also wonderful to hear echoes of my own adult reservations about some of the books I loved as a child – growing up really does put some of them in a new and unflattering light!
I was also reminded of some books I haven’t thought about for about 20 years…for example, Love and Betrayal and Hold the Mayo (anyone?!) Of course not all of Mangan’s choices were familiar, but it’s so well written that it feels like a friend recommending you great new reads.
What I really loved was Mangan’s defence of being a bookworm as it is something a lot of people don’t understand. Bits of this made me laugh out loud as it was all so familiar.
I’d strongly recommend this to any keen readers who want a humorous, nostalgic trip through the bookcases of their childhood. I suspect it will particularly strike a chord with (probably female) bookworms of a similar age to Mangan (I think 43) who will have a great time rediscovering their love of Sweet Valley High, Judy Blume and other classics!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
‘The Year of Reading Dangerously: How Fifty Great Books Saved My Life’ by Andy Miller
This is another one I only have a Kindle copy of and I regret that – it is definitely one that I would love to dip back in to sometimes.
I really loved this book. Andy Miller is very funny and the book really struck a chord with me. He is a Literature graduate (like me) with a young family (like me when I read this) and really missed reading, so he decided to tackle all the books he claimed to have read in the past and the ones he thinks he should have read.
I think we can all relate to this – as a Literature graduate, there are definitely books that were on my course that I ‘should’ have read or ones that I have a vague idea I might have read bits of only (*ahem* most of Charles Dickens and even a lot of Jane Austen. I know).
His ‘List of Betterment’ was really interesting and made me think about what I want to read – it actually inspired me to pick up ‘War and Peace’ again and I did get a fair way through it…OK, not all the way, but it’s a start and it turns out I like the Peace so much more than the War…
It was a shame that the book didn’t cover all 50 of the books, but I really enjoyed reading about his year as he writes so entertainingly. I heartily recommend this if you want a clever, witty and relatable jaunt through a reading challenge.
‘The Anna Karenina Fix: Life Lessons from Russian Literature’ by Viv Groskop
Another memoir-style book about books, this one follows Viv Groskop as she relates what she has learnt from Russian literature. Like Andy Miller, she is an engaging and lively narrator and this one is definitely worth a read.
I picked this up because I liked Russian literature at university (confession: all in English translation, obviously, and I didn’t like it enough to read all of ‘Crime and Punishment’. Wow, that is bleak). Groskop actually studied Russian at university and lived in Russia for a time, mistakenly believing she was getting back to her roots (it turns out she actually has Polish ancestry).
The book is a very funny trip through Groskop’s Russian adventures as told in a series of mini-essays about what we can learn from classic Russian literature. A lot of it was familiar to me from my university forays into these books, but there were also some really new (to me) and interesting ones covered too.
‘Dear Fahrenheit 451: A Librarian’s Love Letters and Break-Up Notes to Her Books’ by Annie Spence
This is a really unusual idea, but an interesting one! It’s a series of letters to books that Spence has fallen out of love with and books that she is ‘weeding’ from the library she works at to take out of circulation.
It’s really entertainingly written – there’s a lot about the library and some of its patrons as well as about the books themselves. There’s a lot of American books here (Spence is American) and more Sci-Fi than I would read, but it is so engaging – it would be especially amazing for readers who share Spence’s genre interests.
This is worth reading for the section on Judy Blume’s ‘Forever’ – a book that probably needs no introduction for anyone of my generation!
‘Books that Changed the World: The 50 Most Influential Books in Human History’ by Andrew Taylor
I loved the idea behind this one – to take 50 books that have had a huge impact on the world and write a short essay on each (5 or 6 pages each) explaining their main ideas and why they had such an impact.
Some I was familiar with already and are well-known (e.g. Homer’s ‘Iliad’ and Johnson’s Dictionary) but some choices were really unexpected and it was fascinating to read Taylor’s views on why they were so important. It also gave me more information on books that I really should know more about (for example religious texts, a personal blind spot for me!) It was also lovely to see some old favourites mentioned – a bit of nostalgia for my degree course!
‘1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die’ by Peter Boxall
From 50 books in Taylor’s view to 1001 that you MUST read before you die! I love this kind of list book, but I will never get near having read even a fraction of these books!
This is a lovely reference book for bookworms because it features so many fabulous books – some of which you will recognise and others that are new. Because it isn’t just about books published in English (although obviously English translations are available for them all), it is really interesting to read about classic and highly-regarded books from other countries. Each book also has an accompanying picture too, so this is a great book to have a browse through.
Be warned: this is a dangerous book for anyone’s TBR!
‘Read This Next…And Discover Your 500 New Favourite Books’ by Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark
This is another book that might well destroy your TBR. It has sections about some brilliant books (12 books per section, divided into themes like ‘Family’ or ‘Love’ or ‘History’) and then recommendations of other books to read if you enjoyed the focus book.
What I loved about this book was that it contained so many books I already really loved (it is always nice to spot something familiar in these books!) However, it also introduced me to many books that I hadn’t heard of, or knew the title only – the synopses are interesting and really give you a sense of whether you’d like the book. There are also some really interesting boxes of information sprinkled through the book – snippets about writers or quirky facts or context – that are a brilliant addition.
There’s also discussion points for book groups which are fascinating – some real food for thought and ways to think about the books that I’d never really considered.
‘The Novel Cure: An A to Z of Literary Remedies’ by Ella Berthoud and Susan Elderkin
This is another book which recommends books to readers, but this time based on a range of ailments that need a literary cure!
Arranged like a medical dictionary, you look up your ‘ailment’ and get your literary prescription (which is then explained to you so you get a flavour of the book recommended).
Is your problem ‘being fifty-something’? Look it up and there are ten novels recommended for you. Maybe you have that ‘Monday morning feeling’ – the cure is ‘Mrs Dalloway’ by Virginia Woolf! Road rage? Shame? Yearning for home? They’re all here with the perfect literary remedy.
This is a fun idea and an engaging read, but it also introduced me to some great new books!
‘Literary Landscapes: Charting the Real-Life Settings of the World’s Favourite Fiction’ edited by John Sutherland
As well as books, I also have an obsession with maps so this one is perfect for me!
It’s beautifully illustrated (sometimes with maps, often with book illustrations, book covers and author photos) and takes the reader on a trip around the worlds created in fiction. These range from the worlds of Romantic or Modernist novels to contemporary books – date-wise this means from Austen’s ‘Persuasion’ to books published in the last decade.
The focus on the places behind the novels or that shaped them is always fascinating and it is another book that – sorry – will probably add to your TBR!
‘What Matters in Jane Austen: Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved’ by John Mullan
This is a must-read for any Jane Austen fan as it explains some of the things that seem a bit puzzling for the modern reader. It is also really engagingly written by someone who really knows their stuff – I saw John Mullan speaking at the Hay Festival and can confirm he is a fascinating chap!
This is a great book if you have ever wondered about the conventions and norms of society sitting behind Austen’s stories – from proposals of marriage to money to how the characters address each other, it’s all here.
It also asks some interesting questions about Austen’s body of work such as ‘Is there any sex in Jane Austen?’ and ‘Why do her plots rely on blunders?’ The answers are always readable and often surprising! (Spoiler: there is a lot of sex in Jane Austen’s books! It might be euphemistically referred to but it is there!)
Phew, that’s 10 brilliant books about books! However, I thought that there should also be some ‘honourable mentions’ – books that are also absolutely awesome but I couldn’t fit on my list here:
‘The Complete Polysyllabic Spree: The Diary of an Occasionally Exasperated but Ever Hopeful Reader’ by Nick Hornby – this is a collection of Hornby’s essays on ‘Stuff I’ve Been Reading’ that were originally published in a US magazine in the noughties. If you like Nick Hornby, you’ll like this.
‘Madresfield: The Real Brideshead’ by Jane Mulvagh – this one really stemmed from my love of Evelyn Waugh’s ‘Brideshead Revisited’. It is about the house and the family that inspired the novel and is a fascinating slice of history.
‘Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead’ – yes, OK, I have a Brideshead obsession! This is really engagingly written, and this time focused on Evelyn Waugh himself and his his relationship with the Lygon family at Madresfield. I read this when I was pregnant and gave me my daughter’s name – Evelyn Waugh was married to a lady called…Evelyn!
‘The Writer’s Map: An Atlas of Imaginary Lands’ by Huw Lewis-Jones – a gorgeous book that only doesn’t appear higher up the list because I couldn’t find my copy! Packed with maps of lands created only in writers’ imaginations from Treasure Island to the Marauders’ Map in Harry Potter, this is worth every penny.
‘The Literary Detective: 100 Puzzles in Classic Fiction’ by John Sutherland – Sutherland is always an interesting guide to literature and this book (in the vein of Mullan’s Austen book mentioned above) seeks to solve things that might not make sense to readers of classic novels.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my list – please do let me know of any books about books that you love. I’m always on the lookout!
Published in April 2020, this is the latest in the Marwood and Lovett series set in the aftermath of the Great Fire of London.
I've followed this series from the start and was keen for my next installment of Marwood's adventures as government agent in Restoration London. I did struggle a little more with the last book but was pleased that this one was (for me) a more enjoyable and pacy read.
The story opens with a duel being fought by the Duke of Buckingham, a powerful man but one that needs keeping on side for the king. Added into the messy aftermath of the duel is the return of Richard Cromwell to London, another potential problem in a society divided in so many ways. Marwood is sent on various tasks in order to unravel the potential threats to law and order, but his loyalties are tested due to his friendship with Cat Lovett (now Hakesby), the daughter of a regicide. In a London where everyone has secrets, Marwood has to work out who to trust and avoid those who have their sights on stopping him at any cost.
This is another meticulously-researched and beautifully written installment in the series. The relationship between Marwood and Cat is presented engagingly, being based on mutual trust but also as fragile and tentative as they try to support each other in treacherous times. The supporting characters are also well-written and credible and the plot twists keep coming. Highly recommended, but if you are new to the series then best to start at the beginning of the series as there is much to enjoy throughout.
I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Today’s post is all about my absolute favourite genre: historical crime fiction. I love the pace and puzzle of the investigations, but also the rich texture of the historical settings.
While a Victorian setting is usually my go-to, I’ve found and enjoyed a whole host of excellent series covering a much wider time period – although (spoiler alert) I really can’t get on with the Tudors so there are some very popular series missing from my list!
With that little proviso up front and in no particular order, off we go with the historical crime series that I would choose over all others…
Blood and Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
1. LAURA SHEPHERD-ROBINSON’S GEORGIAN LONDON SERIES.
Firstly, a plea for you to read Laura Shepherd Robinson’s absolutely amazing ‘Blood and Sugar’. Set in London in 1781, this is an atmospheric page-turner that, while taking in slavery and a horrific murder, is so beautifully written that you won’t want it to end. The publication of the sequel, ‘Daughters of Night’, has been pushed back to January 2021 because of Covid, but I cannot praise it highly enough – and you will want to have read the first one before it comes out.
2. C.S. HARRIS – THE SEBASTIAN ST CYR GEORGIAN MYSTERIES.
What Remains of Heaven by C.S. Harris
A bit lighter than Shepherd-Robinson’s series, C.S Harris’ series is also set in Georgian England towards the end of George III’s reign and through into the Regency. Sebastian St Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is the dashing but damaged hero and there is a romance sub-plot alongside the mysteries that make these books compelling. Start with ‘What Angels Fear’ and work through the series in order – there are 15 books to enjoy in total.
Stack of mystery novels set in Georgian England
3. IMOGEN ROBERTSON’S CROWTHER AND WESTERMAN SERIES – GEORGIAN ENGLAND.
Without wanting to sound obsessed with the Georgians, this is another great series set in that time period. It pairs an unlikely duo, the lively and spirited Harriet Westerman and a reclusive anatomist Gabriel Crowther, to solve a series of murders. The first book is ‘Instruments of Darkness’ and it’s a brilliant opener to an engaging series.
4. ALAN BRADLEY’S FLAVIA DE LUCE SERIES SET IN 195OS RURAL ENGLAND.
Coming slightly more up to date is the charming and witty crime series featuring 11 year-old sleuth and amateur chemist, Flavia de Luce. If you’re not sold on the idea of a child detective, then hear me out – nor was I, but Flavia is feisty and funny and these books are a lovely, cosy crime series. The setting is an idealised 1950s England full of eccentric characters and secrets for Flavia to uncover. The series begins with ‘The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie’ and establishes Flavia’s dysfunctional family beautifully.
5. (NOT PICTURED) E.S. THOMSON’S JEM FLOCKHART SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN LONDON.
Jem Flockhart, apothecary and focus of E.S. Thomson’s series, is a fascinating character – a woman living as a man in Victorian London in order to be able to practise her trade and live in relative freedom. The mysteries, starting with ‘Beloved Poison’, are quite dark and a bit gruesome, but also fascinating and tense.
6. CLAUDE IZNER’S VICTOR LEGRIS SERIES SET IN LATE VICTORIAN-ERA PARIS.
Starting with ‘Murder on the Eiffel Tower’ and translated from the French, this is a series following Victor Legris, a Parisian bookseller, as he solves crimes in an evocatively-presented 19th century setting.
7. (NOT PICTURED) AMBROSE PARRY’S WILL RAVEN SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN EDINBURGH.
Ambrose Parry is a pseudonym – these books are written by a husband and wife, crime writer Chris Brookmyre and consultant anaesthetist Dr Marisa Haetzman. The main character, Will Raven, is a medical student in Victorian Edinburgh where the atmosphere is dark and sinister. Be warned that the writing is forensic and graphic so this isn’t for the faint hearted. ‘The Way of all Flesh’ is the first book and there is a recently published sequel, also excellent.
Two historical crime novels
8. ABIR MUKHERJEE’S WYNDHAM AND BANERJEE SERIES STARTING IN 1919 INDIA.
This series, starting with ‘A Rising Man’, is an eye-opening and always immersive trip through a period of British rule in India. Primarily focused on Calcutta, the detectives are British policeman Captain Sam Wyndham and his Indian sergeant, Banerjee. The historical setting is beautifully drawn and the political events of the period make a fascinating backdrop for the murder investigations while also providing a light-touch education on the history of empire. The fourth book in the series has just been published.
9. DEANNA RAYBOURN’S VERONICA SPEEDWELL SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND.
Veronica Speedwell is a highly unconventional heroine living an unlikely existence as adventurer and butterfly collector. She gets herself into scrapes, has scandalous love affairs and solves crimes too with her partner/fellow scientist/potential love interest, Stoker. These mysteries are pacy and a lot of fun but lighter on the history than some of my other choices. The series starts, appropriately, with ‘A Curious Beginning’.
Deadly Communion by Frank Tallis
10. FRANK TALLIS’ MAX LIEBERMANN SERIES SET IN 1900S VIENNA.
Max Liebermann is a doctor and early practitioner of psychoanalysis as a follower of Freud. The mysteries in this series are intelligent and accompanied by descriptions of the delicious Austrian pastries that Max enjoys during his forays into Viennese cafe society. The series begins with ‘Mortal Mischief’.
11. NICOLA UPSON’S JOSEPHINE TEY SERIES STARTING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM OF THE 1930S .
Nicola Upson’s series is a fictional imagining of the life of Josephine Tey, a real-life Golden Age novelist and playwright. The first in the series, ‘An Expert in Murder’, establishes the delicate balance of fact and fiction typical of the series. The books don’t have the pace and peril of some of my other choices, but are always thought-provoking and clever.
12. ANDREW TAYLOR’S JAMES MARWOOD SERIES SET IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE 1666 GREAT FIRE OF LONDON.
This series opens with a body found in the ruins of St. Paul’s cathedral after the Great Fire of London has ravaged the city. James Marwood is a government informer with a tendency to – against his better judgement – get caught up in the political matters of the day. The first book, ‘The Ashes of London’, sets up the complex political situation and establishes Marwood’s partnership with Cat Lovett, another figure caught up in politics because of her family history.
13. BORIS AKUNIN’S ERAST FANDORIN SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN-ERA RUSSIA.
Beginning with ‘The Winter Queen’, this is a lively and engaging series starting in 1870s Russia. The main character is Erast Fandorin, an investigator from St. Petersburg (at the start of the series). The mysteries themselves are suitable twisty and compelling with a dash of wit and plenty of charm.
14. TASHA ALEXANDER’S LADY EMILY SERIES SET IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND.
Lady Emily is widowed at the start of the series (‘And Only to Deceive’) and it is this that gives her the freedom to investigate mysteries surrounding her dead husband. Although the series starts in Victorian London, later books in the series visit other places such as Venice and St. Petersburg where Lady Emily always finds herself embroiled in mystery. This series is quite light and fun for those who don’t want anything gruesome!
Pile of historical mystery novels
15. (NOT PICTURED) ANDREA PENROSE’S WREXFORD AND SLOANE SERIES SET IN REGENCY LONDON.
This is another series featuring an unlikely pairing of detectives – this time the Earl of Wrexford and widowed artist Emily Sloane. The mysteries, beginning with ‘Murder on Black Swan Lane’, are cleverly plotted and engaging, plus the Regency setting is convincing.
I hope this list helps you find your next historical crime series. I’m now feeling guilty about all the books I’ve loved that didn’t make the list!
Over the next few days I’ll publish some of my recent reviews of books in the series mentioned above. Please do follow me to read these!
