Rooted : an Australian History of Bad Language by Amanda LaugesenIn 1821, the Reverend Robert Cartwright, an Anglican minister who had arrived in Sydney in 1810, provided testimony to the Bigge Commission, which was investigating how effective transportation was in deterring crime. The Crow Trap by Ann CleevesIf you were looking for Baikie's Cottage on … Continue reading My Reading – April 2021
Wanted! A Husband
Matrimonial advertisements were a common feature of the Wanted section of Australian newspapers in the second half of the 19th century; however, those placed by women were far less common than those by men. This is to be expected, in part, seeing that in the 19th century men outnumbered women, particularly in the earlier years, … Continue reading Wanted! A Husband
Book Review – Beware the Lizard Lurking by Vivienne Brereton
Beware the Lizard Lurking is the second book in Vivienne Brereton’s House of the Red Duke series which follows the fortunes of the House of Howard and the 2nd Duke of Norfolk, the elderly Thomas Howard. While Phoenix Rising, the first book, ranged over the years between 1497 and 1520, Beware the Lizard Lurking follows … Continue reading Book Review – Beware the Lizard Lurking by Vivienne Brereton
The Custard Corpses by M J Porter
Today, I’m delighted to be sharing an excerpt from M J Porter’s newly released book The Custard Corpses as part of a blog tour hosted by The Coffee Pot Book Club. Excerpt “I saw the paper last night,” Sam confirmed. “I was expecting you. And no, I’ve nothing new to offer. It’s been many years … Continue reading The Custard Corpses by M J Porter
My Reading – March 2021
Ross Poldark by Winston Graham Joshua Poldark died in March 1783. In February of that year, feeling that his tenure was becoming short, he sent for his brother from Trenwith. Beware the Lizard Lurking by Vivienne Brereton Snow-laden clouds lay low on the evening sky, threatening to release their heavy burden at any moment. Black … Continue reading My Reading – March 2021
Book Review – A Woman’s Lot by Carolyn Hughes
A Womans Lot is the second book in Carolyn Hughes’s The Meonbridge Chronicles which are set in the fictional village of Meonbridge in the Meon Valley, Hampshire. It begins in the Spring of 1352, two years after the end of Fortune’s Wheel, a wonderful novel which put a human face to the struggles of ordinary … Continue reading Book Review – A Woman’s Lot by Carolyn Hughes
My Reading – February 2021
A Woman's Lot by Carolyn HughesLuke blasphemed and Arthur whimpered as they tripped and stumbled over jutting roots and fallen branches, or lost their footing in the dips and hollows of the woodland floor. The Burning Girls by CJ TudorWhat kind of man am ?
Author Interview – Vivienne Brereton
Today I’m delighted to be talking to Vivienne Brereton about her recently released novel, Beware the Lizard Lurking. This is the second book in Vivienne’s series, The House of the Red Duke, which follows the fortunes of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, his family and those within his orbit. Vivienne, tell us a little … Continue reading Author Interview – Vivienne Brereton
Should I read on?
Some people judge a book not by its cover but by the opening lines, or perhaps the first page or two. It is wonderful when a brilliant beginning is followed by an equally sparkling book but often the momentum slows. At other times, the opening of a story is serviceable but the storytelling strengthens with … Continue reading Should I read on?
Book Review – Taking the Waters by Lesley Sainty
Following the death of her brother, Alice Elliot finds herself independently wealthy. At the suggestion of family friend and solicitor, Edmund Walter, she decides to come to Cheltenham to consider how she will spend her life from now on. She arrives at the height of the spa season when the fashionable and wealthy come to … Continue reading Book Review – Taking the Waters by Lesley Sainty
Catherine Meyrick 