Almost immediately, I had a problem with the verbosity and circumlocution of the dialogue. Fine--give an approximation of Victorian speech patterns, but don't waste pages on long-winded pomposity, especially since Dickens and Wilkie Collins don't sound in the least like this. I don't remember ever thinking, "Just move on," when reading Thomas Hardy, Jane Austin, the Bronte sisters, or Trollope.
The exception is Inspector Cutter; I loved his hilarious and biting remarks to people who won't get to the point. His character kept me engaged.
Supernatural and Gothic, The House on Vesper Sands has received a wide range of reviews on Goodreads. Inspector Cutter raised my opinion to 3 stars.
Supernatural Mystery. 2018; 2021. Print length: 408 pages.
Research librarian Jem Jago is enjoying cataloging the books in her best friend Paulie's ancient library, but of course, things take a turn when another body is discovered and her old friend Rhys Tremaine is the prime suspect.
Love the setting on St. Morwenna in the Scilly Isle of Cornwall and the characters.
A fun bit of escapism with characters I enjoy.
Thanks to Mystica for the pleasure of this one. :)
Kindle Unlimited. Bookouture
Cozy Mystery. 2021. Print length: 290 pages.
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One of my favorite sites is A Mighty Girl and their annual Halloween Costume Highlights is always delightful.
Another favorite place to visit is Steve McCurry, and I love his current take on conversation.
This link is to
Tête-à-tête
All the photographs are wonderful and so are the quotes!
I'm not through with garden clean up, but things are looking much better. Quite a lot is still blooming. I keep shelling peanuts for the cardinals, and maybe it is my imagination, but it seems that if the peanut feeder is empty in the morning, I get calls to do something about it.
Catching up on correspondence; not only because I love writing letters, but because I love decorating the envelopes. Sometimes collage, sometimes cartoons.
Have a good weekend!
Wow! I'd love to get a letter from you! I'd frame the envelope.
ReplyDeleteThat second book sounds like it would be an interesting read. As for the first one, I'm not sure that Inspector Cutter would be enough to save it for me.
I answer any letters I receive, Dorothy! Finding a personal letter or a postcard in the mailbox (and not just the flood of requests for donations or the adds) makes my day.
DeleteI love your decorated envelopes! And Dorothy's right; they deserve framing. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lark. I've always written letters, but when my kids were in college, I started playing with the envelopes and when the grands came along, it was another good excuse to play some more!
DeleteI LOVE your envelopes! I agree with Lark and Dorothy, they're definitely frame-worthy!
ReplyDeleteA Death at Candlewick Castle sounds really good. And the fact that it's in Kindle Unlimited is a plus. I've been checking more books out using it lately. :)
Thanks, Ashley! There are a lot of books on Kindle Unlimited, and I'm always happy when I find another one!
DeleteA Death at Candlewick Castle sounds like my sort of read. Love stories with librarian characters.
ReplyDeleteYour envelopes are amazing. I would love to get a letter from you.
I've decided that I enjoy this kind of cozy mystery, and I've enjoyed these two by Emma Jameson. :)
DeleteI answer any letter or postcard that makes it to my mailbox, and I respond to them. Maybe not immediately, but I do respond!
I've got The House on Vesper Sands in my queue, so it's going to be interesting to see how the pomposity affects me. Like you, I don't think I've ever "told" a Victorian writer to get on with it, but I know I have done with several modern ones!
ReplyDeleteMany people loved Vesper Sands, but I found the circumlocution annoying. Inspector Cutter, however, was a pleasure!
DeleteNot sure about the long-winded pomposity, but The House on Vesper Sands sounds like it has some interesting characters.
ReplyDeleteI always love getting letters from you; and most of all viewing at your hand draw, decorative envelopes. :) And that reminds me I still owe you a letter.
I think Vesper Sands is meant to be a new series with Octavia in the lead (she's a journalist investigating the disappearances), and I'd be interested to see if the author concentrates less on the florid dialogue and more on the mystery.
DeleteI love getting mail from Singapore, Melody! :)
Great envelopes especially the eggplant one! Also thanks for the links ... the Halloween highlights were hilarious ... I particularly liked the new RBG and Audrey Hepburn .... very classy girls!
ReplyDeleteA Mighty Girl is one of my favorite places to visit, and the Halloween highlights each year are so refreshing and fun. It was difficult to choose one photo to include!
DeleteI'd like to read the Vesper Sands book, will check my library. Love your personalized letters, not too many people write letters anymore. I miss my father's letters as he was always a prolific writer and told me about my childhood home.
ReplyDeleteI know, all kinds of communication are so easy now that writing a letter seems old-fashioned, but even as a kid I loved the idea of letters. It has been an off and on practice for years. I'm sure you treasure your father's letters!
DeleteYour envelopes are always so delightful and end up in my journals! :) The Vesper book sounds like it starts off great but I think the dialogue would get on my nerves too. Still may have to check that one out. And, I love the Steve McCurry photographs. I recently got my husband one of his books as my husband is really into photography.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing to say, Iliana! I love that you put the envelopes in your beautiful journals. Steve McCurry's photographs are wonderful aren't they? You should share some of your husband's photos!
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