Murder Crossed her Mind

‘I wonder if there are any more?’ I said to myself, as I came across the first two crime novels by Stephen Spotswood on my shelves. ‘It’s been a while.’

As I may have mentioned before, I am a witch, and within a week there was a book in the post. I must have sensed something there. It was Stephen’s fourth novel featuring Pentecost and Parker, and I naturally set about looking for the third. It had been published just a month previously (so I will have to get my hands on that one as well).

There is only one, major, spoiler if you read the books out of order (I simply couldn’t wait). And it is a positive spoiler, so I wouldn’t worry about it.

Set in 1947 this one is about an elderly woman who remembers everything, but who has now gone missing. The FBI is involved, and there are Nazis. Possibly, anyway. Parker puts herself in some danger and tries to sort it out on her own. But then, her boss, Pentecost, is also quite keen to avoid involving others at times.

Murder Crossed her Mind is as excellent as the earlier books. It does end with something of a cliffhanger, though, so I am trusting that number five will be along shortly! The crimes are interesting, there is a lot of humour and kindness, and Pentecost and Parker are two seriously enjoyable detectives.

Advent at Helmersbruk

This was just lovely! The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor, by Eva Frantz, is that wonderful thing; a great Christmas story, and offering the reader – if you start on time – a chapter a day for Advent. (Next year I will do that. Because there will be a next read.)

Flora and her mother end up spending December in Helmersbruk, because the change will do them good. They have never been before, and find some aspects of life in this seaside town a little strange, or unexpected. But Flora likes it.

She discovers some puzzling things around the manor house, and somehow she feels as if she belongs; that she has the right to be there and to look into this mystery.

It’s a sweet fantasy, and an interesting look back at life as it was a hundred years ago, through the eyes of a modern child. It’s really very good. Do read. (If you feel it’s too late now, get the book to have it ready for next Advent.)

I’m in my book!

I joked with Daughter before Christmas, suggesting maybe she was knitting me a present.

She was, after a fashion. She made me a photo book of our North American tour a year ago. It was a complete surprise, and between you and me, far better than a jumper.

I have ‘read’ it several times already, and will return to it any minute again. It features diners, grilled cheese, trains, some tall buildings, and much more.

The cover photo shows the two of us queening it in Queens.

The Resident IT Consultant also gave me a book, but a more conventional one, found on the Witch’s wish list.

Christmas reading

This turned up today. It will be just perfect for some Christmas reading; even pre-Christmas if I ignore the chores. And with a book like this, who wouldn’t?

The Secret of Helmersbruk Manor, A Christmas Mystery by Eva Frantz, and translated by A A Prime, with illustrations by Elin Sandström. Eva is a Swedish-speaking Finn, while Elin is Swedish. The cover is gorgeous, and I can’t wait to not do any boring work.

I may well tell you more at a later point.

Benjamin Zephaniah’s Dead

Sad to learn that Benjamin Zephaniah has died. Far too young at 65, and such a good person. That sounds a strange description, but he was steps apart from many of us. Wise, vegan, knew what he wanted, and able to say ‘no’ when required.

In the very early days of my Bookwitchery I requested one of his children’s novels from a publisher I’d had no previous connection with. That first email led to years of a good relationship with this one publicist, and I never think of her without also thinking of Benjamin.

Back then, when I often emailed authors, I knew I couldn’t email him as he didn’t do email. Instead I wrote Benjamin an old-school letter, via his publisher.

He wrote back. A brief handwritten note.