strange and random happenstance

Wild Sign by Patricia Briggs
Published by: Ace
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mated werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham must discover what could make an entire community disappear - before it's too late - in this thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling Alpha and Omega series.

In the wilds of the Northern California mountains, all the inhabitants of a small town have gone missing. It's as if the people picked up and left their possessions behind. With a mystery on their hands and no jurisdiction on private property, the FBI dumps the whole problem in the lap of the land owner, Aspen Creek, Inc. - aka the business organization of the Marrok's pack.

Somehow, the pack of the Wolf Who Rules is connected to a group of vanished people. Werewolves Charles Cornick and Anna Latham are tasked with investigating, and soon find that a deserted town is the least of the challenges they face.

Death sings in the forest, and when it calls, Charles and Anna must answer. Something has awakened in the heart of the California mountains, something old and dangerous - and it has met werewolves before."

This must read installment in Briggs's Mercyverse should be subtitled "So many longstanding questions answered!" Seriously. So. Many.

What Abigail Did That Summer by Ben Aaronovitch
Published by: Subterranean Press
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 232 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Ghost hunter, fox whisperer, troublemaker. It is the summer of 2013 and Abigail Kamara has been left to her own devices. This might, by those who know her, be considered a mistake. While her cousin, police constable and apprentice wizard Peter Grant, is off in the sticks chasing unicorns Abigail is chasing her own mystery. Teenagers around Hampstead Heath have been going missing but before the police can get fully engaged the teens return home - unharmed but vague about where they've been. Aided only by her new friend Simon, her knowledge that magic is real and a posse of talking foxes that think they're spies, Abigail must venture into the wilds of Hampstead to discover who is luring the teenagers and more importantly - why?"

I love it when Subterranean Press comes out with side volumes to series I love. Also look at the badge! It's so Moonrise Kingdom!

Mike Mignola: The Quarantine Sketchbook by Mike Mignola
Published by: Dark Horse Books
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 232 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"During the coronavirus quarantine, legendary Hellboy creator Mike Mignola posted original pencil sketches online and auctioned off the art to raise money for José Andres' World Central Kitchen. The sketches went viral and were the talk of the comics internet.

Now those sketches are published in print for the first time, with all profits going to the World Central Kitchen.

This new, oversized hardcover collection is a must have for Mignola readers and art fans alike. The book features an introduction by Mignola, alongside sketches of Hellboy, beloved and unexpected pop culture characters, macabre chess pieces, gothic vegetable creatures, strange vampires, and more."

It's like win win here, I love Mike Mignola and I love chef José Andres!

Carmen and the House That Gaudi Built by Susan Hughes and Marianne Ferrer
Published by: Owlkids
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 32 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A joyful celebration of the nature-inspired work of architect Antoni Gaud.

Carmen Batll and Dragon, her imaginary salamander friend, love exploring the woods behind their home. But when Carmen's family announces a move to the city, Carmen is miserable. Not only will she lose her connection to nature, she will also lose Dragon. After all, the city is no place for salamanders.

As she watches her family's new house take shape under famous architect Antoni Gaud, Carmen discovers Gaud also has a passion for the natural world. Walls curve and rise like a cave, mosaic flooring sparkles like lilies on a pond, and a fireplace shaped like a mushroom keeps the house warm. Best of all, there's even a place for Dragon

Inspired by the real Batll family and the house Gaud designed for them, this picture book encourages readers to find inspiration in their surroundings and keep their hearts open to change. Stunning watercolor illustrations bring Gaud 's inventive designs to life. An author's note provides more information about the real story behind the house and Gaud 's lifelong passion for nature."

I love it when artists are celebrated by other artists in other mediums, it's just so much artistic love!

A Tapestry of Light by Kimberly Duffy
Published by: Bethany House Publishers
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Calcutta, 1886.

Ottilie Russell is adrift between two cultures, British and Indian, belonging to both and neither. In order to support her little brother, Thaddeus, and her grandmother, she relies upon her skills in beetle-wing embroidery that have been passed down to her through generations of Indian women.

When a stranger appears with the news that Thaddeus is now Baron Sunderson and must travel to England to take his place as a nobleman, Ottilie is shattered by the secrets that come to light. Despite her growing friendship with Everett Scott, friend to Ottilie's English grandmother and aunt, she refuses to give up her brother. Then tragedy strikes, and she is forced to make a decision that will take Thaddeus far from death and herself far from home.

But betrayal and loss lurk in England, too, and soon Ottilie must fight to ensure Thaddeus doesn't forget who he is, as well as find a way to stitch a place for herself in this foreign land."

Yes, this has so many of the things I love in a book, but the uniqueness of the beetle-wing embroidery is what made it stand out. 

The Whispering House by Elizabeth Brooks
Published by: Tin House Books
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 388 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"From the acclaimed author of The Orphan of Salt Winds.

It was like holding a couple of jigsaw pieces in my palm, knowing there was a whole picture to be made, if I could only find the rest.

Freya Lyell is struggling to move on from her sister Stella’s death five years ago. Visiting the bewitching Byrne Hall, only a few miles from the scene of the tragedy, she discovers a portrait of Stella - a portrait she had no idea existed, in a house Stella never set foot in. Or so she thought.

Driven to find out more about her sister’s secrets, Freya is drawn into the world of Byrne Hall and its owners: charismatic artist Cory and his sinister, watchful mother. But as Freya lingers in this mysterious, centuries-old house, her relationship with Cory crosses the line into obsession and the darkness behind the locked doors of the estate threatens to spill out.

In prose as lush and atmospheric as Byrne Hall itself, Elizabeth Brooks weaves a simmering, propulsive tale of art, sisterhood, and all-consuming love: the ways it can lead us toward tenderness, nostalgia, and longing, as well as shocking acts of violence."

Unknown portrait in mysterious manor house? Tell me more!

Not Yet Dark by Peter Robinson
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One of the world's greatest suspense writers returns with the 27th novel featuring the legendary detective Alan Banks in the mystery series Stephen King calls “the best now on the market.”

When property developer Connor Clive Blaydon is found dead, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks and his Yorkshire team dive into the investigation. As luck would have it, someone had installed a cache of spy-cams all around his luxurious home. The team hope that they’ll find answers - and the culprit - among the video recordings.

Instead of discovering Connor’s murderer, however, the grainy and blurred footage reveals another crime: a brutal rape. If they can discover the woman’s identity, it could lead to more than justice for the victim; it could change everything the police think they know about Connor and why anyone would want him dead.

Meanwhile, tensions are rising between Banks and his friend, Zelda. A super recognizer - able to recognize faces significantly better than most people - Zelda is determined to bring the men who abused her to justice. But stirring up the murky waters of the past will put her in far greater danger than ever before, and Banks worries that he won’t be able to stop her from plunging too deep before it’s too late."

One my mom would have wanted to read. 

The Cook of the Halcyon by Andrea Camilleri
Published by: Penguin Books
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 256 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The new novel in the transporting New York Times bestselling Inspector Montalbano mystery series.

Two deaths, the suicide a newly laid-off worker and an unscrupulous businessman found murdered, leads Inspector Montalbano to inspect the Halcyon, a nearly abandoned mysterious ship with no passengers."

Another one my mom would have been excited for. 

Behind the Lens: My Life by David Suchet
Published by: Constable
Publication Date: March 16th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the early days of my career, I didn't think I stood a hope in hell. Look at me: I'm short, stocky, slightly overweight, deep of voice, passionate, dark haired, olive skinned, hardly your typical Englishman. What chance did I have, going into the world of British theatre?

David Suchet has been a stalwart of British stage and screen for fifty years. From Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, Freud to Poirot, Edward Teller to Doctor Who, Harold Pinter to Terence Rattigan, Questions of Faith to Decline and Fall, right up to 2019's The Price, David has done it all. Throughout this spectacular career, David has never been without a camera, enabling him to vividly document his life in photographs. Seamlessly combining photo and memoir, Behind the Lens is the story of David's remarkable life, showcasing his wonderfully evocative photographs and accompanied by his insightful and engaging commentary.

In Behind the Lens, David discusses his London upbringing and love of the city, his Jewish roots and how they have influenced his career, the importance of his faith, how he really feels about fame, his love of photography and music, and his processes as an actor. He looks back on his fifty-year career, including reflections on how the industry has changed, his personal highs and lows, and how he wants to be remembered. And, of course, life after Poirot and why he's still grieving for the eccentric Belgian detective.

An autobiography with a difference, this is David Suchet as you've never seen him before - from behind the lens."

This is a magnificant book, I should know, I ordered my copy from Waterstones when it went on sale in England so I could get a signed copy. WORTH IT!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alpha and Omega, Andrea Camilleri, Ben Aaronovitch, David Suchet, Elizabeth Brooks, Gaudi, José Andres, Kimberly Duffy, Marianne Ferrer, Mike Mignola, Patricia Briggs, Peter Robinson, Poirot, Susan Hughes

Emma is one of the perennial Austen adaptations. Every few years another one comes along. Last year we were treated to the delightful Anya Taylor-Joy version, or as I refer to it, the Miranda Hart version. Because Miranda Hart is a goddess and why oh why would they try to remake her TV series!?! Deep breath, let it go. Back to Austen... But for all the adaptations out there, from the Gwyneth Paltrow with the oddly healthy and robust Jane Fairfax to Andrew Davies' overly creepy Mr. Knightly, there are only two I feel are worth mentioning, the 2010 Romola Garai adaptation and Clueless. And then, if I'm being pedantic, the Emma miniseries wins because it's the only one of the two where our heroine is named Emma Woodhouse. This version with it's four episodes was given room to breath. Room to actually include her family for once! I mean, you wouldn't cast Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse and then relagate him to a chair with no dialogue like the Gwyneth Paltrow version now would you? I should hope not! Though it's because of the inspired casting of Miss Woodhouse that this adaptation shines. Romola Garai is perfection. She brings that joy that Jennifer Ehle did to Pride and Prejudice. An infectious smile that couples well with Emma's scheming and mischievous nature. As for Jonny Lee Miller? He's the perfect balance! He himself is quite goofy with his laying about in chairs, his eye rolls, his sighs. His comedic timing is perfect. The two of them form a very good double act which makes their romance believable. Because, the thing with Mr. Knightly and Emma is that if not properly cast they come across as just a convenient not a realistic couple. They just get married because Emma doesn't want her nephew to lose out on his inheritance to a child of Harriet Smith's and well, what's good for her sister is good for her, so how about a Knightly! Here you actually believe it. Yes, there's a beautiful dance and lots of swelling music to help sell it, but what's interesting is that those aren't the moments that make my heart hurt. It's when he scolds Emma about her behavior or when she is just sitting and looking at his usual chair now empty. Their being apart or fighting or just not talking physically hurts me. Because if an adaptation can make me feel that deeply, it is indeed perfection.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Andrew Davies, Anya Taylor-Joy, Clueless, Emma, Emma Woodhouse, Fifty Years a Masterpiece, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Ehle, Jonny Lee Miller, Michael Gambon, Miranda Hart, Mr. Knightly, Romola Garai

The old saying is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and that is exactly what Julian Fellowes did with Downton Abbey. He took the classic premise of Upstairs, Downstairs and basically remade it to laudatory reviews. Yes, there are changes here and there, but seeing as I just did a rewatch of Upstairs, Downstairs, literally starting it about thirty days after seeing the Downton Abbey movie, I could see how eerily similar they are. Fortunes changed because of the sinking of the Titanic, check, daughters up to no good, check, rape, check, conception issues, check, closeted gay staff, check, concern over a royal visit, check, integration of families, check, bright young things, check, the list goes on and on and on, all just slight variations on a theme. And I really think that's why Downton Abbey became such a worldwide phenomenon. It tapped into the nostalgia that everyone felt not just for bygone days but also for Upstairs, Downstairs. The irony being that Downton Abbey's success scuppered the Upstairs, Downstairs reboot. But how could 165 Eaton Place compete with a house the likes of Highclere Castle? And the truth is, I fell right in love with this show like everyone else. I didn't care that I'd seen it all before, the truth is no one can deliver a line like Maggie Smith and that alone made this show perfection. I remember watching the premiere up in my library all by myself and about half way through I realized that everyone in my family wouldn't just want to watch the show, they would love it. So I literally dragged everyone who was still awake into the TV room and put the show on. I knew I had everyone hooked, especially my dad, when Robert runs out onto the drive to stop Bates from leaving and my dad was sobbing. Yes Julian Fellowes, you hooked us with one episode and thankfully after all that twisting on the hook you gave us not just one happily ever after, but you came back and did a movie which at the time I felt unnecessary, but once I saw it I knew how much I needed the Crawleys in my life. 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 165 Eaton Place, Bates, Crawleys, Downton Abbey, Fifty Years a Masterpiece, Highclere Castle, Julian Fellowes, Maggie Smith, Reboot, Remake, Robert Crawley, Titanic, Upstairs Downstairs

The Dark Heart of Florence by Tasha Alexander
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: March 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
Rating: ★★★★★
To Buy

Yes, it has been inconvenient trying to incorporate Colin's recently revealed daughter into their lives, but Emily is trying her best, despite appearances, or more rightly, accusations, that she let a dead body end up in her step-daughters bed. It's not like the bed was being occupied by anyone other than the corpse! Colin's ex, Kristiana von Lange, left their daughter a palazzo in Florence. A palazzo which is reputed to have a hidden treasure secreted in the walls and has been the target of a string of burglaries. This has come to the attention of Colin's shadowy superiors and he has been asked to investigate, discreetly. This means he heads off to Florence with Emily and her friend Cécile in tow making it look like a holiday when really they are to meet up with Colin's colleague Darius Benton-Stone. And Emily really is supposed to be viewing the excursion as a holiday, because Colin can not tell her all the real reasons Florence is important at this moment, but what is she to do when a body just lands at her feet? And no, this isn't the body in the bed, that's later. This is a body that fell off the roof into the courtyard AT HER FEET! The poor corpse is known. He was one of the palazzo's servants. Which makes the case even more interesting. All the servants were carefully picked by Kristiana and therefore aren't your typical servants. But thankfully, like servants everywhere, they are open to a little gossip. Which leads Emily to look into the rumors of the treasure... and the more she looks, the more plausible it seems, but also the more dangerous it becomes. There are corpses of treasure hunters littered in the wake of the rumor. If Emily isn't careful she or someone she loves could be next.

Lady Emily's latest adventure is a breathtaking tale combing the literary heart of The Name of the Rose with the history of The Birth of Venus and a dash of the love letter to Florence that is A Room with a View. I almost feel like what I'm about to say is sacrilege because it is such a classic, but suck it E.M. Forster, A Room with a View is no longer my favorite book set in Florence. Yes, I'm a sucker for murder mysteries solved by a certain Lady Emily, but it's more than that, I felt more connected to Florence as a whole than to just one character's experiences of Florence. This wasn't filtered through the eyes of Lucy Honeychurch, and while you could argue, isn't this filtered through the eyes of Lady Emily? I'd disagree, because Emily is a more reliable narrator, plus the inclusion of a secondary voice from the past lends a more rounded portrait of the city and it's history. So now that I've offended all you Forster lovers, without even ranting about Howards End, let's get back to the most important part of what I said, and that's Florence. I've said this before about Tasha's writing, but it bears repeating, I don't just love Tasha's work for her work, I love her work for how much it connects me back to other things I've loved. She's the center of a mind map that connected me while reading this book to my love of the kitschy Da Vinci's Demons, which was set in Florence, and most importantly to my love of art history. Art history and the Renaissance is more about Florence than you can imagine if you've never studied it. It is literally where the Renaissance started! So to study one you must study the other and because of that I have this big old soft spot for Florence. Tasha brought me back to my first love of the city and made it even more unforgettable. The truth is the whole Lady Emily series combines my love of art and literature, making me agree with Mena about what treasure really is.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Room with a View, Colin Hargreaves, Da Vinci's Demons, E.M. Forster, Lady Emily, Palazzo, Renaissance, Tasha Alexander, The Birth of Venus, The Dark Heart of Florence, The Name of the Rose, Treasure

The Dark Heart of Florence by Tasha Alexander
Published by: Minotaur Books
Publication Date: March 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In the next Lady Emily Mystery The Dark Heart of Florence, critically acclaimed author Tasha Alexander transports readers to the legendary city of Florence, where Lady Emily and Colin must solve a murder with clues leading back to the time of the Medici.

In 1903, tensions between Britain and Germany are starting to loom over Europe, something that has not gone unnoticed by Lady Emily and her husband, Colin Hargreaves. An agent of the Crown, Colin carries the weight of the Empire, but his focus is drawn to Italy by a series of burglaries at his daughter’s palazzo in Florence - burglaries that might have international ramifications. He and Emily travel to Tuscany where, soon after their arrival, a stranger is thrown to his death from the roof onto the marble palazzo floor.

Colin’s trusted colleague and fellow agent, Darius Benton-Stone, arrives to assist Colin, who insists their mission must remain top secret. Finding herself excluded from the investigation, Emily secretly launches her own clandestine inquiry into the murder, aided by her spirited and witty friend, Cécile. They soon discover that the palazzo may contain a hidden treasure dating back to the days of the Medici and the violent reign of the fanatic monk, Savonarola - days that resonate in the troubled early twentieth century, an uneasy time full of intrigue, duplicity, and warring ideologies.

Emily and Cécile race to untangle the cryptic clues leading them through the Renaissance city, but an unimagined danger follows closely behind. And when another violent death puts Emily directly in the path of a killer, there’s much more than treasure at stake..."

Yet another extraordinary and heart pounding adventure with Lady Emily!

Spellmaker by Charlie N. Holmberg
Published by: 47north
Publication Date: March 9th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 302 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Dead wizards, stolen enchantments, and broken promises force a young spellbreaker out of the shadows in the next thrilling installment of the Spellbreaker series by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician.

England, 1895. An unsolved series of magician murders and opus thefts isn't a puzzle to Elsie Camden. But to reveal a master spellcaster as the culprit means incriminating herself as an unregistered spellbreaker. When Elsie refuses to join forces with the charming assassin, her secret is exposed, she's thrown in jail, and the murderer disappears. But Elsie's hope hasn't vanished.

Through a twist of luck, the elite magic user Bacchus Kelsey helps Elsie join the lawful, but with a caveat: they must marry to prove their cover story. Forced beneath a magical tutor while her bond with Bacchus grows, Elsie seeks to thwart the plans of England's most devious criminal - if she can find them.

With hundreds of stolen spells at their disposal, the villain has a plan - and it involves seducing Elsie to the dark side. But even now that her secret is out, Elsie must be careful how she uses the new abilities she's discovering, or she may play right into the criminal's hands."

Spellmaker is another fabulous Spellbreaker entry!

Maniac by Harold Schechter
Published by: Little a
Publication Date: March 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 254 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Harold Schechter, Amazon Charts bestselling author of Hell's Princess, unearths a nearly forgotten true crime of obsession and revenge, and one of the first - and worst - mass murders in American history.

In 1927, while the majority of the township of Bath, Michigan, was celebrating a new primary school - one of the most modern in the Midwest - Andrew P. Kehoe had other plans. The local farmer and school board treasurer was educated, respected, and an accommodating neighbor and friend. But behind his ordinary demeanor was a narcissistic sadist seething with rage, resentment, and paranoia. On May 18 he detonated a set of rigged explosives with the sole purpose of destroying the school and everyone in it. Thirty-eight children and six adults were murdered that morning, culminating in the deadliest school massacre in US history.

Maniac is Harold Schechter's gripping, definitive, exhaustively researched chronicle of a town forced to comprehend unprecedented carnage and the triggering of a "human time bomb" whose act of apocalyptic violence would foreshadow the terrors of the current age."

I love that America's thirst for true crime is going back to all these older cases that lend such insight in the present day. 

Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison
Published by: Mira Books
Publication Date: March 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 416 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fast-paced and brilliantly unpredictable, J.T. Ellison's breathtaking new novel invites you to a wedding none will forget - and some won't survive.

Jutting from sparkling turquoise waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is an idyllic setting for a wedding. In the majestic cliff-top villa owned by the wealthy Compton family, up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter will marry handsome, charming Jack Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends...and a host of dark secrets.

From the moment Claire sets foot on the island, something seems amiss. Skeletal remains have just been found. There are other, newer disturbances, too. Menacing texts. A ruined wedding dress. And one troubling shadow hanging over Claire's otherwise blissful relationship - the strange mystery surrounding Jack's first wife.

Then a raging storm descends, the power goes out - and the real terror begins..."

Is it wrong that I like carnage at a wedding? Oh, who am I kidding, if I'm wrong I don't want to be right!

Fatal Fried Rice by Vivien Chien
Published by: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Publication Date: March 9th, 2021
Format: Paperback, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Lana Lee returns for another delectable cozy set in a Chinese restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio in Vivien Chien's Fatal Fried Rice...

Lana Lee runs her family’s Chinese restaurant in Cleveland’s Asia Village like nobody’s business. When it comes to actual cooking, however, she’s known to be about a step up from boiling rice. So Lana decides to go to culinary school on the sly - and prove that she has what it takes in the kitchen after all. But when course instructor Margo Chan turns up dead after class, Lana suddenly finds herself on the case, frying pan in hand.

Since she was the one who discovered the body, Lana must do double duty in finding the killer and clearing her name. Now, with or without the help of her boyfriend Detective Adam Trudeau, Lana launches her own investigation into Margo’s life and mysterious death. Doing so leads her on a wild goose chase to and from the culinary school - and all the way back to the Ho-Lee noodle shop, where the guilty party may be closer than Lana thinks."

It's time for a cozy and delicious treat!

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Omnibus by Kieron Gillen, Simon Spurrier, et al. 
Published by: Marvel
Publication Date: March 9th, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 1240 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Meet the galaxy's most daring rogue archaeologist as she dances between the dark side and the light! Doctor Chelli Aphra's unique skills made her of interest to none other than Darth Vader - but things went sour, and now she's trying to keep a low profile. Which is easier said than done, since she's traveling with two sociopathic murder-droids and a Wookiee bounty hunter! But as Aphra's archaeological escapades get more dangerous, she soon finds herself over her head. Will a growing romance with a strict Imperial officer redeem her - or destroy them both? Adventure, excitement and terror await!

Star Wars: Doctor Aphra (2016) 1-40; Star Wars: Doctor Aphra Annual (2017) 1-3; Darth Vader (2015) 3-4, 8, 21, 25; Star Wars (2015) 13, 19, 31-32; Star Wars: The Screaming Citadel (2017) 1; material from Star Wars: Empire Ascendant (2020) 1."

You have NO IDEA how excited I am for this Omnibus! 

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Charlie N. Holmberg, Doctor Aphra, Fatal Friend Rice, Harold Schechter, J.T. Ellison, Kieron Gillen, Lady Emily, Maniac, Simon Spurrier, Tasha Alexander, The Dark Heart of Florence, True Crime, Vivien Chien

Upstairs, Downstairs is like the brick and mortar of Masterpiece. This show took America by storm when it originally aired in the seventies so anyone who considers themselves an Anglophile was excited when a reboot was announced. Instead of retelling the tales of the Bellamys which ended with the stock market crash of 1929 we jumped forward several years with the Holland family taking up residence at 165 Eaton Place in 1936. The wonderful holdover from the original series is that they were able to convince Jean Marsh to return as Rose Buck. Joining her was her co-creator of the original series, Eileen Atkins, finally taking a roll in front of the camera as Sir Hallam Holland's mother. The first season consisted of three magnificent episodes that felt like coming home. The new series had that perfect balance of aristocracy, government intrigue, human rights, and scandal that made the original series so addictive. Yet for me I fell irrevocably in love with the show during the second season because of Hallam's affair with his sister-in-law Lady Persephone, played by future monarch Claire Foy. It all started on the eve of World War II, rescuing Lady Persie from the clutches of the Germans while strains of music drifted through the streets. Almost a decade ago I found this doomed romance beyond thrilling, especially with it's tragic ending. Last year I rewatched all of Upstairs, Downstairs and was surprised that I no longer found this affair romantic. I was firmly on the side of Hallam's wife, Lady Agnes, played by the extraordinary Keeley Hawes. How could I have changed so much in a decade!?! How could I be wishing Persie's demise to arrive sooner!?! It just goes to show that the indication of a great television series is that with each watching you find something new about it and yourself. Which made it all the more painful when the success of Downton Abbey led to Upstairs, Downstairs being cancelled too soon. I'm sorry, but I watched and loved BOTH shows so they can coexist! After all Downton Abbey is just a reinterpretation of Upstairs, Downstairs!  

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 165 Eaton Place, Affair, Claire Foy, Downton Abbey, Eileen Atkins, Fifty Years a Masterpiece, Jean Marsh, Kelley Hawes, Lady Agnes, Lady Persie, Rose Buck, The Bellamys, Upstairs Downstairs, WWII

Two series about the advent of department stories debuted within six months of each other and if I had to pick one I would not have picked Mr Selfridge, Jeremy Piven and Andrew Davies must accept my apologizes, because I would have picked The Paradise. Created by the team behind Lark Rise to Candleford with many of the same actors, this was another loose adaptation of a classic that captured my heart and swiftly became one of my most favorite series ever. There was just such heart and romance and, unlike Mr Selfridge, there was more than a little of the Upstairs, Downstairs dynamic. Here we really got stuck into the lives of those working at The Paradise as well as those running and funding the roadshow. We saw the haves versus the have nots and how a major department store economically impacted it's small business competitors, a concern that is even more relevant today. When Denise Lovett arrives on the scene she becomes the focal point of all that is happening. She straddles both worlds, he uncle having a business that is struggling because of The Paradise, while she herself takes a job at The Paradise, and is soon seen by the owner, John Moray, as a girl after his own heart. She's smart and a self-starter and soon steals his heart. Of course there's a love triangle and many complications. This wouldn't be a show worthy of Masterpiece if there wasn't. But what I really liked most about this series is it wasn't afraid to go dark. As in, there's a murder! Arthur Darvill of Doctor Who fame gets involved in The Paradise when his storefront is bought by the expanding store. His style doesn't mesh well with the glamour Moray sells and, well, one thing leads to another, and his body is found in the river. The culprit is of course revealed, which goes into the ties that bind us as a community and as a company and as a people together. Just writing this makes me sad all over again that such a lovely show was cancelled too soon. But I'd rather have it cancelled too soon than have it overstay it's welcome, which is sadly what happened to Lark Rise to Candleford.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Andrew Davies, Arthur Darvill, Denise Lovett, Department Store, Doctor Who, Fifty Years a Masterpiece, Jeremy Piven, John Moray, Lark Rise to Candleford, Mr Selfridge, Murder, The Paradise, Upstairs Downstairs

Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A group of young women from Smith College risk their lives in France at the height of World War I in this sweeping novel based on a true story - a skillful blend of Call the Midwife and The Alice Network - from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig.

A scholarship girl from Brooklyn, Kate Moran thought she found a place among Smith’s Mayflower descendants, only to have her illusions dashed the summer after graduation. When charismatic alumna Betsy Rutherford delivers a rousing speech at the Smith College Club in April of 1917, looking for volunteers to help French civilians decimated by the German war machine, Kate is too busy earning her living to even think of taking up the call. But when her former best friend Emmeline Van Alden reaches out and begs her to take the place of a girl who had to drop out, Kate reluctantly agrees to join the new Smith College Relief Unit.

Four months later, Kate and seventeen other Smithies, including two trailblazing female doctors, set sail for France. The volunteers are armed with money, supplies, and good intentions - all of which immediately go astray. The chateau that was to be their headquarters is a half-burnt ruin. The villagers they meet are in desperate straits: women and children huddling in damp cellars, their crops destroyed and their wells poisoned.

Despite constant shelling from the Germans, French bureaucracy, and the threat of being ousted by the British army, the Smith volunteers bring welcome aid - and hope - to the region. But can they survive their own differences? As they cope with the hardships and terrors of the war, Kate and her colleagues find themselves navigating old rivalries and new betrayals which threaten the very existence of the Unit.

With the Germans threatening to break through the lines, can the Smith Unit pull together and be truly a band of sisters?"

The literary highlight of my year is always a new Lauren Willig book!

The House of War and Witness by Mike Carey, Linda Carey, and Louise Carey
Published by: Open Road Media Science and Fantasy
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Paperback, 366 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"In 1740, an Austrian infantry company more than two hundred strong arrives at the Prussian border. Their orders: to defend the town of Narutsin when war - inevitably - breaks out. But they don't get the warm welcome they're expecting. If anything, the locals seem strangely secretive, and the soldiers who previously garrisoned in the village have disappeared. Fearing the villagers may be consorting with the enemy, the commander orders his prim young lieutenant Klaes to investigate...

On the outskirts of town, in a dilapidated manor known as Pokoj, the road-weary soldiers make their home for the winter. Accompanying them is Drozde, a camp follower and entertainer who possesses a very special talent: she can see and communicate with the dead. She's the only one who knows that the crumbling mansion is far from empty. It's teeming with ghosts - and they know her.

Each spirit tells Drozde how they became a part of Pokoj's sprawling history, hinting at its future as well as its past. As she listens to their tales, it becomes apparent that the story of the manor hasn't yet ended - and that she and Klaes have their own parts to play in the horror that is to come..."

Ever since I watched Edward the Seventh I've become a bit obsessed with Prussians... add ghosts to that and it's totally my wheelhouse!

An Unexpected Peril by Deanna Raybourn
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 528 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A princess is missing and a peace treaty is on the verge of collapse in this new Veronica Speedwell adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated author Deanna Raybourn.

January 1889. As the newest member of the Curiosity Club--an elite society of brilliant, intrepid women - Veronica Speedwell is excited to put her many skills to good use. As she assembles a memorial exhibition for pioneering mountain climber Alice Baker-Greene, Veronica discovers evidence that the recent death was not a tragic climbing accident but murder. Veronica and her natural historian beau, Stoker, tell the patron of the exhibit, Princess Gisela of Alpenwald, of their findings. With Europe on the verge of war, Gisela's chancellor, Count von Rechstein, does not want to make waves - and before Veronica and Stoker can figure out their next move, the princess disappears.

Having noted Veronica's resemblance to the princess, von Rechstein begs her to pose as Gisela for the sake of the peace treaty that brought the princess to England. Veronica reluctantly agrees to the scheme. She and Stoker must work together to keep the treaty intact while navigating unwelcome advances, assassination attempts, and Veronica's own family--the royalty who has never claimed her."

Stupid pandemic depriving us of a Lauren Willig, Deana Raybourn, Tasha Alexander book tour! At least there's Zoom...

The Conductors by Nichole Glover
Published by: John Joseph Adams/Mariner Books
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Paperback, 432 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A compelling debut by a new voice in fantasy fiction, The Conductors features the magic and mystery of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files series written with the sensibility and historical setting of Octavia Butler’s Kindred. Meet Hetty Rhodes, a magic-user and former conductor on the Underground Railroad who now solves crimes in post - Civil War Philadelphia.

As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Hetty Rhodes helped usher dozens of people north with her wits and magic. Now that the Civil War is over, Hetty and her husband, Benjy, have settled in Philadelphia, solving murders and mysteries that the white authorities won’t touch. When they find one of their friends slain in an alley, Hetty and Benjy bury the body and set off to find answers. But the secrets and intricate lies of the elites of Black Philadelphia only serve to dredge up more questions. To solve this mystery, they will have to face ugly truths all around them, including the ones about each other.

In this vibrant and original novel, Nicole Glover joins a roster of contemporary fantasy writers, such as Victor LaValle and Zen Cho, who use speculative fiction to delve into important historical and cultural threads."

YES! ALL THE YES! If writers like Nichole Glover had been around when I was younger think of how much I would have enjoyed learning about history. This entertains AND opens up a conversation. I hope teachers now are expanding their repertoire!

Down Comes the Night by Alison Saft
Published by: WWednesday Books
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 400 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"He saw the darkness in her magic. She saw the magic in his darkness.

Wren Southerland’s reckless use of magic has cost her everything: she's been dismissed from the Queen’s Guard and separated from her best friend - the girl she loves. So when a letter arrives from a reclusive lord, asking Wren to come to his estate, Colwick Hall, to cure his servant from a mysterious illness, she seizes her chance to redeem herself.

The mansion is crumbling, icy winds haunt the caved-in halls, and her eccentric host forbids her from leaving her room after dark. Worse, Wren’s patient isn’t a servant at all but Hal Cavendish, the infamous Reaper of Vesria and her kingdom’s sworn enemy. Hal also came to Colwick Hall for redemption, but the secrets in the estate may lead to both of their deaths.

With sinister forces at work, Wren and Hal realize they’ll have to join together if they have any hope of saving their kingdoms. But as Wren circles closer to the nefarious truth behind Hal’s illness, they realize they have no escape from the monsters within the mansion. All they have is each other, and a startling desire that could be their downfall.

Allison Saft’s Down Comes the Night is a snow-drenched romantic fantasy that keeps you racing through the pages long into the night."

Don't forget the Gothic, ALL the Gothic vibes!

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 5688 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare. Chain of Iron is a Shadowhunters novel.

Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade.

But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace.

Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek."

I know, I know. I can't stand Cassandra Clare or her writing and yet I can't stop reading her books!

Clockwork, Curses, and Coal edited by Rhonda Parrish
Published by: World Weaver Press
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Paperback, 282 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Fairies threaten the world of artifice and technology, forcing the royal family to solve a riddle to stop their world from irrevocable change; a dishonest merchant uses automatons as vessels for his secrets and lies; a woman discovers the secret of three princesses whose shoes get scuffed while they sleep. These and so many other steampunk and gaslamp fairy tales await within the pages of Clockwork, Curses and Coal.

Retellings of Hansel and Gretel, The Princess and the Pea, Pinocchio, The Twelve Dancing Princesses and more are all showcased alongside some original fairy tale-like stories. Featuring stories by Melissa Bobe, Adam Brekenridge, Beth Cato, MLD Curelas, Joseph Halden, Reese Hogan, Diana Hurlburt, Christina Johnson, Alethea Kontis, Lex T. Lindsay, Wendy Nikel, Brian Trent, Laura VanArendonk Baugh and Sarah Van Goethem."

I've been feeling a little Steampunk bereft lately, here's just the thing to perk me up!

The Serpent's Skin by Erina Reddan
Published by: Pantera Press
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Kindle, 300 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"An extraordinary novel about overcoming male power, the strength of sibling bonds and the secrets that can haunt a family. Most of all, The Serpent’s Skin is about the many ways we prove our love.

It’s a cold and wintery night in 1968 and ten-year-old JJ’s mother isn’t home. The cows are milked, the pigs fed, and her dad won’t answer any questions.

Sarah is the lifeblood of their family, and her absence throws everyone off course: Tessa takes charge, Tim gets in trouble, Philly retreats, and JJ blames herself. Their father works hard to keep up appearances, but something’s not right. It’s always been JJ’s job to cause trouble, and when she can’t leave the clues alone, her sleuthing wreaks havoc in their tight-knit community, and she swears off troublemaking for good.

Fourteen years on, JJ has a new life, a loving partner and a good job. But she puts it all in jeopardy when she stumbles across a chance to solve the big mystery of her childhood. While pretending to have made peace with it, she organises a final farewell for her mother so the family can all put the past behind them. Will the explosive truth finally set them free?

Compulsive, gripping and full of heart, The Serpent’s Skin ushers in Erina Reddan as a brilliant new voice in Australian fiction."

Oh, oh, oh, the compulsive need to answer the biggest mystery of your life? Yes please!

Rhapsody by Mitchell James Kaplan
Published by: Gallery Books
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 352 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"One evening in 1924, Katharine “Kay” Swift - the restless but loyal society wife of wealthy banker James Warburg and a serious pianist who longs for recognition - attends a concert. The piece: Rhapsody in Blue. The composer: a brilliant, elusive young musical genius named George Gershwin.

Kay is transfixed, helpless to resist the magnetic pull of George’s talent, charm, and swagger. Their ten-year love affair, complicated by her conflicted loyalty to her husband and the twists and turns of her own musical career, ends only with George’s death from a brain tumor at the age of thirty-eight.

Set in Jazz Age New York City, this stunning work of fiction, for fans of The Paris Wife and Loving Frank, explores the timeless bond between two brilliant, strong-willed artists. George Gershwin left behind not just a body of work unmatched in popular musical history, but a woman who loved him with all her heart, knowing all the while that he belonged not to her, but to the world."

I am ALL about Gershwin. So is the rest of my family in fact... 

Windhall by Ava Barry
Published by: Pegasus Crime,
Publication Date: March 2nd, 2021
Format: Hardcover, 368 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A stunning literary thriller in which an investigative journalist in modern Los Angeles attempts to solve the Golden Age murder of a Hollywood starlet.

1940s Hollywood was an era of decadence and director Theodore Langley was its king. Paired with Eleanor Hayes as his lead actress, Theo ruled the Golden Age of Hollywood. That ended when Eleanor’s mangled body was discovered in Theo’s rose garden and he was charged with her murder. The case was thrown out before it went to trial and Theo fled L.A., leaving his crawling estate, Windhall, to fall into ruin. He hasn’t been seen since.

Decades later, investigative journalist Max Hailey, raised by his gran on stories of old Hollywood, is sure that if he could meet Theo, he could prove once and for all that the famed director killed his leading lady. When a copycat murder takes place near Windhall, the long reclusive Theo returns to L.A., and it seems Hailey finally has his chance.

When Hailey gets his hands on Theo’s long-missing journals, he reads about Eleanor’s stalkers and her role in Theo’s final film, The Last Train to Avalon, a film so controversial it was never released to the public. In the months leading up to her death, something had left her so terrified she stopped coming to work. The more Hailey learns about Avalon, the more convinced he becomes that the film could tell him who killed Eleanor and why she had to die. But the implications of Avalon reach far beyond Eleanor’s murder, and Hailey must race to piece together the murders of the past and present before it’s too late."

I ADORE old Hollywood murder cases that are unsolved, it doesn't matter if they're fictional. Here's to the Golden Age and murder!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Alison Saft, Ava Barry, Band of Sisters, Cassandra Clare, Deanna Raybourn, Erina Reddan, Lauren Willig, Linda Carey, Louise Carey, Mike Carey, Mitchell James Kaplan, Nichole Glover, Rhonda Parrish, Steampunk