Forgotten books

I have been better at my theatre and ballet updates than the book updates this year so here is a catch-up on what I've been reading.

American Assassin by Vince Flynn
This was my first book read on the iPhone, however it was such a compelling story that I couldn't stop reading and soon got over that hitch. This book mixed my love of mysteries with an old love of war/spy books. This was more graphic and violent than previous books and included a healthy dose of revenge. Mitch Rapp was the central character and I'm not sure that I ever really liked him although he was on the 'good' side in this book about counter-terrorism efforts primarily in Beirut. Once I had finished the book I realised it was actually the latest in a series and I am glad I read this one first and am looking forward to reading the other books in the series. That all said the iPhone will not be replacing my Kindle and I only have free books on the iPhone and I suspect I will only finish them if they are really gripping.

Death Comes to Pemberley by PD James
A colleague recommended this book after reading it with her book club. I bought it and then suggested my dad might like to read it which meant I lost my Kindle into his hands over Christmas. Once it was returned I was distracted by other books but finally got round to reading this. I've not read PD James before but I am of course familiar with Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice in particular. PD James picks up six years after The Darcys' marriage and the world of of Austen is plunged into uncertainty and mystery when Lydia pitches up on the door step hysterical and claiming the Wickham has been murdered. Cleverly written the character continuity is right on the money and I didn't work it out until the very end when all was made clear with a confession. Having read this book I might try another of PD James books to see whether this was a one off.

Sister by Rosamund Lupton
This book was much more than a 'simple' murder mystery as it entered into the world of genetic treatments and cystic fibrosis. I was quite convinced by the 'unethical' trial processes in place I can't quite see that level of falsification passing muster in the real-world but as it was only a story I'll let them off!  I got drawn in and felt sorry both Bee and her dead sister Tess at different points throughout the story. Was it murder or suicide? I was with Bee throughout and at every twist and turn I realised maybe a page ahead of her that she was following the wrong route but even then I didn't see the ending coming. Another great addition to my murder mystery collection that kept me up late at night trying to reach the end and find out what really happened.

Falling Star by Diana Dempsey
I enjoyed this book both for the story line but also for the relevance to my work. Diana Dempsey used to be a broadcast journalists and although set in America this book gave me an insight into the hierarchy of the broadcast news programmes where the news anchor is king. A good mixture of the insights into what makes a good news story and the logistics of putting it all together mixed in with some sexism and a nice dollop of intrigue. Reading this reminded me a little bit of Gemma Halliday's Spying in High Heels with an under-prepared  girl 'investigating' and inevitably ending up in trouble. A good quick read with a neat resolution, I think I might look into some of Diana Dempsey's other books and who knows I might learn some more about TV journalism from them.

To Davy Jones Below by Carola Dunn
After a bit of a break I thought it was time to come back to Carola Dunn and the reading of this book seemed perfectly timed as the TV scheduling was fixated on Titanic it being a hundred years since the sinking. I think the break was a good idea as I really enjoyed this one although I was a bit surprised at how many people got knocked off on a ship without Alec and Daisy figuring out who did it. Mixed in with the whodunnit element was a good sprinkling of class snobbery and of course in true Daisy style it all came out in the wash. I'm looking forward to the next instalment after I've read a few more books in between.

Valeria's Last Stand by Marc Fitten (Book Club)
This was the first book since I joined The London Girly Book Club two years ago where no one in the room seemed to have a good thing to say about it. At first I thought I would quite enjoy this book but by the end of chapter one I wasn't convinced. I carried on and by the half way point I was just ploughing on to reach the end before Book Club. I found the storyline to be mundane, the characters were all unlovable, perhaps the problem was that it was all too much like real-life in a Hungarian village and I just couldn't connect. I was reminded of a Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka, however Marina Lewycka does not shy away from parodying her characters adding humour to lift what could have been a story of everyday life. I won a copy of Marc Fitten's next book Elza's Kitchen as an uncorrected proof and I'm not sure I can bring myself to read it.

The Chalet School and Robin by Caroline German
I grew up on a diet of school literature from Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers to my mum's collection of Abbey Girls (EJ Oxenham) and The Chalet School (E Brent-Dyer). I always wanted to go to the Chalet School but although that never happened I still love to curl up with on of these books. The Chalet School series has a number of gaps and also some inconsistencies which has left the series open to a number of filler books written by fans of the series. Mum's latest purchase was this one and it was a particularly good filler. I was impressed that the style was so close to the original books and although I had forgotten that Robin's time as head girl was not included in the series this book fitted in and cleverly added details to some of the stories mentioned later in the series but never spelled out.