The Yellow Villa

This book by Amanda Hampson is about relationships. Ben and Mia Tiller purchase a house near the village of Cordes-sur-Ciel in southern France. They hope that the move from Australia to live in this village will help them resurrect their marriage. The discovery that Mia is unable to have a child has led to a period of depression. Although this is a character driven novel the history of the Tillers' house and its location are important to the the development of the story.

Mia speaks fluent French but Ben has the disadvantage of only knowing a few words. However Ben works in IT and can therefore work from home while Mia, an art teacher, struggles to understand what she really wants to do.  Meanwhile Dominic and Susannah Harrington, an older English couple, attempt to befriend the newcomers. But are the Harringtons who they say they are and why does the rest of the ex-pat community refuse to have anything to do with them? Gradually the truth is revealed. An enjoyable reading experience.

At the back of the book is a list of discussion points for book circles.

Secrets, scandals and karma - Better Reading
Cordes-sur-Ciel

The making of Martin Sparrow

Former convict, Martin Sparrow, is now free and is attempting to farm a piece of land on the banks of the Hawkesbury River. Then in 1806 a series of floods destroys his land. Sparrow needs to decide whether to start again or to attempt to make a new start elsewhere. There are rumours of a new community, free from the control of the convict settlement, on the other side of the mountains. But although a number of people have searched for the path, no one returns who has been successful.

This is historian Peter Cochrane's second novel set in colonial New South Wales. He provides graphic descriptions of the rugged environment in which settlers attempt to establish new lives, the relationships between the settlers and the natives who regularly visit the area and the attempts of Sydney, via the military, to control what the settlers can, or cannot, do. This is largely an environment of every person for himself. Consequently it is difficult to know who you can trust.

Although the novel primarily details the challenges faced by Martin Sparrow it also includes sections providing descriptions of the lives of other characters on the Hawkesbury. This is a cruel world in which many will fail but some may succeed.

A list of useful sources relating to the history of the colony at this time is included at the back of the book.

The making of Martin Sparrow - review - Sydney Morning Herald 20 July 2018

Two one three

Another short story by Denzil Meyrick, this time about the first murder case that Jim Daley, a young police constable, worked on. Characters that appear in the DCI Daley series are introduced including Brian Scott, John Donald and Ian Burns.

Daley is on patrol when he discovers the body of a young woman in a building. When DCI Burns arrives on the scene, with Detective Constable Scott, Burns invites the young police constable to assist with the investigation. Jim and Brian then team up to investigate some of the leads which suggest that this death is one of a series of murders of prostitutes. When Sergeant Donald objects to Daley's secondment to the crime team, DCI Banks intervenes.

This short story provides a good introduction to the books that make up the DCI Daley series as well as to the character of Jim Daley in his younger days. The story also appears in a complilation of stories by Denzil Meyrick, One Last Dram Before Midnight.

Boneland

The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (published 1960) and The Moon of Gomrath (published 1963)  transported Susan and Colin and the reader into a world of magic, folklore and adventure. In 2012 Alan Garner published a follow-up book, though not really a sequel, in the series, Boneland. The first two books were published as books for children but Boneland is a novel written for adults.    

Two parallel stories are told in this short novel. Colin, now a professor of astronomy working at Jodrell Bank observatory, cannot remember events in his life before he was thirteen. However he does know that his sister went missing many years ago and that he must find her. The second story concerns the Watcher who is also on a quest to save his world.

Colin is referred to a psychotherapist, Meg, to help him resolve his irrational behaviour and attempt to understand the flash backs he is experiencing. Colin must learn to overcome his outbreaks of fear and sense of guilt before being able to contemplate a 'normal' life. Meanwhile The Watcher continues to seek for The Woman whose presence will keep the sky and stars in place.

In many ways this book reads as a poem as it describes the world of both Colin and The Watcher as they struggle in their quests. Like other Garner books mythology and fantasy are intertwined within the story but this novel also includes sections on science as Colin tries to rationalise his fears and feelings. The environment and history of this part of Cheshire also feature in the stories.

I read this book in one sitting and suspect that it is one that could be read a number of times with new discoveries in each reading.

Boneland (Literature) - tvtropes
Boneland by Alan Garner - PaperKnife
Boneland by Alan Garner - Review - Daily Telegraph 23 August 2012
Boneland by Alan Garner - Review by Ursula Le Guin - The Guardian 29 August 2012

Well of the Winds

Number 5 in the DCI Daley series, the story recounted in Well of the Winds by Denzil Meyrick is set both at the end of the Second World War in 1945 and in the present (2016).

The postman on the island of Gairsay attempts to deliver a parcel however he discovers that the house is empty with no sign of the inhabitants. When the police are called in to investigate they discover not only an empty house but a mystery in the cellar dating back to activities during the war. Who really were the members of the Bremner family and why had they suddenly disappeared?   

Later DCI Daley comes across a journal written by Inspector Urquhart in 1945 in which he discovers a story with repercussions for  Kinloch and Gairsay years later. Suspicions grow when Special Branch officers arrive to take over the case suggesting that a cover-up is in progress. Undaunted, Jim Daley, Brian Scott and Carrie Symington decide to continue their investigations into the disappearance of the Bremner family and subsequent murders. What starts out as a possible local crime develops into a story with possible international consequences. Another Denzil Meyrick book that is hard to put down.                    

Career of evil

This is the third Cormoran Strike novel by Robert Galbraith about private investigator, Cormoran Strike, and his assistant, Robin Ellacott.

When Robin arrives at the office she is met by a courier delivering a parcel with her name on it. She was expecting a parcel containing items for her forthcoming wedding - she did not expect a woman's severed leg. So begins this story of violence committed by someone from Cormoran's past who wants to destroy, at the very least, Cormoran's reputation. When Cormoran contacts the police he gives them the names of four possible suspects to investigate. As you would expect, Cormoran and Robin also investigate the case. Robin insists on still working while Cormoran tries to protect her from an unknown killer who continues to commit his brutal crimes.

The book is also a study of relationships between the characters - the working relationship between  Cormoran and Robin,  Robin's relationship with her finance, Matthew and Cormoran's relationship with Elin.

The story unfolds through the viewpoint of Cormoran and Robin plus, from time to time, the perpetrator of the crimes. Throughout the book there are references to the music of the group, Blue Oyster Cult.

Once I started reading the book I wanted to just keep reading it. It is just as well that I have now retired from work giving me more time to read!

Single End

A short story written in 2016 about a time preceding the DCI Daley series. Set in Glasgow in 1989 DC Brian Scott has been summoned to Strathclyde Police Headquarters to see DCI Dines. He is issued with orders to communicate with Frank MacDougall, a former school friend, and James Machie, leaders of crime in the area. Reluctantly he agrees with dire consequences. His friend DC Jim Daley is concerned when his friend, Brian, disappears and investigates. Another tale of police corruption in high places. a theme which is continued in the first books of the DCI Daley crime series.

This short story also appears in a compilation of stories by Denzil Meyrick, One Last Dram before Midnight.

Plotted

The Age - Spectrum 29 September 2018 has a two page article - 'From one world to another' - which discussed two books showing how authors use landscapes in fiction. John Sutherland has edited a collection of essays published as Literary Landscapes: charting the worlds of classic literature. The seventy illustrated essays  include three Australian works of fiction including Kate Grenville's, The Secret River, Patrick White's Voss and Tim Winton's Cloudstreet. Another new book on a similar topic is The Writer's Map: an atlas of imaginary lands edited by Huw Lewis-Jones.

These titles are not available in my local libraries as yet but I did find a copy of Plotted: a literary atlas by Andrew DeGraff and Daniel Harmon. The book evolved from deGraff's desire to provide spatial context for his favourite landscapes of literature. He chose nineteen titles including Robinson Crusoe, Pride and Prejudice, A Christmas Carol, and A Wrinkle in Time. Arranging the books in chronological order deGraff then presents his visual presentation usually in one double page but sometimes multiple pages. Daniel Harmon has written a short essay for each title.

The representations are not maps in the true sense but the artist's graphical interpretation of movement or relationships in the story. The 'map' for Pride and Prejudice consists of a series of different coloured intersecting buildings representing major characters. DeGraff provides a different way of looking at the plot of a book.

Dalintober Moon

Written in 2014 as a fundraiser for the Dalintober Beach Regeneration Fund, this 34 page short story involves the investigation that takes place after the discovery of a body in a barrel buried on Dalintober Beach. Although the murder occurred 100 years previously repercussions from the murder are still occurring in the town. DCI Daley and DS Shaw investigate what really happened in order to restore law and order in Dalintober.

This story also is included in One Last Dram Before Midnight, a comilation of stories by Denzil Meyrick.

Empty Nets and Promises

Back at Kinloch, but this time it is July 1968. This novella (only 75 pages) is a humorous tale about the skipper of a fishing boat, Sandy Hoynes, and his mates - a younger Hamish from the DCI Daley books and Georgie - as they try to make a living fishing herring. Except that this year the fish are in short supply. The fishermen speculate on the reason for this and decide that the supersonic planes being tested at the nearby airbase are responsible. When they decide to do something about this all does not go to plan.

As in all Denzil Meyrick books the interaction between the characters is just as important as the plot and in this story we meet Sandy's daughter who is about to wed the local policeman, the local fishery officer and the exciseman investigating the sale of illicit whisky. Added to this a ghost makes an appearance and there is almost an international incident.

Empty Nets and Promises is an easy to read, enjoyable and amusing tale. This novella is also included in a collection of stories by Denzil Meyrick - One last Dram before Midnight.

Toucan Keep a Secret

Now for a lighter crime novel. Toucan Keep a Secret is no. 23 in the Meg Langslow Mystery series. Once again Donna Andrews takes us to Caerphilly where there always seems to be a crime to solve.

The story begins when Meg is locking up the local church after a meeting and hears a noise in the columbarium. Investigating, she discovers the body of one of the vestry on the floor surrounded by the ashes and broken urns of former parishioners. Meg immediately calls the police.

Meg, of course, becomes involved in the investigation and also has the role of reassuring the rector, who is on sick leave, that all is well. As part of this role she takes Nimitz, the toucan being minded by the rector, home much to the delight of her two sons.

Robyn, the rector, asks Meg to contact the next of kin on behalf of the church to establish how they want the ashes reinterred. Discussions with the next of kin soon provide background information that Meg passes on to Chief Burke. In order to solve the crime it is necessary to establish connections between the people whose ashes have been disturbed and it becomes obvious that one connecting link is a burglary committed thirty years ago.

As usual Meg's family and many of the citizens of Caerphilly become involved in this humourous crime novel. An entertaining read.

The Rat Stone Serenade

The Rat Stone Serenade (published 2016)  is number 4 in the DCI Daley crime series by Denzil Meyrick.

Members of the Shannon family have returned to the family home near Kinloch for a board meeting of Shannon International. They now own one of the richest private companies in the world and each year the annual meeting is held after Christmas. However all is not well. Apart from business problems that have emerged and conflict over who should manage the firm there is the issue of the curse placed on the family 100 years ago.

A number of brutal murders are discovered near the house. What is their association with the family? What is the significance of the Rat Stone? Are there really Druids still living in the area?

At the beginning of the book, Jim Daley has decided to retire and has only three more weeks before he leaves his job. However Superintendent Symington has been sent from Glasgow to persuade him to change his mind. DS Scott is still fighting alcohol problems. Jim Daley is back with his wife and baby son but relationship issues still need to be resolved. In this series the interaction between the characters - members of the police and inhabitants of the local community - plays an important role in the development of the story line. An additional feature in this book is the severe snow storm that has descended on the area, blocking roads and communications and hindering the police investigation.

It needs to be stressed that the increasing number of murders are graphically described but this adds emphasis to the possible supernatural sub-theme of the plot. The Rat Stone Serenade is certainly an action packed crime story.

Ladies in Black

On Thursday we went to see the new Australian film, Ladies in Black. The film is based on the book originally entitled, Women in Black, written by Madeleine St John and published in 1993. The plot of the book was also used for a musical. The film was directed by Bruce Beresford.

Set in a fictional department store in Sydney the ladies in the frock departments are preparing for the pre-Christmas rush. The film focuses on the lives of three of the staff, Fay, Patty and Lisa plus Magda who runs the high-end gowns section.

The film brought back memories of growing up in Melbourne in the 1950s when travelling into the City by train was a special experience. Mum always dressed up for the occasion and we had to look neat and tidy. In Melbourne there were lots of shops.

There were the variety stores where we normally shopped. Variety stores such as Coles or Woolworths consisted of rows of inexpensive goods arranged in sections. Items were purchased from the shop assistant behind each counter. Coles Cafeteria in the Bourke Street store was the place where we always went for lunch.

The department stores - Myer, Ball and Welch, Buckley and Nunn and Georges - were special places that we visited occasionally. The staff of these stores were the 'women in black' in the film. Transportation between floors was by lifts controlled by lift operators who announced the produce on each floor as the lift doors opened. 

The department store in the film has a large Santa Claus covering many floors on the outside of the building. In Melbourne it was Foys, another department store, that had such a Santa on the outside of the building.

In Melbourne the arcades were also places to explore. Regent Place housed the Tim the Toyman store which we always visited.

In the film, Lisa has just finished school and has temporary employment at the department store as she waits for her exam results. She is befriended by Fay and Patty and gradually learns something of the world of fashion, especially when Magda takes an interest in her. Fay and Patty both have problems with relationships while Magda and her husband are refugees from Europe trying to make a new life in Australia.

The 1950s were a time of change in Australia. The film portrays a world where staff are still addressed by their title and surname. There is an awareness of status.  The 1950s were a time of European immigration when people displaced by events in Europe found a new home in Australia. The film looks at attitudes on both sides as well as the changes immigration caused in Australia. The value of education for women is also a theme. There are also comments showing the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne.

I enjoyed watching this movie as a film but I also enjoyed the trip down memory lane that it reawoke.

Review - Ladies in Black (Sydney Morning Herald 19 September 2018)
Review - Ladies in Black (Scenestr 18 September 18 September 2018)
Article - After more than 20 years, Bruce Beresford's Ladies in Black lights up the big screen (West Australian 20 September 2018)
Article - Ladies in Black: Director Bruce Beresford recreates postwar culture of 1950s Sydney (ABC News 22 September 2018)

First Light: a celebration of Alan Garner

When I worked as a children's librarian at the end of the 1960s I discovered the world of fantasy, published for children, written by Alan Garner. The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (published 1960) and The Moon of Gomrath (published 1963) were set around Alderley Edge in Cheshire and transported Susan and Colin, the two children in the stories, and the reader into a world of magic, folklore and adventure. In 1965 Elidor was published. This time the setting was Manchester in the 1950s and it brought magic into an everyday world. These three titles were generally read by children but can also be appreciated by adults. Garner's next book, The Owl Service (published 1967), based on Welsh legend, is classified as a book for teenagers.

I then lost track of the writing of Alan Garner until I read a review of his latest book when I was in England earlier this year. Where shall we run to? is a memoir about his early life. The review also mentioned a list of books by Alan Garner that I had not read. This included Red Shift, The Stonebook Quartet, Strandloper, Thursbitch, The Book That Thunders and Boneland. I obviously have some reading to catch up on.

Checking a library catalogue I also discovered the book First Light edited by Erica Wagner, a collection of articles, fiction and poetry prepared to celebrate the Alan Garner's eightieth birthday. This work was published in 2016.

Forty-three pieces of writing make up this work, all providing a glimpse into the life of Alan Garner and his writing or providing a reflection of the effect of Alan Garner's books on the contibutor. Authors such as Margaret Atwood, Susan Cooper, Neil Gaiman, Philip Pullman, Ali Smith and Salley Vickers, archaeologists such as Francis Pryor, Mark Edmonds, Richard Morris and John Prag, plus physicist Teresa Anderson are just a few of the contributors to this book.

Some of the contributors discovered the books of Alan Garner when they were children while others discovered his work later in life. Some of the contributors knew the Garners without being aware that Alan was a writer. Alan Garner's use of myth, folklore and legend in his stories features in this book along with  his use of the natural environment, especially in Cheshire, as a dominant feature in his writing. Garner's ongoing exploration of the archaeology of the area near his home in Cheshire is discussed as well as, at the other end of the spectrum, his interest in the work at Jodrell Bank, not far from his home.

For those who have enjoyed reading the work of Alan Garner, this compilation provides an excellent insight into the life and work of this British author.

Review - First Light a celebration of Alan Garner (The Guardian 12 August 2016)

Article - Fantasy author Alan Garner celebrated in new tribute, First Light (The Guardian 24 April 2015)