The Devil's Bargain

Harry Bristow made a mistake when as a young policeman he inadvertently accepted a bribe. He later discovered that the man that he knew as Igor entered the country illegally and changed his identity. Harry knew that if he reported what he knew he would he would not only lose his position in the police force but might also end up in prison. He therefore decided to do nothing about this information.

Some years later he recognised the man in Liverpool and set out to discover more about him. The man now called himself Peter Robinson and had just become a member of parliament. Harry is sure that Peter is a Russian spy but he is still unsure what he should do with this knowledge. Then Robinson recognised Harry and threatened him.

The Devil's Bargain by Stella Rimington is a fast moving spy thriller involving American and British intelligence services as well as members of the Russian Embassy. Manon Bradley, an analyst with the CIA, finds herself undertaking fieldwork during the investigation. Manon is just one of an interesting collection of characters who find themselves involved as Peter Robinson's story is investigated.

Matilda

As my granddaughter is taking part in a school production of the musical Matilda next week I thought it might be a good idea to read the book Madilda written by Road Dahl, illustrated by Quentin Blake and originally published in 1988.

Matilda lives in a family where her parents do not really want her. She is an extremely bight child who has taught herself to read and write and learn the times tables by the age of five. Her parents do not appreciate their gifted daughter. In fact her father is always telling her that she should be watching TV instead of reading. The local librarian takes pity on Matilda and ensures that she has access to all the books she wants to read.

When Matilda starts school she is in Miss Honey's class. Miss Honey immediately realises how bright Matilda is but the headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, is determined that Matilda should not receive special treatment. Matilda decides to take matters into her own hands and on a number of occasions seeks revenge for her father's bullying and also for the cruelty inflicted by Miss Trunchbull on the students and staff.

During one episode of bullying displayed by the headmistress, Matilda discovers that she has special powers when she is really cross. Matilda determines to use these powers against Miss Trunchbull to obtain justice for her classmates and for her teacher, Miss Honey.

Matilda is a book about the love of reading, about bullying, about standing up for yourself and, of course, there is a little magic to help obtain justice.

Matilda the musical - Wikipedia

Dinner with the Schnabels

Simon Larson is depressed and blames his family's current situation on himself. Before the COVID-19 pandemic he was a successful architect with his own business, his family lived in a fancy house, they had two expensive cars and the children went to private schools. After he became bankrupt all this was lost and they now rented a two bedroom flat, did not have a car and the children go to the local school. Simon did not have a job and his wife, Tansy works full-time to support the family. Simon has no energy and no friends. Things have to change.

Dinner with the Schnabels by Toni Jordan is a usually amusing story about complicated family relationships. The Larsens live in a Melbourne suburb and Tansy's extended family, the Schnabels, live close by. Simon's father-in-law died during the pandemic and his mother-in-law decides to organise a gathering for family and friends to remember him once restrictions are reduced. This is depite Gloria and David divorcing many years ago and David marrying again and having another daughter who meets her extended family for the first time when comes to Melbourne for the memorial ceremony.

A friend offers to allow the family to hold the service in his back yard but first it must have a makeover and Simon has one week to do it. Of course, other family matters intervene as Simon struggles to meet the deadline. The experience of that week, however, allows Simon to re-evaluate his life and to plan for a happier future for himself and his family.

One Last Dram Before Midnight

One last dram before midnight is a collection of seven short stories by Denzil Meyrick, author of the DCI Daley series of crime books. Four of the stories I had read previously as e-books or as a novella while the last three were prepared for this book.

Dalintober Moon was originally written as a fundraiser for the restoration of Dalintober Beach and published as an e-book. When a body is revealed on the beach by the tide DCI Daley is called in to investigate and discovers the story of a long-held family feud.

Empty Nets and Promises is set in the 1960s when fishing in seas near Kinloch was a major industry. However, this season there are few fish to be found. A young Hamish and his skipper, Sandy Hoynes specualte on the cause and devise a plan to resolve the situation with almost drastic results.

Two One Three and Single End are two stories set in Glasgow in the early days of Jim Daley's career in the police force. Two One Three is about Jim Daley's introduction to the CID and also to Brian Scott. In Single End Brian Scott finds himself in serious danger when revisiting associates from his past.

The three new stories are One Last Dram before Midnight, a story revolving around a jet necklace usually held in the local museum but about to go on short-term loan to London, The Silent Man, the hunt for an elderly man who has disappeared while Strangers examines reactions of the Kinloch community when a family of refugees arrives in their midst. 

All in all an interesting, readable and often humorous collection of stories throwing new light on the DCI Daley series and the characters in the community of Kinloch.

The Brisbane Line

Sergeant Joe Washington is in Brisbane in 1943 with the American Army. His role is to investigate crimes committed by American soldiers in the town but he has been warned not to interfere with investigations by the Australian police. He is currently investigating the disappearance of items from American stores, probably to be sold on the black market.When an American soldier is found murdered he becomes involved in that investigation as well especially as the Australian detective who is meant to be leading the investigation appears to be creating a cover for the potential murderer by arresting another person.

This is a work of fiction but J P Powell in her book, The Brisbane Line, has vividly described life in Brisbane when the Americans came to town and the mistrust that occurred between many Australians and members of the American Army. This book also provides an insite into the beginnings of the literary publication, Meanjin, and characters include literary figures including Judith Wright and Thea Astley. Frank Bischof, another character, was in the police force at the time and eventually became Police Commissioner until his sudden retirement when charges of police corruption were raised.

A number of other novels have been written about life in Brisbane during the Second World War including Meet me at Lennons.

Black Tudors: the untold story

Black Tudors by Miranda Kaufmann was written to dispel the myth that black people only migrated to England in the twentieth century. Using historical records she pieces together the stories of ten people of African origin living in the UK during the Tudor and early Stuart reigns. 

John Blanke, a trumpter; Jacques Francis, a salvage diver; Diego, the circumnavigator with Drake; Edward Swarthye, the porter; Reasonable Blackman, the silk weaver; Mary Fillis, the Moroccan convert; Dederi Jaquoah, the Prince of River Cestos; John Anthony, Mariner of Dover; Anne Cobbi, the Tawny Moor with the Soft Skin and Cattelena of Almondsbury, Independent Singlewoman are the ten case studies chosen. These are only a sample of the Africans living as free people in England at this time but their stories combine to explain attitudes to Africans as part of the general community at the time and their place in British history.

The book is based on Miranda Kaufmann's studies for a PhD and was also used in a Future Learn course - Black Tudors -  run by Miranda Kaufmann which I did earlier this year.

Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter

Eliza Brightwell and her family come to Western Australia from England in 1886 when Eliza is 10. Her father wants to try his luck in a new enterprise so he decides to settle in Bannin on the coast to try his hand, with his brother, as a pearler. Most of the events in the book occur ten years later.

In Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter, Lizzie Pook has based the setting of her book on settlements such as Broome and the conditions of the pearling industry that existed at the time. The characters and plot though are purely fictional.

When the fleet of pearling boats returns to harbour for shelter from the approaching wet season, Eliza's father's boat returns without her father aboard. Her brother, who was also on the ship, says that he does not know what has happened to her father. Local residents are convinced that he must be dead and the local policeman decides that an Aboriginal crew member must be responsible, even though he was not aboard that ship when Eliza's father disappeared. Eliza is convinced that her father is still alive and with the assistance of Alel and Quill she sets out on a lugger determined to find him.

In places the book can be described as bleak as the author describes the drunkedness and drug taking that many of the crew members of pearling luggers indulge in when onshore. Violence abounds as well as superiority complex among some white settlers in regard to people of other nationalities, plus general racism especially towards Aboriginal people. A group of white women in the town have formed their own exclusive group to which Eliza has no wish to join. 

However Eliza does have the friendship of Min, Axel and Quill and is determined to live her own life in her own way, ignoring those who want her to conform.