The visit of a journalist writing a story about Meg's grandmother for a women's magazine adds further complications to Meg's life as does her father's attempts to establish a beehive in Meg's garden. Mayor Shiffley has also asked beg to investigate complaints from new residents known as the NIMBYS.
Humming birds and bees feature prominently in the thirty-third book in the Meg Langslow Mystery series. Another amusing, relaxing read.
At the age of eleven Lenny was separated from her mother to live first with her grandmother and then with foster carers. Lenny's last memory of her stepfather were the words this is all your fault. During the novel the real events are revealed as Lenny gradually remembers pieces of the story of her childhood and discovers the truth.
Although the novel deals with family violence and the effects of such violence, it is also a study of learning to understand and come to terms with past events in order to live a 'normal' life. It is also about learning who are your real friends and accepting their help.
In London, the only way that Tribulation can initially earn her living is working in the theatre as an actress or as a prompter. Because she has connections many of the members of the theatre company are jealous and it is not easy for her to become accepted.
Political unrest abounds in London in 1679. Charles II is back on the throne but there is much discussion regarding who his successor should be. Catholic and anti-Catholic sentiments abound threatening the lives of ordinary people. This is also a time when women are not allowed to assert themselves and give their opinions. Young ladies are expected to be demure and obey the men in the family. As an aspiring writer Tribulation must publish her work as anonymous or use a pseudonym for her own protection.
The theatre scene in London is the setting for much of the book. This work of historical fiction is set out in the style of a play with five acts and scenes within each act. Most of the chapters are narrated by the fictional character of Tribulation Johnson interspersed with occasional chapters by an observer.
Many of the characters were people living at the time however other characters, including Tribulation, are purely fictional. The novel therefore provides a fictional account of a historical time period. A list of characters at the back of the book indicates characters who are real and those who are fictional.
Online articles about Aphra Behn
Aphra Behn - The British Library
Aphra Behn - Encyclopedia Britannica
Aphra Behn - Poetry Foundation
When Gertie is first asked by a friend if she will provide a home for a Jewish refugee from Germany she refuses. Gertie is still grieving over the death of Harry and is considering selling the bookshop. She does not need another responsibility. But then she changes her mind and Hedy becomes an important part of her life.
The experiences of Gertie and her neighbours during the horrors of The Blitz and the subsequent raids cause Gertie and her friends to look for a distraction and, for them, the obvious answer is books. The monthly book club which had been a feature of the shop was transferred to the air raid shelter during times of danger. Discussing books they had read helped those in the shelter to become lost in another world for a short time before they had to face the danger caused by the German bombs.
The novel also focuses on the experiences of refugees such as Hedy whose families remain in occupied countries and also of loved ones fighting overseas in the armed forces. What is happening to them? Will they ever see them again?
The Air Raid Book Club is another welcome addition to recent novels on the experiences of families during war.
Once restrictions had been lifted he was able to travel further afield and visited locations in Wiltshire including West Kennet Long Barrow and Coneybury Hill (close to Stonehenge but in use a thousand years earlier). What was the significance of these sites that thousands of years ago people had chosen the site to bury the dead or to share a celebration. How could you begin to visualise what people living up to 6,000 years ago saw around them.
The author then examined some recent finds that were probably votive offerings including the Garboldisham Macehead, antler bone axes and wooden carvings such as the Dagenham Idol. One of the author's conclusions is that to the hunter gatherers in England the most sacred places could be those connected to the living. He suggests that people today should not see themselves as separate from nature. It is not possible to see the world as people in the past saw it but it is still possible to view glimpses of their world and what it might have meant to them. Being aware of our environment, including special places, helps us to remain grounded.
In this novel we learn the story from those who had contact with the chess pieces - Magrit who carved the pieces in Iceland in 1190; Morven and Seamus who discovered the shipwrecked chess pieces in 1190 and arranged to have them hidden; Mhairi and Calum who discovered the chessmen again in 1831.
The novel is also about Marianne who works at the British Museum and arrives in Lewis to prepare a display of some of the pieces in the small museum at Lewis. At Lewis she is assisted by Agnes and Euan as well as her mother, Shona, as they decide to look for the pieces that were never found.
Marianne also has to contend with workplace bullying from her supervisor in London, has to reestablish her relationship with her mother and also decide whether she wants to meet her son who she gave up for adoption when she was sixteen. While working on Lewis, Marianne discovers new friends as she decides what is really important in her life.
Southern Aurora by Mark Brandi provides Jimmy's view on his life. He is in grade five at school and finds it difficult to make friends, especially as he is not good at sport. With his brother away, Mark feels responsible for the family and blames himself when things go wrong. He tries to look after Sam who attends a special school and he keeps an eye on his mother's welfare.
When it is announced that a billy cart race is to be held at school Jimmy feels that he can really become involved, however even this does not go entirely to plan. It does though allow Jimmy to get to know Don, an elderly neighbour who encourages Jimmy to realise that although life can be unkind at times he cannot control everything. Others too need to help resolve life's problems.
The Southern Aurora is the train that used to travel between Melbourne and Sydney. The railway line passed through the town where Jimmy lived and children used to wave to passengers on the train and dream of one day escaping on the train themselves. The train was named after the southern lights that sometimes can be seen brightening up the sky in the southern hemisphere.
