All Fall Down: Ally Carter
Embassy Row 1, Orchard Books, 2015

I’ve read the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society series by Ally Carter, preferring the latter. One thing ‘All Fall Down’ shares with them is ( Read more... )

Sorry, it's been about a month and a half since I last posted. Truthfully, I haven't read many books that I'd be likely to post about over the period (I decided not to post a rant about how much I disliked 'Gladys or Gwenyth' by E. Everett-Green!) In fact, I haven't read all that many books over that time, but it's the Christmas holidays at last, so that should change.

The Midwife’s Apprentice: Karen Cushman, Macmillan 1997

This book is shorter and far less lively than ‘Catherine, Called Birdy’ ( Read more... )

Catherine, Called Birdy: Karen Cushman (Macmillan Children’s Books, 1996)

I recently saw a trailer for a film (or it could be a TV series) called ‘Catherine, Called Birdy’ written and directed by Lena Dunham, which reminded me I owned and had read this book from which it’s adapted. The trailer made me laugh and promisingly suggested that the adaptation catches the spirit and the humour of the book. I don’t know if I’ll be able to see it as it’s an Amazon production, but I could and did reread the book.

( It's the funny, sometimes poignant diary of a spirited young noble lady in medieval England )

Perfect Scoundrels: Ally Carter Orchard Books 2013

First an admission and a note to myself, it was probably too long since I’d read the previous book in the ‘Heist Society’ series, so there were a few references to the preceding two books that I knew I wasn’t appreciating properly. (I checked and it was almost four and a half years ago! Definitely too long!) Still, I enjoyed this book overall, so it’s just up to me to get the next book more swiftly and read it more promptly.

I’ve pretty much said before that this series reminds me of Ocean’s Eleven, if Danny Ocean were a teenage girl. Katarina ‘Kat’ Bishop ( Read more... )

Curtsies and Conspiracies: Gail Carriger Atom, 2013
Finishing School Book the Second

I probably write the same thing whenever I'm commenting on reading a book in a series, but it is too long since I read the previous book in this series and I hope there won’t be as long a period between this and the next, most especially because this exceeded my high expectations. I truly think it’s a step up from the introduction to the world that was Etiquette and Espionage.

( Read more... )

Crimes on the Nile (New Old Friends theatre company, Ustinov studio theatre at Theatre Royal Bath, January 2019. It’s touring England and Wales throughout the spring).

Written by: Feargus Woods Dunlop
Directed by: James Farrell
New Old Friends website

Apparently ‘Crimes on the Nile’ is the fifth in a series of the unconnected adventures of brilliant Belgian detective…Artemis Arinae (mais oui, a lady detective! etc etc). Imagine a Venn diagram, this play would be in the overlapping bit between the circle of Agatha Christie and farce. It’s an affectionate send-up. ( Read more... )

The New Girls of Netherby: Judith Carr. Blackie.

Three of the many new girls at Netherby Hall are put into 4B. They are ( Read more... )

Uncommon Criminals: Ally Carter Orchard Books, 2012

The second in the Heist Society series, and fifteen year old Katarina ‘Kat’ Bishop ( Read more... )

My Cousin Rachel
This adaptation of Du Maurier’s book, which I haven’t read, revolves around ( Read more... )

Adventure on Rainbow Island by Dorothy Clewes
I enjoyed this well enough, considering it was narrated by a sixteen year old chauvinist ( Read more... )

I've also recently reread The Ambermere Treasure by Malcolm Saville, featuring the Jillies and Standings. I’d bought a second copy by accident, although I can see why I didn’t really remember it. ( Read more... )

Oops, I didn't post at all during December, not to mention tennis or anything that I read. It was rather a busy month for me, so I was glad of what peace I could get to read over Christmas.

( The Mystery of Alton Grange: E. Everett-Green, The East End Murders: Killing Time: Anne Cassidy and United We Spy: Ally Carter )

Happy New Year!