feather_ghyll

The Secret Country: Pamela Dean, Firebird (Penguin), 2003

This is Volume One of the Secret Country trilogy, first published in the 80s, and as it ends at a satisfying resting point, but with much left unresolved, I’m looking forward to finding out what happens next. Dean is the author of ‘Tam Lin’, which adapted and updated the ballad, setting the story at an American college in the 1970s, and which I rated very highly. (I’ve also read ‘The Dubious Hills’ by her, but not posted about it.)

Readers of children’s fantasy books will be familiar with the concept ( Read more... )

Fall of a Philanderer: Carola Dunn, Constable and Robinson 2011 (first published in 2005)

In the latest Daisy Dalrymple mystery, Daisy, her stepdaughter Belinda, and Bel’s best friend Deva have come to the Devonshire seaside village of Westcombe, where Alec is soon to join them for a summer holiday. ( Read more... )

The Head Girl at Wynford: Winifred Darch, Oxford, 1935.

This book is a cut above the girls own stories I’ve been reading recently and haven’t posted about (they’ve been at about the level of ‘Shirley at Charterton’ so I wasn’t very motivated to post about them) if not top flight. It starts on the last day of term, ( Read more... )

[Edited 22/5/25.]

I am currently reading ‘Barbara – Called Binkie and other stories of school life and adventure’ by various writers, most of whose names I don’t recognise. ( Read more... )

I may or may not keep you updated on the further stories of school life and adventure!

I also read ‘The Mystery of Old Beams’ by Jessie Leckie Hebertson. It started off promisingly ( Read more... )

The Santa Klaus Murder: Mavis Doriel Hay The British Library (Crime Classics) 2015

I had thought that the only fictional books Doriel Hay had had published were the duology I’ve reviewed previously, but having come across this, apparently not. That and its seasonality appealed. I meant to read it last Christmas, but failed, so made sure I managed to this year. Well, I started on Boxing Day.

( Read more... )

Die Laughing: Carola Dunn Robinson 2011

For various reasons, I’ve read this murder mystery in snatches, a chapter or two here, a chapter or two there. Although it’s a whodunit, this worked out well. ( Read more... )

Mistletoe and Murder: Carola Dunn Constable and Robinson 2011

This is a Daisy Dalrymple mystery, and not to be confused with the Wells and Wong mystery with the same title which I posted about this time last year.

I kept this for reading over Christmas, as it would be seasonal, and it ended up being my Boxing Day read.

( Read more... )

First Term, Worst Term: E.M. De Foubert (Oxford, inscribed 1935)

This book starts off like a family story in which youngsters have to survive on their own in difficult financial straits but then becomes a school story. ( Read more... )

Here is a round-up of some things I posted about last year. ( Read more... )