Work for Idle Hands: Books in February

Thursday February 28, 2019

Tombland by C J Sansom
The novel is set in the summer of 1549 during the reign of Edward VI. Shardlake now works for Princess Elizabeth although he does not enjoy her unconditional favour. More in a role with a mission of plausible deniability, he is sent off to investigate a potential scandal involving a distant relative of the the Princess. However, the book is really all about Kett's rebellion. In fact the novel is almost a day by day account of the hot summer when the rebels were camped outside Norwich laying siege to the city. It could be said that the narrative is overlong, but it inspired me to take a long weekend there to explore all the places mentioned in the book. Now, I (and G) have been to Norwich on business many times, but this visit really amazed me. Previously, I must have been going around with my eyes shut; neither G nor I had ever visited the historic parts of the city. I did not even know that Tombland was an area in the city (even though a colleague took me round the cathedral years ago when I attended his retirement lunch - which may even have been in the Maid's Head).
Anyway - it's all there to view - with many references to Kett and events pertaining to the rebellion, even though in my ignorance I had never heard of Kett before seeing this book. The overall experience of the book and the stay in Norwich was really wonderful.

Depraved Heart by Patricia Cornwell [Read by Susan Ericksen]
The 23rd Scarpetta novel (apparently) sees her isolated and alone, unable to confide in anyone, and fighting to save her niece from prosecution by the FBI. Events have left her confused, worried, and not knowing where to turn....
Need I go on?
I can't begin to sketch the plot and I am drawn to use the words of a review given for Kathy Reichs on GoodReads by Skip: "Gone are the days when Scarpetta actually conducted autopsies, and helped solve crimes. Now she spends most of her time paranoid, obsessed, and convinced that everything in her life is being manipulated to harm her or her loved ones."
It seems to me that the Scarpetta should actually talk through her angst with her niece, and not burden the reader with it...

The Gates of Baghdad
A disparate group of adventurers set out from Damascus to visit the legendary Gate of Baghdad, also known as the Gate of Death, (which not surprisingly seems to haunt the characters, who range from the innocent to the darkly experienced). Mr Parker Pyne is among their number, touring the Middle East, and finds himself involved in unravelling the inevitable murder mystery that follows.
Dramatised in 2002 by Mike Stott, and directed by Dirk Maggs, starring, among others, Patricia Routledge and Richard Griffiths.

Appointment with Death
A wonderful Christie classic plot where a murder is committed in plain sight but no real obvious murderer is forthcoming, despite many witnesses to... many things... rather, there are many plausible suspects since Mrs Boynton was a detestable woman, seemingly invincible, and delighting in exerting her power over all around her.
I think the murder was perhaps slightly more plausible in its complexity - ie one that could be envisaged actually being carried through - in comparison with say Death on the Nile, where the sheer logistics boggle belief. [Either way, not an issue so much on the radio.]
Dramatised in 2001 by Michael Bakewell, and directed by Enyd Williams, starring, among others, John Moffatt and Miriam Karlin.

Posted by Christina at 3:09 PM. Category: Books of the Month