Work for Idle Hands: Books in November

Friday November 13, 2020

The Last Protector by Andrew Taylor [Read by Leighton Pugh]
The is the latest in the Ashes of London series for which I've been impatiently waiting to be released in audio format. The Firecourt (second in the series) was the recommendation by a Guardian reviewer that drew this series to my attention and I have been a committed follower of Cat Lovett and James Marwood ever since. Our heroes have not seen each other for some good time. Cat is now married and relatively secure - but her husband is increasingly ill in mind as well as body, which makes things very hard for their business. James is seeing some success with his career but is constantly treading on eggshells to try to please (or at least not displease) two masters. Both are unwillingly drawn into Cromwellian family schemes which could easily see them branded as traitors in their world full of hopeless political intrigue - especially given their own family backgrounds.

Mary Russell's War by Laurie R King
[Readers: Susan Bennett, John Keating, Robert Ian Mackenzie, and Jenny Sterlin]
A collection of 9 short stories, filling in gaps in the narrative of the full novels, starting with England's declaration of war in 1914. Narratives are in various voices - some first and some third person.
Like many other readers (I discovered) I had a probem with the story set in 1992 where Holmes is apparently still living. When I say I had a "problem" with it - I like the idea that the author blazes away with her story without any reguard for a "real" time line, and on the whole I think prefer it to the concept that Holmes at any point leaves the history for good (given that this is all fiction); the problem I had was thinking that I must be making a fundamental error in my continual internal mental calculations. The author's only answer to the question "how is he still alive and kicking in 1992?" is "this is one of the Great Mysteries of the Russell memoirs" - a delightful answer I think.
- "Appreciation" by noted Sherlockian Leslie S Klinger
- Mary's Christmas - with Mary's Uncle Jake
- Mary Russell's War
- Beekeeping for Beginners
- Mrs Hudson's Case
- The Marriage of Mary Russell
- Birth of a Green Man
- A Venomous Death
- My Story
- A Case in Correspondence
- Stately Holmes

Killing with Confetti by Peter Lovesey [read by Peter Wickham]
Entertaining enough Peter Diamond novel although I was not wild about the construction of the tale. There's a lengthy description of a wedding with all the detail of the endless waiting (to be fed) while the happy couple get the all important photos out of the way, plus the overexcited and bored bridesmaids - which is all so true to life that it's as tedious as the real thing. I think it's supposed to build tension but despite everything I never felt at any point that anyone was in danger.

Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh
Cleverly constructed crime/courtroom drama about two sisters both claiming to be innocent (and thereby by implication accusing each other) of murdering their Father.
For me, this book is reminiscent of the 1946 film The Dark Mirror with Olivia de Havilland playing twin sisters, one of whom is known to have committed murder, and the other has an alibi. In that case neither sister is willing to turn on the other, so the police are unable to prosecute.
In this book the DA prosecutes both sisters together knowing he will secure a conviction against one or other of the sisters, if not both acting together. But which is guilty?

Paul Temple and the Gilbert Case by Francis Durbridge
Just as Paul and Steve are about to go on holiday, Wilfred Stirling visits with a plea. His daughter Brenda was recently murdered, her body dumped on a bomb site. Her boyfriend Howard Gilbert, seen walking away from the site, has been convicted of the murder and sentenced to hang - but Brenda's father feels sure he didn't do it.. (despite having giving damnig evidence at the trial!).
Stars (the best Paul and Steve), Peter Coke and Majorie Westbury, in an original 1950s recording.
I thought I had hoovered up all the available Paul Temple dramas but I seem to have missed this one, although all the business with the shoes seemed vaguely familiar.
>>Spoiler alert <<
Each missing shoe on a murder victim is supposed to be due to the fact that something was hidden there - but I would question how the murderer knew which shoe to take? It might have been prudent to snag both while you were at it - no?

A Reconstructed Corpse
Bill Nighy once again as the dipsomaniac, philandering actor. Happy enough to take on a job as the "lookalike" in a crime reconstruction programme investigating a missing person case. An all expenses paid trip to Brighton as part of the deal seems an ideal opportunity to celebrate his wedding anniversary and reconcile with Frances. But Charles soon uncovers a grizzly murder - and not perhaps the corpse we were expecting...
Based on Simon Brett's novel, once again brilliantly adapted by Jeremy Front.

Posted by Christina at 3:43 PM. Category: Books of the Month