This was an excellent idea… again. Making time to read the books already on my bookshelves!
‘Shrines of Gaiety’ by Kate Atkinson
Kate Atkinson is one of my favourite writers and this novel was exceptionally brilliant. Nellie Coker, the vivacious owner of a group of nightclubs, has just been released from prison as the book opens. It’s 1926, so the nightclubs are brimming with glitz and glamour. Nellie has a lot to catch up on after her time inside. Her family – six grown-up children – have been busy maintaining Nellie’s empire. Little do they know that someone is onto them and desperately trying to expose the family and their secrets.
‘Marple: Twelve New Stories’
I chose to read this at a time when my concentration was in short supply. I’m so glad I did.
‘Marple’ is a collection of short stories written to honour Agatha Christie’s super-sleuth Miss Marple. Some stories imitate Christie’s style and plot (think pacy, economical, and character-led) while others revel in their own enchanting versions of Miss Marple. Either way, each story is an enjoyable read. In one, Miss Marple takes on Manhattan (a thrilling tale penned by Alyssa Cole) and several stories later, she is onboard the ‘Jade Empress’, a cruise ship, that takes her to Hong Kong (as imagined by Jean Kwok) before Miss Marple settles in Italy, in Elly Griffiths’ story – for me, the standout tale in the book, although everyone who reads ‘Marple’ will have a different favourite, so spoilt for choice!
‘At Home’ by Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson has an unerring ability to make anything sound interesting, and ‘At Home’ does not disappoint. His book begins by discussing the engrossing story of the genesis of Crystal Palace before going through each room of the typical house: the hallway, the sitting room, the dining room – even a chapter is devoted to the marvels of the fusebox. Did you know that in the Georgian era, the typical living room was arranged with the seats around the edge of the room – a bit like a modern-day waiting room? A captivating nugget on every page.
