Schlagwort: Series

The Angels of Venice – Philip Gwynne Jones

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Author Philip Gwynne Jones
PublisherConstable London
Date7 February 2023
EditionPaperback
Pages416
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-13978-1472134318

“Who sets out to rob a bookshop on the worst night in half a century? For that matter, who sets out to rob a bookshop at all?” (Quotation page 153)

Content

In November 2019, Venice, the beautiful, magical city, almost used to “Aqua Alta”, is affected by the worst flooding catastrophe since fifty years. On their way home, after helping Ed in his flooded bar, Nathan Sutherland and Ed notice that the window of an old antique bookshop is totally shattered. Inside they find the body of a dead woman, Dr Jennifer Whiteread, art historian. As she is a British citizen, Nathan Sutherland, British honorary consul in Venice, is officially involved and as she has been murdered, he begins to investigate.

Theme and Genre

The new thriller of the Nathan Sutherland-Series, set heavily flooded Venice, is about human angels staying together and helping people wherever possible to save La Serenissima, and about painted angels attracting just the contrary.

Characters

This time, Nathan Sutherland has more reasons to try to find out what has happened to Jennifer Whiteread and why, because the police is almost overwhelmed by the situation of the flooded city and on the other hand, the grieving father of Jennifer has come to Venice and asks for answers.

Plot and Writing

The story takes place in November 2019 when Venice was seriously flooded and in a state of emergency. Besides the gripping, interesting story about angels in art, the author also vividly describes the hours and days between more rain, storms and hope. While a group of young people, calling themselves the mud angels, help wherever needed, rich Giles Markham of Markham Charity Foundation, offers noticeable sums to help to preserve the ancient buildings. There is a second storyline, a story within the story, in form of an internal monologue that gives us more and more hints, but never too much. Therefore, the story is gripping and unexpected twists keep the plot unforeseeable.

Conclusion

Atmospheric, interesting and amazing, in my opinion one of the best books of the series.

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The Venetian Masquerade – Philip Gwynne Jones

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AuthorPhilip Gwynne Jones
PublisherConstable
Date4 April 2019
EditionKindle
Pages278 (print)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB07J547T16

“This may be so, but surely the important thing – the most important thing – is where is the manuscript now?” (Quotation page 104)

Content

It is Nathan´s birthday, and it is Carnevale in Venice too with lots of masked people everywhere, but still magical. Tonight Monteverdi´s  L’Incoronazione di Poppea is waiting at Opera Fenice, but Isotta Baldan, the famous opera soprano Nathan Sutherland was looking forward to finally see on stage has been cancelled again. The singer now playing Poppea is excellent, but she is no Isotta Baldan. So Nathan´s attention wanders, watching two late arrivals, coming into the opposite box. At the end of the opera applause – and a sudden scream. At the opposite box, a person now is flumped forward over the balustrade, stabbed, and in this wallet, the police finds Nathan´s business card. The events somehow seem to be connected to an original manuscript of Monteverdi´s opera Proserpina rapita, lost a long time ago. Nathan is sent on a special quest.

Theme and Genre

This thriller, part of a series, takes place in Venice during the famous Carnevale and the story centers around one of Monteverdi´s lost operas.

Characters

Nathan Sutherland works as a translator, but he too is the British honorary consul in Venice and when his help is needed, he begins to investigate, always attracted by mysteries to be solved.

Plot and Writing

The story is an interesting mixture of adventures connected to one of the missing works of Monteverdi and vivid descriptions of every day’s life in Venice, between well-known and hidden places. Although there are captivating twists, there also are some lengths.

Conclusion

I definitely enjoy this entertaining, charming series about Nathan Sutherland, but this one could not completely convince me.

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Venetian Gothic – Philip Gwynne Jones

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AuthorPhilip Gwynne Jones
PublisherConstable
Date2 April 2020
EditionKindle
Pages368 (print)
LanguageEnglish
ASIN‎B07XW71W4T

“You’ve just been overcome by all the messa in scena, that’s all. A confused old man talking nonsense in an old dark house on a stormy night.” (Quotation page 98)

Content

On November 2nd 2017, the feast of I morti, Nathan Sutherland, Sergio Cardazzo and Lorenzo Bonzio are just leaving San Michele cemetery, when Father Michael Rayner, Angelican Chaplain, asks Nathan to read a few words during the service. In that moment two workman, instead of saving an old headstone, let it crash down on a small white coffin. The name written on the headstone is Gabriele Loredan, he died in 1980, only twelve years old, but his coffin is empty. This time it is the British Ambassador who asks Nathan to find out, what had happened thirty-seven years ago, because Gabriele Loredan, supposed to be buried at San Michele, had British nationality. However, Nathan soon finds out that there seem to be more people interested in this case and others, who are prepared to do everything to stop them.

Theme and Genre

This atmospheric thriller, part of a series, is set in Venice during the dark days of November. Themes are hidden family secrets of a noble, well-known Venetian family, a tragic accident many years ago and the mystical Isola Sant’Ariano.

Characters

The British Honorary consul in Venice, Nathan Sutherland, is investigating again and digs deep into secrets, buried long time ago.

Plot and Writing

This forth book to the series is told in two storylines, the main story takes place in November 2017, the second story is Gabriele’s story about his childhood and what happened a long time ago. The plot is thrilling and a perfect mixture between action, crime, dangerous situations, mysteries to be solved, unforeseeable twists and Nathans personal life with Federica, his best friend Dario, just moving back from Mestre to Venice and, not to forget, Nathan’s special cat Gramsci. Vivid descriptions of Venice in November, the everlasting beauty of this city and its special, hidden places, interesting facts about the famous island of the death, San Michele, and the mystical Isola Sant’Ariano complete the story.

Conclusion

This dark, haunting story for me is the best book of the series so far, a gripping, unputdownable, enjoyable read.

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Vengeance in Venice – Philip Gwynne Jones

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AuthorPhilip Gwynne Jones
PublisherConstable London
Date12 April 2018
EditionKindle
Pages352 (print version)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB076H519LX

“And difficult questions to think of. And when I’ve done that, I’ll try and think who to ask them of.” (Quotation page 135)

Content

The Venice Biennale of contemporary art always means work for Nathan Sutherland, the British honorary consul in Venice. Many translations but also invitations. Today he is invited to the vernissage in the British pavilion. For the work of Paul Considine, glass artist, the Pavilion had been changed into one large, single room, filled with gigantic glass constructions, glass staircases, floors, the gallery, glass everywhere. After the opening, Nathan leaves for the French pavilion, but a sudden noise, a crash followed by screaming, send him hurrying back to the British pavilion. The safety barrier has broken and Gorden Blake-Hayt, famous art critic, is dead. This is just the beginning of a series of art postcards with deadly messages and even though every trace leads to the glass artist, Nathan is not convinced.

Theme and Genre

This thriller, set in Venice, is book two of the Nathan Sutherland series and the main topics are art and the Venice Biennale.

Characters

This time, Nathan Sutherland risks his position as the British honorary consul, neglecting the order of the British ambassador in Rome to not get involved again into crime scenes and under suspicion, followed by negative publicity. Nathan just cannot stop himself and has to do everything to solve the mystery.

Plot and Writing

The events take place in beautiful Venice during the opening period of the famous art Biennale. The plot and the characters are well developed and believable and there are many unforeseeable twists and action to sum up to an exciting, enjoyable read.

Conclusion

A gripping story, together with interesting information about modern art and die famous Biennale of Venezia, combined with vivid descriptions of well known and also hidden places in beautiful Venice and the Italian lifestyle.

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The Venetian Game – Philip Gwynne Jones

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AuthorPhilip Gwynne Jones
PublisherConstable
Date2 March 2017
EditionKindle
Pages320 (print
LanguageEnglish
ASINB01KTSJNPA
ISBN-13978-1472123978

“What to do? I could either put it in the safe and forget about it, or I could open it up. Was I really going to do that?” (Quotation pos. 399)

Content

Nathan Sutherland is the British Honorary Consul in Venice, but as the title “honorary” says, the position is only honorary and he earns his money as translator, mostly of technical manuals. Usually, as honorary consul he has to deal with British tourists in emergency, such as lost passports, but also just asking for advices about sightseeing and restaurants. But one day a man, Mr. Montgomery, comes to his office, hands him over an envelope and asks him to keep locked into the safe for a few days, until he will be back to get it. Although he is offered ten thousand euros and told, that such services had never been a problem with his predecessor, Nathan refuses to take the package. Nevertheless, the next day the package is left at the Accademia, labelled Nathan Sutherland, British Consulate. So begins a deadly game about an antique book, an invaluable masterpiece or a brilliant forgery.

Theme and Genre

This thriller, situated in Venice, is the first book of the Nathan Sutherland Series. Themes are art and art forgery, tourism, everyday life in Venice and Italy, friendship.

Characters

All characters are different, very well developed. They are interesting and their behavior is believable and plausible.

Plot and Writing

Nathan Sutherland as first person narrator tells the story. A tight timeline and unforeseeable events make it exciting and the wider art theme makes it interesting too. The intense and vivid descriptions of Venice with all its almost unknown, to tourists hidden places, and Italian Lifestyle makes the story a gem for everybody who loves this famous city with all its different shades.

Conclusion

The first book of a series about Nathan Sutherland, the British honorary consul in Venice. A thrilling, enjoyable read, showing the famous architecture, the well-known churches, bridges, palazzi and places, as well as the hidden beauty and shades of the gorgeous, dazzling town Venice. Perfect, not only for Venice-aficionados.

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The Blood Promise: A Hugo Marston Novel – Mark Pryor

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AuthorMark Pryor
PublisherSeventh Street Books
Date14 January 2014
EditionKindle
Pages290 (print)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB00E2RWQHC
ISBN-13978-1616148157

“History will judge these days, monsieur, it is not for us to do so. We must only live them the best we can.” (Quotation page 3)

Content

An old man in Paris writes a letter and puts it together with something special, he calls “le cadeau”, in a small box, hidden in a wooden chest, a kind of sailor’s chest, but solid, made from walnut, and more ornate. More than two hundred years later, this long forgotten chest is somehow connected to to an American senator’s visit a Paris. A visit at very short notice from Charles Lake, senator and presidential candidate. Hugo Marston has to be a kind of personal bodyguard, he calls it “babysitter”, of the senator, who will attend negotiations and talks about the Guadeloupe Islands, held for two days at Chateau Tourville near Paris. The morning after the first night at the Chateau, Senator Lake declares that he woke up during the night because somebody was in his room and even leaned over him, touching his face. An intruder in his room means clearly a security breach and Senator Lake asks Hugo Marston to begin immediately with his investigations. As this has to be done with discretion, Hugo calls his friend Capitaine Raul Garcia. Everything changes, when one of the prints found is connected o an unsolved murder, a burglary in the old country house of the Bassin family.

Theme and Genre

This crime novel is about secrets, hidden deep in the past. There is somebody, who finds out and tries to reveal it and somebody, who just wants to avoid this, at any price.

Characters

Time again to investigate and try to solve a case like a tricky puzzle for Hugo Marston and Paul Greene.

Plot and Writing

This book three of the Hugo Marston series begins with a letter in the past, but passes immediately into the present time and develops around Hugo Marston. The investigations and events are told chronologically, without giving to many details too early. Therefore, and together with unforeseeable twists, the guessing of the readers remains interesting and gripping.

Conclusion

An interesting story with some unforeseeable twists, gripping and entertaining to read.

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The Crypt Thief: A Hugo Marston Novel – Mark Pryor

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AuthorMark Pryor
PublisherSeventh Street Books
Date7 May 2013
EditionKindle Edition
Pages260 (print)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB00BH0VQ1Y
ISBN-13978-1616147853

“Right now it doesn’t matter who’s right and who’s wrong. The simple truth is, if we treat this as a terrorist act we get more resources from our people and more cooperation from the French.” (Quotation page 27)

Content

A man at the famous Père Lachaise cemetery at night, two whispering voices near the headstone of “James Douglas Morrison”. The next morning a young man and a woman are found dead near the grave. When Hugo Marston arrives at his office at the US embassy, he finds his friend, CIA-man Tom Green, deep in conversation with is boss, Ambassador Taylor. The dead man is American, the son of a senator. The woman on the other hand seems to be connected to terrorism. Definitely a case for the CIA. When Hugo sees a strange injury at the shoulder of the dead woman and more unusual transactions are found out, Hugo Marston, also an experienced profiler, is sure, that there must be not only a terroristic background. Somebody is collecting very special items and does it with a system that Hugo has to find out with high urgency, in order to prevent further assassinations. Who is this person moving unseen between graveyards and leaving small figurines, scarabs, with his victims?

Theme and Genre

This thriller is the second book of the Hugo Marston Novel Series, with gripping actions and investigations and the psychological conflict shows what a painful childhood can make to the later adult person.

Characters

Again, they work together, officially and nonofficially too: Hugo Marston, Tom Green and Capitaine Garcia from the French police.

Plot and Writing

This second case definitely is much more a thriller than a crime investigation, such as the first Hugo-Marston-Novel. A serial killer, lots of action and some unsettling crime scenes could definitely be too much for fainthearted readers. However, the story is still believable, well developed and thrilling. The plot combines two alternating narrative storylines, one of it telling the activities of the Scarab.

Conclusion

An exciting and gripping read. 

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The Bookseller: The First Hugo Marston Novel – Mark Pryor

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AuthorMark Pryor
PublisherSeventh Street Books
Date9 October 2012
EditionKindle
Pages306 (print-edition)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB00C4B2LRI

“If peace had a smell, he thought, it would be the smell of a library full of old, leather-bound books.” (Quotation page 221)

Content

Hugo Marston, forty-two years old, a former FBI profiler and now security chief at the American embassy in Paris, loves Paris and old books. Therefore, on his first day of a vacation he did not ask for, he visits his friend Max, a bouquiniste who owns one of the traditional bookstalls on the bank of the Seine. His has to watch as Max is kidnapped at gunpoint. The Paris police does not show very interested in Marston’s observations, because some witnesses, other bouquinistes, confirm they had seen no violence. But soon more booksellers disappear and fortunately Tom Green, an old friend of Hugo Marston, former CIA agent, now kind of retired as he says, has come to Paris for a visit and together they immediately start their own investigations and researches. Is the disappearance of Max connected to one of his special antiquarian books, and who tries to take over the bookstalls? How can so many different traces fit together?

Theme and Genre

This first book of the Hugo Marston Series is a crime novel located in Paris. Themes are investigation, crime and books.

Characters

We meet different characters, they all have their own stories and background. Their actions and behavior are believable and plausible.

Plot and Writing

The story, based on crime and investigations, takes place within a tight time schedule and is an enjoyable mixture of action, researches and a lively description of Paris and everyday life in the vibrant, famous city Paris. The plot brings up different themes, some of them reaching back into the past, and has enough unpredictable turns to maintain the narrative tension.

Conclusion

An interesting, gripping crime novel with surprising twists, where some antiquarian books play an important role. Enjoyable read, not only for booklovers.

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Summer on the Little Cornish Isles – Phillippa Ashley

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AuthorPhillippa Ashley
PublisherAvon Fiction
Date18 August 2018
Editionpaperback
Pages400
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-13978-0008253417

“It was such a lovely name; so evocative and catchy. Who could possibly resist popping into a place called ‘The Starfish Studio’?” (Quotation pos. 68)

Content

The moment Poppy McGregor sees the gallery “The Starfish Studio” for the first time during a holiday week with her boyfriend Dan at the Isles of Scilly; she immediately falls in love because it reminds her of her dreams to one day run a gallery. Now, three years later, Poppy and Dan are taking on the almost closed Starfish Studio on St. Piran´s, just the now it I is only Polly moving to the small island, because Dan has left her just one week ago and is now going to live with Eve. Poppy still is determined to re-open The Starfish Studio, making it successful again. The owner’s grandson, the charismatic, famous nature photographer Jake Pendower, soon is a reliable friend, but he has lost his fiancée four years ago and still mourning and Poppy is sure there never could be more, or could there?

Theme and Genre

A romantic story about art, family, loss, love and new beginnings

Characters

The characters are well drawn and likeable, and who would not love Leo, the headstrong cat.

Plot and Writing

The story is settled on the Isles of Scilly, although St. Piran’s and most of the local places exist only in the author’s imagination, and the storyline is told chronologically. The plot of the novel is an entertaining mixture between funny and thought provoking. The language is enjoyable to read.

Conclusion

A funny, romantic feel-good story, a perfect read to bring summer in your thoughts.  

Novel, Reviews, Romance , ,

How The Light Gets In – Louise Penny

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AuthorLouise Penny
PublisherHodder And Stoughton Ltd.
Date1 October 2021
EditionPaperback
Pages534
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-13ISBN-13: 978-1529386363

“Four days. And she had two gay sons, a large black mother, a demented poet for a friend and was considering getting a duck.” (Citation page 10)

Content

December in Three Pines, a small, hidden village in Québec, means lots of snow and Christmas preparations. Seventy-seven years old Constance Pineault comes for a visit and stays at Myrna’s, who invites her to come back and stay over Christmas. But Constance does not arrive and does not answer her phone at home and Myrna calls an old friend, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, homicide department Sûreté du Québec. When Gamache finds out the real identity of Constance, he starts to investigate. For him this comes very convenient, as he at the same time secretly is conducting internal investigations and digging deeper and deeper into old, powerful connections, who are prepared to whatever it takes to stop him.

Theme and Genre

This Canadian crime fiction novel is book nine of the Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery series.

Characters

Three Pines is a special place and community and its inhabitants are loveable. Who would not like Ruth Zardo, the hard, edgy, old poet and her duck Rosa? Chief Inspector Armand Gamache looks more like a professor than a cop and is a brilliant investigator and a deeply caring person. When other investigators look for clues to the killer, he looks for clues to the life of the victim.

Plot and Writing

This novel is everything, a story about love, family and friendship, about life in a rural village, but also about crime, murder and deadly danger. Louise Penny perfectly knows how to write a gripping and thrilling plot with many twists, but also colorful descriptions of the beautiful surroundings in December and at the same time look at human behavior with empathy and humanity. Funny dialogs such as “‘Are you telling me the elite of the Sûreté followed Santa Claus through downtown Montréal?‘ ‘Not Santa. It was Snow White.’” (citation page 508), make you laugh out loud while breathless reading through the absorbing story full of intrigue.

Conclusion

A gripping, wonderful, perfect page-turner. For me this was the first book of the series, but I will definitely follow Armand Gamache to his next cases and also go back for some of the older cases.

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Christmas on the Little Cornish Isles: The Driftwood Inn – Phillipa Ashley

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AuthorPhillipa Ashley
PublisherAvon
Date18 September 2017
EditionKindle
Pages402 (print version)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB074M2H758

“Every piece of tinsel, tree decoration and Santa/snowman/robin ornament they had had been dragged out of storage and used to adorn the rooms, private and public.” (Quotation page 229)

Content

Maisie Samson, forty years old on New Years Eve, which will be soon, is back at the family owned The Driftwood Inn on Gull Island, a small, quiet island, part of the Isles of Scilly. Used to work in a pub, she is now going to help her parents and taking over Driftwood inn. One year ago, everything had been very different, together with Keegan, their baby would be born in summer, but then she lost her baby and Keegan left her too. Business in winter is not easy at Gull Island, cold, rainy, all tourists have left and the staff to. Therefore, when charming Patrick McKinnon from Melbourne asks for a job until March, he seems the perfect solution, almost heaven-sent for Gull Island. Romance is in the air, but also a secret around Patrick.

Theme and Genre

A romantic, seasonal story that takes place on a small Cornish Island around Christmas. Book one of a series of three.

Characters

The characters are likeable, caring, and show a wide range of different persons living on such a small island, trying to make ends meet to earn a living.

Plot and Writing

The main character of the story is Maisie and this is a funny, cozy story about friendship, love, but also problems in a small community, living on a quiet island. Most of all it is a story about the magical Christmas time, and people who know how to come together and celebrate. Not all events are joyful because not everybody wants to keep a tourism that is related to nature and the beauty of this small Cornish island, but to go for modern, sophisticated, expanded tourism. Repeated hints about Patrick’s secret are obviously written to bring more suspense in the storyline, in my opinion not necessary in this kind of pleasant Christmassy story.

Conclusion

A cosy, enjoyable story, likeable characters, lots of Christmas spirit, perfect reading for dark winter evenings around Christmas time.

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Our Souls At Night – Kent Haruf

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AuthorKent Haruf
PublisherPicador
Date5 May 2016
EditionPaperback
Pages192
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-13978-1447299370

„And then there was the day when Addie Moore made a call on Louis Waters. (quotation page 3)

Content

Addie Moore and Louis Waters are both widowed. The houses they live in are just one house apart,  in Cedar Street, in the small rural town Holt. One day in May Addie asks Louis that they could maybe spend some of the hours during the long, lonely nights together.

Theme and Genre

This poetic, beautiful novel is about ageing, loneliness and friendship. It is also about the problems between parents and their adult children, about life and love. Another important topic are the small-mindedness of small towns and conventions.

Characters

Kent Haruf definitely loves the characters he creates in his stories. Addie and Louis are both caring about each other and their families. Loveable, not perfect, just two normal persons who try to do things their way, and to not care about what people might think about them.

Plot and Writing

A story that will make you laugh and maybe also cry and leave you thoughtful. The positiveness between the lines will remain with you after the end of this book. The novel is writen in the known poetic, brilliant, quiet and specific style of the author.

Conclusion

A beautiful, deeply human story about understanding, friendship and love, about growing old but trying to make the best of it.

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The Endless Beach – Jenny Colgan

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AuthorJenny Colgan
PublisherSphere
Date11 January 2018
EditionKindle
Pages448 (Print edition)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB07572Q4M7

„I need to know you, and I need you to know me.“ (pos. 5225)

Content – Book Cover

On the quayside next to the Endless Beach sits the Summer Seaside Kitchen. It’s a haven for tourists and locals alike, who all come to eat the freshest local produce on the island and catch up with the gossip. Flora, who runs the cafe, feels safe and content – unless she thinks too hard about her relationship with Joel, her gorgeous but emotionally (and physically) distant boyfriend.

While Flora is in turmoil about her relationship. her best friend Lorna is pining after the local doctor. Saif came to the island as a refugee, having lost all of his family. But he’s about to get some shocking news which will change everything for him.

As cold winter nights shift to long summer days, can Flora find her happy-ever-after with Joel?

Theme and Genre

This book is part two of a series and it tells again the story and struggles of Flora and Joel, but this time the main part is about Colton and Fintan. One theme are the damages, war does to children. Another theme is foster care. The story is also about how to deal with cancer as a fatal disease. All these topics are embedded in a romantic feel-good-story on the fictional, beautiful island of Mure.

Characters

We meet again the characters known from book one and they still struggle between misunderstandings and feelings.

Plot and Writing

Jenny Colgan is an experienced author with an enjoyable writing style and she knows how to plot stories that are funny and sad in the same time. Even though part one of the series, The Summer Seaside Kitchen, is the first book of Jenny Colgan that could nor really convince me because of the endless misunderstandings that made the reading a little bit boring, I tried to give part two a chance. Again lots of thinking and misunderstandings, together with many – in my opinion too many – very serious themes in a very cozy story, which for me did not work.

Conclusion

A nice read for summer afternoons, a beautiful island, friendly people. A heartwarming story for romantic readers where even tragic ends in happily ever after – for me just too much of everything.

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True Love at the Lonely Hearts Bookshop – Annie Darling

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AuthorAnnie Darling
PublisherHarper Collins Publ. UK
Date18 may 2017
EditionKindle
Pages416 (Print edition)
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-13978-0008173142

“A life without passion is a life half-lived.” (quotation pos. 1706)

Content

Verity Love prefers to be on her own, as she has a problem with crowds of people. Her job as admin of the bookshop “Happy Ever After”, former “Bookends”, fits her well. Tired of friends and family who try to do some matchmaking, she invents a fake boyfriend, but because of a misunderstanding, she has to present a total stranger, as her boyfriend. His name is Johnny and luckily enough, he too needs a girlfriend as company during a season of weddings and birthday parties. Both are happy to just be friends – are they?

Theme and Genre

This romantic novel brings us back to Posy and her bookshop, which is now running, and a success. This time the main character is Verity, the admin and accountant, who is an introvert, having a problem with crowds and is happy to live alone with her tomcat. Maybe this is because she grew up with four sisters and family is an important topic of the story as well as being stuck for years in an unhappy love.

Characters

Verity is special, but with the background of her youth easily to understand. Normally down-to-earth if she gets enough time to stay for her own, Johnny´s personal situation for her is not always understandable, but she wants to help him.

Johnny is smart, good-looking but lost in his unhappy love. For me this character is quite unbelievable in his behavior regarding Marissa. 

Plot and Writing

The story starts with the idea of Johnny and Verity to present themselves to friends and family as couple in love so everybody stops to try any kind of matchmaking. As weeks pass by, the situation gets complicated and there are many misunderstandings between Verity and Johnny. Again, I was not really convinced by the story, but I liked this second book of the “Lonely Hearts Bookshop”-series more than the first one.

Conclusion

A story for fans of romantic fiction that is easy and entertaining to read, sometimes witty but with lengths regarding the endless misunderstandings between the two main-characters.

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Spring on the Little Cornish Isles: The Flower Farm – Phillipa Ashley

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AuthorPhillipa Ashley
PublisherHarper Collins Avon
Date19 February 2018
EditionKindle
Pages386 (Print edition)
LanguageEnglish
ASINB07555VLL6

“I mean it but sadly the world doesn’t owe us happiness. We have to go out and find it …”  (original quotation pos. 2864)

Content

Will Godrevy and his twin-sister Jessica, together with their mother Ann, are the owners of the St Saviour’s Flower Farm. Dr Gabriella Carter “Gaby” has a PhD in Poetry, but joins the flower farm but joins the flower farm on St Saviour’s island as a field worker. Feelings are sparkling between Will and Gaby, but she just needed some time for herself, just during the narcissi flower picking season and after that she will travel on, time for her to see other parts of the world. Jess and Adam are thinking about moving in together. But within one day, he leaves the island without explanations. However, there always is the flower farm and life somehow has to go on …

Theme and Genre

A romantic story that takes place on a flower farm on a small island.

Plot and Writing

The story tales place on one of the Isles of Scilly, on a narcissi flower farm. The main characters are likeable, and especially the sparks that fly between Will and Gaby, are described in a funny, humorous way. Hints and twists keep the reader with the story, as we have more than one main character and each of them has own decisions to make, including personal crises. There are some interesting descriptions of planting and growing different kinds of narcissi, as well a about rowing.

This romance is also about family values, trust and friendship. Experiences in the past, lead to some misunderstandings, caused by not-outspoken words. At a certain point of the story, the circling around the same questions and misinterpretations in my opinion lead to some lengths and stop the enjoyable reading flow.

Conclusion

A perfect pre-springtime read in a lovely setting, perfect for an enjoyable, relaxing weekend.

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The Little Bookshop of Lonely Hearts – Annie Darling

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AuthorAnnie Darling
PublisherHarper Collins Publ. UK
Date22 August 2016
EditionKindle
Pages400
LanguageEnglish
ASINB01A52IQ2Q

„With you at the helm, Bookends will start a new chapter in its life and I know that I couldn’t be leaving my beloved shop in better hands.“ (Quotation)

Content

When Lavinia Thorndyke dies at the age of 84, she leaves “Bookends”, her bookshop, to Posy Morland, who almost grew up in the shop and loves books and the shop means home for her and her younger brother. But “Bookends”, quite hidden at Rochester Mews, Bloomsbury, with old, now closed shops around, for years did not make any profit, with book chains like Waterstones just around the corner. Posy has only two years to make it a success, if not, it goes to Sebastian Thorndyke, Lavinia´s grandson. Together with her crew, Nina, Verity and Tom, she plans to rename the shop into “Happy Ever After”, paint it grey and pink as signature colors and to specialize on all kinds of romantic books, love stories, happy endings included. But Sebastian also found a new name for the shop “The Bloody Dagger”, painting it in black and red and selling only crime books …

Plot and Writing

This romantic novel is written in narrative form, with a personal narrator, focused on Posy. The story of Posy´s parents and of her childhood is given by Posy´s memories and flashbacks and leads to a better understanding of her character, behavior and acting. A special and witty story within the story is “Ravished by the Rake”, written by a very angry Posy.

The bookshop, the surroundings, the people of the neighborhood are well described and easily to imagine. The author finds a special personality for every member of the bookshop´s crew and together they are amiable.

At the age of 21, when their parents had died, Posy had taken the responsibility for her 8 years old brother and until today, eight years later, she still is firmly connected to the past and memories of her parents. She somehow is afraid of the responsibility for the bookshop and sometimes behaving like somebody much younger. I quite liked the character, but on the other hand I cannot understand why all female main protagonists since Bridget Jones have to be chaotic, messy, chubby biscuit eaters? In my opinion, the story with a just a little bit more self confident main character would have remained funny, enjoyable and romantic.

Conclusion

All in all, I have to say that I have enjoyed the book but as I love stories about books and bookshops, that I have read better ones and am a little bit disappointed.

Anyway, I am sure that readers and fans of Bridget Jones like books will love this one too, and enjoy a relaxed, entertaining reading time.

Deutsche Ausgabe: “Der kleine Laden der einsamen Herzen“, 9. Mai 2017, TB ISBN 978-3328100980

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Origin: A Robert Langdon Thriller – Dan Brown

Kommentar hinterlassen
AuthorDan Brown
PublisherDoubleday
Date3 October 2017
EditionHardcover
Pages480
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-13978-0385514231

„May our philosophies keep pace with our technologies. May our compassion keep pace with our powers. And may love, not fear, be the engine of change.” (Originalzitat)

Content (Book Cover)

Robert Langdon, Harvard professor of symbology and religious iconology, arrives at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao to attend the unveiling of a discovery that “will change the face of science forever”. The evening’s host is his friend and former student, Edmond Kirsch, a forty-year-old tech magnate whose dazzling inventions and audacious predictions have made him a controversial figure around the world. This evening is to be no exception: he claims he will reveal an astonishing scientific breakthrough to challenge the fundamentals of human existence.


But Langdon and several hundred other guests are left reeling when the meticulously orchestrated evening is blown apart before Kirsch’s precious discovery can be revealed. With his life under threat, Langdon is forced into a desperate bid to escape, along with the museum’s director, Ambra Vidal. Together they flee to Barcelona on a perilous quest to locate a cryptic password that will unlock Kirsch’s secret.

In order to evade a tormented enemy who is one step ahead of them at every turn, Langdon and Vidal must navigate labyrinthine passageways of hidden history and ancient religion. On a trail marked only by enigmatic symbols and elusive modern art, Langdon and Vidal uncover the clues that will bring them face-to-face with a world-shaking truth that has remained buried – until now.

Handlung

Der erfolgreiche, geniale Zukunftsforscher  Edmund Kirsch hat seinen Freund und früheren Professor Robert Langdon eingeladen, im Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao zusammen mit einigen hundert weiteren Gästen an der Präsentation seiner sensationellen Entdeckung teilzunehmen: die Antworten auf die beiden größten Fragen der Menschheit „Woher kommen wir“ und „Wohin gehen wir“. Ein Gott als Schöpfer ist bei diesen streng wissenschaftlichen Fakten keine Option mehr. Doch bevor Edmund Kirsch die eigentliche Präsentation, die gleichzeitig weltweit übertragen wird, starten kann, wir er vor den Augen aller erschossen.

Doch es gibt ein Passwort und einen Ort, wo dieses Projekt des Zukunftsforschers gespeichert ist, und somit auch nach seinem Tod noch veröffentlicht werden kann. Nur einer kann diese Rätsel lösen und so das Geheimnis um den Inhalt der wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse seines Freundes lüften: Robert Langdon. Gemeinsam mit Ambra Vidal, der Direktorin des Guggenheim Museums Bilbao, die für die Präsentation eng mit Edmund Kirsch zusammen gearbeitet hatte, beginnt für den Professor ein gefährlicher Wettlauf gegen die Zeit, gegen mächtige Feinde, die genau diese Veröffentlichung auf jeden Fall verhindern wollen. Hat Robert Langdon Erfolg und was genau ist diese bahnbrechende Entdeckung?

Fazit

Bis vor wenigen Tagen hätte ich auf die Frage nach dem meiner Meinung nach besten Buch von Dan Brown (einer meiner Lieblingsautoren) ohne zu zögern geantwortet: „Inferno“. Ich weiß, da gehen die Meinungen auseinander. Wie auch immer, seit heute ist meine Antwort: „Origin“. Diesmal begibt sich der Autor in ein neues Setting, in dem Symbole und Rätsel zwar eine Rolle spielen, jedoch geht es hier vor allem um die essentiellen und zeitlosen Fragen der Menschheit „Woher kommen wir“ und „Wohin gehen wir“ und auch um die Tatsache, dass Wissenschaft, Technik und Religion hier völlig kontroverse Antworten geben.

Für mich ist es großartig, wie Robert Langdon hier einen spannenden Thriller entwickelt hat, der mögliche Antworten anbietet, ohne jemals unlogisch zu werden.

Eine beeindruckende Geschichte, die auch zum Nachdenken anregt.

Ich empfehle dieses Buch von Dan Brown nicht nur Dan Brown Fans, sondern auch Technik-interessierten Lesern, die auch einen spannenden Roman zu schätzen wissen. Wer, so wie ich, die Stadt Barcelona und Gaudi liebt, wird die vielen präzisen Schilderungen einzelner Orte, Bauten usw. ebenfalls genießen. Manchmal hatte ich während des Lesens in Wikipedia nachgesehen – Dan Browns Beschreibungen sind wieder exakt und entsprechen absolut der Realität.

Reviews, Thriller & Crime , , ,