A.R. Melrose

Advantages: A wonderful insight into life in the early days of WW2
Disadvantages: Rather a laborious story with poorly developed characters

...vacillating Inspector Stallard who is in charge of the investigation and given carte blanche by him to pursue her lines of enquiry which she does with thoroughness and enthusiasm. She is ferried around by her chauffeur, George who is also a Warden doing his bit for the war effort. Despite the shortage of petrol, they seem to be able to procure adequate supplies for their forays around the countryside. This may be a completely off centre comparison, but Miss Marple sprang to my mind as this character developed through the book. ***Lady Selina Lestrange*** Sister-in-law to Mrs Bradley and her hostess during her stay in Willington. She is acting as an A.R.P. Warden and takes her duties very seriously. She comes across as a rather pompous dowager who is exasperated by her eccentric sister in law, confused and vaguely disapproving of her... Read review

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Advantages: Reasonable story
Disadvantages: Goes on a bit

...to get a warrant to break in. The leader of the ring is thought to be Viktor Baumann. Strangely, he is linked to a murder in Cornwall in the grounds of a stately home owned by his daughter, Flora's stepfather. This murder, in turn, is thought to be connected to the abduction of Flora a few years before. Richard Jury, a Scotland Yard inspector, works on the case in conjunction with police officers from the Devon and Cornwall police. Jury also calls in one of his friends, Melrose Plant, to do some work at the stately home in the hope that he will be able to work out what is going on. All the signs point towards Baumann, but is he a double murderer and would he have kidnapped his own daughter? Jury is on the case and is determined to find out the truth. The characters Richard Jury is not a dislikeable character, but his actions... Read review

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Advantages: Lose yourself in amazing tales and subliminaly soak up the history
Disadvantages: Lose touch with the rest of the world until the tale is told

...I am a major Anne Rice fan and have just finished reading her newest novel Blackwood Farm. It is one of her longer ones, 530 pages long in hardback and 52 chapters. Unusually I had been a bit disappointed with Blood and Gold so had not started Blackwood farm with as much enthusiasm as I normally would with an A.R novel. I was wrong and very soon hooked. Blackwood Farm is set on, surprise surprise, Blackwood Farm in New Orleans and introduces a new vampire to the chronicles: Tarquin Blackwood otherwise known as Quinn. The majority of the story is Quinn telling us his tale of the lead up to his becoming a vampire, the audience being Lestat. Only the first small part and the last small part are set in present time so to speak where we see events unfold in the ‘now’. I find myself starting to read the whole series of Mayfair... Read review

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