GHOSTS by DOLLY ALDERTON

 GHOSTS

by

DOLLY ALDERTON

THE BLURB:

Nina Dean has arrived at her early thirties as a successful food writer with loving friends and family, plus a new home and neighbourhood. When she meets Max, a beguiling romantic hero who tells her on date one that he's going to marry her, it feels like it's all going to plan.

A new relationship couldn't have come at a better time- her thirties have not been the liberating, uncomplicated experience she was expecting. Everywhere she turns, she is reminded of time passing and opportunities dwindling. Friendships are fading, ex-boyfriends are moving on and, worse, everyone's moving to the suburbs. There's no solace to be found in her family, with a mum caught in a baffling mid-life makeover and a beloved dad who is vanishing in slow motion into dementia.

Dolly Alderton's debut novel is funny and tender, filled with whip-smart observations about relationships, family, memory and how we live now.

THE REALITY:

Bah! I picked up this charity shop find as I was shopping quickly (I hate shopping) and had recently read two ghost stories, so I thought I'd give a third a go. But no, this appeared to be about the modern phenomenon (probably not that modern, just done differently) of ghosting someone- i.e., reeling them in then deserting them and not responding to their messages.

Meh. I'm generally no fan of chick lit, not being a “gaggles of girls” kind of person. But then neither is our heroine, and the hen night she has to attend was funny and cringe-worthy to read. I'm probably not a “gaggles of people” kind of person either- my lifetime close friendship circle is not enough to fill a room, and I like it that way (I prefer to travel without emotional baggage). But it turns out that Nina, our heroine, reduces the hangers on (and gives some she retains an ultimatum) in the space of a year, too. I found that I quite liked her!

The one thing I struggle with with chick lit is the fact that so many of these early thirty-somethings have fantastic careers. That wasn't my experience at that age, as I was going through the classic quarter life crisis, which was something that was just beginning to become acknowledged at the time. My boyfriend at the time accused me of “wasting the best years of my life” not having regular employment (I was freelancing), but for me they were not good years- that came later, in my mid to late thirties when I owned my own place. And it's here that I can relate to Nina, with her joy at her independence.

I've been a victim of the phenomenon of having a man “ghost” me (he was a rebound relationship in my thirties). But after leaving a couple of messages, including some abusives (which I'm inordinately proud of) I quickly moved on to someone else, and duly ignored his messages when they appeared a few months later. Yes, like Nina, I agree that this kind of behaviour is pathetic, and I'm glad she chose to pull Jethro up about it.

Some interesting and very real subjects were explored here, such as a lack of connection with a mother; a father descending into dementia; the way modern men of forty tend to go for much younger women, therefore keeping certain options open, and I'm familiar with Archway, Nina's place of residence, so could kind of relate to certain facets.

This book is certainly worth a go.

THE THIRTEENTH TALE by DIANE SETTERFIELD

 

THE THIRTEENTH TALE

by

DIANE SETTERFIELD

THE BLURB:
Angelfield House stands abandoned and forgotten. It was once the imposing home of the March family- fascinating, manipulative Isabelle, Charlie, her brutal and dangerous brother, and the wild, untamed twins, Emmeline and Adeline. But Angelfield House conceals a chilling secret whose impact still resonates...

Now Margaret Lea is investigating Angelfield's past- and the mystery of the March family starts to unravel. What has the house been hiding? What is its connection with the enigmatic author Vida Winter? And what is it in Margaret's own troubled past that causes her to fall so powerfully under Angelfield's spell?

THE REALITY:
I first saw this book as a TV adaption, starring Olivia Coleman and Vanessa Regrave, coincidentally exactly ten years before reading this charity shop book (I recognised the title as the TV adaption was compelling, and right up my street). This is a must for fans of spooky houses, atmospheric settings and eccentric characters. In fact, further recommended reading is listed as Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and The Turn of The Screw by Henry James. I've read all but the latter- something I intend to remedy soon- some more than once and have seen several TV adaptions of those fine tales.

The book differs slightly from the TV adaption in that certain things were changed for dramatic screen effect. In the book the housekeeper dies a natural death, and doesn't fall through the roof. In the book Margaret was once a conjoined twin, whom she was separated from at birth, with the twin dying immediately, but on screen Margaret let go of her twin's hand after a row as kids, with the twin getting run over by a car as she ran back towards Margaret. Margaret, of course, suffers immense guilt in both versions, but in the book she only finds out about the existence of her twin by accident, and her mother doesn't seem to be able to get beyond the fact that she's very lucky to have one child alive and healthy. It's a classic case of families lacking the ability to communicate effectively and talk about their issues, and I'm sorry that this kind of thing still goes on nowadays. Incidentally, it's quite ambivalent regarding what era the book is set in, but this doesn't detract from the novel. I'm going to guess with the 1990s for the modern day parts (mobile phones don't feature, and not everybody had one then) which would put the historical time frame as the 1920s/1930s.

Incidentally, it sounds like Margaret and her sister had twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome- that happens to one of my main characters in my novel The Reject's Club. Here is my Amazon link to that novel:-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rejects-Club-Elaine-Rockett/dp/1500563366

I did remember that there were actually (BIG SPOILER ALERT!) three little girls, with the third person either the cousin of the girls or- more likely- their half-sister, as Charlie liked to harm and interfere with his unstable sister, and mother of the twins, Isabelle (sometimes consensually on both levels). This is the bit I remembered wrongly- I thought there'd been triplets, not a girl of a similar age. It's not the first time I've seen dodgy relationships between brothers and sisters explored- I believe it features in The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, and I myself have written a (yet unpublished) piece with incest as a theme.

An interesting book which looks at sibling relationships, especially those between twins, and there are yet more twists towards the end which draw the reader in. Intelligently written, with some new long words for me to learn (I always like that), this was a great read as I love a good “ghost” story. But my favourite character was Aurelius, a lovely, sunny man with his own overlay of sadness then truth. Read it to see what I mean- you won't be disappointed.

S-S-SPIRALLING

When we visited Burgh House in Hampstead in the summer, we chanced upon this competition brief.  The room was full of objects, and you had to use them to put together a story or poem.

I didn't win or get a runner-up place, but I thought I'd share my poem with you.

It's a tad strange, but it's what the objects inspired in me.

The brief...

S-S-SPIRALLING

'S-S-Sissy, S-S-Sissy!'

He stutters my name with his sibilant hiss,

Words convoluted, love amiss,

Because my name is Hermione...

Identity desecrated I'm called by my other, named for my mother,

Who is my jailer, traversing this creeping mansion?

An excellent match, my guardians assured,

He sought them- they procured.

A dress already owned, Art Deco and old-fashioned,

A wedding band too, it fitted as if made,

What a curious thing to do!

Provide for a bride before finding a bride!

Did as I was bid, heart s-s-spiralling away,

That singular glint in his eyes; marked curiosity,

My wedding night whispering my name (her name),

Locked and ignored inside, except when he needed release.

Wandering around I found,

A portrait of my mother, painted by my father,

At our piano, way before they died,

S-s-savage memories.

Too s-s-scared of being pinched,

Rolling flesh between his fingers,

Though he still murmured her in my ear,

His bitterness projected at me.

The housekeeper told he was engaged to be wed,

Uninspired she cancelled just before the banns,

Ran with my father, whose face I wear,

Punished for their s-s-sins.

I found an old lamp, his weakness his cups,

Unconscious for hours, the housekeeper matching,

Wandering the Heath at night for companionship,

The nightwatchman in his bothy.

But he must have known, s-s-scratches at the door,

In flagrante delicto,

S-s-swelling in my tummy but my lord used a contraption,

Disgusting, reusable, s-s-spiralling his way.

He has power- my lover disappeared,

S-s-slipped me an overdose they said,

But I will haunt him- he took everything from me,

S-s-subtly- enough to make him think he's going mad.

An object disappearing here, a curtain floating there; a midnight taunt in his ear,

Bought his own chair- a Bauhaus,

A nest of tables for his beating tattoo fingers,

For when his deserved psychiatrist visits.

But I continued my vial of vengeance,

Until all left, smeared by association unneeded,

He now converses with a penguin in the corner- it's not real!

The asylum beckons- but I will haunt and never let up.

My name is Hermione, now that's the only name he ever whispers,

'Leave me be, Hermione! Leave me be, Hermione!'

S-s-spiralling into that monochrome vortex- respect gained,

But I will never stop until 'til his death takes its own s-s-sweet toll.

Copyright©Elaine Rockett 

The procured wedding dress...

The portrait of the mother...

The lamp...

The chair and nest of Bauhaus tables...

The penguin...

Here is the link to my full Hampstead blog:-

http://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2023/06/miss-elaineous-visits-hampstead.html

I hope you enjoyed my weird and wonderful poem!

TTFN

Miss Elaineous

xxxxx

xxx

x

THE HIDING PLACE by AMANDA MASON

 THE HIDING PLACE

by

AMANDA MASON

THE BLURB:

The front door rattled gently on its hinges and something- the wind, surely- nudged against it. She placed a hand against the door, listening as Elder House seemed to shift and settle around her...

Nell Galilee, her husband and step-daughter Maude rent a holiday cottage by the sea. The cottage has been empty for some time, and from the start Nell feels uncomfortable there. Something just isn't quite right about the place...

Twelve-year-old Maude soon finds herself beguiled by the house's strange atmosphere. There are peculiar marks on the roof beams above her bed, and in another room, a hiding place, concealing a strange, unnerving object.

As the house gradually reveals its secrets, Nell becomes increasingly uneasy and Maude spellbound. But these women- and the women that surround them- also have things to hide, and soon events will come to a terrible head...

THE REALITY:

This turned out to be my Christmas read, and the title struck a chord in my memory- Katherine Webb also wrote a novel (although it wasn't supernatural; just clever) called something very similar (The Hiding Places, research further back in my blog reveals). This book was a big, unwieldy tome, and I can certainly understand feedback for my similarly sized first novel, which dictated that I should spread my 320,000 words into a serial, as the book simply wasn't easy to just drop into a handbag and go.

The novel didn't dictate exactly where the story was set, but I kind of worked out that it was Whitby, which I hope to visit for Whitby Goth Weekend. I did love the atmospheric cliffside location of the unsettling rented home, and the author conveyed the mystery and unease surrounding this property pretty well. I also loved the historical explanations attached to the holiday let, and was especially taken by the description of a beautiful tiered garden in a neighbour's property.

Character-wise, this book was a good study in mother/ daughter relationships, including those that occur with step-mothers and step-daughters, and the difficulties a “blended” family has. I felt especially sorry for (spoiler alert!) Evie, who was a disappointment to her mother because she was gay, and didn't quite manage to pick (another spoiler alert!) Carolyn out as the chief protagonist until she actually “performed,” right near the end. Although she did come across as a tad weird and unsavoury. I also understood Maude, who clearly feels like a fifth wheel as a twelve-year-old, yet kind of got her step-mother, Nell's point of view as well, so full marks to the author for good, explorative writing.

But the thing I loved most about the book was the supernatural/ witchcraft aspect, and how it crossed over with art and design, with the weird markings on the ceiling, Nell's profession and Gina's shop. The finding of the hiding place and its significance was interesting and a tad spooky, as were the odd goings-on. Although I found the ending a tad ambiguous, I kind of understand the bargain Nell makes with the supernatural- although with bargains like that, I can't help but feel that there would be a high price to pay. It's slightly uneasy and unsettling. A tale that seems to jump around a bit (although paragraphs clearly define whose point of view we're being subjected to) but is certainly very readable and worth a go.

FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD by C.K. WILLIAMS

 FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD

by

C.K. WILLIAMS

THE BLURB:

I AM THE REASON GIRLS ARE TOLD NOT TO TRUST STRANGERS. I AM THEIR CAUTIONARY TALE.

Nineteen years ago Linn Wilson was attacked. Seventeen years old and home alone, she'd been waiting for her friends to arrive when she heard the doorbell ring. But when she opened the door, Linn let in her worst nightmare. The culprit was never found.

It was someone I knew. I am going to find out who did this to me.

Now Linn is determined to get to the bottom of the night that changed her life forever. Returning to the village where she grew up, she knows that someone must know something. The claustrophobia and isolation of small town living means secrets won't remain secrets for long...

THE REALITY:

Possibly not the most cheery of novels to read when going through a sudden bereavement, as I was! This was found at Southend railway station, where they have a book exchange thingy going on, where you leave one of your old books and take a new one. This novel- although possibly not something I would choose- seemed the best at the time.

The main thing I liked was that the author really did keep you guessing and, for a long time, it was an “it could be any one of them” situation. Then the finger seemed to point at (spoiler alert!) Anna, and I liked the way that the idea of a female perpetrator was explored, along with the claustrophobic nature of living in a small town society, and how everybody knows everyone else's business. I also liked the way sexuality- and how times have regarding acceptance of alternative lifestyles- was explored.

Would I have guessed the perpetrator? Maybe and kind of, as (spoiler alert!) he came into the frame as a candidate somewhat far along the line, and I loved the way Linn worked out who it actually was and how she dealt with him. I also liked the (sometimes) one line chapters and how the book was carefully compartmentalised with each player getting a different chapter to his or her self.

(Big spoiler alert!) The information regarding how she adorned her creepy dead husband with flowers in the chapel of rest was something else, and enough to make your skin crawl!

Not my usual cup of tea, but it was certainly evocative, and worth a go.

YOUTUBE TRESCO VLOG LIVE...

 My Tresco, Isles of Scilly vlog/ photo montage is now live!

Click on this link:-

https://youtu.be/LyU9wlwhZkE

This island was the most verdant of all of the islands of the archipelago, although it probably seems that way because of the presence of the fantastic and historical botanical gardens; Tresco Abbey Gardens.  That really is a wonderful place to visit- don't leave the island without going there.  

There are other attractions to visit; such as King Charles's Castle, Cromwell's Castle and the Blockhouse, but we actually viewed these from the neighbouring islands of Bryher and St Martin's.

The thing I noticed most about Tresco was that it seemed ten degrees warmer than St Mary's, where we stayed, and travelled by boat from each day.  It's due to the Gulf Stream effect, and the fact that this island is sheltered between others.

As you know, I will always be a writer before anything else, so here is my updated Tresco blog link:-

https://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2022/10/miss-elaineous-visits-tresco-abbey.html

😀

Enjoy the video, don't forget to hit the subscribe, like and notification buttons, hit follow on this blog as well and I'll see you soon.

TTFN

Miss Elaineous

XXXXXXX
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SUMMER AT LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY by JENNY COLGAN

 SUMMER AT LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY

by

JENNY COLGAN

THE BLURB:

I (me, Jenny, the author, not Polly, who's the character in the book, and has much better hair than me)... Anyway, I often have this sense that any day now, everything in my life is going to fall into place and run smoothly and hurray! I'll have somehow figured out this whole 'life' business.

But, of course, my life never ever goes like that. As soon as one thing sorts itself out, something else falls totally out of whack, and I'm chasing my tail again.

If you are a very calm, sorted person, I envy you. But if you are more like me, well, you might really enjoy this book. One minute, Polly is baking bread in Little Beach Street Bakery in gorgeous Cornwall. Then she decides to buy a lighthouse and, well... let's just say it doesn't go quite to plan.

If you've ever dreamed of tossing it all up in the air and starting over, I hope you love Summer at Little Beach Bakery. And if you haven't- well, you know, it has a really cool puffin in it.

Very warmest wishes, Jenny XXX

THE REALITY:

Quite a nice touch, that- the author putting a personal message blurb on the back of the book, and this novel is real feel good chick lit. It is heart warming, and I picked it up from the charity shop shelf as it features Cornwall, which I love visiting. I also took it to read when I went there on holiday not too long ago, although I was a bit too busy to actually read it! I soon found out that fictional Mount Polbearne is based on real St Michael's Mount, which I've visited before (and did this time), so it was very easy to envisage. I also loved the fact that our heroine lived in a lighthouse, although I sense that the reality of that life-changing decision is more romantic in fiction than reality!

But my favourite character was Neil the puffin, who made me cry buckets. Why, you might ask? Well, I had a long term boyfriend who nicknamed me puffin as “you have a face like one!” Well, I love puffins so that term of endearment was nice. But that boyfriend- who I'd remained friends with, despite him living in another country- passed away suddenly during my reading of this book, so Neil perhaps became specially poignant. Yep, this was a book read through tears.

As storylines go it was okay with a pleasant mix of characters. Villainous Malcolm was gross and it was easy to work out that it was Selina who (spoiler alert) wrote slag on Nan the Van. I have to say, the plot tripped along nicely but wasn't particularly spectacular. If it's light, bright and trite you're after then this book is for you. But the main thing for me with this read was the delightful Cornish setting.