Madeleine

Apart from rain yesterday morning, it's been cold and bright, no frosts yet though.

Poppy, I was wondering the same thing about Marian Keyes. I read "Mercy close" and ended up skimming the second half - it was just boring, and the main mystery seemed to take second place to everything else, and the mystery was very weak as well. Very disappointing.

Season of the Witch by Natasha Mostert - Gabriel used to be a remote viewer, who could enter people's minds and access their thoughts, until he gave it up to become a computer hacker instead, stealing rival firms' secrets for their competitors. Then an old flame and fellow remote viewer, Frankie, comes back into his life when she asks him to find out that happened to her husband's son Robbie, who vanished after becoming involved with the alluring Monk sisters. He manages to enter Robbie's mind and has a terrifying experience, but finds himself drawn to the two sisters, who naturally are both stunningly beautiful and multi-talented. After he hacks into their diary, it becomes apparent that one of them is a killer, but which one? During an idyllic summer he tries to find out, with horrific results for those around him. This was a fast-paced, slightly trashy read, a bit overlong and enjoyable enough but instantly forgettable, and not really very witchy either! 6.5/10 The Loney by Andrew Michael Hurley - this is an odd one, it won the Costa Book of the Year award in 2015 but to be honest I'm not sure why, it's very well-written and atmospheric but felt very unfinished and I wasn't sure what exactly happened, but given that religious faith, or lack of it, plays such a big part of the story I suppose that's why several things aren't explained. An unnamed narrator starts to reminisce about a family holiday, or rather pilgrimage, to the Loney - a wild area in Lancashire which is beautifully evoked - with his parents, including his fanatically religious mother, and his mute brother Hanny (Andrew) who we know at the beginning has somehow recovered his speech, and the book charts the events leading up to his recovery. Now adults, we're taken back when the narrator hears of a baby's body being discovered in the ruins of a house that he and his brother visited during that fateful holiday. His brother had been very taken with a young pregnant woman who they saw arriving at the house, and it's obvious that something is going on, only we never really find out what it is. There are also strange locals (inevitably) and we also hear of the former priest, who these days would be had up for physical abuse. But of course the boys' mother will hear nothing against him; the priest has since died and this is the first visit to the Loney with the new, more amenable priest. And that's it really, as I said a strange book and I'm not really sure what it was all about! 7/10

Quite mild here too, bit windy but not too bad.

Finally hit 40!

What did everyone think of this week's show, well last week's now! As usual amazing costumes and make up, Aston, Alexandra and Debbie were the stand outs; I was surprised at one person being in the dance off but the other was the right choice and I was glad to see them go; I think either Ruth or Susan will be next to go. Johnnie had a rather bad week but thankfully stayed in. But Aston was stunning.

The extra hour in bed - clocks went back!

Nice and sunny at the moment.

Named of the Dragon by susanna Kearsley

Just wait til you can see series 7!

Yes today was a perfect autumn day, cold tonight though!

Also just got "Foreign Bodies", short stories set abroad ie not in the UK!

The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick - first part in the trilogy about Eleanor of Aquitaine, this focuses on Eleanor's early life and marriage to Louis, about whom the only things I was aware of was that he was possibly gay, and the marriage was a disaster, although it lasted for several years and started with promise. The story moves along briskly, with the author keeping it subtle and only hinting at Louis's sexuality by suggesting that it was rumoured, but not proven, and not sensationalising it. But Eleanor was an extraordinary woman who led an extraordinary life, by the end of this book she's only around 30, and with her marriage to Henry, there is so much more still to come. I really can't believe that her story hasn't been filmed; apart from the Lion in Winter, she appears very rarely as a main character, so come on TV companies, do something different to the Tudors and Elizabeth I! As usual, a very well-written and easy to follow novel about real people and real history from this author. 8/10 Sleeper's Castle by Barbara Erskine - Andy (Miranda) agrees to house-sit Sleeper's Castle, in Hay-on-Wye whilst it's owner visits her native Australia. The house is full of history and soon Andy finds herself, at first unwittingly, caught up in the lives of a family who lived there in 1400, namely Catrin, her father Dafydd and trusty housekeeper Joan, whose brother Edmund, is fond of Catrin, whilst Andy finds herself strangely attracted/repelled by Bryn, the gardener. But she's too interested in seeing history through Catrin's eyes, and gradually finds herself literally walking alongside her - only difference is, Cat can also appear in the present, which is even more unnerving. Andy has also been pursued to Hay by her late partner's ex-wife, Rhona, who in typical Erskine fashion is a hissable villain who is suitably demented and is convinced that Andy took everything away from her, despite the fact that she was the one who left Graham years ago. As the past and present collide, Andy finds herself in danger, both from ghosts and present day menaces. I enjoyed this overall, it was as usual very atmospheric with a great setting, and the historical aspect (the story of Owain Gryffydd's - apologies for the spelling - battle for Welsh independence) was fascinating and not one I've come across very often in novels. But I could have done without the Rhona storyline altogether, although it mirrored the toxic relationship between Cat and her father, it felt superfluous and frankly, rather silly. I also felt that the book dragged a bit in the middle, so not one of her best, but by no means one of her worst either , and I liked the idea of various characters being able to visit each other remotely. 7.5/10

The Secret of Crickley Hall - James Herbert

Hi Poppy, sorry to hear of your troubles, hope your mum is OK now, sounds nasty. I can sympathise about the helicopter, we had it hovering continuously from just before 0100 the other night for about 25 minutes, of course after it had gone I was wide awake, such a racket. Hope your kitchen gets sorted out soon!

We're all paying the deposit for our work lunch. You are well organised! I've ordered a present from mail order, but that's about it so far.

Dirty Money - Stevie V

dairy

I thought you'd been quiet! That looks lovely, and yes you were lucky with the weather! Enjoy your birthday tomorrow.

Well at last the two worst dancers were in the dance off, must have been difficult to choose between them! I thought Debbie was superb again, so elegant, and Mollie was good too, Alexandra as well but that's a given ( and I didn't notice the pigeon toes, but then the camera work doesn't always show it), Joe's Paso was great but I don't think it merited a 10, definitely a 9 though. Jonnie was also good and so were Aston and Gemma. It's shaping up to be a strong series.

yay, in for Christmas - hope it works out for you.

Cold and windy but quite bright.

Latest purchases: The Mistletoe Murder and other stories by P D James Falling Creatures by Katherine Stansfield Need you Dead by Peter James

Yes I find I'm watching the pro dancer as well, especially if their celeb partner isn't very good! Jonnie is doing well, and Davood has potential and shouldn't have been in the dance off last week.

Dull and drizzly here today, grey all round!