Madeleine

Yes I did think the same about the Patrick Gale book, and that it felt unfinished, which spoilt it a bit. Glad we agree!

Shine - Take That

Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Jules Verne

So far Eleanor Tomlinson has been likeable but not that different to Demelza Poldark, but we'll see. I agree about the flash forwards too, bit of a spoiler there! Agree totally about the family stuff in the Tom Cruise film (I'm not a big Cruise fan either) but it is a trademark of Spielberg now to bring in all the Dad/son schmaltz and unfortunately a lot of his later films have been ruined by it, including that one!

I didn't like the Tom Cruise version, it started off brilliantly and the aliens' arrival was very well done, but then it descended into a load of schmaltz about his family, and you had the end of the world guy (Tim Robbins I think?) which was all a bit daft, and the last part of the film just sort of fell apart, although I think that's probably more Steven Spielberg's fault than Tom Cruise's.

boiled

I thought it was OK, although the initial alien pod did remind me of a big ball of dung! Like the ones you see those little ants pushing around in wildlife progs.

Thanks Athena, got a headache now. those coughs do hang around don't they, they last longer than the cold.

Yes me too, I gave up after the episode where they explained how he faked his demise.

The Pale Horse by Agatha Christie - Mark Easterbrook is a writer, living in London in the soon to be swinging Sixties, when a chance encounter leads him to the Pale Horse, a former pub, now a home for 3 women, two of whom claim to be mediums. Mark is intrigued by the Pale Horse's connection with the death of a priest in London, who was found to have a list of names on him, all of whom have ended up dying, supposedly of natural causes, illness or accidents. But was the priest killed for the list, or did his last visit, to a dying woman, also lead to his death? Mark eventually attends a séance at the mediums' house, and whilst some of it can be passed off as theatrical illusion, he thinks that somehow these women are causing people to die without actually doing anything to them. It all sounds bizarre and indeed it is, as Mark, helped by Inspector Lejeune, coroner Jim Corrigan (there's a Corrigan on the priest's list), and his friend, Ginger, tries to find out exactly what is going on at the Pale Horse. It's years since I read a Christie, but I found this to be an easy to read, ripping yarn, well plotted and I didn't guess who the killer way, although once it's revealed, it's actually pretty obvious (maybe that was why I didn't guess it!) and very cleverly written, and the setting of a London of coffee bars and bright young things hanging out is well evoked. Enjoyable, with some humour too. 7/10

Strange Fascination" by Syd Moore - this is the 3rd in the Essex Witch Museum series, and begins with the relaunch of the Museum with it's new exhibits. The launch party is well attended, but trouble is soon brewing when property developers try to disturb the Blackly Be, a large boulder on the edge of the local woods which supposedly marks the last resting place of Black Anne, another unfortunate woman supposedly burned as a witch, and if you disturb her.....well. It's not long before the severed head of one of the protesters against the development is found perched on the stone, and once again Rosie and Sam find themselves at the centre of events, as strange things start to happen in the village of Adder's Fork - birds plummet out of the sky, and Rosie encounters a strange, veiled sort of creature which seems to hypnotise her. She's also trying to find out what really happened to her grandma, Ethel, who disappeared back in 1953 after walking out of her own séance. Despite the busy sounding plotlines, I thought this book took a long time to get going compared to the earlier novels, and although it was still enjoyable it wasn't quite as compulsive as the others. A fun romp, though, with plenty of humour and more of Rosie's family background is revealed. 7/10

Keeps trying to rain. I seem to have started a weird cold, which has gone straight from a sore throat yesterday, to a few sneezes today, and now a tickly cough which is so annoying!

The King's Witch" by Tracy Borman - it's the early 17th century, and Frances Gorges finds her happy rural existence shattered when her uncle arranges for her to be sent to London, to be of the ladies attending Queen Anne, wife of James, who succeeded Elizabeth I on her death. Frances was also one of Elizabeth's attendants, but James's reign is very different - for a start, he is on a crusade against Catholics, and also suspected witches, an obsession he brought with him from Scotland, where he was responsible for the torture and execution of many, probably innocent, women. Frances herself is a healer, but this of course immediately puts her under suspicion of witchcraft, and it's not long before she finds herself in the Tower of London, accused of witchcraft, following the death of the child of another lady at the Court, although by the time Frances got to attend the child, she could see that he was beyond help. However after a few weeks of (literally) torment, Frances is cleared and released and allowed back into the Royal fold, but she knows she is constantly being watched, both by her uncle and the odious Robert Cecil. She longs to return to the countryside but this is out of the question, and her only comfort, apart from a good relationship with her young charge, the King's daughter, Elizabeth, is her burgeoning friendship with lawyer Thomas Wintour. But there are many plots against the King, he's not popular both inside and outside the Court, and eventually Frances finds herself caught up in the most famous plot of all, as events move towards November and the re-convening of Parliamen, and she also discovers devastating news about her own family, as she tries to avoid persecution yet again. I really enjoyed this book, the witchcraft section was the usual horrible history of persecution, but once the Gunpowder Plot started to develop I was gripped. I haven't actually read that many books that feature this as a major part of the story, so it made a refreshing change, and also to see it from another angle. It really was an audacious plot. Frances Gorges did exist, and her family home still stands. This is the first part of a trilogy and I look forward to seeing what Frances does next. The author is a genuine historian who works for London's Royal Palaces organisation, this is her first novel and it's well-written and does bring history alive with it's vivid descriptions of life at Court, and all the intrigue and backbiting that goes on. 8/10

I didn't want the series to end either! Shame as I felt it could have kept going, but that's the author's decision.

We had quite a few fireworks over the weekend but thankfully they seem to have stopped for now, it's so annoying and pointless during daylight! Rainy and overcast here too, Wednesday was quite nice during the day but then it started raining in the evening and hasn't really stopped for long since. Also quite cold.

The sun always shines on Tv - Aha

The Third Man - Graham Greene

It was dry for most of yesterday but rained most of the night, has been dry for most of the day so not sure what will happen tonight, it is meant to rain again though. Hope you get your roof sorted out.

Yes the songs annoyed me as well in The Hobbit, haven't re-read it yet though. I have The Silmarillion but from what I've heard about it I'm not sure if I'll attempt it!

There are very few independent bookshops near where I live too, none in my immediate shopping areas, and only one fairly near by which isn't open on Sunday, which is fair enough, but the area is gridlocked on Saturday so I avoid going there then! There were a couple of others but they've closed down now. The only dedicated bookshop we really have is Waterstone's, and both branches have cut their floor space from two floors to one, so of course there's less of a selection in store now.

I've got lined up: The Christmas Party - Karen Swan The Christmas Railway Mystery - Edward Marson 12 Strange Days of Christmas - Syd Moore The Christmas Egg Mystery - British Library, can't remember the author!

The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

Also benefits the bookshop too, I would be happier paying full price in an independent bookshop.

Our dog was petrified too, when she got older she got quite deaf so it wasn't so much of an issue, but she'd be sitting there shaking and trying to get away from the racket. I also have no problem with the specific night for various festivals, but as Brian says they seem to be pretty constant for several days (weeks even) either side of the actual dates.

It's pouring with rain - been raining nearly all day - Bonfire Night was 4 days ago - and there are still fireworks going off! What is it with people?