~Andrea~

I did start reading Neil Gaiman's Preludes and Nocturnes graphic novel but I wasn't really digging it. I got half way through and decided it wasn't really my thing. So I've picked up Melvyn Bragg's A soldier's Return instead. Not got very far in yet though.

Haha, that was funny, also frustrating to read. I kept wanting to shout, just get on with it woman! Heehee, not that I am immune from procrastination myself

Ah it was fab. I've just finished it. Very funny and what a likeable person she seems. I used to love the comic strip short films (though they are a bit dated now), Girls on Top and F&S etc. It was great hearing about all that stuff plus all the jet setting and glamour that seemed to come with the Ab Fab days. I didn't realize she'd had breast cancer though. Brave Jennifer

I really liked Lily Bard from Charlaine Harris's Shakespeare's Landlord. She was quiet and solitary, into keeping fit and liked cleaning, so I found I could relate in a lot of ways (not that I am as extreme as her in any of those areas)

I started listening to Bonkers by Jennifer Saunders on Thursday. So far I'm enjoying it a lot.

I finished Linda La Plante's Above Suspician today: From Amazon: Young detective Anna Travis has been assigned to her first murder case - and it couldn't be a more shocking, more horrific set of killings. They began eight years before; now the body count up to six. The method of killing is identical, the backgrounds of the girls very similar - all of them were drug-ridden prostitutes. Then a seventh body is found, same modus operandi, but this time the victim is a young student, sweet and innocent, with the "face of an angel." The profile of the murderer has changed dramatically. Anna stumbles on a vital piece of information which links one man to the killings. A household name, a much loved actor who is about to become an international movie star. He has charm, good looks and the gift of the gab. Denial and protestations of innocence spring easily and confidently from his lips. An arrest, in the face of intense publicity, would creat a media frenzy. And if he was found beyond doubt to be the wrong man, his career would be finished and Anna's hard fought-for reputation in the police force destroyed once and for all... With absolute authenticity and extraordinary power, La Plante takes us deep into the criminal mind and the criminal world. And, in heroine Anna Travis, she has created another memorable and utterly engaging new female detective. I enjoyed this a lot. I listened to it on audio and have to say it was excellenty read by Janet McTeer who did a fantastic job with all those different voices for the characters. The story was engaging and interesting, and while the writing was something of a step down after Room and The Secret History it was good enough for a detective novel and the dialogue itself well written. I did groan a bit at I didn't find the scene particularly believable. I would probably read more by Linda La Plante, and I have always enjoyed the her TV dramas.

I've been meaning to read the Kite Runner for ages. You've just bumped it a couple of places up my wish list I notice you have Olivia Joules on your TBR. I thought it was great, rather silly and quite light but a perfect holiday read.

Hmm I don't think we get that over here. That's good to know about the Goldfinch though. I'll definitely be reading it at some point.

Thanks Paula.

I finally finished The Secret History by Donna Tartt last night. My thoughts are on the reading circle thread here and are riddled with spoilers. I thought it was a wonderful wonderful book. I thought the writing was excellent. The imagery was vivid, the characters believable, original and interesting and the insights into human nature brilliant.

For me he looked just like Richard Osman

OK I'm a little late to the party, but here goes: 1- Who was your favourite character? Were there any characters whom you disliked? I suppose I sympathised with Richard the most, probably because he was the narrator and so you naturally saw things from his point of view. I really liked (as in enjoyed reading about) all the main characters. I probably found Camilla the least interesting. Perhaps Bunny and Henry were the most interesting. The characters were all so well drawn though I enjoyed reading about them all. Even the Corcorans, slightly grotesque as they were made for great reading. 2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed more than the rest? There were so many great scenes it's hard to pick one. I loved the episode where Francis is having his panic attack and gets taken to the emergency room. I loved the sequence where Bunny is becoming increasingly wild and unmanageable and a threat to the others. Charles increasing alcoholism was compelling, as was the drama with the Julian's letter. I was on the edge of my seat. 3- Did you like the writing? I thought the writing was excellent. The imagery was vivid, the characters believable, original and interesting and the insights into human nature brilliant. 4- Was this the first book you've read by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? No I've read The Little Friend which I also loved, but thought this was better. 5- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? The whole ancient greek/classics thing was rather alien for me, although she did a great job of maintaining my interest in characters with whom I would have so little in common. It would have been nice if a little more of the greek was translated. I think the most disturbing aspect of the book for me was the way it made me able to sympathise with the murderers. I was worried for them that Bunny would let the cat out of the bag, even though they had done something brutal and horrific. (Perhaps this was made easier because the focus was on the perpetators and not on the victim, and the original crime itself is not dwelt upon). Also because Bunny wasn't a likeable character I was not sorry to watch him tumble to his death. As a reader, I felt I was being drawn into something, just like Richard was. I was being taken down a path I would never willingly tread. 6- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? Yes. I was dying to get to the end, but as soon as I finished it I was sorry that I had to leave it behind. 7. What did you think of Julian? So far the first readers have described him as manipulative and a fraud. What is it about him that might rub you the wrong way? And if you did like Julian, we would love to hear your thoughts on him in that respect, too! I didn't know what to make of Julian. He was certainly an odd character. Right from the beginning where he was so controlling and elitist about the way he took students on. I found that, and the way his students adored him so, rather creepy, almost as though he had some kind of sociopathic need for undivided adoration.

Ah I think Fleshmarket Close is what I'm thinking of. Not quite as gruesome as I'd remembered Thanks everyone.

Hello I am sure there is a street in Edinburgh called something like slaughter street or murder lane, and I'm sure (though I could be wrong) it was mentioned on this forum some years ago. Does anybody know such a street in Edinburgh? Thanking you

Oh yes definitely. I want to finish this trilogy so I can get stuck into the Tawny Man one which I'm really looking forward to. Hmm I do see your point. I think in the Mad Ship there was too much going on, but not enough of it was interesting or exciting enough. I suppose it did have an element of filler about it. However I didn't feel that way about the Farseer books which I loved.

Thanks Cath that's really interesting! And useful to know that you can pick up on procedures from TV shows! Wow what a great break with the Blue Murder job! I really enjoyed that program. As a script writer do you get to meet and work with the cast?

I suppose crime has it's own sub-genres. There's cosy murders like Agatha Christie, and then the more grittier novels. I would say historical crime is probably a sub-genre, or a crossover genre.

It's weird isn't it how the change of voice can be so off-putting. But I have to say I'm rather enjoying the Linda La Plante now. The dialogue bits are better than the straight prose - which I guess makes a certain amount of sense since she was a script-writer first.

Hi I'd like to ask Cath Staincliffe: how do you research your books? Do you have a background in police work? Also did you script-write for Blue Murder? If so how did you get into screen-writing?

I started listening to Linda La Plante's Above Suspicion yesterday. I have to say having been spoiled with The Secret History and Room, I am finding the prose a little jarring, but I think I'll enjoy the story. (I also thought it would be a good choice since February is Crime/Thriller month)

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did Athena Actually now I come to think of it, I seem to remember the first half being pretty slow but boy does the second half make up for it!

Oh it was so good I can't stop thinking about it. I think I'll re-read or listen again one day. I can't wait to dive in! I'm trying to finish it by the end of Jan. I've read The Little Friend which I thought was superb though I think this one is even better!

I've just finished this on audio. What a brilliant book. I found it utterly compelling, was totally invested in the characters, and didn't want it to end. I loved Jack's voice as narrator. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Well Room was great! What a brilliantly told and thoroughly compelling story, touching on dark themes but with a lightness that made it so readable and engaging. I was hooked from the first and totally invested in the characters all the way through. I loved the narrator, Jack, who managed to bring out the threat, emotion and even humour in this fantastic story. I will definitely be looking for more from this author. The audio version was brilliantly read by the actor playing Jack (as well as others) and I would highly recommend this version, although had I read it in book form I think I would have devoured it much quicker. I am half way through The Secret History and absolutely loving it. I'll save my comments for when I finish, but once again Donna Tartt is delivering on every count! A great start to my reading year

I'm very close to finishing Room (on the last of 9 CDs now), and I'm almost a third the way through The Secret History (which is also utterly fab and gripping). I acquired two books today from the lovely Chrissy: The Graveyard Shift by Neil Gaimon and King Solomon's Carpet by Barbara Vine, both of which I am very excited about and looking forward to reading.