Only two
books again this month but two I thoroughly enjoyed. My time seems to be
getting busier now and I am finding I have less time to read. I only finished
the second book the day before the book club discussion and I had to make a
concerted effort to get it finished.
The Duke
and I- Julia Quinn
I will
confess that I only read this after watching Bridgerton at the beginning of the
year. The book concentrates solely on the relationship between Simon and
Daphne.
The Blurb
(Goodreads)
In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London,
rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to
address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are
unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and
aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable… but not too amiable.
Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings
in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible
young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one
truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to
play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.
Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings.
Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and
society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful
childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another
option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who
parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects
and her reputation soar.
The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy,
cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores
every rule...
The book
looks only at the relationship between Simon and Daphne, and after watching the
TV series I missed the development of the other characters. The series also
introduced characters who were not mentioned in the book. Whether they appear
in later books I guess I will have to find out. I guess the main characters of
the Bridgerton siblings and the Featheringtons will be developed as the books
continue as well.
I am glad
that Season 2 of Bridgerton has started and I will read the next book before it
appears on our screens.
The
Thursday Murder Club- Richard Osman
This was
the book club choice for the month but it was on my own personal list to read.
The Blurb
(Goodreads)
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends
meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call
themselves The Thursday Murder Club. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be
pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to
the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of
their first live case. As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but
brilliant gang catch the killer, before it’s too late?
I found that this was very much like an Agatha Christie
novel, lots of red herrings and then the villains revealed at the end with
their motives. Lots of little twists throughout to keep you guessing and then
the surprise at the end.
Again, I did enjoy this story. I felt that it wasn’t written
as a serious crime novel as the police officers were a little too friendly and
lax in their procedures. The club members were believable, but I would have
liked to have known more about Elizabeth and how she still has so much
influence on things. I will read the next book when it is released.
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