Fiction books which I read and enjoyed from January to June 2001. For the rest of this year, see July-Dec 2001. For most recent reading and links to other years, see my books blog
January 2001
Maeve Binchy - Scarlet Feather
Cathy Scarlet and Tom Feather are building a good reputation as a catering company in Dublin. They are close platonic friends, each in a different relationship romantically. Tom's girlfriend struggles to be a model; Cathy's husband is a high-flying lawyer. We see the world through many of their friends, including some delightful - and rather neglected - young twins. Emotions run high, and the catering company is almost destroyed in a vicious attack. Tom and Cathy rediscover what is important to each of them, and the book ends with a hopeful and reassuring conclusion. Probably my favourite of all the books by this author, so I was disappointed to read that she has now gone into semi-retirement! (NB the link above is to the hardback version; a paperback version was released later in the year, and you can find that at the iBS by searching).
Frank Peretti - Piercing the Darkness
A Christian school in the USA goes to court, accused of abuse, and a pastor is undermined and losing confidence. A reporter sees connections between these two situations, and a satanic plot is uncovered. As with Peretti's first novel, angels and demons are portrayed as realistic beings roaming the earth, and the spiritual battle takes place alongside the fights and lawsuits amongst the people in the novel. High tension and drama before the evil forces are bound - for a while - again. Gripping story with fast-paced plot.
Rosamunde Pilcher - Winter Solstice
Elfrida is retired, living in a small village, and slowly making friends. She is generally quite content with her life. Then she suffers a terrible tragedy, and decides to go to Scotland. She gradually gathers in various lonely people, and falls in love. A beautifully written evocative book, with Rosamunde Pilcher's gift of making the reader care about everything that happens, feeling as if every character has become a close friend. Gentle and believable, with a satisfying and hopeful conclusion. (Note: the above link is to the hardback version of this book; a paperback edition was released some months later. A link to that can be found on my Rosamunde Pilcher page).
Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins - Soul Harvest
This book is the fourth in the 'Left Behind' series. As more disasters happen, including a worldwide catastrophe that kills millions and ends all hope of normal life, the Tribulation Force continue to support each other. Believers can now recognise each other instantly by a special mark on their foreheads. Rather a lot of direct preaching and not that much new plot, but this series is exciting, if long-winded!
Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins - Apollyon
Fifth in the 'Left Behind' series. Ray tries to find out what happened to his wife, and the Tribulation Force go to Jerusalem for a great meeting with the 'witnesses'. Plagues of beasts led by Apollyon torment the people who remain. Another gripping book without a great deal of plot, and little depth to the characters; however the series does provide a realistic scenario for what might happen after the 'rapture' (described in the first book).
Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins - Assassins
Sixth in the 'Left Behind' series. Perhaps reading them one after another is not a good idea, as they start to feel rather drawn out by this stage. This book works towards the mid-point of the seven-year period of the tribulation, with the death of the 'witnesses', and assassination of Nicolae Carpathia. Fast-paced with a lot of theology, still not much happens in real terms, although the book ends with an unresolved mystery - who WAS the assassin?
February 2001
Kathleen Rowntree - Tell Mrs Poole I'm sorry
Three 11-year-old girls from very different backgrounds make close friends in school, and discover together the joy and pain of growing up. As they continue to need each other as adults, the past is revealed in cleverly written flashbacks, and gradually makes more sense. The girls end together, with some secrets still kept, closer than ever. Enjoyable with believable, likeable main characters.
Susan Howatch - Penmarric
The first long saga written by this amazing author. It starts with Mark, a young man obsessed with a woman called Janna. It deals with his marriage and subsequent infidelities, leading to a very unpleasant scene as he splits from his wife. Then their children's lives are followed, all marred in some way by their childhoods. Cleverly written in what became Susan Howatch's regular style, with different viewpoints each expanding on what was written previously. A hopeful and happy ending.
Alexandra Raife - The Larach
Clare decides to give up her wild life, and live in an isolated cottage in Scotland. However she doesn't realise quite how much hard work will be involved, nor how close a community she's moving into. Gradually her past emerges into the open as she begins to relate to the new people around her, and she discovers what she really wants in life. Gentle, with clever observations of people and a satisfying conclusion.
Monica Dickens - Dear Dr Lily
Lily and Ida meet by chance on an aeroplane, and an unlikely long-lasting friendship is formed. Lily is always eager to help people in need; Ida has escaped an unhappy home and abusive father, to marry an American GI. She quickly finds that life is little better. Lily marries for love, but in her continued quest for helping other people, meets tragedy and has to pull her life together afresh. Interesting people; slow plot, but well-written.
March 2001
Agatha Christie - Hercule Poirot's Christmas
For some reason I had never read any books by this author. However my son was given some, and I decided I might as well read them. What a surprise - and what a treat I had missed all those years! This book starts with the elderly and autocratic Simeon Lee, who summons his family for Christmas, and is then horribly murdered. Hercule Poirot comes on the scene, and assists the local police in questioning the entire household. One by one, the suspets are examined, until it seems as if any of them could have committed the crime. Poirot unmasks the villain, and all the clues fall into place. Clever plot.
Agatha Christie - Murder at the Vicarage
The pompous Colonel Protheroe is murdered in the Vicar's study. Someone confesses to the crime, and then another person also confesses, although they could not both have committed it. Both are cleared. The police are baffled, but the elderly and gentle Miss Marple, who observes village life and people, unerringly solves the mystery.
Agatha Christie - Cat among the pigeons
A murder set in a girls' school in England, after an opening chapter set in the Middle East where a young prince, expecting to die, entrusts the family jewels to the pilot. In turn he entrusts them to his sister. The plot gradually unfolds until a schoolgirl goes to visit Hercule Poirot and asks for his help in working out who committed the murder. Fast-paced and cleverly written.
Agatha Christie - 4.50 from Paddington
Mrs McGillicuddy sees a gruesome murder from her railway carriage, and tells her friend Miss Marple. Miss Marple in turn enlists the help of a young friend, who discovers the dead body. After various false starts, Miss Marple unmasks the murderer. Exciting book, although perhaps it's not a good idea to read four of this author's books one after the other, as the broad plots and characters tend to be a little similar - although I have not yet guessed any of the villains myself.
Maynah Lewis - Yesterday came suddenly (not currently in print)
Edward, engaged to Felicity, is rich, handsome and highly successful as a lawyer, even making TV appearances. Suddenly an old girlfriend comes back into his life in desperate circumstances, and he decides to help her. He hides this from Felicity and has to make some decisions about what he really wants in life. Rather simplistic plot, but a pleasant enough light read.
Agatha Christie - the thirteen problems
Short stories where Miss Marple and friends sit around after dinner relating past mysteries and attempts to solve them. Miss Marple, of course, always gets the answer due to her village observation of life and people, while the others fail miserably. All cleverly written.
Sylvia Thorpe - The Varleigh medallion
Pleasant, Heyer-like Georgian romance. Diane Mallory and her family arrive at an inherited house, only to find it falling to ruin, and the servants hostile. Dianne is strong-minded, and sets about putting everything to rights. In the meantime she becomes friendly with their rich neighbour, Sir Graydon Varleigh. Good plot, with believable main characters, although the minor ones are rather flat and merely provide a background to the inevitable developing romance.
Agatha Christie - the seven dials mystery
A young man dies in mysterious circumstances at a country houseparty. When a friend of his is shot shortly afterwards, other friends become suspicious. The way leads to a nightclub and discovery of a secret masked group called 'Seven Dials'. As four young people try to find the ringleader, events become more violent - with a swift and surprising ending. Tense and enjoyable.
Georgette Heyer - Regency Buck
Judith and her brother Perry go to London to meet the guardian they believe to be elderly, and find him young and arrogant. They befriend their cousin, and enter society, frequently crossing swords metaphorically with their guardian, who seems to want Perry killed. An exciting ending with a kidnapping and unexpected revelations, though the book is a little slow to start. This is probably the third or fourth time I have read this book, but it was as enjoyable as ever.
Mary Wesley - Harnessing Peacocks
Hebe is a single mother with a 12-year-old son, apparently growing apart from her. She sends him to an expensive boarding school and pays for this by being a part-time cook/housekeeper, and part-time prostitute, although only with selected people. This unlikely scenario leads to some lively clashes when men she has known meet, and a series of coincidences lead to a satisfactory conclusion. Unfortunate use of bad language spoils an otherwise enjoyable book.
Rosie Thomas - The White Dove
Amy is a child in 1916, part of a rich family. She is reasonably happy until the news of her step-brother's death in the war. Her father withdraws emotionally, and her mother lives only for fun. But Amy is strong-willed and determined to be a nurse. Alongside Amy's story is the story of Nick, a miner struggling to make ends meet in a small village. Amy and Nick meet and fall in love, both taking part in World War II abroad. They have some harrowing experiences before deciding what to do about their relationship. Eventually Amy discovers a new relaxation and promise of happiness. Well-written book, quite emotionally draining.
Kathleen Rowntree - A prize for Sister Catherine
Set in a nunnery, the book revolves around the conflict between two nuns who are given joint administrative roles. Margaret is a forward-thinking, rather capitalist nun who wants to make the priory financially viable, while Catherine cares more for the individual people. Their power struggles pervade the novel with a fast-place plot and several believable characters. In the end Catherine receives her 'prize' - not what she hoped for, but something she finds to be important.
April 2001
Susan Howatch - The Waiting Sands (not currently in print)
Rachel receives an invitation to stay with her friend Decima at a castle in Scotland. Six people are gathered, and all seem suspicious of each other. Decima believes she will be killed before her 21st birthday, which is coming up soon. When two murders happen, suspicion falls on everyone, and Rachel is persuaded to conceal part of what she knows, until some years later when she returns to the castle. Then the story draws to an exciting and suspenseful conclusion.
Susan Howatch - The devil on Lammas Night (not currently in print)
Benedict and Jane Shaw rent a relative's cottage for the Summer. Neaby their relative Wlater has had his house taken over by a group of health-food fanatics who want to make it their base. Various other members of the families enter the scene, and gradulaly fall under the spell of the health food group leader, Tristan Poole. A satanic plot is revealed as the book rushes to its conclusion - gothic melodrama, but realistically chilling.
Jean Stubbs - Summer Secrets
The book opens, as many seem to, with a funeral: Marina is mourning her 8-year-old daughter Sarah. But Sarah had a twin, Joshua, who has always been 'difficult', rather in his sister's shadow. Marina decides to go for a long holiday with Joshua in an isolated cottage, to begin to recover. Joshua quickly makes friends with a family nearby, and Marina finds herself drawn into their group, healing slowly, and making friends. An attempted weekend in London with her husband leads to a shocking revalation, and a new life with many changes. Her growing relationship with her son makes a powerful thread to the book, which ends hopefully and positively.
Sarah Neilan - The old enchantment
The story begins with middle-aged Elizabeth arriving in Toronto to meet people who may be her only living relatives. After a short meeting, the story flashes back fifty years, to Lizzie, aged six, staying with her exciting cousins in their glamorous home. There she learns about class prejudice and the privileges of being wealthy, as well as enjoying family life. From that point the main story is in the past with an occasional brief episode in the present, each cleverly revealing a little more of her motives for being in Toronto. Eventually the past reaches the present, and the final chapters lead to a happy and satisfying conclusion.
Mary Wesley - A sensible life
Little Flora, whose parents neglect her, makes friends with holidaymakers and finds herself falling in love with three different boys. When she is old enough to join her parents in India, after sevreal tedious years of boarding school, she sets out, but changes her mind. One at a time she meets her past acquaintances and learns about her life, before - in rather an unlikely coincidence - she finds again the one who will bring her lasting happiness. Reassuring ending.
Maeve Binchy - Victoria Line, Central Line
Short stories, cleverly written with realistic characters, often facing unusual situations. Some seemed to end rather too abruptly, leaving me wondering what would happen, but on the whole these are enjoyable and thought-provoking, perhaps more so because I had read them previously and did remember parts of most of the plot - so read a little more slowly to absorb more of the descriptions and conversation.
Kathleen Rowntree - Laurie and Clare
Laurie and Clare grow up as brother and sister in the strange atmosphere of a thriving music community. Clare realises at a young age that she is not musical, thus a misfit and a disappointment to her parents. But Laurie is always her champion, and gradually she falls in love with him. The book follows their lives, the new discoveries they make about each other, and about adult life. It explores their unusual relationship which remains strong despite traumas and problems. Thought-provoking and enjoyable.
May 2001
Robin Pilcher - An ocean apart
A wonderful debut novel for Rosamunde Pilcher's son! David, who has been seriously depressed after his wife died, has been sheltered by his parents and started rebuilding their garden. A crisis in his father's business forces him to try and return to work, flying to American for business meetings. Her he has a complete breakdown, complicated by 'flu, before he picks himself up and deicdes to do something constructive. He meets people who can help him and gradulaly regains his lost confidence and joy of living. Cleve rplotting as the business thread alternates with DAvid's thread, and a happy ending - if slighlyt contrived. Believable and sympathetic characters, even if David emerges as a little too good to be true at times. Very moving in places.
Frank Peretti - The Visitation
A young man arrives in a small American town, and starts doing miracles. Some claim he is Jesus, and the various ministers are divided. Travis, the previoius Pentecostal pastor, has been in depression due to losing his wife, but events force him out of his apathy, and he joins forces with his successor against the visitor. In doing so he relives in flashback much of his own life. Cleverly written, with an exciting climax and satisfactory conclusion. Mild humour in places, and an ironical look at some of the 'extremes' of charismatic style churches. Slightly odd style combining first person and third person narrative, but on the whole it works well.
Roald Dahl - Tales of the Unexpected I
Cleverly written short stories with unusual endings or twists. Dark humour in places and a racy style. Good light reading.
Roald Dahl - Tales of the Unexpected II
Some very peculiar plots, but cleverly written with some ingenious twists.
Kathleen Rowntree - Outside, looking in
The story opens with a 'peeping tom' who is heard, and runs away. This theme recurs through the book, as we get involved in the lives of the people in the village of Aston Favell. Some caricatures, but some believable people with various needs and worries. By the time the peeping tom is exposed, it has become obvious who it would be - but nevertheless the book ends on a positive note. Enjoyable.
Agatha Christie - Endless Night
Mike meets Ellie, the girl of his dreams, and finds a house that they both love. It's on a site cursed by gypsies, and they find that they are warned away more than once. Tragedy strikes, and then the plot has a twist so shocking I had to read it several times to take it in. Very strange ending. Not one of Agatha Christie's best, but certainly different!
Elizabeth Palmer - Plucking the Apple
This story opens with a dinner party, and then develops by switching between various characters from the party. Fast-moving, but with little plot and a lot of sex! Rather tasteless at times, as friends betray each other, lovers use each other, and an unexpected murder occurs near the end. Rather depressing. The blurb on the back claims this book is a 'comedy of modern manners', but I didn't find anything humorous in this book. Not recommended!
Agatha Christie - Third Girl
A girl thinks she might have committed a murder, but is not sure. Hercule Poirot is intrigued. The plot moves around the country in fast-paced style, and a fairly satisfactory surprise ending. Poirot appears as a rather pompous man in this book, almost arrogant at times.
CS Lewis - The Great Divorce
CS Lewis's well-known allegory of heaven and hell, exploring reasons why some people reject heaven and prefer to live in the alternative. Well written and thought-provoking, though rather too short; the ending is rather abrupt and a little disappointing, if inevitable.
Susan Howatch - Glittering Images
This is the third time I have read this book in the past twelve months, and it gets better each time I read it! Charles Ashworth, a young widowed clergyman, goes to stay with an outspoken Bishop. He is spying for the Archbishop of Canterbury, who suspects that the Bishop may have been indiscreet. Charles quickly gets involved with the Bishop's wife's companion, Lyle, and his past catches up with him leading to crisis before he meets Jon Darrow, a tall monk who becomes his counsellor. Brilliant!
Susan Howatch - Glamorous Powers
Jon Darrow, after 17 years as a monk, receives a vision which he believes is a call to leave the monastery. He has long discussions with his old adversary Francis Ingram, before they decide what the vision means and Jon can go ahead. A moving book in places, excellent to read directly after 'Glittering Images', although it could also stand alone.
Susan Howatch - Ultimate Prizes
Narrated by Neville Aysgarth, this third in the 'Starbridge' series is best read after the other two - although again it could stand alone. Neville has been a minor and rather unpleasant character in previous books; now we learn about his childhood and background as he comes to terms with a tragedy, and nearly commits adultery. He takes advice from Jon Darrow, albeit reluctantly, and discovers his calling - although the book ends with him still in doubt.
Susan Howatch - Scandalous Risks
Fourth in the 'Starbridge' series. This book is told from the point of view of Venetia, who was a 9-year-old girl in Ultimate Prizes. It's set twenty years later, and discribes how she fell in loves with Neville Asygarth, when he was the Dean. A lot of theology is explored in this book, and Neville's 'new morality' is contrasted negatively with the more conservative approach of Charles Ashworth - Neville's adversary from previous years - and Jon Darrow, who is now a very old and somewhat reclusive man.
June 2001
Susan Howatch - Mystical Paths
Another excellent novel, although in one sense it doesn't quite fit the 'Starbridge' sequence (of which it is the fifth). It is written from the point of view of Nick Darrow, featuring events in 1968 when he is in his twenties, and part of a rather wild '60s set. A murder mystery forms a significant part of the plot, as does Nick's co-dependent relationship with his father. The book was as moving and tense as it was when I first read it about a year previously, despite knowing 'who did it'.
Susan Howatch - Absolute Truths
This brilliant novel is last in the Starbridge series, told from the point of view of Charles Ashworth, with events in 1965. He is now an eminent Bishop in Starbridge, but things start to go wrong and he reaches crisis point before beginning to find the way forward. Cleverly plotted, neatly drawing together threads from the other five books in the series, yet still complete in itself. The final chapter feels like a real ending - there is no anti-climax or feeling that the author has cheated, but a magnificent sense of conclusion. Wonderful.
Susan Howatch - A Question of Integrity
Dumpy Alice meets and falls for Nick Darrow, who helps her to find employment and self-respect. The book is told from differing viewpoints, and the plot builds skilfully as each character reveals new facets of the storyline. Crisis is handled with drama and a rather sudden ending leaving the reader eager for more. Excellent, all the more so for having re-read the Starbridge series first, especially Mystical Paths.
Rosamunde Pilcher - Voices in Summer
Laura, newly married and with some medical problems, decides she cannot cope with a hoiday with her husband Alex and his old friends. so she goes to stay with his delightful elderly relatives in Cornwall. She learns a lot about love, then is shocked by an anonymous letter. Well-written plot - although by the time the letter-writer is revealed it is fairly obvious who it will be. Delightful people; Rosamunde Pilcher is particularly gifted at creating believable and lovable elderly characters. A traditional happy ending, despite a few unpleasant moments during the book.
Agatha Christie - They do it with mirrors
Miss Marple is visiting an old friend, when a murder is committed and another attempted. She tries to investigate, and each member of the household falls under suspicion. The truth, when it is uncovered, seems a little forced and unlikely, but cleverly written as ever.
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