One of the appealing things about Elizabeth Peters' book-candy novels is the humanity of the characters. They are not all good or bad. And none of them seem to be stunningly gorgeous.
Since this was Halloween, and I spent much of the weekend doing decidedly non-bookish things, I'm choosing as my pick of the week a witchy Elizabeth Peters story about Ellie and her Aunt Kate. Devil May Care is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Gothic cliches and romance stereotypes.
The mystery, bizarre characters, apparitions and plot twists play out to a perfectly wrapped conclusion. If you take it too seriously, it will make you sick. Much like a pound of candy corn. It's a trick disguised as a treat. Or vice versa.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query peters. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query peters. Sort by date Show all posts
November 5, 2010
September 12, 2008
Friday Book Blogging
Seven books this week. The best of the lot was Elizabeth Peters first Vicky Bliss novel, Borrower of the Night.
(Although a tip of the bookmark needs to go to Nathaniel's Nutmeg, it was just a little too gleeful in the recounting of torture and death involved in 17th century spice trading, but nonetheless a fascinating story of coincidences.)
Peters, who is practically an institution for mystery fans with her amazing series featuring Amelia Peabody, also created PhD Vicky Bliss and set her loose in Europe. In this first accounting she heads to Germany on the trail of a lost Gothic artwork. I probably should have read the first one of the series first, but I had to make do with what the library had. And this one doesn't suffer for my having gone out of order.
Part of the appeal, outside of the genuine mystery-fan appreciation of the tale, is that despite the fact that it was written 35 years ago, the story reads fresh. The lack of technology dates it, but the action overrides that.
To be honest, I'm not sure Ms. Bliss will appeal to a male readership. She is brazenly liberated and willful, but I like her a lot and will be gathering up the two others in the series I haven't gobbled up yet as soon as I can.
(Although a tip of the bookmark needs to go to Nathaniel's Nutmeg, it was just a little too gleeful in the recounting of torture and death involved in 17th century spice trading, but nonetheless a fascinating story of coincidences.)
Peters, who is practically an institution for mystery fans with her amazing series featuring Amelia Peabody, also created PhD Vicky Bliss and set her loose in Europe. In this first accounting she heads to Germany on the trail of a lost Gothic artwork. I probably should have read the first one of the series first, but I had to make do with what the library had. And this one doesn't suffer for my having gone out of order.
Part of the appeal, outside of the genuine mystery-fan appreciation of the tale, is that despite the fact that it was written 35 years ago, the story reads fresh. The lack of technology dates it, but the action overrides that.
To be honest, I'm not sure Ms. Bliss will appeal to a male readership. She is brazenly liberated and willful, but I like her a lot and will be gathering up the two others in the series I haven't gobbled up yet as soon as I can.
December 27, 2010
Friday Monday Book Blogging
Sorry about not giving you a Friday book blog pick for the week, but, you know it was Christmas, right?
Things are kinda getting back to normal here. I did read some books last week in between baking and visiting and wrapping presents and last-minute shopping and pigging out. I stuck with mostly old favorites this week: authors I know I love. The top honors have to go to Charles Todd for An Impartial Witness.
Although Nicola Upson does wonderful work fleshing out her characters in her second Josephine Tey mystery, and Elizabeth Peters can't write a bad novel, Todd really delivers with the second Bess Crawford story, even though I guessed the bad guy. The Todd writing team really have a gift for capturing WWI England. Between Todd and Jacqueline Winspear, WWI has a great showing in current mystery fiction.
Things are kinda getting back to normal here. I did read some books last week in between baking and visiting and wrapping presents and last-minute shopping and pigging out. I stuck with mostly old favorites this week: authors I know I love. The top honors have to go to Charles Todd for An Impartial Witness.
Although Nicola Upson does wonderful work fleshing out her characters in her second Josephine Tey mystery, and Elizabeth Peters can't write a bad novel, Todd really delivers with the second Bess Crawford story, even though I guessed the bad guy. The Todd writing team really have a gift for capturing WWI England. Between Todd and Jacqueline Winspear, WWI has a great showing in current mystery fiction.
December 12, 2008
Friday Book Blogging
I read six books this week and had a really hard time deciding between two for the top spot in the Friday Book Blog. In the end, My Name is Will by Jess Winfield won out over the latest Elizabeth Peters Vicky Bliss novel. Mostly because it's a better story and I've already blogged about Vicky Bliss.
The eponymous Will is actually two: William Shakespeare and Willie Shakespeare Greenberg. The book follows the misguided meanderings of both, flipping effortlessly from the 1580s to the 1980s. Shakespeare as a randy teenager just discovering his gift for language contrasts Willie Greenberg struggling with his masters thesis (on Shakespeare, of course). They fool around, experiment with hallucinogens and eventually find themselves, or at least a part of themselves. And, believe it or not, the book manages to be witty as well.
The eponymous Will is actually two: William Shakespeare and Willie Shakespeare Greenberg. The book follows the misguided meanderings of both, flipping effortlessly from the 1580s to the 1980s. Shakespeare as a randy teenager just discovering his gift for language contrasts Willie Greenberg struggling with his masters thesis (on Shakespeare, of course). They fool around, experiment with hallucinogens and eventually find themselves, or at least a part of themselves. And, believe it or not, the book manages to be witty as well.
October 31, 2014
Friday Book Blogging
The Halloween book blog pick of the week will be a tongue-in-cheek tale of gothic suspense written by the astoundingly prolific Barbara Mertz under the pseudonym Elizabeth Peters.
Mertz had the ability to populate her books with believably absurd characters and at the same time, plot a decently intricate story. Any of her books are great fun, but this week I just happened to have read Naked Once More featuring librarian-turned-romance-writer Jacqueline Kirby.
Mertz had the ability to populate her books with believably absurd characters and at the same time, plot a decently intricate story. Any of her books are great fun, but this week I just happened to have read Naked Once More featuring librarian-turned-romance-writer Jacqueline Kirby.
August 19, 2011
Friday Book Blogging
Okay, so due to some serious shopping binges this week, I only managed to read three books and none was a standout. I'm giving the nod to Margaret Frazer's The Novice's Tale. Primarily this is because it reminded me of Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael novels. Frazer's detective is a nun instead of a monk, and the time period is about 300 years off, but the cloistered lifestyle is similarly portrayed. The story itself was only okay. I figured it before the half-way point which is disapointing since I actively try NOT to guess. (Although, based on yesterday's post about spoilers, maybe I'll just skip to the end in the future.)
January 18, 2013
Friday Book Blogging
Another mystery takes the top spot this week. In fact another historical mystery, but whereas last week's took place near the end of the 1800s in New York, this one takes place in Norfolk, England more than 600 years earlier.
Priscilla Royal set her novel The Sanctity of Hate at the medieval Tyndal Priory. The crowner (chivalry's version of Quincy and Matlock combined --not dating myself there at all, eh?) solves the crimes with the help of Prioress Eleanor.
If you like Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series, try Priscilla Royal. The characters are more broadly sketched and the plot isn't as convoluted or surprising, but the medieval nuance runs throughout both authors' work.
Priscilla Royal set her novel The Sanctity of Hate at the medieval Tyndal Priory. The crowner (chivalry's version of Quincy and Matlock combined --not dating myself there at all, eh?) solves the crimes with the help of Prioress Eleanor.
If you like Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series, try Priscilla Royal. The characters are more broadly sketched and the plot isn't as convoluted or surprising, but the medieval nuance runs throughout both authors' work.
January 15, 2006
OCD?
I hope that I am not alone in this, but in my readings (and I think I have already admitted to a lot of reading) I have a tendency to research outside of the novel. I once spent two weeks in two different university's libraries researching 13th-14th century European monastic life in conjuction with my reading of The Name of the Rose. Not kidding. Two weeks. I had finished the book long before I finished my curiousity.
I find I can more easily gather info on most things online now (thankfully), but I still have the habit. I just read a silly mystery by Elizabeth Peters from her Amelia Peabody series which takes place in Egypt at the turn of the last century. Naturally I've been online now for three hours reading about Thebes, Giza, English occupation of Egypt, French administration of "antiquities," etc. I can't read a book that is set anywhere without researching that location. I have been all over the United States, Australia, England, France, Portugal, Italy, the Balkans, Turkey, Jerusalem, Vietnam, Japan....
I'm sure this is some minor variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder: I'm researching and I can't stop!
Other people do this, right?
I find I can more easily gather info on most things online now (thankfully), but I still have the habit. I just read a silly mystery by Elizabeth Peters from her Amelia Peabody series which takes place in Egypt at the turn of the last century. Naturally I've been online now for three hours reading about Thebes, Giza, English occupation of Egypt, French administration of "antiquities," etc. I can't read a book that is set anywhere without researching that location. I have been all over the United States, Australia, England, France, Portugal, Italy, the Balkans, Turkey, Jerusalem, Vietnam, Japan....
I'm sure this is some minor variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder: I'm researching and I can't stop!
Other people do this, right?
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