Don't go thinking that I have given up on Pride and Prejudice and have moved on to a different book. Actually, I am breaking my reading rule #2 (the first being Read No Books with Dogs On Cover) which is Only Read One Book at a Time.
My copy of P & P continues to fall apart as I turn pages and keeps me wondering what speed bumps prevented me from finishing my first two attempts. I continue to resist the urge to dig into the Spark notes friend Mary dropped off believing me to be in unspeakable literary pain. Thank you, Mary. Once I accepted that character converse in paragraphs, rather than in clipped give and take, I was blissfully on my way to enjoying much of the clever banter.
Now, on to Sidney Chambers and the Shadow of Death. It is inevitable that at some point during our discussion, that someone in book group #1 will reference something about a PBS show - be it the architectural pastries on the baking competition, the nasty Italian married to the young rich Australian woman with the complicated family, or the latest escapade of the good Padre, Father Brown. For a couple years now, people have been raving about - and I have been ignoring - Grantchester, the Vicar whose dabbles with crime solving when not saving souls. I confess, I finally caved and began watching. Although I do not find him as swoon-worthy as some. he does have amazing shoulders. Good plots, too.
And wouldn't you know, the PBS show is based on a book series. While not exactly cozies, this first book is gentle, filled with snappy dialogue to move to plot along quickly and characters just as interesting as those on PBS. This first book is actually six short story mysteries, perfect for lazy summer reading. I could also say they make good treadmill reading, but, even though it should, that does not take place in my world.
In the first story, which I am partially into, Pamela Morton brings Sidney into her confidence about an affair she has been having - rather had been having since her secret lover has turned up dead at his desk. They were planning to run off together. How easy it must have been to run off, get lost and never be heard from again in the days before data bases, Internet and Face book! The grieving widow, a German refugee, admits that she was aware of her husband's failings - perhaps she's the culprit? I do enjoy the PBS show because I can usually identify the criminal and the motive rather quickly. Makes me feel smart.
Maybe these short mysteries will be the same and increase my self-esteem even more.
Public Service Announcement - if you haven't tried the fig and honey Triscuits, you ought to. I love crackers, but Triscuits are generally not high on my list - too mush like sawdust. When a member of book group #2 served them at her home with cream cheese and pepper jelly, Connie D. slipped into the kitchen and began snooping through cupboards to find out what the delightful items were. Her not so clandestine actions were discovered, and Anna got out the box of crackers and everyone was happy. On Friday, I had a full box here at LaDeDa which I opened to share with a hungry customer. Gone. They are all gone. Really, find them. Try them. And if you don't like them, I'll take them off your hands.
Thanks for stopping. by.
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