The Enid Blyton Society

I'm reading a few books by Fern Britton, all based down here in Cornwall. They're fantastic, really good heart rendering stories.

I was not aware Fern Britton was a writer - I shall have to get hold of some of her books. I'm rereading the Harry Potter series at the moment. It's some years since I last read them. So far, on book 2, I am enjoying them and having seen some of the films in the mean time, I am seeing scenes much as in the film. Usually I do not enjoy film versions of books I have read, but in this case, that has not been so.

Ten years ago I bought and read The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd, which was published two months before she died. Earlier this month a sequel was published which follows straight on from the first book and I am currently reading that. It is titled The Guggenheim Mystery and is written by Robin Stevens who has had several other mentions in these forums.

Yes, I am a fan of Robin Stevens' work.

Currently reading Dry Bones That Dream - an Inspector Banks' novel - by Peter Robinson.

I've only read her Mystery Unlady Like Series.

Moonraker wrote:Currently reading Dry Bones That Dream - an Inspector Banks' novel - by Peter Robinson.

Nigel, if you would read only one more DCI Banks novel in the future, "In A Dry Season" is by far his best crime novel. Several German friends recommended it to me when it was published first. I've reread it several times. Have it on audio book as well. I can highly recommend it.
It's too bad they didn't film it (we enjoyed watching all seasons from the British TV series "DCI Banks").

Currently reading "The Best Bat in the School and other stories" by Dorita F Bruce. It's a collection of short stories, although the main one, The Best Bat in the School, is more half a novel in length and set at Maudsley grammar school with an interest moral story set around inter school girls cricket.

Chrissie777 wrote:

Moonraker wrote:Currently reading Dry Bones That Dream - an Inspector Banks' novel - by Peter Robinson.

Nigel, if you would read only one more DCI Banks novel in the future, "In A Dry Season" is by far his best crime novel.
It's too bad they didn't film it (we enjoyed watching all seasons from the British TV series "DCI Banks").

I intend to read them all, Chrissie, in order of publication. I look forward to reading it. I see I have two more to read first.

I haven't watched the TV dramas as I wish to retain the images in my head of both the people and places.

I am on a break now, and following our visit to one of Dickens' homes, am reading Nicholas Nickleby now.

I love Nicholas Nickleby. The Royal Shakespeare Company adapted the novel to a play in 1980. The performance took 8 1/2 hours and needed like 40 or 50 actors. (and even then had to have LOTS of actors playing three or four roles each!)

I saw the version of the play filmed by channel 4. It really made me excited about the possibilities of theater, and was a major reason why I went on the study theater at college.

Moonraker wrote:I intend to read them all, Chrissie, in order of publication. I look forward to reading it. I see I have two more to read first.

Let me know what you think, Nigel, once you've finished "In a Dry Season". I think it's very atmospheric plus I love decades old murder cases ("A Place of Execution" by Val McDermid is another good one).

André and I enjoyed the DCI Banks TV series from the UK very much, but I had hoped that they would film more in the mountains as described in some of the later books.

Currently reading 'The Black Bog Mystery' - by Lane Mitchell. Quite a good one - though I never seem to get as engrossed in books like this as I do in Enid's mystery stories!

Its in the 'Abbey Rewards' library version, of which I have a fairly large collection - with a cover similar to this -



I don't know much about the author, Lane Mitchell, and can't find much about him online.

I'm reading Philip Larkin's 1947 novel, A Girl in Winter.

I can't remember if I have said this before but I am currently reading "Lord Jim" by Joseph Conrad

Finishing "A Place of Execution" by Val McDermid downstairs while dog sitting and also about to finish "Out of the World" by Douglas Kennedy before falling asleep.