|
Browse categories
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 Customer Reviews
Merrily, Merrily, 27 Nov 2008
So pleased to have another Merrily to consume and digest. As previously, the writing is atmospheric, the situations believable. The encrouching water in Ledwardine is reminiscent of the scenes I saw in Upton a couple of years back. I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks Mr Rickman.
Another wonderful book in the Merrily Watkins series, 27 Nov 2008
Having read all the previous books in this series, I have to say that Phil has hit the mark again. Besides the clever mysteries, clerical (C of E) and esoteric influences that are foundations of the series, is the sense of knowing the characters as if they are real people leading real lives. Vicar Merrily Watkins, her pagan-loving daughter, Jane, and singer/song writer beau, Lol, are colorful characters. And never to forget my favorite 'plant hire' extraordinaire, Gomer Parry. I won't include any spoilers to ruin the fun...
What can I say ..., 17 Nov 2008
.. that hasn't already been said?
I absolutely loved this book. Each time I start a new Rickman, I think that he can't possibly surpass the previous one, but somehow he always manages it.
This one is slightly different from the previous Merrily novels, the crime thread is more prevalent - as seen through the eyes of D I Frannie Bliss, who has not previously been a major character.
With a little help from ex DS Andy Mumford (and Andy's new boss Jumbo Humphreys) he unravels the mystery surrounding the grisly murder of Councillor Clem Ayling.
While this is going on, Merrily has her own problems in Ledwardine - atheists, fundamentalists and rising water levels - and things go far from smoothly for Jane in the ongoing Coleman's Meadow saga, though her love life takes a turn for the better.
There's a real surprise ending to this one - and, no, I don't mean the solution of the crime, but something totally unexpected, which will really whet readers' appetites for the next in the series.
This is a brilliant read, for all Rickman fans & for those who are new to his work.
All I can add now is, buy it - you won't be disappointed.
To dream .. of being able to write like this ..., 11 Nov 2008
If you haven't read the previous Merrily Watkins novels, well, this one can and does stand alone, but I really feel that having known the main characters along their journey does add to the enjoyment. (So please read the earlier novels too - I promise you won't regret it!) This is a dark and savage story, set in the unrelenting downpour of a very unseasonal Christmas deluge. As ever, Phil Rickman creates a tremendously rich sense of place and time to his story - even reading this on a balmy, bright autumnal day, I wanted to throw another log on the fire and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate & brandy - the feeling of being surrounded by drear torrential rain was so real. The depressing tale of wheels within wheels in local government is enough to give us all pause - wholly plausible unfortunately. What lifts the story is the very real spirit of goodness, hope and right that shines through. Long live Merrily Watkins - I hope it's a long time before she hangs up her cassock!
Another Triumph!! Lady Macbeth's Review., 10 Nov 2008
I have followed Phil Rickman from the very beginning. I was there at the "birth" of Merrily Watkins, and I can truthfully say she has become the one constant I look for in my reading material! This time, in "To Dream of the Dead", my other great love, archaeology, is very much in evidence with the dig on Colemans Meadow. The main archaeologist, Bill Blore must be based on someone I know, as I'm sure I recognise him! The floods of last year, the beautiful Wye Valley and all the "people" I have come to expect to see in his books are here. Well done Phil Rickman on bringing together everything great once again for us.
In my opinion, everybody who reads this novel should be able to take it as a stand alone story, as you will pick up the thread of the characters as you go along, but I beg you to go back to the beginning and beg, steal or preferably buy all Phil's books. Read all 10 of the "Merrily Watkins" series, and then start with his first book "Candlenight" and work your way through. Then read Thom Madley and Will Kingdom. You will not regret it, although you may get so engrossed in the plots and storylines that you forget to eat!
Thank you Phil Rickman for yet another triumph!!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Customer Reviews
Merrily, Merrily, 27 Nov 2008
So pleased to have another Merrily to consume and digest. As previously, the writing is atmospheric, the situations believable. The encrouching water in Ledwardine is reminiscent of the scenes I saw in Upton a couple of years back. I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks Mr Rickman.
Another wonderful book in the Merrily Watkins series, 27 Nov 2008
Having read all the previous books in this series, I have to say that Phil has hit the mark again. Besides the clever mysteries, clerical (C of E) and esoteric influences that are foundations of the series, is the sense of knowing the characters as if they are real people leading real lives. Vicar Merrily Watkins, her pagan-loving daughter, Jane, and singer/song writer beau, Lol, are colorful characters. And never to forget my favorite 'plant hire' extraordinaire, Gomer Parry. I won't include any spoilers to ruin the fun...
What can I say ..., 17 Nov 2008
.. that hasn't already been said?
I absolutely loved this book. Each time I start a new Rickman, I think that he can't possibly surpass the previous one, but somehow he always manages it.
This one is slightly different from the previous Merrily novels, the crime thread is more prevalent - as seen through the eyes of D I Frannie Bliss, who has not previously been a major character.
With a little help from ex DS Andy Mumford (and Andy's new boss Jumbo Humphreys) he unravels the mystery surrounding the grisly murder of Councillor Clem Ayling.
While this is going on, Merrily has her own problems in Ledwardine - atheists, fundamentalists and rising water levels - and things go far from smoothly for Jane in the ongoing Coleman's Meadow saga, though her love life takes a turn for the better.
There's a real surprise ending to this one - and, no, I don't mean the solution of the crime, but something totally unexpected, which will really whet readers' appetites for the next in the series.
This is a brilliant read, for all Rickman fans & for those who are new to his work.
All I can add now is, buy it - you won't be disappointed.
To dream .. of being able to write like this ..., 11 Nov 2008
If you haven't read the previous Merrily Watkins novels, well, this one can and does stand alone, but I really feel that having known the main characters along their journey does add to the enjoyment. (So please read the earlier novels too - I promise you won't regret it!) This is a dark and savage story, set in the unrelenting downpour of a very unseasonal Christmas deluge. As ever, Phil Rickman creates a tremendously rich sense of place and time to his story - even reading this on a balmy, bright autumnal day, I wanted to throw another log on the fire and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate & brandy - the feeling of being surrounded by drear torrential rain was so real. The depressing tale of wheels within wheels in local government is enough to give us all pause - wholly plausible unfortunately. What lifts the story is the very real spirit of goodness, hope and right that shines through. Long live Merrily Watkins - I hope it's a long time before she hangs up her cassock!
Another Triumph!! Lady Macbeth's Review., 10 Nov 2008
I have followed Phil Rickman from the very beginning. I was there at the "birth" of Merrily Watkins, and I can truthfully say she has become the one constant I look for in my reading material! This time, in "To Dream of the Dead", my other great love, archaeology, is very much in evidence with the dig on Colemans Meadow. The main archaeologist, Bill Blore must be based on someone I know, as I'm sure I recognise him! The floods of last year, the beautiful Wye Valley and all the "people" I have come to expect to see in his books are here. Well done Phil Rickman on bringing together everything great once again for us.
In my opinion, everybody who reads this novel should be able to take it as a stand alone story, as you will pick up the thread of the characters as you go along, but I beg you to go back to the beginning and beg, steal or preferably buy all Phil's books. Read all 10 of the "Merrily Watkins" series, and then start with his first book "Candlenight" and work your way through. Then read Thom Madley and Will Kingdom. You will not regret it, although you may get so engrossed in the plots and storylines that you forget to eat!
Thank you Phil Rickman for yet another triumph!!
A Subtle Look at Obligations to Others and How to Recover from Mistakes, 31 Oct 2008
If you haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, don't start with this one. Without the entire back story, many of the subtleties in the story will be lost.
Alexander McCall Smith continues his thoughtful investigation of the social contract and doing the right thing to others in a moral sense. Isabel Dalhousie, being portrayed as a mere human who knows ethics, struggles on behalf of us all with jealousy, regret, sloth, and concern for the hurting. How should we react?
In this story, Isabel finds that her worries about losing Jamie seem to be growing. She continues to keep barriers between them while wanting to take the barriers down. Social engagements with people her age are particularly uncomfortable. She feels particularly threatened by Jamie's new friendship with a young composer, Nick Smart.
Isabel is shocked to find that her old foe, Christopher Dove, is trying to manipulate her into publishing an article in the Journal of Applied Ethics. She grits her teeth at the effort required to treat Dove fairly.
After a dinner party, Isabel is approached by the wife of a disgraced medical researcher to see if Isabel will try to find some way to rehabilitate the researcher's reputation. Isabel is no Miss Marple, and her efforts lead her in an unexpected direction.
Between the major plot lines, Isabel takes great pleasure in her son, Charlie, her peaceful life, helping Cat out while she visits Sri Lanka, and looking to help those in need without hurting anyone's feelings. That last challenge is more difficult than she imagines.
As always, the story exudes joie de vivre, affection for Edinburgh, pleasure in the company of others, and happiness in trying to do the right thing. It's a nice recipe for brightening up your day . . . so that even a rainy Saturday can look like heaven on Earth.
Enjoy your life!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Merrily, Merrily, 27 Nov 2008
So pleased to have another Merrily to consume and digest. As previously, the writing is atmospheric, the situations believable. The encrouching water in Ledwardine is reminiscent of the scenes I saw in Upton a couple of years back. I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks Mr Rickman. Another wonderful book in the Merrily Watkins series, 27 Nov 2008
Having read all the previous books in this series, I have to say that Phil has hit the mark again. Besides the clever mysteries, clerical (C of E) and esoteric influences that are foundations of the series, is the sense of knowing the characters as if they are real people leading real lives. Vicar Merrily Watkins, her pagan-loving daughter, Jane, and singer/song writer beau, Lol, are colorful characters. And never to forget my favorite 'plant hire' extraordinaire, Gomer Parry. I won't include any spoilers to ruin the fun... What can I say ..., 17 Nov 2008
.. that hasn't already been said?
I absolutely loved this book. Each time I start a new Rickman, I think that he can't possibly surpass the previous one, but somehow he always manages it.
This one is slightly different from the previous Merrily novels, the crime thread is more prevalent - as seen through the eyes of D I Frannie Bliss, who has not previously been a major character.
With a little help from ex DS Andy Mumford (and Andy's new boss Jumbo Humphreys) he unravels the mystery surrounding the grisly murder of Councillor Clem Ayling.
While this is going on, Merrily has her own problems in Ledwardine - atheists, fundamentalists and rising water levels - and things go far from smoothly for Jane in the ongoing Coleman's Meadow saga, though her love life takes a turn for the better.
There's a real surprise ending to this one - and, no, I don't mean the solution of the crime, but something totally unexpected, which will really whet readers' appetites for the next in the series.
This is a brilliant read, for all Rickman fans & for those who are new to his work.
All I can add now is, buy it - you won't be disappointed.
To dream .. of being able to write like this ..., 11 Nov 2008
If you haven't read the previous Merrily Watkins novels, well, this one can and does stand alone, but I really feel that having known the main characters along their journey does add to the enjoyment. (So please read the earlier novels too - I promise you won't regret it!) This is a dark and savage story, set in the unrelenting downpour of a very unseasonal Christmas deluge. As ever, Phil Rickman creates a tremendously rich sense of place and time to his story - even reading this on a balmy, bright autumnal day, I wanted to throw another log on the fire and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate & brandy - the feeling of being surrounded by drear torrential rain was so real. The depressing tale of wheels within wheels in local government is enough to give us all pause - wholly plausible unfortunately. What lifts the story is the very real spirit of goodness, hope and right that shines through. Long live Merrily Watkins - I hope it's a long time before she hangs up her cassock! Another Triumph!! Lady Macbeth's Review., 10 Nov 2008
I have followed Phil Rickman from the very beginning. I was there at the "birth" of Merrily Watkins, and I can truthfully say she has become the one constant I look for in my reading material! This time, in "To Dream of the Dead", my other great love, archaeology, is very much in evidence with the dig on Colemans Meadow. The main archaeologist, Bill Blore must be based on someone I know, as I'm sure I recognise him! The floods of last year, the beautiful Wye Valley and all the "people" I have come to expect to see in his books are here. Well done Phil Rickman on bringing together everything great once again for us.
In my opinion, everybody who reads this novel should be able to take it as a stand alone story, as you will pick up the thread of the characters as you go along, but I beg you to go back to the beginning and beg, steal or preferably buy all Phil's books. Read all 10 of the "Merrily Watkins" series, and then start with his first book "Candlenight" and work your way through. Then read Thom Madley and Will Kingdom. You will not regret it, although you may get so engrossed in the plots and storylines that you forget to eat!
Thank you Phil Rickman for yet another triumph!! A Subtle Look at Obligations to Others and How to Recover from Mistakes, 31 Oct 2008
If you haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, don't start with this one. Without the entire back story, many of the subtleties in the story will be lost.
Alexander McCall Smith continues his thoughtful investigation of the social contract and doing the right thing to others in a moral sense. Isabel Dalhousie, being portrayed as a mere human who knows ethics, struggles on behalf of us all with jealousy, regret, sloth, and concern for the hurting. How should we react?
In this story, Isabel finds that her worries about losing Jamie seem to be growing. She continues to keep barriers between them while wanting to take the barriers down. Social engagements with people her age are particularly uncomfortable. She feels particularly threatened by Jamie's new friendship with a young composer, Nick Smart.
Isabel is shocked to find that her old foe, Christopher Dove, is trying to manipulate her into publishing an article in the Journal of Applied Ethics. She grits her teeth at the effort required to treat Dove fairly.
After a dinner party, Isabel is approached by the wife of a disgraced medical researcher to see if Isabel will try to find some way to rehabilitate the researcher's reputation. Isabel is no Miss Marple, and her efforts lead her in an unexpected direction.
Between the major plot lines, Isabel takes great pleasure in her son, Charlie, her peaceful life, helping Cat out while she visits Sri Lanka, and looking to help those in need without hurting anyone's feelings. That last challenge is more difficult than she imagines.
As always, the story exudes joie de vivre, affection for Edinburgh, pleasure in the company of others, and happiness in trying to do the right thing. It's a nice recipe for brightening up your day . . . so that even a rainy Saturday can look like heaven on Earth.
Enjoy your life!
This book is not your typical J.D. Robb offering., 01 Feb 2008
It lacks the usual detail Robb routinely offers while fleshing out her characters, but then, it was only intended as part of an anthology. Since I did not read the story when it was first published, I appreciated having it made available so I could fill in the blanks with information that was referenced in more recent publications. I enjoy all of Robb's characters so much that I feel like I know them personally. Midnight in Death is too short to give you that intimate look into the lives of Eve's friends and co-workers, and could disappoint fans who are looking for the regular fare, but it is a good read, nevertheless!! I'd also like to recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't yet! A Very Eve and Roarke Christmas, 16 Feb 2006
Firstly, you should know that this story has been available as part of the Silent Night anthology, just to save some of you from buying it twice! Admittedly this is a nice and inexpensive addition for anyone who only wants the short story to slot onto their In Death shelf on the bookcase. Midnight in Death takes place between Holiday and Conspiracy In Death. Even on Boxing Day, Eve can't catch a break when a perp she locked away years ago escapes from prison. His mission is to punish all those in the justice system who took away his freedom, naturally Eve is high on his list, but unfortunately so is Dr Mira NYSPD's crack psychologist and profiler. This is a short- so the mystery and detective work is much lesser than normal and there's barely a chance to establish tension, but the character touches more than make up for that.
Eve's relationship with Mira is really strengthened in this one and we see how much both she and Roarke have come to care for her. Plus we get to see what all the characters got as Christmas presents. Definitely good value for money- she also plans to release her other In Death short Interlude (Out of this World anthology) in a similar stand alone format just wish they would do this with the new stories coming out.
midnight in death, 01 Jan 2006
I love the Eve Dallas series and have all the books . My husband bought me this one as a surprise not seeing the title on the shelf. However this is a short story in "Silent Night".
It is a great story on its own as with all j d robb's books.
it fits between Holiday In Death and Conspiracy In Death.
|
|
|
 |
|
Partners
In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
|
Amazon: £6.99
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Merrily, Merrily, 27 Nov 2008
So pleased to have another Merrily to consume and digest. As previously, the writing is atmospheric, the situations believable. The encrouching water in Ledwardine is reminiscent of the scenes I saw in Upton a couple of years back. I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks Mr Rickman. Another wonderful book in the Merrily Watkins series, 27 Nov 2008
Having read all the previous books in this series, I have to say that Phil has hit the mark again. Besides the clever mysteries, clerical (C of E) and esoteric influences that are foundations of the series, is the sense of knowing the characters as if they are real people leading real lives. Vicar Merrily Watkins, her pagan-loving daughter, Jane, and singer/song writer beau, Lol, are colorful characters. And never to forget my favorite 'plant hire' extraordinaire, Gomer Parry. I won't include any spoilers to ruin the fun... What can I say ..., 17 Nov 2008
.. that hasn't already been said?
I absolutely loved this book. Each time I start a new Rickman, I think that he can't possibly surpass the previous one, but somehow he always manages it.
This one is slightly different from the previous Merrily novels, the crime thread is more prevalent - as seen through the eyes of D I Frannie Bliss, who has not previously been a major character.
With a little help from ex DS Andy Mumford (and Andy's new boss Jumbo Humphreys) he unravels the mystery surrounding the grisly murder of Councillor Clem Ayling.
While this is going on, Merrily has her own problems in Ledwardine - atheists, fundamentalists and rising water levels - and things go far from smoothly for Jane in the ongoing Coleman's Meadow saga, though her love life takes a turn for the better.
There's a real surprise ending to this one - and, no, I don't mean the solution of the crime, but something totally unexpected, which will really whet readers' appetites for the next in the series.
This is a brilliant read, for all Rickman fans & for those who are new to his work.
All I can add now is, buy it - you won't be disappointed.
To dream .. of being able to write like this ..., 11 Nov 2008
If you haven't read the previous Merrily Watkins novels, well, this one can and does stand alone, but I really feel that having known the main characters along their journey does add to the enjoyment. (So please read the earlier novels too - I promise you won't regret it!) This is a dark and savage story, set in the unrelenting downpour of a very unseasonal Christmas deluge. As ever, Phil Rickman creates a tremendously rich sense of place and time to his story - even reading this on a balmy, bright autumnal day, I wanted to throw another log on the fire and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate & brandy - the feeling of being surrounded by drear torrential rain was so real. The depressing tale of wheels within wheels in local government is enough to give us all pause - wholly plausible unfortunately. What lifts the story is the very real spirit of goodness, hope and right that shines through. Long live Merrily Watkins - I hope it's a long time before she hangs up her cassock! Another Triumph!! Lady Macbeth's Review., 10 Nov 2008
I have followed Phil Rickman from the very beginning. I was there at the "birth" of Merrily Watkins, and I can truthfully say she has become the one constant I look for in my reading material! This time, in "To Dream of the Dead", my other great love, archaeology, is very much in evidence with the dig on Colemans Meadow. The main archaeologist, Bill Blore must be based on someone I know, as I'm sure I recognise him! The floods of last year, the beautiful Wye Valley and all the "people" I have come to expect to see in his books are here. Well done Phil Rickman on bringing together everything great once again for us.
In my opinion, everybody who reads this novel should be able to take it as a stand alone story, as you will pick up the thread of the characters as you go along, but I beg you to go back to the beginning and beg, steal or preferably buy all Phil's books. Read all 10 of the "Merrily Watkins" series, and then start with his first book "Candlenight" and work your way through. Then read Thom Madley and Will Kingdom. You will not regret it, although you may get so engrossed in the plots and storylines that you forget to eat!
Thank you Phil Rickman for yet another triumph!! A Subtle Look at Obligations to Others and How to Recover from Mistakes, 31 Oct 2008
If you haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, don't start with this one. Without the entire back story, many of the subtleties in the story will be lost.
Alexander McCall Smith continues his thoughtful investigation of the social contract and doing the right thing to others in a moral sense. Isabel Dalhousie, being portrayed as a mere human who knows ethics, struggles on behalf of us all with jealousy, regret, sloth, and concern for the hurting. How should we react?
In this story, Isabel finds that her worries about losing Jamie seem to be growing. She continues to keep barriers between them while wanting to take the barriers down. Social engagements with people her age are particularly uncomfortable. She feels particularly threatened by Jamie's new friendship with a young composer, Nick Smart.
Isabel is shocked to find that her old foe, Christopher Dove, is trying to manipulate her into publishing an article in the Journal of Applied Ethics. She grits her teeth at the effort required to treat Dove fairly.
After a dinner party, Isabel is approached by the wife of a disgraced medical researcher to see if Isabel will try to find some way to rehabilitate the researcher's reputation. Isabel is no Miss Marple, and her efforts lead her in an unexpected direction.
Between the major plot lines, Isabel takes great pleasure in her son, Charlie, her peaceful life, helping Cat out while she visits Sri Lanka, and looking to help those in need without hurting anyone's feelings. That last challenge is more difficult than she imagines.
As always, the story exudes joie de vivre, affection for Edinburgh, pleasure in the company of others, and happiness in trying to do the right thing. It's a nice recipe for brightening up your day . . . so that even a rainy Saturday can look like heaven on Earth.
Enjoy your life!
This book is not your typical J.D. Robb offering., 01 Feb 2008
It lacks the usual detail Robb routinely offers while fleshing out her characters, but then, it was only intended as part of an anthology. Since I did not read the story when it was first published, I appreciated having it made available so I could fill in the blanks with information that was referenced in more recent publications. I enjoy all of Robb's characters so much that I feel like I know them personally. Midnight in Death is too short to give you that intimate look into the lives of Eve's friends and co-workers, and could disappoint fans who are looking for the regular fare, but it is a good read, nevertheless!! I'd also like to recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't yet! A Very Eve and Roarke Christmas, 16 Feb 2006
Firstly, you should know that this story has been available as part of the Silent Night anthology, just to save some of you from buying it twice! Admittedly this is a nice and inexpensive addition for anyone who only wants the short story to slot onto their In Death shelf on the bookcase. Midnight in Death takes place between Holiday and Conspiracy In Death. Even on Boxing Day, Eve can't catch a break when a perp she locked away years ago escapes from prison. His mission is to punish all those in the justice system who took away his freedom, naturally Eve is high on his list, but unfortunately so is Dr Mira NYSPD's crack psychologist and profiler. This is a short- so the mystery and detective work is much lesser than normal and there's barely a chance to establish tension, but the character touches more than make up for that.
Eve's relationship with Mira is really strengthened in this one and we see how much both she and Roarke have come to care for her. Plus we get to see what all the characters got as Christmas presents. Definitely good value for money- she also plans to release her other In Death short Interlude (Out of this World anthology) in a similar stand alone format just wish they would do this with the new stories coming out.
midnight in death, 01 Jan 2006
I love the Eve Dallas series and have all the books . My husband bought me this one as a surprise not seeing the title on the shelf. However this is a short story in "Silent Night".
It is a great story on its own as with all j d robb's books.
it fits between Holiday In Death and Conspiracy In Death.
Cosy but Well Paced, 04 Sep 2008
This is the first book in this series and the first by this writer. As previous reviewers have noted the book is set in a small town which is full of bookstores. Being a booklover myself I could not resist. The owner of the murder mystery bookstore is the herione and I warmed to her from the beginning. There is an obvious frisson of animosity between she and her sister and the reasons for this are developed well throughout the book. Although this is not an edge of the seat tale I did enjoy the story and I thought the plot developed well. This evolved around the murder of the bookstore owner next door and there were enough twists and turns to keep you reading. Unlike a previous reviewer I thought the story was well written, the plot interesting and the characters believable. Yes some of the characters are not developed as well as others but I think this is deliberate and more of their stories will unfold in future books. I look foward to the next in the series which comes out in February 2009.
A New Book on Murder, 27 May 2008
Tricia Miles has found life in Stoneham to be a nice change from life in the big city. The historic down town area consists of nothing but bookstores, and running her own mystery bookstore has been a real joy.
But one fall day things change from good to bad. First, her sister Angelica shows up for an unannounced, extended visit. The two sisters have a strained relationship, and Tricia can't wait until she leaves.
Much worse, however, is finding the body of Doris Gleason. Doris owned the cookbook shop next door to Tricia's. She could be quarrelsome, but she didn't deserve to die. Tricia immediately notices that the antique cookbook Doris had just acquired is missing. Was theft the motive? Or was it something more sinister?
I'm of two minds about this debut. On the one hand, I loved it and the setting. What reader wouldn't love the idea of a town devoted to bookstores? And the little details of the book made me smile every time they showed up on the page. The plot twisted in a couple surprising directions. Angelica and Tricia have a complicated relationship, and I could identify with both of them at the same time. And Tricia's employee Ginny and regular customer Mr. Everett are both a delight as well.
On the other hand, this debut had some flaws. The rest of the characters are a little flat. In fact, the characters I already mentioned could be flat at times as well. The ending is too abrupt. While logical, it needed more time to be fully developed. Finally, the writing is okay, but it was often awkward, forcing me to backtrack and reread stuff to make sure I understood.
In the end, I did enjoy the book enough to give the sequel a chance. Hopefully, the problems will be ironed out as the series progresses.
Small town cozy mystery with mystery bookseller sleuth, 31 Mar 2008
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING introduces the new Booktown Mystery series. A cozy mystery with a mystery bookseller amateur sleuth and a book at the center of the puzzle, this mystery is a fun light read. For mystery enthusiasts, the tribute to the mystery genre itself with mentions of mystery classics from Cornell Woolrich and Ngaio Marsh to Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie make Murder is Binding a must read. Every good cooking mystery must include recipes, and true to form, Lorna Barrett delights readers with a recipe addendum in the back.
Stoneham, known as the safest town in New Hampshire, was a dying town until the downtown revitalization. Now, the center of town houses genre specialty bookstores and draws in tourists and book collectors. Tricia Miles and her cat Miss Marple run the mystery bookstore, Haven't Got a Clue. When she discovers Doris Gleason, owner of the Cookery, dead in the neighboring bookstore, Tricia sees a new side of Stoneham from the political race threatening to divide long term natives on the town's outskirts and the bookstore newcomers to other simmering jealousies. When another resident has a suspicious car accident, Tricia thinks she might have a lead into the motive behind the murder but who can she trust? Sheriff Adams seems determined to pin the murders on Tricia, the town jinx. Tricia's sister Angelica arrives into town unexpectedly, stirring up the past along with her appetizing dishes.
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING is a must read for mystery buffs. Full of first edition classics and tributes to many of the great mystery classics, readers will not only feel the nostalgia of a small town mystery but of their personal reading histories. Lorna Barrett's research into the bookseller trade flows in the smallest details from the details of book sources and different types of booksellers to the antiquarian and rare book standards for packaging books.
Tricia Miles is a wonderful sleuth. With each new trail, the reader catches a glimpse of a woman who cares for others and justice beyond just clearing her name even to the point of endangering her own safety. Tricia's relationship with her sister Angelica adds depth to the characterization as Tricia battles a history of sibling rivalry at the same time as she gains a mystery sidekick who amuses and endears the reader to the sisters. To the reader's delight, the mystery details and resolution provide several twists until the very end. Lorna Barrett gives readers a delicious mix of small town and family jealousies and undercurrents beneath the surface complemented by heart-warming scenes, all brought together by Doris Gleason's murder. After reading Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING, the first in the Booktown Mystery series, readers might just find themselves hoping that this small town will forever shed the distinction of safest town to make way for more Booktown mysteries!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Merrily, Merrily, 27 Nov 2008
So pleased to have another Merrily to consume and digest. As previously, the writing is atmospheric, the situations believable. The encrouching water in Ledwardine is reminiscent of the scenes I saw in Upton a couple of years back. I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks Mr Rickman. Another wonderful book in the Merrily Watkins series, 27 Nov 2008
Having read all the previous books in this series, I have to say that Phil has hit the mark again. Besides the clever mysteries, clerical (C of E) and esoteric influences that are foundations of the series, is the sense of knowing the characters as if they are real people leading real lives. Vicar Merrily Watkins, her pagan-loving daughter, Jane, and singer/song writer beau, Lol, are colorful characters. And never to forget my favorite 'plant hire' extraordinaire, Gomer Parry. I won't include any spoilers to ruin the fun... What can I say ..., 17 Nov 2008
.. that hasn't already been said?
I absolutely loved this book. Each time I start a new Rickman, I think that he can't possibly surpass the previous one, but somehow he always manages it.
This one is slightly different from the previous Merrily novels, the crime thread is more prevalent - as seen through the eyes of D I Frannie Bliss, who has not previously been a major character.
With a little help from ex DS Andy Mumford (and Andy's new boss Jumbo Humphreys) he unravels the mystery surrounding the grisly murder of Councillor Clem Ayling.
While this is going on, Merrily has her own problems in Ledwardine - atheists, fundamentalists and rising water levels - and things go far from smoothly for Jane in the ongoing Coleman's Meadow saga, though her love life takes a turn for the better.
There's a real surprise ending to this one - and, no, I don't mean the solution of the crime, but something totally unexpected, which will really whet readers' appetites for the next in the series.
This is a brilliant read, for all Rickman fans & for those who are new to his work.
All I can add now is, buy it - you won't be disappointed.
To dream .. of being able to write like this ..., 11 Nov 2008
If you haven't read the previous Merrily Watkins novels, well, this one can and does stand alone, but I really feel that having known the main characters along their journey does add to the enjoyment. (So please read the earlier novels too - I promise you won't regret it!) This is a dark and savage story, set in the unrelenting downpour of a very unseasonal Christmas deluge. As ever, Phil Rickman creates a tremendously rich sense of place and time to his story - even reading this on a balmy, bright autumnal day, I wanted to throw another log on the fire and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate & brandy - the feeling of being surrounded by drear torrential rain was so real. The depressing tale of wheels within wheels in local government is enough to give us all pause - wholly plausible unfortunately. What lifts the story is the very real spirit of goodness, hope and right that shines through. Long live Merrily Watkins - I hope it's a long time before she hangs up her cassock! Another Triumph!! Lady Macbeth's Review., 10 Nov 2008
I have followed Phil Rickman from the very beginning. I was there at the "birth" of Merrily Watkins, and I can truthfully say she has become the one constant I look for in my reading material! This time, in "To Dream of the Dead", my other great love, archaeology, is very much in evidence with the dig on Colemans Meadow. The main archaeologist, Bill Blore must be based on someone I know, as I'm sure I recognise him! The floods of last year, the beautiful Wye Valley and all the "people" I have come to expect to see in his books are here. Well done Phil Rickman on bringing together everything great once again for us.
In my opinion, everybody who reads this novel should be able to take it as a stand alone story, as you will pick up the thread of the characters as you go along, but I beg you to go back to the beginning and beg, steal or preferably buy all Phil's books. Read all 10 of the "Merrily Watkins" series, and then start with his first book "Candlenight" and work your way through. Then read Thom Madley and Will Kingdom. You will not regret it, although you may get so engrossed in the plots and storylines that you forget to eat!
Thank you Phil Rickman for yet another triumph!! A Subtle Look at Obligations to Others and How to Recover from Mistakes, 31 Oct 2008
If you haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, don't start with this one. Without the entire back story, many of the subtleties in the story will be lost.
Alexander McCall Smith continues his thoughtful investigation of the social contract and doing the right thing to others in a moral sense. Isabel Dalhousie, being portrayed as a mere human who knows ethics, struggles on behalf of us all with jealousy, regret, sloth, and concern for the hurting. How should we react?
In this story, Isabel finds that her worries about losing Jamie seem to be growing. She continues to keep barriers between them while wanting to take the barriers down. Social engagements with people her age are particularly uncomfortable. She feels particularly threatened by Jamie's new friendship with a young composer, Nick Smart.
Isabel is shocked to find that her old foe, Christopher Dove, is trying to manipulate her into publishing an article in the Journal of Applied Ethics. She grits her teeth at the effort required to treat Dove fairly.
After a dinner party, Isabel is approached by the wife of a disgraced medical researcher to see if Isabel will try to find some way to rehabilitate the researcher's reputation. Isabel is no Miss Marple, and her efforts lead her in an unexpected direction.
Between the major plot lines, Isabel takes great pleasure in her son, Charlie, her peaceful life, helping Cat out while she visits Sri Lanka, and looking to help those in need without hurting anyone's feelings. That last challenge is more difficult than she imagines.
As always, the story exudes joie de vivre, affection for Edinburgh, pleasure in the company of others, and happiness in trying to do the right thing. It's a nice recipe for brightening up your day . . . so that even a rainy Saturday can look like heaven on Earth.
Enjoy your life!
This book is not your typical J.D. Robb offering., 01 Feb 2008
It lacks the usual detail Robb routinely offers while fleshing out her characters, but then, it was only intended as part of an anthology. Since I did not read the story when it was first published, I appreciated having it made available so I could fill in the blanks with information that was referenced in more recent publications. I enjoy all of Robb's characters so much that I feel like I know them personally. Midnight in Death is too short to give you that intimate look into the lives of Eve's friends and co-workers, and could disappoint fans who are looking for the regular fare, but it is a good read, nevertheless!! I'd also like to recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't yet! A Very Eve and Roarke Christmas, 16 Feb 2006
Firstly, you should know that this story has been available as part of the Silent Night anthology, just to save some of you from buying it twice! Admittedly this is a nice and inexpensive addition for anyone who only wants the short story to slot onto their In Death shelf on the bookcase. Midnight in Death takes place between Holiday and Conspiracy In Death. Even on Boxing Day, Eve can't catch a break when a perp she locked away years ago escapes from prison. His mission is to punish all those in the justice system who took away his freedom, naturally Eve is high on his list, but unfortunately so is Dr Mira NYSPD's crack psychologist and profiler. This is a short- so the mystery and detective work is much lesser than normal and there's barely a chance to establish tension, but the character touches more than make up for that.
Eve's relationship with Mira is really strengthened in this one and we see how much both she and Roarke have come to care for her. Plus we get to see what all the characters got as Christmas presents. Definitely good value for money- she also plans to release her other In Death short Interlude (Out of this World anthology) in a similar stand alone format just wish they would do this with the new stories coming out.
midnight in death, 01 Jan 2006
I love the Eve Dallas series and have all the books . My husband bought me this one as a surprise not seeing the title on the shelf. However this is a short story in "Silent Night".
It is a great story on its own as with all j d robb's books.
it fits between Holiday In Death and Conspiracy In Death.
Cosy but Well Paced, 04 Sep 2008
This is the first book in this series and the first by this writer. As previous reviewers have noted the book is set in a small town which is full of bookstores. Being a booklover myself I could not resist. The owner of the murder mystery bookstore is the herione and I warmed to her from the beginning. There is an obvious frisson of animosity between she and her sister and the reasons for this are developed well throughout the book. Although this is not an edge of the seat tale I did enjoy the story and I thought the plot developed well. This evolved around the murder of the bookstore owner next door and there were enough twists and turns to keep you reading. Unlike a previous reviewer I thought the story was well written, the plot interesting and the characters believable. Yes some of the characters are not developed as well as others but I think this is deliberate and more of their stories will unfold in future books. I look foward to the next in the series which comes out in February 2009.
A New Book on Murder, 27 May 2008
Tricia Miles has found life in Stoneham to be a nice change from life in the big city. The historic down town area consists of nothing but bookstores, and running her own mystery bookstore has been a real joy.
But one fall day things change from good to bad. First, her sister Angelica shows up for an unannounced, extended visit. The two sisters have a strained relationship, and Tricia can't wait until she leaves.
Much worse, however, is finding the body of Doris Gleason. Doris owned the cookbook shop next door to Tricia's. She could be quarrelsome, but she didn't deserve to die. Tricia immediately notices that the antique cookbook Doris had just acquired is missing. Was theft the motive? Or was it something more sinister?
I'm of two minds about this debut. On the one hand, I loved it and the setting. What reader wouldn't love the idea of a town devoted to bookstores? And the little details of the book made me smile every time they showed up on the page. The plot twisted in a couple surprising directions. Angelica and Tricia have a complicated relationship, and I could identify with both of them at the same time. And Tricia's employee Ginny and regular customer Mr. Everett are both a delight as well.
On the other hand, this debut had some flaws. The rest of the characters are a little flat. In fact, the characters I already mentioned could be flat at times as well. The ending is too abrupt. While logical, it needed more time to be fully developed. Finally, the writing is okay, but it was often awkward, forcing me to backtrack and reread stuff to make sure I understood.
In the end, I did enjoy the book enough to give the sequel a chance. Hopefully, the problems will be ironed out as the series progresses.
Small town cozy mystery with mystery bookseller sleuth, 31 Mar 2008
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING introduces the new Booktown Mystery series. A cozy mystery with a mystery bookseller amateur sleuth and a book at the center of the puzzle, this mystery is a fun light read. For mystery enthusiasts, the tribute to the mystery genre itself with mentions of mystery classics from Cornell Woolrich and Ngaio Marsh to Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie make Murder is Binding a must read. Every good cooking mystery must include recipes, and true to form, Lorna Barrett delights readers with a recipe addendum in the back.
Stoneham, known as the safest town in New Hampshire, was a dying town until the downtown revitalization. Now, the center of town houses genre specialty bookstores and draws in tourists and book collectors. Tricia Miles and her cat Miss Marple run the mystery bookstore, Haven't Got a Clue. When she discovers Doris Gleason, owner of the Cookery, dead in the neighboring bookstore, Tricia sees a new side of Stoneham from the political race threatening to divide long term natives on the town's outskirts and the bookstore newcomers to other simmering jealousies. When another resident has a suspicious car accident, Tricia thinks she might have a lead into the motive behind the murder but who can she trust? Sheriff Adams seems determined to pin the murders on Tricia, the town jinx. Tricia's sister Angelica arrives into town unexpectedly, stirring up the past along with her appetizing dishes.
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING is a must read for mystery buffs. Full of first edition classics and tributes to many of the great mystery classics, readers will not only feel the nostalgia of a small town mystery but of their personal reading histories. Lorna Barrett's research into the bookseller trade flows in the smallest details from the details of book sources and different types of booksellers to the antiquarian and rare book standards for packaging books.
Tricia Miles is a wonderful sleuth. With each new trail, the reader catches a glimpse of a woman who cares for others and justice beyond just clearing her name even to the point of endangering her own safety. Tricia's relationship with her sister Angelica adds depth to the characterization as Tricia battles a history of sibling rivalry at the same time as she gains a mystery sidekick who amuses and endears the reader to the sisters. To the reader's delight, the mystery details and resolution provide several twists until the very end. Lorna Barrett gives readers a delicious mix of small town and family jealousies and undercurrents beneath the surface complemented by heart-warming scenes, all brought together by Doris Gleason's murder. After reading Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING, the first in the Booktown Mystery series, readers might just find themselves hoping that this small town will forever shed the distinction of safest town to make way for more Booktown mysteries!
Back on Track, 15 Oct 2008
I have long been a huge fan of Phil Rickman and followed the Merrily Watkins series avidly. After reading the last couple of outings I had begun to think he had lost his way a bit, but this one is right back on track with some really atmospheric stuff and a decent plot. However, I still believe that Rickman's best stuff was written before Merrily came on the scene and although she is undoubtedly a very original and well crafted character, I would like to see her being given a rest and the author reverting back to some of his earlier type novels - Crybbe, December and the Chalice were so much more gripping.
Not one of the better Merrily Watkins mysteries, 27 Sep 2008
Merrily Watkins, the main character in this book, is the diocesan exorcist for the Anglican diocese of Hereford and Worcester. She's called in to look into issues of a spooky bent that occur in the area.
In this book, she's investigating a former Knights Templar house that seems to be so haunted that it's spooking some local decorators. Initially she rules anything serious out, but when those decorators die (seemingly at each other's hand) she becomes more heavily involved, investigating the history of the building more thoroughly and tries to understand the relevance of the Knights Templar in this story.
My problem with the story isn't the general story, that isn't too bad. What I don't like is the sense that Phil Rickman is jumping on the Knights Templar badwagon. If you like all that stuff, you might like this book. If you don't, you might be advised to give this book a miss.
Fantastic reading..., 14 Jun 2008
This is the fourth of the Merrily Watkins series I've read and I'm going to get the rest and read them in order.
It is absolutely brilliant, a page turner. The characters feel real and the description of the insular border village, that this particular novel is set in, is very vivid!
As usual, it seems well researched! Although it is dealing with the currently popular subject of the Templars, it is dealing with it from a fresh modern approach.
I first found Phil Rickman in the Horror section in Borders but he's seriously misplaced there - Waterstones has him in Crime and that's the right place for him. It's a great book and I like the way he builds an atmosphere!
Rickman is a genius, 09 May 2008
Phil Rickman has created a unique genre in his Merrily Watkins stories. They have features of other genres such as horror, supernatural, whodunnit, psyco-geographic, but the whole transcends the parts. The only other living writer who comes near him for creating a sense of place that can be disturbing and reassuring in equal parts, is Peter Ackroyd.
The only writer who connects as well with place and landscape is Thomas Hardy. A bold claim, I know, but Mr Rickman is moving with the literary Gods.
Merrily is a perfect modern hero - flawed and confused at times, but with a deep moral steel. The other characters fizz and zip off the page. Sometimes it is hardly credible that you couldn't just drive down to Hereford and make an appointment to see these people - they are so real.
This particular plot combines a nail-chewing sense of unease, faultless historical accuracy, and wickedly clever plotting.
These books are pure gold. The only negative aspect is that one can read the books faster than Mr Rickman can write them, and it's damned hard to sip such fine wine slowly.
Another minor masterpiece, 12 Apr 2008
The series of Ledwardine stories continues to unfold, and the cast of characters grow and mature. Jane is leaving childhood behind, and Merrily and Lol's relationship develops. (I find myself fretting over Gomer Parry, he's growing old!)
Phil Rickman's writing is fantastic, he instils a sense of place and time so (apparently) effortlessly. The level of his research into the esoteric - and sometimes the mundane - is heroic. If you're new to the series, I would strongly advise you to start at the beginning and work your way through the Merrily Watkins novels. I envy you the pleasure of discovering the world she and her companions inhabit.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Merrily, Merrily, 27 Nov 2008
So pleased to have another Merrily to consume and digest. As previously, the writing is atmospheric, the situations believable. The encrouching water in Ledwardine is reminiscent of the scenes I saw in Upton a couple of years back. I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks Mr Rickman. Another wonderful book in the Merrily Watkins series, 27 Nov 2008
Having read all the previous books in this series, I have to say that Phil has hit the mark again. Besides the clever mysteries, clerical (C of E) and esoteric influences that are foundations of the series, is the sense of knowing the characters as if they are real people leading real lives. Vicar Merrily Watkins, her pagan-loving daughter, Jane, and singer/song writer beau, Lol, are colorful characters. And never to forget my favorite 'plant hire' extraordinaire, Gomer Parry. I won't include any spoilers to ruin the fun... What can I say ..., 17 Nov 2008
.. that hasn't already been said?
I absolutely loved this book. Each time I start a new Rickman, I think that he can't possibly surpass the previous one, but somehow he always manages it.
This one is slightly different from the previous Merrily novels, the crime thread is more prevalent - as seen through the eyes of D I Frannie Bliss, who has not previously been a major character.
With a little help from ex DS Andy Mumford (and Andy's new boss Jumbo Humphreys) he unravels the mystery surrounding the grisly murder of Councillor Clem Ayling.
While this is going on, Merrily has her own problems in Ledwardine - atheists, fundamentalists and rising water levels - and things go far from smoothly for Jane in the ongoing Coleman's Meadow saga, though her love life takes a turn for the better.
There's a real surprise ending to this one - and, no, I don't mean the solution of the crime, but something totally unexpected, which will really whet readers' appetites for the next in the series.
This is a brilliant read, for all Rickman fans & for those who are new to his work.
All I can add now is, buy it - you won't be disappointed.
To dream .. of being able to write like this ..., 11 Nov 2008
If you haven't read the previous Merrily Watkins novels, well, this one can and does stand alone, but I really feel that having known the main characters along their journey does add to the enjoyment. (So please read the earlier novels too - I promise you won't regret it!) This is a dark and savage story, set in the unrelenting downpour of a very unseasonal Christmas deluge. As ever, Phil Rickman creates a tremendously rich sense of place and time to his story - even reading this on a balmy, bright autumnal day, I wanted to throw another log on the fire and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate & brandy - the feeling of being surrounded by drear torrential rain was so real. The depressing tale of wheels within wheels in local government is enough to give us all pause - wholly plausible unfortunately. What lifts the story is the very real spirit of goodness, hope and right that shines through. Long live Merrily Watkins - I hope it's a long time before she hangs up her cassock! Another Triumph!! Lady Macbeth's Review., 10 Nov 2008
I have followed Phil Rickman from the very beginning. I was there at the "birth" of Merrily Watkins, and I can truthfully say she has become the one constant I look for in my reading material! This time, in "To Dream of the Dead", my other great love, archaeology, is very much in evidence with the dig on Colemans Meadow. The main archaeologist, Bill Blore must be based on someone I know, as I'm sure I recognise him! The floods of last year, the beautiful Wye Valley and all the "people" I have come to expect to see in his books are here. Well done Phil Rickman on bringing together everything great once again for us.
In my opinion, everybody who reads this novel should be able to take it as a stand alone story, as you will pick up the thread of the characters as you go along, but I beg you to go back to the beginning and beg, steal or preferably buy all Phil's books. Read all 10 of the "Merrily Watkins" series, and then start with his first book "Candlenight" and work your way through. Then read Thom Madley and Will Kingdom. You will not regret it, although you may get so engrossed in the plots and storylines that you forget to eat!
Thank you Phil Rickman for yet another triumph!! A Subtle Look at Obligations to Others and How to Recover from Mistakes, 31 Oct 2008
If you haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, don't start with this one. Without the entire back story, many of the subtleties in the story will be lost.
Alexander McCall Smith continues his thoughtful investigation of the social contract and doing the right thing to others in a moral sense. Isabel Dalhousie, being portrayed as a mere human who knows ethics, struggles on behalf of us all with jealousy, regret, sloth, and concern for the hurting. How should we react?
In this story, Isabel finds that her worries about losing Jamie seem to be growing. She continues to keep barriers between them while wanting to take the barriers down. Social engagements with people her age are particularly uncomfortable. She feels particularly threatened by Jamie's new friendship with a young composer, Nick Smart.
Isabel is shocked to find that her old foe, Christopher Dove, is trying to manipulate her into publishing an article in the Journal of Applied Ethics. She grits her teeth at the effort required to treat Dove fairly.
After a dinner party, Isabel is approached by the wife of a disgraced medical researcher to see if Isabel will try to find some way to rehabilitate the researcher's reputation. Isabel is no Miss Marple, and her efforts lead her in an unexpected direction.
Between the major plot lines, Isabel takes great pleasure in her son, Charlie, her peaceful life, helping Cat out while she visits Sri Lanka, and looking to help those in need without hurting anyone's feelings. That last challenge is more difficult than she imagines.
As always, the story exudes joie de vivre, affection for Edinburgh, pleasure in the company of others, and happiness in trying to do the right thing. It's a nice recipe for brightening up your day . . . so that even a rainy Saturday can look like heaven on Earth.
Enjoy your life!
This book is not your typical J.D. Robb offering., 01 Feb 2008
It lacks the usual detail Robb routinely offers while fleshing out her characters, but then, it was only intended as part of an anthology. Since I did not read the story when it was first published, I appreciated having it made available so I could fill in the blanks with information that was referenced in more recent publications. I enjoy all of Robb's characters so much that I feel like I know them personally. Midnight in Death is too short to give you that intimate look into the lives of Eve's friends and co-workers, and could disappoint fans who are looking for the regular fare, but it is a good read, nevertheless!! I'd also like to recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't yet! A Very Eve and Roarke Christmas, 16 Feb 2006
Firstly, you should know that this story has been available as part of the Silent Night anthology, just to save some of you from buying it twice! Admittedly this is a nice and inexpensive addition for anyone who only wants the short story to slot onto their In Death shelf on the bookcase. Midnight in Death takes place between Holiday and Conspiracy In Death. Even on Boxing Day, Eve can't catch a break when a perp she locked away years ago escapes from prison. His mission is to punish all those in the justice system who took away his freedom, naturally Eve is high on his list, but unfortunately so is Dr Mira NYSPD's crack psychologist and profiler. This is a short- so the mystery and detective work is much lesser than normal and there's barely a chance to establish tension, but the character touches more than make up for that.
Eve's relationship with Mira is really strengthened in this one and we see how much both she and Roarke have come to care for her. Plus we get to see what all the characters got as Christmas presents. Definitely good value for money- she also plans to release her other In Death short Interlude (Out of this World anthology) in a similar stand alone format just wish they would do this with the new stories coming out.
midnight in death, 01 Jan 2006
I love the Eve Dallas series and have all the books . My husband bought me this one as a surprise not seeing the title on the shelf. However this is a short story in "Silent Night".
It is a great story on its own as with all j d robb's books.
it fits between Holiday In Death and Conspiracy In Death.
Cosy but Well Paced, 04 Sep 2008
This is the first book in this series and the first by this writer. As previous reviewers have noted the book is set in a small town which is full of bookstores. Being a booklover myself I could not resist. The owner of the murder mystery bookstore is the herione and I warmed to her from the beginning. There is an obvious frisson of animosity between she and her sister and the reasons for this are developed well throughout the book. Although this is not an edge of the seat tale I did enjoy the story and I thought the plot developed well. This evolved around the murder of the bookstore owner next door and there were enough twists and turns to keep you reading. Unlike a previous reviewer I thought the story was well written, the plot interesting and the characters believable. Yes some of the characters are not developed as well as others but I think this is deliberate and more of their stories will unfold in future books. I look foward to the next in the series which comes out in February 2009.
A New Book on Murder, 27 May 2008
Tricia Miles has found life in Stoneham to be a nice change from life in the big city. The historic down town area consists of nothing but bookstores, and running her own mystery bookstore has been a real joy.
But one fall day things change from good to bad. First, her sister Angelica shows up for an unannounced, extended visit. The two sisters have a strained relationship, and Tricia can't wait until she leaves.
Much worse, however, is finding the body of Doris Gleason. Doris owned the cookbook shop next door to Tricia's. She could be quarrelsome, but she didn't deserve to die. Tricia immediately notices that the antique cookbook Doris had just acquired is missing. Was theft the motive? Or was it something more sinister?
I'm of two minds about this debut. On the one hand, I loved it and the setting. What reader wouldn't love the idea of a town devoted to bookstores? And the little details of the book made me smile every time they showed up on the page. The plot twisted in a couple surprising directions. Angelica and Tricia have a complicated relationship, and I could identify with both of them at the same time. And Tricia's employee Ginny and regular customer Mr. Everett are both a delight as well.
On the other hand, this debut had some flaws. The rest of the characters are a little flat. In fact, the characters I already mentioned could be flat at times as well. The ending is too abrupt. While logical, it needed more time to be fully developed. Finally, the writing is okay, but it was often awkward, forcing me to backtrack and reread stuff to make sure I understood.
In the end, I did enjoy the book enough to give the sequel a chance. Hopefully, the problems will be ironed out as the series progresses.
Small town cozy mystery with mystery bookseller sleuth, 31 Mar 2008
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING introduces the new Booktown Mystery series. A cozy mystery with a mystery bookseller amateur sleuth and a book at the center of the puzzle, this mystery is a fun light read. For mystery enthusiasts, the tribute to the mystery genre itself with mentions of mystery classics from Cornell Woolrich and Ngaio Marsh to Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie make Murder is Binding a must read. Every good cooking mystery must include recipes, and true to form, Lorna Barrett delights readers with a recipe addendum in the back.
Stoneham, known as the safest town in New Hampshire, was a dying town until the downtown revitalization. Now, the center of town houses genre specialty bookstores and draws in tourists and book collectors. Tricia Miles and her cat Miss Marple run the mystery bookstore, Haven't Got a Clue. When she discovers Doris Gleason, owner of the Cookery, dead in the neighboring bookstore, Tricia sees a new side of Stoneham from the political race threatening to divide long term natives on the town's outskirts and the bookstore newcomers to other simmering jealousies. When another resident has a suspicious car accident, Tricia thinks she might have a lead into the motive behind the murder but who can she trust? Sheriff Adams seems determined to pin the murders on Tricia, the town jinx. Tricia's sister Angelica arrives into town unexpectedly, stirring up the past along with her appetizing dishes.
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING is a must read for mystery buffs. Full of first edition classics and tributes to many of the great mystery classics, readers will not only feel the nostalgia of a small town mystery but of their personal reading histories. Lorna Barrett's research into the bookseller trade flows in the smallest details from the details of book sources and different types of booksellers to the antiquarian and rare book standards for packaging books.
Tricia Miles is a wonderful sleuth. With each new trail, the reader catches a glimpse of a woman who cares for others and justice beyond just clearing her name even to the point of endangering her own safety. Tricia's relationship with her sister Angelica adds depth to the characterization as Tricia battles a history of sibling rivalry at the same time as she gains a mystery sidekick who amuses and endears the reader to the sisters. To the reader's delight, the mystery details and resolution provide several twists until the very end. Lorna Barrett gives readers a delicious mix of small town and family jealousies and undercurrents beneath the surface complemented by heart-warming scenes, all brought together by Doris Gleason's murder. After reading Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING, the first in the Booktown Mystery series, readers might just find themselves hoping that this small town will forever shed the distinction of safest town to make way for more Booktown mysteries!
Back on Track, 15 Oct 2008
I have long been a huge fan of Phil Rickman and followed the Merrily Watkins series avidly. After reading the last couple of outings I had begun to think he had lost his way a bit, but this one is right back on track with some really atmospheric stuff and a decent plot. However, I still believe that Rickman's best stuff was written before Merrily came on the scene and although she is undoubtedly a very original and well crafted character, I would like to see her being given a rest and the author reverting back to some of his earlier type novels - Crybbe, December and the Chalice were so much more gripping.
Not one of the better Merrily Watkins mysteries, 27 Sep 2008
Merrily Watkins, the main character in this book, is the diocesan exorcist for the Anglican diocese of Hereford and Worcester. She's called in to look into issues of a spooky bent that occur in the area.
In this book, she's investigating a former Knights Templar house that seems to be so haunted that it's spooking some local decorators. Initially she rules anything serious out, but when those decorators die (seemingly at each other's hand) she becomes more heavily involved, investigating the history of the building more thoroughly and tries to understand the relevance of the Knights Templar in this story.
My problem with the story isn't the general story, that isn't too bad. What I don't like is the sense that Phil Rickman is jumping on the Knights Templar badwagon. If you like all that stuff, you might like this book. If you don't, you might be advised to give this book a miss.
Fantastic reading..., 14 Jun 2008
This is the fourth of the Merrily Watkins series I've read and I'm going to get the rest and read them in order.
It is absolutely brilliant, a page turner. The characters feel real and the description of the insular border village, that this particular novel is set in, is very vivid!
As usual, it seems well researched! Although it is dealing with the currently popular subject of the Templars, it is dealing with it from a fresh modern approach.
I first found Phil Rickman in the Horror section in Borders but he's seriously misplaced there - Waterstones has him in Crime and that's the right place for him. It's a great book and I like the way he builds an atmosphere!
Rickman is a genius, 09 May 2008
Phil Rickman has created a unique genre in his Merrily Watkins stories. They have features of other genres such as horror, supernatural, whodunnit, psyco-geographic, but the whole transcends the parts. The only other living writer who comes near him for creating a sense of place that can be disturbing and reassuring in equal parts, is Peter Ackroyd.
The only writer who connects as well with place and landscape is Thomas Hardy. A bold claim, I know, but Mr Rickman is moving with the literary Gods.
Merrily is a perfect modern hero - flawed and confused at times, but with a deep moral steel. The other characters fizz and zip off the page. Sometimes it is hardly credible that you couldn't just drive down to Hereford and make an appointment to see these people - they are so real.
This particular plot combines a nail-chewing sense of unease, faultless historical accuracy, and wickedly clever plotting.
These books are pure gold. The only negative aspect is that one can read the books faster than Mr Rickman can write them, and it's damned hard to sip such fine wine slowly.
Another minor masterpiece, 12 Apr 2008
The series of Ledwardine stories continues to unfold, and the cast of characters grow and mature. Jane is leaving childhood behind, and Merrily and Lol's relationship develops. (I find myself fretting over Gomer Parry, he's growing old!)
Phil Rickman's writing is fantastic, he instils a sense of place and time so (apparently) effortlessly. The level of his research into the esoteric - and sometimes the mundane - is heroic. If you're new to the series, I would strongly advise you to start at the beginning and work your way through the Merrily Watkins novels. I envy you the pleasure of discovering the world she and her companions inhabit.
A load of old waffle, 04 Nov 2008
I was so dissapointed with this book there was far to much waffle and over explaning. The story idea was good- new female vicar and her teenage daughter go off to a new parish to live in a huge old rectory they have to settle in etc, the daughter Jane is great getting up to teenage stuff and these bits make the book really good. The story centres around a 300 year old event about a priest that hung himself because he was accused of devil worship and it gets really boring when the book goes on and on about it, the book gets better although much later on but for me the over explaning and waffle out weighed the good bits.
very slow at first but picks up pace at end, 09 Dec 2007
This is very well written; easy to read but completely believable and convincing. I did find the plot very very slow for the most part but when the story did start, it was great. I liked the genre. Although, I found the story slow, I will certainly read other Merrily Watkins books.
Addictive reading , 30 Mar 2007
I have followed the Merrily Watkins series with interest and have enjoyed every single one of them, A strange sort of heroine and so unsure of herself, but her daughter Jane and old Gomer Parry are always on hand when things go wrong. All kinds of superstitions are looked at with this series and anyone who looks this kind of thing might like books by Frances Gordon as well who takes old fairy tales and gives them a VERY modern twist
Pink Moon is gonna get ye all, 29 Oct 2006
Rickman seduces you into his sleepy, pastoral village of Ledwardine with promises of home brewed cider and fairies at the bottom of the orchard. Only when it's too late for the reader/listener to catch the last bus home does he scratch away the surface to reveal the sordid underbelly of English country life doused in incest, blood-feuds, rape and murder.
This, the first of the Merrily Watkins procedurals is a ghost story wrapped inside a mystery and bound tightly together with the twine of dark folklore. It also delivers a plot twist that gives the sort of jolt you would normally only expect from a gibbet trapdoor.
As always Rickman's dialogue is a joy as he fleshes out the various suicidal dreamers, quirky eccentrics and sexual predators who inhabit his strange little village. As Nick Drake, the quintessential lost soul himself, who makes an eerie cameo role in the book says - The Pink Moon is gonna get you all!
Not bad. (I gave it 3 stars but somehow five came up!), 24 Aug 2006
Although I quite enjoyed the first third of the book (perhaps in anticipation) I found myself getting rather bored at times with a story which is supposed to be 'entralling'. The charachters seem unrounded, Merrily remained totally unconvincing throughout and I agree with another reader who thought that Jane should have been the protagonist - she seemed to me to be the most convincing personality. The plot as a whole was well thought out but the quick scene changes is distracting and you never seem to have time to really 'get into' a scene before you're whipped off someplace else with the focus on other characters. I realise this technique is used to create tension but it failed for me here! The play -in -the- church scene was a complete let down after the countless pages leading up to it!
Not a bad read but nothing to get excited about!
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
Customer Reviews
Merrily, Merrily, 27 Nov 2008
So pleased to have another Merrily to consume and digest. As previously, the writing is atmospheric, the situations believable. The encrouching water in Ledwardine is reminiscent of the scenes I saw in Upton a couple of years back. I did not put it down until I finished it. Thanks Mr Rickman. Another wonderful book in the Merrily Watkins series, 27 Nov 2008
Having read all the previous books in this series, I have to say that Phil has hit the mark again. Besides the clever mysteries, clerical (C of E) and esoteric influences that are foundations of the series, is the sense of knowing the characters as if they are real people leading real lives. Vicar Merrily Watkins, her pagan-loving daughter, Jane, and singer/song writer beau, Lol, are colorful characters. And never to forget my favorite 'plant hire' extraordinaire, Gomer Parry. I won't include any spoilers to ruin the fun... What can I say ..., 17 Nov 2008
.. that hasn't already been said?
I absolutely loved this book. Each time I start a new Rickman, I think that he can't possibly surpass the previous one, but somehow he always manages it.
This one is slightly different from the previous Merrily novels, the crime thread is more prevalent - as seen through the eyes of D I Frannie Bliss, who has not previously been a major character.
With a little help from ex DS Andy Mumford (and Andy's new boss Jumbo Humphreys) he unravels the mystery surrounding the grisly murder of Councillor Clem Ayling.
While this is going on, Merrily has her own problems in Ledwardine - atheists, fundamentalists and rising water levels - and things go far from smoothly for Jane in the ongoing Coleman's Meadow saga, though her love life takes a turn for the better.
There's a real surprise ending to this one - and, no, I don't mean the solution of the crime, but something totally unexpected, which will really whet readers' appetites for the next in the series.
This is a brilliant read, for all Rickman fans & for those who are new to his work.
All I can add now is, buy it - you won't be disappointed.
To dream .. of being able to write like this ..., 11 Nov 2008
If you haven't read the previous Merrily Watkins novels, well, this one can and does stand alone, but I really feel that having known the main characters along their journey does add to the enjoyment. (So please read the earlier novels too - I promise you won't regret it!) This is a dark and savage story, set in the unrelenting downpour of a very unseasonal Christmas deluge. As ever, Phil Rickman creates a tremendously rich sense of place and time to his story - even reading this on a balmy, bright autumnal day, I wanted to throw another log on the fire and curl up with a cup of hot chocolate & brandy - the feeling of being surrounded by drear torrential rain was so real. The depressing tale of wheels within wheels in local government is enough to give us all pause - wholly plausible unfortunately. What lifts the story is the very real spirit of goodness, hope and right that shines through. Long live Merrily Watkins - I hope it's a long time before she hangs up her cassock! Another Triumph!! Lady Macbeth's Review., 10 Nov 2008
I have followed Phil Rickman from the very beginning. I was there at the "birth" of Merrily Watkins, and I can truthfully say she has become the one constant I look for in my reading material! This time, in "To Dream of the Dead", my other great love, archaeology, is very much in evidence with the dig on Colemans Meadow. The main archaeologist, Bill Blore must be based on someone I know, as I'm sure I recognise him! The floods of last year, the beautiful Wye Valley and all the "people" I have come to expect to see in his books are here. Well done Phil Rickman on bringing together everything great once again for us.
In my opinion, everybody who reads this novel should be able to take it as a stand alone story, as you will pick up the thread of the characters as you go along, but I beg you to go back to the beginning and beg, steal or preferably buy all Phil's books. Read all 10 of the "Merrily Watkins" series, and then start with his first book "Candlenight" and work your way through. Then read Thom Madley and Will Kingdom. You will not regret it, although you may get so engrossed in the plots and storylines that you forget to eat!
Thank you Phil Rickman for yet another triumph!! A Subtle Look at Obligations to Others and How to Recover from Mistakes, 31 Oct 2008
If you haven't read any of the earlier books in this series, don't start with this one. Without the entire back story, many of the subtleties in the story will be lost.
Alexander McCall Smith continues his thoughtful investigation of the social contract and doing the right thing to others in a moral sense. Isabel Dalhousie, being portrayed as a mere human who knows ethics, struggles on behalf of us all with jealousy, regret, sloth, and concern for the hurting. How should we react?
In this story, Isabel finds that her worries about losing Jamie seem to be growing. She continues to keep barriers between them while wanting to take the barriers down. Social engagements with people her age are particularly uncomfortable. She feels particularly threatened by Jamie's new friendship with a young composer, Nick Smart.
Isabel is shocked to find that her old foe, Christopher Dove, is trying to manipulate her into publishing an article in the Journal of Applied Ethics. She grits her teeth at the effort required to treat Dove fairly.
After a dinner party, Isabel is approached by the wife of a disgraced medical researcher to see if Isabel will try to find some way to rehabilitate the researcher's reputation. Isabel is no Miss Marple, and her efforts lead her in an unexpected direction.
Between the major plot lines, Isabel takes great pleasure in her son, Charlie, her peaceful life, helping Cat out while she visits Sri Lanka, and looking to help those in need without hurting anyone's feelings. That last challenge is more difficult than she imagines.
As always, the story exudes joie de vivre, affection for Edinburgh, pleasure in the company of others, and happiness in trying to do the right thing. It's a nice recipe for brightening up your day . . . so that even a rainy Saturday can look like heaven on Earth.
Enjoy your life!
This book is not your typical J.D. Robb offering., 01 Feb 2008
It lacks the usual detail Robb routinely offers while fleshing out her characters, but then, it was only intended as part of an anthology. Since I did not read the story when it was first published, I appreciated having it made available so I could fill in the blanks with information that was referenced in more recent publications. I enjoy all of Robb's characters so much that I feel like I know them personally. Midnight in Death is too short to give you that intimate look into the lives of Eve's friends and co-workers, and could disappoint fans who are looking for the regular fare, but it is a good read, nevertheless!! I'd also like to recommend reading Tino Georgiou's masterpiece--The Fates--if you haven't yet! A Very Eve and Roarke Christmas, 16 Feb 2006
Firstly, you should know that this story has been available as part of the Silent Night anthology, just to save some of you from buying it twice! Admittedly this is a nice and inexpensive addition for anyone who only wants the short story to slot onto their In Death shelf on the bookcase. Midnight in Death takes place between Holiday and Conspiracy In Death. Even on Boxing Day, Eve can't catch a break when a perp she locked away years ago escapes from prison. His mission is to punish all those in the justice system who took away his freedom, naturally Eve is high on his list, but unfortunately so is Dr Mira NYSPD's crack psychologist and profiler. This is a short- so the mystery and detective work is much lesser than normal and there's barely a chance to establish tension, but the character touches more than make up for that.
Eve's relationship with Mira is really strengthened in this one and we see how much both she and Roarke have come to care for her. Plus we get to see what all the characters got as Christmas presents. Definitely good value for money- she also plans to release her other In Death short Interlude (Out of this World anthology) in a similar stand alone format just wish they would do this with the new stories coming out.
midnight in death, 01 Jan 2006
I love the Eve Dallas series and have all the books . My husband bought me this one as a surprise not seeing the title on the shelf. However this is a short story in "Silent Night".
It is a great story on its own as with all j d robb's books.
it fits between Holiday In Death and Conspiracy In Death.
Cosy but Well Paced, 04 Sep 2008
This is the first book in this series and the first by this writer. As previous reviewers have noted the book is set in a small town which is full of bookstores. Being a booklover myself I could not resist. The owner of the murder mystery bookstore is the herione and I warmed to her from the beginning. There is an obvious frisson of animosity between she and her sister and the reasons for this are developed well throughout the book. Although this is not an edge of the seat tale I did enjoy the story and I thought the plot developed well. This evolved around the murder of the bookstore owner next door and there were enough twists and turns to keep you reading. Unlike a previous reviewer I thought the story was well written, the plot interesting and the characters believable. Yes some of the characters are not developed as well as others but I think this is deliberate and more of their stories will unfold in future books. I look foward to the next in the series which comes out in February 2009.
A New Book on Murder, 27 May 2008
Tricia Miles has found life in Stoneham to be a nice change from life in the big city. The historic down town area consists of nothing but bookstores, and running her own mystery bookstore has been a real joy.
But one fall day things change from good to bad. First, her sister Angelica shows up for an unannounced, extended visit. The two sisters have a strained relationship, and Tricia can't wait until she leaves.
Much worse, however, is finding the body of Doris Gleason. Doris owned the cookbook shop next door to Tricia's. She could be quarrelsome, but she didn't deserve to die. Tricia immediately notices that the antique cookbook Doris had just acquired is missing. Was theft the motive? Or was it something more sinister?
I'm of two minds about this debut. On the one hand, I loved it and the setting. What reader wouldn't love the idea of a town devoted to bookstores? And the little details of the book made me smile every time they showed up on the page. The plot twisted in a couple surprising directions. Angelica and Tricia have a complicated relationship, and I could identify with both of them at the same time. And Tricia's employee Ginny and regular customer Mr. Everett are both a delight as well.
On the other hand, this debut had some flaws. The rest of the characters are a little flat. In fact, the characters I already mentioned could be flat at times as well. The ending is too abrupt. While logical, it needed more time to be fully developed. Finally, the writing is okay, but it was often awkward, forcing me to backtrack and reread stuff to make sure I understood.
In the end, I did enjoy the book enough to give the sequel a chance. Hopefully, the problems will be ironed out as the series progresses.
Small town cozy mystery with mystery bookseller sleuth, 31 Mar 2008
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING introduces the new Booktown Mystery series. A cozy mystery with a mystery bookseller amateur sleuth and a book at the center of the puzzle, this mystery is a fun light read. For mystery enthusiasts, the tribute to the mystery genre itself with mentions of mystery classics from Cornell Woolrich and Ngaio Marsh to Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie make Murder is Binding a must read. Every good cooking mystery must include recipes, and true to form, Lorna Barrett delights readers with a recipe addendum in the back.
Stoneham, known as the safest town in New Hampshire, was a dying town until the downtown revitalization. Now, the center of town houses genre specialty bookstores and draws in tourists and book collectors. Tricia Miles and her cat Miss Marple run the mystery bookstore, Haven't Got a Clue. When she discovers Doris Gleason, owner of the Cookery, dead in the neighboring bookstore, Tricia sees a new side of Stoneham from the political race threatening to divide long term natives on the town's outskirts and the bookstore newcomers to other simmering jealousies. When another resident has a suspicious car accident, Tricia thinks she might have a lead into the motive behind the murder but who can she trust? Sheriff Adams seems determined to pin the murders on Tricia, the town jinx. Tricia's sister Angelica arrives into town unexpectedly, stirring up the past along with her appetizing dishes.
Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING is a must read for mystery buffs. Full of first edition classics and tributes to many of the great mystery classics, readers will not only feel the nostalgia of a small town mystery but of their personal reading histories. Lorna Barrett's research into the bookseller trade flows in the smallest details from the details of book sources and different types of booksellers to the antiquarian and rare book standards for packaging books.
Tricia Miles is a wonderful sleuth. With each new trail, the reader catches a glimpse of a woman who cares for others and justice beyond just clearing her name even to the point of endangering her own safety. Tricia's relationship with her sister Angelica adds depth to the characterization as Tricia battles a history of sibling rivalry at the same time as she gains a mystery sidekick who amuses and endears the reader to the sisters. To the reader's delight, the mystery details and resolution provide several twists until the very end. Lorna Barrett gives readers a delicious mix of small town and family jealousies and undercurrents beneath the surface complemented by heart-warming scenes, all brought together by Doris Gleason's murder. After reading Lorna Barrett's MURDER IS BINDING, the first in the Booktown Mystery series, readers might just find themselves hoping that this small town will forever shed the distinction of safest town to make way for more Booktown mysteries!
Back on Track, 15 Oct 2008
I have long been a huge fan of Phil Rickman and followed the Merrily Watkins series avidly. After reading the last couple of outings I had begun to think he had lost his way a bit, but this one is right back on track with some really atmospheric stuff and a decent plot. However, I still believe that Rickman's best stuff was written before Merrily came on the scene and although she is undoubtedly a very original and well crafted character, I would like to see her being given a rest and the author reverting back to some of his earlier type novels - Crybbe, December and the Chalice were so much more gripping.
Not one of the better Merrily Watkins mysteries, 27 Sep 2008
Merrily Watkins, the main character in this book, is the diocesan exorcist for the Anglican diocese of Hereford and Worcester. She's called in to look into issues of a spooky bent that occur in the area.
In this book, she's investigating a former Knights Templar house that seems to be so haunted that it's spooking some local decorators. Initially she rules anything serious out, but when those decorators die (seemingly at each other's hand) she becomes more heavily involved, investigating the history of the building more thoroughly and tries to understand the relevance of the Knights Templar in this story.
My problem with the story isn't the general story, that isn't too bad. What I don't like is the sense that Phil Rickman is jumping on the Knights Templar badwagon. If you like all that stuff, you might like this book. If you don't, you might be advised to give this book a miss.
Fantastic reading..., 14 Jun 2008
This is the fourth of the Merrily Watkins series I've read and I'm going to get the rest and read them in | | |