The Girl in the Gatehouse

The Girl in the Gatehouse. Julie Klassen. 2011. [January 2011]. Bethany House. 400 pages.

The end of the only life I've known, thought Mariah Aubrey, looking back through the carriage window at the shrinking figures of her mother and sister.

Our heroine, Mariah Aubrey, has a ruined reputation. For the sake of her family, for the sake of her younger sister, she has been kicked out of her home. Taking Dixon, her former nurse, she has taken refuge in the gatehouse on her Aunt Fran's estate. Mrs. Prin-Hallsey isn't so welcoming as to include her fallen niece into her company, into her society, but she has given her a place to stay. The two do come to an understanding, however, before her aunt's death. Her aunt has entrusted her with a chest to 'hide' in the attic of the gatehouse.

Hugh Prin-Hallsey, the step-son of her aunt, is NOT happy with the arrangement, with the charity being shown to Miss Aubrey. He determines that if she is to remain, she must pay rent--high rent at that. For, he desperately needs money. He even leases the estate for several months to a naval officer, Captain Matthew Bryant. (Captain Bryant would LOVE to buy the estate. He hopes that by proving his wealth, his worth, he can win the love of a beautiful young woman, Isabella.)

So what's a young woman to do when she needs to earn some money? Well, if you're as creative as Miss Aubrey, you decide to try to publish the novel you've secretly been writing. You decide that writing novels may be just the thing for your new life, your new beginning. But will it be easy to keep her writing a secret from those around her--from Mr. Prin-Hallsey, from Captain Bryant? What would they think of her if they knew the truth?

I enjoyed The Girl in the Gatehouse. I enjoyed the characters. I particularly liked Dixon and Martin. (Martin is the servant of her aunt; though he's one-handed, his worth cannot be measured.) If I had to pick a favorite character--besides the heroine, of course--it would be Martin for he truly surprised me. I wasn't thrilled with Captain Bryant as a romantic hero--he was no Captain Wentworth--but I liked him well enough. (After all, few naval officers could hope to compete with Wentworth!)

I have read and reviewed several Julie Klassen novels: The Apothecary's Daughter, The Silent Governess, Lady of Milkweed Manor. (My favorite was Lady of Milkweed Manor.)

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Whose Body?

Whose Body? Dorothy L. Sayers. 1923/1995. HarperCollins. 224 pages. 

"Oh damn!" said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus.

Whose Body? is Sayers first mystery novel. It stars Lord Peter Wimsey, a man who enjoys doing detective work as a hobby. In Whose Body? Wimsey becomes fascinated by a curious case. His mother phones him to say that a dead body has been found in Mr. Thipp's bathroom. Though he had plans for the day, he reasons that it's not every day you get to go see a crime scene like this one. The dead man is naked in a bath tub, naked except for a pince-nez. He is able to examine the crime scene thoroughly before Inspector Sugg--the 'official' investigator arrives. Wimsey does NOT get along with Sugg! However, he is quite good friends with Inspector Parker, who has quite an interesting case of his own.

These two friends exchange details about their cases and decide to help one another out as needed. Parker is happy to 'help' Wimsey piece together the details of his case. (Why did the dead body have such horrible teeth--and toenails? He has well manicured hands. He's well scented. He's clean-shaven.) And Wimsey is happy to 'help' Parker with his case. (Parker has no body, no "proof" that a murder has been committed. But this important (Jewish) financier has gone missing.)

Can both crimes be solved? Are they in any way connected?

I loved Whose Body. I just LOVED it. I think Lord Peter Wimsey is such a great narrator! The writing style is 'just right' for me. It matches my taste exactly. It's funny--witty--and charming. Wimsey has quirks and flaws--which are necessary in my opinion. But he's also very intelligent, very clever.

Some of my favorite lines:

"Sugg's a beautiful, braying ass," said Lord Peter. "He's like a detective in a novel." (18)

"I love trifling circumstances," said Lord Peter. "so many men have been hanged by trifling circumstances." (20)

"Parker, acushla, you're an honour to Scotland Yard. I look at you, and Sugg appears a myth, a fable, an idiot-boy, spawned in a moonlight hour by some fantastic poet's brain. Sugg is too perfect to be possible." (23)

"Look here, Wimsey--you've been reading detective stories; you're talking nonsense." (29)

Assigning a motive for the murder of a person without relations or antecedents or even clothes is like trying to visualize the fourth dimension--admirable exercise for the imagination, but arduous and inconclusive. (82)

"One demands a little originality in these days, even from murderers," said Lady Swaffham. "Like dramatists, you know--so much easier in Shakespeare's time, wasn't it? Always the same girl dressed up as a man, and even that borrowed from Boccaccio or Dante or somebody. I'm sure if I'd been a Shakespeare hero, the very minute I saw a slim-legged young page-boy I'd have said: "Odsbodikins! There's that girl again!" (123)

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Mysterious Affair At Styles

The Mysterious Affair At Styles. A Hercule Poirot Mystery. Agatha Christie. 1920/2006. Black Dog & Leventhal. 224 pages.

The intense interest aroused in the public by what was known at the time as "The Styles Case" has now somewhat subsided. Nevertheless, in view of the worldwide notoriety which attended it, I have been asked, both by my friend Poirot and the family themselves, to write an account of the whole story. This, we trust, will effectually silence the sensational rumours which still persist.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles was Agatha Christie's first novel. And since I'm new to her work--new to the genre--I thought I would start at the very beginning.

 Hastings, our narrator, is a guest at Styles Court. He finds himself in a bit of a mess. You see, the family is at odds with one another. The (step)mother, Mrs. Emily Inglethorp, has recently remarried a much younger man. And John and Lawrence, the sons, are UNHAPPY. They think she is being used. They think it likely that their inheritance is at risk by this new husband. John has problems of his own--marital problems. Hastings hears it all--for better or worse. He's even warned of the danger Mrs. Inglethorp faces. So when she is found dead--in her locked bedroom--well, Hastings, is one of many anxious to solve this mystery. He calls his friend Hercule Poirot to investigate the crime...

I enjoyed this one very much. I liked the narrator, Hastings. I liked how Hercule Poirot kept him guessing. Hastings--for the most part--was there by Poirot's side during the investigation. And he had more than a few private conversations with Poirot. Conversations about who the murderer was--or who they thought the murderer was. Yet. Hastings isn't able to piece this one together. He, like the reader perhaps, is kept guessing until the big reveal. As for the detective, I really enjoyed Hercule Poirot. I did. I liked the way this story unfolded chapter by chapter. Each chapter reveals a few clues. Each chapter leads you in a certain direction. I thought it was well done. I found it very compelling!

I would definitely recommend this one!

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Sunday Salon: Week in Review #1

Happy New Year! Happy Sunday! This past week has been so busy. You might be curious to check out a few of my posts: 52 Book of the Weeks, 12 Book of the Months, My Favorite and Best. At Operation Actually Read Bible: Top Ten Christian Fiction, Top Ten Christian Books for Children and Families, Top Ten Christian Nonfiction. Have you made year-in-review or favorites post yet? Do you have a favorite book of the year? You can share in the comments, if you like!

What I reviewed:

From Becky's Book Reviews: 

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan. 2010. [October 2010] Random House. 272 pages.
My Fair Godmother. Janette Rallison. 2009. Walker. 320 pages.  
The Scorch Trials. James Dashner. 2010. Random House. 368 pages.
Captivate. Carrie Jones. 2010. Bloomsbury. 276 pages.

From Young Readers:

Farm Parade! Thom Wiley. Illustrated by Benji Davies. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 12 pages.
What Am I? Salina Yoon. 2010. Scholastic. 12 pages.
Who am I? Salina Yoon. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 12 pages.

From Operation Actually Read Bible:

The Attributes of God. Arthur W. Pink. [This edition 1975/2000] Family Christian Press. 96 pages.

Looking ahead: 

I'm excited about several of the challenges I've signed up for so in the next week or so, I'll be focusing on mysteries. I plan to read some Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers--to start with! If you've got a favorite cozy-mystery author--past or present--feel free to leave a recommendation or two in the comments. If my library has it--and if it sounds like it'll be a good fit for me--I may just read it! I'll also be looking to read some books set during the Civil War for the War Through the Generations challenge. And, of course, working on my two TBR challenge lists!

Would YOU like to help me decide which classic to read first? Framley Parsonage by Anthony Trollope? Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens? The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins? Arabian Nights? 

I also hope to read a few Middle Grade/Young Adult books this month.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (YA)

Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. Rachel Cohn & David Levithan. 2010. [October 2010] Random House. 272 pages.

Imagine this: You're in your favorite bookstore, scanning the shelves. You get to the section where a favorite author's books reside, and there, nestled in comfortably between the incredibly familiar spines, sits a red notebook. 
What do you do?
The choice, I think, is obvious:
You take down the red notebook and open it.
And then you do whatever it tells you to do.

Dash and Lily are strangers when the novel begins, but they won't be strangers for long. For Dash--snarls and all--is up to the challenge Lily has presented, for the red notebook is hers. Her brother, Langston, wants her to find love, or maybe he just wants to keep Lily distracted this Christmas vacation, so he can have more alone time with his boyfriend. Their parents are out of town. Dash's parents are out of town as well. His mom with her new boyfriend; his dad with his new girlfriend. Dash and Lily take turns with the notebook, challenging each other to do things. The notebook binds them together. They are getting to know one another through their words. (It's fortunate Lily has a LARGE family.) But should these two meet up in real life?

Alternating chapters--it's narrated by both Dash and Lily--reveal this whirlwind friendship set in New York City during Christmas vacation. Dash hates Christmas. Lily loves Christmas. But though these two have their differences--their different outlooks and perspectives--they have plenty in common. This red notebook is a fun distraction, but it is also good at revealing the character's vulnerabilities. Lily learns more about herself through this experience as does Dash. They learn that writing can be very enlightening, and that words have power.

This book is the third collaboration between Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. And it is by far my favorite of the three. (I did not care for Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist or Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List.) I thought it was well written. There were elements of this one that I just loved. A few scenes that had me laughing out loud in the middle of the night. But as much as I enjoyed it--I didn't love it. I liked it. I really liked it.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews