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SARAH ZAMA AUTHOR |
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How about staking those
TBR piles? đ
Dear ,
We're heading toward summer in the Northern Hemisphere (are you from the Northern or Southern Hemisphere? đ), the time of slower, more relaxing reading. So I thought I'd give more space to books and stories in this newsletter.
I don't know if it is summer, but I've started to read more lately. And you know, after so many reads set in the 1920s, I'm exploring something different. Every now and again, you need to do that, don't you think? đ
I've just finished The Daydreamer by Ian McEwan, and I loved it. Such a poetic little book. A children's book, sure. But it goes so deep into the soul that it's no surprise adults can love it too.
No, I'm reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I know I'm coming to this exceptionally late, but you know. Books have their own time to come to you.
Have you read it?
I really loved the first part, when Jacob is trying to get to the orphanage where his grandpa lived as a boy. So much emotion, and so relatable. I've just read the first chapter in the fantasy world and... I don't know. It's probably too soon to tell, but I feel like the story has lost its edge. Might just be a passing feeling, though. I'm very curious to go on.
I feel like I want to read some fantasy. It's been such a long time since I last read a fantasy book (if I don't consider any of Tolkien's stories - and I don't ).
I bought a fantasy novel inspired by Sardinia's nuragic culture last year. It's calling my name! The only reason why I haven't picked it up yet is that it is a little intimidating, with its 700+ pages. Yet, it is quite likely that I'll give in as soon as I finish Miss Peregrine.
What are you reading?
Reply to this email and tell me, I'm really curious.
Sarah |
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New novels I've discovered |
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So, because in this part of the world is getting on to the season of stocking up TBRs and getting ready to read tons of books from the sunniest beach (no, errr.... I will not be doing it. But you know, some people do), I thought I'd include more new-to-me books than usual to help you stake those TBRs, in case you are heading for the beach (and even if you are not). |
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by Zen Cho
Itâs the Roaring Twenties, and writer Jade Yeo is exploring all the passions and perils of London high society. When she writes a scathing review of Bloomsbury luminary Sebastian Hardie, sheâs hardly expecting an invitation to his next party, much less to find herself the object of his romantic attentions.
Irresistibly drawn to the prospect of adventure, Jade is intrigued to find that Hardieâs charismatic wife supports his dalliances. But exciting as the Hardies are, a life of fancy dinner parties and bohemian drama is not the freedom Jade has worked for. Forced to confront her real desires, she must decide whether to succumb to the Hardiesâ stifling fantasiesâor seize real life with the tenacity it demands.
Sparkling with charm and understated romance, The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo is a delicious epistolary romp, brimming with social commentary and rife with wit.
Why It caught my attention
I read this book years ago, and I remember really enjoying it, especially for its fresh, spoken-style writing. I've just learned that, after being unavailable for some time, it is now republished by Homeward Books in the very first physical edition.
Check my book review and give the story a chance! |
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Marius Quin Mysteries #7
by Benedict Brown
A maid found bludgeoned, a priceless treasure stolen, and the likely suspect gone without a traceâŠ
When an old flame from Marius Quinâs past turns up at his door with knowledge of a shocking crime, he is drawn into a new case. A devoted maid has been brutally attacked, a valuable jewellery box stolen, and the head gardener has fled from the grand estate where they work.
With his sleuthing partner, Lady Bella, alongside him, Marius descends on Cherkley Court, the home of the domineering business magnate Lord Sheridan. But conflicting accounts from the man, his glamorous wife, a trio of young artists, and the troubled staff only lead to more questions. Although plenty of evidence points to the missing gardener, Marius isnât convinced, and his hunch is proven right when the killer strikes again.
Faced with a conspiracy that reaches into the heart of the household itself, can Marius and Bella unravel a devious plot or will the killer get away with murder twice over?
Why It caught my attention
I'll be honest, I staked this to my TBR without even reading the blurb. I know I can count on Benedict Brown to deliver an entertaining, witty, amusing, as well as clever mystery. But now that I read the blurb, I'm even more intrigued. Isolated manor houses have a glamour of their own, and I will always be drawn to them. And I'm honestly really very intrigued by the conflicting reports of the crime. I'm already hooked!
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Miss Merrill and Aunt Violet Mysteries #6
by Anita Davison
Aunt Violet and her niece Hannah have a bookshop to run. But after a customer comes in asking for a rare book, Hannah takes a visit to the reading room of the British Library â a glorious domed building in the middle of the British Museum courtyard â to find out more.
Hannah has barely finished making her request when a man at one of the hundreds of desks slumps over his work. Within moments, it becomes clear he is dead, stabbed in broad daylight, in the middle of the reading room surrounded by oblivious academics.
The reading room is an exclusive space where no one can enter or leave without detection. Yet the initial investigation yields no weapon, no witnesses, and no apparent motive.
But then Aunt Violet discovers the victim had been researching the unearthing of a lost piece of Italian sculpture. And Hannah â despite her new husbandâs firm insistence that she let the police do their job â finds herself unable to resist the temptation of investigating just one more murder.
Why It caught my attention
I can't believe I've never heard of this series before! This story sounds quite intriguing. A secluded place, an ancient piece of art, a very dense mystery about the motives. I'm already liking the atmosphere. So, even if the rest of the setting sounds quite similar to other cosy mysteries set in the 1920s that I've read, this particular novel is actually talking to me. What do you think? Worth trying? |
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by Alex Hay
Diana Gold, owner and impresario, throws open the doors to the most opulent new hotel in London. As the champagne flows and the chandeliers shimmer, millionaires and gamblers rub shoulders with film stars and royalty.
Though, things at the Hotel Artemis aren't quite what they seem - including the two guests Diana expects at midnight. Powerful and dangerous, they've dragged her from the gutter and taught her all she knows. Now Diana must take perfect care of them - unless they take care of her first.
But when a body is found in the hotel's finest suite, the lavish opening night begins to spiral out of control. And over twenty-four fateful hours, the staff and guests of the Artemis will find out why they are really there.
Why It caught my attention
Ok, reading 'hotel' was enough for me to prick my ears! I don't know why I find a hotel setting so alluring, but I do. And the fact that the story takes place over only a few hours is also something that always intrigues me, I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the challenge to make the story both engaging and realistic in a very tight space. Anyway, I've already staked this, so I won't ask for your advice.
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And a couple of special mentions from authors I personally know. It's always a pleasure to recommend fellow authors you actually have a conversation with. |
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Shéa MacLeod was in both editions of the Historical Fiction Gift Guide, with the Lady Rample series at the forefront (Shéa writes stories set in other historical eras, just so you know). This is the latest addition to this sparkling 1920s series.
Ophelia, Lady Rample only wanted to enjoy the fun of a country house party. Some champagne, witty conversation with friends, and perhaps a few laughs at the expense of her fashion-challenged and eccentric but lovable Aunt Butty. Is that too much to ask?
Apparently, yes.
When the insufferable Duke of Mowbray arrives at the crumbling Yorkshire manor, he insults the other guests, terrifies the servants, and makes it abundantly clear he'd rather be anywhere else. So when an accident during a croquet match puts him out of commission, more than one person breathes a sigh of relief. Except Lady Rample is certain this was no accident, and a murder shortly after proves her suspicions correct. |
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I had the pleasure of meeting Trevor D'Silva online only recently and discovering his historical mystery fiction. He writes a very dark kind of mystery, yet I'm definitely intrigued by the themes of colonialism and WWI. It's a mix that is seldom found in 1920s murder mysteries.
It's 1927 and Great Britain is sweltering in an unprecedented heatwave. On the morning after her eightieth birthday party, Lady Fitzhugh is discovered bound and butchered in her bed, with her family and staff the prime suspects...
Whilst holidaying at nearby Meadowford Village, Detective Dermot Carlyle is asked to help investigate the brutal murder. The clues all point to a robbery gone wrong, but Dermot suspects that there is more to the horrific crime. The Fitzhughs' secrets take Dermot along a path linking some of the biggest events of the British Colonial Empire - from India to Africa, to the dark days of the Great War itself.
As more murders take place, Dermot is racing against time to discover the killer's identity. What are the family hiding, why did Lady Fitzhugh have to die, and what horror was committed in the colonies that led to this trail of death and deceit? |
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From the Blog |
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Legislation and Dress Reform (Enter the New Woman #AtoZChallenge 2022)
(5 min. read)
It was never easy for the New Woman to enjoy a summer beach day. In the 1890s, she still had to cover herself almost completely, and by the 1920s, when she had managed to free her body, she was hunted down by people who thought she looked indecent. It was all part of the long fight women waged to gain control over their own bodies. |
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Sarah Zama Author, Via Garibaldi 14, 37063 Isola della Scala Verona, Italy |
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