Fenlandphil's Blog

14 Aug

Murder by the Book

Posted by fenlandphil in Alison Bruce, Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, crime, Crime Fiction, Murder By The Book, P.D. James. Tagged: Agatha Christie, Ellie Griffiths, Ian Rankin, Sherlock Holmes, Sophie Hannah, Writing. 8 Comments

I am interested in Crime fiction as both a reader and writer. When I saw the exhibition, Murder by the Book at Cambridge University Library advertised, I decided to visit. The guided bus from St Ives seemed the best option for travelling to Cambridge, it was just a question of timing my journey to be late enough to use my bus pass but early enough to arrive in time for the 11 am pre-booked slot.

My route on foot, from the Round Church bus stop, planned mainly courtesy of Google maps started in St, John’s Street, which led into Trinity street followed by a left turn into Trinity Lane. A little way along Trinity Lane a right turn took me into Garret Hostel Lane the lane narrowed as it approached the Garret Hostel Bridge over the river Cam, Trinity Hall’s Jerwick Library sits more or less on the bridge on the left. Punts were moving along the river tour guides working the poles as they pointed out places of interest on the banks, to their passengers.

The bridge heralded a change the walk was no longer flanked by buildings but after the bridge the lane was tree lined.

At the end of Garret Hostel Lane, the route took me across Queen’s Road into Burrell’s Walk. Before long I was at the gateway gazing at the imposing University Library Building and facing it to my left was Clare College.

It is difficult to show the size of the library building, if I remember correctly this tower houses the crime fiction collection. If that is the case, somewhere within lurks Arnold Lane, Marvin and of course Sylvia.

Once I was through the imposing entrance I made my way to the exhibition. The first thing I noted was a quote by PD James, one of many of hers within the collection.

The exhibition started with a chronological history of crime fiction with copies of some of the very earliest works Wilkie Collins The Lady in White and an even earlier work whose title I didn’t note.

Unsurprisingly Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes books featured prominently in early British crime writing. Slightly later came Dorothy L Sayers and of course Agatha Christie. On display were several exhibits relating to Agatha Christie, her Dictaphone which came into use when she broke her arm and her portable typewriter. However, the items relating to Agatha Christie which held most interest for me were her notebooks, a separate one for each book it seemed. That is one idea I might borrow.

I took a leisurely stroll around part 1 of the exhibition, many of the authors were familiar to me PD James, Dorothy L Sayers, Sir Athur Conan Doyle and of course, Agatha Christie but there were others unknown to me including, Martin Blake, Ellen Wilkinson, Cyril Hare, Nicholas Blake and Celia Fremlin.

**Another P.D. James quote and totally accurate.**

Further along were some more contemporary authors H R Keating, Ian Rankin, Ruth Rendell, Lynda La Plante and Marjory Allingham. I looked for books by Raymond Chandler but didn’t see any of his displayed, although he was based, as was his writing in America, he was an Englishman.

Having completed the circuit of part 1, I stowed my bag in the locker room and made my way upstairs to the gallery and the other parts of the exhibition to find books by authors I had met. For me, Alison Bruce’s D C Gary Goodhew, could well fit the bill as Cambridge’s iconic detective, a possible answer to Oxford’s Morse but he wasn’t elevated to this position by the powers that be. However Cambridge Blue had a well deserved prominent position as did books by Sophie Hannah and Ellie Griffiths two other authors I have had the pleasure of meeting.

**On the first floor part 2 of the exhibition.**

When I had seen all the exhibits I sought refreshment in the café situated on the first floor at the end of the gallery. The mistake I made was not bringing my tablet computer in with me in a clear bag I like the quiet of libraries to write in and with generous-sized desks or even in the café, this quiet place would have been ideal. However, on this occasion as I hadn’t used the clear bag for my laptop it would have to be the Central Library.

**This picture of just one of many corridors leading off in different directions and on several floors gives a glimpse of the size of the building.**

I retraced my steps to Trinity Street and then made my way through the city to the Central Library, on my way along Kings Parade I came across students, well graduates now, in white trimmed black gowns together with their families emerging from a graduation ceremony. It was I am sure a proud moment for all those concerned.

**A graduation, one of many in Cambridge during the summer a moment of pride for all concerned.**

All in all, after a short stint of writing at the Central Library and the return trip on the guided bus, it was a great day out.

If you think this exhibition might interest you here is the link to the site but hurry: https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/murderbythebook

3 Aug

A Shot in the Dark written by Lynne Truss, a review.

Posted by fenlandphil in A Shot in the Dark., Book Review, Huntingdon, Lynne Truss, Niche Comics Bookshop. Tagged: Book Review, BRIGHTON, Brighton Rock, Constable Twitten, Graham Greene. 2 Comments

A little while back I attended an event at Niche Comics Bookshop in Huntingdon, (yes I do visit it often, they are nice people and as I lived in Huntingdon until I got married I know the area). At the event in question, a book launch, Rosie Andrews’s, Puzzle Wood, I bought The Twyford Code by Janice Hallett, however, a mystery shelf with books gift wrapped and a brief description attached attracted my attention, (Blind Date with a Book.)

Tenpted I parted with my five pounds, it was an absolute bargain, because there was a five pound book token wrapped in the packaging, in effect, to celebrate Independent Book Shop Week, it was a book for free.

I waited until the next morning before unwrapping my purchase. The book inside was A Shot in the Dark by Lynne Truss. I have now finished reading the book and loved it.

The book is written about and set in 1950s Brighton, at around and following the time of Graham Green’s Brighton Rock, of which it alludes. Newly graduated, Constable Twitten finds himself at Brighton Police Station. Twitten has been moved from police force to police force on an almost daily basis since qualifying. It soon becomes apparent that Twitten’s keen, insightful approach to policing and crime solving is an irritant to his superior officers which has seen him quickly moved on elsewhere.

Having arrived at Brighton police station then left unsupervised, Twitten leafs through recent crime reports and quickly discovers a pattern in a spate of local burglaries. When he is imprudent enough to share his thoughts with his boss, Inspector Steine, it upsets the inspector creating the possibility that Twitten will be moved on yet again. Since Steine’s famous triumph in the case of the Middle Street Massacre, he holds the opinion that there is no crime in Brighton and isn’t keen to have this view challenged, particularly by Twitten.

A Shot in the Dark, although violent, set as it is in the era of Teddy Boys and serious criminality; its approach is completely off the wall. The activities of a criminal mastermind are well hidden as is the mastermind’s identity. However, when Twitten thinks he has put all the pieces of the jigsaw together his problems are not over. Lynne Truss has assembled a colourful cast of characters including a clever charwoman, a bricklaying strong woman, a Phrenologist and other interesting characters; the story is entertaining and engaging. I’m glad I tried this blind date..

21 Jul

Devil in a Blue Dress written by Walter Mosley’, a review.

Posted by fenlandphil in Blood Sympathy, Book, Devil in a Blue Dress, Reginald Hill, Walter Mosley. Tagged: Detective crime fiction, Devil in a Blue Dress, Los Angeles, Luton, Raymond Chandler, Walter Mosley. 5 Comments

**Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley**

I had read only one other crime novel featuring a black hero, Reginald Hill’s, Blood Sympathy. As far as I can tell Reginald Hill was white. Blood Sympathy is set in Hill’s version of Luton England and was first published in 1985, Devil in a Blue Dress, 1990. Blood Sympathy’s, Joe Six Smith and Devil in a Blue Dress’s, Easy Rawlins have both lost their jobs forcing career changes onto them. Similarities end there.

Walter Mosley is a year younger than me, neither of us, at 72 and 73 years old respectively, were alive in 1948. Mr Mosley no doubt had family to tell him how things were then. From what I am told by friends who have visited the States more recently, the attitudes and prejudices mentioned within Devil in a Blue Dress haven’t changed much and certainly haven’t gone away.

The author has no doubt had his thinking about Los Angeles, at the time of the book coloured by contemporary literature and films made in that period. In terms of American detective crime fiction Raymond Chandler is probably a go-to point of reference, both in time and location. That most of Chandler’s novels have been made into films, with Playback the only exception, reinforces this view.

Devil in a Blue Dress, is written in the first person, that of Ezekiel Rawlins, “Easy” Rawlins, the hero. Recently unemployed, war veteran, Easy is engaged to search for a white woman Daphne Monet, who is known to frequent the coloured jazz clubs and bars of Los Angeles. Easy’s, employer, Dewitt Albright, a white man is introduced to Easy by his bar owner friend and ex boxer, Joppy.

In 1948 as many places were segregated and Albright feels he can’t search for Daphne himself, because of this colour bar existing at the time. Easy knows the places where Daphne might be found, is familiar with the people who frequent them and is of course the right skin colour to visit these places without a problem. Devil in a Blue Dress shares characteristics of US detective fiction of the period but the perspective from someone of black ethnicity is different. The body count is high, the plot is interesting the ending, unpredictable.

I thought Devil in a Blue Dress was an excellent read and I really enjoyed it.

29 Jun

An evening with author Rosie Andrews at Niche Comics Bookshop in Huntingdon during Independent Bookshop week.

Posted by fenlandphil in Huntingdon, Independent Bookshop Week, Niche Comics Bookshop, Rosie Andrews, The Leviathan, The Puzzle Wood. Tagged: Alison Bruce, Book, books, Cambridge, Huntingdon, St Ives, Writing. 8 Comments

**From left to right Guy Makey, Rosie Andrews and Angela Makey (photo credit Niche Comics)**

Cathy Cade and I recently attended an event at Huntingdon’s, Niche Comics Bookshop as part of the celebrations for Independent Bookshop week. I wasn’t intending to buy any books so of course I came away with two.

The Bookshop is a seventeenth building with all the quirkiness and eccentricities of something that old, the low height of the doorway into the garden is a particular problem for unwary people taller than about four foot eight.

It was in the garden that we were introduced to Rosie Andrews launching her new book The Puzzle Wood. Rosie had started life in Liverpool a child in a very large family, the third of twelve children. After she graduated from Cambridge University with a history degree, Rosie became an English teacher. Her first book The Leviathan was a best seller.

**Rosie Andrews signing books in the garden.(photo credit Niche Comics)**

During the question and answer session Rosie mentioned that she had been a member of a writing group near St Ives, it was there she met local author Alison Bruce, a smashing lady not only connected to Niche Comics but also someone I have met on several occasions.

With wine, tea and homemade cakes on offer, not to mention cracking deals on books it was a really wonderful evening. Thank you Angela, Adam and Guy.

4 Jun

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

Posted by fenlandphil in Book Review, Elly Griffiths, manea, Niche Comics Bookshop, The Janus Stone. Tagged: Book, Book Review, Dr Ruth Galloway, Elly Griffiths, mystery, Norfolk, Norwich. 10 Comments

The Janus Stone was the purchase I made at Elly Griffiths book launch at Manea Village Hall, hosted by Niche Comics Bookshop.

Ruth Galloway’s second outing sees her conducting an archaeological survey before new flats are built on the site of a soon to be demolished Victorian house in Norwich. The house had been at one time a family home and during the 1950s a Catholic children’s home. Two children went missing from the children’s home and were never found. However, it is when a headless child’s skeleton is discovered that a murder investigation ensues; DCI Harry Nelson leads the enquiry. Ruth works with Harry to uncover the history of the skeleton and solve the events leading to the death of the child. The enquiry delves into the mystery of the missing children and the history of the soon to be demolished house.

However Ruth has problems of her own these problems complicate her relationship with Harry and exposes her to feelings about herself she hadn’t previously known. The complicated relationship between Ruth, Harry, Ruth’s colleagues and friends provides an interesting twisty plot. The story is set in Norwich and in the North Norfolk coastal salt marshes. I was engaged from start to finish, I really enjoyed this book.

10 May

Indie Author Bookfair at The Commemoration Hall Huntingdon

Posted by fenlandphil in Authur, Huntingdon, Indie Author Bookfair, Niche Comics Book Shop, Whittlesey Wordsmiths. Tagged: Book, books, Grunty Fen, Huntingdon, Self publishing, The Commemoration Hall, Writing. 4 Comments

I didn’t find out about this event organised by indiebookfair.com until it was too late to hire a stand for our Whittlesey Wordsmith’s writing group. However I thought it would be a good plan to visit and see what the event had to offer. I had no intention at all to buy books, I have according to my lovely wife, more than enough as it is.

Indie authors are those that often self publish their own books either individually or cooperatively with other authors. It is a great community and they, like all the authors I have met are encouraging and supportive.

**A bit of a lull so I could get a photo**

The hall was nicely laid out and there certainly wasn’t any space for more stalls, it was fully booked. The public seemed to like it too it was getting quite crowded as I walked around. It was a really interesting event and a chance to amble round and meet other local authors. The exhibitors catered for just about every genre, from children’s stories, to puzzle books for elderly dementia sufferers and just about any subject in between.

A particular highlight for me was meeting Carol Carman; Carol had been the sound engineer for Dennis of Grunty Fen’s, broadcast on Radio Cambridgeshire, working with the late Pete Sayers, (Dennis) and Christopher South. The programmes, were broadcast on Radio Cambridgeshire every Sunday morning, they were what the wireless was made for. Christopher South would interview Dennis learning more about the wild world and community that is Grunty Fen. Christopher South has written four books about this intriguing community. I bought number 3 in the series from Carol.

**Carol Carman with her books and those from Grunty Fen.**

Close to Carol’s stall was a remarkably dressed lady M T McGuire a science fiction author, one of the panellists on the author panels I attended later in the day I didn’t catch her forename, which I know isn’t M..

Niche Comics Bookshop had a stall in one corner with Angela presiding and Gill Ashby, author of the Bright Old Sparks Books in attendance.

**Gill Ashby, author of Bright Old Sparks on the Niche Comics Book Shop stand**.

It was great wandering around chatting to the authors and despite my resolve not to buy any books I came away with 3 in total.

14 Apr

A return trip to Cambridge

Posted by fenlandphil in Book, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Grasshopper Clock, Rosalind Franklin, The Eagle. Tagged: Cambridge, DNA, Huntingdon, Killing Time in Cambridge, Talos. 10 Comments

**Gonville and Caius College looking from Kings Parade**

When I was about eleven or twelve my cousin Richard and I ventured into Cambridge on our own. The purpose of this first excursion was to buy a Meccano clockwork motor,. We boarded the double decker 151 bus at Huntingdon and set forth for a day of adventure. On that first trip we left the bus at Drummer Street before walking first to the toyshop in Mill Road. I can remember us returning via the fish and chip shop in King Street before the bus station in Drummer Street. I can’t remember anything else about the day, other that it was an enjoyable experience, it was after all, sixty years ago.

Over the next few years we would repeat the visits to this nearby city, as we grew older, it would be evening trips to the cinema or to perhaps a dance. Then we met the girls we married and the trips stopped.

**The Great Gate at Gonville and Caius College Cambridge**

Erlier in the month on a Friday Richard and I visited Cambridge together again, catching the Guided bus from St Ives Park and Ride.After walking from the bus station it was into Wetherspoons in Andrew Street for a quick bite to eat and a cuppa. I was writing a short piece about Gonville and Caius College and wanted some photos, so that was our next port of call. Richard had been a regular visitor to Cambridge when he was working and knows a lot more about the colleges than I do. He worked for a company hiring access platforms so would be lifting stone masons and builders often to roof level to work.

We ambled along Trinity Street then St John’s Street to the junction with Sidney Street at the Round Church. Just past Sidney Sussex College a right turn took us into Green Street and the short walk back to Trinity Street, then along Kings Parade. Since I used a photograph of The Grasshopper Clock on the cover of Killing Time in Cambridge I like to keep an eye on it. We had a good look at the Grasshopper Clock at Corpus Christi College, before making our way towards the Guildhall via Benet Street.

**Corpus Christi Grasshopper Clock Cambridge**

It is good to see that Rosalind Franklin’s name and a few others have been added to the blue plaque on the wall of the Eagle pub commemorating the discovery of DNA.

**The New Blue Plaque at the historic Eagle Pub**

Near the Guildhall, a very curious looking statue took our eye I had noticed it before but had only given it a cursory glance. It was difficult to make out what or who it was of, I found out later after google research that the statue in Guildhall Street was of Talos by Michael Ayton. Talos was a legendary man of bronze, guardian of Minoan Crete.

**Statue of Talos Guildhall Street Cambridge.**

Our next destination was Norwich Street, where one of our great grandfathers had lived in 1921, it was a fair walk for two old men. On the corner of Norwich Street and Hills Road is the controversial Statue of Prince Philip, as bad as it is thought to be, it is probably slightly more lifelike than the statue of Talos.

**The soon to be gone statue of the late Prince Philip**

We looked at the House where Great Granddad lived then made our way via Francis Passage and Bateman Street back to Hills Road, the bus back into town saved our legs. After a coffee it was back to Drummer Street and a stroll in Christ’s Pieces, before boarding the bus back to St. Ives.

We had a great day out in Cambridge and a trip we intend to repeat in the future.

25 Mar

The Finisher by Peter Lovesey a review

Posted by fenlandphil in Bath, Peter Diamond, Peter Lovesey, The Finisher. Tagged: Book, Book Review, murderer, People trafficking, Toby jug. 4 Comments

**The Finisher written by Peter Lovesey**

I am, as I am sure regular readers of my blog know, a Peter Lovesey fan. I am not sure if I have read all of Lovesey’s Peter Diamond books but if I haven’t, there can’t be many I’ve missed. The focus of this story is a half marathon race, ‘The Other Half’, which takes place in and around the city of Bath. Maeve Kelly’s accident with a Toby Jug prompts a series of events leading up to and intertwined with the race.

However, it is the disappearance of another female runner during the race that starts Peter Diamond’s hunt for initially her, in Bath’s underground quarries and then for a murderer. The plot is multilayered the setting in Bath as in most of Lovesey’s novels fascinating. I seem to learn something new about the city every time I read another of his books; if Mr Lovesey doesn’t help Bath with tourism then I would be very surprised.

The story involves modern slavery, people trafficking and a wealthy Russian couple, it is full of the unexpected, with twists and turns until the final conclusion reveals the remaining answers to the reader.

It is a damn good read.

3 Mar

Death at the auction by E C Bateman a review

Posted by fenlandphil in Book, Book Review, Death at the Auction, E. C. Bateman, Stamford. Tagged: Auction, Book, Book Review, Georgian, murder. 12 Comments

Sometimes I find I need to read a little of a book to find its rhythm, usually once found, the read becomes easy and the book becomes a real pleasure, this was the case for me with Death at the Auction.

The story is set in the Georgian town of Stamford, the action starts in the sales room of one of its auctioneers.

Grant’s, is a family-owned business; Felicia Grant is the unfortunate auctioneer confronted with the last-minute addition to the auction, the lot of a cupboard. However, it is the cupboard’s contents which start the search for a murderer.

Felicia finds herself drawn into the investigation. Initially she is at odds with the local police in the shape of Detective Sergeant Pettifer and Detective Inspector Heavenly but as the body count increases she eventually finds herself collaborating with them.

Stamford is somewhere local and to a degree familiar, a place I keep meaning to visit more often and for longer. It is an ideal setting for this book.

The story is well crafted and an excellent who dunnit, the outcome is unpredictable.

Death at the Auction is available from Amazon or any good bookshop

31 Jan

Has Elly Grifiths helped to put Manea on the map?

Posted by fenlandphil in Elly Griffiths, Fenland, Manes, Niche Comics Bookshop, The Last Word. Tagged: Book Tour, David Learner, Elly Griffiths, Ruth Galloway, The Last Word. 15 Comments

Actor David Learner hosting the event thought so.

**Elly Griffiths at Manea signing my copy of the Jason Stone.**

I was a little surprised to discover that best-selling author Elly Griffiths was visiting the small nearby Fenland Village of Manea as part of her book launching tour for, ‘The Last Word’.

Norwich Cathedral was the next stop later in the day.

My first surprise on arrival at the venue was a very full car park behind the hall, it was a good sign. I had a struggle to find a parking space. After taking the last vacant chair in the hall, reserving it with my coat I bought a copy of The Jason Stone, the second in the Ruth Galloway series, Crossing Places is the first.

Niche Comics Bookshop in Huntingdon and David Learner had organised the event, Angela and Guy Makey of Niche Comics, were there, they are smashing people.

The hall was packed with enthusiastic Elly Griffiths fans. David Learner introduced Elly and asked the questions her fans wanted to hear answers to.

Elly introduced, The Last Word, her thirtieth book before reading a short tantalising extract from it. Afterwards she spoke more generally about her writing, mentioning that Elly Griffiths is not her real name but the pen name. Domenica de Rosa, her real name was deemed too far-fetched by her publishers to be used as the author. There were a lot of questions from the audience, the ones David hadn’t asked. Druids, Sea Henge, Flag Fen and Dendo Cronology were discussed in connection with The Crossing Places, the first Ruth Galloway novel.

A long queue formed for the book signing after the very interesting talk by Elly, I managed to get pole position and The Jason Stone signed. I had mentioned that I had written a book featuring time travel, she had let slip her new series would feature time travel. She signed my copy, to a fellow time traveller.

Angela Makey had made a cake it was delicious.

David Learner hoped that events like this one would put Manea on the map, I hope it does and look forward to more book tours.

Elly’s Website

Niche Comic Bookshop Huntingdon

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Fenlandphil's Blog A blog from the low country

Murder by the Book

A Shot in the Dark written by Lynne Truss, a review.

Devil in a Blue Dress written by Walter Mosley’, a review.

An evening with author Rosie Andrews at Niche Comics Bookshop in Huntingdon during Independent Bookshop week.

The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths

Indie Author Bookfair at The Commemoration Hall Huntingdon

A return trip to Cambridge

The Finisher by Peter Lovesey a review

Death at the auction by E C Bateman a review

Has Elly Grifiths helped to put Manea on the map?

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