Once more, on a Sunday I’ve come to the end of one of the books I’m reading and thinking about what to read next. The book I’ve just finished is Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which I’ll write about in the next few days.
What to read next? Checking my to-be-read books, which seem to be ever growing and not decreasing I’m going to look at these:
- The House of Stairs by Barbara Vine – published in 1988 this is her third psychological thriller, described by the Sunday Times as a ‘masterly and hypnotic synthesis of past, present and terrifying future … both compelling and disturbing.’
- The Parasites by Daphne du Maurier – described in the introduction by Julie Myerson as ‘a strange, ambiguous love story set in a world of dark Lutyens houses, Morny soap and brittle, fading theatrical glamour’.
- Valley of the Shadow: a Sister Fidelma Mystery by Peter Tremayne – Celtic historical crime fiction set in the mid 7th century AD in Ireland. Fidelma is a ‘dálaigh‘ or court advocate, whose job is to gather and assess evidence to see if there is a case to be answered.
I also have a couple of review books:
- Wherever You Go by Joan Leegant, a début novel about ‘three New Yorkers looking for personal meaning in Israel.’ Described by the TLS as ‘confident and well-observed fiction … a cautionary tale about the dangers of narrow ideology.’
- The Arrow Chest by Robert Parry, historical fiction set in Victorian London about a painter and his model, haunted by Ann Boleyn, when her bones are discovered under the floor of a church.
I’m going to read the beginning of each to see which grabs me the most.
BooksPlease 
Margaret – I like your idea of choosing a book that really grabs your attention. I do the same thing myself. I have to say, though, that that Barbara Vine looks particularly enticing…
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A vote for Barbara Vine – not the very best of her Vine books, but still a very good mystery where the house plays a large role.
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I love Barbara Vine and recall quite liking The House of Stairs. I’m reading one of her books now and that was one I considered as a possible reread. Have fun choosing!
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I’m in that position too. I was going to pick up the second Julia Spencer-Fleming novel, but I just bought a book called The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction, and that one has me curious enough to read right away. I hope you enjoy whatever you settle on!
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Margot, Dorte and Danielle – I read the first chapter of each book and whilst they all tempted me to carry on reading, The House of Stairs made me want to know more, so that’s the book I settled down with.
Rebecca, I think I’d have had to read The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction right away too! What a good title.
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You always have such an interesting selection of books to choose from. Rebecca’s book, The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction, does really sound tempting, doesn’t it? We certainly do live in such an age.
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Can’t wait to hear what you thought about Dracula. It’s always been such a favorite of mine. Not at all what I think a lot of people imagine it to be. I love the way it is written with the letters and Mina has always been a favorite character.
I just read Arrow Chest and while it isn’t as much of a ghost story as I was expecting, the Victorican gothic aspect was very cool. I enjoyed it but don’t go into it expecting a blatant ghost story.
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