Six Degrees of Separation from Yesteryear to Murder by Matchlight

Published on by Margaret

This is a monthly link-up hosted by Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best. This month we are starting with Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

According to the blurb this is A traditional American woman, a “tradwife” influencer, suddenly awakens in the brutal reality of 1855—where she must unravel whether this living nightmare is an elaborate hoax, a twisted reality show, or something far more sinister in this sensational debut novel. I think I may like to read this book.

My first link is The Year Without Summer by Guinevere Glasfurd, a novel that illustrates how the impact of the extreme weather conditions affected the lives of six people. They never meet, or know each other, but their stories are intertwined throughout the book in short chapters, giving what I think is a unique look at the events of 1816. 

My second link is A Summer Bird-Cage by Margaret Drabble, a novel about dissatisfaction and not knowing what you want, about family relationships (sisterly rivalry in particular), and the nature of marriage – the cages we live within. Whilst not a lot as regards plot happens in this short novel, it contains many ideas, attitudes and character studies. And it’s beautifully written.

My third link is Nothing To Be Frightened Of by Julian Barnes, a family memoir in which he shares details about his family’s beliefs and the deaths of his parents and grandparents, of the rivalry between him and his brother, his mother’s solipsism and manipulative behaviour, his father’s seemingly passive approach to life and the difficulties of really knowing a person.

The fourth book in my chain is another book by Julian Barnes – The Sense of an Ending. It’s a novel about memory and the effect of time, about ageing, about the nature of history and literature, about nostalgia and the question of responsibility.

My fifth link is Playing With the Moon by Eliza Graham – historical fiction, capturing what life was like during the 1940s. The book deals with the power of memory, with loss, grief and bereavement. It’s also about war, the legacy of war, and of how to make sense of our lives.

My final link is also set in the 1940s – Murder by Matchlight by E C R Lorac. The setting is London in 1945, in the darkness of the blackout as the bombs are still falling. A murder takes place in almost complete darkness in Regent’s Park, witnessed by Bruce Mallaig who heard it happen and briefly saw both the victim and his assailant by the light of a struck match. It is not only darkness that shrouds the mystery – who is the victim?

The links in my chain are words in the titles, books about rivalry, books by the same author, about memory and books set in the 1940s.

Next month (August 1, 2026), we’ll start with Maggie O’Farrell’s new release, Land.

26 thoughts on “Six Degrees of Separation from Yesteryear to Murder by Matchlight”

  3. The Year Without Summer was fascinating – definitely a unique way to look at the events of that particular year. I haven’t read anything else from your chain this month but do want to read Murder by Matchlight.

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    1.  I thoroughly enjoyed The Year Without Summer. It’s more like a collection of short stories than a novel, but it worked very well for me, highlighting the global connections.

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  8. The Year Without Summer sounds very interesting, thanks; I loved Sense of an Ending and Murder by Matchlight was my first Lorac I think and made me a huge fan! Great links too!

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  9. I was fascinated by your choices. I read the Margaret Drabble in the late 1970s. She is a favorite, and I still have a number of books of hers that I haven’t read. BUT!! I posted a blog entry just a couple of days ago about Julian Barnes and the new book which he has announced will be his last. The Sense of an Ending is my favorite, but I was so glad to read your other book by him–the memoir. I will definitely read that.

    B

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  10. Great chain! I love the cover of the Drabble – I’ve never read any of her books. I have read several books by Barnes, including The Sense of an Ending. Playing with the Moon sounds good, as does Murder by Matchlight (I’ve read one or two of her books but not that one).

    Constance

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    1. Thanks, Constance! I’ve enjoyed several books by Drabble and enjoyed them. I hope you’ll like them too if you do try one or more of her books.

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  12. Thanks, Marianne. I have read your Six Degrees post but was unable to comment on your blog. I love Brooks’ People of the Book, but have yet to read Year of Wonders and have tried a couple of times to read One Hundred Years of Solitude – maybe I’ll try again.

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    1. Must be your name, I have another Margaret who cannot comment. LOL. But seriously, you two are the only ones that have that problem. Have you ever tried Chrome?
      Anyway, thanks for the comment here. Solitude might not be your thing, I have heard that before. I loved it but that doesn’t mean everyone else has to, as well.
      I liked YoW but was not happy about the end (it was far too quick and short, could have been a second book) and many have agreed. I still would recommend it, though. Enjoy.

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      1. Thanks Marianne – I use Chrome, so it’s not that. I think it could be a WordPress/Blogger issue, except that I am able to comment on other Blogger blogs. Odd, I just don’t know.

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