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14 April 2025

Reacher - Serialisation on Amazon Prime

There have been three TV series to date and they don't follow the books precisely but this is quite normal. Series one was based on the first book, Killing Floor, series three was based on book seven (probably my least favourite of the Reacher books I've read so far - too much action for me but others may prefer it).

Whereas the books seem to be in chronological order, the series are random. I'm not even sure which book the second series is based on, as I haven't read it yet.

Did I enjoy the series? Yes, mostly. I like the character's strengths, even if does take things to the extreme and has to have a bed-mate everywhere he travels. I say extreme because the character is very physical whereas I'm weedy and also a pacifist - why fight with fists or weapons when you can keep your distance and try to work out what to do? Reacher is not quite a vigilante but he will, very effectively, sort things out his way, rather than hand matters to an over-stretched, bound-by-rules police force.

However, those would be different stories, such as Ludwig or Patience, who like solving puzzles.


07 April 2025

Julia Stewart books

  • The Last Pearl Fisher of Scotland 
  • The Pigeon Pie Mystery 
  • The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise 
  • The Matchmaker of Périgord 

I've enjoyed reading all these books by Julia Stewart. Each one is entirely different, in terms of genre,  story and writing style, with barely a grammatical error.

The first one I read (over ten years ago) was The Matchmaker of Périgord, a quirky love story set in a small village in France - and which elicited numerous grins! I've recommended it to several people (many of whom are Francophiles, as I knew that they would appreciate the humour). 

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise is also quirky and a little sad, with lots of interesting snippets (which I assume to be true?) relating to the Tower of London since Victorian times, as a tourist attraction rather than a place of incarceration and executions! 

A historically based novel centred around life in Hampton Court Palace, The Pigeon Pie Mystery is a cross between a Victorian murder-mystery and The Importance of Being Ernest. Subtly humorous, the 'upper classes' are not all awful...  

Another complete change of genre for The Last Pearl Fisher of Scotland. An intriguing story about the demise of pearl fishing but a satisfying outcome to the pearl fisherman's quest. 

If any of these books appeal to you, I hope you will enjoy your choice(s). Let us know in the comments. 

01 January 2025

Coping with January

If you're lucky, you'll be at a ski resort. However, this is a 'comfort post' for the rest of us. 

Outside, it's currently cold, wet, windy and grey in the UK. One way of dealing with this is retail therapy but, even with the sales prices, this can be very expensive - as can be eating at a restaurant. Cheaper indoor alternatives include: ten-pin bowling, roller- or ice-skating, going to a café or pub or watching a film at the cinema. 

... But instead of spending money to see one film, maybe take advantage of all the streaming services you have at home on your massive new TV that you bought yourself in the after-Christmas sale? Even if you only have a medium TV and no additional streaming services (such as Netflix, Prime or Disney+), most people have access to BBC i-player - and this is critical in January - to binge-watch all the "Death in Paradise" series from Ben Miller onwards. Each episode in an hour-long visit to the Caribbean. It's perfect for me to lose myself in the aesthetic, never mind the stories, which are so predictable that we guessed 'whodunnit' as soon as we see the characters (or possibly, the actors playing those parts). 

There are almost 100 episodes so that should see you through the worst of January and possibly February.

Meanwhile, here are some Caribbean images for you to sigh over...

caribbean sunset

 
caribbean sunset

caribbean evening

At sunset in the warm Caribbean, you can stroll along the coast and find a number of restaurants and bars overlooking the sea. At home, where the temperatures are cooler, you could chill with some cocktails or rum punch - or hug a mug of hot chocolate as you dream of being alive in paradise!