After the last couple of days of wind and rain, today is a lovely, bright autumn day. I went down to the Church Street Bakery to pick up some lunch; lovely steak and mushroom pie for Jo and chicken pot pie for me. They seemed bigger than I remember (not complaining, just a comment). They were excellent and since I bought two of each, we've got another meal of them. I also got a strawberry / rhubarb tart, an apple tart, lemon bar and bacon / maple donut. The last one is for me. 😁
I finished a nice, easy book this morning, another old series completed. I'll provide my review and also the synopsis of the next book I've started. I'll also continue with my ongoing look at favorite authors.
Just Finished
"Octopussy and The Living Daylights is the last book of the James Bond 007 books written by Ian Fleming. It contains three short stories (at least the Pan version I possess does. Published 1967). Two of the stories, Octupussy and The Living Daylights were turned into movies. I don't know if they followed the premises of the stories.
The three stories are very simple and to the point. The first, Octopussy, shows Bond in a very minor role. He is in Jamaica to arrest Ret'd Maj Dexter Smythe for crimes committed at the end of WWII. But for the most part Bond is there as an observer as he listens to Smythe's story. I saw the ending coming (sort of) but the story was interesting and to the point.
The Property of a Lady was a bit of a throwaway but still interesting. Bond goes to Sothebys for the auction of a long lost Fabergé emerald for the purpose of discovering a Russian spy in England. Once again a very simple story, but the small bit of spy-craft made it a fun read.
The Living Daylights is the most typically Bondish story. Bond is sent to Berlin to kill a KGB assassin who is trying to prevent a Russian scientist from defecting to the west.
I don't often enjoy short stories as I find writers, who don't normally write them, don't know how to get to the point and also don't know how to end them. But Fleming did an excellent job with these three. Each one got to the point, got you involved right away and basically ended on a satisfying note. You could say they were a bit Bond-lite, but they were still nicely matter-of-fact and enjoyable. I've now read all of this series and enjoyed them all. (4 stars)"
Currently Reading
"Leo Demidov is no longer
a member of Moscow's secret police. But when his wife, Raisa, and
daughters Zoya and Elena are invited on a "Peace Tour" to New York City,
he is immediately suspicious.
Forbidden to travel with his
family and trapped on the other side of the world, Leo watches
helplessly as events in New York unfold and those closest to his heart
are pulled into a web of political conspiracy and betrayal-one that will
end in tragedy.
In the horrible aftermath, Leo demands only
one thing: to investigate the killer who destroyed his family. His
request is summarily denied. Crippled by grief and haunted by the need
to find out exactly what happened on that night in New York, Leo takes
matters into his own hands. It is a quest that will span decades, and
take Leo around the world--from Moscow, to the mountains of
Soviet-controlled Afghanistan, to the backstreets of New York--in
pursuit of the one man who knows the truth: Agent 6."
My Favorite Authors - P.D. James
Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, lived from 1920 - 2014, born and died in Oxford. She is most known for her excellent mystery series featuring Commander Adam Dalgleish, but she has also written other books.Over the course of her life, she wrote 14 books in the Dalgleish series, 2 books in a series featuring Cordelia Gray. She also wrote standalones. So far I've enjoyed 5 of her books. Let's check them out.
P.D. James
"It's been awhile since I've read an Inspector Dalgleish mystery, probably 4 or 5 years and this book has been on my shelf for awhile. I'm glad I dusted it off. I enjoy P.D. James' writing style very much, very intelligent writing. The story was interesting and well-crafted. The book doesn't focus on any one character and Dalgleish's team of Kate Miskin and Daniel Aaron are as important to the plot as is Dalgliesh. In fact, I felt that often Dalgliesh was in the background and even more so when we come to the final chapters. The plot moves along sedately, but holds your interest and James takes her time to develop characters and the story. The ending was somewhat abrupt and left me feeling kind of angry; you'll have to read to see how it ends but suffice it to say I agreed with Kate's opinion. I will read more of James' mysteries now that I've read this one.. (4 stars)"
"I've previously read a couple of other PD James' Inspector Dalgleish mysteries before and enjoyed very much. I like how intelligent James writes. This is the first Dalgleish mystery and I must say I enjoyed it as much as the others I've read. Dalgleish is almost a peripheral character in the story, James rather focuses on the other characters/ suspects and their activities, motivations as she develops the story.
Basically, Sally Juup, a housemaid is found dead (strangled) in her bedroom. All of the family members are suspects. The story follows Dalgleish as he performs his police-work, interrogating the family members, travelling around the area to discuss Sally's character and past with family members and other relations. But at the same time, the story also follows around the people from the estate, allowing us to see their motivations, their thoughts on the murder, their own investigations.
It's an interesting way to present a case and I found the story well-written and interesting. There were some nice little surprises which added to the story. All-in-all, most enjoyable and I will be continuing my experiences with Inspector Dalgleish. (4 stars)"
"Death In Holy Orders is the 11th book in the Inspector Dalgliesh mystery series by P.D. James. It's the 4th I've read. The books are a joy to read, intelligent, thoughtful and excellent mysteries. Commander Adam Dalgliesh works for Scotland Yard, in charge of a prestigious murder team.
In this story, Dalgliesh is asked to go to a seminary near Norfolk to look into a previously closed death. A young ordinand had been found dead at the base of a cliff. The death is deemed to be death by accident. The young man's father wants Scotland Yard to investigate. Since Dalgliesh is about to go to the area on vacation he agrees to look into the case. It also turns out that as a child, his father being a parson, Dalgliesh spent time at St Anselms and it becomes somewhat a visit into his past.
The story starts in the past with the original discovery of the boy's body by Margaret Munroe, an elderly woman who works at St Anselms. This part of the story is told through the means of Margaret's diary. She ends it with a statement that the death concerns her and that it reminds her of something that occurred in her past. Margaret is discovered dead the day after this last entry.
So there are two deaths that Dalgliesh looks into, wondering if they are related? At the same time the Arch Bishop responsible for St Anselms is coming for a visit. He is most unlikeable and wants nothing more than to close the seminary. There are also other visitors to St Anselms and there are links between them all. Another death, this time a murder, brings all of Dalgliesh's team into the case; DI Piers Tarrant, DI Kate Miskin and DS Robbins.
Thus begins an interesting investigation as the team try to find clues to the murder and to see if the other deaths are in any way related. I love the way James presents the story, delving into the personalities, in a way that you feel you know them and presenting the investigation methodically and neatly. James has such a clear manner of presenting the story. I thought it would be too long but the pages turn quickly and the story holds your attention and keeps you moving along nicely. Don't expect much action, just a well-crafted, excellent mystery and just an excellent piece of fiction. (4 stars)"
"Told with P. D. James's trademark suspense, insightful characterization, and riveting storytelling, The Children of Men is a story of a world with no children and no future. The human race has become infertile, and the last generation to be born is now adult. Civilization itself is crumbling as suicide and despair become commonplace. Oxford historian Theodore Faron, apathetic toward a future without a future, spends most of his time reminiscing. Then he is approached by Julian, a bright, attractive woman who wants him to help get her an audience with his cousin, the powerful Warden of England. She and her band of unlikely revolutionaries may just awaken his desire to live . . . and they may also hold the key to survival for the human race." (4 stars)
"A Mind To Murder by P.D. James is the second book in the Inspector Dalgleish mystery series. In this mystery, Dalgleish and his assistant, Sgt Martin, investigate the murder of the Administrative Officer at a London psychiatrist facility. To all intents it appears that the murder is an inside job. As with the other PD James books I've read, I'm impressed with how intelligently James writes. The story is a methodical police investigation, but I enjoy how she lays out a story, the investigation, the development of all of the main characters; Dalgleish and suspects alike. Dalgleish is a thoughtful investigator, Martin, with is more down-to-earth way of looking at things, a perfect assistant. It's a pleasure to read such a well-crafted story and satisfying to discover the conclusion. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. (4 stars)"
The complete list of James's books can be found at this link. Enjoy the rest of your week.
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