Reading Advent Calendar - 2023

It's that time of year when Advent calendars start popping up everywhere. My wife has started one at the Thrift Store at which she works and it's already lovely. So I thought I might do one here, featuring the book covers and reviews of 25 of the books I enjoyed the most in 2023 (not that they were published in 2023, just that I read them and enjoyed them very much). I'm still reading of course, so some of the next few books might make it to the list. Anyway, without further ado here is your book for December 1st, 2023. 

December 1st - The Better to Eat You by Charlotte Armstrong (4 stars).

(Published 1954)

"The Better to Eat You is the second mystery I've enjoyed by American mystery writer, Charlotte Armstrong. It's a neat little mystery, with lots going on and many twists and turns. Most enjoyable page turner.

Professor David Wakely finds himself attracted to one of his students, Sarah Shepherd. He's impressed with her work and offers her a job as a research assistant. He's very surprised by her response. She tells him she's a Jonah, a jinx, and that anyone with whom she's involved has accidents or worse tragedies. 

Wakely is now intrigued and forces his way into her life, showing up at the families estate and trying to persuade her Grandfather, an ex-song and dance man from England, to let her help him. The household is peopled with strange, mysterious residents; Grandfather Fox (is he who he seems to be?), Malvina, Sarah's cousin?, and Edgar Perrott, Grandfather's personal physician. They all watch over Sarah and it becomes obvious that they have some ulterior motives towards her.

Now, interestingly, none of this is hidden from the reader. We see the story from all of their points of view, although David is the major protagonist. Does Grandfather want to kill Sarah? If so, why? Or is it Malvina? It's a fascinating interplay of reactions and interactions. Who is doing what? Why? 

So many questions keep popping up and the story moves along very nicely. The characters are all interesting. The weakest might be Sarah, although she is everybody's seeming target, so maybe that's understandable. All in all, it's a fascinating story and mystery. Well worth checking out. (4.0 stars)"

'Til tomorrow then