Val McDermid’s retelling of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey.
I’ve not read the original. Even with Val McDermid’s 21st century update, I found the characters rather thin.
Author’s page: Northanger Abbey – Val McDermid
Northanger Abbey – Val McDermid
This Must Be The Place – Maggie O’Farrell
Wonderful.
As Maggie O’Farrell always is.
Never be deterred by the blurb.
Author page: This Must Be The Place – Maggie O’Farrell
Last Act in Palmyra – Lindsey Davis
Falco and Helena head east, to the kingdom of Nabatea and the Decapolis. Officially they are searching for a missing water organ player from snake charmer Thalia’s troupe; unofficially Falco is unexpectedly and unwillingly working for Imperial spymaster, and arch enemy, Anacrites.
The unofficial mission disappears almost as soon as they get to Petra, where they stumble across a dead body and fall in with with a touring group of theatricals.
Falco’s thespian side is unleashed as he, Helena and Nabatean priest/minder Musa try to work out who the murderer is.
Author page: Last Act in Palmyra – Lindsey Davis
Poseidon’s Gold – Lindsey Davis
Falco and Helena return to Rome after their adventures in Germania, straight into the bosom of Falco’s difficult family.
An army friend of his elder brother, Festus – who died a hero’s death in the Judean War – has lodged himself in Ma’s home and proceeds to make trouble for the Didius family, and Falco in particular.
We get to meet Falco’s errant father, Geminus, too and end up spending a lot of time in the company of The Didius Boys in a plot that revolves around stolen art, Mediterranean shipping, soldiers’ pay, Greek statues and auctions.
Fabulous! We’re off to Palmyra next….
Author page: Poseidon’s Gold – Lindsey Davis
The Tartan Turban – John Keay
John Keay‘s biography of nineteenth century elusive adventurer Alexander Gardner.
Unlike many of the explorers and spies of The Great Game, Colonel Gardner didn’t leave behind his own polished account of his travels in Central Asia, nor of his years as an officer in the Sikh Empire, from the Empire’s glory years under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and through the familial treachery and turmoil that followed on from Ranjit Singh’s death. Even his younger years are veiled in the mists of time – but safe to say Scotland doesn’t feature (despite the tartan!)
So, there’s plenty of of scope for biographical sleuthing and rehabilitation from the always readable John Keay.
Author webpage: The Tartan Turban: In Search of Alexander Gardner – John Keay