Paw Prints in the Moonlight (2004) by Denis O'Connor #ReadingtheMeow2026 #20BOS26

🐱 My first read for Reading the Meow 2026, hosted by Mallika, is a heartwarming memoir of a man who once rescued a cat, which would totally change his life forever. Denis O'Connor is a trained psychologist and a teacher. It was in the 1990s that this episode with the rescued cat begins. He was a bachelor then, just bought an eighteen century cottage with a garden called Owl Cottage, in the rural part of Northumberland, England. One biting cold January night, just after a snow storm, Denis found a she-cat in painful agony, trapped in an animal snare usually left by hunters. He saved it, but the cat ran away. The morning after, Denis found the cat in an abandoned farm, dying, but still nursing her three kittens. He brought them all to the vet, but the mother was beyond help, and the vet put her to sleep. The kittens would find the same fate, as they would not survive without their mother. However, Denis, finding one of the three poor kittens responded to his touch, decided on impulse, to bring it home.

🐱 Denis tried hard to nurse the kitten back to life against all odds, realizing that it might die the next day. But days become weeks, and the kitten survived. He called it Toby Jug. And from then on, Denis and Toby Jug are inseparable for the next twelve years. This memoir tells in perfect details of Denis' grim rescue of Toby Jug's mother and siblings, his relentless efforts to save Toby Jug from death, despite his limited resources and knowledge, and then, his happiest adventures with Toby Jug.
🐱 It was later on when Denis brought Toby Jug to a vet, that he first learned that his beloved cat is actually a Maine Coon. From Wikipedia: The Maine Coon is a large and social cat, commonly referred to as "the gentle giant". The Maine Coon is often cited as having "dog-like" characteristics. Toby Jug remains little in size for the rest of her life, but she is a social cat. I loved her way of curling on Denis' shoulder - which caused his jackets of coats to have marks on one shoulder due to Toby Jug's repeatedly claws-digging. She always do that whenever she needs comfort, or when she's scarred. There are few occasions of these, the most terrifying episodes were perhaps during a hunting season, and when some bullying kids throwing fireworks at poor little Toby Jug - damned that kind of kids!
🐱 All her life, Toby Jug is depended on Denis. It is no wonder, because Denis is everything for her - he might have thought him her mother, as he had nursed him from the beginning, and has been living only with her human friend. She only knows humans' way of living, and she would have never been fitted to a wilder life, other than catching a rat every now and then. The most memorable scene for me is when Denis first brought Toby Jug out to the garden. The way she looked, for the first time, at the nature; savouring first one object and then another, and another - all bursting with spring lights and colors and scents - it must have been an overwhelming bliss for her. Afraid that Toby Jug might harm herself, Denis put her inside a large glass jar, and put the jar on the grass. He even moved or shifted the jar a little from time to time so that the kitten might have slightly different views each time.

🐱 Over all, this is a truly heartwarming memoir - more of the cat then the human. I enjoyed every bit of it; in fact I read it very slowly that I ended up reading only this one and one other book (instead of intended three) for #ReadingtheMeow2026 - I just wanted it to last forever... The bonding of Denis and Toby Jug is amazing and very touching. I'm glad that Toby Jug had had a wholesome, albeit short, life - always beloved by her favorite human. At the same time, Toby Jug had, not only changed, but wrought a deep influence in Denis' life. The ending might be rather strange for some people, but I liked it. A deep thanks to Denis O'Connor for ever sharing this part of his life with Toby Jug with us. His writing is so beautiful and gentle, and allows us to be included in every sweet, terrifying, and funny moments with Toby Jug, the little Maine Coon. In the end, I felt as if I have known Toby Jug personally myself. What a sweet and meaningful friendship between a cat and a human!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read for:

Reading the Meow 2026

hosted by Mallika @ Literary Potpourri

20 Books of Summer 2026
hosted by Annabel @ AnnaBookBel

The Narrowboat Summer (2020) by Anne Youngson #20BOS26

 

🚤 I don't know why, but to me, living in a boat feel somehow romantic. Though in reality I would probably reject the idea, reading about life in a narrowboat on a journey through the canals, brings a wholesome satisfaction in me. That's how I know that I would enjoy this book immensely. And I wasn't wrong. This is a story of second chances, of three women - complete strangers - who have one thing in common: they are at a crossroads in life. One rainy afternoon, Eve and Sally's path crossed right in front of a moored narrowboat, when they were walking on the towpath along a canal. Just then, a dog's howling from inside the narrowboat attracted their attention. Just when they were about to help the dog, thinking that it has been left alone inside the boat, the owner came.

🚤 Anastasia has been living in the narrowboat called Number One for years. Now that she's about seventy years old, Anastasia is probably terminally ill and in need of an operation. However, the narrowboat also needs to be brought to a certain place for its annual maintenance. How would she do that? Enter Eve and Sally. Several cups of tea later, the three uncommonly women found a mutual solution to all of their predicaments. Eve and Sally would live in the narrowboat and drive it to its destination, while Anastasia would stay in Eve's apartment during her treatment. Eve has just resigned from her work, while Sally has just decided to leave her husband. Living a slow life on board a narrowboat would provide them chance to think about their future. 🚤 Having never been in a narrowboat before, let alone driving it, Eve and Sally is doing a great job following every instructions from Anastasia during their very short training. I had a lot of fun reading about the technicality of operating a narrowboat, including the locks. I even checked Google about the these locks and lock gates, which have much busied our two heroines during their journey; and it is pretty interesting. Canal locks change the water level in the canal so boats can go up and down hills. A lock is a stretch of canal that is blocked off at each end by solid gates. These gates are opened or closed to allow water to fill or drain from the lock.

a lock gate in the canal

So, if you think driving a narrowboat along the canal is a leisurely business, you'll be surprised at the amount of physical efforts involved. Sally and Eve dividing the jobs of steering the boat and working the locks alternately; I can't imagine when Anastasia did all by herself! 🚤 Along their journey, not only do they sorting out their predicament and thinking about their future with all the options, Eve and Sally also make friends with other boaters. The most memorable ones are a nineteen-year-old girl called Trompette, who partners a musical story-teller drug-addict called Billy. Billy used to tells stories to a circle of audience, and gets little money of it. Trompette is a good knitter, and sells her craft also for a little money. I learned too, that there are usually story-tellers or other entertainer like that amongst the narrowboaters. They all seem to form an attachment as a loose family - canal-family if you like. They know each others, and during their time on board the Number One, other boaters used to ask about Anastasia. The other memorable friend they make is Arthur - the elusive old man who used to hitchhike narrowboats in the past, and who knew a lot about Anastasia's past - something that Eve and Sally are eager to learn about, but Anastasia never discloses. 🚤 On the whole, it is a lovely story about friendship, second chances, and the charm of operating a narrowboat along the canals, where you can have a slow living while appreciating the landscape and the nature. It's full with eccentric yet amiable characters, and though plotless, Youngson fills the story with her great portrayal of the scenery and the canal-boaters' life. Loved everything about it, including how it ended up nicely for everyone - well, almost!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2 

Read for:

20 Books of Summer 2026 hosted by Annabel @ AnnaBookBel

An Afternoon Walk (1971) by Dorothy Eden #Reading1971 #20BOS26

🟢 Judging only by this book's title and the particular cover I used for the post, you would think this as a charming slice-of-life novel set in the English countryside with picturesque view, and perhaps a little bit of romance. Well, just wait until you come upon the Kindle version's cover, published in 2013, which I included below. Then, you would realize that this is actually a psychological mystery-suspense with Gothic vibes. It begins with the alluded afternoon walk. Ella Simpson, an ordinary housewife, is taking the walk with her five-year-old daughter Kitty, when they found a derelict old Victorian house with an overgrown garden. They were curious about it and while starting to imagine who had lived there - an Edith definitely, as they saw the name scratched on the window pane - and what had happened to the family, an owl screeched from an upstairs window, and startled and spooked them. When they left the house, Ella felt the uneasiness of being followed.  

🟢 Ella's husband, a salesman called Max, is coming home that day. When she told him about the old house and Edith, he only laughed it out as Ella's silliness and imagination. But his tease didn't end there. During the weeks following the incident, Max repeatedly pointed out Ella's increasing dreamy and forgetfulness, which, he believed, is normal considering the miscarriage that Ella had just had. Then mysterious things started to happen, menacing phone calls, mysterious men following her, and even a few panic-induced prank which added stress to the overwrought Ella. Is it true that she's forgetting everything? That she's imagining things? Is Max's upcoming promotion as export manager the rooted cause of it all - that his jealous colleague is behind all these, like he's always reasoning?

🟢 Fortunately, Ella's new neighbour, Booth, is sympathetic enough to listen to Ella's rumbling stories. He even accompanied her to another walk to the ruined house. Booth is a theater critic, and widower, who lives there with his sister. It is clear from the beginning that he's fallen in love with Ella, and indeed, he is a more suitable husband for Ella than her self-centered and ambitious Max, who was secretly relieved of Ella's miscarriage, as otherwise another baby would interfere with his work. Meanwhile, the newspapers and TV is full about the, first disappearing, then kidnapping, then murder of a woman, which crime was supposedly happened inside the old ruined house. 

🟢 Throughout perhaps two third of the book Eden made us keep wondering whether Ella was really the imaginative kind of woman, or was it all Max's plot to... what? Does he mean to harm his wife? Or is he covering something he ought not to do? Does it have something to do with the woman's kidnapping? However, near the end, I think it would be clearer and clearer what was happening. On the whole, this is an interesting psychological mystery-suspense. Not very mysterious, and not overly suspenseful, but quite entertaining for a comfortable reading. More importantly, it provides a insightful glimpse of that bygone era of early 1970s - which was why I read it in the first place. I am satisfied with how the story ends, and though I'm not overly fond with Ella's dreamy nature (miscarriage or not), Booth's character is what I loved most.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read for:

20 Books of Summer 2026

hosted by Annabel @ AnnaBookBel

Six Degrees of Separation, from Post-Office Girl to Female Private Detective

 

Six Degrees of Separation is a monthly meme, currently hosted by Kate @ books are my favorite and best. On the first Saturday of every month, a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. Readers and bloggers are invited to join in by creating their own ‘chain’ leading from the selected book. This month, we start from a German noir-fiction which I have not read:

0. The Post-Office Girl by Stefan Zweig Synopsis from Goodreads: The post-office girl is Christine, who looks after her ailing mother and toils in a provincial Austrian post office in the years just after the Great War. One afternoon, as she is dozing among the official forms and stamps, a telegraph arrives addressed to her. It is from her rich aunt, who lives in America and writes requesting that Christine join her and her husband in a Swiss Alpine resort. After a dizzying train ride, Christine finds herself at the top of the world, enjoying a life of privilege that she had never imagined. But Christine’s aunt drops her as abruptly as she picked her up, and soon the young woman is back at the provincial post office, consumed with disappointment and bitterness. Then she meets Ferdinand, a wounded but eloquent war veteran who is able to give voice to the disaffection of his generation. Christine’s and Ferdinand’s lives spiral downward, before Ferdinand comes up with a plan which will be either their salvation or their doom. For the first degree of separation, I would use "the post-office girl" aspect, and link it to another book, whose one of the main characters is a postmistress.

1. Wish You Were Here by Rita Mae Brown

I have read this one last year for #ReadingtheMeow2025, and loved it! A cat detective and her mistress (or her assistant, really) are investigating a murder in a small town. Excerpt from my review: Mrs. Murphy is the cat-detective; she's a tiger cat who lives with a divorced-postmistress named Mary Minor "Harry" Haristeen as her companion. To complete the household, there's a Welsh Corgi named Tucker. They all live in a small town, where everyone knows about everyone else, and there's not such thing as secret. Harry - as the postmistress - has a habit of reading postcards not addressed to her. In one of these, she found one postcard with Paris cemetery image, captioned "wish you were here". Few days later, a citizen was murdered - the one who'd received the postcard. Then another death, with similar "warning". It was then that Harry realized the significant of the anonymous postcards. There's a murderer among them, and most probably he/she knew that Harry knew more than she supposed to. Here's the full review. The cat is named Mrs. Murphy, and that instantly reminded me of another cat in fiction, named Mrs. Norris. Do you know who that is, or in what book it appears? ;)

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Mrs. Norris is the pet-cat of Mr. Filch, the caretaker of Hogwarts School in Harry Potter series. I needn't bother to say more of the series; no doubt you know all about it. But here I must ponder for some time, what would my third degree is about. There are a lot of aspects discussed throughout the seven books, yet the most interesting one in my opinion is about free-will. In 2020 I have blogged about Top Five Classics About Free Will [click the link to read the post], and one of the book featured there is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Still on the subject of free will, another book that made it into the same list (and topped it) is...

3. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Excerpt from my review: East of Eden is following the lives of two families in Salinas Valley: the Trasks and the Hamiltons; though along the way I felt that the Trasks were the center of this book, while the Hamiltons only its satellite. It was within the Trask dynasty that Steinbeck imitated the Book of Genesis, by naming its member (and drawing their destinies) following the symbol of good versus evil: Cain and Abel (C & A). And in case you want to read the full review, click here. This book has become one of my personal canon. I have even written a separate post discussing the free will aspect of the book, which I titled: On “Timshel” [East of Eden] | The Freedom of Choice [click the link to read]. 'Timshel' itself is brought up by the philosopher of this book: Lee (the old and wise Chinese servant of Adam and Cathy Trasks), an important figure in the saga. Now, while Chinese characters quite often appear in English canon, it is quite interesting that Steinbeck wrote another Chinese character in his other book, whose name is also Lee. Maybe he just didn't know any Chinese name except that?... 

4. Cannery Row by John Steinbeck

Excerpt from my review: So Cannery Row is about a few blocks of fish canneries in the harbour city of Monterey, California, drawn from Steinbeck's memories when he stayed there. This is a tale about its remarkable inhabitants. Who are they? Mostly, a bunch of good-for-nothings. There's Mack and the boys, a gang of unemployed losers, whose only ambition was contentment without working. They occupy an empty building owned by a Chinese grocery store owner - whose 'wealth' mainly consists in the piles of tit bits in his shop, and in the debts of his customers - called Lee Chong. Here's the full review.

Although Lee Chong is a secondary character, he is quite memorable. Still on the Chinese secondary characters in English literature, this book instantly came to mind...

5. Murder in Williamstown by Kerry Greenwood

Excerpt from my review: Meanwhile, at the end of each chapter, we follow the fate of two girls - one of them called Peony - separated from the main events. From the snippets of their dialogues, we could feel that they are in misery. But of what kind, we are kept in the dark. Perhaps this would be the binding element of the whole mystery? Peony is a common name for Chinese girls, right? Chinese girls in misery, a Chinese man murdered, there's something in it, surely. To read the full review, just click this link. The sleuth of this series is a female private detective. Here's how I described her [excerpt from my review]: The Honorable Phryne Fisher is the most famous Australian female private detective. Live in St. Kilda, Melbourne in the 1920-1930s, she enjoys her aristocratic status, though never forgets her humble origin. And so, for the sixth and last degree of separation, here's another female private detective whom I have just been introduced to belatedly:

6. Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth

Excerpt from my review: As a debut of a series, Grey Mask is a wonderful one. It has the right amount of actions, light-heartedness, mystery, and a pleasant twist with quite surprising villain at the end. My full review is here. Unlike The Honorable Phryne Fisher, Wentworth's Miss Silver is not at all a formidable figure, although she has a rare occupation at that time (the 1920s): a female private detective. On the contrary, I often felt her presence only on the background. Here's what I described her: She was portrayed as a lady with her knitting; a woman with brain, who does all the deduction needed, but throws the dirty work, so to speak, to men. She once asked Charles to follow a suspect; and imagining that a detective asking his/her client to do the work he/she supposed to do, was quite hilarious to me. And so, this time I began with a post-office girl, and ended with a female private detective. How about you, where did your #6degrees bring you to this time?

Murder at the Spring Ball (2021) by Benedict Brown #20BOS26

🥂 Beginning a new series is always an exciting reading experience. It is doubly so when the debut proved to be a success, just like this one. Murder at the Spring Ball is Benedict Brown's first book of Lord Edgington cozy mystery series, set in the 1925 England. It's charm is thanks to the combination of the Golden Age Detective vibes - complete with red herrings, incompetent police officer, Poirot-ish style of rather dramatic denouement - and an unlikely sleuth of a former detective and his fourteen years old grandson. There's a little jazz, a little dancing, a little Downton Abbey-ish atmosphere, and a good murder mystery. What else would one need to enjoy one self thoroughly?

🥂 Elderly but still formidably Lord Edgington had been shutting himself from the world after the death of his wife. But now he was suddenly 'awaken', and intended to shake himself out of the heavy 'slumber' with a kick: a grand ball at Cranley Hall, to celebrate his seventy-fifth birthday. He surprised everyone, though, by appointing Christopher, his teenage grandson and not altogether special, to be the party organizer. The ball gives us plenty of fun, from the planning, right up to the ball itself, where the first murder is about to be committed. Christopher, of course, made several blunders - imagine a fourteen-year-old organizing a grand ball! His ordering of too much flower for decoration is pretty hilarious; and his worrying whether it was his abundant flowers that have poisoned someone, is rather cute.  

🥂 The first victim is Lord Edgington's annoying daughter, who was poisoned to death via the champagne she'd been drinking through the evening. And now Lord Edgington, together with Christopher as his assistant, is conducting a murder investigation - to the chagrin of the Police Inspector - who was his former rival - who was tasked for it. The murderer must be someone who were at the ball: the family, the servants, and Christopher's nemesis: Marmaduke Adelaide, whom Christopher likes to call Marmalade, and who often bullies him at school. Lord Edgington suspects that whoever the murderer is, was trying to kill him, and/or the entire family at the party. But who would want that? And what's the motive? 

🥂 I love Christopher from the start, he loves nature and reading Dickens, with healthy appetite - a nerdy introverted like me. I also like the way Lord Edgington educates him (to be a future Chief Inspector like himself?) He encourages Christopher to build his own deduction; never mocking or scolding him too hard when the teenager makes mistake (which is quite often), and always ready to praise when he makes a good job. The way Lord Edgington helps Christopher arranging flowers (the abundant flowers he mistakenly ordered) in the vases until far to the night - a gentle way to let his grandson made mistake and be responsible to the outcome, while learning from it). But what I love most is the duo's dynamic. When Lord Edgington was succumb to his grief after not one, but two of his offsprings murdered (yes, there was a second murder), it was Christopher who made the effort to 'awaken' his grandfather.

🥂 In short, this is such a delightful murder mystery and a beginning of a series, which I would definitely continue on. You can feel a bit of the 1920s vibes, if not from the narrative, at least from the ball. Christopher has been inadvertently introducing jazz to the family reminded me so much of how Rose first brought jazz to Downton Abbey!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read for: 20 Books of Summer 2026 hosted by Annabel @ AnnaBookBel

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026 hosted by Carol @ Carol's Notebook

Bramton Wick (1952) by Elizabeth Fair

 

💙 I still find it quite hard to believe that Bramton Wick was Elizabeth Fair's debut novel. It doesn't feel amateurish the way she had interwoven so many characters into one coherent story. Bramton Wick is an English rural country side, the setting of this cheerful slice-of-life story in the aftermath of WWII, where ration coupons were still in use, and fuel is a luxury. Fair opened this by introducing her characters, bringing us from one cottage to the mansion; from one family to other residents. As usual, there is a healthy mix of eccentricity and pompousness to spice up the plot. First there's the pompous Lady Masters with her son Toby, who was tyrannized by his mother; then the Coles who've been living in Lady Masters' house before moving to a humbler place - Mrs. Cole lives with her daughters: war widow Gillian and the dreamy Laura.

💙 Next, there's the Misses Cleeves, whose poverty doesn't diminish their dignified place in Bramton. But, when they are quite dull (excepting Pussy-the-gossip-monger), there are the other spinsters who're more interesting: Miss Selbourne and Miss Garret, who had first met when they drove ambulances during the war, and now live together as dogs breeder. Besides those spinsters, we also have two middle-aged bachelors living in Bramton Wick to balance the equation (and to create one or two love-is-in-the-air situation). A young man called Jocelyn (Isn't Jocelyn a girl's name? It is where I live) was added to the mix, being a nephew of a Major Worthy and his wife. 

💙 At first it seems we don't have any definite plot. Just the interaction of these people and several events, like a dog show, which create the usual stir in a small village. But later on I realized that it is centered, at least, upon one family. And the issue that bind the whole story together is romance. The characters are mostly amiable, each with his or her own eccentricity; and they were nicely portrayed. The little village dynamic is plausible and felt as charmingly as one would expect in this kind of story. My only regret is the abrupt manner which Fair ended the story. I realize that this is called slice-of-life story for a reason. However, I would prefer to get a slightly more neatly tying-up of the many lose ends of every character. Or perhaps, just the one other than the main character. I mean, it's such ashamed to waste the entire characters to focus only on one of them, isn't it? But on the whole, this is just the perfect comfortable read to close a day.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax (1971) by Dorothy Gilman #Reading1971

 

👒 On her third mission from CIA, the septuagenarian Mrs. Emily Pollifax was given a task to convey eight forged passport into Bulgaria, to help members of the underground political movement to flee the country. As usual, despite of the seemingly simple task, Mrs. Pollifax embarked on another more thrilling adventure. It all started when Mr. Carstairs visited Mrs. Pollifax's apartment (it's the first time he saw her on her natural habitat, so to speak). She's embrace a new hobby (besides karate lessons), which is growing, in her balcony, night-blooming cereus - a species of flowering cactus, which, true to its name, only blooms at only a single night. But of course, she must leave her flower for a while, to embark on a new adventure to Bulgaria. But the positive side is, she's to get a new hat intricately trimmed with flower and bird, which was especially designed to hide that eight forged passports she must smuggle to the country. 

Night-blooming Cereus, source: Wikipedia

👒 Unbeknownst to her, however, Mr. Carstair had cheekily slipped something else inside her coat. He shouldn't do that, in my opinion. It's a dangerous game to play with amateur spy-courier, don't you think? Another complication, which Mr. Carstairs would never had imagined, came from Mrs. Pollifax's brief acquaintance with her fellow flight passenger: Philip Trenda. He's a young American college student who's travelling together with several friends to Bulgaria. As often happened, Mrs. Pollifax's affectionate heart usually brought her to further complications. Not that she ever failed to emerge triumphantly from every obstacles. This time, when a young girl called Debbie, a friend of Philip Trenda, brought news about Philip's being arrested by secret police, just after her arrival at Sofia, of course Mrs. Pollifax could not ignore it, could she? 👒 I don't why, but this book felt a little bit off for me. Usually I would immersed into the adventure (and usually there's aplenty of it), but this time, things get excited only when the rescue of Philip Trenda from his captivity in the Panchevsky Institute began. It was quite a mission-impossible, and only Mrs. Pollifax's genuine thinking and encouragement that made it success. The earlier part of the novel was a bit weary; the Balkan tourist agent and Mrs. Pollifax's encounters, while provided a little hilarious conversation, felt redundant. I'm sorry to say, this is rather a disappoinment, but I would still be reading the series through. Davida @ The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog has reviewed the fifth book, and mentioned it as the best so far, so I have a lot of expectation on this one. But maybe I should give Mrs. Pollifax a break next year, and come back to her more fresh the year next.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

The Golden Collar (1968) by Elizabeth Cadell

 

💚 My first ever Elizabeth Cadell brought me to Portugal with delight. It follows David Eliot, an architect who grew up in England, but has inclination to live in Brazil. But before he got chance to secure his career in Brazil, he was offered a job in Sir Bertram's establishment. Sir Bertram is a wealthy and powerful man; the kind who always get what he has set to get, either with money, or cunning. David first got entangled in the bargain by Marly Tranter, Sir Bertram's daughter, a beautiful but overbearing girl who inherits her father's personality. In the end, with a perfect engagement and a promising career, David was stuck in a place where, he slowly realized, he might never fits in; and to get there, he had to sacrifice everything he loved, especially his freedom. Hence, the golden collar - including the chain - had been set upon David.  

💚 Sir Bertram sent David and Marly to Portugal to secure a deal over a property, set in a strip of beautiful and secluded beach in the Algarve region. It was to be the couple's wedding present; so in this case, David would have added interest in accomplishing his mission. The property belongs to a highly respectable widow amongst her people, whom they called Senhora Silva. To foreigners, Senhora Silva seems to be an eccentric woman, who refuses wealthy foreigners who offer her big money to buy her property, while she herself is living in a dilapidated big house. The truth is, Senhora Silva is weary over the foreigner's harassment upon her peaceful existence. She dislikes these noisy boisterous tourists who arrive in their beautiful country to buy land and build holiday villas, where they would only live in few months of the year. In the process, they would change and ruin the country. Hence, her decision to close her door, meaning, refusing of selling. But Sir Bertram and Marly interpret Senhora Silva's closing door to merely a business haggle - it's impossible for any person to close their eyes over so much money (and Sir Bertram has that much). 💚 While trying to carrying out the task, David slowly comes to his senses about his engagement with Marly, as well as his position in the Bertrams. All this thanks to some of his new acquaintances who saw it before David is certain about his position. These new friends of him are including an American wealthy businessman who doesn't look one, an eccentric and bossy elderly woman, a Portuguese lawyer of Sir Bertram, and the elusive Senhora Silva herself - whom David eventually meet, causing astonishment to everyone. But most importantly, there's Teresa, Senhora Silva's niece. Teresa is the opposite of Marly in every way, and here we can see how David and Marly are very unsuitable from the beginning - how men can be thus deeply disillusioned, I will never understand. The rest is needless to say here, but although the plot is predictable, the process and the rough beauty of this Portugal coastal village are the main attraction of this book. Not mentioning, the lovely characters of David, Teresa, the demurred Senhora Silva, and even the dear Mr. Easter (the wealthy businessman). 💚 On the whole, this book feels light, but with a bit of depth in it also. For Senhora Silva and Teresa, money and wealth does not mean anything. They created a crèche facility for local young children in one of the Quinta do Infante (Senhora Silva's house complex) buildings. And this, as well as taking care of stray cats, apparently gave Teresa immense happiness, a wholesomeness in her life, that she decided to stay in the Quinta forever. In time, David too, is attracted with the serene and peaceful atmosphere of the place, and, of course, of the girl he falls in love. There's some funny moments too, usually involving Mr. Easter, what a dear old man he is! In short, I love everything about this book, and would certainly read more of Elizabeth Cadell in the future! Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Fell Murder (1944) by E.C.R. Lorac

 

🌾 The 24th instalment of Lorac's Robert Macdonald series, which combines murder mystery and the charm of farming village in the English countryside of Lunesdale. As usual with these stories, it runs a very slow pace. Robert Macdonald, the C.I.D, didn't even appear in about the first forty percent of the story. The story begins with some kind of reunion. Richard Garth has left his home, Garthmere Hall, in the moorland (fell) some nineteen years ago, over a big quarrel with his tyrannical father, now eighty years old Robert Garth. Richard met secretly with the Garths' bailiff. He just wanted to see again his beloved land, without seeing his family, in particular the father whom he hates.

🌾 The story then moved to Garthmere Hall, where we met the rest of the household: Marion Garth - the eldest daughter who loves farming and has been running the business alongside her father; Elizabeth Meldon - the land girl who helps around with farming; Charles Garth, Marion's brother who's just returned from Malay and who loathes the hard labor of farming; and Malcolm, the youngest son who's physically weak - a weakling who loves poetry more than farming. One morning, an accident involving a gun shot almost took Robert Garth's life. The gun belongs to Marion, and it shouldn't have been loaded. Who had loaded it, and why? Then on a hunting day, when the whole neighborhood carrying and shooting guns, Robert Garth was found dead, shot on his back. 🌾 At first, the local Inspector investigated the murder. However, his abrupt and straightforward manner didn't suit the slow pace rhythm of the dale, and he got nowhere. That's how Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald from Scotland Yard at last entered the scene. He begins by gaining respect and trust from the dales people, in the way of blending himself to the farming life. The dales people usually talk about the weather, and the farming, the crops etc. before finally get to the point. This Macdonald follows by instinct. And only then that he begins collecting clues and proofs. It's quite clear from the start that this was a closed-knitted family mystery (despite the fact of the hunt day, which might include outsiders). Now, who has the chance and motive to murder old Robert Garth, who had been ruling both his family and his farm with iron rod, and thus universally despised? 🌾 Needless to say that, as was with all Lorac's books with similar theme, this one has been a satisfying read for me. The slow pace was comforting, rather than annoying, as it enabled me to taste the farming life, and to get to know each character more closely. My favorite here is Elizabeth Molden - the passion which drives her hard working is pleasant to follow. Marion is also remarkable in her own passion, but she is nevertheless member of the family, who thus, has a direct interest to the farm's prosperity. But Elizabeth is an outsider, and to work for other people with that kind of passion is something one ought to be much grateful for. The plot itself is plausible. I have guessed the murderer without trouble, from their character traits, if not from their conversation. What a pleasant murder mystery to read, but only if you have penchant for slow living or farming. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read for:

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026 hosted by Carol @ Carol's Notebook

20 Books of Summer 2026 and Reading the Meow 2026

Hooray to the return of two of the most anticipated yearly reading events for me! First is 20 Books of Summer 2026, which will be hosted by AnnaBookBel. She's going solo this year, but this reading event, which runs from June to August, was started by Cathy, then continued by AnnaBookBel and Emma last year. Also make its return in June, Reading the Meow 2026, hosted by Mallika. I have almost given this one up, thinking that Mallika was perhaps too busy to host, but I'm very grateful that she's just announcing it a bit later than usual. Anyway, here's the list of my possible reads:

20 Books of Summer 2026

1. The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide (2001) - also for #ReadingtheMeow2026
2. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa (2012) - also for #ReadingtheMeow2026
3. To Fetch a Thief by Spencer Quinn (2010) 
4. In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall - also for my #Reading1971 5. A Secret Garden in Paris by Sophie Beaumont (2024) - also for #ParisInJuly 6. Murder on Wheels by Stuart Palmer (1932) 7. A Walk Across France by Miles Morland (1992) - also for #ParisInJuly 8. The Hidden Gardens of Paris by Susan Cahill (2012) - also for #ParisInJuly 9. French Windows by Antoine Laurain (2023) - also for #ParisInJuly 10. The Carter of "La Providence" by Georges Simenon (1931) - also for #ParisInJuly 11. When the Cranes Fly South by Lisa Ridzen (2024) - also for #WITMonth 12. Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee (1959) 13. Mr Kato Plays Family by Milena Michiko Flasar (2018) - also for #WITMonth 14. Much Dithering by Dorothy Lambert (1938) 15. One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downes (1947) 16. The Narrowboat Summer by Anne Youngson (2020) 17. Murder at the Spring Ball by Benedict Brown (2021) 18. Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann (2005) 19. An Afternoon Walk by Dorothy Eden - also for my #Reading1971 20. Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce (2018)

Reading the Meow 2026

1. The Guest Cat by Takashi Hiraide (2001) 2. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa (2012) 3. Paw Prints in the Moonlight by Denis O' Connor (2004) Of course, they are possible reads only, I might or might not read them (or adding new titles instead). it all depends on the availability of the titles when I pick the books to read, and, as usual, it also depends largely on my mood. Anyway, have you read any of those titles? And would you participate in either reading events?

Murder at Mallowan Hall (2021) by Colleen Cambridge

✒️ Have you ever imagined what would happened if Agatha Christie were to deal with a real murder? Would she be as shrewd as the detectives she had penned, Poirot or Miss Marple? Well, this new series from Colleen Cambridge were to be as close as you can have to answer that. In this first book we were brought to Mallowan Hall, the fictional mansion of the Mallowans (Max and Agatha), and introduced to their housekeeper and amateur sleuth, Phyllida Bright, who was portrayed as shrewd and organized like Hercule Poirot. In fact, Poirot is Phyllida's hero. And of course, the first murder she's got to solve had taken place at Mallowan Hall.

✒️ The Mallowans was having a house party, and after a storm came just at the first night, another guest is gatecrashing the party: a journalist called Charles Waring. He was accepted upon the Mallowan's benevolence only, what with the storm and it's being late in the night. However, the next morning, when Phyllida entered the library, she found Waring's dead body, stabbed in the neck with a fountain pen (of all the weapon-to-be on the desk: letter opener, marble paper weight). The tragedy creates a havoc among the guests upstairs, and certainly among the staffs downstairs. And Phyllida, who hates disorder, believes it was down to her to solve the murder, without waiting for the Police Inspector to do so, so that everything could be soon back to normal, for her own, as much as for Agatha Christie's sake (she needed peace and order to finish her current book). ✒️ If you are fan to Agatha Christie, you would enjoy this book (and series). Not only that Phyllida Bright has passion of order and little grey cells almost as good as Hercule Poirot's, the sleuthing style itself is a homage to Agatha Christie's. I loved the building suspense before the second murder was about to happen, just like how Agatha Christie had often wrote. I loved also the Hercule-Poirot-denouement style - you know when he pointed finger to one suspect to make he or she squirmed, only to say next that he or she isn't the murder, until dramatically pointed to the real murder? Although Phyllida lacks Poirot's confidence and eloquent, it was amusing to follow nonetheless. But the greatest amuse for me, is perhaps how Cambridge made this murder as an inspiration for the Agatha Christie in the story to write her next book - you know, the body of a stranger found dead in one's library. If you're Christie's fan you would certainly know which book I'm referring to - hint: it's Miss Marple story. Another one is from Agatha Christie's conversation with Phyllida:
"After all, it was you who suggested a story with a victim who everyone thought was an accidental murder, but turned out she was really the actual target and had been killed by the supposed victim as a way to hide her villainy. That is still one of my favorite twist."

Now, I ask you, Agatha Christie fans, do you know which book that is?? No title, please, in case people have not read it!

✒️ I liked all the characters in this book. Phyllida is the most interesting; she lives up to her name: Bright. She has bright hair (fiery red?) and likes to wear bright-coloured clothes while out of work. Her relationship with Agatha Christie is similar to that of Florence Armstrong and Lady Hardcastle's in Lady Hardcastle series (another charming historical cozy mystery). Their friendship dated from their working together during the war. And so, to the outside world they are employer and servant, but in Agatha Christie's closed room, they are friends - although theirs aren't as liberal as Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong's teasing and bantering, it's more of companionship of two people in the same level (they are Phyllie and Agatha between themselves). Phyllida and Christie usually talks about the case, and a little about Poirot and her books. It's not very surprising that Phyllida solved the murder all by herself, without any suggestion from Christie. ✒️ Another interesting character is Bradford, the chauffeur, a sardonic and surly man whose snorts on what Phyllida's saying annoys her greatly, but who had helped her a few times during the investigation. I'm excited to see where their relationship would go from here, and therefore cannot wait to dig into the next books in the series. All in all, this has been a delightful read - a cozy mystery with interesting characters, good portrayal of the downstairs lives of a manor house (imagine Downton Abbey), a nice plot twist with enough red herring, sprinkled with quite a racy motive, and styled similar to Christie's (which I believe, she would even have approved). If you love Agatha Christie, you'll certainly enjoy this series!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read for:

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026 hosted by Carol @ Carol's Notebook

The Splendor of Ordinary Days (2015) by Jeff High

 

🩺 From the "ordinary days" in the title and the pastoral view of the cover, I have assumed that this novel would not be a far cry from James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small or All Things Bright and Beautiful. Just replace the veterinarian with a physician, and move the setting from English countryside to American small town, and that's that. But there I was wrong. Once again, this reminded me to not judge a book from its cover; least of all, its title. 

🩺 Young Dr. Luke Bradford has just been settled in Watervalley, a small town in Tennessee. He had moved from a bigger town a few years ago, but up till now is still feeling like an outsider. At first the story begins with just... well... ordinary days of ordinary lives in a picturesque little town. I loved the banters between Luke and his.. uh.. housekeeper? Anyway, Connie cleans and cooks for him, so Luke could almost always expect to get a warm greeting from Connie and her sister Estelle (who are often welcomed their as visitor). Luke's interaction with his eccentric patients and townfolks are entertaining too - an elderly woman who drinks too much and a cantankerous old veteran and publisher of the local newspaper are only few of them, but the most intriguing ones are the Mennonites.

🩺 I honestly have not realized of the Mennonite's existence until now - I only know about the Amish. They are apparently slightly different in culture and manners, but they are all embracing the same philosophy. And as they first appeared in the story, I began to be apprehensive of what lays ahead. This book would have deeper layer than I have first anticipated. The first 'casualty' was between two young men's supposed 'fight', one of them is a Mennonite, the other is a local war veteran. And when Luther, the cantankerous publisher, decided to publish a story about it, not without slight prejudice against the Mennonite young man, it provoked the town to their long time prejudices against the Mennonites. Apparently, it's up to Luke Bradford to maintain harmony in Watervalley, the town where he grows to love, and where the girl he loves most, Christine Chambers, lives.

🩺 Throughout the story, we are entertained with the 'ordinary days' of living in a small town with its picturesque scenery, eccentric inhabitants, and the busy days of a doctor's practice. But they are all just the background. On the forefront there is the budding relationship of Luke Bradford and Christine Chambers - including the funny scenes of his planning a romantic proposal and the unexpected turn of event which might have thwarted the couple's bright future. But most importantly, there is also a dark secret looming beneath prejudices and old time enmity between two families. The part about war memorial, and particularly Luke's speech in the end, was very touching. And I loved the mixed of mystery and superstitious that lurked behind. It's really a heartwarming novel with unexpected depth.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Remarkably Bright Creatures (2022) by Shelby Van Pelt

 

🐙 Remarkably Bright Creatures is Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel. It tells the story of three characters; of their lives and struggles, and how their lives are intertwined with each other in unexpected ways. First of all, there's Marcellus. He's a giant Pacific octopus who lives - or being captivated, as he always calls his life - in a giant aquarium at Sowell Bay Aquarium in Washington DC. Marcellus is the star of this book, and he narrated his own story on every chapter dedicated to him. I listened to the audiobook version, and I always loved when the narrator, Michael Urie's voice as a grumpy old man boomed through my headphone: "Day one thousand three hundred and..... of my captivity" Well, Marcellus's narration never failed to captivate me too! 🐙 The second best main character is Tova Sullivan, an elderly woman in her seventies, who comes daily to clean the Aquarium on night shifts. She's a widow, and has been struggling after her only son Eric (18 years old) vanished on a boat incident in Puget Sound thirty years ago. His body was never found, and the authorities were never sure what caused the incident (was it accident, or suicide?) Tova is certain it could not be suicide, but what really happened? That episode; the uncertainty of it, is always nagging at her heart, and she never gets her closure. Doing the cleaning at the Aquarium gives her joy and comfort, to at least cope with her current life. I loved how she always greets every creature at the Aquarium, like they are her children or pupils. Well, she's their guardian, anyway. But her most wholesome relationship is with Marcellus. Their bond is really heartwarming - an unlikely friendship between two creatures. It was remarkable how they communicated without ever understanding each other's language, but they understand each other so well, nonetheless. 🐙 Last and, unfortunately, least, is Cameron Cassmore; a thirty-ish orphaned young man who was brought up by his aunt, after his drug-addict mother left him. He never knew who his father was, and so, when finding a college portrait of his mother with a boy, he assumed that he must probably have been his father. And so, driving a camper, Cameron is heading to Washington in quest of his (presumably) father. Not surprisingly, he got a job at the Aquarium, and working on a night shift when Tova sprained her ankle and couldn't work for a while. He eventually be friend with Tova, and of course, Marcellus. Cameron is a self-centered, spoiled brat and a crybaby, and I find no other quality to like him better. From start to end. Someone said in Goodreads review that he's warming up near the end, but I disagree. Cameron is simply an ass. And he ruined the whole story for me. Not that it's a perfect one. There are too many unimportant things and conversations scattered about. I found myself bored with these, and only Marcellus' (and occasionally Tova's when she's alone) line that lift up my interest. 🐙 This book might have a brilliant premise - an intelligent and curmudgeonly Giant Pacific Octopus in his attempt to bring happiness to his favorite human. But the structure is not very neat. I feel I might need more of Marcellus' narration than the humans interaction. He's so observant and intelligent, that it was he, Marcellus, who first solved the mysteries that the humans are searching. I believe he's clever enough to tell the stories (half of it, at least) of the humans, only from his observation behind the glass tank. Anyway, I loved the beautiful friendship between Tova and Marcellus, and she had done for him at the end. Marcellus was a much better friend an elderly woman could find, rather than her friends from the knitting club - nosy old women most of them, and not necessary for the story. All in all, it's a beautiful story about friendship, family, forgiveness and acceptance. All it needed to be a perfect one is just a neater writing. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Nutmeg Tree (1937) by Margery Sharp

🥜 I think I have found in this book, my favorite (so far) Margery Sharp. The Nutmeg Tree (I loved the title too, though the said tree didn't have focal point to the story - it is an allegory). The story opens with a memorable scene in Julia's bathroom, she's taking a bath, singing the Marseillaise, while surrounded by "some of her possessions" - a table, a clock, and whatnot. The bailiffs were outside, taking some furniture out of the flat, indicating Julia's current hard-up-for-money situation. The cash she received from the furniture - after some rather flirty haggles - she needs it to travel to France, on her estranged daughter's invitation.

🥜 From that opening scene, we were instantly aware of Julia's type of character. The story is set in the 1930s. During WWI, Julia had married very young to a guy named Packett, it's a hasty wedding, which lasted just for a year or two. Packett died in the war, leaving Julia with their daughter Suzanne. But Julia couldn't live with the priggish and wealthy Packetts; they were opposite her Bohemian nature. So Julia left her daughter with them, and started her own life as actress and showgirl in London. The Packetts gave her some money - thinking that she can start a good life with it - but of course, it lasted only a very short time. Julia lived always in need of cash - which she always had by either a little flirtation or deceit - you know the kind. And now, suddenly she received invitation from Susan (she called herself Susan rather than Suzanne), to whom she never had any communication before, to give advice about the man she (Susan) wished to marry.

🥜 Excepting the opening scene, the story is set in a vacation villa in Southern France. Julia is now playing her yet biggest "role", a refined lady, worthy of her mother-in-law and her daughter. The whole story centered in Julia's struggle to maintain her dignity, while obstacle after obstacle threatened to expose her true character. The first obstacle came from Susan's lover Bryan; Julia soon found (in her dismay) that he is of her kind (but worse), and therefore won't be suitable for her daughter. Then, Susan's guardian, Sir William Waring, arrived, and left Julia to be on guard every second of her existence. Many comical scenes derived from the many adventures that came Julia's way, and in her struggles to appear graceful and poised. Margery Sharp did a wonderful job in portraying these, and in the process, we get to know Julia's genuine character which made people like her instantly. Well, people who cherished the good quality in her, despite of her unrefined outer manners. I, for one, loved Julia, and wished for her happy ending. 🥜 What can I say? I loved almost every aspect of this book. The comical scenes are brilliant; humorous but tender; the main characters - Julia and Sir William - are lovely and charming, despite of their flaws (Julia's in this case); and the plot is smart. The only setback for me is the inconclusive ending. You might probably know that I dislike hanging ending. I am 99% sure of the ending, but I still prefer a neat one from the writer. Although in this case, I understand Sharp's choice of the ending; it emphasized Julia's character perfectly - you would never know what she might of might not do the next second you leave her alone. Well played, Margery Sharp! Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

The One and Only Ivan (2012) by Katherine Applegate

 

🦍 The one and only Ivan is a silverback gorilla. He was 'picked' from his kind by humans, and currently lives at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, where humans can watch him through the glass walls of his 'domain'. Since he grew up in human's home (Mack - the owner of the mall), Ivan has been living like human. His favorite food is yogurt raisin, his favorite pastime is either watching western movies on TV (he has his own TV inside his domain), or working on his art. Yes, Ivan also likes to paint. In short, Ivan is more human than a gorilla should be. He even only vaguely remember about the jungle, and his childhood. Why, he's contented living in his domain (well, a cage really, but her prefers to call it domain). Ivan also lives with his friends - an elderly elephant called Stella, who lives at the next door cage (Ivan's best friend), and Bob, the stray dog, who loves to sleep on Ivan's belly. 🦍 Ivan's favorite human friend is Julia, the keeper's daughter, who also loves to draw and paint. In fact, Ivan gets his art supplies from her. In short, Ivan would have been living contentedly as he is, if Ruby has never come. Ruby is a baby elephant, the Mall's newest 'member', whom they have just taken from her family. They place her together with old Stella. The fact is, Stella is too old to perform anymore with her injured leg, so they need a fresh 'talent' to train. Unlike Ivan, Stella always remembers her previous life in a zoo (elephant remembers, right?), and she's used to tell the others that there are two kinds of human: the kind and the mean; humans in the zoo are the kind one. And when Ruby was 'chastised' by Mack (you wouldn't want to know the details) to learn her actions, something stirred deep in Stella and Ivan's heart. But Stella could do nothing while she's dying, so it's left to Ivan. The question is, what can he do, while he can't even save himself? (Ivan eventually understands what living in a cage means). 🦍 This book is not what I have expected when I picked it up. It has the charming aspects of funny, cute, and tender in it; but it also touches you much deeper. Applegate did a wonderful job of portraying the nature of each animal. And as I was listening to the audiobook, I would also say that Adam Grupper has been equally wonderful in giving each animal character its perfect personification - the sturdy Ivan, the foolish and constantly-chattering Ruby, the graceful Stella, and the laid-back Bob. Ivan is the perfect hero in this alright, but I think I have a soft spot for Bob, haha! On the whole, this is a bittersweet story with a vivid characterization, and also a great way to learn more, in particular, about gorilla. 🦍 I learned an even more intriguing fact from one of Goodreads' reviews, that one and only Ivan was actually derived from a real life story of a gorilla who was also called Ivan. The real Ivan, who was famous as the "Shopping Mall Gorilla", lived - or caged - in a Department Store after being kidnapped from its habitat in Congo. It was then moved - after some protests from some animal protection groups, to Zoo Atlanta, in their Ford African Tropical Forest Exhibit, which mimics the landscape of a natural habitat. You can read more about it here. Needless to say, when I said this is a bittersweet story, I believe the 'sweet' is for the young adult readers' still tender hearts. The reality is much gloomier. When Stella pictured the zoo as a dream place, and also later on when Ruby had been installed safely and happily in a zoo, my thoughts actually were: a zoo is definitely better than a cage, but it's not a place for wild animals. How do we know that they were really happy? They shouldn't have been kidnapped from the first. Now they would never have survived in the wilds. In the end, I had a lot of thinking, and I was not happy. Ah... how I wish I have read this book while I was much more innocent! :( Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Grey Mask (1928) by Patricia Wentworth

🎭 While I have read a few Patricia Wentworth before, I have yet to start her Miss Silver series. And this time, I prefer to start from the beginning, where Miss Silver was first introduced in Grey Mask. She doesn't, however, appear very often in it. Indeed, it feels like Miss Silver is just a background; like an omniscient protector of the hero and heroine, who involve much more in the actions. It all begins when Charles Moray returns to England, after being abroad for eight years, as a result of being 'jilted at the altar' by his fiancée Margaret. He visits his now abandoned home, which he inherited, only to find that a group of secret criminals have been using it as rendezvous place. The leader is a man with a grey mask. But what astonishes him most, is when he sees the woman he still loves, Margaret, comes and reporting to the grey masked man. 🎭 From his eavesdropping, Charles gets that a girl called Margot is in danger, should some certificates surface. What it is all about, he doesn't understand. What he cares most is why Margaret is involved in it. Apparently, this Margot is a spoiled girl of seventeen, who has just been orphaned after her wealthy father died - drown - at sea, intestate. Moreover, there was either birth certificate nor wedding certificate to be found - or so the lawyer told Margot; that she was literally penniless. Her cousin, to whom the estate would be legally handed down, proposed to marry her. And one the frightful thought on that, she runs away. As you can imagine, she stumbled into Margaret's (and Charles') care and protection, which made them all entangled into this plot. And it was at this point that Charles Moray acquired Miss Maud Silver's service. 🎭 As you can see, Miss Silver's portion of the story is meager. However, we (as well as Charles and co.) always feel her protecting presence. She knows almost everything, even before Charles reports things to her. Sometimes about things that Charles doesn't want to disclose to her. She was portrayed as a lady with her knitting; a woman with brain, who does all the deduction needed, but throws the dirty work, so to speak, to men. She once asked Charles to follow a suspect; and imagining that a detective asking his/her client to do the work he/she supposed to do, was quite hilarious to me. 🎭 As a debut of a series, Grey Mask is a wonderful one. It has the right amount of actions, light-heartedness, mystery, and a pleasant twist with quite surprising villain at the end. Though Charles and Margaret's love story felt rather Victorian, I was entertained enough by Margot's character; a naïve (to naïve for her own good) young girl who always give others consternation, but surprisingly could - mostly by luck - extricate herself from some dangers she had encountered. Her line was so entertaining, and lent this book the light-heartedness, which otherwise would be rather gloomy with that Victorian-ish romance - and plot. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read for:

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026 hosted by Carol @ Carol's Notebook