Meredith Allard's Blog, page 5

What I’m Reading: My Favorite Mysteries

It’s always a little sad for me when the beautiful orange, gold, and red leaves fall from the trees at the beginning of winter. Yes, I know that’s why we call it Fall here in the U.S. when everyone else in the world calls it Autumn. But there’s still a shock when the skeleton-like branch-fingers point at everything after the loss of their colorful foliage. Every year, I remind myself that just as the forest animals need their hibernation, so do the trees need a break from their warm-weather loveliness for their rebirth in Spring. One good thing is that the Southern Nevada weather has cooled considerably, always a plus for me, and pumpkin pie has given way to gingerbread and other warm-spiced goodies.  

My Favorite Mysteries So Far

I’ve loved to watch mysteries for years. If you happen to be in my house, you’re likely to find a mystery on TV (right now, if you were standing over my shoulder, you’d see me rewatching Endeavour for the umpteenth time). Even though I’ve always loved to watch mysteries, I’ve never made much of a point of reading them until recently, which seems odd, I guess. I was perfectly happy to watch these wonderful adaptations and never felt much of a pull to read the books they were based on. Now that I’m writing a murder mystery, I was compelled to see how the mysteries are pieced together on the page, which is a different process than how they are pieced together for the screen. 

Queen Agatha

Most of my favorite mystery novels have been from Agatha Christie. Christie is the master of plotting a mystery, so when I get to the whodunnit at the end, sometimes I guess, but most of the time, I don’t. Christie’s books beg to be reread because once you know whodunnit, the second read shows how the clues were really there all along. I’m not a huge fan of mysteries where suddenly something is revealed in the end that is the solution to the mystery, or when the detective, out of nowhere it seems, straightens it all out in their minds without any hints for the rest of us. Instead, there’s a “Surprise! This is how it happened!” Even if I can’t see the whodunnit, I like to know that the clues were there for me to find. 

Christie’s style is fairly bare bones, and when I first started reading her I wasn’t a fan for that reason. Once I realized that you read Christie for perfectly plotted mysteries instead of characterization or description, then I started to love her work. I think that’s why Christie’s books are so easily adapted for the screen: her books are already basically written in a screenplay format that is heavy on plot and dialogue and thin on characterization and setting. 

I haven’t read all of Christie’s works, but of the ones I’ve read, here are my favorites.

1. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

The first time I read this book I was as surprised as I’ve ever been by any book I’ve read. I finished reading it and then turned right back to page one to see how the clues were there but I missed them because I was looking in the wrong place for the murderer.

2. And Then There Were None

I watched the excellent all-star adaptation from the BBC in 2015 with Charles Dance as the judge before I read the book, but having watched it first didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book. There are a few differences between the book and the 2015 adaptation, particularly in the way the ending plays out, but the terror that the guests on the island feel is palpable. 

3. Murder on the Orient Express

I watched the David Suchet version since there is no other Poirot for me besides Suchet. I read this one first before I watched it. I managed to guess whodunnit here, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment of reading or watching. 

4. Death on the Nile

This was one of those stories that I thought I knew whodunnit. I was close, but no cigar. I loved the setting of Egypt for this story, and I loved how each of the travelers seemed guilty. I have nothing against Miss Marple, but I always prefer Poirot. 

5. Hallowe’en Party

This isn’t my favorite Poirot story, but it has great autumn and Halloween vibes because of the Halloween party at the heart of the story. There are a few twists, and while I wasn’t certain of the murderer, that person was on my list of suspects. You’ll never look at apple bobbing the same after reading this one. 

Favorite Mysteries Not by Agatha Christie

1. The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

Michaelides is very inspired by Agatha Christie. That’s all I can say about this book without spoilers! I was as surprised by this book as I have been by almost any other book, but again, spoilers!

2. Last Bus to Woodstock (Inspector Morse #1) by Colin Dexter

I love Morse both books and TV show. I love all Morses. I love the original with John Thaw. I love Lewis. I love Endeavour, which I think might be my favorite of the three. I love reading the books that inspired it all, so I’m always good for an Inspector Morse novel. 

3. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

This is one of those novels I had on my shelf for years, and when I was ready to start reading mystery novels I finally gave it a go and I’m so glad I did. This is a solid five star book for me. In 1327, Friar William of Baskerville (I’m sure that name is not an accident since William uses deduction to solve the crimes like Sherlock Holmes) and his “Watson” Adso arrive at an abbey in Northern Italy which has been shaken by mysterious deaths. The fact that an impressive library plays an important role in the story wins points with me. The history is vibrant and brought to life so that you feel you are living amongst the monks. William of Baskerville feels like a 14th century Sherlock Holmes. The story is a bit slow at first and it took me two attempts to make it past the beginning, but if you love historical mysteries hang in there because the story is worth it. 

4. The Crow Trap (Vera Stanhope #1) by Ann Cleeves

I’ve loved the TV version with Brenda Blethyn for years, and I’m glad I finally gave the book a try. So far, I’ve only read the first book, but I liked it, and I’ll be reading some more. Be prepared because Vera herself doesn’t appear until about 40% of the way through the story. Cleeves does a wonderful job setting up the characterizations, the setting, and the murder. 

5. The Adam Dalgliesh Series (Books 1-14) by PD James

I watched the latest TV version of Dalgliesh on Acorn recently and enjoyed the episodes so I decided to read the novels they were based on. I loved the first Dalgliesh book so much I ended up binging on all of the books in the series (there’s 14 of them, plus two short Christmas stories about Dalgliesh when he’s a DS) in two months. That’s not a joke. I started Cover Her Face (Book #1) on August 15 and I finished The Private Patient (Book #14) on October 12. I didn’t love all 14 books equally. Some I adored, and some were just okay. I enjoyed watching the character of Commander Dalgliesh develop through the novels, so that kept me going when I thought the novel itself wasn’t as strong.

I think the reason I love the Dalgliesh books so much is because of PD James’ writing style. She has a more literary style, which I love, and she’s brilliant with description, setting, and characterization. Sometimes, with Christie there’s a feeling of cardboard cutout characters being pushed around the game board to get from plot points to the ending. With James, these are honest to goodness people with personalities, wants, and desires who seem so real they could walk off the page. Dalgliesh himself is a fascinating character. On the one hand he keeps himself distant from everyone and everything, yet underneath it all is an empathy that keeps him aware of the humanity of the murder victims, the suspects, and everyone affected by the murder investigation. On a personal note, I love that Dalgliesh is a poet and a police officer. Most of us have our art and we have our living. Sometimes the two meet; more often, they don’t.

I’m so glad I started reading the books that my favorite mysteries were based on. There’s much more character development on the page than there is time for in a screen adaptation. I’m looking forward to finding more mysteries to read, but for now, I’m taking a break and enjoying my favorite Winter reads. I’m starting with Little Women this year.

Happy Thanksgiving: Remember Gratitude

Instructions for living a life.

Pay attention.

Be astonished.

Tell about it.

―Mary Oliver

Once again it is Thanksgiving week. The trees in my neighborhood are dropping their beautiful red, yellow, and gold foliage, the trees ready for their winter bareness to prepare to sprout again next year. This has been a crazy year for many reasons, and often, when things feel their bleakest, I do my best to strive for gratitude. I do have a lot to be thankful for. A job that I enjoy. A home with a million dollar view out of my bedroom window where I can watch the autumn leaves drop red by rust by gold to the ground to give the trees their winter time to rest. My writing. And my writing.

I’m thankful for baking chocolate peppermint cookies and pumpkin chocolate chip bread (and thankful for eating them). I’m thankful for a warm, snug bed when it’s cold at night. I’m thankful for my two furries who never cease to make me smile. I’m thankful that the weather in Southern Nevada has finally broken and I can wear sweaters and walk in cool-crisp air that makes me happy to be alive. I’m grateful that I’ve learned to seek the magic in ordinary days. I’ve been binging on Mary Oliver’s poetry lately, and I love how she reminds us to pay attention to the beauty everywhere around us. It’s there, even when we have to search for it.

I decided in 2023 to pursue a more deliberate life, as Thoreau beckons us to do. Seeking magic in ordinary days means paying attention to everything. Instead of always feeling like I need to have exciting experiences, I find joy in making tea and drinking it, feeling the comfort of the warm cup in my hands as I enjoy the scent of the bergamot oil. Seeking magic in ordinary days means living with intention as well as attention to the world around me: basking in the sweet fragrance of chocolate chip cookies as they bake, diving deeply into the worlds of the stories I read, sitting in the park enjoying the trees and the green. 

Even shopping for produce can be a joy. There’s a small farmer’s market near my favorite coffee shop. The farmers come to Nevada from California and they sell organic produce that I love to mull over. I needed carrots for a recipe I cooked recently, and I took great joy in choosing from the purple, yellow, and orange organic carrots. Before, I would have grabbed whatever was handy at the supermarket. Now, even shopping for carrots can be a way to appreciate the moment. Cooking for the Thanksgiving holiday means returning to old family favorite recipes, but it wouldn’t be the holidays without them. I love the smell of the turkey roasting, the green bean casserole simmering, the tangy sweetness of the cranberry sauce. There is always something special about a holiday meal based on tradition.

Being out in nature is one of the best ways to find magic in ordinary days. Feeling the warmth of the sun, seeing the flowers in bloom, watching the birds fly in graceful swirls, and watching the wind sweep through the desert landscape can be wonderful ways to experience natural beauty. Seeing the foliage change from green to red, orange, and yellow in the autumn and allowing the brisk air to wake you up in winter—there’s little that can top that. Wherever you live, whatever the scenery, learn to see the beauty in it. Just as it took me years to appreciate the desert sunsets, it also took me years to appreciate the desert beauty, and now I love the red-rock canyons, the sprouts of green, and the bright-light sun. If you live near hiking, go for a walk, even a short one. If you live near pretty neighborhood parks as I do, then make a point of visiting as often as you can. Leave your electronic doo-dahs behind and allow yourself to take in the beauty around you. Allow nature to excite your senses. What do you see, hear, smell? Enjoy all of it.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, I wanted to share the holiday with my favorite paranormal family, the Wentworths. Here is Chapter 7 from Her Loving Husband’s Curse. Enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends. Remember, there is always something to be grateful for.

* * * * *

In November Halloween was gone, ghosts and ghouls replaced by stoic Native Americans holding pies and smiling, buckle-hatted turkeys unaware of their fate. And pumpkins. The trees were bare now, the burst of temporary color gone, leaving their sugar and crimson behind, the leaves raked away. The branches, now naked and spindly, shivered in the poking, colder air. Storm after storm wet Salem, riding out to the ocean on the crashing waves of the bay. Heavier coats were found, scarves and mittens pulled from their summer hideaways, and people walked closer together, huddled in preparation for the real cold to come. It was calmer in Salem after the summer tourists and the Halloween partiers cleared away, and the locals stretched their legs and walked the quiet streets in peace. 

Sarah paced the wooden gabled house two steps at a time, rearranging the autumn harvest centerpiece on the table near the hearth, straightening the Happy Thanksgiving banner on the wall. She paced again, now three steps at a time, down to the end of the great room and back, dusting the bookshelves again and back, checking the baking cookies in the stainless steel oven and back. When she heard the squeak of the front door, she sighed with relief. She ran to James and pressed herself into his arms.

“She’s not here yet,” Sarah said. 

“I told you I’d be back in time.”

She pushed herself away and paced again. 

“Maybe I should have put out some Pilgrims,” she said. “What if she notices there aren’t any Pilgrims? Everyone has Pilgrim decorations at Thanksgiving time. What if she thinks we’re not good Americans? What if she thinks we won’t know what to do with a child because kids love Pilgrims at Thanksgiving time?” 

“First of all, those Thanksgiving harvest plays the kids do aren’t factually correct. If she wants to know why we don’t have Pilgrims in our house, I’ll explain it to her.” He pulled Sarah back into his arms and kissed her forehead. “We are Pilgrims.”

“We didn’t come over on the Mayflower.”

“No, but we were here when Massachusetts was a colony. We’ll bring down our old clothes from the attic and show her.”

“That’s not funny.”

Sarah walked back to the oven, checked the cookies with a spatula, decided they were brown enough, and pulled them out, placing them onto an autumn orange cake platter with green and yellow leaves. 

“Cookies?” James asked.

“Chocolate chip cookies.” 

“They smell sweet.”

“That’s why people love them.” She pulled one apart, then licked the melted chocolate dribbling down her fingers. “Do you want to try one?”

“I’d love to, but I can’t.”

“You can’t eat at all?”

“Honey, I haven’t eaten solid food in over three hundred years.”

“That’s too bad. Life isn’t worth living without chocolate chip cookies.”

“I think I’m doing all right.”

The cauldron in the hearth caught Sarah’s eye. It looked like it should bubble, bubble, toil and trouble while the three witches in Macbeth cast spells and foretold the future, hysterical with evil visions and dastardly deeds. She looked inside, checking to see if the heavy black pot could be unlatched and removed, shaking her head when the seventeenth century fastenings held strong.

“I never should have left this,” she said. “I should have had it taken out during the remodeling. She’s going to think it’s a child hazard, and it is.” She jumped at the hollow knock at the door that echoed like a loud No! No! No! 

James stroked Sarah’s hand. “It’ll be fine,” he said. “Relax.”

He opened the door, and the social worker walked in, stiff and stoic, underpaid and overworked, an unsmiling woman in an ill-fitting purple jacket with linebacker shoulder pads and a purple flowered skirt. She looked, Sarah thought, like a summer plum. She was slump-shouldered and long-faced, like this was the fiftieth home she had visited that day and it was always the same, smiling faces, fresh-baked cookies, guarantees they would take care of the child whether they would or they wouldn’t. 

The plum-looking woman entered the great room without saying hello. She didn’t acknowledge James or Sarah. “You have a lot of books,” she said finally, writing in the spiral notebook in her hand.

“My wife and I both like to read,” James said.

Sarah stepped aside as the woman nodded at the flat-screen television and shook her head at the three hundred year-old desk, scratching more notes. James looked over her shoulder, trying to see what she wrote, but Sarah shook her head at him. She didn’t want the woman to notice anything odd about James, though his curiosity was human enough. The plum-looking woman stopped in front of the cauldron. 

“Are you witches?” she asked. 

“No,” James said, “but our best friends are.” When the social worker didn’t smile, James stepped away. “The cauldron came with the house,” he said. “We thought it gave the place character so we kept it.” 

“How old is the house?” 

“It’s from the seventeenth century,” Sarah answered. 

“How long have you lived here?”

Sarah and James looked at each other. 

“Two years,” James said. “We both work at the university.”

The plum-looking woman nodded. “If you’re approved you’ll have to have that thing,” she gestured with her pen at the cauldron, “removed. It’s a safety hazard.” 

“Of course,” Sarah said. 

“Does this place need an inspection? Sometimes these older houses have bad wiring, or improper plumbing.”

“The house is up to code,” James said. “We made sure of that when we had the place remodeled.”

“When was this remodeling?”

“They finished during the summer. I have the paperwork here.” 

He handed the social worker the forms that said the house met the qualifications of a twenty-first century inspection. She glanced over the paperwork and nodded, writing more notes. She looked around the kitchen, the bedroom, the smaller room in the back. She scowled at the wood ladder that led up to the attic. 

“Can that be removed?” she asked.

“We can take it out if it’s a problem,” James said.

She nodded, scowling more at the cauldron as she walked back into the kitchen. 

“Would you like something to drink?” Sarah asked.

“Thank you. Water would be fine.”

“We have some cold water in the fridge,” Sarah said.

“No need to trouble yourselves. I’ll get it.” 

Before Sarah could protest, the social worker opened the refrigerator and eyed the groceries before pulling out the water pitcher. Sarah dropped into a chair, unable to hide the horror on her face. What if the social worker saw James’ bags of blood? But James nodded, pointing to his temple, an I’ve got this look in his eyes. He pulled a glass from the cupboard, poured water for the plum-looking woman, then joined Sarah at the table, smiling the whole time.

“What do you do at the college?” the social worker asked.

“I’m a professor, and my wife is a librarian.”

“What do you teach?”

“English literature.”

She sipped her water as she glanced over the application in her manila folder. “I think you’re my son’s English professor. Levon Jackson. Do you know him?”

“Very well,” James said. “He took two of my classes last year, and he’s in my Shakespeare seminar this term. He’s a bright young man, and a very good writer.”

Mrs. Jackson clapped her hands, her mother’s love everywhere on her round cheeks. No longer the plum-looking woman, now she was Levon’s mother.

“You should hear how he raves about you, Doctor Wentworth. Every day he comes home saying Doctor Wentworth said this or Doctor Wentworth said that.” 

“It’s a pleasure teaching a student who wants to learn,” James said.

Mrs. Jackson’s round-cheeked smile lit the room. “You’ve done a world of good for my boy, Doctor Wentworth. I was so worried about him after that back injury meant he couldn’t be considered for the NHL draft. Going pro is all he’s talked about since he put on his first pair of skates. When that was no longer possible for him, he floundered. He didn’t have plans for anything else, and now he wants to be a professor like you. I’m pleased to meet you, Doctor Wentworth.”

“Please, call me James. It’s my pleasure.” 

As Mrs. Jackson looked over the paperwork, James winked at Sarah.

“I don’t see any problems here, Doctor Wentworth. Everything seems to be in order. Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll have the rest of the paperwork approved by my supervisor.” Mrs. Jackson looked at Sarah. “Mrs. Wentworth, you have a lovely house with a lot of history here. Any child would be lucky to have such a home.”

“Thank you,” Sarah said.

James escorted Mrs. Jackson to her car, said good night, and waved as she drove away. Back inside, James walked to Sarah, put his arms around her, and pulled her close. She felt the invisible fairy-like thread drawing them together again, only now it was looser, stretching out, over there to where someone else waited, someone they didn’t know yet but someone who was loved unconditionally.

Just because, Sarah thought. Whoever you are. We love you just because.

She pointed her chin up, and James kissed her. When she opened her eyes, he was smiling.

“Was that your idea to move the blood bags?” she asked.

“I thought she might look in the refrigerator,” he said. “To see how clean we are.”

“That’s why you’re brilliant, Doctor Wentworth.”

“I know,” he said.

The Swirl and Swing of Words is an Amazon #1 New Release in Authorship

Just a quick note today to let you know that The Swirl and Swing of Words: Embracing the Writing Life was named a #1 New Release in Authorship and it was #2 in Creativity Self-Help on Amazon. I’m always amazed when things like this happen. Thank you to everyone who has bought the book, and I hope you’re enjoying it!

The Swirl and Swing of Words: Embracing the Writing Life is Now Available

I’ve been hoping to be able to make this announcement this autumn and here it is. My newest nonfiction book, The Swirl and Swing of Words: Embracing the Writing Life, is available today, Tuesday, October 29, 2024, in ebook format on Amazon, BN, Apple, and wherever books are sold. An AI-narrated audiobook is available from Amazon and Audible, and paperback editions are currently available through Amazon. As always, my ebooks are released at an introductory price of 99 cents.

Come to think of it, this is the first time I can remember having two releases in the same year. I think because And Shadows Will Fall is fiction and The Swirl and Swing of Words is nonfiction, I was able to work on both at the same time.

Here is the blurb for The Swirl and Swing of Words:

Some of us are compelled to share our creative visions through the written word. If we want to stay true to our dreams of being writers, then we should embrace the writing life.

Embracing the writing life means giving into the joys and the challenges of our chosen art form. Embracing the writing life means living fully, being present in the moment, and finding meaning in the smallest things. This is how we fill our creative well, after all—with life. 

Whether you are new to writing or have many years under your belt, embracing the writing life may be the best thing you can do for yourself as a creative person, and a human being. 

The Swirl and Swing of Words touches on topics as wide-ranging as finding time to write, writer’s block, finding creative magic in ordinary days, dealing with rejection, and keeping the joy of writing alive. I called this an odd little book once, and I still think of it that way. Writing The Swirl and Swing of Words was a chance for me to share what I’ve learned as I continue to grow into the writer I want to be. I hope other writers will recognize themselves in the joys and struggles that come with choosing a creative life. While writing itself is a solitary activity, we are not alone in our dreams, concerns, and backaches. When we accept writing for what it is—one of the best things we can do for ourselves—then we can embrace it with all that we have to give. 

As with my previous nonfiction book, The Swirl and Swing of Words isn’t about selling as many books as you can, writing 15000 words a day, or marketing anything. This book is about sharing my deep, abiding love for writing, a love that has sustained me through many storms. This book is about how I came to embrace the writing life over trials and errors, ups and downs, experiments and, finally, acceptance of my creative life how it is and not how I wish it to be. Writing this book has helped me clarify my experience with living an authentic creative life in this precious time we have. The book was written for anyone who strives to maintain their creative selves even when the going gets tough, and it does sometimes. Those of you who have been longtime readers of this blog may recognize some of the chapters in the book, which began life here as blog posts. The blog posts have been fleshed out, reorganized, and updated. 

I’m doing a soft launch for this book, which means that I’m not having a big release day to-do as I have with previous books. I have review copies of The Swirl and Swing of Words available for readers of this blog. Let me know through the Contact tab at the top of the page or meredithallardauthor@gmail.com if you’d prefer an epub or pdf review copy.

I hope other writers find some useful ideas or needed inspiration as they begin their journeys toward embracing the writing life. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Let me know what you think.

Buy The Swirl and Swing of Words here:

Her Dear & Loving Husband is Featured on Freebooksy

Every year I enjoy seeing lists of favorite autumn reads. Her Dear & Loving Husband certainly fits that bill. It has vampires, witches, and the Salem Witch Trials. Also, most of the story takes place in New England in the autumn. What could be better?

If you’ve been wanting to read Her Dear & Loving Husband, you can find it featured on Freebooksy today. One reader, after reading my last post about Dark Academia, said that Her Dear & Loving Husband could fit in that genre since James is an English professor and much of the story takes place on a university campus. Honestly, the thought never occurred to me, but there you go. My readers are often smarter than I am.

Autumn is the perfect time to curl up with a cup of tea, a warm blanket, and a good book. I’ll have my list of favorite autumn reads soon.

What I’m Reading: The Dark Academia Edition

I had a wonderful summer, for which I’m thankful. I managed to balance working on two different book projects, one fiction and one nonfiction, and I also took time to just exist and enjoy my summer break. I baked a lot and then I ate what I baked. Otherwise, why bake? I checked out some new coffee shops in my neighborhood and a bookstore called Writer’s Block in Downton Las Vegas that I’ve been wanting to visit for a while now. I left with a Murakami novel (1Q84–five stars from me) and some Agatha Christie. I read a lot during the summer, which should be of no surprise. 

I love to live according to the seasons, which includes reading books and watching television shows and films appropriate for that time of year. I did things a little differently this year since my new novel is a Dark Academia murder mystery–new genres for me and I’m as excited about writing this book as I was when I started writing Her Dear & Loving Husband in 2009. Normally, I’d save these darker genres for autumn or winter, but this year I’ve been reading Dark Academia and murder mysteries no matter the season. Now that the new school year has started here in Southern Nevada, it’s a good time to talk about Dark Academia. 

If you’re not familiar with the Dark Academia genre, the stories are about learning on some level, whether that learning happens at a school, a university, or somewhere like a library or a museum. Dark Academia romanticizes academia because it emphasizes the intellectual life and studying subjects like literature, classics, history, and languages.  

In Dark Academia there is a darkness lurking beneath the exterior (hence the dark in Dark Academia). Dark Academia stories are Gothic in nature, and they include secret societies and murders as well as covering up those murders. Some Dark Academia novels are paranormal fantasies that include magic, vampires, and other supernatural powers or creatures.

I’ve said before that I must live under a rock. Dark Academia has been around since 2015, but I’ve only discovered it within the past year or so. I kept seeing the term “Dark Academia” popping up and I thought, well, I’m an academic and I like dark, so I decided to check it out. I saw a few lists of recommended Dark Academia novels, I read a few, and I fell in love with the genre. 

There are valid criticisms of Dark Academia. Some see the genre as elitist and not multicultural enough. As a former adjunct professor, I can say that the Dark Academia novels I’ve read don’t always reflect what I saw on my university campus. My students came from all over the world, spoke all languages, and the majority of them didn’t come from privileged backgrounds. Many of my students didn’t have the luxury of being full-time students and they worked part or full-time jobs while they attended classes. My enjoyment of Dark Academia isn’t diminished by this knowledge, but it is something to be aware of if you choose to read this genre. 

Here are some of my favorite Dark Academia books so far. 

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

No discussion about Dark Academia is complete without mentioning The Secret History. I read that The Secret History is credited with created the Dark Academia sub-genre. The Secret History was the first Dark Academia book I read, which was great because I loved this book so much but not so great because it set the bar quite high for the DA books I read afterward. I was captured by the narrative from the first page and I couldn’t read it fast enough because I had to know what happened next. 

The story follows a group of Ancient Greek students at a New England college, and it isn’t a spoiler to say that they  murder one member of the group because it says so on the first page of the novel. On the one hand there’s no mystery because we know who was murdered and who murdered him, but that doesn’t hamper the suspense of seeing how events played out. I’ve seen mixed opinions on this one. Some readers say that none of the characters were likable, but I think that was the point. The study of morality and complicity amongst these mostly privileged characters was fascinating. For me, The Secret History is a five-star book with a story I can’t stop thinking about. 

If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio

I read If We Were Villains right after finishing The Secret History, which I don’t recommend because at first I felt as though If We Were Villains was a sort of fan fiction of The Secret History since there is a cover-up of a murder in this book too. I enjoyed the setting of young Shakespearean actors studying at a classical conservatory. Reading about Shakespeare is always a plus for me. I’m glad I stuck with it because as I continued reading I came to enjoy the story as its own entity separate from The Secret History, though I’ll admit I wasn’t entirely sold on the ending. Still, a solid four star book for me. 

Babel by R.F. Kuang

Usually a story lives or dies for me on the strength of the characters and I’m still not sure what I think of Robin Swift, the main character of Babel. Robin didn’t seem to have a distinct personality, but rather he took on the opinions of whoever he was with. While I see that Kuang likely did this on purpose to show the negative effects that colonialism has on the people affected by it, I still didn’t connect to the character, or really any of the characters. Even so, I was so engrossed in the world Kuang created that I was willing to forgive whatever I felt was lacking in the characterizations. Most of the story takes place at Oxford, which automatically scores points with me. Robin studies translation and magic at Babel, a fictional college at Oxford. Soon Robin and other students studying at Babel realize that their work is being used to support British imperialism. I thought Kuang did a great job creating the magic system with the silver bars and the match-pairs. There was a lot that I liked about what Kuang did here and this was another four star book for me. 

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House is set at Yale where Galaxy “Alex” Stern is selected to join the ninth house, known as Lethe, which monitors the magical practices of Yale’s eight secret societies. Alex was recruited to Lethe because she can see ghosts. Her mentor at Lethe is known as Darlington, and as we begin the story Darlington is missing and there’s been a murder of a local young woman. There is so much I love about this book. I love Bardugo’s world building. I believed in Lethe and the eight magical societies. I really believed in Alex. She isn’t from money. She’s not a typical Yale student. Her pre-Yale life includes an immature mother, a missing father, drug abuse, and an abusive boyfriend. Alex Stern is a flesh and blood character, and she felt so real to me I thought she could walk right out of the book. 

On a personal note, I’m from the San Fernando Valley in Southern California and it was fun to see references to Van Nuys, Reseda, and all of the places where I grew up. Beyond that, the story is so engrossing that I read the book in two days. As soon as I finished Ninth House I jumped right into the sequel Hell Bent. I had to know what happened to Darlington, right? Hell Bent is wonderful as well, and if you loved Ninth House then you must keep going. I read that there’s going to be another Alex Stern book and I’m there for it. Definitely five stars for me. 

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

I don’t even know how to explain how much I adore this book. I love each and every one of those 280,000 words. I had such a hard time leaving this world that after I finished reading the book I watched the TV adaptation three times in a row because I love that too. I thought the actors did an amazing job bringing the characters to life. Then, because I still couldn’t let go, I listened to the audiobook. The narrative style is Dickensian, which scores major points with me. Clarke writes with Dickens’ wit, as if the narrator sees the humor in the events and shares that humor in wink-wink nudge-nudge asides for the reader. Other readers have likened Clarke’s narration as being similar to Jane Austen, and I can see that, but I was thinking Dickens when I was reading. 

The story is an alternate history of England during the Napoleonic Wars, a world where magic is real and accepted but it has died away over the centuries. Mr. Norrell, and then his apprentice Jonathan Strange, work to bring magic back to England. So much happens in this book that it’s impossible for me to summarize here. Some might balk at putting this book in the Dark Academia category, but I think it fits. Even though the story doesn’t take place at a university, it does center on books and learning–in this case learning magic. Also, Mr. Norrell’s library was pretty awesome. Footnotes in fiction are hit or miss for me, but here they were a bull’s eye hit. They added a layer of realism (and more humor) to the story. The academic-like footnotes, citations included, are another reason I think Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell qualifies as Dark Academia. While the tone is largely comic, there is a lot of darkness here. This is one of those books I’ll reread over and over again. Five+ stars for me. And if you loved Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell…

Piranesi by Susanna Clarke

After I finally pulled myself away from the world of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell,  I picked up a copy of Piranesi at my local Barnes and Noble. Piranesi is a little book–200 pages compared to the 900 pages (including footnotes) of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell–yet this little book packs a huge emotional punch. Piranesi lives in a structure that is an endless labyrinth, complete with an ocean. He spends his days exploring the House, as he calls the structure, and the world inside the House is the only life he can recall. He lives alone except for a man he calls The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week. The Other requires Piranesi’s help in studying a great, secret knowledge, and events unfold in a way that leaves Piranesi second-guessing everything he thinks he knows. That’s it. That’s all I can say without spoilers. Other readers have called this book weird, but weird is not the word I would use. Once you accept the fantasy of this world then it ceases being weird. The magical element just is. 

Piranesi is a heart-rending book and it touched me deeply. There’s a line toward the end said by Piranesi where, after I read it, I had to put the book down and walk across the room. I had to put physical distance between myself and the book because it caught me right where I live. I can’t remember the last time I was so touched by something I read. There is a psychological truth to the ending of Piranesi’s story, and I think that’s why the emotional punch is so strong. On the surface Piranesi might not seem like Dark Academia, but it is a story about university professors and a secret society with secret knowledge, so I’m putting it here. Susanna Clarke is such a talent. For someone to write Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, a modern masterpiece, and then come out with this gem is nothing short of miraculous. Five++  stars for Piranesi. 

I’ve read some wonderful books I might not have known about if I hadn’t become interested in Dark Academia. If you’re looking for an interesting new genre and you like Gothic literature and mystery, then by all means give Dark Academia a try. 

Next time I’ll share some of my favorite mystery novels. Of course, Agatha Christie will be at the top of the list. I’m reading Death on the Nile for the first time as I write this. 

Writing Inspiration: How I Wrote Victory Garden

As much as I love the Loving Husband Series and the Hembry Castle Chronicles, one of my books that really stands out to me is Victory Garden, a novel of the American women’s suffrage movement. I’ve been so caught up writing about James and Sarah for the past few years that I haven’t given Victory Garden much thought. To remedy that, Victory Garden is currently on sale for 99c through July.

When I began Victory Garden, all I had was a vague idea that I wanted to explore the fight for American women’s voting rights. I had been watching a news show where they discussed the apathy of American voters, and for some reason my overactive brain recalled when I was in the fifth grade and my class read a story about a woman who was arrested for demanding the right to vote. I can’t remember the name of the story, but I remember that she was kept in a squalid cell and force-fed because she refused to eat while she was in prison. I hadn’t thought of that story since fifth grade, but suddenly I wondered what that experience must have been like. Who was that woman? How did she get there? After kicking the idea around a bit, I realized there was a story in there I wanted to explore. 

How did I whittle through the excess to find the kernel of the story? First, I did some general research to get a sense of the era. By general research I mean I read books and articles about American women fighting for the right to vote. I wasn’t looking for anything specific because I didn’t know enough to be specific. I wanted an idea of what the American women’s suffrage movement looked like since I knew next to nothing about it. 

As I gained knowledge about the what of the era, I began to see a who—a young woman living through the events of the American women’s suffrage movement. I knew she was riled up by how women were treated as second-class citizens. I knew she made the decision to be part of the solution, which meant fighting for the vote. I saw her go to Washington, DC to picket the White House. She too would be arrested and she too would be force-fed. 

Once my story had a direction I was able to focus on more specific aspects of the American women’s suffrage movement. What brought the women to Washington, DC? Why did they picket? Why were they arrested and force-fed? Here’s some American history trivia: did you know that there were many American women against the women’s suffrage movement? A surprising number of women believed that women didn’t have the stamina for something as strenuous as forming political opinions and voting. The irony, of course, is that the anti-suffrage women campaigned as hard as their pro-suffrage counterparts, thereby doing exactly what they claimed women couldn’t do. Who were these women working against their own right to vote? The anti-suffrage movement added another layer of interest to my story. I also discovered that the final phase of the women’s suffrage movement coincided with American participation in World War I and the war had an important impact on the women’s quest for votes. 

I decided that the story would take place between 1917 and 1920, when women received the vote. Finally, I saw my fictional character moving through these real-life events, participating in the suffrage movement, watching friends come home from the war, and caring for family infected with the deadly flu during the 1918 pandemic. Yeah, I know. 

Another inspiration, gleaned from my research, came from my discovery that moving pictures and vaudeville were popular entertainments then. For your reading entertainment, here’s an example of my brain making connections between two unalike things, which happens frequently when I’m writing fiction. My uncle Bruce Arenstein was a huge fan of the old-time vaudeville comedians—Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges, W.C. Fields, and Abbott and Costello. My favorites have always been the Marx Brothers. After Uncle Bruce passed, I brought home some of his books, one of which was written by Harpo Marx about his life on the vaudeville circuit with his brothers. Suddenly, my character, Rose, had a love interest, a vaudeville actor who, you guessed it, travels the country in a musical comedy act with his brothers. Thanks, Uncle Bruce. 

Victory Garden is available from all major retailers.

Frequently Asked Questions: And Shadows Will Fall Edition

Happy summer everyone. I’m always happy it’s summer, but this year even more so.

I recently did a promotion for Her Dear & Loving Husband, and nearly 2000 copies were downloaded in five days. The book was as low as #88 overall in the entire Amazon store, and it hung out at #1 in Historical Fantasy Fiction, #1 in U.S. Historical Fiction, and #2 in Paranormal Vampire Romance for most of that time. Even as I write this several days later, the book is #338 overall in the Amazon store and #1, #2, and #4 in its categories. If you’re one of the readers who recently downloaded Her Dear & Loving Husband, welcome!

I received some great questions from readers recently, so I thought it was time to do the FAQs for And Shadows Will Fall.

Where did the idea for And Shadows Will Fall come from?

And Shadows Will Fall was one of those books that took a little time to come together, mainly because it’s a mix of a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

When I began writing Down Salem Way, I thought the book would be written in the same style as the Loving Husband Trilogy, which has third-person narration with past and present storylines. At some point along the way, I realized I wasn’t happy with DSW that way. I’m not even sure I can say why I wasn’t happy. It’s just one of those things that happens sometimes when I’m writing. Something wasn’t working with DSW and I needed to fix it, so I put the manuscript away and worked on other things. Down Salem Way ended up becoming a historical novel written as James’ diary from the time of the Salem Witch Trials.

As I said in the author’s notes at the end of And Shadows Will Fall, the idea for ASWF came from a fan. A lovely fan said that James must have had a hard time adjusting after his change in Her Loving Husband’s Return, and, pretty please, couldn’t I write a book like that?

I was busy writing other projects, but one day I realized that not only could I write a book like that, but I wanted to write a book like that. How does someone adjust to being human again after being decidedly not human for more than 300 years? That was the main question that guided me while I wrote ASWF.

As I pierced together the story for ASWF, I remembered the present-day passages I had written for the first draft of Down Salem Way. I pulled the passages out of their computer files, dusted them off, and found that they would be great for ASWF.

If you like And Shadows Will Fall, you have the fan to thank. If you don’t like it, it’s all the fan’s fault.

Is And Shadows Will Fall a stand-alone?

And Shadows Will Fall is not a stand-alone. Where Down Salem Way, the prequel to the Loving Husband Trilogy, and The Duchess of Idaho, the sequel to the Loving Husband Trilogy, are both stand-alones, And Shadows Will Fall will not likely make as much sense to readers not familiar with the trilogy.

As I was writing ASWF, I felt very strongly that this story was a gift for fans of the Loving Husband Series. There are readers who have been following James and Sarah Wentworth since Her Dear & Loving Husband was published in 2011. The fact that ASWF was inspired by a fan’s comments is incredible to me.

I knew going in that And Shadows Will Fall will not be a huge seller because it’s not a stand-alone, and I’m okay with that. Fans who have visited my online bookstore recently have discovered how much of a gift this book really is. And Shadows Will Fall is a story about gratitude. Gratitude is a good topic for me because I am so grateful for the Loving Husband Series readers all over the world.

What is the right order to read the books in the Loving Husband Series?

My answer is: it depends. Great answer, right?

Readers have their own preferences about the order they like to read the books in a series, so I think readers should read the books in whatever order they prefer. I think most readers begin with the first book of the trilogy, Her Dear & Loving Husband. Others with an interest in the Salem Witch Trials have started with the prequel, Down Salem Way. Some with an interest in the Oregon Trail began with the sequel, The Duchess of Idaho. Whatever floats your boat.

If you’d like to read the books in the order they were published, which works well in my opinion, here it is:

Her Dear & Loving Husband Her Loving Husband’s CurseHer Loving Husband’s ReturnDown Salem Way (prequel)The Duchess of Idaho (sequel)And Shadows Will Fall

My best way of describing And Shadows Will Fall is to say it’s Book 4 of the trilogy, which makes no sense, I know, but that’s why I need a calculator to balance my checkbook.

If you’d like to read the books in chronological order of events, here it is:

Down Salem WayHer Dear & Loving HusbandHer Loving Husband’s CurseHer Loving Husband’s ReturnAnd Shadows Will FallThe Duchess of IdahoWill there be another Loving Husband book?

Yes!

That’s all I can say right now. I’m currently working on two projects: my next nonfiction book about writing called The Swirl and Swing of Words and my next novel, which is a change of genre for me. I’m having more fun than should be legal writing it. The new-to-me genre is Dark Academia and…that’s all I can say right now. More than that would be spoilers!

If you’ve been following me for any length of time you know I’m terrible at guessing when books will be done. As soon as they’re ready for the world, you guys will be among the first to know.

Thank you as always to the readers who contact me through the Contact link at the top of the page. I love answering reader questions, so keep them coming!

And Shadows Will Fall is Here!

I’m so excited to announce that the latest chapter in the eternal love story of James and Sarah Wentworth, And Shadows Will Fall, is now available.

If you were wondering what happened to James and Sarah after the events of Her Loving Husband’s Return, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by And Shadows Will Fall. The story takes place a year after Her Loving Husband’s Return ends.

I have a lot to say about the writing of ASWF, and I’ll share those thoughts in coming posts. For now, I’ll say that it was an interesting experience returning to the immediate world of James and Sarah back in Salem, Massachusetts. Where Down Salem Way and The Duchess of Idaho are very much part of the Wentworths’ extended world, ASWF is right back to where we left off at the end of the trilogy.

And Shadows Will Fall is currently available at all major book retailers for the introductory price of 99 cents through April 2024. The paperback is available on Amazon for $10.99.

Thank you to those of you who preordered the book through my online bookstore. Your copies have been sent. Please check the email you added when you purchased the book. The ebooks on my bookstore are currently on sale at 20% off. You can visit my bookstore here.

My Books Are Available As Audiobooks Through Audible.com

Thanks to a beta program through Amazon, I was able to turn my ebooks into audiobooks that are available through Amazon or Audible. The price is the same as the ebooks, either $3.99 or $4.99. The books are narrated by AI, just so you know. I listened to them and I think they sound pretty good if I do say so myself.

The AI narrated audiobook for And Shadows Will Fall is also available for $3.99 through Amazon and Audible.

Happy Reading!

I know there are a lot of readers who have been looking forward to a book about James and Sarah for a long time. Here it is. This book was a labor of love, and I hope you enjoy it.

And Shadows Will Fall Will Be Here April 16, 2024!

The release of And Shadows Will Fall, the next installment of the Loving Husband series, is finally upon us. The official publication date is Tuesday, April 16, 2024. 

Of course, Loving Husband Series fans know that James Wentworth’s birthday is April 19, so this an an almost-birthday gift for James.

Here is the blurb:

“What does it take to let go of a painful past?

James Wentworth has lived a long time, and he has seen the best and the worst that humanity can offer. While he struggles to adjust to his new life, he realizes that some things are too painful to forget. The Salem Witch Trials, with their long-lasting repercussions for James and those he loves, are still very much on his mind.

With the help of his beloved wife, Sarah, and their children, Grace and Johnny, James is ready to look forward to everything good in his life. Despite his best efforts, his history continues to haunt him. In the end, he may need the help of family friend Olivia Phillips, the most powerful of witches, to leave his past behind once and for all.”

Excited yet? I certainly am. 

The idea for And Shadows Will Fall was inspired by a fan of the Loving Husband Trilogy. Somewhere between the publication of Down Salem Way and The Duchess of Idaho, a kindly fan contacted me and said, you know, I bet James had a lot of problems after he became human again. It couldn’t have been an easy adjustment for him after living a paranormal life for more than 300 years. Couldn’t you write a book about that? 

Of course, I thanked the fan profusely, and I was indeed grateful. The fact that fans love the Loving Husband Trilogy so much that they think of new ways to continue the story is every writer’s dream. At the time, I was writing Christmas at Hembry Castle, then Painting the Past, and then The Duchess of Idaho. After I finished The Duchess of Idaho, my thoughts went back to that fan’s suggestion. 

Well, why couldn’t I write that story? I realized that maybe there was something missing, some link between Her Loving Husband’s Return, Book 3 in the trilogy, and The Duchess of Idaho, the sequel to the trilogy. Once I made that connection, I realized that And Shadows Will Fall had to be written. 

Where To Purchase And Shadows Will Fall

And Shadows Will Fall will be available through my online bookstore, which you can find here. The ebook for ASWF will be on sale for 99 cents through May 2024. You can read purchases from my bookstore on your favorite devices. Ebooks are available in mobi, epub, and pdf formats. And all ebooks in my bookstore are currently on sale!

Preorders for And Shadows Will Fall are now available through my bookstore.

And Shadows Will Fall will also be available through Amazon, BN, Apple, and all major online retailers beginning on 4/16/24. The AI-narrated audiobook for And Shadows Will Fall will be available from Amazon and Audible for $3.99 beginning on April 16, 2024. A paperback version of ASWF will be available through Amazon.

I have much more to say about And Shadows Will Fall. Stay tuned!