C. (Comment, never msg).’s Comments (group member since Jan 30, 2014)

C. (Comment, never msg).’s comments from the Gentle SPECTRUMS group.

I hope you both see if you can answer my questions. I think most of the answers, except the baby's name, are in the PDF to find. Give me a hand, instead of me looking through it? If you remember or don't mind a browse.

Here are interesting links about the series. Beginning in 2008, it is still going, with season 15 coming next month! I won't look at it until I have seen the shows in order. I am watching for good prices of the most current boxset, which goes to season 12 in region 1 NSTN. https://www.tvinsider.com/1001035/mur...

If I have the money to fly to Toronto in the future again, to visit my brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephew; I will want to see chief "Murdoch Mysteries" locations. I always think of something to see in Toronto. https://murdochmysteries.fandom.com/w...

I notice after I replied to Shirin yeterday, that I was missing a paragraph of Kerri's first entry, which was a great one as well. You highlighted how much you like William's hosts and that they are good people. I love them too. They are curious out of care for humanity and interest in puzzles.

Did the book say they had children or how old the couple is? Tuberculosis might give an impression of being elderly but Arthur might not be. I wonder why they call each other "Mother" and "Father", if they weren't parents.

I guess it is universally know (except to certain American political parties) that coal is terrible on the environment. It did not occur to me to perceive it as bad for health. If Arthur should avoid it for a respiratory illness, it is too bad they didn't notice that in 1895. Thank you for your observation. Also, it is only my guess that William is about 25. How about the two of you?

My parents used charcoal bricks the rare time we barbequed on little units when we were kids. We occasionaly went to a park that provided grills built into concrete. Barbeques have been butane for so many years, the tank we have probably would not be accepted for exchange. As vegetarians, we don't use it much.

I love that William's hosts don't stand on much ceremony and invite friendship with him. I love seeing the three of them together. How cute is it, that William's ticket to holding a woman soemtime soon is good, clean, dance lessons? We just love him more and more, don't we? I feel a blu-ray search coming.

Kerri, I asked in your comment box of your future "The Gargoyle" review, if you own that book. Andrew Davidson is from Pinawa, Manitoba; a small town I have seen once, that isn't far from here.

P.S. I notice I do not know enough about Iran or New Zealand and am relieved to be learning about New Zealand. I am grateful for the books I have that are all about it, Kerri. Not only because they seem to be wonderful books. I had read Dorothy Eden and Mignon Warner but I will not name the two places in which they set their novels instead. They have received quite enough attention. ;>

Shirin, I would love to read stories of Iran that have nothing to do with oppressed women; the only thing most people know. My Mother gave me many years ago, which I did not read yet, "Not Without My Daughter". Of course we want to respect a difficult time that two people escaped. On the other hand, many people think it does not show enough nice things about Irainian culture and the country. I would love to read stories that aren't "hard life" stories, or political.

This is the same reason I love the novels and fiction coming out of the prairies: Alberta is included but mainly Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We used to be all about "the hard life of the pioneers, farmers, or hunters making these places homes". Now you can read fun mystery and other fictional novels in our environments. Saskatchewan to my west, which largely consists of farmland and oil fields, is shown by Gail Bowen via its two cities. Some mysteries are better than others but I love her modern city life perspective. "Olden days" books about the prairies are all we used to have. It was time to upgrade! :)

Guys, Ettie is the living friend. We know she and Alice were guilty of denuding a body and I think once William gave Ettie a way out of using her name, she came clean. As William aptly queried: "Is that all?" It was enough for Alice to get killed for, although William does not know she also recognized the creep in the carriage, the second man who appeared when she left the bar.

Kerri, when you said "you thought the little girl was nice in other ways" and you think "the USA and England are nice settings"; no one would disagree. But those are stating the obvious. I think you understand what I mean, that nearly every book in the world is set in those two places. I am not shy about saying I crave seeing novels anywhere else. Anywhere. It isn't because I have been to each. If anything, that gives me a special connection to those countries. But book horizons need to broaden. :)

Certainly, everyone also loves to see different walks of life in novels. However, they don't need to become narrators. I never like multiple points of view for the reasons already shared. Sharing one set of eyes if natural to life and it lets us feel like we are the protagonist. We can discover everything we need through him. Fair enough if you enjoy the opposite but you must have other reasons. Showing us other people is usually done through one protagonist. Anne Perry does it exceptionally well, through the eyes of her policeman, Thomas Pitt and his wife, Charlotte. I always feel antsy to get back to the main character, or the modern storyline if one applies.

I count this as another rare instance, along with Anne Perry (who additionally portrays England - eek!) of me liking historical fiction. Actually, because Maureen is writing of old times barely succeeding Canada's confederation, I hate all the English expressions being used instead of Canadian ones, like speaking of "tea" as if it is a meal instead of a drink. We don't do that. I groan every time anyone says "Do you want this food for your tea", as if tea is a kind of meal. It isn't nowadays. Not here.

I think you might get an idea of how I feel about being recognized for our own independent culture, by living close to Australia. I imagine that like the USA constantly being mentioned in the news and portrayed in books, on TV, in films; maybe your countrymen too often feel like saying: "Hello, we exist as well". Whenever I catch Ron watching MORE American news, as if we haven't had enough of it, I prompt: "What is the news in our country today"? We have a lot of huge issues no one hears bubkis about. God bless authors for finally portraying us and I am glad you are enjoying it. :)

I myself am only over 221 pages. Ron & I binged on a "Jack Ryan" blu-ray TV season on holiday Monday and I was searching book deals too long yesterday. Today is our 21 year couples anniversary! We are common-law rather than traditionally married but we have sure worked and crawled, to make it here. When Ron is home, we will exchange cards and play a boardgame. That is a rare treat. Hopefully some of our many games are okay for two players.

I think it is safe to play detective, with us at the same place. I too, feel that everyone but Donalda is guilty in her family; not the stableboy either. There is a clue William doesn't know. Maureen showed it once and hopes readers will think it is a grand denouement later. Therese doesn't read. The nosy housekeeper likely fabricated the note, which is why she burned it without Donalda's permission. Therese disliked her and wanted to get away from her, as well as an unnamed assaulter. It might have been the housekeeper's husband but Owen seems the type. The housekeeper often told her husband they were lucky to have the job and shouldn't blow it. Therese never said she was going home. That story came from the housekeeper. Do you ladies remember that?

Is there is a reason for that shady couple to protect Owen, as if they were in on anything together? If not, I guess her husband is guilty. But which woman would allow assault on any person, especially caused by her husband?

We might have numerous motives and criminals. Let's see. The housekeepers didn't want Therese to leave but didn't want Donalda to know why she did flee. Are they sponging money or up to something with Owen?

The doctor has a secret far in his past but helpfully went to the police about Therese. He doesn't have the disposition or motive for it to have been a ruse. If someone caught Therese in a carriage, what were they afraid of her telling her church or anyone else? The name of the assaulter? She would have run away, not entered the carriage, if it were he. Alice and the newsboys witnessed no forced passenger. What else did they think she might reveal or overturn?

I think she was going to report it and ask for help. She had no fear of losing her position: she left it but had a rare understanding and friendship with Donalda. Why did she not tell her instead of someone else? It must have been Owen. I am dubious it Donalda's husband. What clues do you two mull over? Yes, I think they tried to drug Alice before she left the bar. Identifying a criminal makes it easy to unearth the motive.

I wonder if her husband's secret might that he is gay but Donalda would be understanding about the differing natures of orientation. His secret might be that he or she produced Owen with someone else, or he fathered a different child. That is all of my sleuthing. I like doing this, well before we know the answers. Sincerely, Carolyn.

I know I am in the minority for not usually liking historical fiction. I am saying that at least, we are in the time period of using telephones. I prefer stories in the 1950s onward, where we relate best of all to personalities, pastimes, and familiar rules or etiquette. Maureen Jennings is an exception because she is Canadian and the TV show I will buy later, looks like a lot of fun.

Also, at least "the olden days" are in Toronto, a wonderful city I have visited thrice. I am sick of English and American story settings and love anything somewhere else.

Shirin, I am glad you love multiple viewpoints, since this is what this novel entailed. Here again, I differ in wishing we would stick to William. I don't know if it was a good idea for Maureen to show us the bar scene before Alice left with a villain, even though it gave us a lot of information. William, our actual protagonist is the one who needs to know those things and I think it is a waste of time to show the reader. It feels more realistic to discover things along with William, which connects us more strongly because it feels like we are sharing his eyes and viewpoint.

I agree that Maureen's style is very good in describing what we need to know, with compassion that gets us caring about the characters and curious about the mysteries to answer! Yes, Ettie is not doing anyone any good by staying quiet. Sure, don't tell people in general because you don't know which people the criminals are. But I want to yell at people in every book: share what you know to police!

I wonder about Mr. Quinn too. He has some kind of racket with borrowed dogs, although Princess is his. He seems to care about dogs or pets, so I don't think there is a dog-fighting ring like in Ian Rankin's novel. A proper animal rights activist would not tolerate breeding either but maybe that is what it is. Today, too many people are obviously to the trouble it causes to obtain pets from breeders and stores, instead of adopting those who need homes from shelters and barn kittens and puppies. My guess is he is a nice guy who is breeding without a license.

Shirin, what does your last sentence mean? Is it that we have a whole series to hear about William, so the short story was focused on portraying the priest for a change? I like that. We do see William discussing his home origins.

He is a sweet person for loving to dance, cherishing his fiancée's picture, making sure the yelling dogs were all right, and for being willing to think like a little boy. When his feet were in the basin of water, didn't we all love him for making tidal waves like he did as a little boy? He even mentioned a ship. Was the one in "Shipwreck" Norweigian? I will add my own thoughts later. It is fun and rewarding to read something from each of you, my friends, yesterday and today.

Hi Shirin! It is nice to imagine what time it is and what my friends are doing, where they live in their beautiful, majestic parts of the world. I picture both of you in warm places with trees, plants, birds, insects, and views I don't have. With Kerri, tropical and bright. With you, Shirin, lots of soft sand and clay colours and ancient buildings and history I wish I could see.

It is true that short stories often leave questions. However, I ask about things that I think were told in the story. Did you see things I missed? I thought you could refresh my memory or direct me to parts I missed, like I did about William's Dad, Harry. We can glean a lot from very little information, if we think like detectives. In fact, this is what "Shipwreck" teaches us, in both timelines. Let us try! Let us not assume "it is impossible with short stories".

You are also right, Shirin, that authors often decide to compose back stories. However, I think they wished they had written those histories in order and compose them so that all the information in them precedes their series. Thus, I think we are lucky to read them first and that it should work. I don't think it makes sense to search for more information from William in 1895, for example, pertaining to something that took place in 1865 (estimating he is age 25). Very often, we become fans of series that are well in progress. I love starting at the earliest time period, not the book's or novella's release years.

I think the answers are here, if we take time to absorb the clues. Even Bill's Granddaughter make remarks about children at school, that made it plain that some of their families were poor and it was only a fast comment. Let us be detectives: help me with a few of my questions if you can. :-) That is a good deduction, Shirin, that Abigail had to go with her husband. I think if I re-read that paragraph of the PDF, it will be clear if she was happy about going to Canada or not. Yes, she probably needed and received help by happenstance on that boatride.

Boats are something a prairie person like me seldom rides, unless they have a cottage and boat by our many lakes. Do either of you often ride in boats, my friends? New Zealand is an island. Is your capital city or country around much water, Shirin?

I don't think comparison between a novel and novella make sense, except as feedback that we love the series. We are keen to buy the rest, followed by the TV show I am sure. Unique from most novellas that only give a few scenes or a short plot, the vocabulary was reduced to teach adults to read. In "Shipwreck", Maureen did not use her full prose and depth, nor Louise Penny in "The Hangman" of this 2010 literacy initiative. Yes, Kerri, I will bet new readers sought the rest of both Canadians' series!

I was glad to discuss Shirin's interpretation of mysteries usually being about arresting someone. It is almost a hobby to dispel the notion that mysteries need have any crime, for the other kinds of quests to answer questions and discover secrets are what I prefer! Now you propose something interesting that I need to ask you about, Kerri. Why do you view this mystery as simple?

Putting aside that this was a novella, I marvelled that it was more complicated than usual. On the other hand, "Except The Dying" is about finding out what someone was murdered, like most novels. "Shipwreck" strove to identify who everyone was, what happened to them, and what they were doing prior to capsizing. There were mismatched clothing and accessories and the sole living person Will and his Maritime priest could interview, lied. I deemed it amazing that they could work out as much as they did by that short interview, their observations, and their inventory.

How do you ladies see the story? Why was that ship en route to Nova Scotia? Was the wife a willing companion, wanting a new life, or merely going along with her merchant husband? Did she know the kind male passenger before, or did she only forge a connection with him because she was abused aboard ship? Only a catholic upbringing, ironic as it is, compelled her to lie about unseemly incidents, to be at peace with God. Today, a woman who needed help or defended herself in duress, would say so.

I couldn't see a name for Abigail's newborn, could you? This is an annoyance: spending too much time with a Grandchild who detracted from the story for me but not adding details readers would want to know. We know William went to university and worked for awhile before moving to Nova Scotia. Did this story say where he studied? I am curious if his fiancée, Elizabeth was Abigail's Daughter from home, 15 years his junior. But Bill would have remarked on a young loss. He said she grew up to be a wonderful woman.

He seems to have been an officer as soon as he came to Toronto. I will review the beginning of "Except The Dying", unless either of you can remind me how long he has been an officer in 1895. I don't get the sense that he is antsy about becoming a full detective but purely enjoys his job. I think he only noted that this case might advance him. Yes, it sure is refreshing for people not to be sad, struggling financially, or subject to drama. A crime mystery creates enough of that.

Kerri, I think to read in buddy style where we add our reactions every night or two, we had better not stop at page 100. Share everything you write under a heading inside your entries. Or paste half, then another half the next day. If you & Shirin mark your page numbers every night, as is my habit, we can see where each other is. :)

As it happens, I believe we are all halfway through and game to rush forward some more tonight. You, Shirin, are 9 1/2 hours ahead. Kerri, if you are the same latitude as Australia, you are 15 hours again. Do you remember the trick? I flip AM to PM + 3 hours. Speaking of differing time zones: I adore Nova Scotia and can tell you it is a wonderful place of beauty. I will soon write the rest of my thoughts in our other thread.

Yes, the book sale was phenomenal price wise and a great score book wise! It oddly seldom seems that I pick off much from my list but I recognize books of interest and obtain better copies than some I had. I keep picking up a number of great Canadian books for the two of you and my American friend, Lorraine. :) Love, Carolyn.

Honestly, Shirin, I just reread chapter 5 to look up the references to alcoholism for you and was gritting my teeth. That little girl annoyed me so much; I could hardly stand to skim that page. It might be cute if it were once or twice but she wouldn't shut up in that whole paragraph; maybe 20 times! You know a character frayed our nerves if we are glad she left. The reaction you & I share was reinforced, how annoying it was that it took 5 chapters to introduce the story we wanted to see.

Anyway, in the first paragraph of chapter 5, Bill tells the story that "Harry doesn't go to church anymore". When William takes over the historic Nova Scotia story in the second paragraph, he says outright that Harry slapped people when he drank too much and made fun of his family, including their mentally challenged son. I think his touchy Dad is mentioned again but will leave you to look-up more entries like that.

What did you think, in your own impressions, Kerri? I love your thorough replies and wonder what you might add. It might help to write your updates first and look at other entries after. I want access to your wonderful, well-read mind. :) I will add more when everyone is caught-up.

The book sale was awesome and our look at the lake. We went to a restaurant there beside the water. Between two places, we came home with 200 books, at a bargain of .40c each! This is why I have to keep reading, hahaha.

I like to separate my subjects. May I please be assured everyone is in the habit of looking for additional updates, besides the latest post? Further to general conversation, here are a few thoughts on "Murdoch Mysteries". I fell asleep before page 100 but love this novel. I prefer that we only follow the hero because it feels like real life: understanding one viewpoint well and one character navigating the story, which allows readers to feel like it is ourselves. However, I am glad Maureen Jennings started the action quickly and introduced us to William Murdoch quickly.

I do picture him as Yannick Bisson's television character, besides a moustache, a handsome likeness to picture! But my glimpse of one show did not acquaint his personality or other characters much. Thus, his written beginnings are a fresh, open book for me. I like him! He and his senior office want to move up in his career but compassion for humanity as well as animals is there.

What is new is that he likes his job and team and has made a friend there, with whom he chats about bicycles. Wide readers like we are have noticed a lot of policemen who are tired of their jobs or who dislike a superior or colleague. I appreciate any difference from the sorts of traits that were too common. Different from most readers, I find that I can like and get into historical fiction if they are at least in an era of using telephones or motorized vehicles.

I won't say anywhere until I know where Shirin is. I wish you would add the percentage or page of where you left off before going to bed. I'll just praise that Maureen builds likeability of her character by adding William's attitude about his boardingrooms and hosts (he is pleased by all of it). By the time they showed him practicing a hobby in his rooms, I loved the guy. I laughed that Maureen implied William might have a sordid side and then found that it was sweet.

I am glad to confirm that comments about these novels not being as good because the characters aren't as lovable, merely derive from being fans of the television show. I am only a little put off that I know who William marries very late in the TV series and was told who he marries in the novels. I wonder if I would have preferred to be surprised by that, or if I am glad I won't be surprised by it. If we enjoy these novels and like the show even better in the future: that is a win.

Hi Kerri. I am relieved because I wrote in e-mail or another place, that you read too fast and bumb me out, at how many books you have finished! I would love to know your routine. You can't only read at night like me. Audio books probably help by day, where you can do something else. I don't think we have spoken of music much yet but I know you love films and TV.

Thinking like a detective, a horsewoman who wears a medium shirt isn't inactive; doing nothing but holding a book in her lap. Although that sounds wonderful, from a non sporty person, haha. Thankfully, the distance to check our 4 gardens, pots, and flowerbeds is enough walking. I guess you just fit in more than I do, or audio books really boost you up. Then again, a lot of them are little pony books. I add in short stories myself, when my quota is looking low.

When you get a chance, I would love to hear your impressions of "Shipwreck" at that conversation. I think so far, you treated Shirin & I to a reply to our musings. I'll save most personal updating for when you continue by e-mail. I love having the personal things we share saved in letters in one place I can go back to, no matter if websites come and go. Your mail is simply a book (we need space!) and a card for Jimmy. Xoxoxoxo.

I hear you on technology being made too dependent but shifty all at once. You won't get me using Apple because I know PCs well (whereas someone not very computer savvy can move to another system they don't know in depth either; you know what I mean). But I hate the way they constantly force an upgrade eventually. I still have Windows 7, was looking for someone to give me a WIndows 8 CD to upgrade a little. I still want that.

I was told to not bother and to go for Windows 10. That would require someone with high-speed downloading the files for me, I am not paying $200 CDN for the CD. When I asked how much they would charge to do it, it was nearly the same. She asked about my computer specifications and it seems that our perfectly good PC with more harddrive space and RAM than we need, is too old to handle Windows 10. It would come with that damn operating system at about $700 CDN. Naturally, I would price check.

Can you imagine complications, if I had listened to the first guy and started upgrading, without anyone verifying our PC was suitable for it? As for your internet set-up instructions expecting you to have a second source of internet to read them: please complain. Companies have to stop being stupid and narrow-minded. I actually had one shop tell me a few years ago, to look on-line for modems. Are they kidding? I guess I could check now as a back-up. Higher-speed ISPs are still limited here. We hoped to skip to a new one this summer.

Canadian authors translated into Persian? That is wonderful! Is it a physical book? Happy reading to both of you too!

In keeping with every night I intended to make progress on the dragged out Kim Sheridan book, which was not presented the way I hoped; I fell asleep 7 pages from the end. I have not started Maureen Jennings yet but will tonight.

Okay, I hope everyone is in the habit of looking all the way up for new messages, since I divide long ones into their own topical comment boxes. Good evening, Kerri! and Shirin I am nearly finished "Animals And The Afterlife" by Kim Sheridan.

I will continue on with "Except The Dying" by Maureen Jennings tonight. Ladies, start your engines and jump in any time! Any conversations we are having here: "Jekyll & Hyde", Ian Rankin's books, "Shipwreck".... may certainly continue as long as we wish. As I clarified in my review of another fine Canadian, our very dear Howard Engel: he is the funny one. However, I hope to enjoy Maureen's beloved characters too in writing.

I am glad to be back, even though I was only off for half of a day. The rain we needed came on Monday. Crazily, thunder & lightening that I observed, short-circuited my dial-up modem as I was waiting for it to turn off! I had to phone the solitary store selling them, with the relief that they had a modem in stock and buy a new one again: five years going! It is our only internet: no smart phones, librairies; hardly any neighbours have it.

I can take slow but not an absence of getting on-line. There are fewer phone books, post office price pamphlets for me to work on parcels at home.... we are expected to look everything up on the internet. I cried in frustration when Ron got home from work but was relieved when I knew I could buy one. I have to stay off when it rains. I made a nice drive of it: saw the chiropractor, bought more minutes for my flip phone that thankfully still works (2G is supposed to stop working).

I mailed mail to certain friends (I am looking at you, New Zealand)! And yes, I bought new second-hand books. I scored a third Cleveland Amory book about his cat that I didn't know he wrote. Your note about the absence of captchas encouraged me and when I encountered a log-in last week or so, none popped up. There is my update.

It surely goes without saying anyone appreciates aspects of a Great-Granddaughter. A little girl is usually cute. However, the interruptions to the story we were there to read pushed to an annoying point. Carving that much detail to justify telling family history was superfluous too and I loves detail. Many authors succeed at filling us in without detours. Thankfully, Maureen did do so in the story of interest. For example, we knew William was cautious around an alcoholic Dad but very close to his Mom.

What was precious to me is the man's Daughter being reminded of what a good parent she had and not only seeing him to seek a favour. However, the details readers weren't told is if that was recent. It would be understandable if she only avoided visiting while she was working out whether or not to bring her ex-husband back into her life. We aren't keen on visitors if life isn't going well, or if we are working on rebuilding it, until we want company and support.

My favourite part of the modern story is the Daughter curling up to be read a story by her Dad. We love and need our parents at any age. My Dad has filled in very well, especially before being in the hospital. But Mom was the one I called, on the rare, overwhelming occasion of a cat's ascension to Heaven. She also reassured me when we got our dear Spirit in 2004 to join McCartney, that the soul of my childhood cat wouldn't mind. I could still use my Mom now but am doing my best. She taught me well.

I loved watching the grown Daughter listening to their family tale. She kept the momentum going. I will only say of the Great-Granddaughter that I suppose her purpose was to show readers that many details can be gleaned about people if we keep our eyes pealed, just like William Murdoch and the priest.

I don't expect two dear international friends to know the geography of Canada, so I would like to share a map at my blog: http://cmriedel.wordpress.com/reviews.... Leeanne's province, Ontario, is east of mine. In fact, Ron & I were there walking on docks by the lake and buying books on Friday! But Toronto is a 2 hour plane ride away, in the south east nearer Québec. That is where William Murdoch moved to be a detective.

The beautiful Nova Scotia, my favourite province after mine, is an "Atlantic Province" on the east coast of Canada: another plane ride away. In pre-plane days, I don't know if William and his parents visited back & forth but I hope to find that they did.

Maureen is elderly and it seems that she only wrote 9 stories. I wonder if she deems them unnecessary, in favour of the TV show. They have surpassed those few mysteries. Surely they could use material, although I am told they have the humour and a tone of their own, different from the serious novels. We can start them in a couple of days. I have read far enough into "Animals In The Afterlife" that it is no longer a drag.

I didn't see this on July 17. Thank you for your warm words about my childhood cat's birthday. McCartney's was June 13, likely shared in another thread before I made this folder for members. However, he added 19 days and matched her age on her birthday, you see. Now, McCartney is our whole family's longest-lived cat, carving out his own record as a great blessing to all of us and inspiration to many more.

Know this about me: I will never pay to drink water and what I call "air": non physical entertainment and literature. The PDF is free for those with fast enough internet to find it. I will e-mail it by tomorrow if you don't e-mail that you have it already.

Happy birthday to our precious Spirit today! We wish he were still living and celebrating age 17 with us and beyond. Love, Carolyn.

I had no doubt you would be game and perhaps other friends. I am glad you haven't read it yet. My impression of the story is that it will be so detailed and poignant, as well as pioneering of numerous stories in the genre to succeed it, that it will be ideal to marvel at with friends. I would love to prioritize this ahead of future proposed stories.

I remember the old fashioned machine seat from my Uncle's favourite film and that the protagonist fell in love with a cavewoman. I remember how odd watching time must look and feel to occupants who don't ride around, like in Emmet Brown's Dolorian. I remember a body turning skeletal on a cave floor as the rider returned to the present. Did his house used to be a cave, or did he move his vehicle? We will see.

Thank you, Kerri. When you started sending reactions to what you had received, it was in the middle of anxiety of explaining that my disc was unformatted and only stored files. I could enjoy it much better now. I love having it all in one letter.

Goodreads, most websites, and most people don't know that captchas block out rural customers instead of "robots" or spammers. I need people who consistently have access to such websites to help me warn them. Stop using captchas, until Google gets the message to reconfigure them to have loading time for slow speeds. Dial-up is a reality even in 2021. I am glad they don't show-up with regular log-ins.

Shirin wrote: "Well, I have finished the story! Quickly problem solved. I'm not sure I could call it a problem"

Shirin, thank you for your two great points. I had not noticed but you felt the Nova Scotia priest was present more than William Murdoch and wondered if we will see him in other books. It makes a lot of sense, except we know that the series starts with William as an adult, in Toronto, Ontario; next to my middle province. Nova Scotia is on our east coast. We are reading backwards and will find out if he did. Although this childhood prequel comes first, it was written in 2010, book #8. I will bet that Maureen Jennings featured the priest because William did mention him as his career inspiration.

Your other point is very close to my heart: the best mystery solving is just about figuring out answers to questions! There does not need to be a crime or a villain arrested! William and the priest using clues to figure out who is who on the ship and what happened, is definitely a mystery. There was a crime in this mystery but no one would be arrested because they were dead.

The situation was investigated by the priest and William for accurate record-keeping out of respect for the families and the dead and out of keen interest in what had happened. They could find the families of these people and bury the drowned people with their names. Most importantly, the baby could grow up with her own name and background.

I liked to see a little bit about William's descedents in the future but thought that Maureen spent way too much time on introducing a reason for telling the old Nova Scotia story. Just start telling it. Also, the little girl interrupted too much and was annoying to me. The story flow should not be interrupted. I know the tie-in was to teach readers that everyone can pick up clues about school children, divorced couples, and people around them. That is a smart tie-in but Maureen should have kept it short. She needed no complex justification of future relatives telling a family story.

I would have rather seen a few scenes with the baby Daughter and her adopted Mother. It is lovely that one woman's loss was eased a little by a new infant.

I see that Maureen is very skilled at orchestrating thorough backgrounds for the stories she builds. I have a concern that she not take too long to make her points. A lot of authors are successful at starting their action and adventure quickly and feeding out information we need along the way.

Ladies & Gentlemen of our group, I hope you are well and enjoying summer or winter around the world. Western Canada to Ontario has been in a long heat wave but we are all right. Our prayers and care are for those citizens and animals who were in forest fires; mainly in British Columbia that I know of.

Please add prayers for the families and friends, whose Aboriginal children were buried at former residential schools this year. If we cannot manipulate time to change things for all who suffered by natural or human-made causes, we can protect and respect our people, animals, and land now. Every race, religion, and choice to practice spirituality free of religions (like me), is "our people" equally.

I notice that I recently got a copy of a classic, "The Time Machine". As a dedicated "Back To The Future" fan and also someone who felt the impact of the old film of "The Time Machine" when I was a kid, I would enjoy reading this as a buddy collaboration. Like most classics go it seems, the page quantity is brief. I added it to Message #3, from which I also removed books we have read. Your friend, Carolyn.