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

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

I hadn't come to Louise when her affection was noted but I'm sure it would have occurred and Rachel bugs Philip about it soon enough. Her protesting of the allowance and saying she wished to stay on but ought not; if she falling for him or worried, with mature disapproval, her young stepson is falling for her?

She is indeed easy to like by the reader and at her early introduction, I rather thought she made a calculated point of engratiating herself to the household and such. But just to assure ourselves that she is above board, I for one would have looked at her letter to Rainaldo in the out-going mailbag. If you're protecting yourself, obtaining the truth once and for all, it is no longer a matter of privacy or propriety respected. I'm sure every reader kicks themself that Philip didn't peer inside her envelope.

Thank you, Leslie. I thought everyone would find it as awesome as I, that I have been to the very places of this novel. There was no joke that a medical problem aversed to rain would be deadly in Cornwall; I've seen nothing like it. It infiltrates the air so much, you can't keep a piece of paper in the house. There was something strong, poignant about Plymouth, even merely passing through it because we knew we must.

I am most of the way through chapter 16, past where you were last. Margaret, speak your piece fully from top to bottom. You've seen what I had to say so far and I welcome elaboration.

Consult a southern England map. "Are we there yet?" is how Ron & I felt. It was another hour or two to our Cornish destination. I requested a stop "because something was familiar about 'Plymouth'; we ought to see it". It must be known: we had driven *ourselves* (on the wrong side of the road) from Chelmsford, Essex. We spent a night in Somerset, near Stonehenge.

My goal tonight is to read past Margaret and let her speak. I believe the matching Italian beggar gaze means something. There's something, about me, I don't suppose you ladies know? I've been to Cornwall and Plymouth specifically! Stand by for a photo.

I need to stretch to chapter 12 this evening but have finished 8. That closing observation about Rachel's eyes, whom we just met, being the same type and having the same look as the Italian beggar Philip passed... this is significant. How are you liking the writing style? Keen, eloquent, sensitive descriptions but abreast of enough movement that the story isn't bogged down. Another thought: a person can't be all bad if the family pets like her.

After exercising our cats for the morning and eating my fill, I'm off to catch-up the chapters I said. Until then you're further ahead than I but my reaction is that Rachel was fingered, by him, via the legal system. Had he killed her, a different kind of guilt should have come across.

It appeared to be mostly by ship and that's what surprised me as being slow between England and Italy. I don't know when locomotives emerged but the industrial revolution occurred in Birmingham before North America.

If nothing else was said in the rest of the novel, this would be our clue. If you hadn't chased it up, I would find 1832 too recent for anyone to be strung 5 weeks. That feels medieval. So too England to Italy taking 3 weeks. It isn't as if they were coming to Canada.

KATHY REICHS, VICTORIA HOLT, TAMI HOAG, LORNA BARRETT, ISABELLE ALLENDE, NEVADA BARR, CAROL SHIELDS, GABRIEL GARCÍA MÁRQUEZ, MARGARET FRAZER, SIMON BRETT, MINETTE WALTERS, L.M. MONTGOMERY, C.S. LEWIS, NERO BLANC.

MARY HIGGINS CLARK, CAROLYN HAINES, KATE COLLINS, ELLEN CROSBY, LYDIA ADAMSON, SUE GRAFTON, ELLIS PETERS, PAUL DOHERTY, ALICE HOFFMAN, FERN MICHAELS, KRISTIN HANNAH, NOREEN WALD, P.D. JAMES, CHARLAINE HARRIS, LAUREN HANEY, ELIZABETH GEORGE, RITA MAE BROWN, PATRICIA CORNWALL, NORA ROBERTS, JOY FIELDING, DEAN KOONTZ, SUSAN CONANT

I could do this all day. I hope everybody is sitting down for this: one short brainstorming wave.

MARGERY ALLINGHAM, RUTH RENDELL, EDITH NGAIO MARCH, ELLERY ADAMS, MARTHA GRIMES, LAWRENCE SANDERS, BETH GUTCHEON, BARBARA TAYLOR BRADFORD

The beauty of the blogosphere, challenges, and Goodreads is that I at last met my match: others who pre-collect a huge abundance of books! It is really special to find supporters of print but I invite everyone to answer this collection query.

"I own 5+ books by these authors but have never cracked a spine!"

I've reached chapter 6 but will match you this afternoon. Presumably you're at work, whatever your career. I like that Philip went to Europe. A novel feels more like real life if people aren't remaining in one place, counting on news. Seeing Ambrose's villa for himself aided the grieving process and he did detecting. I wish they would say which century this is.

We have 'Rainaldo' who is a creep Philip doesn't believe for 1 second and Ambrose's suggestion of peril. But we have kind, honest villa neighbours who saw for themselves Ambrose & Rachel as a couple. This is a mystery that simmers.

Robert Arthur Junior is someone I love to discuss because he ought not be as underground as this. I positively devoured "The Three Investigators" in school. I only borrowed them from our library though and found that they are ought of print. His daughter is finding it a struggle to renew them. I chanced upon the first at a thrift store, "The Secret Of Terror Castle" and found it so good, I was stunned. It makes Nancy Drew seem like a piece of crap.

Pete, Bob, Jupiter are younger than Frank & Joe Hardy but their adventures match their maturity, except BETTER and modernized. They started in 1969. I don't recall them *not* being debunked but they manage to be eerier and more intelligent. I urge you to keep your eyes open at yard sales. There's a smidgen of old Hollywood. Sometimes movie props or sets come into play.

Leslie! Who startles someone with activity in this topic about NOT able to trade? Whaddaya doing to me, girl? If you hit a used store anytime soon, you have my e-mail address. I have a list of giveaways, although I may bring many of them to Winnipeg Saturday. Anyone wanting to peek and consider other trades ought to speak now. Yes, I do so love calling people by their names, like Mildred A. Wirt in place of the invented 'Carolyn Keene'.

Do you have Edith Ngaio Marsh's: "A Man Lay Dead"? I can e-mail a list of paperbacks, to happily trade anywhere in the world. Also Margery Allingham: "Mystery Mile" and Robert Arthur: "Mystery Of The Stuttering Parrot" (Alfred Hitchcock & Three Investigators, II).

Welcome, Margaret! I treated myself to a very good youth novel before April 1st and just began ours this afternoon. I seemed to have missed you ladies for "Sea Jade". I fairly ran through the novel but didn't find a conversation going on. It will be a thrill to discuss it regardless, as I never dreamed of sharing Phyllis A. Whitney in present day, with anyone!

I'm in chapter 3 of "My Cousin Rachel" and will step it up tonight. What we might find fun, is a "first impression guess". (Don't tell us, Leslie). Ambrose likely dies overseas and this 'Rachel' claims an inheritance in Cornwall. It is hinted she and Philip have an affair, making things worse. It's easy to believe a poor Italian would catch Ambrose's gravy train, if he mentioned ill health to her. I haven't met her yet, to say. If we find that Ambrose's will restricted her, I'll be suspicious of an interlude with Philip (gravy train, plan B).

Philip hints some sort of judgement was cast, at his hands; serious enough to make him fret she might have been innocent. The grotesque intro about how Cornwall *used to* hang murderers makes me wonder if that was Rachel's fate; with 'a decent burial' in modern times. Carolyn.

Yes, that's what I mean by fantastic examples. You are giving us a helpful selection guide.

I fulfill challenges with books I own, a fun way to guide which ones I read next.
I'd love a buddy for chunksters or studious material. Some on my radar are these.

"The Midnight Side" Natasha Mostert -----> Done
"Light A Penny Candle" Maeve Binchy -----> Done
"The Lost Steps" Alejo Carpentier -----> Done
"Mariana" Susanna Kearsley -----> Done
"Skeletons" Kate Wilhelm-----> I think I gave this away for unpleasant racist topics.
"The Alchemist" Paulo Coelho -----> Done

Welcome Leslie! Thank you for conversing in these newly-launched discussions. Your range of ideas are helpful and fun to read. Great references for this category. I may have some of hers.