Shaina’s Comments (group member since Jul 10, 2020)

Shaina’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Judy wrote: "Shaina, a fascinating combination to read Udolpho for the inspiration to Northanger Abbey and then the modern retelling by Val McDermid too! Hope you enjoy them both."

Judy, one book usually leads to another (in this case to two of them). So while another group I am part of is reading Udolpho, I hadn't planned on reading it but after Austen's Northanger Abbey I had to read Udolpho and the Val McDermid retelling (thank the stars the book/ series mentioned doesn't exist otherwise I would be reading that next).

Abigail wrote: "Glutton for punishment, Shaina! I hated Mme Bovary, in both English and French (my teachers were clearly sadists), and couldn't get beyond the black veil in Udolpho (on the life's-too-short princip..."

Hahaha... Abigail, this is my first time reading it and you are not helping. I have just finished part 1 of the story so let's see. As far as Udolpo is concerned I'm moving at snail's pace (too much scenery and description so far) but I can't abandon a book (it will worry me to no end). Also, I'm tired of hearing this reference to the black veil. I'm going to get to the bottom of this.

Yes, the Val McDermid book is quite entertaining. I love how modern jargon (totes & amazeballs) and Twitter and FB have been incorporated into it.

I am currently reading Madame Bovary and The Mysteries of Udolpho (at snail pace). I also read Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen this month and so picked the mordern retelling from the Austen Project Series Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid. So far I have liked the retelling quite a bit.

I'm starting The Floating Admiral by The Detection Club.

The 1931 newly formed Detection Club members wrote one chapter each, one the prologue, and another a close for The Floating Admiral, and all devised solutions included in final publication. Authors then: Anthony Berkeley, G.K. Chesterton, Agatha Christie, G.D.H. Cole, Margaret Cole, Freeman Wills Croft, Clemence Dane , Edgar Jepson, Milward Kennedy, Ronald Knox, John Rhode, Dorothy L. Sayers, Henry Wade, Victor L. Whitechurch.

This should be a treat!

Judy wrote: "Hope you enjoy it, Shaina."

I have no doubt I will.

I'm going to start this tomorrow. My first group read.

Judy wrote: "This group can certainly add to your TBR list, Shaina! I hope you enjoy Call Mr Fortune - I liked it at first but am not feeling quite so sure about it now that I'm halfway through."

Judy I read it in one sitting (was up till 3 am reading that night). It was funny when I read it but like you say you "won't feel it" after. Add yes the group has certainly added to my TBR shelf (but you won't hear me complaining).

Susan wrote: "That's good to hear, Shaina. I have read a few, but not all of them, so it's nice to read them all in order."

That's the plan. In fact, after joining this group I have so many books on my eReader now (e.g.Ngaio Marsh series). I also end up reading Call Mr. Fortune the day I read about it here.

Susan wrote: "That's good to hear, Shaina. Had you read P.D. James before? Are you enjoying them?"

I had come across the P.D. James title Cover Her Face many times but I didn't pick it up for some reason or the other. When I saw it on the group I decided to start reading them and yes I am enjoying them a lot. Thank you for asking.

Thanks to this group I started the P.D. James challenge and I am reading the third one in the series ( Unnatural Death). Hope to catch up by next month.

I'm almost at the end of Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers and will then move to the last book ( Busman's Honeymoon ) in the Lord Peter Wimsey series.