Footsteps in the Dark Group Read - August 2014 - Spoiler Thread - Thoughts on the Book as a Whole

[Leslie]

Karlyne wrote: "Mary wrote: "Has anyone here yet read Duplicate Death or Envious Casca? I'll await their thoughts! :)"

Envious Casca is one where the solution is obvious, but I got so carried away by the charac..."

I like Duplicate Death very much - as Karlyne said, Terrible Timothy all grown up :)

Envious Casca is a decent Xmas country house murder...

[Jaima]

Karlyne wrote: "I'm hearing footsteps in the dark..."

Ha! Good one!

Edmonton is a fun place. So's Calgary (I grew up there). Never been to PEI but my cousin is trying to persuade me to make an Anne of Green Gables pilgrimage. We watched the first two episodes of the old miniseries when she was visiting from LA this summer. Wonderful. It has aged really well.
Make sure you add Banff to your list, Karlyne. It's beautiful! (and I'm headed there tomorrow! Been looking forward to it for weeks)

[Karlyne]

I just finished a re-read of Anne of Green Gables, and it still has all the charm I could ever wish for. I see Megan Follows when I'm reading it; the casting of the miniseries was absolute genius!
So, have fun, Jaima! I've seen pictures of Banff, and I'm jealous.

[MaryC]

I read Anne of Green Gables years ago and couldn't help seeing a resemblance to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Has anyone else noticed it?

[Karlyne]

Mary wrote: "I read Anne of Green Gables years ago and couldn't help seeing a resemblance to Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. Has anyone else noticed it?"

I noticed the similarities as a kid and enjoyed them both, but as an adult I found Rebecca's story less pleasing. (I still find Anne fascinating.) They were both from about the same time period, but there was something about Rebecca that said "poor me" to me. I wonder if I'd still feel that way. Have you read it recently, Mary?

[Hana]

Jaima wrote: "Edmonton is a fun place. So's Calgary (I grew up there)...."

You're going to Banff! Have a wonderful time!! I spent a week hiking there and it was one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. The lake is this incredible silvery aqua color--I seem to recall it has something to do with the mineral content of the waters from the glaciers.

[Jaima]

Thanks Hana! I always enjoy the mountains. Most summers we manage to hike from Lake Louise to the Lake Agnes tea house with the children--did you do that one? It's a pretty popular one. The last few years the hike is even better because we don't have to carry anyone!

[Hana]

No, we were doing serious wilderness hiking. We never saw any other humans, only (rather frighteningly) a bear!

[Jaima]

Yikes! Scary! Which hikes did you do? I used to do the other kind of hiking before we had kids. So lucky that you had the trails to yourselves. That hardly ever happens now. It's practically impossible to book the bus into Lake O'Hara. My sister has missed getting a booking two years in a row now! Banff town is much glitzier than it was in my childhood--but I suppose that's not all bad.

[Hana]

It's been maybe twenty years so I don't remember the trail names, but one went right alongside a glacier--incredible! Too bad about the glitz. The hotel at Lake Louise was elegant, but not overcrowded--in fact the only other guests I remember were a busload of Japanese tourists.

lol I don't do that kind of hiking anymore, either--but now it's me who slows everyone down ;)

[HJ]

I've always wanted to go Banff and Lake Louise. Have you read The Edge by Dick Francis? It involves a transcontinental train journey, across Canada, ending up there.

[Jaima]

Sounds like a wonderful trip Hana! I'll try to get some decent pictures this week (forecast is for lots of thunder showers though. We've got lots of books and board games). HJ, hope you can make the trip one of these years. I'm going to have to see if I can download a copy of The Edge. Haven't read Dick Francis in a long time but I enjoyed his books very much. I'm sure I would have remembered reading a book set in Canada, so I know I haven't read that one.

[HJ]

Jaima wrote: "I'm going to have to see if I can download a copy of The Edge. Haven't read Dick Francis in a long time but I enjoyed his books very much. I'm sure I would have remembered reading a book set in Canada, so I know I haven't read that one. ..."

He was very positive about Canada and the Canadians, as I recall. Hope you enjoy it!

[Leslie]

Hj wrote: "I've always wanted to go Banff and Lake Louise. Have you read The Edge by Dick Francis? It involves a transcontinental train journey, across Canada, ending up there."

I am a fan of Dick Francis, and that one is a good one. I like the descriptions of the Rockies etc. he includes (especially Lake Louise area)...

[HJ]

Leslie wrote: "I am a fan of Dick Francis, and that one is a good one. I like the descriptions of the Rockies etc. he includes (especially Lake Louise area)..."

I agree! and that's why I've always wanted to go there, ever since I read it. Friends have been and agree that it's lovely. I like the idea (which they told me about) of wearing a bear-bell on hiking tracks so that the (dangerous) bears can hear you coming and get out of the way.

[Karlyne]

Hj wrote: "Leslie wrote: "I am a fan of Dick Francis, and that one is a good one. I like the descriptions of the Rockies etc. he includes (especially Lake Louise area)..."

I agree! and that's why I've alway..."

I always make a lot of noise when I'm hiking, but I've never been sure if that attracts the bears and snakes or scares them. My dad used to say that wearing orange safety vests while hunting just invited other hunters to shoot you...

[Hana]

Hj wrote: "I've always wanted to go Banff and Lake Louise. Have you read The Edge by Dick Francis? It involves a transcontinental train journey, across Canada, ending up there."

Oh, I loved The Edge and Dick Francis! You are so right, HJ!! He's one of those amazing writers whom I can never get my other women friends to try. Dick Francis deserves his own fan club. Is there one on GR? I'll have to check it out.

My other favorite is Patrick O'Brian--I've read his Aubrey-Maturin sea saga books 'til the pages have started falling out :)

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I think Good Reads is made for Dick Francis fans. I love his books but I'd get them out from the library, read a few pages & realise I'd already read them. Now of course with my "read" list that won't happen!

[HJ]

Hana wrote: "Oh, I loved The Edge and Dick Francis! You are so right, HJ!! He's one of those amazing writers whom I can never get my other women friends to try. Dick Francis deserves his own fan club. Is there one on GR? I'll have to check it out...."

I found a Dick Francis group on Goodreads and joined it, but nothing ever happens there. If you find a livelier one please let me know!

Carol, I agree. I can never remember which plot goes with which title (with the exception of a couple, such as Shattered). I have read them all, and re-read them all a few times, but some I like more than others and it isn't always easy to find them! I sometimes resort to Googling names or things I remember, especially when I want to recommend one to a friend.