MAYFAIR MISTLETOE PLOT - spoiler discussion

[Tracy]

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all celebrating. MAYFAIR MISTLETOE PLOT has been out for over a week and I know a number of group member have finished it. And I for one have been dying to talk about it for months :-). So here's a spoiler thread to share your thoughts - what surprised you, favorite moments, new characters you like - anything you want.

[Kimberly]

I really enjoyed the surprise endings for both couples. I had no idea. I also enjoyed the Rannoch's having everyone to their house especially including uncle Hurbert & Aunt Amelia. I also like the changes to Julien & Kitty. They bring a different perspective. it was also interesting to see Harry in a different way. His conversations with Cordy and Thomas.

Finally, the preview of the next release has me counting the days to see what actually happened.

[Tracy]

Kimberly wrote: "I really enjoyed the surprise endings for both couples. I had no idea. I also enjoyed the Rannoch's having everyone to their house especially including uncle Hurbert & Aunt Amelia. I also like the ..."

Love getting your reaction, Kim! You had no idea Marianne and Charlotte were in love? I kept wondering if it was totally obvious. Harry and Thomas's friendship shows a different side of Harry, I think. What changes did you see in Julien and Kitty? I loved showing the extended family/friends holiday.

Really excited about Seven Dials Affair. I'm having a lot of fun writing this weekend!

[Betty]

I think my favorite part was Uncle Hubert showing up to quash Lady Shroppington's plans. I loved seeing this side of him. I was kept guessing about who was trying to interfere and control things until the reveal.
I thought that all of the characters showed different insight in this novella. I liked the addition of the Schofield family and Justine.
I am happy that I got this read between my two surgeries that I mentioned to you. Everything went well with the first eye, and the the second will be done on the 28th. Congratulations, Tracy.

[Tracy]

Betty wrote: "I think my favorite part was Uncle Hubert showing up to quash Lady Shroppington's plans. I loved seeing this side of him. I was kept guessing about who was trying to interfere and control things un..."

So glad your surgery went well, Betty! Thinking good thoughts for the second eye (a good friend had both done recently and both went great). So glad you enjoyed the novella. It was fun to see everyone at a holiday ball. I liked Hubert's role at the end too. And I really like Justine, who actually just came to me as I was writing a scene with Gerry (at that point I knew Marianne had a grown up brother and sister but I didn't have a plan for Justine).

[Kimberly]

I knew Charlotte was telling the entire story, but it wasn't until the earring was identified that I started to wonder. With Julien, I think he has more empathy now. His marriage and being part of the circle show in the way he interacts with everyone including Hubert.

[Kimberly]

Betty, I hope everything goes successfully with your surgery.

[Betty]

Thanks Tracy and Kimberly!

[Diane]

I loved everyone’s comments. It was a wonderful holiday novella. Looking forward to the next novel! Wonderful characters, wonderful relationships by a wonderful author!

[Tracy]

Diane wrote: "I loved everyone’s comments. It was a wonderful holiday novella. Looking forward to the next novel! Wonderful characters, wonderful relationships by a wonderful author!"

Thanks so much, Diane! That is so lovely to hear!!

[Serena]

I think I half figured out what was going on between Charlotte and Marianne before the big reveal. I suspect two women who didn't find husbands during their coming out would cause less talk living together than two men. And part of me is saying, "It's about time!" that we got to see the female side of this problem in that era after your showing several male couples and what they have to deal with. I'm fascinated with your adding Lady Shroppington and Alistair to the extended Mallison family, and with the family dynamics rising from it, which explains a lot about what's behind at least part of Hubert's desire to bring the Elsinore league down. As an aside, I love the way everyone is stumbling as they figure out what to call Hubert, while Julien resists being called both Arthur and Carfax. I'm counting the months down impatiently for The Seven Dials Affair's arrival. Finally we get to know a lot more about Jeremy Roth and the missing wife. I have to say that after you brought Lisette in several books back, my immediate reaction was "She and Roth would make a great couple if only a missing wife wasn't in the way!" As has been often shown in your books, there's a short distance between spying and Investigating.

[Tracy]

Serena wrote: "I think I half figured out what was going on between Charlotte and Marianne before the big reveal. I suspect two women who didn't find husbands during their coming out would cause less talk living ..."

Yeah, my daughter said the same thing about Marianne and Charlotte - she really wanted them to be a couple when I was plotting. As I wrote I wondered if Marianne's conviction that she wouldn't possibly fall in love made it obvious.

There's so much to play with i this world with names, nicknames, endearments, titles. And that's without all the spy characters who lived under other names and prefer to use them (Julien, Laura).

I'm having a lot of fun writing The Seven Dials Affair. Interesting about Lisette. I've actually considered setting Roth up romantically with several different characters...