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This Rough Magic
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
25 posts | 29 read | 19 to read
When Lucy Waring's sister Phyllida suggests that she join her for a quiet holiday on the island of Corfu, young English Lucy is overjoyed. Her work as an actress has temporarily come to a halt. She believes there is no finer place to be "at liberty" than the sun-drenched isle of Corfu, the alleged locale for Shakespeare's The Tempest. Even the suspicious actions of the handsome, arrogant son of a famous actor cannot dampen her enthusiasm for this wonderland in the Ionian Sea.
But the peaceful idyll does not last long. A series of incidents, seemingly unconnected - but all surrounded in mystery - throws Lucy's life into a dangerous spin, as fear, danger and death - as well as romance - supplant the former tranquility. Then a human corpse is carried ashore on the incoming tide... And without warning, she found she had stumbled into a nightmare of strange violence, stalked by shadows of terror and sudden death.
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Teresereading
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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'And if its a boy,' said Phyllida cheerfully, "we'll call him Prospero.'
#firstlinefridays
@ShyBookOwl

bookandbedandtea I love Mary Stewart's books 💜 5mo
12 likes1 comment
review
erzascarletbookgasm
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Pickpick

This was an enjoyable read. I love the vivid descriptions of the idyllic Corfu; the ominous atmosphere; the right amount of romance and suspense; and the references to Shakespeare's Tempest. A great escape read!
#islandvibes #titlesandtunes for May.

Cinfhen I hope you‘re joining us for #TitlesAndTunes #GuiltyPleasure 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 1y
BarbaraBB Oooh this sounds good! 1y
batsy Sounds like a fun read! 1y
64 likes1 stack add3 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Think I‘ll join in the fun of #islandvibes #titlesandtunes hosted by @Cinfhen and @BarbaraBB !

A good time to read my first Mary Stewart novel - mystery, suspense, romance and a lovely setting at Corfu. 🏝️
I pick ‘The Children of Piraeus‘ (a popular song first sung by Melina Mercouri) sung by Aroma, here‘s the video https://youtu.be/ap29bm2ZpEU (English)

https://youtu.be/Ffe3dQQyKOQ (original)

batsy The book sounds fun! 2y
Cinfhen Yay 😁 so glad you‘re joining in🏝️🎶📖 2y
Cinfhen I totally forgot about this song ….FUN PICK 🤩 2y
BarbaraBB So happy you‘re joining 🩷🩷 2y
47 likes4 comments
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willaful
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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What a fascinating publication history. The older editions all feature ominous castles, with or without a half-dressed woman running; the newer refer to it as a beloved modern classic. You'd probably be fairly happy whichever you were looking for.

I suspect this was the template for all the Elizabeth Peters standalones I loved as a teen. Suspenseful and romantic, but the heroines have brains and agency, even in their nightwear.

#ThingsInCommon

11 likes1 comment
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willaful
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Let's have another whack at this... still not perfect, but getting there.

#ThingsInCommon

Clwojick Great job! ❤️ 2y
Ruthiella Looks good! 👍 2y
8 likes2 comments
review
LoriMcK
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Pickpick

I picked this up at a used book store thinking it was the Mary Stewart of the Merlin Trilogy. This Mary Stewart is an English writer of romantic mysteries. The story takes place in Corfu with beautiful descriptions, has references to The Tempest, and for my mood completely. Perfect with a cup of chai on a blustery fall day

bookandbedandtea This same Mary Stewart wrote these romantic mysteries- which I love!- and the Merlin trilogy! 2y
1 like1 comment
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bookandbedandtea
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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I've read so many wonderful #LetterT books that I couldn't choose just one! So here's a small selection. 😊 #Alphabetgame @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you for playing 📚 2y
31 likes1 comment
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catebutler
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Today has been deliciously slow, so I‘ve been tucked up in my favorite reading chair, traveling (via armchair) to the aquamarine coast of Corfu. This book has been a delight to read - beautiful descriptions, intrigue, mystery and a hint of romance. Perfect summer read, which I recommend pairing with ripe summer fruit, and an iced beverage of choice.

P. S. Did I mention the book has a tie to Shakespeare‘s, ‘The Tempest‘.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Pretty ❤️ 2y
52 likes1 stack add1 comment
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DGRachel
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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One of the most fun things about having a mother who is a reader and who now lives with me is that her book collection came to live with me, too. I read a Crime Reads article about literary gothic castles, and one of the books mentioned was This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart. Mom said “oh, I have that” and pulled it off her shelves. I think she bought this new around 1978 for $1.75. 😍 I think this will be my next print read.

Johanna414 That's so cool! 3y
TracyReadsBooks Love Mary Stewart! I have more than one on my shelf! 3y
DivineDiana How wonderful! ❤️ 3y
See All 6 Comments
Lreads I love everything about this! ❤️ 3y
LeahBergen This makes me want to read another Mary Stewart soon. 😆 3y
batsy How fun! This book stuck in my mind after I read that Crime Reads piece, too 🙂 3y
69 likes6 comments
review
Larkken
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
Pickpick

#12booksof2020 day 11

My mom introduced me to Mary Stewart; she died last year and I started reading this to her but didn't get to finish. I think it may still belong on my best-of list for the year. 💕💔

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erista
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Made it to 24 hours! These are the books I finished. I loved them all! Still reading a couple others and will keep on reading the rest of the night. #24in48

Eyelit Yay! 🎉📚👏🎉 5y
Jas16 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 5y
mrp27 🎉🎉🎉 5y
See All 9 Comments
janeycanuck Awesome, congrats!! 🥳 5y
Librarybelle Congratulations! 5y
Soubhiville Yay!!🎊🎉 5y
Readerann Way to go!! 👏 5y
Megabooks Congratulations!! 😎😎💃🏻💃🏻🥳🥳👍🏻👏🏻📚🎉🍾😁 5y
MemoirsForMe Yay! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🎉🎉📚📚 5y
50 likes9 comments
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erista
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Finished a couple more books and making some progress in this one. Just a few hours to go! #24in48

review
HotCocoaReads
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Pickpick

I like to read books set in places I‘m going before I travel there. This Rough Magic was recommended to me because it had so many parallels to Shakespeare‘s The Tempest and is set on a Greek island, Corfu which I didn‘t realize people speculate that‘s where The Tempest was set! The actual mystery storyline wasn‘t nearly as magical to me as the setting and the characters and all the Shakespeare talk!

18 likes1 stack add
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LRSmith
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Needed to replace a tatty old copy of Touch Not The Cat and sort of lost containment replacing all my old Mary Stewart‘s. Still waiting for The Gabriel Hounds and Touch Not the Cat to arrive, but I think I‘m good for now.

RealLifeReading Lovely covers! 6y
LRSmith Thanks! I‘m a sucker for that retro look. 6y
9 likes2 comments
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Bradleygirl
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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#RockinMay #homebythesea This book. Mary Stewart in general. This probably shaped more of my prose than anything, because I read it so many times. (Granted I was hard up in a foreign country but I couldn't have had a better writer to winter with.)
@Cinfhen

Cinfhen This book seems to have it all! Murder, Romance, Gorgeous location I can see how it would make for good company 😊 8y
LRSmith I love Madam, Will You Talk? too. 6y
23 likes1 stack add2 comments
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howjessicareads
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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A while ago someone commented that my clean bookshelves made them feel bad about theirs. So here is my bedroom bookshelf/nightstand to make you feel better! Complete with random cords and cough drops and need-framed pics. I did remove the gazillion hair ties and used tissues before I took the pic though. 😝🙈 #shelfie

RadicalReader @jess.how good to show both sides of the spectrum 8y
53 likes1 stack add1 comment
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shanaqui
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
Pickpick

Often when I want comfort, I turn to Mary Stewart's romance/mysteries. This was a reasonable reread, but not a favourite. I do enjoy the male lead, though.

review
BarbaraTheBibliophage
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Pickpick

🌟🌟🌟 This is a solid romantic mystery set in Corfu, off the coast of Greece. It's written wonderfully, if a little predictably. A great choice for part of my @bookriot ReadHarder challenge.

Longer review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1680225476

MicheleinPhilly I want to go to there. 8y
Kirstin That looks so inviting right now. *turns head to look at blowing snow outside* ❄️❄️❄️ 8y
ScientistSam I really like Mary Stewart's romantic mysteries! There are such great allusions to classic literature coupled with entertaining and charming stories 8y
See All 12 Comments
EloisaJames I love the heroine's thoughtful, philosophical voice.. I must have read this 10 times over my life. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @MicheleinPhilly @Kirstin I'd go there right now too! 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @ScientistSam Perfectly said! I forgot to mention the connection to The Tempest in this one. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @EloisaJames I agree. Sometimes a heroine is too whiny for my taste, but Lucy was the opposite! 8y
Buddys_Momma I'm I desperate need of a vacation and that spot looks heavenly! 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Buddys_Momma I would go there in a heartbeat! 8y
raelaschoenherr Corfu is everywhere all of a sudden! I've never heard of it and all of sudden I heard about it on The Crown and now here :) 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @raelaschoenherr It's weird how that happens! Maybe we need a Litsy vacation getaway! 8y
raelaschoenherr That sounds magical! 8y
94 likes2 stack adds12 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Juvenile delinquent's playground - ROFLMAO! And this is supposed to be my relaxation read. It's set in the 1960s but this attitude is absolutely everywhere! 😜😜

Seshat I have a nice edition of that and love her Merlin books. I need to read it. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Seshat It's a good one. I'm almost done and was reading while making dessert for tomorrow! 8y
83 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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What? Now the heroine finds that the potential bad guy has a banned book (which a group of Littens just read together)! And she better know, even if he's not a killer, he's a wacko dude if he's reading this racist, misogynistic book. 😱😱

#toc #tocreadalong #coincidentalreading

PurpleyPumpkin No kidding! 😂 8y
KVanRead Lol! Run. Away. The reading coincidences are strong with this one. Love how that happens. 8y
80 likes1 stack add2 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Here's my little "office" as my DH calls it. I'm usually switching between devices and paper. But it's my little slice of reading heaven. #readinginbed #photoadaynov16

p.s. Yes, I make the bed every day unless I'm sick. Thanks, Mom.

Pinkmeghan Ahhhh I love Mary Stewart!!! Have you read Madam, Will You Talk? It's one of my faves! 8y
EvieBee I make my bed everyday too! Part OCD because it has to be perfect! I ❤️ Mary Stewart too! 8y
mllemay I also make my bed everyday!! I cannot stand going to bed at night in an unmade bed 🙅🏻 8y
See All 15 Comments
saresmoore This bedding is gorgeous! 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Pinkmeghan I think this is my first Mary Stewart, although I may have read something of hers decades ago. I'll look up the one you mentioned. Thanks! 8y
Cinfhen I'm loving your bedding 😍 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @EvieBee84 @mllemay We are peas in a pod - a perfectly made one of course. 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @saresmoore @Cinfhen Thank you. This replaced the bedding our granddaughter peed on and my husband fried in the dryer. I loved the other one even more! 😜😜 8y
EvieBee Hahaha! Amen. 8y
Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage haha, as long as it was the granddaughter who peed and not the hubby 😛😂😉 8y
RealLifeReading Pretty sheets! 8y
MemoirsForMe Beautiful! 👍🏻 8y
suomi 😍 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cinfhen Oh my yes. He's still too young for that to happen! 8y
125 likes1 stack add15 comments
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BarbaraTheBibliophage
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Ordered this one to read for "published in the decade you were born" choice for ReadHarder. I remember Mary Stewart being on my parents' shelves. Intrigued!

Bookgirl I've had this on my TBR shelf for too many years! 8y
BarbaraTheBibliophage @Bookgirl I have so many like that as well! 8y
29 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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jetspins24
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Um, no. The protagonist witnesses no murders, nor is anyone of that description murdered. Perhaps someone should read a book before summarizing it?

kdwinchester Thank you for bringing this to our attention! The description should be updated in the database now. If you see any other wonky descriptions like this let us know. Happy Reading! 📚 9y
jetspins24 @kdwinchester thanks for the follow-up! 😀 9y
4 likes2 comments
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jetspins24
This Rough Magic | Mary Stewart
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Revisiting an old friend - this copy of this novel, pub. date 1964 passed between my mother, sister and myself for decades and is the reason a visit to Corfu is on our bucket lists. A quote from "The Tempest" opens each chapter. ❤️?? (plot description page is wildly inaccurate though.)