JessReads2024

Mrs. Fytton's Country Life | Mavis Cheek

Currently reading. My first Mavis Cheek novel and at 33 pages in, I know I‘ll be seeking out her others. Her writing so far is clever and relatable. Any one else read her novels and enjoy her work?

#JessReads2024

rubyslippersreads I‘ve only read this one, but definitely want to read more. 1y

Tamra I‘ve not tried any, will check it out! 1y

quietjenn Oo, I don't know her at all! 1y

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batsy Haven't heard of her! This sounds delightful. 1y

LeahBergen I‘ve been meaning to try one of her books for ages! 1y

Jess_Read_This @rubyslippersreads the ending irked me. After all of her growth and learning. I mean, she taught herself how to make ale from hundreds year old diary.. and it was good ale. Planted a herb garden successfully with her two hands. Raised chickens. Traveled to South American for Christmas. Seemingly building a life for herself… and she becomes her ex husbands mistress in the end. I slammed the book shut. 1y

Jess_Read_This @Tamra @quietjenn @batsy @LeahBergen Don‘t read my spoiler comment above. It will ruin the novel. But I hope you all read it because I‘m dying to rehash the book and its ending! I thought it was very well written, acerbically funny, quirky characters, and not at all domestically driven as I expected. The Guardian called her writing tragic comedy (paraphrasing) but I can see it in this novel? 1y

Jess_Read_This “Her novels celebrate her affection for the absurd alongside the tragic-comedic elements often found in domestic relationships – usually ones that disappointed” this is the Guardian quote about her writing in her obituary. 1y

Tamra @Jess_Read_This now I‘m really intrigued! I will try to find a copy. Edit - just ordered from the library. 😊 (edited) 1y

Jess_Read_This @Tamra I can‘t wait to hear your thoughts on it. And to be able to talk about the ending. Which I guess that makes it a pretty decent novel if I‘m still mulling the ending over the next day? 1y

rubyslippersreads For anyone who has Kindle Unlimited, most of her books (including this one) seem to be available there. I think that‘s how I discovered her. 1y

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Jess_Read_This

Murder While You Work | Susan Scarlett

pick

What stood out for me was the departure from family centered domesticity to outright family dysfunction in this Scarlett novel. The heroine isn‘t a beloved older daughter from a loving family, but a more worldly veteran of bombings, factory work, and trained in nursing on the job. The villain is pure evil. The victims undeserving and vulnerable- which was the hardest part of the book for me to read. Overall, a page turner on a blustery winter day.

rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Kimzey, erzascarletbookgasm, catebutler, CarolynM, LeahBergen, Lizpixie, elkeOriginal, Gissy, Aimeesue, batsy, Tamra, Teresereading, kwmg40, Cathythoughts, CatLass007, jlhammar, Ruthiella, Sparklemn, julieclair, willaful, MrsK

Jess_Read_This #FurrowedMiddlebrowClub #JessReads2024 1y

jlhammar Great review! I agree, definitely a page-turner. And really interesting to get something a bit outside the formula of the other Scarlett novels we‘ve read. 1y

kwmg40 Great observation about the family relationships. 1y

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Tamra Fantastic review! Pure evil indeed. 1y

quietjenn Very much agree, especially about the victims. 1y

batsy Yes, well said! 1y

Ruthiella Great review! And definitely a u-turn from the previous Scarlett books we‘ve read together. 1y

LeahBergen Great review! I was totally onboard for this Scarlett departure and loved it. 😆 1y

CarolynM You‘re right about how different this family is from the those in the other SS books we‘ve read. She did it just as well, though. 1y

Jess_Read_This @jlhammar Thank you! I did rather like the change of pace and theme in this Scarlett novel. It felt more “grown up” in its tone. Probably due to murder and a more worldly heroine. (edited) 1y

Jess_Read_This @kwmg40 Thank you! I think the relationships really stood out to me because the other Scarlett novels we‘ve blurred together for me. But I did recall the strong loving family foundations in her others. 1y

Jess_Read_This @Tamra Right? She would have been the perfect Dateline documentary villain! 1y

Jess_Read_This @quietjenn I really struggled with that. And even internally screamed “not the dog too!” No one was safe. Then my mind was worrying there was going to be some wild plot twist and the monster kid was the killer! 1y

Jess_Read_This @batsy Thank you! 💛 1y

Jess_Read_This @Ruthiella @LeahBergen I didn‘t expect the u turn to be quite so sharp of one! But I was very glad for it. I think the previous Scarlett novels we read were blurring together due to the similar themes. This one jolted me out of that! Though I was internally screaming “not the dog too!!” 1y

Jess_Read_This @CarolynM I agree. I thought it was very well done. And such a shame she didn‘t write more suspense mystery novels. 1y

julieclair Excellent review! And you are so right about the family relationships - great point. 1y

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