#BookReview ‘Normal Rules Don’t Apply’ by Kate Atkinson #shortstories

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Normal Rules Don’t Apply by Kate Atkinson is a collection of eleven inter-connected stories that as soon as you finish reading them you’ll want to start again. As the title hints, nothing is as it seems. Is someone alive, or could they be dead. Does that voice belong to a person, or a cat? Will Franklin ever find the right girl? The first story ‘The Void’ sets a dark tone as the Universe blinks. Atkinson shows us the arbitrariness of life, the obsessions and minutia of daily living that become irrelevant as people suddenly drop dead. Things mentioned in passing in this first story may be referenced later, it is worth paying attention. The tone doesn’t stay dark, it shifts from story to story. There are laugh-out-loud moments and then Atkinson will turn the mood on a sixpence.
‘Puppies and Rainbows’ made me smile. The key character, Skylar Schiller is a child actress turned film star filming in England, her daily routine sustained by a stream of tablets and potions. Then at the party following the film’s premiere in Leicester Square, she bumps into an ordinary looking guy who is anything but.
My favourite character Franklin, a producer on television soap Green Acres, pops up regularly and knits together some of the disparate storylines. He is a ‘man of straw, buffeted and blown around on the winds of change. Sometimes he had the feeling that he existed only on the fringes of other’s people’s lives, not at the heart of his own.’ If Normal Rules Don’t Apply was a Venn diagram, Franklin would be at the centre. You’ll enjoy spotting the links as you go along.
Atkinson has such a wonderful way with words, down-to-earth and ordinary, set in a disorientating strange world. For example, in ‘Blithe Spirit’ Mandy is dead but the description seems reassuringly bland. ‘Seventeen years old when she started work, armed with her RSA certificate and a fuschia lip-gloss and already thinking with nostalgic fondness of the drunken and careless youth she had exchanged in order to be tethered to a Dictaphone.’ Just as Mandy is settling into one world, she is transported to another. The truth of her death, when it is revealed, is a surprise and another link to the Venn diagram.
These stories rattle along at a high pace, at times I needed to catch my breath. I know that a lot of references, and chuckles, passed me by. The writing is beautiful, as always with Atkinson, and I enjoyed the Yorkshire settings. Some of it seems a bit mad but she takes the reader by the hand and leads them on her rollercoaster.
Original. One to read and read again and to think about. Just because a story makes you laugh, doesn’t mean there’s isn’t a serious theme.

Read my reviews of these other novels by Kate Atkinson:-
A GOD IN RUINS
LIFE AFTER LIFE
OUR NOBLE SELVES
SHRINES OF GAIETY
TRANSCRIPTION
BIG SKY #5JACKSONBRODIE
DEATH AT THE SIGN OF THE ROOK #6JACKSONBRODIE
… and try the #FirstPara of EMOTIONALLY WEIRD

If you like this, try:-
‘Last Stories’ by William Trevor
‘An Unfamiliar Landscape’ by Amanda Huggins
‘The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth’ by William Boyd

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#BookReview NORMAL RULES DON’T APPLY by Kate Atkinson #shortstories https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Nt via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

Great Opening Paragraph 73… ‘The Chateau’ #amreading #FirstPara

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“The big ocean liner, snow white, with two red and black slanting funnels, lay at anchor, attracting seagulls. The sea was calm, the lens of the sky was set at infinity. The coastline – low green hills and the dim outlines of stone houses lying in pockets of mist – was in three pale French colours, a brocade borrowed from some museum. The pink was daybreak. So beautiful, and no one to see it.”
From ‘The Chateau’ by William Maxwell

And read my reviews of these other novels by William Maxwell:-
BRIGHT CENTER OF HEAVEN
THE FOLDED LEAF
THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS
TIME WILL DARKEN IT… and read the first paragraph HERE.

Try one of these #FirstParas & discover a new author:-
‘Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant’ by Anne Tyler
‘I’ll Take You There’ by Joyce Carol Oates
‘Notes on a Scandal’ by Zoe Heller

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#Books #FirstPara THE CHATEAU by William Maxwell https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7TF via @SandraDanby

#BookReview ‘The Whispering Muse’ by Laura Purcell #historical #mystery

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The Whispering Muse by Laura Purcell is a haunted mystery full of suspense, superstition and danger. Set at the Mermaid, a London theatre specialising in tragedies, the story is told by Jenny Wilcox, dresser to lead actress Lilith Erikson. Recruited by Mrs Dyer, wife of the theatre owner, to be dresser to Lilith, Jenny is grateful for the wage which enables her to support her three siblings at home. Left alone after their elder brother, a scene painter at the Mermaid, ran away with one of the actresses, Jenny cannot believe her luck. Until Mrs Dyer, suspecting her husband of an affair with Lilith, sends Jenny to spy on her rival. The two women vie over one man, and over a mysterious watch that seems to give power to the holder. But the previous owner of the watch, an actor, died on stage.
I raced through this book in two days; there isn’t a pause or a breath without the action progressing. Jenny finds herself involved in plots, unable to say no, beholden to her benefactor, divided by the powerful two women and unsure if she should trust either, agreeing to things she knows are wrong and dangerous, regretting she got involved. Purcell is excellent at creating a dark and menacing atmosphere in the theatre, a place ridden with superstitions that seems to crumble around them, rotting and smelling rank as the lies increase and the betrayals intensify.
This is a dark story I didn’t want to put down until I knew the ending. The theatrical world adds to the gothic setting, the costumes and special effects, the scenery and superstitions, the bitchiness. The self-obsession of the actors contrasts with the down-to-earth backstage staff who, after all, are there for the wage and cannot rock the boat when odd things begin to happen. And happen they do, as the company progresses through the season from Macbeth, The Duchess of Malfi, Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, finally to Faust, Part One.
One of my favourite books of 2024.

Here’s my review of THE SILENT COMPANIONS, also by Laura Purcell.

If you like this, try:-
‘The Night Child’ by Anna Quinn
‘Inheritance’ by Nora Roberts #1LostBrideTrilogy
‘The Lamplighters’ by Emma Stonex

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview THE WHISPERING MUSE by Laura Purcell https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7LT via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Fair’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

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When one raft fails to finish the race at the May Fair, honorary guest and amateur sleuth Lady Eleanor Swift is the only person to be suspicious. And so starts Murder at the Fair, sixth in the 1920s cosy mystery series by Verity Bright. And as is the way of these things, the murder at the fair is not the only death in Little Buckford. Warned off any further investigations by Detective Chief Inspector Seldon – who Eleanor sometimes called Inspector, and sometimes Hugh – she believes her suspicions are correct when a spiteful obituary is published in the local newspaper. ‘For Solemn Jon’s death was not an accident, dear reader. It was murder!’ The obituary is signed Willie Green, who just happens to be assistant to ‘Solemn’ John Jon, who was the local undertaker. Green is the argumentative kind of man who exists on the fringe of the village, his brain sloshing with booze, a sharp tongue in his mouth, and so an obvious suspect. Perhaps too obvious?
When a second murder happens, another nasty obituary is published. This death looks like a horse-riding accident until Eleanor sets out to prove otherwise. Her on-off relationship with Seldon continues as they behave awkwardly around each other, not helped by the guilt Ellie feels at going behind his back to investigate the murders. These investigations are fun, supported as she is by loyal butler Clifford who has an astonishing range of suspect skills and tools, including skeleton keys and a pistol, and useful contacts amongst his fellow butlers. Things take a turn for the worse when a third obituary is published, for someone who is still alive.
The series is established now and key characters are familiar, this is the time when the narrative can run out of steam and become formulaic. But Murder at the Fair has a twisty plot with plenty of unexpected hiccups and u-turns. The deathly events occur at a time of great upheaval at Henley Hall, the annual spring clean, when a newcomer to the hall causes early excitement followed by disaster.
Enjoyable, fun, clever and charming, a great book to sink into when relaxation is required.

If you like this, try:-
‘The Killing of Polly Carter’ by Robert Thorogood #2DEATHINPARADISE
‘The Lost Ancestor’ by Nathan Dylan Goodwin #2MORTONFARRIER
‘A Mansion for Murder’ by Frances Brody #13KATESHACKLETON

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview MURDER AT THE FAIR by Verity Bright @BrightVerity https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7CZ via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

Great Opening Paragraph 70… ‘Dying in the Wool’ #amreading #FirstPara

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“My name is Kate Shackleton. I’m thirty-one years old, and hanging onto freedom by the skin of my teeth. Because I’m a widow my mother wants me back by her side. But I’ve tasted independence. I’m not about to drown in polite society all over again.”
From ‘Dying in the Wool’ by Frances Brody

Here’s my review of DYING IN THE WOOL, the first in Frances Brody’s series about amateur sleuth Kate Shackleton set in 1920s Yorkshire:-

And read my reviews of these other Kate Shackleton books:-
A MEDAL FOR MURDER #2KATESHACKLETON
A DEATH IN THE DALES #7KATESHACKLETON
A SNAPSHOT OF MURDER #10KATESHACKLETON
DEATH AND THE BREWERY QUEEN #12KATESHACKLETON
A MANSION FOR MURDER #13KATESHACKLETON

Try one of these #FirstParas & discover a new author:-
‘The Pelican Brief’ by John Grisham
‘Divisadero’ by Michael Ondaatje
‘The Secret History’ by Donna Tartt

And if you’d like to share a link:
#Books #FirstPara DYING IN THE WOOL by @FrancesBrody https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7S8 via @SandraDanby

Great Opening Paragraph 69… ‘The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman’ #amreading #FirstPara

#BookReview ‘The Spice Maker’s Secret’ by Renita D’Silva @RenitaDSilva #historical #India

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The Spice Maker’s Secret by Renita D’Silva is a sad, heartbreaking tale of two young women trapped by circumstance, by events beyond their control, different but in some unknown way connected. D’Silva is a magical writer about India, this time the scent, taste and power of spices is dominant. And she always writes intriguing, determined female characters, often difficult but always inspiring. There are two alternating timelines, of Bindu in 1930s India and Eve in 1980s London; their circumstances so different that a link between the two seems impossible. But both are trapped. Eve is weighed down by grief, struggling to leave the house, to eat, to return to a life that will never feel normal again. Bindu is weighed down by poverty, her small village suffering as drought hardens and everyone scratches a meagre survival. To protect those she loves, she takes a decision that finds her surrounded by obscene wealth, weighed down by elaborate jewellery. Bindu, the beautiful village girl who won a scholarship to college, who helps her grandmother Ajji cook wonderful curry feasts. Bindu who, according to spiteful gossipy villagers, thinks she is better than everyone else. When things get bad, Bindu remembers Wordsworth’s golden daffodils and she cooks.
Bindu’s narrative dominates and although this is good, I found myself wishing for a little more of Eve’s story before the life-changing event that shaped her world in 1980. After a start that wasn’t slow exactly but had me itching for things to develop, The Spice Maker’s Secret takes off at around 30%.
In Bindu’s India in the Thirties, the country is struggling towards independence as the world faces another global war. There are opportunities for women to be independent and Bindu wants to be one of them but instead finds herself in a traditional household; she is not allowed to mix with men, not able to enter the kitchen, forbidden to cook, daily newspapers are removed. Strong-willed, intelligent and brave, Bindu’s marriage starts to falter as she is unable to connect with her equally strong-willed husband Guru. She is expected to produce an heir, a son; but Bindu knows she is carrying a daughter. When full of despair and anger at her situation, she remembers the calm, soothing advice of her grandmother. Sometimes she listens to Ajji’s words, sometimes she doesn’t. So she makes plans to escape the elaborate mansion just as years ago she skived off school, enduring the nuns’ disapproval, to help her frail grandmother cook the catering commissions which helped them survive. But now Ajji is dead and Bindu must face childbirth alone.
D’Silva builds the tension layer by layer, chapter by chapter, passing through phases of happiness then sadness, a little hope and contentment then more sadness and happiness. It is a very emotional book.

Read my reviews of these other novels by Renita D’Silva:-
A DAUGHTER’S COURAGE
A MOTHER’S SECRET
BENEATH AN INDIAN SKY
THE GIRL IN THE PAINTING
THE ORPHAN’S GIFT
THE SECRET KEEPER
THE WAR CHILD

If you like this, try:-
‘The Wolf Den’ by Elodie Harper #1WolfDen
‘Restless Dolly Maunder’ by Kate Grenville
‘The Blue Afternoon’ by William Boyd

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview THE SPICE MAKER’S SECRET by Renita D’Silva @RenitaDSilva https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Ip via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

Great Opening Paragraph 136… ‘High-Rise’ #amreading #FirstPara

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Playhouse’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

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Murder at the Playhouse is another good adventure for Kitty Underhay, hotelier and amateur detective. Third in this nicely developing between-the-wars mystery series by Helena Dixon, Kitty now finds herself drawn into the theatrical world. Starting weeks after the ending of the previous book, Murder at Enderley Hall, Kitty is still not on speaking turns with her fellow investigator, Captain Matthew Bryant. And she isn’t only missing their cooperation as detectors. But before she can work out how to break the ice after their quarrel, everyday turns into drama when Matt is arrested on suspicion of murder. A young girl taking part in a treasure hunt at a party, is found dead on the golf course. She was strangled with a bootlace, the bootlace given to her and her friend by Matt when they knocked on his door to enquire about clues. Kitty, who soon discovers that the party was hosted by Matt’s next door neighbours, the theatrical Davenport family, volunteers for charity work with the Davenport’s daughter Genny and goes undercover.
Kitty and Matt’s relationship has reached an interesting stage, past their acknowledgement of mutual attraction they must now face up to their differing social expectations. Kitty is determined to prove her credentials as a detective, able to handle difficult and dangerous assignments as well as Matt himself. Soon she is part of the theatre company as it prepares for a charitable production. Burning the candle at both ends, Kitty’s assessment of likely risk becomes a little wobbly as she pushes on in her objective to clear Matt’s name. The cast of theatrical characters includes some colourful, and distasteful, people, so there are plenty of suspects. Assigned as prompter, Kitty fears sitting in the wings will prevent her ability to eavesdrop and discover clues. So she engages the Dolphin Hotel’s housemaid Alice to assist her again. Alice, deft with a needle and thread, proves adept at organising the theatrical costumes and props and rallying the troop of child performers.
Needless to say, Kitty takes one risk too many and, not wanting to worry Matt while also wanting prove herself to him, does not tell him everything that is happening. In the background is the longer-running mystery of Kitty’s lost mother; where did she disappear to during the war?
Kitty is a very likeable heroine while Matt has a complicated history. He is a widow and a war veteran, more of both in this book. The plot moves on nicely and the whodunnit is full of possibilities without being so complex that the clues become entangled in an impenetrable knot. More please.

Here are my reviews of other books in the series:-
MURDER AT THE DOLPHIN HOTEL #1MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ENDERLEY HALL #2MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR #4MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN THE BELLTOWER #5MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT ELM HOUSE #6MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE WEDDING #7MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER IN FIRST CLASS #8MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE COUNTRY CLUB #9MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER ON BOARD #10MISSUNDERHAY
MURDER AT THE CHARITY BALL #11MISSUNDERHAY

And my reviews of the first in a new series by Helena Dixon:-
THE SECRET DETECTIVE AGENCY #1SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY
THE SEASIDE MURDERS #2SECRETDETECTIVEAGENCY

If you like this, try:-
‘An Expert in Murder’ by Nicola Upson #1JOSEPHINETEY
‘The Cornish Village Murder’ by Fiona Leitch #2NOSEYPARKER
‘The Anarchist Detective’ by Jason Webster #3MAXCAMARA

And if you’d like to tweet a link to THIS post, here’s my suggested tweet:
#BookReview MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE by Helena Dixon @NellDixon https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Bd via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

#BookReview ‘Conspiracy’ by SJ Parris @thestephmerritt #historical #crime

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Paris 1585. In Conspiracy by SJ Parris, Italian philosopher spy Giordano Bruno is finding the French capital more difficult to negotiate than London. ‘God this city!… So many factions, so many plots; everyone an informer with two faces, playing one party off against the others.’ Fifth in this series, Bruno arrives in a Paris riven by religious fear and violence, when the reign of King Henri III is under threat from the Catholic League led by the Duke of Guise. Henri is ruled by his mother, Catherine de Medici, features regularly in scurrilous scandal sheets and seems unable to sire an heir. When a fellow priest is murdered, Bruno is drawn into the Parisian web of secrets, spies and court intrigue. Always balancing on a knife edge, Bruno must use his detecting skills to identify the murderer. He is ordered by two powerful men – neither knows of the other’s contract – to discover the truth of the murder. Bruno trusts neither and, though his knowledge of how the royal court functions is useful, he finds himself drawn deeper into danger.
A second most unexpected murder within the royal court itself threatens to reveal secrets about Henri, his wife Queen Louise, and his mother Catherine de Medici. This court is a world of courtesan spies where courtiers may be working for both sides, where everyone could be considered two-faced, their word untrustworthy. Bruno survives on his wit, bravery, and sheer damn luck. As Bruno is working for two bosses, he must also consider that everyone he meets is a spy, a double or triple agent, or may be lying to protect themselves, for ambition or for money. The plot ties itself in knots, at times the sheer number of suspects is bewildering.
I particularly enjoyed Bruno’s meetings with fellow spy Charles Paget whose wry remark that Bruno doesn’t look over his shoulder often enough would spoil some of the plot twists. The plot of Conspiracy continues some threads and recurring characters from earlier novels. Scandal and rumour combine in the echo chamber of the royal court as Bruno uncovers one conspiracy after another, or has he. Jumping to conclusions too early gets him into some scrapes and brings him into contact with a wide variety of personalities including an acting troupe I Gelosi.
These are long and complicated books and Bruno has enviable diplomatic and survival skills. The Parisian royal court is poisonous, the city is dirty and dangerous, there are sexy men, gorgeous women and gambling clerics.
A really good historical thriller. If you’re new to this series, please start with the first book to appreciate all the plot twists and themes.

Read my reviews of other books in this series:-
HERESY #1GIORDANOBRUNO
PROPHECY #2GIORDANOBRUNO
SACRILEGE #3GIORDANOBRUNO
TREACHERY #4GIORDANOBRUNO
EXECUTION #6GIORDANOBRUNO
ALCHEMY #7GIORDANOBRUNO

If you like this, try:-
‘The Burning Chambers’ by Kate Mosse #1JOUBERT
‘The Silver Wolf’ by JC Harvey #1FISKARDOSWAR
‘Winter Pilgrims’ by Toby Clements #1KINGMAKER

And if you’d like to share a link:
#BookReview CONSPIRACY by SJ Parris @thestephmerritt https://wp.me/p2ZHJe-7Hl via @SandraDanby

COMING SOON… THE NEXT BOOK I REVIEW WILL BE:-

	#BookReview ‘The Sil… on #BookReview ‘The Stolen Heart…
	#BookReview ‘The Sto… on #BookReview ‘Murder at the Gra…
	#BookReview ‘The Sto… on #BookReview ‘The Mouthless Dea…
	#BookReview ‘The Sto… on #BookReview ‘Smoke and Ashes…
	#BookReview ‘The Sto… on #BookReview ‘The Silver Bone’…

SANDRA DANBY'S BOOK REVIEWS

Sharing thoughts on the books I read, new authors, favourite authors, classics re-visisted

#BookReview ‘Normal Rules Don’t Apply’ by Kate Atkinson #shortstories

Great Opening Paragraph 73… ‘The Chateau’ #amreading #FirstPara

#BookReview ‘The Whispering Muse’ by Laura Purcell #historical #mystery

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Fair’ by Verity Bright @BrightVerity #cosymystery #crime

Great Opening Paragraph 70… ‘Dying in the Wool’ #amreading #FirstPara

Great Opening Paragraph 69… ‘The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman’ #amreading #FirstPara

#BookReview ‘The Spice Maker’s Secret’ by Renita D’Silva @RenitaDSilva #historical #India

Great Opening Paragraph 136… ‘High-Rise’ #amreading #FirstPara

#BookReview ‘Murder at the Playhouse’ by Helena Dixon @NellDixon #cosymystery #crime

#BookReview ‘Conspiracy’ by SJ Parris @thestephmerritt #historical #crime

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