britishcolumbia

Death in a Darkening Mist | Iona Whishaw

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This is my second Lane Winslow mystery and I am delighting in this series. I do so enjoy a period mystery but where the women get to be strong, capable, independent characters. The incorporation of WW2 and post-WW2 geopolitics raises the bar on these mysteries. Good fun, and love the interior BC setting

kspenmoll This series is wonderful! I loved it-keep in reading ! I have a few left to go…my library had most of this series. (edited) 2w

LiteraryHoarderPenny I love these characters!! Im behind in my reading of them though! 2w

15 likes2 comments

rubyslippersreads

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

I really enjoyed this. At first it seemed like the story of a young girl growing up on a ranch, with an almost idyllic life, but the detail about Ernestine‘s future revealed that the story was going to get darker. This is my first Ethel Wilson, but won‘t be my last.

Does anyone else think that Hetty would be able to get herself out of trouble in Austria, no matter how ominous the last lines? 😏

#PersephoneClub

andrew61 Yes, I agree, Hetty will definitely find someone else who falls for her charms. Great review. 3w

Tamra @andrew61 agreed! 3w

willaful Yup, she's a survivor. 3w

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LeahBergen Haha! Yes, I bet Hetty figured something out. 3w

rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen Maybe she heard that a captain with seven children was looking for a governess. 🤣 3w

LeahBergen Good one!! 😂 3w

46 likes6 comments

CarolynM

Hetty Dorval. by Ethel Wilson | Ethel Wilson

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#PersephoneClub
I have a lot of thoughts about this one. Firstly, the ostracism. No one quite seemed to know exactly why, but Hetty was a “menace” & to be shunned. I wonder how often this happened (& still happens) to someone innocent? Then the “femme fatale”. Of course it‘s the woman‘s fault, no man can resist a beautiful woman who appears available & interested🤬 I was kind of disappointed that it turned out Hetty conformed to the stereotype.

rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Caryl, sisilia, daena, LeahBergen, JenlovesJT47, elkeOriginal, Gissy, Aimeesue, Tamra, Teresereading, andrew61, Cathythoughts, Bookbuyingaddict, julieclair, willaful

Tamra I got the impression that was one of Wilson‘s points, re: stereotype? Hetty & her mother suffered the social stigma of having been real women with real feelings, desires, dreams, etc. who were especially manipulated by men. They in turn had to manipulate others bc they operated in survival mode. I would have liked Hetty more fleshed out in first person, but it was Frankie‘s POV. Honestly, I was more interested in Hetty! (edited) 1mo

Cathythoughts Yes I agree, the judgement of innocent people in this world is upsetting. I think Hetty was set up early on when she tells Frankie their meetings must be a secret… this is how we are introduced to her and it‘s hard to get past. I worried for Hetty‘s future, she was living life in survival mode. Solitary. 1mo

68 likes2 comments

LeahBergen

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

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I‘m late to review our latest #PersephoneClub read as I‘ve been travelling around the interior of British Columbia (and very close to the setting of this novel).

I loved it! And who was surprised by the “reveal”?? I felt like I could have continued on with Frankie‘s story just a little bit longer.

rubyslippersreads, quietjenn, Caryl, sisilia, CarolynM, daena, LeahBergen, JenlovesJT47, elkeOriginal, Gissy, Aimeesue, Tamra, Teresereading, andrew61, Cathythoughts, Bookbuyingaddict, julieclair, willaful

Tamra It was a surprise to me! Didn‘t seem to be handled well all the way around. 😅 I felt like that about Frankie too, but I had to keep reminding myself the titular character is Hetty. I wonder if that was a publisher choice? I hope you enjoyed your trip! (edited) 1mo

willaful I would really have liked to see more of what happened to Frankie, but I came to the conclusion that the story was really about her finding her own values and voice and we could take the rest on faith. 1mo

CarolynM I was surprised, but it made sense to me. And I liked what the Afterword said about the consequences of parents behaving as servants to their children. I was uncomfortable all along with accepting that Hetty was bad, without any real evidence. I was hoping for those sitting in judgement to be in the wrong. 1mo

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rubyslippersreads I‘m even later than you, but will come back when I‘m done. 😺 1mo

Cathythoughts I loved it too. The reveal was a surprise to me too, but then on reflection it made sense. I felt for Hetty , but I‘d say she would be a difficult person. I loved the description of their first meeting in nature. Lovely writing. ❤️ 1mo

Cathythoughts Lovely picture ! I hope you had a great time on your trip x 1mo

MemoirsForMe Happy Travels! 🤗🚐❤️ 1mo

rubyslippersreads I was surprised by the reveal. As for Hetty‘s reputation, I think Frankie‘s parents were just trying to protect Frankie, and to keep her from growing up too fast. But that was difficult to do without divulging too much of the sordid gossip around Hetty, which at that time would have been very shocking. 3w

67 likes8 comments

andrew61

Hetty Dorval. by Ethel Wilson | Ethel Wilson

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@quietjenn @Tamra @CarolynM @sisilia @Caryl @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful @LeahBergen #persephoneclub
Another great read with (reminded me of a lost lady by WC) a central character who is the hypnotic femme fatale who attracts everyone except the sceptical narrator ,here Frankie burnaby who as a child loves the stranger + her parents forbid her to contact but as adult sees the spider like risk.

LeahBergen Pretty photo! I really enjoyed this one, too (and still need to review it). 😆 1mo

rubyslippersreads Spider-like is a perfect description of Hetty. 3w

40 likes1 stack add2 comments

Nebklvr

Bachelor Brothers' Bed & Breakfast Pillow Book (Us) | Bill Richardson

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The slow, tender unwrapping of this story of twin brothers and their small village bed and breakfast is genuinely funny and sweet.

39 likes1 stack add

quietjenn

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

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So much packed into this slight novel! Such layered, complex characters in a story that did not go all the places I expected it to. A great #persephoneclub pick!

LeahBergen Look at that old edition, too! 😍 1mo

Tamra 👏🏾indeed, good things come in few pages. 😄 1mo

CarolynM What a great edition! I‘m just getting started. 1mo

47 likes1 stack add3 comments

willaful

Hetty Dorval | Ethel Wilson

A coming of age story in which young Frankie's life in beautiful British Columbia, and later in Europe, is disrupted several times by the fascinating, enigmatic -- evil? -- Hetty Dorval. I've read books with similar themes before but I'm not sure I've ever read one in which the narrator comes so satisfactorily into their own by the end; no matter who Hetty really is, Frankie will be the person she needs to be.

#PersephoneClub

LeahBergen Great review! And I‘ve yet to start. 😬 1mo

Cathythoughts Great review. I enjoyed this too. Hetty is one complicated woman ! 1mo

willaful @LeahBergen It's a pretty fast read. 1mo

24 likes3 comments

kspenmoll

Lightning Strikes the Silence: A Lane Winslow Mystery | Iona Whishaw

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An explosion blasts in Kings Cove near Lane‘s home.She discovers a bombed out cabin with a young wounded Japanese child.After getting the child to the hospital, Lane returns to the site, only to find a dead woman, presumably the child‘s mother.Meanwhile,Darling is investigating the murder of a local jeweler.Are these murders connected?The novel explores lingering post World War II prejudice against Japanese Canadians.#LaneWinslowMystery

Prairiegirl_reading Have you read the other books in the series? I‘m wondering if this needs to be read in order? I‘m a stickler for starting from the beginning but someone suggested this for book club and I want to let it go if it doesn‘t matter that much. 2mo

kspenmoll I have read these in order- my library has them. It helps to read them in order but I think there is enough essential catch up in the book so you can read just one. I am like you, If it‘s a series I like to start in the beginning. Not sure this helps but I think this one you can read as a stand alone. If you like it, go back to the beginning! 2mo

56 likes2 comments

kspenmoll

Lightning Strikes the Silence: A Lane Winslow Mystery | Iona Whishaw

Lane‘s summer mornings speak to me. They are similar, except I do not have a lake, but a river. The river is parallel to my house but their breezes do not reach me.

Deblovestoread Such a lovely description. I can close my eyes and be there. 2mo

AnnCrystal 💝💝💝. 2mo

42 likes2 comments

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