When Death Comes Knocking On Your Door

When Death comes knocking on your door,

you’ll think you’ve seen his face before.

When he comes creeping up your stairs,

you’ll know him from your dark nightmares.

If you hold up a mirror, you shall see

that he is you and you are he.

                                                       ~ from The Night Sister

Two sisters, beautiful Sylvie and plain Rose, grow up under the shadow of a family curse till a tragedy separates them forever. Two best friends, troubled Amy and loyal Piper, try to uncover the truth behind the tragedy only to suffer the same fate and are never together again. What tragedy links these lives?

Jennifer McMahon is back and how! Her latest book easily wins hands down as the creepiest read of early 2016. Jennifer has long been one of the favored authors whose books I eagerly await and read the minute they are released. Having read all her previous novels, I can claim without any doubt whatsoever that her work simply cannot disappoint.

The Night Sister is a shiver-inducing and fraught-with-suspense gothic mystery that has all the right ingredients in place. The Tower motel (with a Tower of London replica) provides a chilling setting, a family shape-shifting curse infuses the paranormal, a disappearance arouses curiosity, siblings and best friends add complex relationships, scary grandmothers with scarier folklore build apprehension, and finally the past-present link keeps you guessing on your feet as you try and find out who or what is responsible, from all those years ago, for leading to the horrific crime with which the book opens.

Piper, her younger sister Margot, and best friend Amy are an inseparable trio in their childhood till a disturbing discovery shatters their bond. In the present, Amy and Margot have stayed back in their native Vermont, though not in touch with each other, while Piper has moved away. Margot, now married to her childhood crush Jason, is about to have a baby. All three seem to have adjusted to an adulthood without each other till Amy is accused of an impossibly cruel crime. A photograph of sisters Sylvie and Rose is discovered on the crime scene and carries a cryptic message '29 rooms'. The message makes no sense to the police but awakens some very unpleasant memories for Margot and Piper. Piper flies back to Vermont and both sisters try to uncover the truth behind Amy's desperate act. The past is back with a vengeance!

What happened to Sylvie? Where is Rose? What has the Slater family been hiding all these years? Where is the 29th room in the 28 room Tower motel? Are curses real? Can the truth be discovered before it is too late?

I was quite impressed with Amy’s fortitude. Growing up in a completely dysfunctional family and burdened with secrets so dark and disturbing they cloak every bit of happiness, she stills finds the courage be happy, to make friends, to love, to get married, and build a family of her own. She couldn’t have known that this courage would cost her all that she holds dear.

Piper left me with mixed feelings. For her to be Amy’s best friend, do everything she wanted, bravely partner with her in all her escapades, and yet give up on the friendship so easily left me a bit taken aback. Would we not try harder to keep them, those who we profess to love, in our lives?

Margot is pragmatic in approach, caring towards others, and more stalwart than Piper. Her loyalty towards her husband Jason, her town Vermont, and her sister Piper make her very likeable. She is not only brave enough to insist on investigating the circumstances that changed Amy but also fights hard to keep herself and her baby safe in the face of unexpected danger.

My strongest emotions, though, are reserved for Lou. The beautiful and cursed orphan whose future would forever be haunted by her birth.

An utterly compelling and tightly plotted novel, 'The Night Sister' progressively ratchets up the tension till everything explodes in a shocking revelation. Densely populated with surprises and strengthened by the author’s highly accomplished writing skills which bring to life her vivid descriptive storytelling, this book will keep you unbearably fascinated all through the race to the end.

Winged Words: Promenading in Pondicherry

I have recently started to pen a series of posts dedicated to writing that inspires me to travel. My second post in 'Winged Words' takes us to a one-of-a-kind Indian city, charmingly called the 'French Riviera of the East', where the past of two different nations is locked forever in a deep embrace. The beautiful Pondicherry located along the Bay of Bengal.

I first read about Pondicherry in an article in Marie-Claire; the pretty streets, vibrantly colored doors, and walls etched with artistic graffiti hinted at a place that revelled in the sheer joy of living. A few years ago I watched Life of Pi, Ang Lee’s film based on Yann Martel’s novel which I had read earlier, and saw more of this delightful city with lush gardens, colonial mansions, and roads that seemed to swoop straight into the sea.

Before long, I was flight-bound for Chennai excitedly anticipating my first view of ‘Pondy’.

About to land in Chennai. View from the plane.

Why should you go there?

Surrounded by the sea, this home of spiritual seekers from across the world has an air of acceptance that makes it easy for anyone to belong, if they so wish. A captivating confluence of different cultures, Pondicherry thrives under a unique identity of its own. The breeze on the beach caresses gently, the many-hued flowers smile with an exuberant bloom, and the vastness of the sea reminds humans of how not one of us is more than a tiny speck in the universe. Here, unlike the rest of the world, the sun seems to rise from the womb of the sea and to see it emerge slowly and spread its golden light across is a sight to be savoured. Protected by a seawall, built by the French in the 1700s, the city gives the impression of being fortified against nature’s whimsy as well as the noisy madness of today's lives.

How will you get there?

Take a flight to Chennai. From Chennai rent a cab to Pondicherry (takes about 3.5 hours).

What can you do there?

Top Ten Must-do's in Pondicherry:

1. Wake up early to watch the sunrise of a lifetime. The golden light that spreads across, slowly and sinuously, reinforces how nature can create the most beautiful sights and then share them so generously, without a fuss or any desire to be acknowledged.

2. Go for a walk in the French Quarters or the White Town where the picturesque resides with the peaceful. On quiet cobbled streets, canopied by large trees, you can follow paths that will lead you to  the sea where dressed in white foam, the waves gently sway to the rhythm of the universe.

3. Drink in the sight of picture-perfect houses with mustard-yellow walls, fuschia pink doors, and white-shuttered long windows. Curtained with bougainvillea, these private homes are amazingly pretty and architecturally distinct.

4. Enjoy reading the quaint and interesting French names of the streets as you meander away to destinations unknown.

Rue Romain Rolland where we stayed and its nearby neighbour.

5. Take pleasure in the artistic graffiti that adorns the walls and lends a quirky flavor to the elegant surroundings.

6. Stroll about on the promenade (officially named as Goubert Avenue) and peek into the past. You will come across the old port, the Gandhi statue, the old lighthouse, and the French war memorial.

The French War Memorial has 4 pillars erected in memory of French soldiers slain in World War I.

The Gandhi statue is surrounded by 8 monolithic granite pillars from the 17th century.

The Old Lighthouse, not functional now, was constructed in 1836.

7. Laze about on the clean beaches (take your pick from Promenade beach, Paradise beach, Serenity beach, and Auroville beach) and watch the men out on the sea try to fish in a rich catch (or maybe even spot mermaids?). Come back, happy and hungry, to have your fill of delicious meals that present traditional Creole cuisine at its best, and provide your taste-buds an unfamiliar yet pleasing experience.

8. Explore ambitious visions of world harmony at the Aurobindo Ashram, founded in 1926, and also Auroville or the City of Dawn, an experimental township founded some time later in 1968 that envisions everyone living in collective peace.

9. Visit the Eglise De Notre Dame Des Anges Church (Church of Our Lady of Angels), originally constructed in 1855, and modelled on the lines of the Basilica in Lourdes.

10. On your way back to Chennai, drive down the scenic East Coast road and stop awhile in the historical town of Mahabalipuram to see the Shore temple built in 700–728 AD. Exposed only recently by the Tsunami of 2004, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Legend talks of this temple as being one of the famed Seven Pagodas temple complex of which six still lie submerged. You can also explore the Pancha Rathas complex where each of the five monuments resembles a chariot. The chariots are named after the five Pandava brothers from Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic that describes a cataclysmic battle fought eons ago but alive in the memory of people, even today.

Books set in/about Pondicherry

1. Life of Pi- Yann Martel

2. A House in Pondicherry- Lee Langley

“My soul is full of longing
for the secret of the sea,
and the heart of the great ocean
sends a thrilling pulse through me.” 
                                                                                                  - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Speeding Toward Self-destruction

Ever read a book where you disliked all the characters, disliked everything they did, disliked where it was all headed, and yet couldn’t put it down? If not, you can start with Paula Hawkins’ debut psychological thriller ‘The Girl on The Train’.

Writer of pulp crime-fiction, Jim Thompson, once shared, “there is only one plot- things are not what they seem”. Paula Hawkins takes these words to heart, fragments the lives of her characters into a chilling jigsaw puzzle, and leaves you wondering what will emerge as you put the last few pieces in place. Who knows whom, how do they know each other, and who is hiding what?

Flitting between a first person narrative of three women, the story shares the perspective of Rachel, Megan, and Anna, each in a sorrier state than the other. Rachel is a thirty-something divorced alcoholic who boards a commuter train headed for London, daily, to go to a job she doesn’t have. She lives vicariously by watching the lives of a perfect-seeming couple (whom she has christened Jess and Jason) from the train window; it provides her a clear view of their backyard when the train stops at a red signal. A few houses down the lane live Tom and Anna, Rachel’s ex-husband and the other woman, now married and also parents of a baby daughter Evie. 

And then, one day, Jess disappears. Has she been killed? Has she run away? Was it the husband? Who is responsible?

Rachel feels personally invested in the case as she had seen Jess (or Megan as the world knows her) kiss a man, other than her husband, just a day before her disappearance. She feels compelled to share this information with the police who dismiss her as a mentally unstable drunk. Consumed by curiosity, she decides to take matters in her own hand and tells Jason (or Scott outside of Rachel's imagination) about his wife’s affair with a handsome dark man. She thinks she remembers something important. She wants to feel useful. She wants to help. Or, does she?

I had, quite early on, guessed the perpetrator. You don’t grow up reading an Agatha Christie every day without learning that the only one to commit a crime is someone who seemingly has no reason to do so. What kept me hooked to the book was not ‘Who’ but ‘Why’ and ‘How’.

The writing style is simple, straightforward, and tinged with melancholy. The story takes us deep into the messed-up minds of the characters through the at-times confused and mostly disturbing thoughts they share. The characters, themselves, are well-developed, complex and pull you into their unhappy lives without much effort.

I found Rachel quite annoying and was frustrated by her inability to stop herself from going to pieces. It’s just a failed marriage, not the end of the world! She comes apart completely after her divorce with Tom and even 2 years later, finds solace only in drinking herself to a stupor. Her introspection, while certainly meaningful, is impotent as she does absolutely nothing with her realizations.

It’s ridiculous, when I think about it. How did I find myself here? I wonder where it started, my decline; I wonder at what point I could have halted it. Where did I take the wrong turn?

‘What happened to you, Rachel?’ he asked me. ‘When did you become so weak?’ I don’t know. I don’t know where that strength went, I don’t remember losing it. I think over time it got chipped away, bit by bit, by life, by the living of it.

Megan and Scott live a life very different from the one conceived in Rachel's fertile imagination. Scott is a possessive and controlling husband. Megan is so deeply marked by a tragedy from her younger years that her present has become nothing more than recurring attempts to escape her past through short-lived affairs. I feared for her future as I realized the possible repercussions of all that she is hiding. And, it turns out I was right to worry for secrets are difficult to hide forever.

One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver, six for gold, and seven for a secret never to be told.

I’ve got a few of those.

Selfish, remorseless Anna is thrilled to have snatched Tom from Rachel and loses no time in creating the proverbial happy family trio of husband, wife, and child.

Being the other woman is a huge turn-on, there’s no point denying it: you’re the one he can’t help betray his wife for, even though he loves her. That’s just how irresistible you are.

Tom, the consummate liar, is someone no one knows well, not his wives and not even the reader. He kept me busy in trying to figure him out.

Soaked in suspense, this compulsive marital thriller will have you furiously flipping pages till you reach the unsurprisingly unpleasant end. What does surprise, however, is the book’s ability to change an opinion. I started with disliking Rachel the most and ended with unwillingly liking her best of the three women.  My feelings for Tom began with a mild distaste for his infidelity, and as the story progressed, they rose to an unforgiving abhorrence. He is one nasty piece of work! 

In a nutshell, reading ‘The Girl on the Train’ is akin to watching cars on a collision course, knowing it can’t end well, and yet finding yourself unable to look away. Recommended to those who like to explore the dark side of human nature through flawed characters and bloodthirsty plots!

Sisters of the Snow

Who is S. K. Tremayne? Why haven’t I read more books by this author? Where has this author been all these reading years? Just a few pages into The Ice Twins and I was already asking myself these questions. I would have tried to find out more but I was absolutely unable to pry myself off reading. The questions would have to wait. Atleast till I completed this terrifyingly atmospheric book which had me in a pincer-like grip and refused to let go!

An addictively compelling novel that expertly walks the tight rope between supernatural suspense and psychological thriller, The Ice Twins will keep you reading late into the night cos’ once you get in, there is no getting out till it is all over.

The plot focuses on the bereaved Moorcrafts’, Angus and Sarah, who have recently lost a daughter. The identical ‘ice’ twins (nicknamed so because they were born on the coldest forstiest day of the year), Kirstie and Lydia, have never known a life without each other, from the time they were in their mother’s womb till 6 year old Lydia falls off to her death from the balcony of their grandparents’ home. Before long, Kirstie starts to behave strangely and insists she is Lydia.

'Why do you keep calling me Kirstie, Mummy? Kirstie is dead. It was Kirstie that died. I’m Lydia.'

It’s not just what Kirstie says that throws Sarah into confusion. Even the family dog Beany behaves with Kirstie as he would with Lydia. I could actually feel goosebumps as the creepiness factor gained ground with Kirstie’s eerie mannerisms and talk and then kept building up relentlessly.

Which twin died? Is it Kirstie who is alive or Lydia? Did the parents make a mistake in identifying the child who died? Or is this just a troubled twin’s way of keeping her sister alive in memory?

An already disintegrating marriage coupled with Kirstie’s strange conviction of being Lydia convince Angus and Sarah to move from London to Scotland. With Angus fired from his job due to excessive drinking, and Sarah randomly doing freelance work, there is nothing to hold them back from starting afresh. Angus has recently inherited his grandmother’s cottage on Eileen Torran, an inner Hebrides island, and going to live in this ethereally beautiful locale seems to the panacea for all their pain. But, life rarely turns out as planned. Isolated from everyone and all alone on this island with no other inhabitants, the problems aggravate for all three family members.

The held-by-a-thin-thread relationship between Angus and Sarah, married for over a decade, begins to unravel rapidly and their resentment, anger, and hatred for each other takes a deadly turn. Meanwhile Kirstie is teased mercilessly in her new school by the other children who call her Bogan (gaelic for ghost) and her obsession with Lydia takes a spectral form with whom she spends time talking and playing. Sarah is terrified by her daughter's behavior and also by what she is experiencing for it only adds weight to Kirstie's claims of Lydia's presence in their lives.

They are both here. They cannot both be here.

Why does Angus hate Sarah so much? Why is Sarah so distrustful of Angus? Is Lydia giving company to Kirstie even after dying? Is the island making it easier for one twin to be with the other?

‘The locals, they used to call Torran a thin place. That means a place where there are spirits-’ he chuckles into his glass- ‘real spirits, where the spirit world comes close.’

Isle of Skye- Image Source: Wikipedia

Or is all this confusion just a manifestation of the disturbed minds of Angus, Sarah, and Kirstie?

I could not warm up to either Angus or Sarah, inspite of their suffering, probably because I found their actions quite ridiculous and also highly damaging for a sensitive child. Who goes to settle in the middle of nowhere with no human company (even if the place is breathtakingly beautiful) when their child is extremely lonely and going through tremendous pain and guilt?! Awful parenting. Robs me of any respect I could have had for the marital issues they were facing be they as strong as infidelity, betrayal, and negligence. If only they had behaved more responsibly towards their only child.

I wanted to reach out to Kirstie and take her away from her pre-occupied parents, the desolate and stranded island, and the ramshackle cottage. I wanted to protect this emotionally fragile little girl from the cruelty of other children who shunned and bullied her.

The biggest strength of the novel is in its ability to hold the reader in continuous suspense about whether it is a psychological thriller or a supernatural one. Like a chameleon, the book changes colors rapidly taking a different hue with increased frequency as we progress in the story. Is it all in the mind or is Lydia really haunting her family?

The language brings to vivid life the otherworldly beauty of Eilean Torran or Thunder island and the descriptions of atmosphere, weather, scenery, and terrain are worthy of belonging in the best travel magazines. 

Sometimes I find myself standing, paintbrush in hand, bucket of white spirit by my feet, open-mouthed- and then I come to, and realize that I’ve spent twenty minutes in silence, watching the rays of sunlight spear the tawny mountains, goring the darkened rocks with gold; watching the white clouds drift languidly, over the snow-chafed hills.

Eileen Torran is a lightly fictionalized version of Eilean Sionnach, an island just off Isle Ornsay, in Skye. And here is some interesting trivia- the lighthouse on the island (figures prominently in the book) was built in 1857, by David Stevenson, an uncle to Robert Louis Stevenson.

Which brings me back to my search for the identity of this author. As soon as I finished the book I googled up everything about S. K. Tremayne. I was delighted to find out that this is just another nom de plume for Sean Thomas (real name) who also publishes as Tom Knox.  As Tom Knox, he writes archaeological thrillers which I have enjoyed tremendously to the extent that I have read each of those books. It comes as no surprise that he happens to be an award winning travel writer too! Only someone with exceptional talent in describing places could have done such a wonderful job with the Scottish islands where most of the book is set.

The Ice Twins has enough twists and turns to give you a queasy stomach as it takes you on a roller roaster ride and blurs your ability to distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagined. Highly recommended to all those who appreciate a taut well-written thriller which keeps them guessing and frantically turning pages till they finally find relief in the truth.

Winged Words: Leisure Trails at Landour

I have already publicly confessed to being wild about the written word. Reading opens up new experiences and emotions, helps me understand the world and my fellow humans better, and also inspires me to travel!

Books that tempt, coax, and induce me to visit the place they describe are what I like to think of as 'winged words'. For these words fly me to diverse destinations by building a desire so strong that only my physical presence in the place of choice will satisfy my yearning to explore it. Getting to know these places via the internet or books will not suffice, not any more! Every once in a while I hope to share my experience of new places in a travel-themed series of posts titled Winged Words which will be listed on Traveling Tales and dedicated to books that made me take steps into the world beyond my city.

My first post in Winged Words takes us to my favorite home in the hills, Landour.

I first came to know of Landour through Ruskin Bond’s writing. Among his many books that share his love of mountains, is a slim volume ‘Landour Days’ which talks very fondly of this yet unspoilt sanctuary for souls seeking solitude. A friend who had already been to Landour was in such raptures over the trip that the decision to explore this immune-to-time destination was sealed with purpose the very day we talked. It was time to see Landour!

Why should you go there?

Landour retains an old-world charm quite unlike Mussoorie which is just a stone’s throw away in distance but eons away in offering solitary splendour. Shielded from the madness of this crowded world, inspite of being a part of it, Landour lies sleeping under a spell that protects it from the assault of time. The long winding paths here are veiled in mist, protected by their seclusion, and if you truly wish they can take you to yesterday.

Named after a Welsh village ‘Llanddowror’ in southwest Wales, it is a charming cantonment town in Uttarakhand, India, at an altitude of 7000 ft. While many refrain from visiting Landour because there is nothing to ‘do’ there as they say, for those who just want to ‘be’,  the peace and tranquility that embraces you while inhaling the crisp, cool, pine-scented air can gift you the memory of a lifetime.

Home to majestic deodars, many pine groves, and more famously the writing wizard Ruskin Bond, Landour has a quaint presence which leaves you longing for the past. Colonial-era churches, a 19th-century cemetery, and pretty brick and stone cottages peeping at you from under ivy enchant you with their shy magic such that once you spend time here, no other place will quite do.

In the days of the Raj, Landour was a convalescent depot for the British troops.

How will you get there?

• Take a train or flight to Dehradun. From Dehradun, hire a cab to Mussoorie (takes about 2 hours) or Landour depending on where you are staying for the trip. Buses also leave from Dehradun for Mussoorie every hour.
• Drive to Mussoorie from Delhi (takes about 7 hours). Landour is barely 5 kms away from Mussoorie.

What can you do there?

Must-do Things in Landour:

1. Eat your breakfast at Char Dukaan, a tiny cluster of shops, choosing between waffles, pancakes or even plain Maggi noodles if that is what tempts you most.

Anil’s café has been around for more than 60 years and is known for its ginger-lemon-honey tea.

2. Step inside the St. Paul’s church, consecrated in 1840. This is where wild life conservationist Jim Corbett’s parents got married! It is just adjacent to Char Dukaan.

St. Paul’s Church was originally the Landour Cantonment Post Office.

3. Visit the 100 year old Landour Language School where Hindi and Sanskrit are taught to people from across the world. 

The Kellog’s Church premises accommodate the Landour Language School.

4. Walk the Chakkar- a path that goes around the entire mountain ridge in a loop. Starting from Char Dukan, it runs for about 2 km and there are plenty of interesting sights on the way such as the Christian cemetery, Lal Tibba, Kellog’s church, beautiful old estates, Sisters' bazaar and more. Pristine paths pair with trees on one end and a sheer drop on the other.

About 350 species of birds can be seen over the course of the year in Landour at various elevations.

5. Ponder on the lives of those who once walked the same paths and are now resting in the cemetery. 

The graves go back to as early as 1830s.

6. Buy delicious home-made jams and preserves from Prakash Stores which has been tempting people with apple-mint, blueberry, apricot, and other distinctly flavoured relishes since 1910.

To Sisters' Bazaar. India's first prime minister enjoyed jam and cheese sold by Prakash Stores.

7. Eat your lunch at Doma’s inn, seated under vibrantly colored Tibetan craft that hangs overhead and also finds a place on the walls.

Ruskin Bond’s residence Ivy Cottage is a part of the same building where Doma’s Inn is located.

Books set in/about Landour

1. Landour Days by Ruskin Bond
2. Mussoorie and Landour- Footprints of the Past by Virgil Miedema and Stephanie Spaid Miedema
3. Mussorie and Landour- Days of Wine and Roses by Ruskin Bond
4. The Landour Cookbook: Over Hundred Years of Hillside Cooking- Ruskin Bond

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view.
May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.” ~Edward Abbey

Do you hear the mountains calling?

On My Reading Radar

The other day, I stumbled upon a fun quiz that guessed my age based on my reading habits. Before I go any further, the results were very pleasing! It also got me thinking about what I read and fuelled by the impetus of the reading diagnostic test, I decided it would be interesting to delve deeper and gain an insight into my reading preferences: the time I give to different types of books, how deep is my inclination towards a particular genre, how much more time do I spend on fiction over non-fiction, what do I prefer to read while on holiday or when commuting to work.

This year, as my resolution for 2016, I intend to include more non-fiction in my reading palette. I have developed a guilt about all of my reading having absolutely nothing to do with the real world and facts. It seems to have become pure escapism over the years (make-believe people in a make-believe world dealing with make-believe situations) and while that is a proven pleasure, I would certainly like it tempered with a dose of reality.

So, here’s what I did, summed up all I could about my reading in a visual that tells me, at a glance, What's on my Reading Radar (Click/Touch on the image and zoom for a better view).  What do you spot on your reading radar? 

Insight into Fiction Reading: It is quite easily seen that the grip of the gothic is strongest with 20 hours out of the 40 reading hours I devote to fiction, in a month, being spent on discovering secrets that lie buried in ancient mansions (preferably with a rich historical setting and a ghost or two thrown in). This is closely followed by heart-pounding, nail-biting races against time with thrillers which get 15 hours of reading time. The least time is given to fantasy. Even though many of these stories are engaging enough to be one-sitting reads, I am deliberately trying to desist from spending most of my waking hours 'fantasizing'. Overall, I find the fiction genre more engaging, prefer to read it while on a holiday, and spend more money buying such titles.

Insight into Non-Fiction Reading: Not surprisingly, I spend a majority of the time (5 hours of the 10 devoted to non-fiction in a month) on self help (mainly books on spirituality and personal growth, preferably with humorous overtones). I have found, over the years, that I am more invested in reading heavy topics when they are written about in a lighter vein. Otherwise, there are greater chances that I will DNF the book. Memoirs, such as the Corfu Trilogy by Gerald Durell and the likes, grab about 3 hours while the remaining 2 hours are spent on investigative journalism and archaeological deduction (think Graham Hancock and books like The Lost City of Z). I prefer to read non-fiction while commuting to work (easy to leave it on the page I am when I reach my destination).

What do your reading habits tell you about yourself?

Series I Stalk

In an earlier post, I had shared my fondness for the Ruth Galloway novels. Some series have a permanent place on my bookshelf. I might even go so far as to say that I am obsessed with them.
I stalk every forthcoming entrant in these series, eagerly wait for the new book to be released, read every review about it, and buy it as soon as it becomes available. Why do I have this special regard for series?

Unlike a stand-alone which comes into my life once, for maybe a week or so (even though some of them do leave a lasting impression and are read again), a series has the charming quality of steadfastness that develops through its continuity and return. As I go forward in life, the series will progress to the next book and give me company, year after year. The characters in a series are the good friends who were once acquaintances but with getting to know their lives over the years, I now feel a certain kinship with them. 

We grow together, these characters and I, while facing our struggles, dealing with disappointments, solving our problems, and celebrating our joys. I have watched Ruth become a mother (Ruth Galloway series), Nelson’s wife Michelle’s troubled acceptance of his baby daughter Kate from Ruth; Cathbad’s emergence as a loyal friend to Ruth, responsible dad to Maddy, and loving uncle to Kate from his early days as a flaky druid. The characters evolve with each book, and so do I with each passing year of my life. At times, their tough but strong decisions lend me the courage to make some hard changes in my life. 

Lady Julia and Nicholas make me smile on sad days with their inquisitiveness, stubbornness, sense of humor, and love for each other (Lady Julia Grey series). The silly antics of Becky (Shopaholic series) propel me into unrestrained laughter as she mirrors many of my foibles (addictive shopping, impulsive actions, escapism, and more). When I need a good puzzle to challenge my brain, DI Wesley and Neil (Wesley Peterson series) always have a fascinating mystery linked to history that they are trying to crack. On days when only a gothic, dark, and atmospheric story will satisfy me, I look no further than Sharon Bolton (Lacey Flint series). Lacey’s complex character, harrowing background, and her attractive mix of vulnerability with raw courage is sure to hook anyone’s interest in all the books released, and those that are yet to come.

For long winter nights, when a scary story is very much the perfect accompaniment, Nell West and Michael Flint provide the perfect blend of ghosts, haunted houses, and a tragic past in the cases they try to solve. Add a dash of romance (Nell and Michael) and humor (Gilberforce’s antics) and I have a series I can’t help but follow. Yrsa Siggurdardottir (Thora Gudmundsdottir series) also fits the bill for a deeply arresting blend of creepy mystery, unique setting, romance, and humor.

So, here’s to series and may a book continue to be released each year in the ones I stalk. The series mentioned in this post are listed as follows:

·         Ruth Galloway Series

·         Lady Julia Series

·         Shopaholic Series

·         Wesley Peterson Series

·         Lacey Flint Series

·         Nell West/Michael Flint Series

·         Thora Gudmundsdottir Series

The ones that I look forward to following are:

·         Sebastian St. Cyr series (historical mysteries)

·         Merrily Watkins series (Diocesan Deliverance Consultant a.k.a exorcist solves crime)

·         Veronica Speedwell series (by the author of Lady Julia series, need I say more?)- Book 1 review.

·         Flavia de Luce series (precocious girl detective, murder mysteries)

·         Frey and McGray series (crime, mystery, horror, detective fiction)- Book 1 and 2 review.

Beckon Book Bliss (D-I-Y Session)

“We don’t need a list of rights and wrongs, tables of dos and don’ts: we need books, time, and silence. Thou shalt not is soon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever.” — Philip Pullman

Image Source- Freepik

“I am simply a ‘book drunkard.’ Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor has for its devotee. I cannot withstand them.” — L.M. Montgomery

Flights of Fantasy

Recently, a friend read 'Cruel Beauty' by Rosamund Hodge and she hasn’t been the same ever since. Having found the book to be an amazing read, she went on a fantasy fiction reading spree hoping to come across another story that would give her a similar high, engage her with the same intensity, and impress her with its elegant characterisation of complex people. While I do read fantasy fiction (have some of my favourites among the works of C.S Lewis, J.K Rowling, Juliet Marillier, Patricia McKillip), it is towards the crossbred genre of ‘historical-gothic-supernatural’ fiction that I gravitate more often than not.  I pick up other books only off and on, more as an in-between phase, when I feel weighed down by the suspense-laden, tragedy-infused, fear-inducing, and anxiety-driven atmosphere of the gothic novels that I find most fascinating because of the very same elements! It's quite interesting to note how our contradictions rule us and exemplify our humanness.  Another time when I deviate to alternate genres is when friends can't help raving about certain books.

Anyone who is member of a book community or group would know that when it comes to book recommendations, we trust the reading taste of certain friends. We share our thoughts with them (on new books, on discovering some hidden gem, on highly anticipated releases, awesome book covers, and more) and consider their recommendations with the same gravity as we would a decision about having 'pasta arabiatta' or 'thin crust pizza' for dinner.  We find ourselves carried away by their enthusiasm, influenced by their opinion, and quite willing to try out the books they liked.

And so, spurred by the excitement unleashed from the discussion on Cruel Beauty, I  decided to devote an 'in-between' phase, solely to fantasy fiction. Having done this, I went a step further and created my ‘Fantasy Fiction Reading List’. Wondrous worlds await me!

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After an exhausting search which led me across book blogs, online book sellers, journal/magazine book reviews and articles, I have shortlisted what I think is a fairly exciting assortment. Will post reviews as I read them. The scope of these books extends from the stand-alone to trilogies and am hoping to meet some very interesting faerie folk, vampires, demons, witches, trolls and whatnot between their covers.  

Flights of Fantasy scheduled for take-off are:

Trilogy

All Souls Trilogy (Vampires, Witches, Daemons, Humans)

The Malediction Trilogy (Trolls, Witches)

Order of the Sanguines (Vampires, Angels, Demons, Legion, Humans)

Duology

The Wrath and the Dawn (Thousand and One Nights)

The Rose and the Dagger (Thousand and One Nights)

Stand-Alone

Cruel Beauty (Beauty and the Beast)

Crimson Bound (Red Riding Hood)

Gilded Ashes (Cinderella)

Strands of Bronze and Gold (Bluebeard)

Enchantment (Snow White)

The Glass Casket (Red Riding Hood + Snow White)

Tam Lin (The Ballad of Tam Lin)

The Perilous Gard (The Ballad of Tam Lin)

Recommended by Friends

Rebel of the Sands (Trilogy)
Cat's Eye Chronicles (Series)

A Court of Thorns and Roses (Series)

Any other suggestions? Do share your favourite fantasy titles.

The Game is Afoot!

January 2016 started with reading Kate Furnivall’s Shadows on the Nile. Recommended by a friend who knows her books, it was as promised, a tale of mystery and adventure as well a touching reminder of how powerful and precious family ties can be, especially sibling bonds. Set mainly in the 1930s when Britain was experiencing the Great Slump and unemployment benefits were subject to a Means Test, the book throws some light on the unrest in London at the time with workers protesting against the same. It also shares the conditions in Egypt with the Land of Pharaohs echoing a political turmoil of its own. 

The story starts with the disappearance of Tim, Jessie’s younger brother, who hasn’t been seen since he last attended a séance at the Chamsford house. Jessie has already gone through the pain of losing a younger sibling when she was seven and her five year old brother Georgie was taken away somewhere in the middle of the night. Her parents have never shared the ‘why’ and ‘where’ of this with her, leaving a guilt-ridden Jessie to wonder and fret about Georgie's fate all her growing-up years. It is not surprising, therefore, that the thought of never being able to see Tim again fills her with dread and starts her on an immediate search for her missing brother. Enter, the charming and titled but impoverished, Montague Chamsford or ‘Monty’, the owner of the Chamsford estate and among the last few people to have seen Tim alive. Jessie soon discovers that Tim has been using their mutual passion for Sherlock Holmes stories to leave clues that will guide her to him. And then begins the chase, taking us from London to Cairo where Tim is supposedly staying, since missing from London. This brings us to Shepheard's Hotel, one of the world’s most celebrated hotels in the 19^th century, and Pyramids, and excavation sites and artifacts (all of which are also frequently included in the very addictive and good fun ‘Amelia Peabody’ series). 

Shepheard's Hotel (Image Source: Wikipedia)

Jessie, accompanied by the gallant Monty, teams up with a new friend Maisie to look for Tim and bring him to safety. Will she be able to do so? Or, has fate conspired against her again and intends to take away Tim too?   

While Jessie can be quite irritating at times with her penchant for getting embroiled in unpleasant and dangerous circumstances due to her impulsive and reckless nature, she does get full marks for the deep loyalty and concern she shows for her brothers. Monty easily charms and impresses with his admirable ability to balance action and caution intelligently when facing adversities. Add a dash of courage, and he quite succeeds in finding a place in our hearts. Tim is brave, loyal, compassionate, and noble. Some of his actions, though, seem questionable even as they are guided by good intentions. And it is these coupled with some hasty poor decisions that make him oh so very human. Georgie quickly endears himself to the readers, and Maisie wins our admiration for her strong personality. 

The synopsis on the back cover does mention séances and mystics but they hardly find any place in the plot and seem to be included just to hint at a supernatural element in the mystery. For books that interweave Conan Doyle and his creation Holmes in the plot, however, I have yet to read a book better than The Sherlockian.

Overall, Shadows on the Nile is quite an interesting book written in a fluid and engaging style and will succeed in keeping readers happily hooked to the story. And, needless to say, an exciting adventure is easily favored reading for many of us!