COMFORT AND JOY – AMIDST THE CONFUSION OF 2019

2019, as we reach the last day, seems to have been a year of political, national and global confusion. I won’t linger on any of these aspects, which are far too gloomy. Instead I’d like to share with you some of my own highlights.

First of all: the BEST THREE BOOKS of 2019. I read every day, and managed to get through 70 books this year – a few less than in 2018, but remember that during the earlier part of the year, my eyesight wasn’t really up to ‘binge reads’.  I am almost addicted to crime novels and thrillers, so the three I have chosen will not be a surprise! I've provided links to the books on Goodreads, so that anyone interested can investigate further.

My favourite read was ‘Natural Causes’ by James Oswald.

Here is my review:

‘Some people are put off reading crime novels when an element of the supernatural is introduced – but I am not one of them. Quite the opposite, especially when the ‘dark side’ is not overwhelming but written in such a way as to be credible – which in this book is beautifully carried off. ‘Natural Causes’ is James Oswald’s first novel in a series featuring the eminently engaging Inspector Mclean, and I can’t believe I’ve taken this long to discover such an excellent author. The narrative is careful, almost casually well crafted, with the reader sliding effortlessly into Mclean’s Edinburgh-based world – a softer, and more tolerable background than that featured in Ian Rankin’s books.

I loved this book. It’s a gritty story, leaving little to the imagination, yet skillfully manipulating the reader through the worst of the crime scenes and back into Mclean’s day-to-day world, where humour and some instantly likeable colleagues make this such a compelling read.’

Next up was 'The Stranger Diaries' by Elly Griffiths.

This was an unusual and compelling read, a ‘Gothic/suspense/crime novel’ which I would not hesitate to recommend.

And finally: 'The Comforts of Home' by Susan Hill. This is the ninth in an excellent series of beautifully written crime novels by the author better known for ‘The Woman in Black’.

FAVOURITE PHOTOS taken in 2019 are far more difficult to select, and readers of this blog will be familiar with my garden photos. Therefore, I’ve chosen a couple from wonderful places we visited this year.

This view of part of the Rock of Gibraltar (taken from the other end) looking out towards Spain is one which lingers in my memory. My third trip to the Rock in September proved even more enjoyable than the others, and it's a place where I could quite happily live, were it not for the traffic which has increased beyond belief. Every Gibraltarian taxi driver complained about it! The Rock is just another example of a place where the infrastructure is not keeping up with increasing population demands. But for a peaceful and restful holiday all this can be avoided by climbing or riding to the top and walking. The views are quite breathtaking.

Closer to home, Brentor is one of my favourite places on Dartmoor - as those of you who have read 'Stopping Time' will already know. We climbed to the top in July on a glorious breezy day, totally unlike the windswept rain-drenched visit of my book.

Finally, I cannot wish you all a 'HAPPY NEW YEAR' without a flower photo to lift the gloom of December. From a warm day in May, here is one of my roses...