[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars This is a new and really successful approach to examining both true crimes and their influence on literature. The accounts of the crimes themselves are fascinating but it is the linked analysis of how they informed Christie’s work which really sets this book apart. It’s nicely written - not at all dense or overdone, but to the point and pithy. Some of the cases covered are very well known and even these bear re-examination with this new perspective.
NetGalley, Louise Gray

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars Absolutely fascinating. I was unaware of Ellen Ternan and the allegation that she was Dickens’ mistress. In the spirit of Gradgrind, the author bases his views on facts and draws a different conclusion. I feel confident that the author’s career as a research scientist leaves him well equipped to gather facts, apply analytical skills and form a different and more challenging view. His insight is forensic in detail and I believe his reappraisal is worthy of consideration. He gives a brief overview of Dickens and I was interested to note that current views about the relationship with Ellen are based on two rather dated and skewed biographies. Both concluded she was his mistress, but facts to support that are thin. Ruck looks at Ellen’s life in earlier years and draws on resources already in the public domain. These include letters, literary references, other biographies, contemporaneous records and more. There's a comprehensive index and a number of interesting.. Read more
NetGalley, Anita Wallas

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars This is a terrific companion piece for anyone interested in the people who produced such wonderful books and poems. The analysis is careful, measured, informed and respectful but does not shy away from offering opinions which some may consider confronting or controversial. The analysis of birth order and childhood experiences is fascinating and gives scope for further consideration of their influence on the works of the Brontë's. I particularly enjoyed the analysis of Anne Brontë as the youngest child.
NetGalley, Louise Gray

Discover the woman behind the words in this biography of the famed crime sleuth Dorothy L. Sayers. I'd heard of Dorothy from her works, but knew little about her actual life. Reading about the force of nature that she was gave me great joy and made for a fabulous read. The Worlds of Dorothy L. Sayers will keep you enthralled in it's entirety.
NetGalley, Katherine McCrea

[b]Rating[/b]: 5 out of 5 stars Christoher Herbert’s history employs one of the most useful strategies when dealing with a subject for whom the material is sparse. In this case, there is an abundance of material about Jane Austen who has been the subject of so many biographies. However, Herbert does not rely solely on this and has adroitly using his independent research, bolstering it with material that sets the context for events that are not recorded. He also uses the more conventional way of contributing to research when dealing with a writer – studying the author’s work for clues. In this case, both Jane and Henry Austen’s writing. This is a work of substance, accessible writing, a broad history of the time and social mores, and an intriguing insight into Henry and his family, including Jane for whom it becomes clear, Henry was indeed her favourite brother. There are wonderfully comic passages – the discussion of studying at Oxford and Cambridge in the period was delightful... Read more
NetGalley, Robin Joyce