This one by Raymond Postgate, whose son Oliver created Bagpuss, is also very interesting for its focus on the jurors. Reviewed by Rosemary Kaye #1940Club #bookstodon #reading | Verdict of Twelve by Raymond Postgate

http://sconesandchaiseslongues.blogspot.com/2023/04/for-1940club-verdict-of-twelve-by.html

I’m reading the last of the #1940Club week reviews this morning. This book, reviewed by @JacquiWine sounds really good #bookstodon #reading | The Strangers in the House by Georges Simenon (tr. Howards Curtis) | JacquiWine's Journal

https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2023/04/15/the-strangers-in-the-house-by-georges-simenon-tr-howards-curtis/

#BookReview Black Plumes by Margery Allingham
Read on audio, narrated by Michael Tudor Barnes for RNIB
Pub.1940

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This book is unusual for Margery Allingham as the detective featured isn’t Albert Campion, who she developed across so many of her novels.
The action takes place in a family home, next door to their art gallery business. Recently they’ve witnessed some odd goings on including a slashed canvas and then, of course, someone is found murdered!
The story is told from the perspective of Frances, the granddaughter of the head of the family, Gabrielle, who’s in her 90s and this clash of generations is explored well throughout.
On the night of the crime (which happens at the house) several of the family were in residence. As such we have a small band of people to suspect and naturally there are plenty of family secrets to create intrigue.
We see Frances’ confusion about what she saw that night and doubts about people she thought she knew well creep in.
I don’t want to say too much more to avoid spoilers, but here’s a taste of how Allingham builds tension:
“The long brocade curtains billowed out…as a great gust came rushing through the narrow slit at the top of the tall window.Miss Dorset sprang to close the sash but not before a pile of flimsy papers had been strewn over the floor…and to the end of her days Frances was to feel a twinge of apprehension whenever a curtain should swing out suddenly in the rising wind”
I really enjoyed this mystery, which was moody and full of melodrama and had a touch of romance. The language reflects the attitudes of the time so in this edition there was some use of offensive words which I found shocking at times. While I had my suspicions, I didn’t guess the murderer or the method and was swept along to the conclusion which was entertaining.
I read this for the #1940Club which is hosted by Simon https://www.stuckinabook.com and Karen @kaggsy59

#bookstodon #reading @bookstodon @audiobooks

Eric Ambler was an early master of the spy story and influenced many other writers including John le Carré. His sixth book, Journey Into Fear, takes place in the very early days of the Second World War and the central character is an English engineer who specializes in designing naval weapons. On a business trip to Turkey he's thrown into this alien secret world.

#BookReview #1940Club #EricAmbler #reading #suspense @bookstodon

https://gallimaufrybookstudio.com/journey-into-fear-eric-ambler-shadowworld-1940club/

Review of The Bird in the Tree by Elizabeth Goudge for the #1940Club.

"Goudge’s descriptive writing is always beautiful and in this novel she brings the fictional Hampshire village of Fairhaven to life with details of local customs, history and legends'"

https://shereadsnovels.com/2023/04/10/the-bird-in-the-tree-by-elizabeth-goudge-1940club/

Winding Up the Week #327
https://bookjotter.com/2023/04/08/winding-up-the-week-327/
This week we look at books read and reviewed, discover some of the best writing about literature on the blogosphere, announce the 1940 Club, look forward to Daphne du Maurier Reading Week and highlight fascinating features from across the Internet. #1940Club #DDMreadingweek #Books #bookstodon

@lynnskyi @sarahmatthews @bookstodon the #1940club sounds cool! I'm not taking part but currently my favorite book published in that decade is #ICapturetheCastle

Hooray for new audiobook day!
Another reading event has come along that I want to take part in so I’ve chosen it for that. From 10 to 16 April it’s the #1940Club where those taking part read and review a book/s that were published that year.
I’ve had a look on the RNIB audiobook catalogue and found Black Plumes by Margery Allingham which is just my kind of thing as it’s a murder mystery set in a family of art gallery owners. I’ve read a couple of her books in the past and really enjoyed them so I think it’ll be a quick read as I’ll be desperate to find out who did it!
#bookstodon @bookstodon