Hank Palace returns!

Let me start off by saying that I like the fact that P.D. James chose to create this story as if all of Jane Austen's novels existed in the same universe. There were mentions of characters from both Emma and Northanger Abbey which was MIND-BLOWING. Okay, well it was to me at any rate. Also, her writing style was appropriate for the time period which helped win me over with authenticity. However, I don't think I agreed with her interpretation of the characters in this story. The narrative 'voices' just felt off to me. I think the only one she had spot on was Mr. Darcy. (By the way, has anyone else found it humorous that his first name is Fitzwilliam and his cousin is Colonel Fitzwilliam? Do you think they found that confusing if someone called out "Hey Fitzwilliam, check this out!"?) Also, I was expecting the murder mystery aspect to really knock my socks off and it kind of fell flat in my opinion. Maybe I'm too accustomed to Agatha Christie and Rex Stout. :-P If you're a fan of Jane's then this might be an interesting choice for you but if you're not a fan of that genre of literature you'd most likely find this one a little stale.

And now onto the main event: World of Trouble, the final installment in The Last Policeman trilogy by Ben H. Winters. If you've been following along on this blog, you'll know that I read the first two of this trilogy The Last Policeman and Countdown City and really enjoyed them. The books follow a detective by the name of Hank Palace whose world is literally crumbling around him because an asteroid is on a collision course with earth. In this last installment the asteroid is just days away from impact and society has degenerated into fear and paranoia. Most people are in underground bunkers with their stores of food and water. And then there's Hank. Hank is determined to keep doing his duty despite the fact that he no longer has the title of Detective. There's one more crime to solve and he's going to solve it even with death nipping at his heels.

Modern views from a time gone by

Below Stairs is a memoir of a woman who entered into domestic service as a kitchen maid at 13 and who saw the injustice of her situation (and indeed of all those in servitude) at a time when conditions were on the peak of changing. At the beginning of the tale, Margaret Powell is at home with her family which is large (typical of the time) and poor (also typical of many families). She must leave home, school, and everything she is familiar with because there is not enough money to keep her. What she discovers at her first place of work in service is that the dichotomy between Them upstairs and the servants below stairs is extremely pronounced despite the whisper of changes on the horizon. As the lowest rung on the service ladder, the kitchen maid (in Margaret's opinion) is treated with the least amount of respect or common decency. The story goes on to describe not only the differences between the classes but also the differences between the sexes. Powell's views are modern and revolutionary for the time period and her wit is absolutely biting. I thought this was a very interesting and entertaining read and I can definitely see how Downton Abbey used this as a reference point (you'll recognize some plot points if you're a fan of the show). I recommend it for anyone who'd like a quick, fun read that's also chock full of history (and cooking!).

Because I have absolutely no restraint when it comes to entering any 'book place' I came back from a visit to the library with Death Comes to Pemberley by P.D. James. I feel like I heard about this book when it originally came out but for whatever reason I'm just now getting around to it after a recommendation showed up in my email. The main characters of this murder mystery are those beloved individuals from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Really that's all you had to say to me and I would have been intrigued. Frankly, any fan of Jane Austen and/or mysteries would be hard pressed to pass up a book with such a titillating blurb.