The Content Reader

"For Harriet Delvaney, the great house of Menfreya, standing like a fortress on the Cornish coast, had always been a citadel of happiness and high spirits. Not until she herself came to Menfreya as a bride did Harriet discover the secret family legend of infidelity, jealousy and murder. And not until the legend seemed to come dangerously to life did Harriet begin to believe the old story that when the tower clock of Menfreya stopped, someone was about to die . . ." I would say this is quite a typical Victoria Holt. We have an old house, an old family with secrets and a young girl in love the the heir. It could be a very banal story, but Victoria Holt is too good for that. She engages us in the story of Harriet Delvaney, her life and her dreams. She is the daughter of a wealthy man, has a handicap and is not loved by her father, since her mother died giving birth to her. Her best friend and substitute mother is Fanny who has taken care of her since childhood. She is under the ...

On the way back from our trip to the north of Sweden, Finland and Norway, we passed by my parents again. The common book shelves are standing outside the guest flat so I took the opportunity to go through it one more time. I found seven books in June as I told you about in the post Just checking in... . They have already been read and I was quite pleased with my choose and enjoyed the books. Another look generated another five books, and they are: Rose Tremain - Restoration - It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1989, as well as being the Sunday Express  Book of the Year. In 1995 it was made into a film with Robert Downey Jr., Sam Neill, David Thewlis, Polly Walker and Meg Ryan. " Robert Merivel, son of a glove maker and an aspiring physician, finds his fortunes transformed when he is given a position at the court of King Charles II. Merivel slips easily into a life of luxury and idleness, enthusiastically enjoying the women and wine of the vibrant Restoration age. But ...