Tag: diary

A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder

A Countess of Harleigh Mystery)

Delightfully quirky A Newlywed’s Guide to Fortune and Murder takes us back to the turn of the 19^th century when women were beginning to stand up and be counted in many ways. Not just as suffragettes, but women who had a bit more to their character than was given credit.

Our heroine France Hazelton, the former Countess of Harleigh, is newlywed and making plans for her forthcoming honeymoon, somewhat delayed for sure, but a honeymoon none the less.

That is until she gets a request from the formidable Dowager Viscountess Wingate, who wants her niece Kate presented to the Court. As Frances occasionally takes on some of the society events to make a little of her own money, she reluctantly agrees, thinking it will be a simple matter and will only delay her plans by a week or so.

When she goes to take tea and meet Kate, the Dowager collapses and appears to be in a very frail state, which makes Frances, who well remembers the feisty old lady as a very strong and forthright woman only weeks before, wonder what is happening in her former home. The rest of family are behaving as they always have, if not slightly more obnoxiously.

As the days go by it seems Kate is not all appears to be, which simply adds to the worry and frustration Frances is beginning to feel, as nothing is right, nothing is going to plan and nothing is making any sense.

Her beloved George is on a case for the Government which involves the late Viscount, an Egyptologist, and a missing manuscript. Frances and George really begin to wonder just why this Diary is so important that someone, possibly within the family, will sink to murder to hide the whatever is in the book, and why is the Dowager being overdosed with what appears to be Laudanum. When the Dowagers Nurse is found murdered the stakes rise to dangerous levels as it would appear that whatever is going on, someone will stop at nothing to achieve their end.

Cleverly constructed, this latest adventure in the Countess of Harleigh series from Dianne Freeman makes a great cosy murder for an afternoon on the couch, with a plot which is one that will take some time to figure out as to just who has set out to or who may have already, committed murder most foul.

June 28, 2023
Diary of a Buddhist Cat

Diary of a Buddhist Cat from Julian Worker is from the beginning a captivating read. Freddie the Buddhist cat is very conscious of being in his new home, rescued by some lovely humans from an adoption agency.

He is settling in very well, but having issues with Gemma, the other resident cat, also a rescue cat and finding life as a Buddhist cat somewhat interesting as well; as he is very mindful of his good fortune. His antics on day one are very chuckle worthy.

Each day in the diary is titled Today, as Buddhists live in the moment, or at least try to and as time passes he meets the other residents of the garden and park over the busy road, the local crows and a very forward squirrel called Rufus.

Freddie is more than just a cat, he is a very learned cat who loves to read and when he discovers a library right next door, he sets about finding a way to enter and be able to read whatever he enjoys. He has decided he needs to further understand many of the philosophers of life, as well as the classics of English literature.

Even though Mary and John, his new humans, have a wonderful bookcase full of interesting books, the library is even better. Far more choice.

With the help of the Crows they work put a plan and he carries out his first clandestine visit to the library via the librarian’s open window. Of course he can’t resist the photocopiers open tray and decides he really does need to create the perfect piece of modern art, which is where the real fun begins.

Add in a very organised squirrel called Rufus, who has always had a passion for things Egyptian, a hamster called Holly who really wants to read more about Care of Hamsters and a lively bunch of neighbourhood Crows and you have a page turning, laugh out loud, feel good book with a lovely message, that by working together, respecting those around us, and by being mindful, many wonderful things can happen.

Julian Worker has also laced carefully throughout the story some wonderfully insightful commentary on how we humans choose to live our lives. It is also very sobering, as well as amusing, to get the Cats, Crows, Squirrel and Hamsters perspective on humans and their ‘antics’.

Diary of a Buddhist Cat is a genuinely entertaining read.

February 17, 2022
Getting There A Workbook for Growing Up

Getting There is a hybrid kind of book aimed at the twenty something marketplace, as a feel good, pick-me-up style of work that is inspirational; a book that was once known as a Diary, now a Journal, a place where various issues, thought and feelings a can be recorded with absolute safety.

A place where no matter what the issue, it can be written down, with you being the only person to be able to see and reread those often perfect, beautiful, tragic or torturous moments on life’s journey that at that time seem to be so overwhelming.

At twenty something life is still very experimental, raw, unformed to a great degree; the things that matter most, the image, the boyfriend or lack of one, work, study and culture, family and friends are all important, as will be eventually the writings made during these times in your life.

Mari Andrews shares her love of journaling in a zany, quirky manner, in a workbook, created to encourage a venture into creating your own pathway through life, seeing it as your opportunity to investigate in a very personal way, how you feel, what you truly want to achieve and what you truly desire looking forward.

There are a few guidelines set down to help get you started, some basic rules to guide you as to how often to journal, what to journal, but perhaps more importantly share, because this is your very own, very personal dose of honesty and reality, 101!

As a workbook it is a little ‘corny’ considering it is aimed at the twenty somethings and their angst, but as a place to start being honest and reflective of yourself, not too bad at all. There are some chuckles to be had along the way, some hearts to be filled and some lovely little pieces shared from her own journey and Journal, offering some lovely insights into why you Journal; which is generally to record ‘right now’ how you’re feeling or coping and then to be able to look back, to bring so many things into perspective from the safety of looking back, looking forward.

Each person has a unique journey to be undertaken and as Mari Andrews says, this is a book which ‘will help you unravel your unique twists and turns’ as you travel onward to becoming an adult!

June 13, 2019
If Wishes Were Horses

When Sophie Bryant decides to accept a posting to the small country town of Hilsons Ridge it is with a great deal of angst, a huge hope that her life will perhaps begin to make sense and things will begin to get better.

After struggling to cope with the sudden and tragic loss of her husband, Sophie is sent out to a domestic dispute as a paramedic, but unfortunately things go very badly wrong and she almost losses her own life.

Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder she views this posting as a new beginning, dually arriving and settling into the remote community.

She often passes an empty old house set back from the road and somehow feels drawn to the property. When it comes onto the market, she decides to purchase it, which her family consider is insane, as she has only been in the town two weeks.

While settling into her new home she discovers and old box belonging to the elderly man who had lived in the house for many, many years; the box contains old diaries which she decides to read and in doing so discovers they are all from the First Word War, having been written by Clarrie Gilbert during his time spent with the Australian Light Horse Brigade in Gallipoli and the Middle East.

The further she reads Sophie begins to realise that somehow his diaries are helping her begin to put back the pieces of her life she thought were gone forever. She also begins to understand the slow but steady pace of country life and the residents of the town’s uncanny ability to seem to know, before her, what she was about or going to, be doing; life she was discovering was becoming mildly interesting once again.

Coming to the aid of a wild brumby seen about her paddocks, she meets the local vet, Zac, who is also struggling to rebuild his life, also discovering that healing takes time.

As Sophie learns more about life during the horror of the First World War, life in the trenches, the history of her property, and the history of the township that was once a vibrant community, so the past and present begin to intertwine, to bring with it healing, a new understanding, peace and the beginnings of a possible new love and future.

Beautifully written, Karly Lane has combined a part of Australia History which deserves to be remembered, interwoven with modern day elements, creating a level of understanding about the trauma faced by soldiers returning from the horrors of war, changed men struggling to fit back into a life that no longer remains, and the pressure of front line workers in today’s world, coping with the personal costs of the horror on our streets, who are also struggling to cope in a world which is constantly changing.

A book well worth reading.

May 11, 2017