The Week in Pictures...

 

* Slowly but surely I am getting the garden organised. I picked the last of the root vegetables (turnips, beets and radish) from the winter crop, and have started clearing the veggie beds for a summer crop. Late is better than never, although I'm going to have to select my veg wisely. I also now have a lemon tree, which I plan to plant in the frontyard; the Lisbon can grow up to 6m in height, so I hope to utilise both its shade and fruit to the best advantage I can.

 

* Slowly but surely I am catching up on my book reviews. I am such a terrible procrastinator on everything, which is silly really because I enjoy reading books and writing the reviews. I just need to try harder to write the reviews prior to starting a new book!

 

* Slowly but surely I am catching up on my mail. I was in a bit of a letter-writing slump recently but have now found some motivation again in the form of a new mail art project, which I will announce here later in the week (keep your eyes peeled!).

Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn...

Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"She hugged me again, fiercely, and flew off to the kitchen, leaving me feeling fairly staggered. I was the daughter of an earl, I thought bleakly, born to privilege and wealth most people could not even hope to imagine. And in that moment, I would have happily traded places with a little maid who had everything I did not." - Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn

 

Silent on the Moor is the third novel in the Lady Julia Grey series by Deanna Raybourn: Victorian murder mysteries featuring the delightful Lady Julia Grey and the wonderfully enigmatic Nicholas Brisbane.

Silent on the Moor sees Mr Brisbane come into possession of a wild and rundown estate known as Grimsgrave on the Yorkshire moors. Despite Mr Brisbane's express wishes that she not, Lady Julia invites herself to stay at his estate, dragging along her sister and brother on the journey north as her chaperones (custom of the times required that a lady should never travel alone, especially to visit an unmarried man in his own home). Upon arriving at Grimsgrave, Lady Julia is shocked to discover that the previous owner - Mrs Allenby and her two daughters - are still residing in the hall, but even more surprising is Mr Brisbane's coldness towards her. Being the determined and stubborn woman that she is, Lady Julia refuses to return to London and decides to stay at Brisbane's side despite the clear opposition; she is determined to get to the bottom of the mysteries of Grimsgrave Hall.

Silent on the Moor is wonderfully gothic. Set on the wild expanse of the Yorkshire moors in a crumbling mansion, with attempted murder, mummified remains, ghosts, gypsy magics and well-guarded secrets, it is unabashedly addictive. The story conjures images of a derelict, darkened hall alight with the amber glow of the fire whilst the wind howls relentlessly outside, and Mr Brisbane's dark and brooding character is deliciously Heathcliff-esque: The author's inspiration for this story is quite obviously Emily Bronte's classic novel, Wuthering Heights, but she pulls it off. I loved it.

Don't be misled by the cover: This is not a romance novel. Although the romantic tension between Lady Julia and Mr Brisbane is electrifying, Silent on the Moor is an historical mystery novel with seemingly star crossed lovers playing the central roles. And it is brilliant. I loved everything about this novel: The setting, the characters, the style, and it is my favourite of the Lady Julia novels to date (I hope to see Lady Julia and Mr Brisbane return to Grimsgrave in future).

I would highly recommend this series to anyone.

View all my reviews

The Week in Pictures...

 

* I labelled the marmalade and gave a few jars away to family and friends. Then I ate an entire jar of it to myself. Whatever I could smother in marmalade I did: Bagels, english muffins, bread rolls, toast...I'll definitely be making it again.

 

* It was Ostara (spring equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere this week, which means it's time for me to quit stalling, get out into the garden and plant something.

 

* I received my order of most awesome washi tape from Deco Tape Paradise on Etsy. Washi tape threatens to become my new favourite crafting addiction.

 

* There's a change on the cards.