Hot off the Shelves Reviewed by Luanne Oliver
Home Fires by Julie Sum- mers is the story of the Wo- men’s Institute in the Second World War. Away from the frontlines of World War II, in towns and villages across Great Britain, ordinary women were playing a vital role in their country s war effort. As members of the Women’s Institute, an organization with a presence in a third of Britain’s villages, they ran canteens and knit- ted garments for troops, collected tons of rosehips and other herbs to replace
A Bookworm’s World is today’s stop on the tour for Death in the Mayfair Hotel, the sixth entry in Fliss Chester’s – The Cressida Fawcett Mystery series. It’s Christmas Eve in 1925 London, Cressida Fawcett is at the Mayfair Hotel with her chums and acquaintances – including her wee dog Ruby. The festivities have just begun when Cressida discovers a body. And it’s someone she knows... This is the first book I’ve read in this series. I was easily able to suss out who was who and some background.
Read more from Luanne at luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.co m Home Fires , a fascinating social history of the Women’s Institute during the war (when its members included the future Queen Elizabeth II along with her mother and grandmother), provides the remarkable and inspiring true story behind the upcoming PBS Masterpiece series. Through archival material and interviews with current and former Women’s Institute members, Home Fires gives us an intimate look at life on the home front during World War II. medicines that couldn’t be imported, and advised the government on issues ranging from evacuee housing to children s health to postwar reconstruction. But they are best known for making jam: from produce they grew on every available scrap of land, they produced twelve million pounds of jam and preserves to feed a hungry nation.
I really liked the characters. Although she is part of the upper crust, Cressida is keen on helping the local constabulary find out who the culprit is before midnight and the doors are opened. This isn’t the first time she’s helped them. She’s smart, curious, and determined. I liked puzzling over the clues with her. The supporting cast was just as good, especially her best friend Dotty. This setting gives us a large locked room mystery. Chester describes the setting very well and I could imagine the ballrooms and the down belows. The customs, mindsets, expectations and rules of the time period are part of the setting – and the plot. There were a number of choices for the ‘whodunit’. Chester gives us that and some red herrings on the way. Cosy mysteries are my ‘get away from it all, escapist’ reads. Death in the Mayfair Hotel has all the bits that make up a cosy tale. A spunky lead that’s an amateur sleuth, a dog or cat that helps out, a possible love interest yes, there’s one or two of these. And while it’s not a small village, the upper crust are the stand ins for that component. A fun read and a lovely cosy. Thanks Fliss Chester!
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Page 12 Lambeth Villager • November 2024
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