Moppet > Recent Status Updates

So Melanie's 6 year old daughter disappears during a game of hide and seek in the apartment block's communal gardens at around 6pm on 10 November 2019. (No spoilers, it's the premise of the book.) I just looked up sunset in the Paris region on that very day: 16 minutes past 5. How likely is it that Melanie, not to mention the other parents, would let the kids go on playing in the dark? Could they even see to play?

Especially as these weren't rescue hens, the Vicar was going to EAT them for Christmas dinner! Incidentally the Vicar is disappointed that more people don't come to him for 'spiritual advice'. Here's some 'spiritual advice': Stop treating the local police constable like your personal butler. That goes double for you, Julian Kirrin of the Famous Five.

The Vicar gets shirty when the local constable doesn't immediately find his stolen chickens. '"I'm on my way to Guildcombe now, and shall call in and see the Inspector at the Police Station and see if he has any news."' Good luck with that, mate. This isn't the Great Train Robbery. Even in rural England in 1953 Police Inspectors had more to worry about than some vicar's missing fowls!

So Humphry himself has finally joined us. After an unfortunate incident when his decrepit breeches split and he accidentally mooned the outraged Tabby, he's established as the family footman with a brand new livery.

Linda💘 Raoul de Valmy. Why though? What we know so far:
He drives too fast. Hairpin bends and fog are like a red rag to a bull. Linda thinks he drives brilliantly, but anyone can do an emergency stop.
May be a gambling addict.
Acts controlling and weird after one date, which wasn't even supposed to be a date.
Conclusion: more red rags/flags than the Communist Party conference. Linda Beware!

Starting over with this - don't think I made it past the sixth coach last time. I love the descriptions of Paris and Savoy.

Finished the first week's reading. The travellers are tiring of Bath and about to move to London.

Confusing start but I'm starting to get to know the characters and become involved in their story.

Skipping the introduction, they're usually full of spoilers.

Finished the first short story, Whatever Happened To Cousin Charlotte?, a Southern Gothic tale which is enjoyable but feels somewhat underwritten. In this case, I preferred the movie, retitled Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte.

A book which will lead to many other books! I'm making a list of Gothic titles to check out. Some sound especially intriguing. I must know more about Moon of the Lost Frenchman, a 1977 offering from Kitty Mendenhall.

Actually done with Baby Jane and on to Cousin Charlotte, one of the short stories included in this edition. LOVED Baby Jane. Review coming soon.

The 1930s melodrama dialogue is absolutely on point. Joan Crawford was perfect casting for Blanche, I can hear her saying all this in her dulcet mid-Atlantic accent.

'"I make the money, so I can have whatever I want. You can't stop me!"' Baby Jane presents as a spoiled brat here, screaming for ice-cream, but she's got a point. She's sacrificed her childhood to be the family breadwinner, so why shouldn't she treat herself? Many child stars grew up to find their career was kaput and their parents had spent all their money, so she'd better get that ice-cream while she can.

As the Rory Gilmore Challenge Hallowe'en Weekend Readathon begins I'm more than halfway through Mistress of Mellyn, which Rory takes out of her high school locker when preparing to transfer to Chilton in the first season. If you put Jane Eyre and Rebecca in a blender, you get this book.

'I was going to make a success of this job. I was going to make of Alvean not only a model pupil but a charming, unaffected, uninhibited little girl.' Well good luck with that, because frankly Alvean is obnoxious. I don't think anything will make a model pupil of her, short of getting sent to the Chalet School and having a near-death experience on a mountain. That usually works.

Last few chapters. If Marianne can survive the retreat from Moscow, she will have to make a choice between two men. Napoleon took time out from occupying the Kremlin to give her relationship counselling, but will she listen to him?