There's something about this time of year that suits a good spooky story or a wintery mystery. So in my Christmas and New year readathon I turn readily to the master, M.R. James, for a good ghost story and to Mr Dickens for some scary goings on in A Christmas Carol. I bought Sheridan le Fanu's Through a glass darkly for Mr E for Christmas, but decency dictates that I should wait until he's finished it before I snuggle down on the sofa with it.
While I'm waiting, I've enjoyed Kate Mosse's new work Sepulchre: ghosts, demons, 1890's France, tarot...what's not to like about this easy on the eye page turner?
I am also grateful to Simon at the Big Green Bookshop for putting me on to The Chatelet Apprentice by Jean Francois Parot (the book didn't make it into my Nan's christmas stocking as I'd planned when I bought it). 18th century Paris, gory details, brothels and dungeons all on dark nights, well I think we can see a pattern forming about my idea of a cracking winter read.
I am now finishing up C.J. Sansom's first Shardlake novel, Dissolution, set in the frozen landscapes of 16th century England with enough corrupt monks, period detail and Tudor terror to keep me happy.
Where to next though? Mr E will take ages to finish his book and I need page turners to chill me to the marrow and make me hide my head under the duvet.
Got any winter's tales to recommend?
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