The Dry by Jane Harper

We were going to have a seasonal read this month, but couldn't resist 'The Dry' by Jane Harper instead. It's  been described as a 'breathless page turner' by The New York Times and been featured as Thriller of the Month by Waterstones and the Sunday Times.  

The small country town of Kiewarra has been dry for two years following the worst drought to hit Australia in a century. Tensions mount, culmunating in the murder of three members of the Hadler family. The guilt falls on Luke Hadler, with the local community deciding that he committed suicide after killing his wife and six year old son.

Policeman Aaron Falk returns to the town he grew up in for the funeral of his childhood best friend. Aaron Falk and Luke Hadler had shared a secret, which is disturbed by Luke's death. Aaron is reluctantly drawn into the investigation, confronting secrets from the past as he questions the truth of the crime. 

We'll be talking about 'The Dry' at our next meeting at the library on Thursday 4th January 2018

Holding by Graham Norton

Graham Norton's debut novel is an intelligently crafted story of love, secrets and loss...

Set in the remote Irish village of Duneen, where nothing much usually happens, human remains are discovered on an old farm and overweight village bobby, Sergeant P J Collins, is tasked with unravelling the mystery. As he struggles to solve a genuine case for the first time in his life, he unearths a community's worth of anger and resentments, secrets and regret.


With well written, believable characters and an authentic feel for life in a small Irish village, this is an assured first novel, which was greatly enjoyed by all members of Onchan Book Group.

Rating: 4 out 5 stars
Reviewed by: Cath

The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry

Our book of the month is the award winning Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry. It's 1893, and Cora Seabourne is a young widow whose husband's death has freed her from a secretly sinister marriage. 

Now free to follow her interest in science and natural history, Cora heads to Essex. She hopes that recent reports of a mysterious and ancient serpent may turn out to be proof of a 'living fossil'. 

Cora meets Will the local vicar while out on the Essex marshes, and neither are what the other expects. Will is a man of faith, skeptical about science, but reads Darwin. Cora is a wealthy woman who does not conform to the Victorian model of a society lady. Despite their differences, and family attachments, Cora and Will form a bond. 

This is an atmospheric read, full of mystery, twists and turns and issues to discuss at our next meeting on Thursday 7th September at 6 p.m.

Alexander McCall Smith

With the exciting news that Alexander McCall Smith is to be one of the guest speakers at this year’s Manx Litfest, Onchan Book Group decided to choose a book of your own choice by this popular author for this month’s read.

Alexander McCall Smith is one of the world’s most prolific and best-loved authors. His various series of books have been translated into forty-six languages and become bestsellers throughout the world. These include the popular 44 Scotland Street novels, first published as a serial novel in the Scotsman newspaper and now the longest-running serial novel in the world; the Isabel Dalhousie novels, and the Corduroy Mansions  series.

He became a household name with The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, which  was a hit TV series. His stand-alone novels, include The Forever Girls, Trains & Lovers,  Fatty O’Leary’s Dinner Party and Emma—a reworking of the classic Jane Austen novel. He has also written over 30 children’s books.

McCall Smith has been described as:

 "more of a movement, a worldwide club for the dissemination of gentle wisdom and good cheer."

Cath

200 Years of the Brontes

This month we’re reading either a book or poem of your own choice by The Bronte Sisters in honour of the bi-centenary of Charlotte Bronte. Charlotte was born in 1816, Emily 1818, and Anne in 1820, and they also had a brother, Branwell. When their mother died in 1821, the children were brought up by their clergyman father.

Anne Bronte, painted by Charlotte

Charlotte Bronte said: 'I'm just going to write because I cannot help it' and the sisters all followed this calling. Writing was an escape from the dreary life of being a governess, illness, family problems and tragedy. Women had little independence in the patriarchal society of the time, and their first publication was under the pseudonyms of Currer (Charlotte), Ellis (Emily) and Acton (Anne) Bell. 

They all went on to publish novels, with Charlotte's 'Jane Eyre' being one of the best sellers of 1847.  Anne's second novel, 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall' and Emily's 'Wuthering Heights' were both published in 1848.

To Walk Invisible BBC 1

The Brontes' remarkable life story is being screened in a drama 'To Walk Invisible' on BBC1 on Thurs 29th Dec at 9 p.m.

Book Group Reads For November

We've been reading not one, but two titles this month - both with a paranormal theme. 'Dark Matter' by Michelle Paver and 11.22.63 by Stephen King.

Michelle Paver is an award winning children's writer, perhaps best known for her series of fantasy novels - The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. 

Dark Matter was written for an adult audience, and set in the Arctic. 28-year-old Jack Miller is leading a lonely, miserable existence in pre-war London, which leads him to jump at the chance to be a wireless operator on an Arctic expedition.

The five-man expedition crosses the Barents Sea to reach the remote, uninhabited bay which will serve as their base camp for the next year. 

One by one, his companions fall victim to illness and injury. By the darkest time of the Polar year, Jack is completely alone - or is he? Does something walk in the darkness?

Stephen King's books transfer to screen really well, and 11.22.63 was televised as a series. Although Stephen King is renowned for books and films like 'The Shining', this isn't a horror novel.

High School teacher Jake Epping becomes a time traveller when he's enlisted to go on a mission back in time to try and prevent the assassination of President Kennedy. Jake also tries to prevent other murders, but changing the past can have unexpected consequences...

Our next meeting is on Thursday 1st December at 6 p.m.

Manx Litfest 2016 - George Bellairs: Murder Most Manx

Harvey Briggs Onchan Library are looking forward to hosting an event for Manx Litfest next month - 

George Bellairs: Murder Most Manx with Andy Wint. It's going to be held on Wed 28th Sept at 7.30 pm. Although admission is free, you will need to contact the library to reserve places Tel: 621228 or email onchan.library@onchan.org.im

Onchan Book Group are getting clued up on these classic mysteries ahead of the event, and reading a George Bellairs of their own choice this month. Quite a few were set in the Isle of Man in the 50s and 60s, so they're a great nostalgia trip, with the vintage book jackets and details all adding to the charm!

British Library Crime Classics

George Bellairs is being reprinted in the hugely popular British Library Crime Classics series

Book of the Month - Wilt by Tom Sharpe

Henry Wilt has a boring job as a lecturer at a college, and he is always passed over for promotion. He has a large, overbearing wife, who from time to time develops enthusiasms for odd things like yoga and trampolining. She introduces Henry to a very strange American couple at a party where drinking too much gin results in some very embarrassing situations! Henry starts to plot ways of getting his own back..

Subsequent events lead to some hilarious situations, involving a blow up doll and a murder investigation. The book takes the mickey out of college, marriage, sex and the police. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the situations. Although there is a lot of talk about sex, it is too comical to be offensive.

Henry Wilt eventually stands up for himself, gets the promotion he deserves, and some respect from his wife. I would give this book 5 stars!! (and page 112 was fine too!)

Freda

Dip Into A Debut Library Display Winners!

The Harvey Briggs Onchan Library were thrilled to take part in The Borough Press ‘Dip Into A Debut’ promotion, made available to them through national charity The Reading Agency. They were delighted to receive promotional materials to create a library display and a reading group set of ‘The Trouble With Goats And Sheep’ by Joanna Cannon.  Onchan Book Group not only devoured the book, but thoroughly enjoyed a conversation with author Joanna Cannon when she joined their meeting via Twitter.

The library went on to be crowned winners of The Borough Press Dip Into A Debut Library Display Competition, winning a selection of books for the library. The competition was organised by The Reading Agency in partnership with The Borough Press, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers, to celebrate a list of seven of their most-anticipated debut titles of the year.

Katie Moss, Marketing Executive at Harper Collins said: “We were overwhelmed by the number of fantastic entries we received to our Borough Press ‘Dip into a Debut’ display competition. We had a tough job choosing the winners but Onchan Library’s display was brilliant and we loved the special Goats and Sheep cakes baked for their book group meeting. A huge congratulations from all of us at The Borough Press!”

Librarian Pam Hand said: “We loved taking part in ‘Dip Into a Debut’ and I would like to thank The Reading Agency and The Borough Press. Onchan Book Group has been meeting here for almost 10 years now, and regularly post reviews on the library blog. It’s National Reading Group Day this month, and we would like local groups to know that they are welcome to borrow titles to support their readers.”  

The Reading Agency supports reading groups through ‘Reading Groups For Everyone’, the UK’s largest reading group network for anyone interested in setting up or joining a book group.

The Trouble With Goats And Sheep

'The Trouble With Goats and Sheep' by Joanna Cannon is a wonderful debut novel published by The Borough Press, who have kindly supplied these beautiful editions for Onchan Book Group to read. 

The group will be collecting their copies at our next meeting on THURS 5th MAY, and will have the opportunity to tweet questions to the author, Joanna Cannon!

The Borough Press say: 'The Trouble With Goats and Sheep' is set during the heat-wave of 1976, and is the story of ten-year-old Grace and her best friend Tilly. 

When Mrs Creasy goes missing and The Avenue fills with whispers, Grace takes Tilly by the hand and starts an investigation to help solve the mystery. as the cul-de-sac starts giving up its secrets, the amateur detectives will discover much more than they imagined. This perceptive and poignant debut novel explores what it is to belong, and how we treat those who don't.

Skeleton Road by Val McDermid

Our book of the month for March is a thriller by Scottish author Val McDermid. 

When a skeleton is discovered hidden at the top of a crumbling, gothic building in Edinburgh, Detective Chief Inspector Karen Pirie is faced with the unenviable task of identifying the bones. 

As Karen's investigation gathers momentum, she is drawn deeper into a dark world of intrigue and betrayal.  Meanwhile, someone is taking the law into their own hands in the name of justice and revenge -- but when present resentment collides with secrets of the past, the truth is more shocking than anyone could have imagined . . 

Val McDermid has visited The Isle of Man to speak at an Author's Breakfast organised by Manx Blind Welfare. Another local connection is her book 'The Grave Tattoo', which was based on the rumour that Fletcher Christian returned to the Lake District after leaving Pitcairn Island. He then told his story to former schoolmate, poet William Wordsworth, who based a secret poem on it.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

 ‘’Year of Wonders’ carries absolute conviction as an evocation of place and mood. It has a vivid imaginative truth, and is beautifully written.’ Hilary Mantel

Our Book of the Month is Geraldine Brooks's Year of Wonders, which describes the 17th-century plague that is carried from London to a small Derbyshire village by an itinerant tailor. 

As villagers begin, one by one, to die, the rest face a choice. Do they flee their village in the hope of outrunning the plague or do they stay? 

The lord of the manor and his family pack and leave. The rector, Michael Mompellion, argues forcefully that the villagers should stay put, isolate themselves from neighbouring towns and villages and prevent the contagion from spreading. His oratory wins the day and the village turns in on itself. 

Cocooned from the outside world and ravaged by the disease, its inhabitants struggle to retain their humanity in the face of the disaster.

Geraldine Brooks is an Australian / American author, and this was her first novel. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in fiction in 2006 for her second novel, 'March'. 

Book Group News

 Simon & Schuster

We've got some great reads lined up this year starting with a double bill of 'Brokeback Mountain' by Annie Proulx and / or a Susan Hill novella of your own choice. 

Annie Proulx is known for a book group favourite 'The Shipping News' and for her superb short stories. Ennis del Mar and Jack Twist, two ranch hands, meet when they're working as sheepherder and camp tender one summer on Brokeback Mountain. They unsuccessfully try to resist the attraction that develops between them, but their relationship survives the years and separations. Although they both marry and have families, it remains the most important thing in their lives. 

The book became a highly acclaimed film, which I felt did more justice to the book than the screen adaptation of 'The Shipping News'

A reviewer on Amazon posted this summary of the book: 

"It will take you an hour to read, but it could be the best hour of your life. Lovely, touching, disturbing and superbly written".


Pam

Book group member and poet, Elizabeth Adams, has just read 'The Mist In The Mirror' by Susan Hill, which inspired her to write this poem:

THE MIST IN THE MIRROR

Well what a story, an age old one

evil trying to destroy good

For all our frailties, God knows

he will not allow all good to fail,

We first in our innocence

Then in our human arrogance

believe so much in ourselves

we close the door on the Lord.

The past ignorance of evil

has been in part tainted

Ghosts, Ghouls who would be such a fool

but wary we must be

the devil will always seek

the gullible, the unbelievers

who close their hearts and minds 

to upsets behind blinds

Elizabeth Adams

November Reads

We couldn't decide between these two fantastic books, so will be discussing them both tonight!

'A Light Between the Oceans' by M L Steadman

A boat washes up on the shore of a remote lighthouse keeper's island. It holds a dead man - and a crying baby. 

The only two islanders, Tom and his wife Izzy, make a devastating decision to break the rules and follow their hearts...

 ‘A LIGHT BETWEEN THE OCEANS’ is currently being made into a film, due for release in 2016, so wonderful to read the book first.

You can read more about 'A Light Between The Oceans on an earlier post when the book was first released:  Onchan Book Group







'A Man Called Ove' by Fredrik Backman

Ove is possibly the grumpiest man in Sweden. He drives a Saab - has no time for Volvo drivers, or people who can’t reverse trailers, and especially the neighbours who ousted him from being Chairman of The Resident’s Association. 

But Ove does have a heart beneath that crusty exterior, and his poignant and moving story is told with flashes of dark humour.

So many positive comments from people borrowing and reading this book from the library, so looking forward to hearing what the group thinks tonight!

Me Before You by Jo Jo Moyes

Penguin Books

Louisa Clark is wandering aimlessly in and out of the job centre when she's offered a six-month contract as a companion to quadriplegic Will Traynor, a former adrenaline junkie and City worker whose life has been intractably changed by a run-in with a motorcycle. They make an unusual pair, throwing each other completely off-balance.

Although it may seem as if this novel will be a straightforward love story, it is anything but, facing head on the difficult subjects of living with disability and voluntary euthanasia with poignancy, sensitivity and a good deal of humour.

A sequel, ‘After You’ is due to be published later this month, and a film of the book will be released in 2016. 

Cath

The Sudden Departure of the Frasers by Louise Candlish

Penguin

This one really divided the group, with readers either loving or hating it! 

Here's what Elizabeth thought:

I liked this book from the very first line:

My name is Amber Fraser. I've just moved in at Number 40, Lime Park Road. You'll come to think of me as a loving wife, a thoughtful neighbour and a trusted friend.

This is a lie.

The Davenports, Joe and Christy, couldn't believe their luck on being able to purchase number 40 Lime Park Road, despite having to borrow, struggle and deny themselves things they thought would fall into place as a matter of course. It was a huge house made for a family that they couldn't afford - which mattered a lot to Christy. Joe was made a partner in his company without being aware of the repercussions. 

As the story progresses, and all the troubles emerge, the picture of today's way of living becomes apparent. Whispers about WHAT, the need to be on top, where the children went to school. They tried to make friends with neighbours, and couldn't understand why it didn't happen. 

The man in the top floor flat adjoining number 40 was part of this mystery - who was he, and what did he do? The tragedy of the unfolding of Amber's previous life opens our eyes to her deep seated insecurities and how by devious means she kept her husband and a child that wasn't his..

It was sad, moving and also loving the ending I found entirely right.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey

Penguin Books

Our book of the month is a first novel, 2014 Costa Prize winner, and shortlisted for the Desmond Elliott Prize. 

Maud, the narrator-heroine is determined to discover why her friend Elizabeth has gone missing. It’s an unsolved mystery, but Maud’s investigation is compromised by confusion and memory loss as a result of dementia. 

H is for Hawk by Helen McDonald

Image from The London Review Bookshop

Our Book of the Month for March is 'H is for Hawk' by Helen MacDonald, which won The Costa Book of the Year and The Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction. 

Helen MacDonald is a poet, historian, naturalist and illustrator. When she was only 8 years old, she came across 'The Goshawk' by T. H. White. The book tells of his struggle to train the goshawk, and escape his own personal demons. 

Following the death of her father, Mabel the goshawk enters her life and takes her on a journey through the grief she experienced.

Our Christmas Reads

Our next meeting will be a week later than usual on Thursday 8th January 2015. 

We’ve got a choice of two books for you to enjoy over the holidays – ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn and ‘The Minuaturist’ by Jessie Burton.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Image from New York Times

Gone Girl has been flying off the library shelves since it was published, and has been attracting even more attention since the film release starring Ben Affleck.

 It’s a mystery set in the American Midwest, with the twist being the unreliable narration that leaves the reader unsure what to believe. It also deals with deeper issues such as the way money troubles can impact on a marriage, dishonesty and the media.

“We weren’t ourselves when we fell in love, and when we became ourselves – surprise! – we were poison. We complete each other in the nastiest, ugliest possible way.” Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

Image from Jessie Burton

‘The Minuaturist’ is an historical novel set in 17th century Amsterdam, and is also about a marriage, but with a twist. 

The twist in this book is the dolls house presented to the newly wed bride as a wedding present. The tiny occupants of the house appear to mirror their counterparts in mysterious ways, revealing hidden dangers.

This beautiful book jacket is from the US cover of 'The Miniaturist' drawn by  Catrin Welz-Stein. 

Longbourn by Jo Baker

Random House

Longbourn by Jo Baker  takes a new look at The Bennett Household created by Jane Austen through the eyes of its servants. The young ladies may have been goddesses to eligible bachelors, but they were only too human to Sarah the housemaid when emptying chamber pots and scrubbing the household laundry. 

Mrs Bennett keeps up appearances, but the servants are aware of The Bennett’s financial circumstances– the new footman wears a 30 year old uniform that makes him ‘look like a ghost’. Their day is far more exhausting than in grander households, but they all have their different reasons for wanting to stay at Longbourn, which are gradually revealed. 

Apart from Mr Bennett, the Pride and Prejudice characters are fairly in keeping with the original, with the main focus on the relationships below stairs. Servants are invisible to grand gentlemen such as Bingley and Darcy, but Wickham is not above trying to seduce the youngest maid, Polly. Mr Collins’ visit is a huge event, because as the future heir of Longbourn, he has the power to affect the future and security of the servants.

The group liked the fact that Longbourn was a different take rather than a sequel, and enjoyed Jo Baker's insight on the domestic service that supported the Regency society.