We are fortunate that the Maine coast this week is one of the coolest places in the country, the U.S. at large suffering through another wave of record-setting heat. For us, Maine is a time to slow down, read more, watch more, spend time with good friends and family, and just relax. Here are some samples of recent fare.
WATCHING
Grantchester (PBS Masterpiece)
This is Season 7 of Grantchester, and it’s an excellent one. There are six episodes, and we’ve now watched all of them. There is still a murder case to be solved in each one and the complexities of the cases are intriguing, but the real meat is in the focus on the characters. The separation between Geordie and his wife Kathy is one thread; another is Mrs. C’s angry and disruptive behavior as she deals with a health issue. And then there’s vicar Will, in love or lust with a woman named Maya, someone else’s fiancée, and attracted to Geordie’s sister-in-law Bonnie. How these relationships evolve and grow makes for wonderfully satisfying viewing. The writing is superb, and Tom Brittney both plays Will Davenport and directs this season. It is definitely one of the best seasons of all. Highly recommended!
Endeavour (PBS Masterpiece)
In contrast to Grantchester, I thought Season 8 of Endeavour fell short. Endeavour is falling apart, is lax on the job, and resorting to alcohol. There are cases to be solved with Detective Thursday, but in at least one episode, the ending did not satisfactorily bring all the pieces together. There are three episodes, and this is said to be the next to last season. Perhaps it has run out of oomph.
READING
Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner
I decided to explore this author’s work after reading her recent obituary in the New York Times. A journalist for The Guardian for many years, Steiner went on to write three crime novels set in Cambridge, England featuring DS Manon Bradshaw. This is the first one. A 24-year-old woman, Edie Hind, daughter of a wealthy, well-connected father, goes missing, and a wide-ranging search is undertaken to locate her. This has all the elements of a well-done police procedural and is told from several perspectives, principally that of investigator Manon, but also that of constable Davy, Edie’s mother Miriam, and others.
The writing is graphic and punchy. Despite that, the book moves slowly and never really catches fire until about three-quarters in when the pace picks up. I liked this novel enough to stay with it, but haven’t decided if I will read the next one in the series.
The Last Garden in England by Julia Kelly
With the grand, but neglected estate garden at Highbury House at its center, this historical novel is the interlocking story of several women, each of whom has some role in the creation of the garden. It’s a novel of women who aspire to meaningful lives, often greater than what society allows or expects of them. Along the way, they find fulfillment and love.
In the present day, Emma, owner of her own garden design business, has taken on the restoration of the Highbury garden for clients Sydney and Andrew. In 1907, Venetia Smith designed this series of garden rooms, and her story is the bedrock upon which the others unfold. During WWII, Highbury House is requisitioned as a convalescent hospital and the owner’s widow, Diana Symonds, cook Stella Adderton, and land girl Beth Pedley must each in her own way deal with the shortages and sorrows of wartime.
I found this a most absorbing novel both for the characters and the intricacies of designing a beautiful garden. It shines a light on matters of class, ambition, and the role of women. Kelly has written several other historical novels, and she’s on my list to explore her work further.
Note: Header photo is of a cove on Southport. ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved)
