Bettie's Books

bookshelves: spring-2016, moidahrous-march-2016, mystery-thriller, published-2009, wwii, historical-fiction, art-forms, eire-dublin, diamonds-are-a-girls-best-friend, britain-ireland, the-troubles, kleptomania, nazi-related

Read by David Rintoul. 11 Hrs 3 Mins

Description: Eldritch Swan is a dead man. Or at least that is what his nephew Stephen has always been told. Until one day Eldritch walks back into his life after 36 years in an Irish prison. He won't reveal any of the details of his incarceration, insisting only that he is innocent of any crime. His return should be of interest to no-one. But the visit of a solicitor with a mysterious request will take Eldritch and his sceptical nephew from sleepy seaside Paignton to London, where an exhibition of Picasso paintings from the prestigious Brownlow collection proves to be the starting point on a journey that will transport them back to the Second World War and the mystery behind Eldritch's imprisonment.

Dual timeline where both strands are good. Churchill and the IRA, Picassos and diamonds, love and war, all couched in Goddard's fab writing. Recommended, yet a little slow to get going.

5* Past Caring (1986)
5* In Pale Battalions (1988)
3* Play to the End (1988)
4* Painting The Darkness (1989)
4* Take No Farewell (1991)
3* Hand in Glove (1992)
2* Closed Circle (1993)
3* Borrowed Time (1995)
TR Beyond Recall (1997)
4* Caught In The Light (1998)
4* Set In Stone (1999)
3* Sea Change (2000)
1* Dying To Tell (2001)
3* Days Without Number (2003)
3* Sight Unseen (2005)
2* Name To A Face (2007)
1* Found Wanting (2008)
3* Long Time Coming (2009)
TR Blood Count (2010)
WL Fault Line (2012)

Max Masted:

3* The Ways of the World (The Wide World Trilogy #1) (2013)
CR The Corners of the Globe (The Wide World - James Maxted, #2) (2014)
WL The Ends of the Earth (The Wide World Trilogy, #3) (2015)

Harry Barnett Trilogy:

4* Into the Blue (1990)
4* Out of the Sun (1996)
4* Never Go Back (2006)