Dorothy L Sayers, The Nine Tailors

 As is often the case with Detective Fiction, I made no attempt to follow the convoluted cluing and puzzling, and just went along for the journey. It was all ok and good fun, but the ending absolutely blew me away. It was so good. A fantastic way to end, which I hadn't seen at all and yet with hindsight was so obvious. I absolutely kicked myself. Masterful misdirection. Read most of this in Harmondsworth, as I went over to look after Mum while Dad was on a course learning how to look after people with Dementia. Luckily it was a nice sunny day so we could go for a walk in the village, but most of the time Mum was just sat in the conservatory listening to the radio. She seems happy and she ate a little bit at least, so I was happy i had coped. How Dad does it 24/7 I've no idea. mum doesn't recognise people anymore and can't communicate or understand much. It's just horrible.

Kim Taplin, The English Path

 Think this was an impulse purchase from somewhere, maybe based on the beautiful cover, a detail from 'Heading Home from Modbury', a painting by Henrietta Hoyer Millar. There were lots of illustration, another of which 'the Bridle Path, Cookham' by Stanley Spencer I had never seen before. It was really lovely and I've been looking at prints of it already. some of the other illustrations were a bit cheesy, lots of Victorian sentimentality with golden-haired children in smocks hanging around stiles. The book itself was written in the 70s, and not what I was expecting. Maybe I've become used to the modern trend for writing about one's own experiences in nature where you go on a journey with the author, but this was one step removed - lots of references to poems, literature and paintings about footpaths and country lanes. I never really got immersed into it as a result, I'm used to being mollycoddled and guided into these things apparently!

M.L. Wang, Blood Over Bright Haven

Bought a copy of this for Ella's birthday present, and then bought another copy to read for myself. It was very Ursula K. le Guin, about a magical world that draws lots of parallels to our own world with its treatment of minorities and a strict hierarchy controlling society and secret information. I did enjoy it, and it will hopefully give me something to talk to Ella about. It's getting chilly and dark now, I don't like this time of year at all. I'm trying to get out running as I'm way behind on running and outdoor cycling this year, but it's to cold to cycle. In the week i don't want to go running, so have to make the most of it at weekends.

Mark Cooper-Jones & Jay Foreman, This Way Up: When Maps Go Wrong and Why It Matters

 Very irreverent, more of a typed up humorous podcast than a book, and I'm hoping Freddie might read and enjoy it. Maybe not the time to ask him as he is going back to mocks now and is revising all the time, so will keep it for when he has a little more time. It would make a great birthday present if i thought he would read it voluntarily. As I suspect not, it would be a rubbish present! Odgy's funeral was last week, glad I went but felt so awkward as I didn't know his family at all and had only seen him once in the last 33 years. His poor wife and children

E.F. Benson, Mapp and Lucia

 Comfort reading over half-term. Never really managed to get away from real life completely and immerse myself in it, but snatched some reads here and there. I had last week off work as it was half-term, but the kids didn't want to go anywhere. Helen got a bit pissed off as I ended up going off by myself for long walks with the dog while the kids stayed on the screens. Managed to rebalance it a bit by the end of the week. they went back today (and I'm back at work) so everyone was a little grumpy this morning.

Robert Tombs, The English And Their History

 I'm sure I must have read this before! I was incredibly impressed with the author's ambition, breadth of knowledge and ability to make sense of such a complex subject, but I  raised a quizzical eyebrow or two as the tale got closer to contemporary times. At first I thought he was just being overly even-handed or trying to be objective as he put in a good word for Cecil Rhodes or the like, but then when he started to talk about privatisation as a great success, and the academisation of schools improving education, I thought 'hang on a minute'. Turns out he's a bit of a Tory and a regular writer for the Spectator and the Torygraph. Not sure what it means that I'm right with him up until the 18th Century and then our view of english history diverges. He's more likely to be right than me I guess

Philip Pullman, The Book of Dust Volume III: The Rose Field

Took two days off work (only needed one in the end) and was at Waterstones when it opened to pick up my copy on the day of release. Not sure if was the spellbinding read I was hoping for, but it was enjoyable, and I love the world Pullman has created, and it gave me a couple of days off work to read, mooch and relax so definitely worth it. Fred has now had an offer from Nottingham to go with his one form Birmingham, so it is looking good for uni. he's busy at the moment doing his Geography fieldwork on Wheatsheaf Common, although after 4 days of it his enthusiasm is waning.