Called Back

In Called Back by Hugh Conway, a blind man witnesses (not by sight of course) a terrible crime, a murder. 

Later on, his blindness is cured and he falls in love with a mysterious woman. However, he knows that she was involved in the murder but is not sure exactly how...

Although the book was a success when released in the late 19th century, and was adapted into a stage play, i found this a troublesome and frequently annoying read though the premise is pretty interesting.

The story moves on at a decent pace, though i found it rather melodramatic and the plot a bit too fanciful, though this was a common fault/feature (delete depending on your point of view) of the time.

Signed: Olrik

The thirtieth (and so far latest) Blake & Mortimer adventure, originally created by Edgar P Jacobs but in this instance by Yves Sente and André Juillard. Blake & Mortimer's eternal enemy Olrik is in prison, but due to overcrowding he receives two new prison chums, who turn out to be sepratists who want independence for Cornwall!

Olrik gets involved with their plot, devised by the shadowy Grand Druid (the identify of whom is pretty obvious early on in the story), who seeks the sword Excalibur and the treasure hoard of King Arthur. Both are thought to be buried underground somewhere in Cornwall, they need Professor Mortimer's latest invention which can tunnel through solid rock like it isn't there, nothing at all like the Mole from Thunderbirds oh no...

So, this is a fine Blake & Mortimer adventure, as usual mixing mad science, a past reimagined and a dose of the mystic. However, it is by no means the best volume in the series. Blake & Mortimer is somewhat notorious for heavy use of word panels to explain the story. Whilst this can be a wordy story too there were times where it was a little unclear what was going on, maybe a little more explanation was needed in this instance! Still, great fun to read.

A trip to Thurgarton

At the weekend i travelled to the East Midlands, to Thurgarton which is a village between Nottingham and Newark. This is a pretty rural part of the world near to the Trent, and pretty flat too. At this time of the year and with this weather (drizzly and overcast) it was all a little bleak. But this is just what i needed and i had a good time. You can see my photos here.

A Murder Too Many

Part of Elizabeth Ferrer's series about retired botany professor Andrew Basnett who seems to get involved with investigating murders! The professor heads up to one of his old academic haunts for a conference, one of his old colleagues wants some advice from him but not on botany! A member of the university was killed a couple of years before but the colleague has doubts that the man who was tried and convicted for the murder was the right man and he hopes Basnett can investigate.

The professor is pretty reluctant to do this, having tired of being an amateur detective, but soon finds himself embroiled in a rather complicated situation with various suspicious characters, and also another murder!

This isn't the best Basnett book, he is maybe a little too jaded and reluctant to give the story much energy, and it needed some due to the number of characters introduced. The unveiling of the culprits is also rather low-key, taking place in the background. However, as with all of Ferrer's books it was still an enjoyable read.

Hi Fella

A while ago I began a long term project to clear my Mum's loft out of all the junk that has accumulated up there over the last few decades. There is a lot of stuff up there too, much of it I am unclear as to why it is up there, including dozens of computer magazines from the early 1990s! 

One thing I did find up there was a children's book my Mum bought me to read when i was a child many years ago. I'm glad I did not throw this away.

"Hi Fella" by Era Zistel is the story of a puppy who gets lost when the box he is being transported in falls over the side of a truck. He has to learn how to survive, at first with a raccoon and then a cat, until he can find his way home. Wherever or whatever that is. 

It is a delightful story and I am glad it was dumped up in the loft along with everything else instead of being thrown away. Sometimes hoarding is good.

A trip to Derby

I didn't have a railway adventure last weekend due to the heavy snow, but it has mostly melted away by now, its even almost warm so on Friday i headed up to Derby for the first time this year. It was nice to finally see one of the Network Rail 153s which are used to monitor railway infrastructure. You can see my photos here.