Carola Dunn - Manna from Hades

"Manna from Hades by Carola Dunn" published in 2009

this photo is from the net. I actually read the Thorndike Press large print version because it's easier on tired eyes.

I have never read any of this author's work before and picked this up by chance while browsing the library's new books section.
The cover attracted me and the book looked fat and new so I tried a few pages and popped it into my basket for a further read.
Books haven't been working for me lately..I used to be able to get lost in a book and would gobble them up..even.
During my single days, (whilst living in a quiet hamlet in the countryside) I would read two a night, some Classics took more chewing..so to speak... but I only remember getting bogged down by one...Mansfield park! not least because the heroine annoyed me and I found myself sympathizing with all the wrong characters..still I even managed to complete that book (probably because I read it in several sessions while soaking in the bath after work...some sessions got a bit long as the house was retro fitted with antique brass door handles and catches that really didn't work well when they got steamy..so when locked in the bathroom what do you do ?) anyway I digress.
Two kids and interesting health issues seemed to scupper my ability to pay attention to or even get a chance to read a whole book. But things are improving and recently a Dick Francis made it and an Agatha Christie or two ..familiar known quantities that stand interruptions. A lot failed and were returned to the library or were given away.
I began to wonder if I was only destined to read Childrens books to the last page ... A demanding audience ensure that some books are read to the end...just not necessarily fast enough for their taste.

Anyway back to 'Manna from Hades' ...we found our Saturday spot in the library and curled up with our books and after having to reread the first page three times to sort out the characters...I'm still not sure if this was my brain's or the first pages fault..? either way it was worth the effort... I was off enjoying Eleanor Trewynn's adventures in Cornwall.

It was a gentle puzzle ..we do have a body and a mystery but it was interesting not gory. Mrs Trewynn is the well traveled but rather unassuming Widow (of an influential chap) who now lives quietly in Port Mabyn, In a little flat above the charity shop she started. She drives a Morris Minor and lives with her charming Westie terrier called Teazle. She has a niece Megan Pencarrow who is a Detective Sergeant, a neighbour who is a rather handsome Artist called Nicholas Gresham. Other characters include Jocelyn the almost frighteningly competent Vicar's wife. It's a very quietly engrossing ,very 'normal' book, a nice mix of interesting Characters, no complex psychological depth or hidden meanings. Just pleasant people living normal lives trying to solve a puzzle, a comfortable yet quite compelling read...I kept diving back to it and finished it on Sunday..nowadays two days is a miraculous speed read and completing a book at all with out even considering looking to the last chapters first to see if it was worth the bother was a surprise for me.

The ending fell a little abruptly but left scope for a follow up and on Googling the author I found that if I wait until June there is a second in the series being released.
After Googling Carola Dunn I see she has written a series set in the 20's that I've completely missed ..so I think I'll try the first of that series whilst I'm waiting and find out if I enjoy that too.

Now it's off to catch up with all the things I should've been doing when I was reading it!