While I do enjoy Winston Graham's Poldark novels,as well as the current BBC/PBS adaptation of them, tackling The Black Moon proved to take much longer than expected. Granted, the plot lines were already known to me yet the pacing went between fast and furious to slow and steady.
The title refers to the birth of Elizabeth's child under that auspicious lunar event, a son that may bear the name of Warleggan but more than likely is not truly of that blood line. Since that secret is divulged to a certain someone very late in the game, I'm not going to get into all of that here.
These two met by chance and under the umbrella of a bond with Geoffrey Charles, form an attachment that is chaste and sweet. They say opposites attract and in terms of social class,education and religion(Drake is a Methodist, which was controversial back then), they certainly are.
However, when it comes to temperament, Morwenna and Drake do share a sense of kindness and courtesy to one another,as well as a sense of obligation to others. It's that innate urge to do their duty by society and/or their loved ones that is both a strength and a weakness to their love:
What does and doesn't surprise me is how all of Morwenna's family,even George Warleggan who only sets up this martial union to improve his social connections, are quick to tell her that she is "too young" to know her own mind about her feelings for Drake and decidedly not for Whitworth. Hmm, how is it that she's not old enough to chose a romantic partner yet it's more than enough time for her to get married?
Sadly enough, the only one who seems to not have a problem with their romance is Geoffrey Charles, who considers them both to be his friends. Yes, I do know that things will work out for them in the end but there's a lot of heartache until then,which is not fun to read or watch at times:
She spends a good portion of the time planning her one hundredth birthday party, using what funds she has left to her and getting everyone within earshot to do her bidding on the matter.
Of course, George has to ruin her last good time but not without paying a price for that unpleasant pleasure as Agatha gifts him with one hell of a bombshell about his supposed first born son. The aftermath of her final departure will be taken up in the next book, The Four Swans, but I'll wait while before tackling that one.
It was a shame that Agatha didn't take Ross up on his offer to bring her to his home at Nampara. He and Demelza certainly would've given her the respect that she deserved as well as real affection. However, I think that part of what kept her going was her hatred of George Warleggan and some folks just can't give up a good fight, even right up to the end:
Caught Bread Handed is the fourth culinary crime solving novel in Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mystery series, where we find Juliet "Jules" Capshaw back at her hometown bakery Torte. As she is busy helping her mom make the place a more financially viable success without compromising quality, her estranged husband Carlos is also lending a helping hand in the kitchen.
Jules is still trying to figure out the future of her marriage,not to mention worry a bit about her mother's romance with the local head detective known as The Professor, when a new business in town is stirring up major trouble.
Not only does the fast food franchise Shakesburgers stick out like a sore thumb in the Shakespeare festival themed town, owner Mindy has an attitude that is equally as sore and off putting. Folks are determined to make the restaurant move out of the downtown area, causing quite a showdown at the latest town meeting:
That story isn't the only shocker she experiences that day as Jules notices something wrong at Shakesburgers and walks in to find Mindy bleeding to death. Even though Mindy's business partner insists that it was a suicide, it soon becomes apparent that her demise was out and out murder.
With plenty of dilemmas already piled on her plate, Jules can't help but look into the matter before another untimely death kills everyone's appetite for good. I do like the way Alexander blends in the details of running Torte into her delicious detective tales, right down to plans made for a Spanish themed Sunday Supper club as well as working on sweets for a local pub called The Green Goblin to pair with their drinks.
At the point I'm at in the book, suspects abound but no clear cut way to the killer just yet. Who I am suspicious of is Carlos and not for Mindy's murder. I'm not buying that whole "Sorry I couldn't tell you about my kid before we got married" deal, which is a serious trust issue.
Yes, he explained somewhat to Jules in the last book about that but come on, your little boy is old enough for you to exchange letters with(which Jules found,which is how she found out in the first place!) but you felt it was too soon to let your intended wife to know either before or after the wedding? This isn't the eighteenth century,dude!
Sure, he's very charming and a good cooking teacher,especially to Sterling, the tough looking but good hearted Torte apprentice, but that should not let Carlos off the hook for withholding such important information like that.
I hope that if they really get back together that he earns Jules' trust the right way. Thomas, her former high school sweetheart, is keeping a respectful distance here but I don't rule him out as a possible future love interest.
No doubt that I will finish this tasty dish of a read soon,far sooner than The Black Moon, and the next stop for my Series-ous Reading will be at Hannah Swensen's Cookie Jar for a Fudge Cupcake Murder, followed by a trip to France where Rhys Bowen's Her Royal Spyness will get Naughty In Nice and perhaps I might check out a Noodle Shop Mystery to sample Death By Dumpling as well.
Rest assured,however, that I will be visiting Torte again after this bloody bread caper to observe some Fudge and Jury along with A Crime of Passion Fruit. Just like those classic potato chips, you can't devour just one of Ellie Alexander's Bakeshop Mysteries without wanting a little more:
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