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Lisa Vegan's Reviews > The Woman in Blue
The Woman in Blue (Ruth Galloway, #8)
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Lisa Vegan's review
bookshelves: goodreads-author, mystery, novel, groups-buddies, fiction, 1-also-at-librarything, cats, dogs, mental-health-illness, orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, readbooks-female-author-or-illust, reviewed, z2019, zz-4star, great-britain
Dec 21, 2019
bookshelves: goodreads-author, mystery, novel, groups-buddies, fiction, 1-also-at-librarything, cats, dogs, mental-health-illness, orphaned-and-quasi-orphaned-kids, readbooks-female-author-or-illust, reviewed, z2019, zz-4star, great-britain
I just love the humor in these books. This one started out in a particularly amusing way.
Interesting setting, interesting new/temporary characters, and I always love being back with the recurring characters.
I had many suspicions about some people from the start and it was fun to read and find out when I’d guesses right/wrong. There were lots of red herrings but all of them made sense. I’d thought of the culprit (view spoiler) at different points but I love when I can’t guess correctly and this was one time when I was stymied. I read these books for the characters and the relationships and the settings, but this mystery was complex and complicated, and believable, and I thought it was a great part of the book. I found particularly sad (view spoiler)
Despite all the talk about religion (most of which either went over my head or I had to look up and that didn’t greatly interest me, except for the history aspect) I really liked this book.
I love how there was a very unlikely dog hero.
I appreciated the acknowledgments section in this book, especially the naming contest and the dog and woman involved.
I always like maps in books and liked the map in front, of Walsingham, partly as it is and partly made up for this story.
In all the books in this series I love the cat and dog characters.
I enjoyed buddy reading this book with Hilary. We weren’t able to always read at precisely the same time but we read sections at close enough to the same time that we were able to have good email chats about them and about the book/series. Our stopping places often seemed to end up being cliffhangers, and in this book the very end is another cliffhanger. I’m glad we’ve decided to read book 9 sooner rather than later. I don’t want to catch up though and have to wait the full length of time for the next book to be published, even though I want to try this author’s other books too.
I’m not longer thinking of this series book by book and comparing them with each other. I’m looking at the eight books I’ve read and the at least four books I’ve yet to read as one long story.
Interesting setting, interesting new/temporary characters, and I always love being back with the recurring characters.
I had many suspicions about some people from the start and it was fun to read and find out when I’d guesses right/wrong. There were lots of red herrings but all of them made sense. I’d thought of the culprit (view spoiler) at different points but I love when I can’t guess correctly and this was one time when I was stymied. I read these books for the characters and the relationships and the settings, but this mystery was complex and complicated, and believable, and I thought it was a great part of the book. I found particularly sad (view spoiler)
Despite all the talk about religion (most of which either went over my head or I had to look up and that didn’t greatly interest me, except for the history aspect) I really liked this book.
I love how there was a very unlikely dog hero.
I appreciated the acknowledgments section in this book, especially the naming contest and the dog and woman involved.
I always like maps in books and liked the map in front, of Walsingham, partly as it is and partly made up for this story.
In all the books in this series I love the cat and dog characters.
I enjoyed buddy reading this book with Hilary. We weren’t able to always read at precisely the same time but we read sections at close enough to the same time that we were able to have good email chats about them and about the book/series. Our stopping places often seemed to end up being cliffhangers, and in this book the very end is another cliffhanger. I’m glad we’ve decided to read book 9 sooner rather than later. I don’t want to catch up though and have to wait the full length of time for the next book to be published, even though I want to try this author’s other books too.
I’m not longer thinking of this series book by book and comparing them with each other. I’m looking at the eight books I’ve read and the at least four books I’ve yet to read as one long story.
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Reading Progress
November 30, 2019
– Shelved
December 17, 2019
–
Started Reading
December 21, 2019
–
Finished Reading
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Laura
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rated it 3 stars
Dec 18, 2019 01:59AM
Yay!!
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Laura wrote: "Yay!!"We read 52 pages today. We're reading it over a week.
I'm loving it so far. I love the recurring characters so much and always enjoy the new/temporary characters too. I love how this one started off in such an amusing way: Cathbad with the cat he's cat/house sitting.
I love Cathbad so much. Really glad you're loving it and now you're making me itch to start the tenth one! Amazing how fast we are gobbling up these books!
Laura wrote: "I love Cathbad so much. Really glad you're loving it and now you're making me itch to start the tenth one! Amazing how fast we are gobbling up these books!"12 is coming out soon. There might start to be queues for book 11 and even earlier ones but so far I haven't had problems with availability,
I wish there were 20 more. I'm going to be sad when I'm caught up. Hilary said she might be able to read book 9 with me in January or February.
I bet they'd stand up well to rereads though. Also, I agree with you re the temporary characters. I wish I could meet Cathbad. He's much more than a character in a book to me.
I wonder how she came up with him. Maybe he’s a composite of people she’s known? He is a wonderful and unique character. They all seem like real people to me.
Yes, they do. But he is the best. lol. Unique and I would just love to sit and talk with him for hours.
Laura wrote: "Yes, they do. But he is the best. lol. Unique and I would just love to sit and talk with him for hours."I wish you could, Laura.
I'd like that too. It's wonderful when we find book characters so wonderful. I love reading. I love great authors.
Nothing beats it. And can be totally free too. 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
Laura wrote: "Nothing beats it. And can be totally free too. 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻"Absolutely. It's so good to remember that, especially for me these days.
Nothing is better than escaping within the pages of a book. My whole life, it's been the one constant. Many kindred spirits here on GR.
Laura wrote: "Nothing is better than escaping within the pages of a book. My whole life, it's been the one constant. Many kindred spirits here on GR."Same here. From about age 8, I think all that helped me get through was books, friends, and sometimes food. Without books, even though I do have many other interests, I'm not sure I'd have made it. At the least my quality of life would have been so much worse.
And yes, many kindred spirits. For all its issues and worsening in some ways, this is a great site for people like us!!!
I've never been very social so books have always been key. And usually climbing a tree and bringing a book with me. Away, where no one knew where I was was best ha. Still love trees and books 📚 🌲
Laura wrote: "I've never been very social so books have always been key. And usually climbing a tree and bringing a book with me. Away, where no one knew where I was was best ha. Still love trees and books 📚 🌲"Ha! I love trees. I need trees. Even more than the ocean/body of water, but I'm afraid I'm not much of a tree climber. Even when I was young I went to lower big branches only. Reading against the base of a tree or with trees as a view was and is more my speed. :-)
Lol, not saying I could climb them now but they saved me back then. I often needed to get away from the noise and just chill with the leaves rustling around me (and sometimes sneak a cigarette, but that was later lol). Books, music, trees. They'll get you through a lot. 💚🌲
Laura wrote: "Lol, not saying I could climb them now but they saved me back then. I often needed to get away from the noise and just chill with the leaves rustling around me (and sometimes sneak a cigarette, but..."Music did help back then. Now sometimes it's too painful - or too noisy given that I like quiet when I can get it. That's good that you can climb even then. I feel sad that you felt the need to smoke cigarettes and so glad you don't now. I hate the tobacco industry as much as I hate our current administration. So a lot.
It was just another way to escape. Better than drugs I guess. I was never much for them. I'm glad I quit many years ago. It is an evil industry; I agree. But nothing beats a book in a tree. Maybe a little snack. Good times lol.
Laura wrote: "It was just another way to escape. Better than drugs I guess. I was never much for them. I'm glad I quit many years ago. It is an evil industry; I agree. But nothing beats a book in a tree. Maybe a..."Book and tree AND snack. Yes! I'd rather eat candy/crap than smoke. Glad you gave up smoking. I can't tell you how much it freaks me out. It's what killed my mother when I was 11 so it's understandable how I feel. That and I'm extremely allergic to secondhand smoke.
That'll do it. It's a good thing to steer clear of. Definitely understandable. Books and trees are tied for best things in life. Well maybe the ocean could make it a three-way. Bluebirds, a close second. 🐦😀
I grew up with hummingbirds and robins so feel particular fondness for them. Bluebirds are lovely though. Books!!! Trees!!! Good vegan food!!! Friends, especially since I have no family. Good enough health. Now if I could find a decent and sustainable place to live I could be set for a while.
Laura, Hilary thinks the spoiler she read might be for book 10 or 11.
Yike. I hate when that happens. Sometimes it's in the GR blurb. *eyeroll*. You two will be reading those before you know it!
Yes that’s where it was. In the book description. I can’t change it yet because I have to wait until I’ve read it. You’re probably right but I kind of hope not because I want to make them last. I think it’s going to be hard if I catch up and have to wait a long time for the next book to be published.
Yeah it would be really hard. I hope I don't catch up either. I have book and cd for ten so if there's a spoiler, I can fix it. I'll have to remember to avoid the blurb. I know ive skimmed it and it mentions Italy, which is one reason I don't have a strong urge to read it. I'm only into books set in U.K. lately.
The author is Italian and her real name sound Italian. At least she would know of what she writes. I want to read more by her but I can't imagine liking any as much as the books in this series.
True; I just want to stay in England *whines* in that beautiful setting where Hilary is lucky enough to live. I can't imagine a book set elsewhere being nearly as good. The setting is almost a character in that series.
Laura wrote: "True; I just want to stay in England *whines* in that beautiful setting where Hilary is lucky enough to live. I can't imagine a book set elsewhere being nearly as good. The setting is almost a char..."Hilary is lucky. She's in Norfolk where most of these books take place.
You and your husband really, really need to get to England for a vacation. Somehow! Preferably for at least a month. At least.
He's afraid to fly. And I haven't flown since before 9/11. Also, yeah right. Lol. I need to get my health back before that would be doable financially. Great idea tho and it's on my bucket list. Hilary really is very lucky. 💙
Yes, I think I would have done better in England or Scoland or even Canada. I've wanted to go to England since I was 8. Now I might not be satisfied unless I could travel throughout a lot of the U.K., for a full year, spending 1 week to 1 month in each location. *sigh* I guess even a short visit would be better than nothing.
What about a ship? Any phobias there? Of course, you'd need much more time that way.
If not with your husband then maybe you and your daughter, or even just you. Someday.
I don't think either of us could do the ship lol. Maybe someday. The plane. Who knows. We can hope.
Laura wrote: "I don't think either of us could do the ship lol. Maybe someday. The plane. Who knows. We can hope."I'm reminded of a hilarious episode of a Bob Newhart show when his wife Emily is afraid to fly but she's been prepared and she's doing really well on the plane flight, that is until someone mentions the plane flight. Then she freaks out. She was doing so well because she'd been hypnotized into thinking she was on a train trip. :-)
I have a friend who used to be deathly afraid of flying. Once when taxiing out she made them turn back to the gate. But she got over it (without therapy, airport classes, etc.) and she's been flying fairly comfortably for many years. I tense up a bit during take off. Most problems happen then or at landing but the latter there is usually notice. Then again, I'm so scared of earthquakes that once we're in the air I sometimes feel better because I feel relieved an earthquake can't get me. I haven't flown for over 13 years but it's due only to finances. I would love to travel a lot, and England and Scotland are my number one wished for destination, way above all others.
Wow, how did she get over it? WTG, her. And I'm v surprised you can live where you do with a strong fear of earthquakes! So both of you are to be commended. (I bet it'd be fun to get both Newhart shows on DVD and rewatch. The older one especially would almost be like new for me bc I was so young then.) ok I'm off to bed! Night night. 🌙
Good night. See you soon.Don't remember how she coped. Fictional.
Me, panic attack for a full month after our 1989 quake and almost moved. Wish I had, to a much lower cost of living place, but I had a dog at the time and I knew a move would traumatize her. *sigh*
Wait, she was a fictional friend? I'm confused lol
No real friend. I'm not sure why it says fictional. Wonder if I was talking and it was auto correct/mistake but that's so short I would have noticed.So, are you asking about my friend who was scared of flying and is no longer? For a long time she didn't. Then drugs for a few times I think and then I don't remember actually. Over time she went from medical help to being nervous to being okay. Maybe just having to do it so much, though for a long time she wouldn't no matter what. I've flown with her and she used to be nervous but then was fine. I can ask her at some point and email you. That's if she remembers clearly. She's been okay with flying for a long time now.
Great review Lisa, I'm glad you enjoyed this one too. I did like the mystery and agree that it was fun not knowing or being able to guess the culprit. Looking forward to 9!
Hilary wrote: "Great review Lisa, I'm glad you enjoyed this one too. I did like the mystery and agree that it was fun not knowing or being able to guess the culprit. Looking forward to 9!"Hilary, It was fun. I always enjoy reading books with you and this series and this book are great. I’d love to read 9 as soon as we both can.
Hilary, and thank you. I’ll keep a lookout for your review.
Great review and glad you both are still enjoying this series. I think you enjoyed this one more than I did, not that I remember any specifics from reading the review only bc my memory is awful but I feel like this was one of the drama books? But now I don't know. I'll have to look at my review. Really glad you're both loving it tho.
Laura wrote: "Great review and glad you both are still enjoying this series. I think you enjoyed this one more than I did, not that I remember any specifics from reading the review only bc my memory is awful but..."Laura, There were sad parts. There was less "drama" than in the last book but there was some, though people were trying to do more the right thing I think, though I'm not sure about the cliffhanger at the end. There was a lot of humor and it was great being back with the characters and the new/temporary characters were interesting. I really liked it. The mystery was particularly good too, even though I don't read these for the mystery.
I don't remember much but I'm glad you're enjoying, Lisa.
Laura wrote: "I don't remember much but I'm glad you're enjoying, Lisa."Laura, I am! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all eight books so far.
