things change

I nearly gave up with James Ellroy’s My Dark Places. There were so many names and, seventy pages in, it was going nowhere. A sudden change of tone and it dawned on me that I wasn’t reading a novel (!), I was reading a detailed examination of a true story, the story of the murder of the author’s mother.

Divided into sections – the crime, the victim’s son (the author), the detective, the victim – this is an exhaustive examination of a crime and the investigation process. The author’s obsession with his mother’s killing is a fascinating read and is highly recommended.

I thought the author’s Wikipedia entry was interesting, encouraging me to seek out his novels.

What a delightful and funny, short novel this is!

Set at the end of the 19th century, it tells the story of Denry Machin, who, through his exploits and wheezes, becomes the local Jack-the-lad or ‘card’. Each chapter describes another of Denry’s exploits as he becomes more popular and more wealthy. It’s a warm and funny book, recalling gentler times. Highly recommended.

I bought this yellowed and musty paperback for 75 pence from a Hampton Court antique shop. That’s the beauty of browsing second-hand books in small shops – you pick up things you might not normally come across or think of reading.