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Challenge Result: A Shilling for Candles

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 4d

I asked my readers for suggestions of books to match up with pictures I had collected. they came up trumps - of course - and today we have this: A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey. And a question - is Tey the anti-Marsh (ie Ngaio)? clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/10/chal...

A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey pubilshed 1936 When I asked people to look at my file photos and suggest books, the first ans...

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 4d

That brown & orange fabric behind her - it is 70s/80s deckchair material. And I'm not even joking, I bought a length in an oxfam shop years ago. Could make lovely waistcoat to go over dress

Before Lunch by Angela Thirkell (and hats again)

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 7d

Comfort read: Angela Thirkell's social comedies always entertain, and we get hats again. Before Lunch (she was running out of nice lightweight titles) clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/10/befo...

Before Lunch by Angela Thirkell published 1939 This was, I believe the last of Thirkell’s books to appear before WW2 broke out: she ...

Shedunnit, and Trent’s Last Case

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 10d

Why did I reread Trent's Last Case by EC Bentley? Because Shedunnit were doing an episode with spoiler zones, so I wanted to make the most of it. The mystique surrounding this 1913 book, and its lasting influence, are fascinating.... clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/10/shed...

Trent’s Last Case by EC Bentley published 1913 Caroline Crampton’s Shedunnit podcast is a great favourite round here, and when she ...

Ironing Nylon & a Hatshop: The Blue Sapphire by DE Stevenson

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 12d

What is it about DE Stevenson? Massive bestselling author of the mid 20th Cent, strange structures, page-turners, and excellent details of life - from ironing nylong to hatshops. This one is The Blue Sapphire, early 1960s. clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/10/iron...

The Blue Sapphire by DE Stevenson published 1963 [ excerpt ] ‘Miss Julia,’ [the housekeeper] said. ‘Are you sure you’d not lik...

Anatomy of a Murder, and of attitudes to women

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 15d

Robert Travers' Anatomy of a Murder was a 1950s bestseller, turned into an Oscar-nominated film. Its story of a trial is highly-rated - and its attitude to women very much of its time. Looking at the importance of a respectable woman wearing a girdle... clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/anat...

Anatomy of a Murder by Robert Traver published 1958 [ excerpt ] “What were you wearing that night?” I said… “Were you dressed as y...

The Album by C Day Lewis [published in a collection 1943] [poem] I see you, a child In a garden sheltered for buds and playtime, Lis...

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 18d

One of my all-time favourite poems on the blog today: The Album by Cecil Day Lewis. I only recently found out he wrote it about Rosamond Lehmann.... a favourite author clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-...

The Album by C Day Lewis

Black Wings has My Angel by Lewis Elliott Chaze

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 20d

A very classy piece of noir, doesn't sem to be well-known: Black Wings has My Angel by Elliott Chaze. It couldn't possibly have any connection with my last post, on Barbara Pym. Or could it? Highly recommended... clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/blac...

Black Wings has My Angel by Lewis Elliott Chaze published 1953 Black Wings has my Angel is an extraordinary piece of noir – the ...

Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 23d

Barbara Pym has been much on the blog's mind lately, and today we have Jane and Prudence. So much in common, and yet so different. clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/jane...

Jane and Prudence by Barbara Pym published 1953 [excerpt] Prudence looks lovely this evening, thought Jane, like somebody in a woman's...

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 23d

Report back on how he is next week....

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

NO I did not, amazing fact. She has good taste in collavs

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

.... and I've played that on repeat at least 8 times now....

Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

I missed out Margery Allingham from my recent list of great crime stories for the i newspaper, so am revisiting her Police at the Funeral. And asking - does that solution occur in any other full-lenght novel? It is found in some short stories.... clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/poli...

Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham published 1931 I recently wrote a list for the i newspaper of what I consider to be th...

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

Working out the relative ages of him then and me now is salutory, as you say

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

Oh killer. WHY is that song not better known, a classic?

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

Also Another Day is one of my favourite songs of all time, and the best sad song. Kate bush & Peter gabriel did a terrific version but it was never released I don't think

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

I know, yes. He was really good, we loved him, I remember that. I thought Flat, Baroque & Busted was the best album title ever, and possibly still do.

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 24d

I went to see Roy Harper in about 1972/3, because my great schoolfriend said 'he's going to die soon, we must go and see him while we have the chance'. She is long dead, and Roy keeps going, hits me every time I hear about him

Reviewing for the i newspaper: The Impossible Truth by Richard Osman

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 26d

I've been doing some best-selling authors for the i newspaper: Dan Brown last week, and now Richard Osman. And yes I am as enthusiastic as ever.... clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/revi...

Normal service will be resumed soon – ie blogposts about books that only I and my readers ever read - but I reviewed another b...

Reviewing for the i newspaper: The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · 28d

I reviewed the new Dan Brown book, The Secret of Secrets, for the i newspaper. I worried I'd been too hard on the author, but compared with some other reviews, I emphasised the enjoyable aspects.... clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/revi...

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown published 2025 I have been away for a while, and am now back and very excited to read all your ki...

Dan Brown's new novel is ridiculous - and will be as big as The Da Vinci Code

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · Sep 9

I reviewed the new #DanBrown book for the @theipaper.com : a secret book, Prague, a Golem - and a hint of TinTin about it inews.co.uk/culture/book...

The author's first novel in eight years is easy to laugh at - but it's also good-hearted and full of surprises

inews.co.uk

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Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · Sep 7

I have taken some pics from my files and asked my readers to find books to match. Worked well last time, I'm looking forward to some great ideas for future posts clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/more...

More pictures to match up!

More pictures to match up! I will be away for the next 10 days: no new posts. Last time I went away I cheekily set my lovely reader...

Hymn Tunes and a Bookshop and lost gems

Clothes in Books @clothesinbooks.bsky.social · Sep 5

An excellent crime bookshop in Cambridge, and a lost gem of a crime story, set in a Cathecral Close, comparisons with Dorothy L Sayers. All good things: lost gems all round. clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/hymn...

The Hymn Tune Mystery by George A Birmingham published 1930 Recently I was lucky enough to visit Bodies in the Bookshop in Cambridg...