tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995206.post3182966774059065669..comments2023-11-03T06:20:06.604-05:00Comments on Lesa's Book Critiques: Connie Berry, Guest Author, English Country House MysteriesLesahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946133849271512083noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995206.post-67849393286711526942020-03-31T09:47:55.668-05:002020-03-31T09:47:55.668-05:00Thanks for the comment, Jeff. My husband has smack...Thanks for the comment, Jeff. My husband has smacked his head more times than he's willing to admit in historic British properties. But it's worth it, right, to stand in the places where history unfolded. Hope we get to return sometime in the not-too-distant future. We should be in Suffolk right now--had to cancel, of course. Connie Berryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132910708797960839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995206.post-68568185834854374202020-03-31T08:26:22.892-05:002020-03-31T08:26:22.892-05:00Excellent post and good list of mysteries (the one...Excellent post and good list of mysteries (the ones I've read). We've been to Kenilworth - my wife stood up too fast and smacked the top of her head in one of the "windows" there - and Warwick Castle (they had an exhibit on dungeons when we were there, as well as the free-running peacocks), Bleinheim Palace (where Winston Churchill was born), Edinburgh Castle, Linlithgow Palace (where you can see where Darnley was murdered), as well as less grand stately homes. They are definitely a great setting for a "country house murder" and, like Lesa, I lust after those amazing libraries.Jeff Meyersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00093411926030586355noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995206.post-24570088777037889332020-03-31T07:15:10.926-05:002020-03-31T07:15:10.926-05:00Hi Rosemary! Thank you for such an interesting and...Hi Rosemary! Thank you for such an interesting and informative comment. Last fall we visited Brodie Castle--loved it. Fyvie and Fraser are other favorites. In my research for A Dream of Death, I read accounts of Dr. Johnson's visit to Armadale and used it as a setting. I plan to look up the Lees-Milne diaries. And I agree--the National Trust does a wonderful job of keeping these precious places open. We are members of the Royal Oak Society--Americans who love and support the work of the National Trust. So nice to "meet" you!Connie Berryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13132910708797960839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995206.post-49947770865787638022020-03-31T07:09:53.328-05:002020-03-31T07:09:53.328-05:00And, thank you for such a thought-provoking respon...And, thank you for such a thought-provoking response, Rosemary. Your writing alone is worth reading on my daily blog. Thank you for taking the time to share some of the history, literature and stories of Scotland.Lesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12946133849271512083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995206.post-83266500867553381352020-03-31T05:33:08.510-05:002020-03-31T05:33:08.510-05:00Oh what a great post, I love country house mysteri...Oh what a great post, I love country house mysteries. I have read some of the ones on your list - I think Dorothy Sayers will always be a favourite. I also very much enjoyed the film 'Gosford Park'.<br /><br />I prefer the present or recent (as in post WW2) past as a setting. And being from the UK as I am, I'm afraid I sort of assumed that all country house mysteries took place there - clearly I was wrong! I don't know if there are many set in Scotland (where I live) so I'll be especially keen to read yours. Catriona McPherson's excellent Dandy Gilver books are mostly set up here I seem to remember.<br /><br />There are many country houses up here on Deeside/Aberdeenshire - Crathes, Craigievar, Drum, Castle Fraser, Fyvie, Brodie. And last year we visited Skye, whose Armadale Castle has the most beautiful gardens. <br /><br />If anyone is interested in the closure of so many big houses, I do recommend the diaries of James Lees-Milne. He kept copious journals throughout his long life - for some time he worked for the National Trust, and it was his job to drive around the country, meeting the owners of these huge piles who now wanted to gift them to the charity because they could not afford the upkeep. It is amusing to see how many of these old minor aristocrats were APPALLED at the idea of their properties being open to the public, even for a few days a year - they basically wanted the NT to pay all the bills while they continued to live there in solitary splendour (& also avoid death duties). Lees-Milne is a wonderful diarist, very pithy and astute - in between these country excursions he leads a very 'society' life in London, so there's plenty of gossip!<br /><br />I think the days of the National Trust taking on decaying properties are long gone - they do a good job with the upkeep of the ones they have, but I think new acquisitions are now mainly areas of land valued for their unique landscape, wildlife, etc. <br /><br />Thanks for such a thought-provoking post Connie.<br />Rosemarynoreply@blogger.com