The Dorset Book Detective’s 2021 Christmas Gift Guide

A bit later than usual, here’s this year’s guide on what to buy the book lover in your life this festive season!

Given that the virus that shall not be named is still running rampant and, for many of us, particularly those of us in the UK, our leaders aren’t doing very much about it, Christmas will probably be a very strange affair this year.

One of the challenges the virus has caused is getting gifts for people that require little to no contact and reduce their chances of spreading the virus.

That’s why this year I’ve put together a list of some cool, book-themed Christmas presents that involve limited contact or can be sent directly to your loved ones.

I’ve also tried to find creative ideas, so you can choose something that’s a little bit different and will bring a smile to someone’s face. Goodness knows we need something to smile about right now.

A Book Subscription Box

Subscription boxes might make you think of beauty products and foreign candies, but there’s now a subscription box for almost everything. You can even get cleaning products in subscription boxes now! That’s not much fun though, so consider getting a book subscription box instead. You can get ones that send you specific types of books, or ones that give you fiction by specific writers, such as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. That’s a great way to learn new things and read books by a wider variety of authors. Treat someone you love to a book subscription box this Christmas and you’ll give them a gift that keeps on giving and can be sent directly to their home.

Kindle Unlimited

If someone you know and love owns a Kindle, then you could think about paying for a subscription to Kindle Unlimited. It’s a Kindle subscription that gives them unlimited access to all the eBooks available for eReaders, as well as podcasts, audiobooks and exclusive content that’s only available to subscribers. The subscription can be set-up and then they can use it on any Kindle or a smart device that uses the Kindle app. So, they can take an entire library with them everywhere they go. Make sure that the person you’re buying for likes reading digital books- for paper book lovers, this isn’t a great choice. Thankfully, there are plenty other options out there.

Candles That Smell Like Books

Candles are a great gift for anyone that likes making their home look, feel and smell cosy and comfortable. For the bookworm in your life, a candle that smells like books is the ideal choice. You can buy them online from a whole host of retailers, including online marketplaces like Etsy, so you can find a cute handmade option. They might not smell exactly like books, but many of them have a fresh, woody scent that evokes the memory of shopping in bookstores and unwrapping newly purchased books. Consider getting them a candle that smells like books in a glass jar, as these are often safer than

A Beautiful Book Journal

Recording your reading habits has become a popular hobby for many of us over recent years. While there are loads of apps out there to do it for you, but it can be fun to use a physical tool. If you’re looking for something a bit different, then you could consider a journal or wall hanging that actually offers suggestions for books to read in the future. However, if you want a classic gift, then you can find a stunning book journal. There are leather-bound options, ones with pretty patterns on them and more, so you can find one to suit the style of every book lover you know. Book journals are a stunning way to keep a record of every book they read, and by buying them a pretty one you can encourage them to make the most of it and feel proud to have it on their bookshelf.

A Hand Drawn Tattoo Design Based On A Beloved Book Series

If you know and love a bookworm who’s also passionate about body modification, then a drawing that can be used as the basis for a tattoo design, based on design from a book or fantasy series they love could be a perfect gift. It’s a personalised option that’s unique and from the heart. It’s also a great way to have some fun and unleash your creativity. Look at books in the series, and see if you can incorporate key motifs from the cover designs into your design. Your book loving friend or family member can then decide if they want to permanently ink your design on their skin, or simply frame it and display it in their home.

I’ll be taking a brief break over Christmas to relax and recuperate from the festive rush, but the Dorset Book Detective will be back and thriving in 2022. So have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I’m excited to share more updates in 2022 and hopefully things will get better next year.

Bodies From The Library 4 Review: Another Engrossing Collection Of Undiscovered Golden Age Crime Stories

Before I get down to the fun part and start reviewing this amazing anthology series, I’d like to apologise for neglecting my blog. I’ve been very busy and I’ve been working very hard at my day job, particularly in the run up to Christmas.

I’m hoping to get things back on track soon, so for now, thanks ever so much for bearing with me. I really appreciate all of the ongoing support and I’m excited to start getting back to posting on the blog more often in the future.

With that done, I’d like to love to tell you about the fourth instalment of the Bodies From The Library series. The series is linked to a lecture series of the same name, which aims to educate crime fiction fans on the Golden Age and how it came to influence almost every aspect of the genre and popular culture in general.

Edited, introduced and compiled by crime fiction connoisseur Tony Medawar, the series gives the reader the chance to read previously undiscovered short stories and novellas from the Golden Age of Crime Fiction. These stories might be from old archives, have been previously unpublished, or have not been included in old magazines but not collected in a printed book before.

Beginning with the introduction from Medawar, Bodies From The Library 4 then goes on to offer each story followed by a short biography of the author and an overview of where and when the text was originally published and how it came to be selected for the anthology. That means you can learn a bit about prominent and influential authors from the Golden Age without having to read

The one thing I found disappointing about the fourth instalment of the series of Bodies From The Library books is that it doesn’t contain an Agatha Christie story this time. As she was one of the key writers from the era, it’s a shame they didn’t include her work in this latest edition, especially as she was included in the past. Dorthy L. Sayers is another notable name who is missing from volume four, but it does mean that we get to read tales from new names that weren’t in previous books in the series, so that’s a bonus.

However, with many other major writers from the period, including Leo Bruce, Ngaio Marsh and Edmund Crispin, there are still plenty of big names that you’ll have heard of. So, you’ll get the chance to discover some awesome tales by authors you love, as well as some you might not have necessarily heard of, but who’ve influenced popular culture. For example, the short story that inspired Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes is included in the anthology.

At the end of the book, there is a section of stories from the Sunday Dispatch, which were commissioned as part of a writing challenge for crime fiction authors during 1938. A previous set of stories from an earlier Sunday Dispatch competition was included in the previous edition of the anthology series, and this next one was a set of pieces centred around specific and unusual pictures. The 6 writers were challenged to write a brief story about these unique images, which include an anvil with a glass of wine perched on top of it, a pub sign, and a drawing of a creepy skeleton hand with what appears to be a pocket watch perched on top of it.

Each tale incorporates the content of the image, in some cases in very inventive and uniquely creative ways. These short stories, most of which are less than 3 pages in length, are incredible feats of writing and unforgettable examples of crime fiction prowess. They’re so good, and I’ve not seen them collected like this before, so I’d recommend reading the book for this section alone.

That being said, there are loads of other great examples of crime fiction writing from the 1920s and 30s in the book, so it’s an ideal choice for lovers of the genre. One of the best is the novella Shadowed Sunlight by Chrisitianna Brand, a story about a poisoning during a yacht race on board one of the vessels. The assembled family and friends are all suspects, but as each food and drink item the victim ingested was also eaten or drunk by another member of the company, who wasn’t harmed, it’s difficult for the detectives to uncover the truth.

Another incredible tale from the anthology is The Only Husband by H.C. Bailey, a play script about the shooting of an elderly nobleman in the grounds of his country estate just as an investigator he asked to help him deal with an unspecified family issue arrives. Alongside local lawmakers, the detective has to deal with lies, secrets and family disloyalty to uncover the truth about who shot the murder victim or if his death was merely an unfortunate and tragic, if timely, accident. The script’s dialogue is witty and punchy, and the characters are believably droll and unscrupulous, so it’s a great read for crime fiction lovers who want to discover something new from the Golden Age of Crime Fiction.

In summary, Bodies From The Library 4 is another great addition to this gripping anthology series. While it might not contain as many big name authors as past editions, the fourth part of the series is engaging and contains some great tales that you’ll enjoy. As a result, I’d throughly recommend checking it out.