Above the Bay of Angels - Book Review

 

Above the Bay of Angels

Above the Bay of Angels is a stand-alone book by Rhys Bowen, an author that has best-selling books in her mystery series.  I had never read this author before but after reading this delightful historical mystery, I will be sure to look for more books by this author.  I found this book very intriguing.

The Book on Amazon

Below is a link to the book on Amazon if you should wish to purchase it.  If you are a member of Amazon Prime you will find it in the Kindle books you can read for no charge.

Book Summary

At the beginning of the book, you meet Bella a young girl who is sent into servitude when her mother dies, and her father can no longer support her and her sister.  In the years she is a servant she works her way up to working in the kitchen and becoming a cook.

In a bizarre twist of fate, Bella runs into a young woman in the streets of London who has been hit by a carriage.  As Bella comforts her the young woman thrust a letter into Bella's hand and then dies.  The letter contains an invitation to interview for Queen Victoria's cooking staff that very afternoon.  Bella is torn with what to do, but soon decides that the letter will do the young woman no good.  Bella poses as the young woman, Helen Barton and is able to obtain a position at Buckingham Palace.

Helen (Bella) carries on with her pretense and is able to find herself in favor with Queen Victoria in her cooking skills.  When one of the cooks cannot make a trip to Nice with the Queen's staff Helen (Bella) is able to make the trip.  Helen has some delightful adventures both with cooking and the people she meets in Nice.  A mystery ensues when one of the Queen's relatives is poisoned by some food.  When a detective from London is called in Bella fears her cover will be blown.  

The book is a wonderful, lighthearted mystery.  There are many cooking references, so if you are interested in food and cooking you will also enjoy this mystery.  I'll leave you now to read the book and find out if Bella finally finds peace and happiness.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Katherine Faulkner's Greenwich Park Book Review

The cover of Katherine Faulkner’s Greenwich Park reads, “gripping and haunting and gorgeously suspenseful” and I agree. I was drawn to the book by the title, a romanticized area of London, England, and by the artwork. 

Greenwich Park the book is a murder mystery of the best sort. It draws you in. Pick it up and you might not want to put it down. Pick it up and you will find yourself guessing whodunit. I failed at the guessing of who did it, which I expect is good because it means the book has twists and turns.  I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. 

Greenwich Park is a domestic psychological thriller that is set in the current day in the south east of London. It tells the story of a pregnant woman’s privileged life in a stately Victorian home and of her family and friends. Off work because of her history with difficult pregnancies and because of current health concerns, the main character, Helen, finds herself bored and lonely. That is, until she befriends a woman named Rachel. Rachel is also pregnant but embraces none of the care that many women exercise when they are pregnant. She smokes and she drinks and she is not very interested in her body or her unborn baby. She’s loud and she's obnoxious but, however, she is fun and she quickly manages to infiltrate Helen’s tidy little world. But is it really tidy?

Helen has been described as someone who has everything including “a perfect husband, a perfect brother and a perfect sister-in-law. When she meets Rachel, she also has the perfect nightmare.” 

I like Crime by the Book’s three-point list of reasons to read the book. She says that it pulls back the curtain on the lives of people who appear to have picture-perfect lives, that it is a story of obsession and cat-and-mouse tension and that it is intricate and effortlessly told. 

If it helps, Crime by the Book says that this book is similar to books to those written by Lisa Jewell, who I have yet to read.

FAST FACTS:

Author – Katherine Faulkner
Format – Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, audiobook, audio CD
Genre – Domestic Psychological Thriller
Pages - 375
Publication Date – September 13, 2021
Publisher – Simon & Shuster
ISBN Number – 978-1-9821-5031-0

If you love a good thriller, you will enjoy Greenwich Park. The book is definitely dark, looking into the world of pregnancy and early motherhood, of friendships, of privileged lives lived and, of course, of the secrets that people keep. I think that it is an excellent first novel, which the author wrote while she herself was on maternity leave.  The rights to the book have been sold and I will be watching for a movie or television series as well as for a second book by Faulkner. Meanwhile, you can order your copy of Greenwich Park from Amazon by clicking right here.

See you 

at the book store!
Brenda

More Psychological Thrillers:

Alice Feeney's Sometimes I Lie Book Review

Mark Edward's Here to Stay Book Review

Audrey Hepburn's Wait Until Dark Movie Review

Donald Sutherland's Don't Look Now Movie Review

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Review Of Londons Attractions The Big Eye and River Thames

The London Eye By Raintree Annie

Have you ever visited Londons' Big Eye? I am a country girl at heart but my granddad was born in London, United Kingdom within the sound of the Bow Bells.

So I am a quarter Cockney and have a bond with London, UK's capital city. 

I love to visit London when I can which tends to be only once or twice a year at most. When we do go it is always lovely to take a walk by the Embankment which is my favourite part of London and one of the amazing attractions there is Londons Big Eye and the River Thames Embankment area. 

The last time We visited The London Eye it was a cold crisp winter's day yet there was a huge number of people there to see and experience this wonderful attraction.

 

So what Is The London Eye?

The London Eye is essentially a large Ferris wheel with a difference. It has acquired many names along its relatively short history. These include:

The London Eye

The Merlin Entertainments

London Eye

London's Big Eye

The Eye

London's Eye

The Big Eye

Millennium Wheel

The London Eye - A Temporary Structure?

The London Eye was finished in the year 2000 and was only supposed to be a temporary structure to celebrate the Millennium. 

It was originally called "The Millennium Wheel". It was designed as a Ferris wheel in order to represent the turning of a new Millennium. 

It is massive, standing at 442 feet tall and designed by Architects David Marks and Julia Barfield, of Marks Barfield. It opened to the public in March 2000 and was only given permission to be open for 5 years. However, in 2002 the London Eye was given permission to be a permanent attraction in the capital city. It is a wonderful structure and great fun so I am glad it has stayed. 

 

The London Eye by Raintree Annie

As you can see from the photos I took here The London Eye is essentially a huge wheel with 32 capsules, representing each London Borough, holding up to 25 people each. So up to 800 people can be on the flight at any one time! 

To my relief, you don't sit with your legs hanging down like on a normal Ferris wheel but sit in each enclosed capsule. As the wheel rotates, the capsules also rotate so they always stay horizontal which is clearly a great design for passenger comfort and security! 

For an additional special price you can book a capsule just for your family or party and some people have even got married on the flight!

The London Eye from the road by Raintree Annie

Book Ahead For The London Eye 

As you approach the London Eye we saw crowds like we had not seen before along the whole stretch of the embankment. 

We do not like to spend valuable time visiting London waiting in queues like that so if you feel that way too I would strongly advise booking ahead for a specific time so that you don't have to queue for so long! 

By the way, you don't book a ride on the London eye you book a "flight"! 

It is open every day in normal times except for Christmas day and when it is closed for a week in January for annual essential maintenance.

It is an amazing flight and I would recommend it if you are traveling to London. 

Once you board your flight each rotation takes around half an hour and it does move at a slow speed, so it is not like a thrill ride. Rather it allows us to take in the surroundings and sights of London city in a leisurely manner. In fact you can see as far as Windsor castle which is 25 miles away! We loved it and will book again the next time we can visit London. 

 If you are interested in London and may even be planning a bit there in the future I would recommend this book to learn about the many beautiful and interesting attractions and life in London.

Fodor's London 2020 (Full-color Travel Guide)

 

The Embankment And River Thames, London

The area around The London Eye is one of my favorites and it is well worth spending some time there. If you take a walk down the Embankment towards the London Eye it is a fascinating sight of street artists, doing incredible gymnastics, painting, making music on steel drums. 

There are people dressed as statues that stay as still as can be, being looked upon in awe by some people and others trying to get them to move! If they do move often after a long period of time it can be quite a shock!! 

All manner of people are there and it is very crowded, yet the atmosphere is one of busy friendly activity and simply enjoying what is there. There are also outdoor food stalls, indoor and outdoor restaurants, and a wide variety of wonderful live music. 

I find it a very relaxing yet stimulating place to be. 

 

River Thames & Big Ben from Embankment,by Raintree Annie

 

The River Thames flows by The Eye and is a huge dominating river. In clear sight is the "Gurkin" and other sights of interest. 

You can even take a boat trip along the river, which, especially if you are new to London is a really good way of seeing more of this area of the city in a relaxed manner. 

It is also a lot easier on your feet as London is a huge city to walk around and pounding the pavements and crowds can become quite relentless and tiring! 

Relaxing on the river is a lovely way of taking it all in and is a lovely break from the inevitable bustle of a big busy city. We had a lovely day in the area and could have easily stayed a lot longer.

Boat Trip The River Thames , London UK by Raintree Annie

 

Londons River Thames

Here is the River Thames, embankment from nearby The Eye. You can see the famous Big Ben in the distance! 

Even on a grey day it has an attraction for me. There is a majesty and history to this river and it is such a lovely place to chill out and relax from the hectic pace of London. 

This capital city is a full-on place to be and the area around the Embankment is no exception. Yet if you can find your nice place to sit or stand and just look there is a peace about it too.

London Eye Capsule &Big Ben by Raintree Annie

 

I love this part of London, I think the river is lovely and the buildings are amazing and there is a special atmosphere about this area, which is hectic yet friendly. I always enjoy visiting and have many happy memories I savor on my journey back home to the countryside. 

Have you visited London, taken a flight on the London Eye or do you feel it would appeal to you?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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