There are time when reading books out of order can be a good thing. This is what happened to me with the Kate Ivory books of Veronica Stallwood. I had been recommended them and as I love a long list of detective type novels ready and waiting, I bought the first two. Not overwhelmed by them at all and had no particular desire to rush out and get any more. However, I came across a good hardback edition of one of the later titles in a charity shop, bought it and read it and could not believe it was the same writer. So much better, tighter plotting and good dialogues.
So, back to the drawing board and I started to read them again, this time in no particular order and found I was really enjoying them. The later ones feature Kate's mother, Roz, with whom she has issues as her mother went off travelling for ten years and barely kept in touch. It is obvious they are very fond of each other but hide it by verbal skirmishing and it is these lively arguments and back chat that really livens up the story. Brilliant idea introducing this character into the series.
This weekend I have had a splurge, I had my daughter with me but we both had a good lie in on both days and so have read three of the Oxford Mysteries.
In Oxford Knot Kate is sent a mysterious gold knot ring by an anonymous admirer before she sets off on a book signing tour where strange accidents occur and it is clear that there is danger in the offing. back at her house, a friend is looking after her cat and one night opens the door and finds an unknown figure on the doorstep....
In Oxford Blue Kate is spending some months in a quiet country cottage recovering from events told in this previous story, she is hoping for
some peace and quiet when out of the blue her long lost mother appears, and then later, the gardener is found dead in mysterious circumstances. So off Kate goes again, this time aided and abetted by Roz, to see if she can find out the true story behind the apparent drug overdose theory accepted by the police.
In Oxford Double Kate is back home with new neighbours on either side of her house and the Fosters, a retired couple are murdered in what looks like a contract killing. Have they been leading a double life? Once more, Kate 
gets involved and runs the risk of placing herself in a vulnerable position.
Great stuff, rattling yarns and, as I said above, the pace and style has picked up no end the more of these books Veronica Stallwood has written. Seems to my untutored eye that she has begun to really like her heroine and this shows. I could be totally wrong of course, and probably am, I daresay.
I think I only have another couple to go and then I have read the lot and will have to wait in patience for the next one to be published. In the meantime I shall hunt out the other non-Kate Ivory books by this author to keep me going.
I wish I didn't binge read but I know there is no hope for me, I have done it all my life when I find an author I like and cannot stop now....
