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  Between WWI and WWII

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  I've been reading a few mysteries set in England in the period between WWI and WWII; it is interesting because I know so little about that time. The authors are Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Todd. Are there other authors that anyone would recommend?

  Judith M started this discussion 11 months ago. ( reply | permalink )

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  Sabina E (edited)

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  I'm no expert for that time period, but I did enjoy The Return of Captain John Emmett by Elizabeth Speller and am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Strange Case of Kitty Easton. Both get mixed reviews though.

  posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    AvidReader 

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    I second Sabina's suggestion as I really enjoyed The Return of Captain John Emmett, too.

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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  AvidReader 

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  For lighter fare I recommend Rhys Bowen's Royal Spyness series, the first book is titled Her Royal Spyness. The series is set during the 1930s.

  posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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  JudithG 

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  All of Dorothy Sayers' Peter Whimsy mysteries are set between the wars. Also Laurie King's Mary Russell series (with an aging Sherlock Holmes) are set just at the end of WW1 and continue, so far, through the mid-20's.

  posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    winterslights 

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    I second the Sayers recommendation. The first one is Whose Body?, it's a good place to start rather than picking up in the middle, like with Strong Poison, The Five Red Herrings or Gaudy Night.

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    I've read all the Sayers, but it has been a looooong time....thanks for reminding me.

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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  jguidry 

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  The Phryne Fisher series by Kerry Greenwood is set in 1920s Australia just after WWI.

  posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Isabelle S 

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  The Crimson Rooms by Katharine McMahon is set between the wars.

  Julia Gregson's East of the Sun is about 3 British women who go to India looking for husbands among the regiment there due to the dearth of healthy young men in the 20s in England.

  Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

  Rennie Airth's Inspector Madden series, beginning with River of Darkness

  More circumspect than Phryne Fisher but not as madcap as Royal Spyness, Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple books starting with Death at Wentwater Court

  posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    jguidry 

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    I've heard about the Daisy Dalrymple books. I need to check them out.

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    I'll take a look at these. Thanks, fellow readers.

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Book Concierge 

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  A number of the early Agatha Christie novels take place in this time frame.

  posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Ladyslott 

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  The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
  The Paris Wife by Paula McClain
  I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  Atonement by Ian McEwen

  posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    I loved I Capture the Castle!
    And then, of course, all the early Hemingway--not mysteries, but....

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    BookwormErin 

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    the only one on this list I've read is Atonement. All the others are waiting for me to read them.

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Ladyslott 

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    You didn't specify mysteries, so I listed others.

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    Non-mysteries are just fine....I also thought of all the Hemingway oeuvre and Fitzgerald--probably still a great portrait of the time period.....

    posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Grace 

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  A huge second to I Capture the Castle. Lovely book.

  A few others (though not mysteries) that come to mind:

  Angela Thirkell's novels (start with High Rising)
  Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons (probably not in the least a realistic depiction, but very funny)
  To Serve Them All my Days, by R.F. Delderfield
  Remains of the Day, by Kazuo Ishiguro

  posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    I Capture the Castle was a lovely book, indeed. And thank you for naming the Angela Thirkell books--I can never think of her name. I read many of them many years ago-maybe time for a reread.

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    JudithG 

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    I don't know how I could have forgotten To Serve Them all My Days. It's one of my all time favorites.

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    Of course.

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    I loved this book and recommend it often.

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Grace 

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    Me, too!

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    winterslights (edited)

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    One of my favorite Delderfield's! I had forgotten that was the time period. Also, the Swann Saga goes from before WWI and up to and thru WWII. There are 3 in that series.

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    I don't know the Swann Saga--do you recommend it?

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    winterslights 

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    I recommend anything by Delderfield. The three books are Theirs Was the Kingdom, God is an Englishman, and Give Us This Day. I think I have listed them in order. At any rate, Englishman is in the middle. Enjoy them.

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Coalbanks (edited)

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  Catch-22
  by Joseph Heller (Author)
  Some tales are never dated. This one could be as contemporary as today and the conflicts that arise in people who find themselves in a struggle (dare I say "jihad") that makes no sense to them but from which there is no escape.

  posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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    Judith M 

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    Absolutely--the stupidity of war. Always copical.

    posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

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