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You can buy The Red House Mystery here.
I’ve always been an avid reader, but recently I was alarmed to realize that I hardly have time to read any more! “This has to stop,” I told myself (partly because my “To Read” shelf was overflowing, which annoyed me), so now I have a strategy. I’m not a morning person, but I started getting up 15 minutes earlier than normal. Now I get up and read while eating breakfast, and believe it or not, this little ritual has actually turned me into a morning person. It’s like I have something to look forward to, so now I don’t mind getting up. I’ve gotten into the reading groove and have managed to relieve that overflowing shelf a little.
My latest conquest was The Red House Mystery (by A.A. Milne), a book given to me by my grandparents for either birthday or Christmas an embarrassingly long time ago. Several years, at least. It’s a fiction young adult book that’s not terribly long (about 200 pages), so it was a nice break from Ben Hur (see my review on that one here). I like to switch out genres and styles so I don’t get bored.
A.A. Milne is known for his Winnie-the-Pooh stories, but The Red House Mystery is an entirely different game altogether. It’s the classic whodunit and copies Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. Antony Gillingham, the main character of Milne’s work, actually compares himself and his cohort Bill to Holmes and Watson.
The Red House Mystery takes place on a country estate which is occupied by a crowd of interesting characters. Kind of like the background story of the game “Clue”, actually. The master of the house, Mark, receives word that his delinquent brother from Australia will be arriving for a visit (and isn’t looking forward to it). The brother arrives, is killed in the study, and Mark disappears. Antony Gillingham, who is dropping in to visit a friend currently residing at the estate, arrives just after the murder. He has to stay on for a few days for questioning, so meanwhile he and his friend Bill take it upon themselves to solve the mystery of who killed Robert Ablett and where did Mark Ablett run off to? Is the case as straightforward as it appears? Mystery, intrigue, Holmes-like deduction, and plenty of sharp wit make this story an intriguing read for young adult or adult young-at-heart alike. This book kept me interested and laughing; I love books like that.
Question of the day: how do you make time to read?
Loly says
I have always said, “I need to read more to write better”. I’m more of a math and science type of gal. Life has been rather chaotic but Im not at a more peaceful point in my life. I recently began reading and felt even more inspired reading your blog and book reviews. I’d love to see you have some time of book club or virtual reading group. I homeschool my kids and have made it a point to make sure we are all reading more hardcopy literature. What is your favorite classical literature book you feel everyone should read?
Briana Thomas says
Hi Loly! Good for you for doing that with your children! You (and they) will never regret it! My favorite classical literature book would probably be Jane Eyre, but Sherlock Holmes and O. Henry’s short stories are right up there at the top too!
Cheryl Smith says
I haven’t read this one, but it sounds great! The way I fit reading in is I include the whole family! We usually read together every, single day. I have my private time with Jesus, reading the Bible, and then when we read together as a family, we read a good, wholesome book…either by a Christian author or books like Swiss Family Robinson. Right now, my son and I are also reading the Guideposts Marble Cove Series books together….some of it gets a bit “girly” for him, but he tolerates those parts, because he loves the mystery parts! Reading together is wonderful quality one-on-one time that we get to spend together and one of my favorite parts of every day. Thanks for the book review! God bless you, Briana! 🙂
Sue says
I make time to read by leaving a few Holy Bibles near sitting places in our house. When I sit down for a breather after making a meal or whatever, I can just reach out my hand and pick it up and start reading anywhere. (There are all sorts of genres in there !) My rule for myself is that I will not go to bed unless I have read at least one chapter, (and hopefully have digested it a bit). For MY level of discipline (!) this system works just great.
Deborah says
This book is currently FREE on Amazon for Kindle.
Briana Thomas says
Thanks for the tip!