The Ursula Blanchard mysteries is kind of an example of a long term commitment. I read the first instalment of the series back in May 2005 (preblogging days) and then proceeded to read all 8 books in the series over the next ten months. Apparently I used to read a series a lot quicker back then! I did a spotlight post on the series a few years ago now which you can read here.
After that there was no word of a new book in the series, even though it clearly wasn't finished. I wanted to find out what happened next in the life of Ursula, her daughter Meg, her servants. Would she be drawn back into the intrigues that were so prevalent in the court of Elizabeth I. Would William Cecil find just one more job for Ursula to perform for Queen and country, or would she be allowed to live a quiet life in the country with her family and friends?
I was very surprised earlier this year when I found out that there was finally going to be a new instalment in the series after a gap of more than 7 years! And even better, my library had a copy on order. I requested it straight away and then had to wait.
Now that I have started reading it, there is no way that it feels as though there had been a gap of years between reading the last book and this one, until there started to be references to made to events that clearly happened in the last book, and I couldn't remember them. Undeterred I kept reading until something prompted me to have a look at Goodreads and there was reference to another book.
It turns out that I missed the news that there was a new book out late last year or early this year and so not only has there been a significant gap in reading the books but now I am reading the books out of order! The strange thing is, my library hasn't bought Queen Without a Crown (9th book in the series) but has bought this book which is the 10th book in the series.
Oh well, guess I can't do much about it now that I am more than a 100 pages into the book, but I would have much preferred to have realised this before I go to this point!
Oh, I would have been so mad if this had happened to me! I can imagine that you were probably so disappointed!
ReplyDeleteGiven that I am normally so careful about reading in order, it was a bit frustrating!
DeleteI think a series of books can draw us in the same way as a good TV series like Downton Abbey: the characters have so much more room to grow and change.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! I love that you can get to know characters, meet new ones and follow their stories.
DeleteThat is so annoying! I have yet to read this series because I have never had much luck finding the books.... Maybe one day! (And I used to read series much faster, too!)
ReplyDeleteThis series has been a bit hard to find for me too. From memory I think I ended up buying a couple and giving them to the library but they didn't end up using them as far as I know.
DeleteI also love this series and didn't know there was a book last year or this year! Thank goodness for you post.
ReplyDeleteI really thought this series was finished so glad it's back :)
I thought it was finished without actually being finished but apparently not! Now I need to see if I can find the book that I missed!
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