Ruth Gordon / Derbyshire Reading Detectives

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All posts by Ruth Gordon

I'm Local Studies Development Librarian for Derbyshire and it's my job to find out about all the new books published about the county and buy them for our libraries. I love reading stories set in the county and I'm really looking forward to seeing what the Reading Detectives will find.

The lost villages of Derwent and Ashopton Find!

28 October 2009 It's strange how some places just cry out to be written about and the villages that were drowned under the Ladybower Reservoir have inspired at least 3 stories that I know about. There was Mary Cockett's Drowning Valley told for... Read more or Comment (2 comments)

Fludd by Hilary Mantell Find!

28 October 2009 I'm delighted Stephen reminded me about Hilary Mantell. Fludd was the first of her novels I ever read and I couldn't stop talking about it. It has a very strong feel of that border area where Lancashire Cheshire and Derbyshire... Read more or Comment (2 comments)

Jeannie of White Peak Farm Find!

12 October 2009 I've just heard that Berlie Doherty's lovely story of a girl growing up on a Peak District farm has been republished this year in paperback by Catnip Publishing. It is a vivid and sensitive description of a family who are tied... Read more or Comment

Unrest of their Time Find!

12 October 2009 This is a really dark and unsettling story, written by Nellie Kirkham who was much better known as an authority on Derbyshire Lead mining. It tells of the lives of people who lived in the twentieth century and of parallel lives... Read more or Comment

John Buxton Hilton: Rescue from the Rose Find!

1 October 2009 George reminded me of John Buxton Hilton's splendid thrillers set in the Peak District in the early 20th century. This is the first I read, featuring his characterful investigator, Inspector Brunt and a wonderfully portrayed Buxton inn, The Little Rose and its inhabitants, including... Read more or Comment

The Mermaid poem by Henry Kirke Find!

1 October 2009 Here is the poem about the Mermaid of the Mermaid Pool on Kinder (though it could be one of the other Mermaid pools in the Peak as there are no less than 3!) The others are at the Roaches, known as... Read more or Comment

Poems of Peak and Dale Find!

1 October 2009 Helen from the Cumbria Reading Detectives has reminded us of a a Peak District poet! Alan Robinson published Poems of Peak and Dale (Athena Press) in 2002 and lives in Matlock. His poems are inspired by the landscape, the towns... Read more or Comment

Night Angels: a scary episode on the Snake Pass Find!

17 September 2009 I've just remembered about this scary thriller by Sheffield based author Danuta Reah. It begins as a young woman's car breaks down on a dark, wet night as she heads back to Sheffield over the Snake. Next morning her car... Read more or Comment (4 comments)

Inspired by the Peak Find!

5 August 2009 Have you had a look at www.peaklandheritage.org.uk ? In the Inspired by the Peak section there are some interesting leads including some old and unusual poetry and ballads. There's legends and folklore and stuff like that in the Digging Deeper section too. Ruth ... Read more or Comment (1 comments)

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