First, a PSA: I have very poor internet access at present, haven’t seen LJ since Friday (posting from my phone) and am well behind on emails. Hope to catch up soon.

My current run of Lovejoy books continues with another story in which he is pulled from cosy East Anglia to wilder climes, if the Isle of Man counts as wild. This is an earlier book in the sequence than Paid and Loving Eyes; Lovejoy is even more obsessed with antiques here, and slightly less with women, in that his affections are concentrated on Jane Felsham (played by Phillis Logan on TV, who like Ian McShane was about ten years older than the characters in the books). We also have the gormless Algernon as Lovejoy’s apprentice, slightly posher and stupider than his sidekick Eric on TV. There is fun lore on how to fake antiques, and stay within the letter of the law; there are also horrible things done to Lovejoy’s budgerigars, and (rather implausibly) no hint that the police are set onto the most likely suspect. And there is loving description of the scenery of the Isle of Man, and discussion of how the Romans invaded; a scenario not supported by mainstream history, but this is a work of fiction. Generally good fun, apart from the budgies.