As I was warned by my fellow bloggers, I did not love Thunder on the Right by Mary Stewart but I was intrigued by it. In it, Jenny, a young English woman, travels to the French Pyrenees in search of her cousin. When she arrives, she is told that Gillian, her cousin, is dead but the clues don’t add up and it isn’t long before Jenny is embroiled in a dangerous mystery.
I have never been a fan of suspense novels or gothic romances, which is why it has taken me so long to try Mary Stewart. And I’m still not a fan but I can see the appeal of her work. I might have rolled my eyes at just about every plot turn and gotten frustrated with Stewart’s overly indulgent descriptive passages (which go on and on and on) but nevertheless I found myself drawn along and intrigued by Stewart’s style. This was a very fast read – my copy is almost 300 pages but the font is so large and the spacing so generous that it took less than two hours to read – though, for me, not a satisfying one. I enjoyed the way Stewart writes, I just don’t have much interest in what she is writing about; this could prove a problem going forward but, for now, I’m looking forward to trying a few of her better books. There’s a Mary Stewart Reading Week coming up in September so if anyone has recommendations of what I should read for that, please let me know!
The Captive Reader 
Mary Stewart – she’s an author I keep trying to love but all I can drum up is a mild tolerance. She’s not bad, if there’s nothing else in the room, but is she wonderful? – well – no, not in my opinion. This said, it’s been a few years since I’ve read anything by her, though I have loads of her books around; my mom finds them diverting. Maybe I should take another look… They always sound so darned promising.
Though with my recently discovery (thanks to fellow bloggers!) of DE Stevenson and now Georgette Heyer, maybe I’d be better served to explore more of those instead! 🙂
They do sound promising, don’t they? I think I’ll probably end up like you, happy to read her if nothing else is on offer but not one to actively seek her books out. I certainly can’t imagine myself spending money to buy any of her suspense novels.
Claire, If you want to try something else, you could try The Rose Cottage, which is very gentle and soothing, or The Ivy Tree, which to me at least didn’t seem as “gothic” as some of her others and had an interesting mystery that kept me intrigued. In my head, I always group her with DE Stevenson for some reason…
Thanks for the recommendations, Erika. The less gothic the story, the better!
I haven’t read this book yet, but I’ve enjoyed most of the other Mary Stewart novels I’ve read. My favourite so far is Nine Coaches Waiting, which reminded me of Daphne du Maurier, but as you’ve said you don’t like suspense or gothic romance I probably wouldn’t recommend that one to you! As Erika has suggested above, Rose Cottage might be a good choice for you.
Two votes for Rose Cottage…sounds promising!
I’ve only read one Mary Stewart – Touch Not the Cat, which I read with the Cornflower book group (if you search her site for the discussion, there might be more recommendations in the comments?). I can’t recommend it, though. It had some suspenseful moments, but it was just too predictable. I’m afraid it didn’t inspire me to look for any more of her titles. I usually like suspense and some Gothic, but this just didn’t work for me. I’ll be watching to see if you have success with any of her other titles.
We’ll see how I do with all these recommendations, Susan!
I’ve only read one of Mary Stewart’s gothic romances (The Ivy Tree), and I liked it, but I absolutely adore her Arthurian books. There are four of those, and The Crystal Cave is the first. That might be the way to go if you want to try her again.
I forgot to mention it in my review, but I have read The Crystal Cave. It was years and years ago and I barely remember it now but I do remember that I enjoyed it. I never continued on to the rest of her Arthurian books so that would be the natural place to continue come Mary Stewart Reading Week!
I enjoyed your review of this book though I am sorry you didn’t enjoy it. It is always interesting to learn about new writers and Mary Stewart is one I did not know about. I have been rereading Barbara Pym and been very happy immersed in that world of hers!
Pym is marvellous – no wonder you are happy!
If you’re not a fan of suspense novels or gothic romances, then she may not be the author for you. But I will recommend The Gabriel Hounds, which takes place in an old palace in the Middle East. Very atmospheric. I read all of her books many years ago, and what I enjoyed so much about them was their combination of suspense and armchair travel.
Ooo, that does sound like a promising setting.
I’ll join Teresa in recommending the Merlin/Arthur books – which are the only books of hers I’ve read. I have The Ivy Tree on the TBR stacks, waiting for the reading week.
I’ve only read the first of the Arthurian books but I did enjoy it. That series would certainly be a much more natural fit with my tastes than her gothic romance/suspense novels!
Another vote for the Arthurian books. I’ve read each of them – in order, of course – twice.
Clearly, these are the books I’ll need to track down for Mary Stewart Reading Week. I think I still have my (really my father’s) copy of The Crystal Cave somewhere…
All of her suspense novels are fairly similar so if you don’t like those elements I would second (or third) the Arthurian novels. If you want to try again with her suspense stuff I would suggest The Moonspinners, Madam, Will You Talk? or Thornyhold (gentler and with a touch of the supernatural). I enjoy her because she is vintage escape reading for me – she’s not for everyone, though!
The Moonspinners had caught my eye already but I haven’t heard much about Thornyhold. Thanks for the recommendations!
The one I always recommend is Airs Above the Ground but Touch Not The Cat is very popular.
Thanks for the recommendations, Alison!
I’d put Thunder on the Right low on my list of Mary Stewart’s suspense novels. My highest recommendation is This Rough Magic. Also, the Moonspinners (NOT like the Disney movie based on it), My Brother Michael, Airs Above the Ground, The Ivy Tree.
I’ve always enjoyed her books and reread them all from time to time. Nine Coaches Waiting is the most Gothicky of them. The rest are nearly all solidly resourceful young women travelling through Europe (or Middle east) and running into danger and other people’s troubles. Not the typcial TSTL heroine-in-nightgown running from forbidding castle that typified ‘romantic suspense’ cover art of the same era.
Besides the Arthurian books (which I haven’t read and can’t comment on) later in her career she wrote what might be called Gentle Country Reads. Thornyhold, Rose Cottage, Stormy Petrel. Pleasant, non-suspense books.
For all things Mary: http://marystewartnovels.com/index.html
I have to say, ‘Gentle Country Reads’ sound much more my style than suspense novels! Thanks for the recommendations, Susan.