Kittling: Books: Search results for R.A. Dick

First Line: Mrs. Muir was a little woman.

After her husband's death, Lucy Muir moves her two young children to Gull Cottage at the edge of a quaint seaside village on the southern coast of England. The house suits her right down to the ground, but she soon finds out that the reason why it's so cheap is that it's haunted by the ghost of its builder, Captain Daniel Gregg.

For some reason, the brusque old sea captain likes Lucy and doesn't chase her off as he has everyone else, and as the years pass, a special relationship grows between them. Lucy deals with providing for growing children, trying to publish Gregg's memoirs, and romance from a surprising source, and no matter what happens, she can rely on the ghost of Daniel Gregg.

Once more, I find myself reading a book upon which a favorite movie has been based. Even though I've never been a fan of either Gene Tierney or Rex Harrison, the 1947 screen adaptation of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir has always been a favorite. Since I don't care for the actors, I think it's safe to say that it's all due to the story.

The movie actually follows along rather closely to the book, only changing the chronology from time to time and having Mrs. Muir have just one child-- an excision I could understand completely.

At the very beginning of the book, we are told that Lucy Muir is a little woman, but it takes no time at all to see that the only people who call her little are those who go through life with blinders on-- and those who insist on keeping her "in her place." R.A. Dick's novel is so much more than a ghost story; it's about a woman who insists on living the life that she wants without other people telling her what to do.

My experiences in reading books that have been the source of favorite movies have been a bit hit-or-miss, but I'm happy to say that reading The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a success. Both book and film are well done. Both stand the test of time, and both can bring a tear to the eye.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick

eISBN: 9780804173490

Originally published in 1945.

Paranormal Historical Fiction, Standalone

Rating: B+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Ever since I stumbled across an episode of Hoarders and watched for five horrified minutes, I've refused to call my habit of accumulating more books than I can read "hoarding." No, "stockpiling" is now my word of choice. Since I now find myself reading more and more eBooks, I thought you might be interested in the digital books I find myself stockpiling each month.

Have I turned my back on print? Heavens no! I literally grew up in a library. There is no way that I would ever turn my back on physical books. However, I had one wrist in a brace for a few months and with all the eye problems I've had lately, it's much easier for me to use my Kindle than it is for me to read a physical book. Kindles (and other eReaders) also have the ability to increase or decrease the amount of light on the screen as well as to enlarge the font size.

I do have help when it comes to stockpiling eBooks. I subscribe to both Early Bird Books and Book Bub. Both of them send me emails about special prices on eBooks in my targeted genres. Of the two, I find myself grabbing bargains from Book Bub more often because they do a very good job of finding out what I like to read. Do any of you subscribe to similar email services that you would recommend? Please let me know in the comments!

I purchased twenty eBooks last month. I'm going to list the title, author, genre/subgenre, and a link to Amazon. If I gave you the synopses to all of them, you'd be scrolling forever!

The Silent Christmas, a Jayne Sinclair Genealogical Mystery by M.J. Lee

Short Story/Novella

Death of a Rainmaker by Laurie Loewenstein

Historical Mystery

Death & the Gravedigger's Angel by Loretta Ross

Cozy Mystery

The Girl Who Ran Off with Daddy, a Stewart Hoag Mystery

by David Handler

Amateur Sleuth

The Gentle Tamers: Women of the Old Wild West by Dee Brown

Non-Fiction

Laughing Boy, A Navajo Love Story by Oliver La Farge

Fiction

A Lily of the Field, an Inspector Troy Thriller by John Lawton

Police Procedural

The Mangle Street Murders by M.R.C. Kasasian

Historical Mystery

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir by R.A. Dick

Historical Fiction

The Mistresses of Cliveden: Three Centuries of Scandal, Power, and Intrigue in an English Stately Home by Natalie Livingstone

Non-Fiction

The Wreckers: A Story of Killing Seas and Plundered Shipwrecks, from the 18th Century to the Present Day by Bella Bathurst

Unmentionables by Laurie Loewenstein

Historical Fiction

A Picture of Murder by T.E. Kinsey

Historical Mystery

Creek Mary's Blood by Dee Brown

Historical Fiction

Nop's Hope by Donald McCaig

Fiction

Mystery Stories by Elizabeth Peters

Short Story Collection

Stranded by Val McDermid

Short Story Collection

The Pretty Little Box by Charles Todd

Short Story

Lover Come Hack by Diane Vallere

Cozy Mystery

Dark Sacred Night by Michael Connelly

Police Procedural

Whew! I'm glad the month wasn't any longer-- who knows how many eBooks I would've purchased! Were you tempted by any of the titles on my list? Which ones? Inquiring minds would love to know!