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ablaise

Reclaiming reading for pleasure.

3240 points

0% overlap
Made for the Movies
British and Irish Crime Classics
British & Irish Classic Literature
My Taste
The Expendable Man
I Who Have Never Known Men
The Covent Garden Ladies
Anybody Out There? (Walsh Family #4)
Murder on the Orient Express (Hercule Poirot, #10)
Reading...
The Morrigan
30%
Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)
17%
This Other Eden
56%

ablaise is interested in reading...

8h
A Daughter of Fair Verona (Daughter of Montague, #1)

A Daughter of Fair Verona (Daughter of Montague, #1)

Christina Dodd

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Post from the Pagebound Club forum

8h
  • Verona, Veneto, Lake Garda, Northern Italy

    Hello!

    I'm travelling to Verona in June and would love any recommendations of books set in and around the city... Preferably summery in tone (as opposed to wintery!) and open to different genres!!

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  • ablaise made progress on...

    16h
    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Dorothy L. Sayers

    17%
    1
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    ablaise made progress on...

    2d
    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Dorothy L. Sayers

    12%
    1
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    ablaise made progress on...

    2d
    The Morrigan

    The Morrigan

    Kim Curran

    30%
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  • Favourite tropes

    I saw a post on the main Pagebound Club forum a few weeks ago that was asking about everyone's least favourite genre tropes. To flip that on it's head, I'd love to ask what everyone's most favourite mystery/crime tropes are?

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  • ablaise commented on a post from the Pagebound Club forum

    4d
  • A Question for the Librarians

    I don't read physical books, so my entire relationship with my library exists through Libby and hoopla. I have a Libby question I'd love to get some insight into.

    Whenever I find a book that isn't in my library's collection, there's that option to "Notify Me" if the library obtains a copy. I throw all kinds of books in there so I don't forget they exist, but I'm curious. Do librarians see those and make book acquisition decisions based on them? And if not, is there a better process (especially in app) to request a book for Libby specifically?

    I work a schedule that makes it all but impossible for me to go physically to the library, so I've never had the chance to ask. Would love any insights y'all have to share!

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  • Post from the The Morrigan forum

    4d
  • The Morrigan
    Thoughts from 17%
    spoilers

    View spoiler

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  • ablaise commented on a post

    4d
  • Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)
    Thoughts from 5%

    Was so hesitant to start this book as I struggled through “Whose Body?” but, i’ve been thoroughly enjoying this one much more so far!

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    comments 3
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  • ablaise made progress on...

    4d
    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Dorothy L. Sayers

    7%
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    ablaise made progress on...

    4d
    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Dorothy L. Sayers

    3%
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    ablaise made progress on...

    4d
    The Morrigan

    The Morrigan

    Kim Curran

    14%
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    ablaise commented on ablaise's update

    ablaise made progress on...

    5d
    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Dorothy L. Sayers

    1%
    1
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    ablaise made progress on...

    5d
    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)

    Dorothy L. Sayers

    1%
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    ablaise wrote a review...

    5d
  • A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie
    ablaise
    May 19, 2026
    4.0
    Enjoyment: 4.5Quality: 3.5Characters: 4.0Plot: 3.5
    🧪
    ⚰️
    💊

    This book is a lovely companion for those who enjoy Christie's books, true crime and aren't put off by the odd chemical symbol and discussion of synapses.

    Each chapter takes the same approach: a quote from literature and an opening section; the story of the drug in question, covering a brief history of the chemical and key scientific figures associated with it; how said poison kills; any antidotes, now or at the time of Christie's use of it as a weapon; some real life cases, often ones contemporary to Christie; and finally 'Agatha and [insert name of poison here]', which discusses her application of the poison in the plot of one of her novels.

    The book is well written for those with a basic knowledge of chemistry and biology (UK GCSE level), but I do feel that some of the discussion might be a bit much for others. It is worth skipping ahead if parts get too complicated. The real life cases are interesting and cover some well known scandals as well as more obscure historical cases. I did wish these parts were longer, but that's my interest in true crime showing! The descriptions offered of the physical effects of the poisons were very evocative and made me realize how sanitized Christie was at times in her own descriptions of victims.

    I did miss a conclusion! A short chapter to tie things up would have been good, as it is the book just ends. The table at the back of the book in the appendix is SUPER interesting, and I shall be referring back to this when I next take on a Christie book and want to check the poisons out in more detail.

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