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jenn

Murder by Death

I read cozy and historical mysteries, a bit of Paranormal/UF, and to mix it up, I read science and gardening books on occasion.

Reading progress update: I've read 225 out of 340 pages.

Ammie, Come Home - Barbara Michaels

Well, I only meant to read as far as the end of chapter 6 but I got so lost in the story that when I next looked up I was midway through chapter 7 and my tea was cold and untouched.

 

I'm awfully glad I'm reading this book in the bright light of day; it isn't hair-raisingly frightening, but I think I'd feel differently at night, in bed, with only my reading light.  I can't imagine reading this one by candlelight or flashlight.

 

So far I'm enjoying it, but without getting spoilerific, I'm thoroughly confused about Ruth; I know I'm supposed to infer something horrible happened to her, but Michaels is so vague (pages 185-187 in my edition; chapter 6 sec. IV) I don't know if it was a general or specific thing.  To get spoiler-y:

 

Are we supposed to get from this that she was sexually abused or sexually and physically abused by her husband?  Also, this was definitely an almost-rape scene; are we supposed to believe that Patrick might have been under the influence of the malevolent spirit, or that he's just a prick who can't control himself and Ruth just dismissed almost being raped on her own couch?

(show spoiler)

 

That whole scene left me totally confused and as much as I'm loving the plot, I'm feeling ambivalent about the two main protagonists until I sort this out.  I'm hoping someone else here has a clearer idea of what we're supposed to take away from this scene, because I'm sure as heck not asking my 92 year old mom to explain it to me.  ;-)