Of Swords and Parasols

So, despite my being engrossed in almost all things asian entertainment that last few years, my first and still greatest love is 17th-19th century english romances and mysteries.  When I was 15 my aunt gave my a box of romance novels set then(mostly 19th century) and at school the books I checked out almost religiously were Victoria Holt.  (Yet, oddly, though I own several of each, I have yet to actually read a book by Georgette Heyer or Jane Auaten.  Something I know is very, very wrong of me and that I should fix.  I think I'm just worried they eon't live up to expectations)  The fact that historical movies, but original, adaptations and fantasy, seem to be becoming the new in thing for Hollywood pleases me to no end.  And, I'm sure you can imagine, discovering BBC, A&E and Masterpiece Theater a couple years ago filled me with joy to no end.  The only reason I don't own about 50 times as many of those as I do is the $$$$.  However,  a lot of them are being rereleased for cheaper and/or simply having the existing prices lower(not nearly enough, and a lot of what's left just barely gets it down to OK with a big sale, but progress is progress)  Also I have discovered deepdiscount.com, who has EXTREMELY good prices(their average prices are lower than most of amazon's, barring new releases and sales) so a LOT of those have suddenly become affordable.

Which brings me to The Moonstone, a Masterpiece Theater romance/mystery from 1984.  In it, a man who stole a precious diamond from a Hindu shrine leaves the stone to his niece, Rachel, a family friend, Franklin, brings the diamond, called the Moonstone because it was taken from the shrine of the Moon God to her and she asks him to mount it for her so she can wear it to her birthday celebration that night.  Franklin and Rachel, naturally, have actually been in love for some time but haven't got around to admitting it yet(if you ask me, too much stubborn pride in wanting the other to admit it first.)  Naturally, everyone is less than secure about Rachel wearing a giant necklace and worried about it.  The next morning, the Moonstone is discovered missing.  Rachel refuses to involve the police, thinking Franklin did it(not that refusing to involve them herself stopped everyone else from doing just that) causing the inspector to suspect her.

I liked this one quite a bit.  The romance and mystery both were quite good(and in this instance I guessed whodunit because I didn't like him and wanted him far, far from Rachel, as opposed to, you know, evidence) and  Franklin and Rachel were both quite likable and believable without being cookiecutter characters, as were the other characters.  The setting and language felt right for the period, as did the attitudes, even the ones that will usually be glossed over for PC(not that any of the characters are horrible and rude by even today's standards...though there was someone who really needed to take a hint when Rachel told him "no" about ten times...today she'd be allowed to tell him to bugger off and quite clinging)

Anyway, off to watch some Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu.