As a history buff one of the things I like best is historical mysteries and one of the best fictional books on one famous mystery is The Daughter Of Time by Josephine Tey (1951). Scotland Yard inspector Alan Grant is laid up after an accident and after coming across a picture of Richard III, King of England from 1483 to 1485, he becomes intrigued by Richard’s face and wonders if this is the face of a murderer. He becomes interested in figuring out the mystery if Richard killed his nephews, the princes in the tower and heirs to the throne. After doing research from books and getting help from friends and acquaintances Alan and his new friend and researcher Brent come to the belief the belief that Richard being the murderer was Tudor propaganda and the more likely killer was the next king, King Henry VII. It’s a good mystery and put me firmly in the Richard is innocent camp. This is a timely story since the body of Richard III was discovered in 2012 after more than 500 years of not knowing where he was buried, and was reburied last year in Leicester Cathedral.

Along with Downton Abbey, one of my favorite British period dramas is Call The Midwife. It takes place in late 1950s and early 1960’s Britain in the poverty stricken district of London’s east end. The midwives and nuns are based at Nonnatus House, an Anglican nursing convent. The show deals with concerns of the time relating to pregnancy such as abortion, incest and the effects of the drug Thalidomide but also with the characters’ personal lives including faith, friendships, dating and marriage. Some of the episodes are heartbreaking since bad things do happen but many are joyous in the celebration of life, love and relationships. The television show is based on a series of books by a real life midwife Jennifer Worth. If you like the television show, try the books!