Going Somewhere Beautiful

I love going to beautiful places. After all, who doesn’t? Leaving your life and worries behind to visit somewhere romantic or cozy or exciting. And while I love traveling, that’s not the only way to get carried off.

I recently watched the Netflix show, The Crown (yes, I binge-watched it). I loved it! A little history, a little romance, and a lot of monarchy and aristocracy. Once I was hooked, the available episodes were not enough to quench my taste for the royal. So I went right to my books.

Nothing transports me quite like reading. Watching a TV show or movie is fun, no doubt, but reading really gets into my head. Instead of sitting passively while someone else’s imagination creates landscapes and characters, I put my own imagination to work when I read, imagining what the characters look like, what their stately homes look like, how their fancy gowns feel or elegant dinners taste.

I worked my way through three mysteries, each set in England or dealing with the aristocracy. I’m not sated yet, so we’ll see what the next week brings.

The greatest joy in reading, for me, is being transported. And I usually like to go somewhere beautiful. Which may make it seem strange that I enjoy mysteries. I do choose my stories carefully. Not for me the gruesome details of a serial killer or the torturous death of a child. I find that, in their own ways, mysteries can be beautiful, and not only when they’re located in a beautiful setting (though that helps!).

I agree with the sentiment, expressed by many before me, that crime fiction is good to read because the problem gets solved in the end. The killer is caught. Justice is served. Like in a classic western, the men in the white hats win.

Things get solved. The world is right with itself. And we, the readers, get some time away from home.

I’m curious, what are your favorite “transporting” books?

The Adam Kaminski Mystery Series by Jane Gorman is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks and other retailers.

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