Summerabbacat

Perhaps he already has @raven1. 😜 This story as written by @James Carnarvon had a strong "ring of authenticity". Otto, Wolfgang, Helmut, Hans, the possibilities are endless. I echo the sentiments of others @James Carnarvon. Enjoy your trip, whatever it entails.

Elaine, the drug mule comes as no surprise. Elaine the mother of Leander, all I can say is fuck me, I did not see that one coming. I speculated previously Scott Sheperd and Elaine may have set up Donald as the fall guy for the cocaine smuggling. I now think it very possible. I also speculated before if Scott’s heart attack occurred without assistance. I am even more suspicious now that it did not, although I don't think his death was any great loss. I have to wonder if it was Scott that Elaine had an affair with for 19 years as revealed by Taz. I speculated before, somewhat facetiously, that Elaine and the Romani Medea may have been lovers, my speculation is now genuine. Luke has to warn Len about Elaine. I think she and the Romani Medea are both truly evil. When reading of these two harridans I am reminded of the witches in Macbeth "double double toil and trouble". I have no doubt either would have any qualms eliminating or harming those who get in the way of anything they want. I am still not sure what use Len is to Elaine, maybe she is just after a little bit of company, but given what we now know about her, it is hard to imagine her motive is as simple as that. @James Matthews you continue to startle with the impossible and the implausible, making them so believable. I am glad you are not posting this story every day as it gives the reader time to digest, ponder and ruminate. I have said it before, speculation is pointless, but it is so much fun, particularly if one is even remotely close to your reality. I have I believe read most of your stories published on this site and enjoyed all to varying degrees. I consider this to be your finest work yet.

"Mum nodded. “Break out the Champagne!” she said. At Dad’s startled look, she smiled and added, “Don’t worry, Ramin… I can drink enough for the three of us.” My favourite line of the entire story @James Carnarvon, a woman after my own heart. I rarely drink nowadays, but champagne is something I always enjoy. From joy and laughter to sadness in the blink of an eye. You are a master-manipulator of the readers’ emotions (this is not a criticism by any means). With one tiny little sentence “You’ll always be my first, Reza,” he whispered, and pulled him into a hug” you opened my floodgates. I like several of my fellow readers imagine Reza will return to Ravello one day. I also imagine he will disclose his true self to his parents and hope his father will accept him as he is. A delightful story yet again @James Carnarvon. Frothy, light-hearted and comical, but still with wonderfully written characters, even if you barely scratched their surface. You have the knack for baring much even when saying little.

My fellow readers have dissected this chapter so thoroughly @James Carnarvon they have left me with only one observation to note which was not noted by anyone else "Reza jogged down the stone steps, then halted abruptly as two very small boys charged, giggling, across his path, closely pursued by a harassed-looking young woman in a rather old-fashioned dress. “Andiamo, Marco!” the dark-eyed boy who was leading the motley crew shouted back over his shoulder". I could not have imagined being so fond of Marco when he first made an appearance in the Ravello series, but by the end of the "Dani books" I found myself feeling very "protective" of him for want of a more appropriate word. For him to make an even fleeting appearance in this story warmed my heart. He is a character whose back story I would love to see explored by your good self @James Carnarvon if you are ever inclined to do so. I will now proceed to read the final chapter. I have already noticed the dreaded Completed status of this story.

My fellow readers have aired many of the opinions and suspicions I share. The only question I have which no one else has raised is was Donald, Josh's alleged father, somehow involved in the injury to the boy at the fair, the one who was left paralysed? Given the alleged source of the boy's injuries, Donald's occupation may be a coincidence, but it is a bloody big one if it is. If he was somehow involved I wonder if he was framed by Scott (and perhaps Elaine and the Romani Medea) for smuggling cocaine. I don't believe there are any lows the Romani Medea would not sink to, and Elaine is looking increasingly treacherous. @pvtguy expressed best what I have long suspected, does she, Elaine, have "a specific motive for targeting Len and Luke". It is difficult to imagine what she may believe she can gain from such calculating behaviour, but @James Matthews is renowned for making the impossible and implausible not only believable, but almost obvious if one were to only employ the "little grey cells" like Hercule Poirot. Speculation is almost pointless with your works @James Matthews, however, it is one of the things which only adds to the enjoyment and fascination one can derive from your stories and the characters who inhabit the realm therein.

I so want Mary to pay for her crimes, all of them. She needs a visit from a 210cm tall drag queen in heels who was a truck driver, who is trying to give up smoking and is really craving a cigarette, who has been harassed by a mouthy and persistent Jehovah's Witness and who has just seen her entire wardrobe of wigs and designer frocks go up in smoke. She could sort Mary out; bitch needs to be in a wheelchair with a colostomy bag dribbling into her incontinence pads. I hope Duke and Leander NEVER visit her again. I have not questioned any of Luke's choices to date, but KFC? Really disgusting "food" made from chickens who were tortured before being painfully murdered all for fucking KFC. Luke eat some real food. The "missing" stock from Luke's workplace is very concerning. Did one of Leander's crazy family members follow Luke to work and then break in and steal stock, and if so, is the stock stolen going to be used to frame Luke for something. Or is this one of your famous "red herrings" @James Matthews? A very suspenseful chapter which has raised more questions than it answered. I am hoping for a miracle for Leander.

Dad raised an eyebrow. “Take a look at you,” he said, “looking on the bright side for once. Something really has got into you today.” Reza shrugged. “Yeah, well, you guys were reminding me too much of… me, I guess.” If nothing else, the holiday in Ravello is increasing Reza's self-awareness and his appreciation of his parents and the opportunities life offers him in the UK. The day trip to Positano sounded horrid. Once again your gift for vivid description without melodrama came to the fore @James Carnarvon. I felt myself tensing at the thought of so many people in such close proximity (I could almost smell the mass of sweat from so many crammed in so tightly). The one positive I have discovered with getting older is that I don't feel compelled to always be polite regardless of the situation. I am not deliberately rude, but in the situation as described by Reza I could envisage my temper more than fraying, especially if any of the people were pushy, loud and obnoxious. I have to confess to loving the sun and not necessarily always being sensible when in the sun. In Australia we are bombarded with ads warning against the danger of the sun as we have the highest rates of skin cancer in the world (or so we are told). Whilst I have moderated my behaviour (I don't lie in the sun all day like I used to), I certainly would not travel all the way to such a beautiful place as Ravello only to lie on a sun lounge all day, not with so many wonderful other things to experience. Otto needs to venture out into the big bright world of Ravello. Day 5 and the holiday is almost over @James Carnarvon. I wait with bated breath as to what adventures Reza will experience with Gianni, Angelo and the newly minted sassy Claudia.

I am certain it was unintentional @James Carnarvon, but I had an enjoyable little chuckle at Reza’s apparent discomfort and dislike of “temperatures pushing thirty Celsius”. What a wimp. Temperatures of this degree are mild summer temperatures in Sydney, Australia; the temperature we sometimes have as the minimum temperature overnight. We are currently experiencing unprecedented cold weather; a temperature of thirty Celsius would be welcomed by many Sydneysiders with open arms. I love the heat and humidity, but even friends who do not, are yearning for the warmer weather of the southern hemisphere to be upon us sooner rather than later. I had forgotten Claudia was once a timid shy girl, only recalling the more recent confident, hip and sassy Claudia. A very clever ploy employed by you in this story to illustrate her transition. The changing dynamic of her relationship with Angelo and Gianni also a joy to observe. Reza’s uncooperative “sensation felt somewhere in the region of his swimming shorts” and his reaction to same also had me chuckling. And thank you for the reintroduction of healthy food into this chapter. My mouth watered at the grilled courgettes, fennel and aubergines and the roasted cherry tomatoes and peppers. Delizioso.

I agree @drpaladin. It appears Reza’s mind has not been poisoned by religious dogma; he is able to think for himself and draw his own conclusions. His internal dialogue I found very humorous and as noted by @raven1, his preconceived notions are being challenged. Reza has a very healthy relationship with his parents, much like our beloved superhero, Daniele. Both his parents appear to be intelligent and very savvy in their treatment of their son, allowing him enough reign to form his own opinions and become the person he is meant to be, rather than what they would like him to be. A most enjoyable chapter again @James Carnarvon with much to amuse and entertain (Ott’s directness a standout). Unlike Reza, I was fascinated with the shopping trip taken by the family, and could imagine myself being bewitched by lemon-patterned ceramics especially (but only if made locally).

I am curious as to what a "groaning dish of fresh local fruit and a selection of chilled yogurts and fruit juices" is @James Carnarvon. I have to say this is the first time in any one of your wonderful stories the food selection mentioned made me feel nauseous. Being vegetarian the rest of the breakfast buffet was at best unappealing, but the fresh local fruit and selection of chilled yogurts and juices sounded very appealing. Similarly to @drsawzall, I realised we had travelled back in time with the description of Gianni and Angelo as teenagers. The technical aspects discussed in your previous posting may as well be written in Swahili as I have no idea what any of you are talking about. I will refrain from making any comment regarding the religious beliefs of any of our cast, apart from stating that most, if not all religions, are from my observations, at least some degree cruel to animals, and for that reason alone I consider them beneath contempt. "A low masonry wall, lined with marble busts, was all that separated you from a dizzying drop to the terraced foothills below. If you stood back a bit, the statues seemed to float amid an infinity of crystal blue" was a very familiar image @James Carnarvon, and then I remembered where I had seen it. Am I correct in thinking this is your profile picture? I am loving the leisurely pace of this story thus far @James Carnarvon. Languid with a positive connotation rather than a negative one is the perfect adjective to describe it i.e. relaxed, unhurried, just as a holiday should be.

@James Matthews, @drsawzalloft repeated remark about Elaine being a grifter has stirred my fertile (or should that be fantastical) imagination, resulting in speculations running amok: there is a connection between Mary and Elaine - are they sisters; former or current lovers; jilted lovers of Jerry Sheperd; or was Elaine the first "love" of Scott Sheperd, the father of her son Josh, tossed aside for Mary, but united with Mary in their hatred of Scott Sheperd? Elaine is the mother of the paralysed boy, now deceased, hellbent on revenge against the Sheperd's, but especially against Mary whom she suspects was the true mastermind behind the concealment of the truth of what happened to her son

I am not the slightest bit surprised Mary revealed herself to be an absolute c..t. I made the comment regarding a prior chapter that she may be a Romani Medea, and it has proven to be true. She knew her husband was raping one of her son's (and it would not surprise me to learn she demanded he do so as a way of controlling Duke whom she may have sensed had a streak of rebellion), she instructed the torture and beating of another, and arranged for the fair to be torched. I now have to wonder if Scott Shepard's heart attack resulted from a natural occurrence, or was it occasioned by an action of this evil bitch too? I have no doubt she will orchestrate to have Duke murdered and perhaps Leander too, although she won't get her hands soiled. Luke may be their only protection; he instinctively knew Mary was not to be trusted, although I think even he too was surprised at just how truly evil she is. A revelatory chapter, perhaps the most shocking you have ever written @James Matthews. Superbly written, with restrained drama and violence only increasing the suspense; the tension mounting between the four "cast members" in the hospital room, until the explosive aftermath of Mary's blasé and callous disregard for her children, the punch delivered by Duke. Whilst I usually abhor violence, Mary got only a fraction of what she deserved. I hope you have something dastardly planned for Mary, but I can think of no better retribution for this evil bitch, than to have ALL her children turn on her and leave her penniless and alone (with a stint in prison too with a violent and sexually voracious version of Sharon).

I am sure your "lightweight and fluffy" will still entertain if nothing else @James Carnarvon. I happen to love pavlova, which is lightweight and fluffy with not even a hint of nutritional value, and am a HUGE fan (admiration for, not my physicality) of sugary pop music (a la Bananarama and Kylie amongst the very best), so lightweight and fluffy will still be a source of great pleasure, at least for me. Your characters, even if only drawn at a superficial level, will still provoke thought and discussion, as they are already.

What a wonderful and welcome surprise on a bleak Sunday morning, an e-mail notifying me of a new tale published by @James Carnarvon. Without even reading a word of the new tale, my head was ringing with the sound of Lauryn Hill's voice from Sister Act 2, “joyful, joyful” (I got no further with the lyrics as they become religious thereafter). With great anticipation I raced to the story, immediately transported to the warmer climes of the far away Ravello (we are experiencing a rare “polar snap” in Sydney, Australia, at present). Once again I swooned in the fragrant air perfumed by the luscious lemons (like breasts @James Carnarvon, a most unusual and vivid description), basked in the sun like one of the local lizards or stray kittens, rejoiced in the orchestration of the scraping cicadas (crickets on steroids, LOL) and yearned for the taste of the local tomatoes, eggplants and cheeses. Not even the dreaded Sunday domestic chores (ironing and vacuuming) could diminish the joy of a new Carnarvonesque experience. The new "cast members" have not yet left a strong impression, although I find myself immediately liking Helen for her enthusiasm for the joys of Ravello, amused by Ramin’s wry sense of humour and teasing of his son, and less impressed by Reza (although he at least seems to have inherited a sense of humour from Ramin and may have Daniele's delightfully individual and carefree fashion sense). I look forward to further chapters of skilful character development and languid storylines peppered with the occasional drama or twist, hallmarks of any "Carnarvon caper".

The hypocrisy of the statement reportedly made by the Sheperd family in response to the fire rankled such that I almost choked on my own bile. I like several of my fellow readers immediately thought its likely source, lit by a family member as an insurance job, although the insurance I thought of was not of monetary value, but to cover up the possible murder of Ben and possibly divert attention from the beating of Leander. Now after learning Scott Shepard may have owed people money, the motivation for the fire well may have been for financial gain only, or in addition to covering up other possible crimes. Several of my fellow readers have commented on Luke’s insensitive comment to Duke. I seem to recall in a prior chapter (before I started making comments myself) Duke himself hinted at the fact that his father had raped him, so the comment whilst insensitive, may have been based on fact, or at least a perceived fact. Luke certainly pulled no punches when commenting on Leander’s family to Leander himself and to Duke. I, who am known to be blunt (diplomacy is overrated), admired him for this. Leander especially needs to acknowledge his family are barbaric scum, people whom he is better off without. I saw a glimpse of acknowledgment from him that this is the case. @James Matthews a very powerful chapter. When I saw the chapter title, I held hope some of the vile Sheperd family may have perished in a fire, but alas it was not to be. I for one would not have shed a tear if Mommie Dearest, Clyde and/or the thuggish cousins had “met their maker” in a fireball. The intrigue and suspense continue to build, all the while bubbling beneath the surface is a sense of impending catastrophe (I am hoping this is not the case, at least not for Luke). Your story telling prowess continues to impress, much like @drsawzall's wry comments and hilarious gif's (I am still not sure if this is the right term).

@James Matthews "animal" was not the incorrect word to use as it was the most likely adjective to have been used by a large majority (dare I surmise) of the human population in such circumstances. I pride myself on being an animal lover, but I still slip up sometimes too, particularly with another commonly used phrase "to kill two birds with one stone". Although I don't like the majority of birds (I am somewhat frightened of them), I doubt I could kill one let alone two. I have on several occasions seen a particularly nasty breed of bird, one which attacks other birds, dive-bombing my cats. I have swung the broom at them (the birds not my beloved cats), but failed to ever connect with them. I am not sure how I would feel if I actually killed one, certainly vindicated at the time, but likely remorseful later. I don't even kill cockroaches, but I don't stop my cats from demolishing them.

I am more than happy for Sharon to kick Elaine's butt first @weinerdog so long as she "rearranges" Leander's mother's butt and various other parts of her putrescent carcass after she has completed that task. Sharon is a woman of action who appears in prior chapters to have been very "results oriented", so I have little doubt she would not stop until her task was complete. I think behind Leander's mother's carefully constructed facade of the grieving widow, scared and lost 'poor little me' woman, beats the heart of a manipulative, cold, calculating bitch. A Romani Medea. I detest her.

I am incensed after reading this chapter; Leander's family are scum. I am in total agreement with Luke, where the fuck was Leander's mother when all this was going on. I know where she was, in her caravan pretending she did not know what was going to and did happen, coincidentally whilst being visited by her new top thug, bully-boy Clyde. She who has painted herself as the all-suffering wife of her late husband, playing the overwhelmed grieving widow. I call bullshit; bitch knows exactly what is going on and what has been going on. It was no impulsive act she instructed the new family thug, Clyde, to clamp the wheel of her supposedly beloved son’s truck. She needs an "educational visit" from Sharon, now that would be one fight worth watching. I am sure there will be those who will say, don’t reduce yourself to the level of these treacherous bastards by retaliating with violence. I say naivete is dangerous, it leaves the most vulnerable prey to those with violent intentions. Violence is the only language this family appears to understand. I made the comment after the last chapter and note Lee uttered the same remark in this chapter, torch the bastards (but only after removing any non-human animals they may have in their “possession”). I was momentarily annoyed when Luke referred to Leaner’s family as animals, but then recognised the statement for what it was, words said in anger. This commonly uttered statement ALWAYS infuriates me because firstly humans are members of the animal kingdom, and secondly non-human animals are mostly not motivated by hatred when committing acts of violence. The human animal is the most violent of all the animal kingdom, invariably motivated by something ridiculous e.g. wanting to keep "control" of their family. I will finish my rant by stating I hope something truly awful befalls Leander’s mother, Clyde and the thuggish cousins who assaulted him. I hope they suffer unspeakable pain for a long period of time. As for the second “story” within this chapter, WTF? @drsawzall wonderful Dean Martin gif (is this the correct term?) summarises it best.

Fuck, what a harrowing chapter to read @James Matthews. I almost felt the blows dealt to Leander’s body by his heinous family. I am almost certain Seth raped him too. Their behaviour is what one would expect from a crime syndicate family or an outlawed bikie gang. As much as I loathe the Clyde who has now revealed himself, I found myself having the most contempt for Leander’s mother. What a pathetic excuse for a mother she is. Leander still defends her though. She was well aware of the violent behaviour of her husband and would presumably at least have suspected similar behaviour from the rest of the males in the family, but what does she do? She orders Clyde to clamp the wheel of Leander's truck. She is despicable, a real cu.. I fear Leander is dead, and I am almost certain Ben is. I'd often dreamed of adult life when I was a kid. I never thought about who I would be with or how a relationship would play out. But I did dream of how I would feel as an adult. Would I cope, for instance, with responsibilities, bills, work, and friendships? I knew how all those things worked around me, but put me in the middle of them? I wasn't so sure. Now I was at that point I'd dreamt of; it was the other way around. I no longer cared about any one of the mentioned. It was now solely about relationships, who I would end up with and how my life would play out. This is NOT good Luke, especially his sole focus on relationships. If Leander is dead I fear it may prove too much for him. @James Matthews my initial inclination was to believe the chapter title was a reference to Luke alone, but after reading the chapter it applies equally to both Luke and Leander. I just hope Leander is not dead. If he is I want to see ALL his family torched, slowly and painfully, with his mother and Clyde to suffer the most. They are both cu..s.

I also expressed some sympathy for Leander @mansexlover, but not at the expense of Luke's mental health. I too recognise his difficult situation with his family, but again not at the expense of Luke's mental health. Your comments have just raised a thought I had not had until now, both Luke and Leander have mental health issues, but unlike Luke, Leander has not articulated, or perhaps even recognised, his. Methinks, both Luke and Leander would benefit from some type of therapy.

I agree with @Etotsira. Luke needs to protect himself from himself, and if in doing so this makes him selfish, so be it. He invested a lot of his future happiness in a relationship with someone he barely knew, but it has happened, and he has to deal with it the best way he can. He is very self-aware, his internal conversations with himself and his acknowledgement to his father of his shortcomings, evidence thereof. I also observed a strong streak of perfectionism in Luke in this chapter, a characteristic which will only exacerbate his anxiety as he cannot possibly live up to his high expectations of himself (this is something I am all too familiar with). I don’t dislike Leander, I feel some sympathy for him as he is a product of his upbringing, however, he had the opportunity to have a relationship with Luke and decided he was not strong enough to overcome his family’s limited view of the world (I am trying to be kind and have refrained from saying what I really think about those fuckers). Len’s speculation Luke feared Elaine erasing all memories of his mother from the family home blindsided me. I had given much thought to why he was so vehemently opposed to her (apart from her obvious presumptuousness and insensitivity), and these fears did not even register on my radar. I think Len’s speculation and Luke’s acknowledgement of its accuracy, are testament to the close and nurturing father-son relationship they have. Much like Luke, Len has invested a lot in his relationship with Elaine, a woman he has apparently only known for a very short period of time too. I would be interested to learn of her personal financial circumstances. Does she own her own home, does she rent or live in a council flat? Not knowing the answer to any of these questions, I am very suspicious her motives may be financial as she has “made herself at home” rather quickly. Now for the Edith puzzle. Is she suffering from some form of dementia? I don’t think she is necessarily an unlikeable person, she is perhaps just lonely. Luke’s expression of sympathy for her life and circumstances are indicative of his kind nature, much like his concern for the outcome of Ben’s “rendezvous” with Leander’s brothers. Another well written, believable and intriguing chapter @James Matthews. I look forward to reading of any progress Luke can make in resolving his various dilemmas. He may be anxious, but his strong sense of self-awareness will I believe hold him in good stead to overcome it, or at least learn to manage it, which relatively speaking he is already doing.

Luke deserves better than Leander is currently capable of offering and hopefully he will realise this as time passes. Leander has been raised in an environment of fear, and although the primary source of that fear, his father, is now dead, he is struggling to break free. He adores his mother, a woman who is seemingly incapable of making a decision for herself, who has to rely on the newly-elevated "head of the family", Clyde, to make the decisions. My comments may seem harsh, but she is an adult, and it is about time she stepped up and started behaving like one. As for the rest of his family, what a disappointment. Leander will never find true happiness and self-worth if he lets his family dictate his life choices. I hope Luke tries to make peace with his father. His father’s decision to ask him to leave did seem unfair, but Luke should try to rationally discuss his dislike of Elaine with his father. She does appear to be rather presumptuous and insensitive, but her intentions may be genuine. I think he needs to give her the benefit of the doubt for the time being, and if she proves to be a gold-digging harpy, be there for his father when such intentions are revealed. @James Matthews I am enjoying this story immensely. I wrote a lengthy comment on chapter 18, posted it then lost it due to one of those annoying ads popping up and fucking everything up. I am very impressed with the authentic way you are illustrating Luke’s struggles with anxiety, presenting the facts with empathy and understanding. His self-doubt, internal conversations and see-sawing emotional state rings true. Well done.

My heart is at peace. Beth made the right decision to let you have the bairns. I was not so sure, but having seen them here with you, I know now that she was right. This statement from Iona had me thinking the same thing @Freemantleman. I hope we are both well off the mark though as there has already been enough death in this current book (hint hint @Andre Delport). After the drama and sadness in more recent chapters it was a delightful change of pace to read a chapter with little drama; serenity and happiness prevailed for all members of the Devlin-Major family and their extended family. The mood and activity of the family, Rascal included of course, seemed to mirror the calm of the sea as the family traveled on Belle Catherine. A clever literary ploy @Andre Delport or merely a coincidence? 'Belle Catherine' was ablaze with lights, from the top of her mast all the way down to below her waterline, where the underwater lights glowed, turning the water around her emerald green. and "Oh my, this is absolutely beautiful. So peaceful and tranquil". I have no sea-legs, having only been out to sea once and got hideously sea-sick, however it would almost be worth it to observe such beauty as described so wonderfully @Andre Delport. @Andre Delport your story-telling continues to entertain and your writing skills impress. Jamie Sr and Iona delighted all with their enthusiasm for activity. Their heartfelt joy and happiness that Jamie Jr and Fiona are "where they belong" was poignant, believable and incredibly moving. Thank you.

@James Carnarvon's works stimulate the senses. One rejoices in the sound of the ever-present cicadas in their daily scraping; in the smell of the oleanders and fragrant grape vines; in the taste of the lemons, aubergines and tomatoes which flavour so much of daily life in Ravello; in the touch of the light breeze or the scorching midday sun; and in the sight of the beauty of nature which abounds. Another journey to Ravello is like experiencing a myriad of pleasures all at the same time. The regular “cast” Gianni, Angelo, Claudia, Toto, Michele are back and welcome the return of Giacomo, Emilia, Marco and Dani, the superhero who once again proves to be pivotal in the lives of so many. I shall not reveal any of the plot in my review as to do so would ruin the feast to be had in reading this most wondrous of books. Ebullient, poignant, beautiful and enriching; the rewards reaped in reading this delight are bountiful, much like reading its predecessors in the Ravello series.

Never say never @James Carnarvon. One does not know what the future will hold, especially when teenage hormones are "thrown into the mix". Maybe team Giabella or better still team Emibella. Perhaps Giacomo will have a "religious epiphany" and take over from Father Stefano (please do NOT let this happen). I shall just be delighted if Claudia returns to Ravello and brings James Carnarvon with her.