Nice People 13: Nice Save

lostinrates

Hope it settles michaels.

Since I developed rosacea fir and I have joked that while I am allergic to sun he, thanks to his psoriasis is allergic to shade. Its like the suncrossed lovers thing.;)

LydiaJ

Have had in my mind a few snippets of a detective novel I read 20 years or so ago, that I have started to feel I would like to remember better, and would therefore be quite interested in reading again. Sadly I can't remember the title, or the author, or the names of any of the characters. I've just tried ringing up my dad and asking him for further details, but he says he's no recollection of it - so it can't have been him that I borrowed it from.

The story concerns a mid-20th century detective (ie contemporary with when the book was written) who is knocked out in a road accident. When he wakes up, he finds himself in the early 19th century, with only limited recollection of his real life - he knows which century he comes from, and that he's a policeman, etc, but can't remember his personal life. All the other people he meets think everything is normal and remember having known him for ages, although he can't remember any of them. There is a girl who likes him, and he finds her v attractive and is sure he has met her before somewhere but doesn't know more than that. A crime has been committed, and he starts trying to investigate it, gradually discovering increasing evidence that it was done by the character that he has become. At the end something happens to him - he gets knocked out again, or shot in a duel, or something - and he wakes up back in his own century, with a full recollection of both his real life and the 19th century stuff, which he supposes was a dream. His real life wife has the same face as the girl from the dream.

So (v long shot) do any of the book-minded NP recognise this plot? Or (slightly not quite so long shot) can any of you suggest ways in which I could try to find out what it was? I can remember all that about the plot, but it doesn't give me very helpful search terms for googling etc.

ETA - Found it!! I remembered the bit where he works out that when the other police talk about "coloured clothes" they mean "plain clothes" so I googled for those two phrases together and found it. It's Fire, Burn! by John Dickson Carr.

See - you NP are so effective at helping me find stuff that I only have to post in order to get sorted.

michaels

Nikkster wrote: »

I'm definitely not a doctor,

Sounds a bit like polymorphic light eruption?

Yet....

That's the thing.

zagubov

Nikkster wrote: »

I've been thinking this week that the loft is the first inside thing I should tackle here - so I can tuck away e.g. Christmas decs, large boxes (e.g. the one that my carpet cleaner came in), maybe even the carpet cleaner. I am thinking of treating myself to getting some loft ladders fitted too (which will need the loft hatch changing). I think this will help me to sort out e.g. the dining room.

Just rememberer what got me thinking about the loft - it was Doozergirl asking whether my loft was insulated. I also want to make sure it is properly insulated and board it out.

Do check it's got flooring. I read about somebody who fell through into the upstairs ceiling and to add insult to injury, found he wasn't covered by insurance.
Also, agree about the melatonin.

LydiaJ wrote: »

Have had in my mind a few snippets of a detective novel I read 20 years or so ago, that I have started to feel I would like to remember better, and would therefore be quite interested in reading again. Sadly I can't remember the title, or the author, or the names of any of the characters. I've just tried ringing up my dad and asking him for further details, but he says he's no recollection of it - so it can't have been him that I borrowed it from.

The story concerns a mid-20th century detective (ie contemporary with when the book was written) who is knocked out in a road accident. When he wakes up, he finds himself in the early 19th century, with only limited recollection of his real life - he knows which century he comes from, and that he's a policeman, etc, but can't remember his personal life. All the other people he meets think everything is normal and remember having known him for ages, although he can't remember any of them. There is a girl who likes him, and he finds her v attractive and is sure he has met her before somewhere but doesn't know more than that. A crime has been committed, and he starts trying to investigate it, gradually discovering increasing evidence that it was done by the character that he has become. At the end something happens to him - he gets knocked out again, or shot in a duel, or something - and he wakes up back in his own century, with a full recollection of both his real life and the 19th century stuff, which he supposes was a dream. His real life wife has the same face as the girl from the dream.

So (v long shot) do any of the book-minded NP recognise this plot? Or (slightly not quite so long shot) can any of you suggest ways in which I could try to find out what it was? I can remember all that about the plot, but it doesn't give me very helpful search terms for googling etc.

ETA - Found it!! I remembered the bit where he works out that when the other police talk about "coloured clothes" they mean "plain clothes" so I googled for those two phrases together and found it. It's Fire, Burn! by John Dickson Carr.

See - you NP are so effective at helping me find stuff that I only have to post in order to get sorted.

The world should be grateful we only use our special powers for good, and never evil!;)

PasturesNew

Nikkster wrote: »

I am thinking of treating myself to getting some loft ladders fitted too (which will need the loft hatch changing). I think this will help me to sort out e.g. the dining room.

It's worthwhile, if you're keen to go into that dark, murky space (possibly infested with god knows what and spiders), getting a couple of quotes for having a velux window fitted. It wouldn't be so bad going into a loft with a window. Although I know they're not free, it'd be interesting to just get some prices so you know. My dad put stuff in his loft - thank goodness he'd had a Velux window fitted some years before as it was mostly me that had to go up there.

lostinrates

I love lofts. ATM ours has v. Little in it (sealed plastic boxes of my old clothes ) but lofts are fantastic. I remember great fun in attics peering and rummaging in tea chests finding odd things.

I miss tea chests.

PasturesNew

Actually, if you did get a velux window in a loft, then you could plonk a solar powered PIR security light on the floor - with the light catcher on the floor where it'd get most sun. No wiring needed up there either then!

Nikkster

michaels wrote: »

Yet....

That's the thing.

Ah - if I get that far, I'll still be the wrong sort

PasturesNew wrote: »

(get somebody to stand here several times when I first use it)

Happy to help on my next visit if you haven't already sorted it out by then

Nikkster

PasturesNew wrote: »

Actually, if you did get a velux

I doubt I'd bother - sounds like another thing to leak. I think some proper loft ladders and some kind of lighting will be enough. I just want to be able to access it without having to drag in ladders from the garage/ needing someone to hold the ladder still etc. I'm not planning on moving up there!

Generali

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Guess we'll find out.

Hilux has the (albeit expensive) option to put a camper on the back....



LC not so much..... It's more about living on the inside or with a roof tent, but it is more capable off road and does have more room inside to live in.....

You can convert a Hilux into becoming an off-roader.