Rereading THE MARK OF ZORRO by Johnston McCulley, it’s easy to see why it spawned multiple sequels and a shit-ton of film and TV adaptations
That made it all the more surprising that when I cracked a joke about “Spoiler: Don Diego Vega is Zorro!” at the book club I read this for (each month we all read different books in the same genre/category) and nobody realized I was joking, that I thought everyone knew about Zorro’s secret identity. They’re all younger than me so perhaps Zorro’s fading from public consciousness?
In any case, the story is set in Callifornia back when it was a Spanish province. The governor is a tyrant and the only one willing to stand up to him is Zorro, a masked vigilante who punishes soldiers for beating peasants, steals illegal tax money to give back to the people and other Robin Hood stuff. The B plot has Don Diego Vega, a man of impeccable bloodline and absolutely pathetic personal style. He’s been pushed by his father to marry a beautiful young woman and while he’s willing, he’s also reluctant to make the effort to court her (“I suppose if you insist on being serenaded, I could send my servant to play under your window.”); small wonder when Zorro puts moves on her (“Your beauty would hinge a man’s tongue in the middle, that he could praise you with both ends.”), she’s more responsive.
This is a fun swashbuckler and McCulley does a great job making Diego ineffectual. Though some of the occasional references (how can you mistreat this nobleman as if he were — a native!) make me wince.
THE WOMAN IN THE CAMPHOR TRUNK: Anna Blanc Mysteries #2 by Jennifer Kincheloe is a historical mystery series about a former socialite now working as a cop in early 20th century San Francisco. It opens well with Anna running off carrying a head from a murder scene but after a few chapters it felt very awkward, like the author wanted the zaniness of the Stephanie Plum series but in a serious vein — plus the Chinatown portrayal (opium dens! Tong wars! Assassins!) felt way too stereotypical. I DNFed it.
I picked up THE COOKING OF THE BRITISH ISLES: A Sainsbury Cookbook by Glynn Christian under the assumption it was a history of English cooking but no, it’s a 1980s cookbook looking nostalgically at the recipes nobody makes any more, such as potted hare, potted trout, skirlie and welsh salt duck. Interesting, but not as cool as that 1930s cookbook I acquired from Mum.
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