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The Scold's Bridle
"I wonder if I should keep these diaries under lock and key. Jenny Spede has disturbed them again . . . What does she make, I wonder, of an old woman, deformed by arthritis, stripping naked for a young man? The pills worry me more. Ten is such a round number to be missing . . . "
Mathilda Gillespie's body was found nearly two days after she had taken an overdose and slashed...more
Mathilda Gillespie's body was found nearly two days after she had taken an overdose and slashed...more
Paperback, 480 pages
Published
August 5th 1995
by MacMillan General Books
(first published 1994)
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Jun 14, 2011
Chris
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
shakespeare,
mystery-british
Back when the cable channel A&E was actually watchable, they use to show mystery movies. One of the ones I watched was based on this novel. The movie was good, the novel is good - not great, but I'm not upset I read it. I liked the dual story lines, one working forward, the other backward. I also, though, found it somewhat empty. But it was enjoyable enough light read.
view 2 comments
Rating: 2.875* of five
The Book Report: Mathilda Gillespie reminds me of my female relatives: Argumentative, judgmental, unforgiving, grudge-holding, snobbish...is it any wonder Mathilda turns up very, very dead? She's so dead, in fact, that no one with a grain of sense could mistake her overkilling for anything but murder. Her daughter and granddaughter, lucky recipients of Mathilda's viciousness all their lives, are logically suspected of doing the old bat in so as to inherit her dragon's hoard...more
The Book Report: Mathilda Gillespie reminds me of my female relatives: Argumentative, judgmental, unforgiving, grudge-holding, snobbish...is it any wonder Mathilda turns up very, very dead? She's so dead, in fact, that no one with a grain of sense could mistake her overkilling for anything but murder. Her daughter and granddaughter, lucky recipients of Mathilda's viciousness all their lives, are logically suspected of doing the old bat in so as to inherit her dragon's hoard...more
We have another winner from the pen of Ms Minette Walters. I am seeing a bit of a pattern though. Like the "The Shape of Snakes" this one involved a woman doctor who befriends a woman whose nasty personality made her a very unlikeable person and who winds up dead under suspicious circumstances. In both stories the doctor is having marital difficulties that bear on the case and in both, a police detective becomes interested in the doctor and the case. But there the similarities pretty much end. D...more
A rich old bitch is found dead in her bathtub with slit wrists and wearing a scold's bridle, a device for female punishment used during the 16th-19th centuries, consisting of a metal headpiece with a bit to silence quarrelsome women's tongues. The mysteries she leaves behind: Was it murder or suicide? Why'd she leave her money to her doctor rather than her daughter and granddaughter? What is the symbolic significance of the bridle?
A total page turner. I dug it.
A total page turner. I dug it.
Minette Walters is good. This is the second book of hers that I read, and I must say that I enjoyed it tremendously. Walter’s writing is witty, her dialogues are truer than life, and her characters are diabolical. The plot in this one was flawless and I was kept guessing until the end who had committed the murder – I even wondered if it was murder at all! There seems to be a recurrent pattern of incestuous relationships in Walters’s books, but I’ll have to read more to see if this is true. In an...more
When senior Mathilda Gillespie commits suicide, no one in her village seems to mind very much except her doctor, Sarah Blakeney; one of the few people who’d actually liked Mathilda. Sarah finds it odd that Mathilda died by cutting her wrists in the bath while wearing a scold’s bridle entwined with flowers. That she wore a barbaric contraption once used to silence talkative women is strange in itself, but how would she have managed to carefully weave the flowers all the way around her head, espec...more
Minette Walters always writes a great story. Best of all, most of her stories are written about Mysteries in Dorset. Being very familiar with both Dorset and London, I have no problem in picturing the scenes and places in her stories. This makes them even more delightful to me.
The Scold's Bridle takes the reader into the home o Mathilda Gillespie, there is incest, and suicide (or was it), rape, thievery, murder and blackmail....and oh, who dun-nit? Thrown in, high priced call girl and drugs, a p...more
The Scold's Bridle takes the reader into the home o Mathilda Gillespie, there is incest, and suicide (or was it), rape, thievery, murder and blackmail....and oh, who dun-nit? Thrown in, high priced call girl and drugs, a p...more
I've been a huge fan of Minette Walters since I first picked up Acid Row a few years ago. Although I am not really a mystery fan, I do enjoy Walters' psychological mysteries.
Like most of her novels, this one kept me guessing until the very end. Although I had my suspicions, Walters' writing constantly had me doubting and second-guessing who I thought was the murderer. Not to mention there are several mysteries in the novel that leaving you wondering what exactly is going on here and who everyon...more
Like most of her novels, this one kept me guessing until the very end. Although I had my suspicions, Walters' writing constantly had me doubting and second-guessing who I thought was the murderer. Not to mention there are several mysteries in the novel that leaving you wondering what exactly is going on here and who everyon...more
It a great tale. Everything came nicely together at the final. The only two criticisms I have are that the murderer was not a major player in the story until near the end – and so less likely to be presumed by the reader to be guilty – and the second one (abet a small point) is that it was said that Jane goes to Hong Kong on holidays and runs into James, because “the expatriate community was so small’. There are millions of people in Hong Kong. The chances of meeting a particular person there ar...more
Button pushing, convuluted, annoying. I'm probably not the best person to review crime thrillers or whatever these kind of books are called. They bore me intensely.
Pretty well everyone in this book was just annoying and I spent way too much time in their company. There was a lot of plot twists around incest, psychology through art, rape, beastly families, inbred upper classes and sniping, groping lower classes. I got intensely bored with the whole thing until it was finally all wrapped up in a f...more
Pretty well everyone in this book was just annoying and I spent way too much time in their company. There was a lot of plot twists around incest, psychology through art, rape, beastly families, inbred upper classes and sniping, groping lower classes. I got intensely bored with the whole thing until it was finally all wrapped up in a f...more
Minette Walters does it again. Sets up a group of disagreeable people, people that you dislike and then makes you care about them. Mathilda Gillespie is found dead in bathtub with slashed wrists, surrounded by nettles and Michaelmas daisies, and most disturbingly of all, a Scold's Bridle on her head. A scold's bridle was an instrument of punishment for a gossiping or nagging woman. It consists of a cage with a spiked plate that is inserted in the mouth. As long as the woman does not speak, the s...more
For once I didn't see it coming, responsible party was never on my radar. Great mystery, interesting characters with common sense. Nasty old lady found dead, wacko daughter and messed up granddaughter, a nice doctor who inherits the estate, her charming louse of a husband, and an old cop who's too good of a judge of character to have advanced in his career. Parallel with the story are excerpts of the nasty old broads diary. I'm going to try and read all of Minette Walter's books, let's hope she...more
I picked this book up at a thrift store for 10 cents, its definitely worth the read, or the 10 cents anyways. It is written by a Brittish author, which makes it interesting as far as terminology used and the dialog. The story leaves you guessing "who done it" with a few twist and turns. The use of the Scolds Bridle in a crime with a dark history was neat in a crime mystery novel. This novel did make me a little interested in checking out something else by Minette Walters.
With the murder or suicide of a much-hated woman as the backdrop storyline, Walters's story follows numerous characters as they lie, deceive and try to find the truth. Part rekindling of a romance, part growing up, and mostly mystery; I enjoyed how Walters kept the main story present but also made me care about Sarah, Jack, Ruth, and others.
I would recommend it for someone interested in mysteries, but I wouldn't shout from the rooftops about the book. It kept me interested but lacked levity whi...more
This was my first book by the author some years ago. I remember enjoying her writing style very much. So much so that I wanted to note down several expressions. The plot itself was ok--it was mostly memorable for its title as I'd to check what it meant--a metal head-cage of sorts used to quieten women! It was just how Walters wrote that made me look for her books. I didn't find The Echo at all remarkable in any way. I'd like to read more to form a more complete opinion.
These Walter's English mysteries reminds me of the Murder Mystery parties we have. Everyone is guilty of something but you can't figure out who did the murder because everyone had a reason. I'm no better at solving the murder in these than in the parties we have! And I am good at the American ones. I guess the moral is that we Americans have less secrets than the English!
Aug 11, 2009
Lisa
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
mystery readers more who prefer George more than Ironsides.
Recommended to Lisa by:
recommended on the cover of Death in the Garden, as being simila
Riveting, but uncomfortable reading. I think the malicious & sadistic psychology is perhaps overdone and bordering on unbelievable, just as the doctor's goodness reeks of incredibility. Fascinating plot and dark humor are winning points. This is the first book I have read by the author, and I will probably read others.
A classic whodunnit. One where you are left reassessing your judgements of each character now and again. Powerfully etched characters. Memorable last line: "Does she deserve to have people think well of her?"........."She deserves a little pity Sarah. In the end, that's all any of us deserve."
Jan 09, 2009
Aleisha Z Coleman
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
someone who LOVES mysteries and can handle stronger images than an Agatha Christie
Recommended to Aleisha Z by:
Krista Stoker
Shelves:
favorite-authors-of-all-time
My friend Krista introduced me to Minette Walters who has become one of my favorite murder mystery writers ever. This particular book reeks with the twisted psychology that would end with someone taking an others life. It is fabulous. However, not for the faint of heart.
Feb 11, 2008
Robert Beveridge
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
finished,
owned-and-gave-away
Minette Walters, The Scold's Bridle (St. Martin's, 1993)
A woman is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, with a medieval torture device strapped to her head, a garland of flowers straight out of Shakespeare wrapped around it. Did she commit suicide, or did she have help?
Sounds like the basis for a bang-up mystery, no? Combine with one of today's hottest mystery writers, Minette Walters, and you have a surefire recipe for success. And yet, something doesn't quite gel. I'm not sure what it is, r...more
A woman is found dead in her bathtub, wrists slit, with a medieval torture device strapped to her head, a garland of flowers straight out of Shakespeare wrapped around it. Did she commit suicide, or did she have help?
Sounds like the basis for a bang-up mystery, no? Combine with one of today's hottest mystery writers, Minette Walters, and you have a surefire recipe for success. And yet, something doesn't quite gel. I'm not sure what it is, r...more
Muito longe do género de policiais a que me tenho vindo a habituar, posso dizer que este 'A Máscara de Desonra' custou a envolver-me... É certo que tem diálogos muito bons, mas considero que algumas das acções paralelas à trama principal são desnecessárias, alongando a história de uma forma que, sinceramente, não me 'agarrou'; em determinadas alturas senti mesmo que a escritora estava meramente a 'encher chouriços'. Quanto ao desenlace, posso dizer que não me surpreendeu: praticamente desde o in...more
This was one of the most unusual and interesting plots of any mystery I've ever read. The opening of the book made you want to just keep reading and reading, couldn't wait to figure this one out! Great book...
Minette Walters is always a good read. This mystery is particularly convoluted and twisted with psychological overtones - just to keep you completely in the dark till the very last chapter.
Jan 02, 2009
Patrick Oneill
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
murder-mystery
Amazing writer, she has produced nothing bad.
Great character builder, you can really SEE the characters, and believe them.
Great murder mystery.
Patrick ONeill
JaxCandleMan.com
Great character builder, you can really SEE the characters, and believe them.
Great murder mystery.
Patrick ONeill
JaxCandleMan.com
Very good read. Very well thought out and told. Can imagine the depth of feeling for the main characters. Another book that I had trouble putting down from Minette Walters.
Very silly. Convoluted ... totally unbelievable twaddle.
I have been told that her other books are better but this was my first read of hers and definitely my last.
I have been told that her other books are better but this was my first read of hers and definitely my last.
This is the first Walters book I read. I picked it up based on an "employee pick" shelf tag at my favorite independent bookstore!
Another decent read by Minette Walters but I'm starting to wonder why she finds these little English hamlets so nefarious.
this is my favorite mystery book by Minette Walters. it has the right balance of drama, suspense, and intrigue.
Bizarre concept with the scold's bridle, never heard of one before but that is one crazy torture device! Great read!
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Minette Walters (born 26 September 1949) is a British mystery writer. After studying at Trevelyan College, University of Durham, she began writing in 1987 with The Ice House, which was published in 1992. She followed this with The Sculptress (1993), which received the 1994 Edgar Award for Best Novel. She has been published in 35 countries and won many awards.
The Sculptress has been adapted for tel...more
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