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The Love Talker
Laurie has finally returned to Idlewood, the beloved family home deep in the Maryland woods where she found comfort and peace as a lonely young girl. But things are very different now. There is no peace in Idlewood. The haunting sound of a distant piping breaks the stillness of a snowy winter's evening. Seemingly random events have begun to take on a sinister shape. And dotty old Great Aunt Lizzie is convinced that there are fairies about -- and she has photographs to prove it. For Laurie, one fact is becoming disturbingly there is definitely something out there in the woods -- something fiendishly, cunningly, malevolently human -- and the lives of her aging loved ones, as well as Laurie's own, are suddenly at serious risk.
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
About the author
Elizabeth Peters
168 books3,323 followersElizabeth Peters is a pen name of Barbara Mertz. She also wrote as Barbara Michaels as well as her own name. Born and brought up in Illinois, she earned her Ph.D. in Egyptology from the University of Chicago. Mertz was named Grand Master at the inaugural Anthony Awards in 1986 and Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America at the Edgar Awards in 1998. She lived in a historic farmhouse in Frederick, western Maryland until her death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
April 8, 2024
Doctoral candidate Laurie Carlton and her half-brother Doug Wright are summoned back to Idlewild, the 200-year-old mansion in rural Maryland where they spent summers. Great-Aunt Ida Morton is worried about her younger sister, aged 70, who imagines that fairies are haunting the estate. Doug suspects creeping dementia, but when Laurie sees the lights and hears the music, she realizes there’s more afoot.
The late Elizabeth Peters (one of the pseudonyms of Barbara Mertz) writes the most wonderful mysteries, and this is no exception. Plenty of twists and clever plotting makes this a five-star read.
The late Elizabeth Peters (one of the pseudonyms of Barbara Mertz) writes the most wonderful mysteries, and this is no exception. Plenty of twists and clever plotting makes this a five-star read.
August 28, 2015
Read on audio. I love, really LOVE Elizabeth Peters in all guises but this book is the pits. My public library offers this streamed through Hoopla, read by Grace Conlin. The characters are not very differentiated, and they all seem petulant, childish, or angry. There are many places where the "wrong" voice is used for dialogue, which could be partly the fault of Peters because this book is messy. It relies on some stereotypes rather than characterization and some really antiquated psychological ideas (shades of Christie) about love, gender, and adoption. It seems far less feminist than most of Peters' work and I'd like to assume that it is the result of a prolonged bout of mental illness of some kind plus a crazy editor. A bridge book between the Barbara Michaels and Elizabeth Peters noms de plume and one that I'm not sorry I managed to never read before now despite my deep appreciation of MPM's work. Skip it.
Edited to add: didn't Mertz live in Frederick, MD, the setting of this book? I can't judge the accuracy of Conlin's accents for Maryland, but they were downright annoying to me.
Edited to add: didn't Mertz live in Frederick, MD, the setting of this book? I can't judge the accuracy of Conlin's accents for Maryland, but they were downright annoying to me.
September 10, 2012
This was one of the fluffiest books Elizabeth Peters has written, I think, and I didn't care much for it. I wasn't that interested--I skimmed through a lot of parts. Sure, there was humor, but it all seemed kind of pointless. And then the end was just weird to me. Seriously? The sixteen year old "angel" was the villain? And the poor 29 year old she seduced was just another victim in her scheme? Yeah... sure... And I know that the "hero" of the story really wasn't the main character's brother, but it was still weird for me in all the scenes where I saw something developing. Wow. Crazy. Anyway. An okay read... light, fluffy... pointless, but it sends you for an unexpected turn.
UPDATE: I've since reread this book, and I enjoyed it much more the second time. I really just love Elizabeth Peters.
UPDATE: I've since reread this book, and I enjoyed it much more the second time. I really just love Elizabeth Peters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2010
I love how dated this book was. Published in the 1980s, it lacked all the current technological advances. No cell phones, lap tops, pda's, pagers, internet, etc. I found it refreshing. And the story was fun, too. Peters' heroines are always sharp-witted, driven, and fallible in a way that makes sense and keeps the pages turning. I adored the two aunts and uncle and the set up with the fairy photos. Nice resolution, too, that was happy without being gushy. I don't think I've ever read a book by her that I didn't enjoy.
January 27, 2016
Having been a die-hard Barbara Michaels fan for years, I was almost reluctant to read her Elizabeth Peters persona. I know they're more popular but I thought that the changes would turn me off a bit. After reading The Love Talker, I'd recommend it as a good place to start for anyone else making the transition. Supposably this book is the closest to her Barbara Michaels style while still being a little different.
Since the story borderlines on the paranormal, but it never goes there, I can't help but think that if Peters had followed the story of the hypnotizing evil fairy this book would have turned out better. If she used the Michaels name (as so many reviewers have already said this seems more like a Michaels book than a Peters), and the supernatural angle to it's full force, it would have a bit more oomph in the long run.
Baffling and strange, The Love Talker focuses on fairies so much at the beginning I feared it was borderline fantasy. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, but I never find much fantasy I enjoy. For some reason my mind has trouble wrapping around some of the more odd concepts, so when it does read that it just shuts off interest, perhaps to avoid a headache from thinking so hard? How sad. :)
It took me a few days to return, but when I did the book had decided to pick up pace and become more familiar. The main character is the typical strong heroine type, a sharp wit and intelligent determined, not fearful but not overly bold to the point of being unrealistic. There wasn't the usual love interest until the end, that aspect was a little more dilute than other works. Still, I never guessed the ending romantic triangle, which came as more of surprise than the mystery itself. For some reason I guessed who the assailant(s) was, even if I was surprised by one of the accomplices. I couldn't figure out the reason though so it's all still good.
The aunts and uncle were a little weird, with Lizzie being out there she was sometimes migraine inducing. Doug was cute and the typical male hero on the novel. There were enough red herrings to fool the reader, and each eccentricity only added to the novel's appeal. The end show-down was ballsy enough to succeed, and the wrap-up was bittersweet (even if it wasn't adumbrated enough)
The Love Talker held more humor than some of the other books I've read by her, cleverly placed irony that bought the book a special flavoring. I laughed out loud more than once, the book using a humor that complimented but didn't overshadow the story. Pacing was a little slow at first and it takes awhile to build up steam, but this isn't abnormal with Michaels/Peters. Very little violence and no creepy, real suspense factor, but a very good mystery nonetheless. I'm thrilled my expectations of the Peters name brought about the same coziness felt in the gothic mysteries from Michaels; now I get to read more from a beloved author, just under a different name - how could it get better than that?
Since the story borderlines on the paranormal, but it never goes there, I can't help but think that if Peters had followed the story of the hypnotizing evil fairy this book would have turned out better. If she used the Michaels name (as so many reviewers have already said this seems more like a Michaels book than a Peters), and the supernatural angle to it's full force, it would have a bit more oomph in the long run.
Baffling and strange, The Love Talker focuses on fairies so much at the beginning I feared it was borderline fantasy. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, but I never find much fantasy I enjoy. For some reason my mind has trouble wrapping around some of the more odd concepts, so when it does read that it just shuts off interest, perhaps to avoid a headache from thinking so hard? How sad. :)
It took me a few days to return, but when I did the book had decided to pick up pace and become more familiar. The main character is the typical strong heroine type, a sharp wit and intelligent determined, not fearful but not overly bold to the point of being unrealistic. There wasn't the usual love interest until the end, that aspect was a little more dilute than other works. Still, I never guessed the ending romantic triangle, which came as more of surprise than the mystery itself. For some reason I guessed who the assailant(s) was, even if I was surprised by one of the accomplices. I couldn't figure out the reason though so it's all still good.
The aunts and uncle were a little weird, with Lizzie being out there she was sometimes migraine inducing. Doug was cute and the typical male hero on the novel. There were enough red herrings to fool the reader, and each eccentricity only added to the novel's appeal. The end show-down was ballsy enough to succeed, and the wrap-up was bittersweet (even if it wasn't adumbrated enough)
The Love Talker held more humor than some of the other books I've read by her, cleverly placed irony that bought the book a special flavoring. I laughed out loud more than once, the book using a humor that complimented but didn't overshadow the story. Pacing was a little slow at first and it takes awhile to build up steam, but this isn't abnormal with Michaels/Peters. Very little violence and no creepy, real suspense factor, but a very good mystery nonetheless. I'm thrilled my expectations of the Peters name brought about the same coziness felt in the gothic mysteries from Michaels; now I get to read more from a beloved author, just under a different name - how could it get better than that?
December 28, 2017
Nice, slower-paced suspense novel originally written in 1980, so lacking (refreshingly so) the influx of technological advances. Having read The Cottingley Secret earlier this year and thoroughly enjoying it, the idea of reading another "fairy photo" story was intriguing. There were many twists and turns that keep you guessing throughout the book and hastily turning pages. No matter what persona she writes as, Elizabeth Peters has talent!
January 17, 2021
Het Sprookjesland
Geschreven door Elizabeth Peters
Bruna Pockethuis BV Leeuwarden.
1982 AW Bruna & Zoon
Omslag Kothuis Art-Team
Druk Tulp Zwolle
ISBN 90 449 1886 9
De versie die ik gelezen heb, is de Nederlandse versie en de titel “Het Sprookjesland” en de cover geven een hele andere indruk dan het verhaal zelf. Ik heb in ieder geval genoten van het feit dat het verhaal zich niet in de huidige moderne tijd afspeelt. Dus geen internet, geen smartphones en zelfs geen mobiele telefoons.
De hoofdrolspelers zijn vriendelijk en slim en de schrijfster heeft de moeite genomen om de persoonlijkheden verder uit te werken. Het lijkt erop dat het verhaal gaat over Elfen en Feeën en uiteindelijk is het en goed staaltje van uitzoekwerk met als doel een persoon te ontmaskeren die niet het goede voor ogen heeft voor de familie Morton. Vandaar dat ik dit boek op mijn plank met Detectives gezet heb (ondanks de title en de cover).
Opgaven van de (hoofd)personen uit het boek:
Laura (Laurie) Morton, student aan de University of Chicago.
Ida, Elizabeth (Lizzie) en Ned Morton, Laura’s oudtantes en oudoom.
Doug (Douglas), Laura’s halfbroer en architect.
Jefferson Banes, ingehuurde hulp van de Morton’s en schrijver van historische romans.
Duchess, de Labrador van Ned.
Sabrina, de Siamese kat van Ida.
Angel Baby, de Perzische kat van Lizzie.
George en mevrouw Schotts, vrienden van de Morton’s.
Hermann Schotts, zoon.
Sherri Schotts, dochter.
Mevrouw Wilson en Jack Wilson, buren van de Morton’s.
Betsy, jongste dochter.
Mary Ella en Rachel, de oudere zussen van Betsy.
Vi(c), uitbaatster van het dichtstbijzijnde café in Idlewood.
Sam, stamgast.
Geschreven door Elizabeth Peters
Bruna Pockethuis BV Leeuwarden.
1982 AW Bruna & Zoon
Omslag Kothuis Art-Team
Druk Tulp Zwolle
ISBN 90 449 1886 9
De versie die ik gelezen heb, is de Nederlandse versie en de titel “Het Sprookjesland” en de cover geven een hele andere indruk dan het verhaal zelf. Ik heb in ieder geval genoten van het feit dat het verhaal zich niet in de huidige moderne tijd afspeelt. Dus geen internet, geen smartphones en zelfs geen mobiele telefoons.
De hoofdrolspelers zijn vriendelijk en slim en de schrijfster heeft de moeite genomen om de persoonlijkheden verder uit te werken. Het lijkt erop dat het verhaal gaat over Elfen en Feeën en uiteindelijk is het en goed staaltje van uitzoekwerk met als doel een persoon te ontmaskeren die niet het goede voor ogen heeft voor de familie Morton. Vandaar dat ik dit boek op mijn plank met Detectives gezet heb (ondanks de title en de cover).
Opgaven van de (hoofd)personen uit het boek:
Laura (Laurie) Morton, student aan de University of Chicago.
Ida, Elizabeth (Lizzie) en Ned Morton, Laura’s oudtantes en oudoom.
Doug (Douglas), Laura’s halfbroer en architect.
Jefferson Banes, ingehuurde hulp van de Morton’s en schrijver van historische romans.
Duchess, de Labrador van Ned.
Sabrina, de Siamese kat van Ida.
Angel Baby, de Perzische kat van Lizzie.
George en mevrouw Schotts, vrienden van de Morton’s.
Hermann Schotts, zoon.
Sherri Schotts, dochter.
Mevrouw Wilson en Jack Wilson, buren van de Morton’s.
Betsy, jongste dochter.
Mary Ella en Rachel, de oudere zussen van Betsy.
Vi(c), uitbaatster van het dichtstbijzijnde café in Idlewood.
Sam, stamgast.
December 27, 2013
This is one of the very early Elizabeth Peters books, when Barbara Michaels was still finding her way with this new voice. It's not as polished as the later Peters books, or the Michaels books, but it's very enjoyable.
Laurie Carlson is in Chicago, laboring on her dissertation in mediaeval history, when a very alarming letter arrives from her great-aunt, Ida Morton. Great-aunt Lizzy, Ida's younger sister, has a new enthusiasm, fairies, and is acting even odder than usual. Can Laurie please come home? Ida, Lizzy, and their brother, Ned, effectively raised Laurie after her unreliable mother, Anna, lost interest in being a parent, and she can hardly say no.
But if she had any inclination to do so, moments later the phone rings, and it's her half-brother, Doug Wright. He's gotten a very similar alarming letter. Within twenty-four hours, they are arriving at the Morton estate in the Maryland countryside. And while something is definitely odd, no one wants to talk about it. Among the changes that have happened over the last two years is that the Mortons now have household help, a man who lives in a cottage on the estate and does basic chores, maintenance tasks Ned is no longer up to, as well as the driving now that all the Mortons are elderly enough to make it wiser to leave the driving to others. Jeff seems like a nice guy, and he certainly seems devoted to the Mortons.
But weird stuff really is happening. Laurie hears flute music at night, and sees strange lights floating through the garden. She and Doug catch Lizzy sleep-walking, trying to leave the house, on one of the nights Laurie hears the music.
When Laurie discovers Lizzy has disturbingly convincing pictures of the fairies, pictures she says were taken by "one of the Wilson girls," a family that rents land from the Mortons, and shortly thereafter Laurie is nearly run down by the Morton car seemingly driving itself, she and Doug become more and more alarmed.
The story gets further complicated by the fact that Doug and Laurie don't really know each other all that well, everything seems to be directed at Lizzy and there's no apparent motive for anyone to hurt a somewhat odd but sweet and harmless old lady, and some buried family secrets that no one wants to talk about.
Not quite up to her usual standard, but an enjoyable light read, or listen.
I borrowed this book from the library.
Laurie Carlson is in Chicago, laboring on her dissertation in mediaeval history, when a very alarming letter arrives from her great-aunt, Ida Morton. Great-aunt Lizzy, Ida's younger sister, has a new enthusiasm, fairies, and is acting even odder than usual. Can Laurie please come home? Ida, Lizzy, and their brother, Ned, effectively raised Laurie after her unreliable mother, Anna, lost interest in being a parent, and she can hardly say no.
But if she had any inclination to do so, moments later the phone rings, and it's her half-brother, Doug Wright. He's gotten a very similar alarming letter. Within twenty-four hours, they are arriving at the Morton estate in the Maryland countryside. And while something is definitely odd, no one wants to talk about it. Among the changes that have happened over the last two years is that the Mortons now have household help, a man who lives in a cottage on the estate and does basic chores, maintenance tasks Ned is no longer up to, as well as the driving now that all the Mortons are elderly enough to make it wiser to leave the driving to others. Jeff seems like a nice guy, and he certainly seems devoted to the Mortons.
But weird stuff really is happening. Laurie hears flute music at night, and sees strange lights floating through the garden. She and Doug catch Lizzy sleep-walking, trying to leave the house, on one of the nights Laurie hears the music.
When Laurie discovers Lizzy has disturbingly convincing pictures of the fairies, pictures she says were taken by "one of the Wilson girls," a family that rents land from the Mortons, and shortly thereafter Laurie is nearly run down by the Morton car seemingly driving itself, she and Doug become more and more alarmed.
The story gets further complicated by the fact that Doug and Laurie don't really know each other all that well, everything seems to be directed at Lizzy and there's no apparent motive for anyone to hurt a somewhat odd but sweet and harmless old lady, and some buried family secrets that no one wants to talk about.
Not quite up to her usual standard, but an enjoyable light read, or listen.
I borrowed this book from the library.
March 21, 2014
Classic Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters. We have a very educated woman with liberal leanings brought into an estate where, though everything seems cozy and comfortable on the surface, there is something brewing beneath it all. Trouble escalates slowly until there's real danger and our heroine, with some help from some attractive guys, must figure out what's really going on and save the day. Which, of course, she does. There was a nice twist at the end too, which was not less enjoyable for the fact that I saw it coming.
May 29, 2013
I read this book while on a bus trip and I must admit it was a page turner. Quirky characters, secrets hidden in the past and quite a few twists made the time fly. It starts out simply enough, a woman is worried about the great aunts and uncle who raised her. She travels home and meets her half-brother and it goes from there. Fairies, sleep walking, mysterious music in the night and the past returns all lead up to an exciting ending with one last twist that explains a lot of past behavior.
January 29, 2015
The Love Talker feels more like a Barbara Michaels novel. I could also believe that Mary Stewart wrote it. There's very little romance, but there is a nice little mystery. I didn't expect some of the twists, but in hindsight the trace was laid to be followed. The main family had thoroughly likeable characters. I could relate to Laurie's trials with her elderly relatives and her half-brother. The book was a fun read.
November 10, 2010
Something evil and dangerous and beyond reason was plaguing young woman's her great aunts. Many complicated and twisted characters. Her half-brother comes to help; no love lost here. Another "writer" lives in to assist the elderly aunts with everyday work. Old uncle slips away to the woods all the time. Keeps you guessing until the end.
June 20, 2015
I adore almost all of Elizabeth Peters' books, but this one seemed particularly quirky and fun. New England is a different locale for her and the inter familial relationships added interest to the usual strong, witty heroine-dangerous puzzle scenario. Loved it.
August 19, 2008
It was time to read another Mystery. In this one nobody dies! Funny and very clean!
January 6, 2013
Spent most of the afternoon finishing this. A good mystery and not a bad introduction to Elizabeth Peters.
October 29, 2010
The mystery in this one was a little bit weird, but I still liked the book. Maybe because the main character is named Laura :p
March 22, 2011
A trip to MD is in order when and Aunt see and hears 'little people'. Laurie and her adopted 'brother' come to get to the bottom of the mysterious goings on. Another good tale from Ms Peters.
September 22, 2024
Fairies!! Creeeepy ones
July 5, 2020
Read this as a kid and loved it, so there's an extra bonus point here purely based on nostalgia. It's certainly a bit of an odd duck, though. Bit of a weird one, chaps!!
February 16, 2026
I haven’t read The Love Talker by Elizabeth Peters in years. I don’t remember it as being one of my favorites, but when it popped up as a .99 ebook, I thought, why not? I feel as if it’s aged decently. It’s a somewhat silly plot, rather thin, but entertaining. What I found fascinating is how dated—technologically speaking—it is. The book was published originally in 1980 so no cell phones, no computers, no internet. Instead you have characters dialing phones, discussing the cost of the long-distance call…it’s rather fascinating. Oh—and the typewriter! I’m assuming they are using electric typewriters but maybe not. Personally I remember taking typing classes in high school on the IBM Selectric. Typing classes were starting to go out of style by then but I don’t regret taking the class. I type 75 words a minute and fast typists are still a thing for some jobs today. Crazy, but true. Aside from the technological oldies and outdated ideas about what a woman should wear (the elderly conservative aunts want Laurie to wear dresses), The Love Talker is a quick, fun book.
After receiving an alarming letter from elderly Aunt Ida—the practical, no nonsense, never panics aunt—Laurie decides to return to Idlewood, her childhood home in the woods of Maryland. When she arrives, she finds the peaceful home tense. Aunt Ida is gaunt and doesn’t look as if she sleeps. Uncle Ned wanders the woods alone and doesn’t say anything. Aunt Lizzie—silly, childlike Aunt Lizzie—is keeping secrets from everyone. She speaks about meeting fairies in the woods and Laurie is worried about her mental health until she, too, hears the unearthly piping music and sees the colored lights twinkling in the forest late at night. Laurie doesn’t believe in fairies, but she does think someone is up to no good. Who can it be? Her half-brother, Doug, who she hasn’t seen in years but is now here at Idlewood? Jeff, the handsome and too be to be true aspiring writer who exchanges room and board for handling household chores and running errands? Laurie knows she must find out soon before her Aunt Lizzie falls completely under the dangerous spell of the fairies.
The book is more amusing than scary because Peters’ characters are usually amusing. Aunt Lizzy is over the top, but still fun. I like the relationship between Laurie and her brother Doug. Nothing too terrible happens in the novel, and the plot is devoid of sex, f-bombs and any serious violence. The romance is there, but it’s very slight. Blink and you miss it. If you want to be amused for a few hours, this is a good book for it.
After receiving an alarming letter from elderly Aunt Ida—the practical, no nonsense, never panics aunt—Laurie decides to return to Idlewood, her childhood home in the woods of Maryland. When she arrives, she finds the peaceful home tense. Aunt Ida is gaunt and doesn’t look as if she sleeps. Uncle Ned wanders the woods alone and doesn’t say anything. Aunt Lizzie—silly, childlike Aunt Lizzie—is keeping secrets from everyone. She speaks about meeting fairies in the woods and Laurie is worried about her mental health until she, too, hears the unearthly piping music and sees the colored lights twinkling in the forest late at night. Laurie doesn’t believe in fairies, but she does think someone is up to no good. Who can it be? Her half-brother, Doug, who she hasn’t seen in years but is now here at Idlewood? Jeff, the handsome and too be to be true aspiring writer who exchanges room and board for handling household chores and running errands? Laurie knows she must find out soon before her Aunt Lizzie falls completely under the dangerous spell of the fairies.
The book is more amusing than scary because Peters’ characters are usually amusing. Aunt Lizzy is over the top, but still fun. I like the relationship between Laurie and her brother Doug. Nothing too terrible happens in the novel, and the plot is devoid of sex, f-bombs and any serious violence. The romance is there, but it’s very slight. Blink and you miss it. If you want to be amused for a few hours, this is a good book for it.
May 18, 2024
Aunt Lizzie is behaving oddly, more oddly than normal in her belief that fairies are in the wood. The other aunt calls for the assistance of her young niece and nephew who come to the family house from their jobs and studies to lend a hand. Aunt Ida thinks aunt Lizzie is getting delusional until Laurie hears the “fairy” music and sees lights in the woods late at night. She convinces Aunt Lizzie to show her the pictures of the fairies which indeed seem to be real or at least three dimensional. But who could be trying to con the old lady? After she is caught sleep walking outside in the snow the investigations expands. An excellent read.
Read
September 15, 2025A decent little mystery novel, with a bit of thriller thrown in at the end. Nothing amazing, and a bit slow (too much description, IMHO), but Peters creates fun characters.
February 24, 2024
Back in the day, I *loved* the early Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels romantic suspense stories. Though for me they haven't aged terribly well, they're still a fun read or re-read. This one was new to me, and though it was set in the 70s, the dialogue read earlier. And while I liked the classic EP/BM spunky heroine, the guys left me a bit cold. I will say, there were two twists--one I saw coming, and I one I did not!
January 16, 2018
Why I picked it: I downloaded this to listen to on the plane.
If I had not downloaded it and started this book on a plane, I would not have finished it. I found the characters erratic and stilted. I know it was written years ago but the women were troublingly dull and rather placid, except for Rachel at the end. But who wants a book where the only interesting woman is the nasty one? I am all for female villains, I just don't want to have a bunch of wallflower female protagonists and then one dynamic female character who is trying to murder people.
Also the ending where they allude that the brother and sister might get together because they are not at all related is gross.
If I had not downloaded it and started this book on a plane, I would not have finished it. I found the characters erratic and stilted. I know it was written years ago but the women were troublingly dull and rather placid, except for Rachel at the end. But who wants a book where the only interesting woman is the nasty one? I am all for female villains, I just don't want to have a bunch of wallflower female protagonists and then one dynamic female character who is trying to murder people.
Also the ending where they allude that the brother and sister might get together because they are not at all related is gross.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2009
Another I haven't yet read. So far, it's pretty good. Trying not to get too stuck on reading it since I have things to do today though! :)
January 5, 2013
Read many of Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michael books when I was younger. So happy to find an audiobook of a title I had not read. Will be looking for more.....
August 12, 2023
Oh my, an unexpected plot twist, lots of off-beat characters, Peters getting into her stride. I loved this one.
September 19, 2017
I have not read her series books, but I read "Trojan Gold" and it was pretty good, so I gave this a try. I was not impressed. It's not a mystery in that there's no cluing. But there's something mysterious happening. And there's a "solution" of sorts, but it takes forever to get there. The long summing up that concludes the book does explain the plot (both the one perpetrated by the malefactor(s?) and the one the author thought she was writing). But it was very frustrating to read about this or that event or deduction that occurred and recalling where the author passed by it obliquely during the story, in my head writing it better on the spot. And many of the points of evidence used in the deduction were barely mentioned if at all. For example, And,
If it was supposed to be a mystery, it needed to have been constructed better. If it was supposed to just be an interesting piece of fiction about some weirdos in Maryland, it needed to discard the mystery.
If it was supposed to be a mystery, it needed to have been constructed better. If it was supposed to just be an interesting piece of fiction about some weirdos in Maryland, it needed to discard the mystery.
December 3, 2021
Not one of her best. It had the usual supernatural element, and love interest. Needed more careful editing. We are told that Laurie's childhood room was an attic room, with the slope of the roof so steep that even as a teenager Laurie found it "necessary... to roll out of bed instead of sitting up first... she she wouldn't brain herself in the morning." OK, I pictured that. But, then we read, "Laurie sat bold upright" and again, "She shot out of bed as if propelled by a spring..." No bumped head. Or, spelling errors. "Peak" used instead of "peek."
But by far the worst part was the relationship between Laurie and her half-brother Doug. They shared a mother. They were not close as adults, but were raised as brother and sister, and spent summers at the Aunts' and Uncle's house. They hadn't seen each other since they were teenagers. But... it is just plain icky to read that at the end they will end up having a relationship. They may not be blood relatives, but THEY ARE SIBLINGS! Adopted children are STILL siblings! They were raised to believe they were SIBLINGS! OK, half siblings, but just how creepy is it to suddenly learn your half-brother was adopted and, bingo! your feelings for him are not incestuous after all! Ick. Just ick. I guess Laurie is as crazy as they say her Aunt Lizzy is.
I came back and lowered my review from two to one. I just can't let that sibling thing go.
But by far the worst part was the relationship between Laurie and her half-brother Doug. They shared a mother. They were not close as adults, but were raised as brother and sister, and spent summers at the Aunts' and Uncle's house. They hadn't seen each other since they were teenagers. But... it is just plain icky to read that at the end they will end up having a relationship. They may not be blood relatives, but THEY ARE SIBLINGS! Adopted children are STILL siblings! They were raised to believe they were SIBLINGS! OK, half siblings, but just how creepy is it to suddenly learn your half-brother was adopted and, bingo! your feelings for him are not incestuous after all! Ick. Just ick. I guess Laurie is as crazy as they say her Aunt Lizzy is.
I came back and lowered my review from two to one. I just can't let that sibling thing go.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2026
A really good book!!
This was the first book I have read by E.P. I kept seeing the reviews say that this was not her best work. I really liked it and would have read more by her either way, but this makes me even more excited to read other books by her.
This would have been a 5•star read but I deducted one star bc sometimes the writing was all over the place and confusing.
I really liked it though.
I even liked the weird incestuous sexual tension between Laura and Doug (bc they didn’t relate to each other like siblings and I figured they would turn out to not be related). Even if they had actually been 1/2 sibs for real, they hadn’t been around each other enough to feel like siblings… and at the end. they turn out to not be related - which is where I felt like the story was going, and I’m glad it ended that way. I thought it was a fun element, and the growing tension between them was so exciting.
I will absolutely read more books by E.P.!! 🖤
This was the first book I have read by E.P. I kept seeing the reviews say that this was not her best work. I really liked it and would have read more by her either way, but this makes me even more excited to read other books by her.
This would have been a 5•star read but I deducted one star bc sometimes the writing was all over the place and confusing.
I really liked it though.
I even liked the weird incestuous sexual tension between Laura and Doug (bc they didn’t relate to each other like siblings and I figured they would turn out to not be related). Even if they had actually been 1/2 sibs for real, they hadn’t been around each other enough to feel like siblings… and at the end. they turn out to not be related - which is where I felt like the story was going, and I’m glad it ended that way. I thought it was a fun element, and the growing tension between them was so exciting.
I will absolutely read more books by E.P.!! 🖤
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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