Mark Pghfan’s Comments (group member since Mar 06, 2014)

Mark Pghfan’s comments from the The Parlor PI's group.

It is moving a bit, with some sinister and some foolish people. I am in to part 2 now.

This is certainly very strongly shades of the movie and novel Rebecca! Mannering and Mannerly? First wife dies mysteriously, housekeeper fixated on her? Housekeeper controlling over second wife??

The other thing I noticed is a possible homage to Christie's Sittaford Mystery. The names Trevelyan and Trefusis also appear prominently in that book.

I'm almost through with this first section and truthfully, not much has happened. I guess if you were a long time fan, the update on Georgie's life would be interesting.

At least I finally got to the part where a Mrs. Summers shows up!

I'm only a little bit into this, but enjoying it. I know we read a Royal Spyness story some years ago, with a Christmas theme, as I recall.

Anyway, I"m enjoying it so far and interested to see that Georgie has married, and someone named Darcy. Hmmm...

I'm glad you found this! I bought it and will start it and try to catch up with the discussion.

It looks like $25 in hardcover and $14 on Kindle. Too rich for my blood. Sorry.

I've read some of the other books, though the earlier ones only. I liked them. I don't remember why I stopped.

Wow! A perfect storm, indeed!

I'm fine with the Spyness. What is the title and I'll try to locate it.

I hope you've read the whole thing since there will be spoilers here!

First, we just had the murder of James Bentley, a name I noticed in the list of characters as someone from the Christie Canon. It seems he saw something from the roof, when the statue was pushed in an attempt to kill the dreaded Bledsoe.

Then Beldsoe's aunt dies. A reader of Christie should be on their toes when there is a death and the "intended victim" is spared and someone else dies in their place!

I did fairly early on in the section knew that Bledsoe was responsible for the deaths, for the above reason--near misses of his life. The one thing I couldn't figure out was the motive for the death of his aunt.

Things were well explained at the end, and Lady Gwendolyn did more of the heavy lifting, rather than Annie.

So what did you all think? Satisfying?

Since you are on board, I'll start tomorrow
(I've been out f town for a few days.)

Is anyone still on board? We've been quiet a long time.

It is really a complicated, convoluted mystery! Ultimately, I was glad I made it through.

How have you been doing on the mystery clues? I ended up with 22 of 25 figured out. Answers are at the end.

After an attempt on Bledsoe's life, Annie and Lady Gwendolyn (who is taking a much larger role in the proceedings) decide that they are going to solve the mystery.

First of all, I finished the book last night and it was a bit of a slog through this middle section. SO many books seem to have this problem, where there has to be padding added and this is where it goes! I am also sure I've never read this before, despite having it for many years. AND I actually solved the myster(ies). But no spoilers for now.

I'm up for Lady Spyness. I think we did a Christmas one a few years ago.

Later chapters are like the longer ones. The next section is chapters 12-18.

Is anyone ready to go to the second section?

I've been guessing with the clues and got about 15 of 17. Round about that point, you can seen the answers, though the clues continue on through the book. Hart really knows her Christie! There bunches of references throughout the whole book so far.

I'm enjoying it, though I think at 300+ pages, it is a bit too long. I'm about 65% of the way through it. Though I must that read it before, given the creases in the book, I honestly don't remember a darned thing about it.

And I just ran into the first murder at this point as well. No further hints from me...

That IS good news!

Well, the Jon Land Murder She Wrote, for one!