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

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

Mom certainly does seem to have turned around after the death of Kat's Father, didn't she? Perhaps that is so freeing that she is going the other way, being so carefree as to live in this house?

I am OK with The Circular Staircase. I already have the book, though I haven't read it yet.

Hello, Hannah! As you can tell, we notice a lot of (possibly) extraneous details of the book. Like Dad in the Tupperware. And the revelation of how it is Mom can afford this place! Usually around this time we start making conjectures of the murderer and the victim.

(I have friends in Portland and it is certainly record-breaking heat throughout your area. Its been hot and humid here in Pittsburgh,but we are finally getting a break now. I've even turned off the A/C.)

I am in. Up to chapter seven, I believe. Still waiting for a crime, though.

I got my book yesterday and have the first few chapters down. Whoa! There are a lot of very eccentric characters here so far!

I just got the message that the book is ready to pick up at the library, so I should have it this evening.

That is likely the first day I would get my book, but I say go ahead and start then and I will join up ASAP!

I just placed an order with the library, so I should have the book within a few days. (Hopefully)

I'll vote for Honeychurch as well, so we can get things moving promptly. Thanks for getting us back on board, Tina!

I like classic British, along with British then American cozy, in that order. British cozy and Christie both work for me.

Yes, NicoleG, I wondered about that as well, and whether her ghost would figure in the solution toward the end. This all could have been tied together better, I think.

It is hard for to decide, when there is no strong support for any of the particular suggestions. I've read one Agatha Raisin before but I'm not really familiar with any of the other choices. I doubt much would be lost with the Agatha Raisin, given that it is 27th in the series and I doubt whether a newbie could possibly catch up. I don't remember whether a leader has come forth yet; perhaps that could be the deciding factor? (By the way, I don't think a side read will be good, given how few people we have on the discussions as it is.)

I was also thinking that the current murder was in some respect related to the skeleton found. I guess other than that there is still a "curse" on the house.

Well, I finished last night and I was afraid that the culprit would be who it was, though I was hoping it wouldn't turn out that way. Frankly, everyone else under suspicion seemed too obvious. On the other hand, the motive was pretty well hidden from us until the very end.

While I enjoyed the read, I was not too wild about the very end. Quite an obvious teaser for the next book in the series.

I've only read one Agatha Raisin before so I would be on board with another for August.

It is interesting that in so many of our books, the amateur is disdained by the official police for so long, despite a long experience of the amateur solving when the police cannot. Here, it seems the other way around. Though he is privy to her ghostly ability, so that may be the difference.

Since I haven't finished, feel free to discuss here and I will join in shortly.

Well, folks, here is the semi-final installment. Given that I've not finished the book yet, but some of you have, I'll start another thread to discuss the ending.

Well, we finally have a body, here in the present day. The rude and boisterous Patty Mae has been found, strangled, during a dinner party to celebrate her engagement to Robert, the lord of the manor. The culprit seems to be one of the dinner guests, but I guess, given my belief that no one is above suspicion, the staff might also be implicated. It is Ella's job, along with Uncle Albert, to solve the crime. And is it related to the "Curse" that Harriet told to Ella earlier?

Our suspects include the guests: Robert, Edgar Rutherford (an annoying drunk, in financial trouble), Harriet, the librarian who has always loved Robert, as was told off by Pattie Mae that very evening, Nathaniel, the hot doctor escorting Ella, and Ella herself. I will still add the staff, including Hobbes the butler and even Mrs. Shaw, Ella's housekeeper, who was helping with the dinner.

Pretty soon, Edgar is arrested, but that seems too pat to a lot of folks.

Discuss!

J: I wonder if the problems you are having with your kindle are due to the recent upgrade that needed to be done. I kept getting messages that there was one due May 31st, that I needed to get. I was to put the kindle on charge and the update would come wirelessly. It didn't work several times but after many attempts and a good bit of swearing, I finally got the update.

I'll start the next section tomorrow. I'm into the final part, but have been going slowly, so as not to get too far ahead! Nicole, yes, it is a quick read!

I think Ella jumped the gun thinking it was the missing wife, though it does in fact appear to be her. I didn't think there was much in the way of clothes left to make the determination, though Ella apparently did see the ghost of her...