Sandy’s Comments (group member since Dec 14, 2015)

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I've read the first 2 - 3 chapters and am drawn in already: eager to see how these characters will be drawn together.

Vanessa wrote: "I also did not get the two Vs bit, but I did start mentally pronouncing it as though it had two Vs.

I started reading with Helen Passes By, so I feel like I'm experiencing a normal Bobby Owen book..."

Yes! Those 'supernatural' women were a bit much. I hope we are done with them.

I read West Heart Kill. I would really like to hear others' opinions. My review:

Quite an odd book. Some of the author's long asides are interesting; other less so (probably depending on how much I knew or cared about the subject). The varying points of view I rather liked. Not sure if the ending is meant to inspire the reader to reread the book, but, if so, it didn't work in my case.

Judy wrote: "I quite enjoyed this but struggled to follow it, to be honest - I found the plot a bit confusing.

It will be interesting to see if Maigret is retired in the next book and then comes back to work...."

I had to peep as well.

I haven't listened to this yet but the latest Shedunnit podcast is on Christianna Brand.

Thank you for posting the remainder of 2024. I've filled in my reading calendar and added the books to my GR shelves.

I read the first Gently awhile back and have been meaning to continue.

Jan C wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newspaper articles. (I know there is a term for that ..."

I enjoyed reading the book, especially the format and setting. It is told strictly in letters and newspaper articles; I don't remember any live action. I was disappointed in the solution and the wrap up, but it did not ruin the book. Hope you can fit it into your reading schedule.

An aside: I browsed my kindle yesterday and I really need to concentrate on my backlog.

Another series from Elly Griffiths - good news (though I still haven't tried her magician series - The Zig Zag Girl).

Judy wrote: "I've just finished this. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the descriptions of the Welsh countryside and people, and the Viking marauders. But I didn't feel this was really a murder mystery at all. Cadf..."

I thought the young man who lost his arm was meant for Heledd. Couldn't stand up to a Viking however, and I'm not sure they even met.

I have started Death on the Down Beat: An Orchestral Fantasy of Detection, from the GA and written in letters and newspaper articles. (I know there is a term for that but none of my spelling attempts were close enough for spellcheck.) Supposedly there will be hints in printed musical scores but I have no hope of recognizing them.

One of my favorite Maigret's, so far. Luckily, I know there are lots more or I, like Jill, would be upset by his retirement announcement. All the characters in this mystery are well-developed, interesting, and sympathetic (with the exception of the son-in-law!).

This is the first I remember hearing that he had a daughter who died.

I remember the cook, Gladys, being blonde.

I gave 'How to Solve Your Own Murder' four stars, though I might bump that down a star now.

My review: Very enjoyable with the two murders, old and new, meshing nicely. Implication this is the start of the series and I'm hesitant that will work.

Not a new attitude. Thirty years ago I was in Newport RI, visiting the mansions, with my out-of-state license plate and a very well-dressed older woman drove up next to me and told me to go home.

I read this five years ago and all I remembered was the lady with the Pekes. Usually the book is familiar as I read even if I don't know what is coming next, but not this time. I loved it and will miss Hemingway's attitude. I thought of P D James and how Dalglish would disapprove of these cheerful investigators. I was very glad the farmer's and local gentry's secrets were not revealed.

Susan wrote: "There were a lot of very big Donna Leon fans there I felt a bit of a fraud as, although I've read many of the books and I have been enjoying re-reading them, I was not as obsessive as many of those..."

According to a quick review on the Kirkus podcast, the tourist influx is prominent in her latest book.

Even better than many of the Cadfael books, and I've liked them all. This one has Cadfael out of the abbey and back in his native Wales, accompanying Brother Mark from earlier books. He is happy to return to his home country and later to his chosen abbey home. The description of Wales and the lives of the Welsh during frequent invasions is interesting. Excellent.

I was wrong in my early identification of the young lovers.

I have my copy from the library but need to finish two other buddy reads first.

P.S. For some reason I thought this was the last Cadfael so was pleasantly surprised that there are two more.