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

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Craftyhj wrote: "I wonder though if it is because the authors themselves found the death penalty distasteful?"

I have often thought that was the reason the authors dispatched their murderers before the law got involved. Only a theory.

Looking for another audio book that wouldn't take much thought (I'm nursing a cold) I decided on Full Dark House which I have read before, liked and meant to continue the series. Now may be the time.

I needed an audiobook and had Behold a Fair Woman downloaded. It is the last unread Mordecai Tremaine book that is easily available to me. I am reminded of a conversation about detective's quirks we had in another thread. Tremaine's is that he read romantic stories and is always pushing up his pince-nez.

Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ wrote: "I have put aside Unruly: The Ridiculous History of England's Kings and Queens for a few days now.

I found these comments in another thread;
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22..."

I probably liked it better as it got to the monarchs I knew, but humor is a very personal taste.

Miss Winter is under $4 in the US. Cheap for a new book. I am on my library's wait list.

While I certainly enjoy any time spent with MacDonald, I thought this was a bit drawn out. There seemed to be endless questioning of the same people with the same questions. I suppose Fellowes, the one who fell into the pool. was a red herring to make the publisher look guilty. He never surfaced (small joke) again. The lady artist seemed to have no purpose at all; she was never even suspected. So much was made of the family being 'intellectual'.

The resolution was excellent. The murderer had a legitimate motive, if one can have a legitimate motive for murder, as well as the means and skill. Ruth was culpable for being high-handed when her help was sought. I wasn't sure why the poisoning of the brother would make him look guilty?

The sidekick, Reeves, and his interactions with the obnoxious explorer was a treat. I hope the younger sister does travel to Canada so that affair has a chance to cool down.

I'm looking forward to A Case of Life and Limb as I liked the first book.

Susan wrote: "How about The Vase Mystery by Vernon Loder?"

In US, $1 on kindle. A price I like.

Susan wrote: "Perhaps the woman who did the Poirot sequels read this rather than a Christie novel? I recall her Poirot in the first book going for a walk! I feared for his patent leather shoes..."

Not this book! Poirot comments when someone opens a window that the Brits like fresh air and insist on bringing it inside ... As he shivers.

My library has both print and ebook through Hoopla. Massachusetts.

I did not up my rating from the two stars I gave it years ago. Probably it was a fine play but not as a fully fleshed out novel. (Seems a shame to criticize when Christie wrote a play.)

All the Poirot foibles were on display, as the audience would expect. I don't remember him ever smoking before; maybe it was another thing to do visually like climbing on chairs. I think the Papa Poirot scene at the end with him uniting the young couple at the end was overdone. And why is he encouraging Barbara to flirt with Hastings when he knows Hastings is married!

My audio version was of the novel, not a reading of the play so following along did not work very well. The dialogue seemed exactly the same. The audio is almost five hours so there must more extra stuff that I missed.

Not until next June, for $8

Ellen wrote: "I just bought a group of the Otto Penzler American Mystery Classics marked down to a great price by my local independent mystery bookstore so I'm going to nominate one of them. [book:Death on the A..."

Available on kindle in US but $10. Should be cheaper!

I read the Osbourne version in 2018, gave it two stars, and said it read like a play and probably would have staged well. This time I have the play and an audio version so will be listening while following the script. Hoping it is better than two stars.

I'm about of the third of the way in so, maybe, most of the author talk is finished. I agree with Sabagrey that only Ruth sounds like "real" author who makes her living in that way. Enjoying it so far.

Judy wrote: "Has anyone read any Faith Martin? I feel like Amazon does a lot of offers on her books."

I left Murder on the Oxford Canal, another Faith Martin series, unfinished. No idea why at this point.

Judy wrote: "Susan, thanks for mentioning St Cyr, I haven't tried them but must do so. I see my local library has the first book."

I recommend St Cyr with the 'warning' that his backstory and love life can be overly dramatic and convoluted, especially in the early books. I never felt it interfered with the main plot and his life does calm down. A series I follow avidly.

Finished. My review:

"A fun read for the interaction among the three main characters and the way they are learning to work together. The mystery itself was fairly obvious early on; the problem was proof. And preventing additional deaths."

I agree with all of the above comments: overly evil villain (and I will add impossibly good dead wife), wonderfully kind and thoughtful priest, and lack of historical flavor.

The next 2 - 3 books will cost me $8 on kindle, then I own a couple of the later ones. I may take a break from the series.

I have finally started this one. Good so far; more of a standard mystery than the last book.

Franky wrote: "Right now I'm reading My Name Is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell [bookcover:Jonathan Strang..."

Jonathan Strange is on my TBR, I even own it, but am intimidated by its size. Hope to fit it in some day.