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

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Judy wrote: "Sandy, I'd never heard of book 'blind dates' but then saw some books wrapped in brown paper with teasers in a bookshop yesterday! I think I'd be loath to buy a book without knowing what it is thoug..."

Agree completely! My blind dates have never been entirely successful.

Jan C wrote: "Finished Murders in Volume 2 by Elizabeth Daly last night. I suddenly remember that I had 40 pages left and realized that I might as well just finish it. Volume #3 in..."

Re Three Hours in Paris, I got that in a library 'blind date', browsed it but never read it. Has a different and interesting premise.

Blind Date: the books come in a brown paper wrapping with a label giving category and very short teaser.

Inspired by the author's death last year, I am testing a long series with Gallows View while waiting for my requests for our monthly reads to arrive. I find it a good, solid mystery in the police procedural category.

P.S. I agree those young lovers were worse than annoying and I admired Bobby's restraint.

I got a bit lost in the explanation but wasn't too concerned as I had the general gist. Thought of the Detective Club rules when the Door twins were introduced.

In general, I enjoy Bobby's musings, Olive's outlook, and the WW2 setting of these books. I find the story, characters and setting engaging enough to continue the series, at least until I run out of easily available books.

Rosina wrote: "I quite enjoyed it - though the young lovers were incredibly annoying, and I felt that Bobby got the argument about the twins wrong. Frank and Frankie could have been fraternal twins, but still loo..."

Ah, but someone, probably the "uncle", kept saying they were identical twins. Originally, until the wig became obvious, I wondered if the science of the time knew identical twins could not be different sexes. Someone actually asked a friend of mine who had boy / girl twins if they were identical. A conversation stopper that was answered politely. And yes, they could look very much alike without being identical, so not sure that was a valid clue.

Carissa wrote: "Sandy wrote: "Rosina wrote: "I'd forgotten that - as I read it Dorward was someone's heir, if he survived the testator. Which he presumably hadn't, since he died immediately after he was last sight..."

Oh yes, I sympathized completely with the daughter!

I've (finally) started the book and agree the haunted house aspect fits very well with an October read. So far Bobby doesn't seem to have a boss so less opportunity to withhold snarky comments. He has noted that his replacement, once his sidekick, has adopted many of Bobby's sayings as his own. And good to see Olive get her digs into Bobby right off the bat.

Susan wrote: "I couldn't quite work out why Flavia seemed so put out when she offered Brunetti tickets to a show and, when she asked who he would bring, he said his wife?"

No explanation from me; I thought it was a very strange reaction. Maybe Italian men should all have mistresses?

Sarah wrote: "I just started reading it, after getting an ancient copy through Link+ from the Oakland (CA) Public Library. It was given to me with the label "water damage/stain" and "worn cover/torn cover" boxes..."

How nice that the library trusted you to take it out, Mine would make me read it in the library.

I just read The Last Devil to Die. For anyone following the series, you may not want to be reading parts in public places. Very good book.

Will be starting our Bobby Owen buddy read next.

Jan C wrote: "I've gone back to Garden of Lamentations by Deborah Crombie. Hadn't realized I was at the 75% mark when I put it down."

Yet another of my favorite series.

What Angels Fear is one of my favorite historical series. However, it has convoluted and dramatic / unlikely personal relationships along with a romantic side plot, in case those are items you don't want in your mysteries.

This was a very atmospheric book, with the constant rain and the encroaching floods. The scene with Brett and the mad art collector was tense. I might give the art collector, murderous villain that he was, a very tiny bit of credit for mourning his son more than the pot.

Loved the scene with Brunelli relieving his daughter's pain and her gratitude after was wonderful. They have a splendid relationship.

Susan in NC wrote: "I’m taking my time with Cadfael in The Heretic's Apprentice, I’ve got the audio from my library, narrated by Derek Jacobi, but it’s abridged! But I love his voice, so I’ll enjoy it ..."

Why would anyone abridge Cadfael! They are not long books and the beauty is in the details.

I've started this now and happy to be back with Brunetti. I wonder how much worse the floods are today compared to when the book was written and if their gates work.

I have mixed feelings about the book. While I was interested in how the characters interacted, I was also skimming a lot because so many of the traits were repeated over and over. I'll post more after I digest it a bit.

I've finished my 35 hours with Strike and Robin in The Running Grave. Excellent story, and, for quite a long section, very immersive. I thought it was a seven-book series (this is #7) and if true, I will be annoyed. P.S. Editted to say I can contentedly live with a seven-book series.

Now onto our buddy reads. Penhallow will be first as that is due back soon.

Rosina wrote: "I'd forgotten that - as I read it Dorward was someone's heir, if he survived the testator. Which he presumably hadn't, since he died immediately after he was last sighted. If it wasn't a family beq..."

There are many explanations for why there is no inheritance, but I was expecting something once it was mentioned. Like: if you introduce a gun in act one, you must use it by act three.

Rosina wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I was expecting the inheritance to be mentioned at the end. I suppose that means the boy did not become wealthy."

The 'inheritance' from the boy's adoptive mother was a future one - ..."

It was the Doward inheritance I was thinking of. I thought one of the reasons the US gave for researching that death was to see when he died for inheritance purposes.