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

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I second Susan's comment regarding Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

I found the ending very unsatisfying; a very unlikely duo, one with a weak motive.

Judy wrote: "On another tack, was anyone else surprised that Diana disappears from the book after being the viewpoint character at the start? I was a bit disappointed as I found her a likeable character, but I ..."

I was surprised and expected her to reappear, at least until I forgot about her. Suppose it was a method of introducing the family from an outsider's viewpoint.

A Christie trivia question (to be pondered independently as the answer would be a spoiler):

One book Ragnar found impossible to translate because the solution depends on two English words that are different by only a letter. He had to resort to keeping the English word.

My library has his books filed under R in the Icelandic tradition of going by first names.

Another winner from my recent library windfall: Death at the Sanatorium. I only picked this book because I want to read the next in the series, not yet published, and I feel compelled to read in sequence. Set in Iceland, it bounces between two time periods (with a couple of short visits to an even early time). The premise is a young future police investigator writing his dissertation on the handling of an old murder.

The author's note expounds on his love of Christie and his search of Icelandic translations during his youth. Starting in his teens, he translated them for publication himself.

I've finished two of my new books and both were excellent. I thought Knave of Diamonds was one of the best in the series.
The other is the first in a new series, A Case of Mice and Murder. While I thought the main character and his sidekick were a bit too good to be realistic, that made them very pleasant company. It is set in 1901, in the London legal enclave of Temple Inn, resulting in a somewhat closed circle of suspects.

Jennifer wrote: "Judy wrote: "I'd like to nominate Murder Included by Joanna Cannan, the first in her Detective Price mystery series.


In the UK..."

I found it also. I had to search Amazon by the author and then it appeared. Clicking on the picture of five books brought up Detective Pitt. And clicking on the single book gives me the $18 option. Thank you for persevering Jennifer.

Susan in NC wrote: "Judy wrote: "I'd like to nominate Murder Included by Joanna Cannan, the first in her Detective Price mystery series.


In the UK..."

Me too (downloaded Death at the Dog at never read). Maybe a future nomination?

Judy wrote: "I'd like to nominate Murder Included by Joanna Cannan, the first in her Detective Price mystery series.


In the UK this is avai..."

In the US:
Murder Included is $3 on kindle and available on Kindle Unlimited, as are the others in the series.

The five book set is $18

Welcome Arbab. Hope you find some good suggestions in the group and enjoy an introduction to Christie.

P,S, Skip The Big Four until you have read a lot of Christie. It is not representative, in my opinion.

I'm in one of those 'embarrassment of riches' situation when a number of library requests have arrived. Right now I am reading Knave of Diamonds, the latest in the Russell and Holmes series and a favorite.

Next up, A Case of Mice and Murder, A Shipwreck in Fiji and Death at the Sanatorium.

I also have our buddy reads and a couple of other series I am trying to continue.

Happy 4th to our US members.

Shaina wrote: "I have a question. Have we dropped the Maigret series? Just asking as I don't see them listed after May/June."

Yes, we did drop Maigret as few people commented. I intend / hope to continue on my own and have requested Maigret and the Toy Village from the library for this month. I really enjoy the atmosphere and the concise plots but there isn't a lot to say about them. Expect I will be including them in the 'what mysteries are you reading' thread.

Jackie wrote: "Judy wrote: "Thanks everyone! Susan in N.C., I was thinking we would carry on with the Lord Peter series as buddy reads, so we could schedule The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club fo..."

Yep, short stories

In US a theme:

$2

$2

Susan in NC wrote: "I’m not sure if we’re still rereading the Lord Peter mysteries as a group, but if it’s okay I’ll nominate #5, which was last read in 2016 I think: [book:The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club|44494..."

In US: $.49 (great price) and readily available in libraries.

Susan wrote: "I will nominate Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm

'He could feel it in the blackness, a difference in atmosphere, a sense of evil, of thing..."

The BLCC kindle is $13.50 in the US, but many libraries, mine included, carry the series.

I second everything Judy said: gripping read (I completed it in one sitting) but it lost a star with the ending.

This was a reread of a book I didn't like the first (or second?) time.

I'm not even sure this works as a series of short stories, though I suppose each fantastical adventure could stand alone. My negativity is showing. I thought Poirot was really mean to Hasting, but if I look at each adventure as a stand-alone piece then he is only disparaging to Hastings once per episode; it is the endless repeating of how Hastings' intellect is not up to Poirot's that is annoys me. The affection between the two is obvious and a saving point of the book. The plot, such as it is, I find ridiculous.

I'm rather surprised that Christie' reputation survived this book. If a publisher did hound her for a book I hope he learned a lesson.

Louise wrote: "Judy wrote: "Susan, I believe there are more than 40 books which were published over a very long period, so the production team would have had to decide which era to choose, and the 60s have a lot ..."

Peppermint creams seem to be getting hard to find.

Finished except for the short story included at the end. I expect it to be another from Bobby's early life on the force.

Brits in the 50's had not discovered garlic! The Americans may not have either; pizza was new and not a family standard.