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

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

The author also has a series set in Boston, where I 'almost' live, that I have been meaning to try. The Family Vault is the first. Her bio has her starting life in New Brunswick, Canada, so a Canadian series fits.

I am reading the second in the Peter Shandy series, The Luck Runs Out . I read the first as a Christmas read a few years ago and then the series was mentioned favorably in this group so I looked for the next entry. Lots of mild humor with a pleasant agricultural college setting: combines country, campus and the limited number of suspects in a country house setting.

While I would definitely avoid a real-life Julia, I found her a wonderfully amusing book character. I doubt a real-life Julia would be able to perform her job or be so beloved by those who deal with her daily. Nobody who studied tax law would ever think paying back taxes freed her from the next year. But she enjoyed herself so thoroughly I found her a pleasure.

Along with the incompetent Julia being unable to really hold a job, I doubt the young lawyers would have much future unless they are putting in a lot of overtime.

While Kenneth's plan was far-fetched and unlikely to be successful for long, I think that Kenneth may well have thought it possible. He didn't seem the most practical person. Ned was quite right that he could never visit England, Cyprus or Venice again, but no one in Venice had seen Richard.

I liked all the characters, including the Major, their friend the art critic, the American couple (both halves) and even the nasty woman who ran the gallery and cheated young artists.

US - The Red Prince: The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster

(Susan, I saw this was on your TBR - hope you have a deal as well)

I'm at the half-way mark and though perhaps "side-splitting funny" is too extreme, I have laughed out loud many times. I find Julia, her friends reaction to her, and Hilary's commentary quite funny. I wish there were more than four books.

I have no idea who did it.

While this was a re-read really remembered very little. I liked the slightly better relationship between Flavia and her sisters, and how Flavia discovered more about her mother through her father and her mother's friend in lock up.

Laurel wrote: "Sandy,
Thank you for sharing this information on this book. Another Christmas gift is done!"

Hope the recipient enjoys it. The second in the series is actually Christmas based.

I picked up a children's book on a whim: The Body Under the Piano. It is a take off of (homage to?) Christie with our young detectives, Aggie Morton and Hector Perot.

Tara wrote: "I'm reading The Devil's Novice, another excellent outing in the Brother Cadfael series. This one focuses on the children in the monastery, some of whom were shipped off at the tender ..."

I appreciated that aspect of the book as I never thought about children in the monastery. It was our buddy read for Sept / Oct and you will find our discussion in the buddy read section if interested.

Only a short way in, but I too could slap these characters. Hannasyde has the patience of a saint.

I have this book (and the Heyer) out of the library but un-started. It has been on my TBR for quite a while and I'm eager to read it. I do have quite a stack of library books however. (My tiny local branch has been closed for construction so I've been going to the main library which is filled with tempting displays I am unable to resist.)

This will be a reread for me. I have the book from the library but haven't started it yet. I like Heyer's Regency romances better than her mysteries, but have read them all (and most, or all, of the romances).

I agree the title rather gave away the murderer (like Jill, I also hoped it wasn't true), and the mystery was more his motive and connection with the victim. I like Maigret and the writing style so plan on continuing for at least the two additional books in my omnibus.

I have finished this one. I find Simenon's writing style very different and I'm quite drawn to it.

This is a reread for me but I only remember the finding of the body, the rest is all new. I'm over half done and have no idea of the culprit, nor the motive.

Good guess. Money is great motivation.

Icewineanne wrote: "Checked out the current book in the lead, The Religious Body. Our library only has copies of the talking book which are restricted to print disabled persons. Good grief.
Amazon here has the kindle ..."

Amazon has the kindle for $8 in the US (more than I am willing to pay) but my library system has copies, both print and audio. They have many of Aird's books so she must be more popular here.

I've started One by One They Disappeared, that has been on my kindle for a while, in preparation for one of our later reads in the series.

Jan C wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I fell down on my assignment as US moderator! Per Amazon, Two-Way Murder is only available as a pre-order for next April. Sorry for the late warning."

That's just on ..."

You are right about it being available in paper and audio. I am definitely confused. Amazon tells me it is available on kindle when I look at the British Library paperback, then tells me I can't have it yet when I click on the offer. It isn't available in my libraries yet so they must be waiting for the US Poison Pen release.

I fell down on my assignment as US moderator! Per Amazon, Two-Way Murder is only available as a pre-order for next April. Sorry for the late warning.