Tara ’s Comments (group member since Jul 12, 2017)

Tara ’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

This was a real page turner! So nice to see Poirot and Hastings reunited again--there is something special about Hastings' POV of Poirot that I really miss when he is off in Argentina. It is an insider view, yet one that still does not quite understand him. I enjoyed seeing Hastings getting credit for solving the case, and not in the usual condescending sort of way.
Often times it feels like a bit of stretch to rationalize multiple murders, but it worked wonderfully in this case. The murderer was trying to draw attention to the killings, while at the same time obscuring what really happened. And if not for Poirot, it probably would have worked.

I've seen the David Suchet version of this several times, but I don't know if I ever read it. Boy, was I missing out! This was a superb mystery, and definitely one of my favorites. It was interesting to have the serial killer angle, as the murderer could have been anyone, versus the library full of suspects we are used to getting.

The John Malkovich ABC Murders is available on Amazon Prime in the US Susan, and I plan on watching it, although I don't know that you can really improve on Suchet….

Tracey wrote: "Tara I agree with your term of 'maladjusted misfits' - it describes them perfectly.

I found Caroline Able telling Alleyn her theories in psychology quite amusing. I'm guessing at the time of writi..."

I agree about the psychological theories Tracey. I appreciated that she refused to give in to Patricia's tantrums/outbursts and did not call her Panty. What an awful nickname!

I just read a Jazz Age poisoner's book, and apparently thallium used to be prescribed to children with ringworm so that their hair would fall out. This presumably helped the doctor to see the condition and treat it. They had to stop prescribing it when the kids were dying off...Its pretty terrifying how many chemicals were used prodigiously until connections were made with negative side effects or death, and even then, the companies weren't held responsible.

You certainly hopes this family isn't representative of the aristocracy--they are one band of maladjusted misfits. Does anyone suspect that Marsh based some of her characters on people she knew from the theater? Its hard to tell where reality meets caricature.

My favorite part of this book was Troy's anxiety about reuniting with Alleyn after all of those years. Often these stories are portrayed as nothing but joyous (although The Best Years of Our Lives does an excellent job in this regard), but you suspect that both halves would be concerned how much the time, distance, and circumstances changed them. It felt very authentic.

I liked the element of having Troy as the narrator, but the Ancreds are just too much to bear. And whats with the weird, dysfunctional kids? Its hard to find a sympathetic character in the bunch.

Not strictly speaking a mystery, but in the true crime genre, I am listening to The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York on audiobook loan from the library. The narrator is a bit monotone, but otherwise its fascinating subject material. Its amazing to think that 100 years ago, when forensic science was in its infancy, that they were able to determine when someone was poisoned, especially in cases where it could have easily been confused with lots of other ailments.

I am particularly enjoying my trek through the Amazonian forests in River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana's Legendary Voyage of Death and Discovery Down the Amazon . It has all the hallmarks of a great adventure tale, and makes for fascinating non-fiction reading.

I am about half way through The Black Dahlia . Whether I am ultimately not a fan of the hard-boiled detective variety, or this book is just particularly graphic and violent, I am not enjoying it at all. I am a true crime buff, and I have been intrigued by the real world case this was based on (and which has never been solved), but the characters are depressing, unsympathetic, and uninteresting.

Judy wrote: "Tara wrote: "I assumed he was referring to The Case of the Chocolate Box, which he had referred to in other stories as being a failure. ..."

Thanks, Tara! Ah ha, I don't think I've come across tha..."
Hi Judy, its in the short story collections, I believe the one I read it in was Poirot's Early Cases: 18 Hercule Poirot Mysteries but also might be available as a single or in other collections.

Judy wrote: "I'm now into the third act and delighted that Poirot has finally turned up again - I like Satterthwaite too, but missed Poirot.

I was intrigued when Satterthwaite asks Poirot if he has ever faile..."

I assumed he was referring to The Case of the Chocolate Box, which he had referred to in other stories as being a failure.

I just started The Alienist by Caleb Carr, which is a bit gruesome, but is well written and interesting. I'm not sure if it is strictly considered a mystery, although it does involve murders and sleuthing.

Bruce wrote: "I’m reading the Pelican Brief and The Lady Vanishes.

I agree Tara. I loved the first two Sherlock books by Nicholas Meyer. I still haven’t read the Canary Trainer yet. I actually do like fan ficti..."

I do enjoy the aspect of the real people colliding with a fascinating, albeit imaginary world. Having just read Dracula, it was especially interesting to read about Bram Stoker and his involvement in the theater, which I really didn't know anything about previously. I saw the Seven Per Cent Solution film and I thought it was very faithful to the book, and had a great cast. I will have to check out Time After Time as well, thanks for the recommendation!

Gary wrote: "Tara wrote: "I'm going through my TBR list from bottom to top and borrowing the available audiobooks from my library. I just finished [book:The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European..."

Manhunt is very good, I would definitely recommend it Gary.

I'm about halfway through The Canary Trainer: From the Memoirs of John H. Watson, M.D. , which is book 3 in the Sherlock Holmes series by Nicholas Meyer. I'm not much into fanfic, but these books are entertaining and fast reads.

I'm going through my TBR list from bottom to top and borrowing the available audiobooks from my library. I just finished The Strange Case of Dr. Couney: How a Mysterious European Showman Saved Thousands of American Babies which was rather obscure and fascinating. Next up is Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer , which I've seen all over the place but havent read a lot about.

I liked the idea of having a sherry party--that sounds like something we should revive! Perhaps cocktail parties have taken over as they are more fashionable.

I haven't read any of the Harley Quin stories, but they should interesting. I enjoyed the Satterthwaite character (although I always do miss Hastings when he is absent).

This reminded me of some of the Miss Marple stories we read a few years back where the detective seems barely involved and almost could have been cleverly woven in after the fact. But there were some interesting Poirot tidbits about his background and personality that I enjoyed. I do wonder how honest he was being about "faking" his boasts, when it seems like he did that a lot in the presence of Hastings, whom I think it is safe to assume he is not trying to fool.
I also found the motive to be rather thin--would it really be necessary to murder 3 people (and 2 of them not even involved) just to marry someone? Couldn't he just have bribed the doctor or somehow convinced him to hush it up?

Annabel wrote: "Carolien wrote: "Emma wrote: "Gardener0126 wrote: Because you posted this, I have started Murder on the Oxford Canal, and am enjoying it. In general the word “gripping” in the title or description ..."

While we are repeatedly told we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, its definitely hard not to do so. I know that I personally was drawn to the Brother Cadfael series from Ellis Peters when I saw the medieval covers in the library.

It certainly didn't strike me as the kind of place I want to visit, medical condition or not. But the scenery was probably majestic. Dikon was my favorite character, despite his slightly priggish personality.

I totally didn't get the title reference until reading this thread, so somehow that escaped me. I didn't find this family nearly as obnoxious as the one in Death of a Peer, although based on their stumbling, bumbling personalities, it was no wonder their business was teetering on the brink of insolvency.

At first I suspected Septimus Falls (what kind of name is that btw?), but realized he must be Alleyn before we got to the alibi unveiling. One wonders if Smith's drunken incompetence was a front for his activities so that no one would suspect him of being capable. He seemed to do a good job of that.