Ellen’s Comments (group member since Feb 05, 2016)

Ellen’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I nominate The Litmore Snatch by Henry Wade.

I think my local library must be falling down on the job. They did not have a single title in this challenge.

Definitely most of the women not portrayed in a positive way although I love the college president's wife Sieglinde.

I agree this was completely implausible but I still enjoyed reading it.

I agreed with other's opinions about the complicated plot. I also never really warmed to Knollis from beginning to end. Then it turned out in the end that practically everyone was guilty.

I am not to far in yet but so far I am not terribly fond of Knollis. Maybe his comments to colleagues is all in good fun but I don't think I would enjoy having him as a partner. I don't like his interactions with suspects much either. I am not so annoyed that I won't keep going.

I will be reading this on my Kindle.

Just picked it up at the library today.

Sandy wrote: "Frances wrote: "Agreed-I do enjoy ECR Lorac, don't know the others, and certainly know from things like Virago Press that many out-of-print authors are well worth the read, but I have learned to us..."

Yes I did follow along when the group was reading those with Francis Pettigrew. The titles with Inspector Mallett are good also.

Frances wrote: "Abigail wrote: "Basically the rare-book-business elements were all I enjoyed about this book. I found the writing clumsy, the characters mostly implausible, the plotting poor. By the time we got to..."

I certainly agree that in general books stay in print for a reason. However I have found at least 3 formerly out of print GA authors whose books I will be rereading. E.C.R. Lorac, Henry Wade and Cyril Hare. I don't think I will be rereading them but I did read all 35 of E.R. Punshon Bobby Owens mysteries.

I will get this from the library soon.

Even though I admired Wigan and how he stood up to his superiors I was annoyed with him for not being more concerned when Charlie disappeared.

I admired Sergeant Wigan but the book did not keep me on the edge of my seat.

Apparently Cyril Hares early death was instrumental in P.D. James getting her start. This came from an article from CrimeReads.

She had no illusions about making any money on it—she just wanted to get it down on paper. But then she had a lucky break. On a weekend in Kent, she met an actor who’d written books about the theatre, and he suggested she send the manuscript to his agent, Elaine Greene. The day Greene finished reading it, she happened to be sitting at dinner next to one of the directors of Faber & Faber, who was lamenting the recent death of one his crime-writing stalwarts, Cyril Hare. Well, Greene said, maybe I can help you. He read it, bought it, and James stayed with Faber & Faber for the rest of her career.

I absolutely wish Cyril Hare had lived to write more books. From now on every few years or so I will just have to reread. Inspector Mallett who fiqures in several of the Pettigrew titles was his original series character. His titles without Pettigrew being Tenant for Death, Death is No Sportsman, and Suicide Excepted. I liked them all.

This is my favorite Marsh title. I have reread it many times. One of my favorite scenes is with the retired vicar and his wife. The frequent characters seen in many golden age mysteries. Absent minded head in the clouds minister kept organized by his wife. Sayers had great ones in The Nine Tailors and Busman's Honeymoon.

I will be reading for the first time. Earlier in the year when I was checking on options for getting the titles for the challenge I found my local library had 4 copies of this book. I wasn't really worried about being able to get it right away. To my surprise at the moment they are all checked out. I have put it on hold.

I have to admit I was having a very hard time getting into this until the carriage started down the creek. Now it's got me.

As I was doing my voting today I noticed Death of a Bookseller was on the list of books nominated for the July read in the English Mysteries Club.

I would call this one a 3.5. It kept me interested but it wasn't a stay up until 2 in the morning to finish.