Judy’s Comments (group member since Oct 01, 2015)

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I agree - I managed to get over the present tense in the wonderful Wolf Hall, but it never adds anything for me.

We haven't had very much interest in this book - I thought a few more people might read it as it's a previous freebie that's in a lot of Kindle libraries. Did anyone who hasn't commented so far give it a try?

I'm reading our next Poirot for the challenge, Black Coffee, which was novelised from Christie's play by Charles Osborne. Enjoying it so far though it definitely feels like a play - I'll look forward to our discussion. I'm partly reading it and partly listening on audio.

It's clever plotting but I find it hard to believe the murder method in this book - could it actually work? There would be such a huge risk that someone would notice Lotty/Letty being in the wrong place or moving around, as it eventually turns out that poor Miss Murgatroyd actually did!

Glad you enjoyed it, Ninie!

I've read about 70% of this one now - enjoying it but I'm being distracted from the story by the various mouth-watering descriptions of meals! I am slightly wondering if the author was on a diet when she wrote this book and imagining dream meals.

Hope it works for you, Frances! The GR feed can be a bit hit and miss, I think.

I don't really remember the Plaidy books though I know I read a few, but I do remember the Gothic atmosphere of the Holt ones. I am with you on present tense narration, Ninie!

P.S. Hope you enjoy your visit to the Southbank Centre - I've never read anything by Harlan Coben either, but will be interested to hear what you think.

Susan wrote: "OK. I think the words 'loosely inspired' are the most relevant here...

The Christie Estate - would they do ANYTHING for money? Yes.

..."

You have a point there! After that weird AI version of Christie teaching classes in writing crime fiction, who knows what on earth they'll do next? I did indeed enjoy Marble Hall Murders and the literary estate in that book!

I've just seen this bizarre story about two Christie stories being adapted into Mr Men books. Sounds like an April fool, but it's October so I suppose it must be true!
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdx...

Thank you, Pamela. Good to hear you are enjoying the other buddy reads.

Hope your new glasses come through soon, Susan, and that you find a nice audiobook to enjoy in the meantime.

I don't think you will be missing all that much tbh, Susan.
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Thank you, Susan! I think the Brian Flynn books will be more fun than Gently, and spend less time rambling on about peppermint creams!

I think that part is well worth reading, Sandy, and your suppositions are correct!

Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favourites although it's a long time since I last read it.

I've just remembered, the author I was trying to think of is Victoria Holt! Looking her up, I see she was the same person as Jean Plaidy and also had other pseudonyms. I wonder if her books would still grab me now? A lot of them seem to be set in Cornwall, so possibly a bit like Daphne du Maurier and the Poldark books by Winston Graham.

It is very weird, which is maybe appropriate for Halloween, but I can understand you not being very keen on it, Sandy. I tend to get hooked on Gothic stories - when I was a teenager I read loads of them. There were a lot of sub-Jane Eyre books by one particular author which I devoured, but I can't even think what her name was now.

Very true!

Thanks Sandy. I think if we've tried one or two books in a series and don't feel very keen, we might as well move on. :)