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

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I always like the British Library Crime Classics covers, but this is one where I prefer the book's original cover because it helps me to visualise the scene at the start of the book - although, even with this image, I still find the layout a bit complicated.

Thanks Susan! I will look forward to this one as I've enjoyed Annie Haynes books in the past.

Thanks for the introduction and opening up the threads, Susan.

Who is reading the second book in this series? I'm about halfway through and think it's noticeably better than the first book in the series, with the two main characters settling down and some nice humour. But it is still a bit slow and feels like a children's book - I suppose with a boarding school setting that's not very surprising, though.

The spoiler thread is linked below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Thanks for the introduction and opening up the threads, Susan. I really enjoyed this one, very atmospheric with its Blitz setting.

The spoiler thread is linked below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Yes, I agree Cronkite was an enjoyable character, Vanessa.

Oh dear, Jackie, I hope the links start working for you again!

I've finished our next group read, Murder by Matchlight by E.C.R. Lorac, set during the Blitz, which I really enjoyed, and have now started our next challenge read, A Body at a Boarding School by Benedict Brown.

Good to hear that the next book has a stronger start, Susan. Good point about the headteacher, that was fun

Yes, I thought the same - let's hope we get an update on Sloan's family in the next book!

Sandy wrote: "The inheritance didn't completely fizzle out. The murderer needed the estate to go to the elderly lady who would not be checking the books."

That's true, but I was thinking there might be more of an issue about whether Richenda really was who she said she was - although I suppose that just means I fell for a red herring!

The inheritance storyline also had me wondering when DNA tests came in - I looked it up and apparently it was around 1988, although earlier versions of paternity tests relying on blood groups were around from the 1920s.

I also didn't think this was quite as good as some of the others, although I was pleased that Sloan seemed to get on a bit better with Crosby in this one.

I was slightly disappointed that the whole inheritance thing fizzled out at the end. I did enjoy the explanation of the tomatoes and wire elements, though - something I could imagine being a storyline in an episode of Midsomer Murders!

Susan and Susan, thank you - I'd forgotten there was also a question of identity in the earlier book.

I'm about halfway through this now and enjoying it, although I think it is a little slow. In some ways it feels more like a Golden Age book than one published in 1980, with all the literary allusions.

There are some mentions of village life changing, for instance with new housing developments, but I was quite surprised when I noticed the publication date.

I didn't really enjoy this much and am hoping the series improves. We didn't see enough of our regular characters for my liking and I definitely agree with you, Jill, that there was too much repetition. I'll carry on for at least one more book, but if it's no better than this one then I may be tempted to give up on this series and just occasionally reread the first book at Christmas!

I have just started and can see what you mean about the setting being very similar to the fete in the first Jack Haldean book, Susan in NC! I've also come across a murder at a similar village event in Wicked Autumn by G.M. Malliet - I wasn't a huge fan of that one at the time but still remember it quite well and have just realised it was 9 years ago that I read it, so maybe I should try the second in that series! I'm sure there must be one or two village fetes in Christie books as well.

I really enjoyed this one too and am also sad there is only one more, Sandy. I was glad to read this fairly soon after the previous book, as it followed on quite closely - but, having said that, there was enough explanation to make it possible to follow. As you say, all the characters are interesting. Mary's character is hard to resist, and the "office politics" of the monastery are well done.

I do slightly wonder why this series is just described as "Jonathan Argyll", since Flavia is just as important and it always takes both of them to solve the mysteries! Maybe the publisher wanted one detective's name as a handle for the series.

Just thought of something else. One of the sections I found most powerful was the pile of complaints about Nyland and his sidekick. The excuses and explanations from the police about why each one was not investigated would seem quite weak anyway, but the sheer number of them, and the similarities between them, make it clear what has really been going on without the need for any further words.

I've finished it and it got 5 stars from me too, Susan - I found it really hard to put down. I agree that there were some devastating twists towards the end. To start off with the series was focused more on Beck, but now I also care about the other characters as well. The way they all work together is convincingly done.

Neer wrote: "I knew it'd be Malcolm because Jack was so keen to have her marry Arthur who was presented as this very sympathetic character (and he was). So the rival in love has to be the villain...."

I remembered it was him from a previous read, but I do agree that, if there's a love rival to a sympathetic character in a mystery, that person often seems to be the villain!

I listened to audiobooks for previous books in the series and felt the narrator gave clues to who the villains were by making them sound too evil! I'm reading on Kindle this time.

I've started this now and am glad to rejoin Flavia and Jonathan. An interesting start, with Bottando getting an offer he apparently can't refuse!