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

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Just getting our latest buddy reads under way as it's almost the middle of the month.

Who is reading this one? I read it slightly early, as I had a borrowed copy which needed to go back, and enjoyed it - I thought it was one of the best so far in this series. I think Innes's writing style is easier to follow in this than in some of the others, and the story is compelling. Also great to see Judith Appleby taking a central role - I wasn't sure if she had disappeared for good after the book where she and John met.

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

As I mentioned in another thread, I was really amused by Mrs Midgeholme, owner of numerous Peke dogs with names beginning with 'U'! I would have liked to see more of her, but every time she comes in she is hilarious.

Interestingly, we don't have a family in a stately home in this one, as in many of Heyer's mysteries. Instead, it's about a number of people in a village, with various rivalries and tensions bubbling under the surface.

It's the weekend and nearly the middle of the month, so let's open up our latest batch of buddy reads. Thank you, Susan, for setting up the threads :)

Who is reading this one? I found it an enjoyable read and am sad that it's the last in this series.
The spoiler thread is linked below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

We have a tie at the moment, so please vote if you haven't done so!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Susan in NC wrote: "lol! Mrs. Midgeholme is a hoot - I loved her scenes with Hemingway, especially once he’d earned the favor of Ultimate Ulysses, sire of all of her champions! Maybe you can breed your kitty?..."

Ooh, I'll look out for that scene, thanks Susan! My cat has been "done" so won't be breeding her - anyway, one of her is quite enough.;) I'm in awe of how Mrs Midgeholme keeps track of all her dogs, aside from thinking up all the ridiculous names beginning with 'U'!

I was travelling around yesterday and read a British Library Crime Classics book, The Mysterious Mr. Badman by W.F. Harvey, en route. I enjoyed the writing style and the fact that it starts at a second-hand bookshop, but it's not really a mystery - more of a light thriller like some of Christie and Allingham's early books. Some of the heroes' actions are rather questionable, but anyway, quite a fun read overall.

I loved Crossed Skis, Susan and Jackie! I've just started our next Georgette Heyer buddy read, Detection Unlimited - a very funny start with a woman who's obsessed with breeding Pekes. I was just laughing at her when I realised that I'm every bit as soppy about my cat!

That's interesting, Susan in NC, I hadn't realised there were only three. I wonder if there is closure at the end of the last one or if he might write more of them.

Looks like he uses the pseudonym for all his mysteries but is quite open about it, which makes me wonder why he doesn't just use his real name, Christopher Wilson. Maybe it helps to keep the factual and fictional books separate.

The poll is now open - please vote for the book you'd prefer to read in September.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Thanks, Susan! I was wrongly convinced I'd read Murder by Matchlight because I think I'd mixed it up with her previous book, Checkmate to Murder, which is also in war-time London!

Sandy wrote: "Spending time with Guy and his friends is fine, but I could easily leave them to their own devices...."

Ha, fabulous comment. Have you ever thought of writing a book, Sandy?

Sandy wrote: "Regarding the plot, I found it hard to believe in the male victim's power over women, thus had trouble with the murderer's motive. It seemed as though the author chose the least likely suspect. And she was one of the reasonable characters I will miss. ..."

Yes, I agree, she was a good character. Shame Rodie didn't turn out to be the killer, as I find her quite annoying and unrealistic, as I mentioned over in the other thread. The author seems to keep dropping heavy hints about her ending up with Guy, which I don't see working, to be honest. I'm wondering if Foxy will become free again in a future book and there will be a love triangle - can the writer resist?!

I'm not sure what I think about some of the comments about real people worked into the story, mostly the royals - it sounds from the note at the end as though the author thinks there may be some reality to the woman killed in the Duke of Kent's aircraft, but from what he says the evidence isn't conclusive. I also have the impression that the author disliked the Queen Mum, who I suppose he must have known personally as a royal biographer - there were some comments about her in the previous book, and in this one at one stage he makes a character refer to her as being like Lady Macbeth. I find that sort of comment a bit distracting and unnecessary, although I suppose it all contributes to the atmosphere of the staff all gossiping about the royals.

Sandy, I agree about the cliffs and ropes - I always find those sorts of stunts hard to follow, although I suppose at least there was no danger of readers copying the murder and escape methods!

I did enjoy this and would have given it four stars. The artistic/Bohemian atmosphere was interesting and it was nice to see Mordecai in a setting like this, unsure whether he fits in and whether he likes the people or not.

But I felt the flashback structure, although interesting, slowed the story down and made it slightly confusing at times. I also felt the killer slightly came out of nowhere, although that may just be me... did anyone else pick up any hints about him earlier? I suppose the photograph of his girlfriend was a clue, but I didn't pick up on it.

Susan wrote: "Although the constant references to his love of romantic stories gets a little wearing!"

This is slightly what I feel about Tremaine in general, that he's a likeable character but the same characteristics keep being repeated without any depth being added - he loves Romantic Stories magazine, his legs are thin, he used to be a tobacconist, etc. I don't think we ever get any reminiscences about his days as a tobacconist which actually help with the cases, as with Miss Marple's memories.

I remember in a previous book I was irritated by his pince-nez falling down a lot, but I think in this one it happens less, and also the author mentions that it's a nervous habit, so that didn't bother me much.

Last call for nominations! The poll will go up tomorrow, so please let us have any nominations as soon as possible.

Nominations so far:

Susan: Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers

Jill: The Polo Ground Mystery by Robin Forsythe

Judy: Murder by Matchlight by E.C.R. Lorac

Thanks for the nominations so far, two enticing choices - Sayers is one of my favourites and I also really enjoy Robin Forsythe's style.

As I'm enjoying a book by E.C.R. Lorac at the moment, I'll nominate another of hers, Murder by Matchlight. I thought I'd read this war-time tale but looks like I'm wrong.

London, 1945. The capital is shrouded in the darkness of the blackout, and mystery abounds in the parks after dusk.

During a stroll through Regent’s Park, Bruce Mallaig witnesses two men acting suspiciously around a footbridge. In a matter of moments, one of them has been murdered; Mallaig’s view of the assailant is but a brief glimpse of a ghastly face in the glow of a struck match.

The murderer’s noiseless approach and escape seems to defy all logic, and even the victim’s identity is quickly thrown into uncertainty. Lorac’s shrewd yet personable C.I.D. man Macdonald must set to work once again to unravel this near-impossible mystery.

Hope you enjoy it, everyone. I think these are well written and I like Guy, but I don't find Rodie a believable character. For me, the book improves every time she is absent for a while.

I've started Death at Dyke's Corner, an E.C.R. Lorac novel from 1940 that I noticed on Kindle. I'm enjoying it so far. It's good to see more of her novels being republished, even if they are coming out in rather a strange order! Fortunately, with this series the order doesn't matter.

New month, new poll! Nominations please for our September group read. Please only nominate books written and published in the Golden Age period, or a little earlier or later - if in doubt whether a title is eligible, please ask. As usual, just one nomination per group member, and only one book by any individual writer can be nominated per month.

If you aren't sure whether we have read something, the group bookshelves may help, or just ask. If it was at least 3 years ago that we read it, it is fine to renominate.