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

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Thanks to Susan for opening up the threads for our new month's reads. Who is reading this one?

I've just finished it and didn't remember the previous book all that well, but luckily the author included enough reminders to bring it back to mind.

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

I've finished this too - I enjoyed it but had one or two problems which I'll post about in the spoiler thread. Good to hear you both like it too, Sandy and Susan. I've now read all five books republished in this series - I wonder if any more will be republished?

Who is reading this one? The spoiler thread is linked below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Just back from a holiday in South Wales - I finished our two new month's reads, and also started reading Crimes of Cymru: Classic Mystery Tales of Wales, one of the British Library collections edited by Martin Edwards. I was a bit surprised to find that some of the stories are not set in Wales, but just by Welsh authors, but anyway I'm enjoying it so far.

I was interested to learn from this that Ethel Lina White, author of The Wheel Spins aka The Lady Vanishes, was born in Abergavenny, which is where we were staying.

Jackie wrote: "I am currently reading Sumerhills and the audio version of the first Bertie & Jeeves book..."

I really liked Summerhills - one of my favourites by D.E. Stevenson.

I've just read another by her, Smouldering Fire, which I found very readable but thought was definitely not one of her best - it has a melodramatic plot, which isn't really her strength. But I always enjoy her books anyway!

Posted that before I'd finished, I meant to say thanks for the fantastic account of your visit!

Glad you were able to visit the exhibition, Sue, and thanks for the kind comment - I think I just saw a mention in a newspaper! I also visited and thought the exhibition was interesting although quite small - loved the old covers. I envy you the guided tour and looking at more of the library, which I'd like to do another time!

I'm halfway through So Pretty a Problem and have also started our next challenge title, Burying the Crown - they are very different so I don't think I'll mix them up.

I enjoyed our forthcoming buddy read A Private View - one of the best Michael Innes books I've read so far. Looking forward to discussing that one.

Anyone else reading this one? What do you think of it?

I've finished this now and got really caught up in it towards the end with the Mary Rose, finding it hard to put down. Sansom certainly builds up the tension and makes us feel just how driven Shardlake is. I felt for Jack, as you say, Susan, as he has to be away from Tamasyn for so long

I've seen the Mary Rose exhibition, which is amazing, to see the timbers of the boat on display. I also remember watching on TV when the wreck was raised.

I feel the same, Lady C - very sad that there won't be any more Shardlake but I'm looking forward to the books I haven't read yet in the series.

I'm just starting A Private View by Michael Innes too, Jill - hoping to read it before my Kobo Plus sub expires, as I've decided to cancel that for now. It does have the Innes books but its selection is quite limited in general.

Ooh, that sounds quite tempting, Sandy - I got a bit fed up with Bobby being in the countryside and running into dark, brooding characters and mysterious women in several books running. I've skipped the last few but maybe I should try this one.

We have a winner - the tie was broken eventually! Our August group read will be The Port of London Murders by Josephine Bell.

Full results:
The Port of London Murders 6 votes, 50.0%
Murder on Paradise Island: A Golden Age Mystery 3 votes, 25.0%
The Cape Cod Mystery (Asey Mayo, #1) 3 votes, 25.0%

Susan in NC wrote: "Susan wrote: "I can hardly believe it is mid-June already. I am so behind that I haven't started my re-read of this yet, although I have read it before. It is sad to realise that now there will be no new Shardlake novels so perhaps, subconsciously, I am avoiding it..
I felt the same! There was a stretch between the last two books, I believe when the author was ill, but then Tombland finally came, and I was thrilled! ..."

Yes, it's very sad. One of the obituaries mentioned that he had started another book, Ratcliff, but it sounds as if he hadn't got all that far with it - there was a mention of him sending 20,000 words to the publisher.

I'd also be interested to hear if anyone discovers a historical mystery series as good as this one.

I have now finished this one - I didn't see the ending coming and it was quite clever. Did anyone else guess?

Aside from the mystery plot, I wish we had had some clue about Genevieve and George's future. I'd like to think they stop going on the constant voyages and find something else to do. Word would be bound to spread that they are a couple anyway, in real life! And they couldn't go on being so devastatingly beautiful forever, could they?

I've finished this now and it was rather samey compared to the others overall, I have to say. Anyway, I thought it was one of the better books in the series, but it may be just as well that it finished at this stage, as they were getting very formulaic.

I read this last year and liked it a lot although I don't really remember the plot now - the group has now caught up with me so I'll be joining in from the next Brunetti onwards. :)

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

Thanks for opening this thread up, Susan! Who is joining in on this one? I've read about two thirds of it and am finding it more fun than the last couple - I've just read a biography of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, so am enjoying the fact that he is included as a character.

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

I've read about a third of this now and am enjoying it - his writing is so engrossing and really pulls me in.

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

Thanks for the introductions and opening up all the buddy read threads, Susan :)

Ruth wrote: "Am I right in thinking that the trend for writing crime books in a numbered series where the story moves on for the main characters is a fairly recent development (1980s onward perhaps)?..."

Interesting question, Ruth, I'm not sure! I think Campion, Alleyn and Wimsey all have their stories developing but there was perhaps more awareness that people might end up reading the books in the wrong order, as I certainly did with many series over the years.

Thanks for all the comments in this discussion - I agree the language is often richer in the GA books and they tend to be my favourites, but the modern ones do have some advantages and, as Ruth says, they might encourage some readers to try a genuine golden age novel.