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

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I'm in Suffolk, in the east of England, and live in the town of Ipswich although I grew up in a small country village.

Wow, I hadn't realised we only had a few more Cadfael books left to go. I do enjoy the series although I've been glad to space them out as they can get a bit similar to each other.

I've finished this now and didn't remember the killer, although I thought I did... but had remembered wrong.

I really enjoyed the whole way it is written and the workplace atmosphere, but didn't find the ending very convincing - for me it doesn't really go with what we have seen previously of the killer's character. However, there are certainly some great twists.

The poll is now open. Please cast your vote for the book you most want to read in January:

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

Has anybody seen the 1946 film adapted from this book starring Alistair Sim as Inspector Cockrill, with Trevor Howard, Sally Gray and Rosamond John? I've just checked the UK TV channel Talking Pictures' schedules and see it is lined up to show on Sunday, November 19 at 3.10pm, so I must remember to record it!

I wondered if it was also on a streaming service but only found it on YouTube and I'm not really a fan of watching films on there so will wait for it to come on TV.

I was amused by a mention of him knowing everyone prominent in north Kent, or something like that - sounds like a lot of people!

Very tempting nominations so far - I want to read all of them.

Rosina: A Toast To Tomorrow by Manning Coles

Jill: The Big Bow Mystery by Israel Zangwill

Susan: Murder While You Work by Susan Scarlett aka Noel Streatfeild

Jan: Murder in Blue by Clifford Witting

Does anyone have any more nominations before the poll opens tomorrow?

Jan C wrote: "I'll nominate Murder in Blue by Clifford Witting. First in a series of four with Inspector Harry Charlton. Published in 1937.

A bookshop owner stumbles over a dead ..."

Ooh, he's a writer I've been meaning to try (one of the many!!) £3.99 on Kindle in UK.

Yes, I think he knew someone in every book I've read that he was in!

Susan wrote: "Brand's husband worked in a similar hospital during the war...."

That's interesting to know, Susan. I think the workplace atmosphere feels convincing and am enjoying the interaction between the various characters as the tension starts to build...

It's time to nominate for our first group read of 2024!

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.

Wow, quite a find, Susan! Her lesser-known books can be hard to find at all, let alone a signed copy!

Susan wrote: "Me too, Judy. I enjoyed this very much. Hmmm, possible buddy series?"

Maybe, something to think about! I think quite a few of them are on Kindle...

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

I haven't read many books by Ellery Queen, Susan, but would like to try some more.

I listened to this on Audible three years ago and enjoyed the narrator, but am planning to reread it as an ebook once I finish Green for Danger.

Thanks very much for the introductions to both our new month's books.

Brand is great, I agree, Susan. I've started my reread of this book and am really enjoying it so far. I find the opening chapter a bit confusing with all those letters, but it's still an intriguing opening!

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

Sandy, I'd never heard of book 'blind dates' but then saw some books wrapped in brown paper with teasers in a bookshop yesterday! I think I'd be loath to buy a book without knowing what it is though - less risk at the library!

I agree we got a bit bogged down with Angela in this book, although I like her as a character. As well as the last Freddy book, there is also another one in the Angela series published this year, The Body on Archangel Beach.

I'm quite enjoying this (about halfway through) but Freddy has got rather sensible these days - I slightly miss the younger and more madcap version, even though I sometimes got annoyed with him for not being sensible enough!

Susan in NC wrote: "That opening scene, with the beating, was very hard to read, but very cinematic, how Brett stayed silent to protect Flavia, and the thugs didn’t realize she was “live” in the apartment..."

I remember that scene all too vividly from reading this book last year, and the sheer level of violence - as you say, hard to read but powerful and yes, definitely cinematic. I could almost see it.

I agree with Sarah that the arguments between Brunetti and Paola where they think differently about issues, such as politics, are an interesting aspect of this series. In real life, families are always arguing about things like this, but it doesn't happen nearly as much in books.