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

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Susan wrote: "He had a very successful legal career and he died young, in fact the year he wrote this book, so I don't think he was that indolent. He suffered from tuberculosis and so I suspect he was in poor health..."

Ah, thank you for posting that, Susan, I had missed this post and was just speculating over in the spoiler thread about why Pettigrew seems to feel so old in this. That explanation of Hare's own health starting to fail makes sense. Very sad.

Ellen, thank you for the story of the link between Hare and James and Faber - very interesting.

Thank you Carolien, good to know that I probably didn't miss anything. I also liked that twist at the end - I'd never thought of the other death being a murder.

I was wondering how old Pettigrew is supposed to be in this book - there's clearly a big age gap between him and Eleanor, but I suspect he isn't quite as ancient as he sometimes feels.

I've finished this now and enjoyed the beautifully flowing writing style, but must agree that the solution to the plot was all too obvious.

I was surprised that we learn so little about the actual murder - we never even find out for certain who did it! I also find aspects of the plot a bit unlikely, especially the behaviour of the younger Haluin in just handing over the poison rather than leaving the monastery and heading back to see his true love and make sure she won't marry him. The older Haluin is so determined that he must have changed a lot.

Welcome Gary, happy reading!

I'm starting this one now - are you reading it yet, Michaela? Not very seasonal with all the snow. It must have been impossibly difficult repairing roofs in those days.

I've finished this now and found it a very enjoyable read, with a very clever twist at the end which I certainly didn't see coming.

However, there are a couple of questions I'm still wondering about. One is, did we ever get an explanation of the original incident where Pettigrew saw a dead body when he was a child? I may well have missed something, but I'm wondering if there is a suggestion that this early incident really was a hallucination of what was going to happen decades later?

Sandy wrote: "There was nothing available in my library systems and 'had' to use one of my audible credits!"

I found the same, and decided to use an audible credit as well. I'm not very far in as yet but found it a gripping start.

I also really enjoy the books for their concise length and characters, and I think the plots are varied even though the slightly noir mood tends to be similar in those I've read so far. I'd also struggle to pick a favourite - I did like The Late Monsieur Gallet but that may just be the one that has stuck in my mind the most.

I agree about the titles being confusing. I'm halfway through this book now and enjoying it - I love Cyril Hare's writing style and this one seems to flow particularly well. I haven't got a clue as to the solution of the mystery!

I believe He Should Have Died Hereafter was the original title, Sandy - I like the title better than Untimely Death and wonder why the publishers changed it. I've started now and am enjoying meeting the Pettigrews again, though I'm not all that far in as yet.

Thank you Susan! I hope you had a wonderful time at the festival - bet you added to your TBR!

Oh, I'd forgotten about Duff, Sandy, but I agree it would have been good to find out more about that too. A few loose ends.

Thanks Rosin, that makes sense. I think the rivalry between the different police is an interesting aspect of the book.

It tends to worry me that the murderers who are let off by the detective at the end of so many books might go on to kill someone else - though I realise this is a lighter mystery and I'm probably not supposed to take it that seriously.

I've finished this now - I enjoyed the characters but found the plot confusing, especially the long explanations at the end with the different killers. I also didn't see why Flavia lets van Heteren off (sorry, not sure if I've got his name right.)

I've nearly finished listening to this now (a reread but I've never listened to an audio version before.) Susan, very interesting to see from your introduction post that this was written while the world was heading for war. The mood of tension increasingly being ratcheted up, as you say, Susan in NC, goes so well with that period. I also like the way the characters are so well differentiated.

Having said that, this book is never going to be a favourite for me, as I'm not really a fan of serial killer plots, but I'm noticing more this time around just how cleverly written it is and do agree that the audiobook is enhancing the experience for me. I think I will watch one of the films after I finish, but not the recent TV version which I didn't like. I see there are 1960s and 1970s films, so will see which one is easier to track down.

I was slightly hoping we'd get another mention of Reginald and Molly Dane at the end, and whether they go on living in the house or find somewhere else!

I've started this one now and am enjoying it so far - I like Flavia and Jonathan and enjoy the light tone of the writing style. But I have realised that, although I remember their characters and the general set-up from the previous book, I don't really remember the plot at all!

Rosina wrote: "But anyone who isn't the peak of aristocratic perfection (mainly only Alleyn and his mother) has ugly hands, heavy features, or other physical defects. ..."

I get the impression Troy is also physically perfect as well as being "our greatest living painter".

Bunchy himself isn't so physically perfect, despite being aristocratic - small fat hands and I think some other features were thin? I couldn't quite picture him but I thought the glimpses of his physical imperfections and his ageing were tenderly done.

Yes, I also didn't like the ending at all - I had really enjoyed most of the book and was thinking it would be a 5-star read for me, but the way Sheringham agrees to cover up what has really happened is awful. As he himself says, "What about justice?" The killer is a sexually predatory figure in a position of power, as well as being a complete hypocrite, and there is no guarantee he won't kill again!

I like the relationship between Alleyn and Fox in this book - Alleyn more emotional than usual because he's personally involved in the case and Fox is watching out for him, reminding him about things like eating.

We have a winner - The Death of Mr Lomas, which will be our September group read.

Full results:
The Death of Mr. Lomas (The Inspector Knollis Mysteries #1) 6 votes, 35.3%
Two-Way Murder 4 votes, 23.5%
The Widening Stain 4 votes, 23.5%
The Astonishing Adventure of Jane Smith 3 votes, 17.6 %