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

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Just opening this thread (thank you for setting this one and all the others up, Susan!) - who's reading this book with us? I'm looking forward to getting back to Freddy, but haven't started yet as I need to finish one or two other books first.

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

Just opening up this buddy read - who is reading our latest Innes? I've just picked up an old hardback from the library, as the Kindle books are now quite expensive in the UK.

I took a peek inside and was immediately hooked - not very far in yet, but I'm really enjoying it so far.

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

Just opening up our latest batch of buddy reads - many thanks to Susan for setting up the threads.

Who is reading this book? I've finished it and am still not quite sure what I think, so will be interested to hear what everyone thinks of it! The spoiler thread is linked below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I've just started reading one of our forthcoming buddy reads, There's a Reason for Everything by E.R. Punshon, and I see it involves a ghost hunt in a reportedly haunted mansion - sounds perfect for Halloween!

Jill wrote: "Now reading A Night Of Errors. Michael Innes. I’m finding it a bit disjointed."

I haven't started this one yet - I have just discovered that all the Michael Innes books which were on Kindle Unlimited in the UK now aren't on there any more and most of them cost £7.99 each on Kindle, so I've ordered this one from the library! Hoping it comes through soon. This may just spur me on to get rid of KU. Although I've said that before and then gone back...

I've just read a couple of books that I enjoyed. The first was Six Against the Yard by The Detection Club, a series of stories involving "perfect" crimes by members of the club, which a retired Scotland Yard superintendent then explains how he would have solved. I thought this was much better than the round robin The Floating Admiral - I really liked most of the stories.

I have also just read Blackthorn House by John Rhode, which was on special offer recently - I've become increasingly keen on these puzzle-type mysteries and really enjoyed the writing style of this one, but wasn't so impressed by the plot.

The poll is now open - please vote for your preferred choice for a group read!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...

Susan in NC wrote: "I have started a reread of a seasonal favorite, Agatha Christie’s Hallowe'en Party."

I recently saw the new Kenneth Branagh Poirot film which is supposed to be based on this book, A Haunting in Venice, but it seemed to be a completely new story! I quite enjoyed it but a lot of the scenes were very dark so it was hard to see what was happening. Has anyone else seen it?

Nominations so far:

Susan: The Corpse in the Snowman aka The Case of the Abominable Snowman by Nicholas Blake

Susan in NC: Rope’s End, Rogue’s End by E.C.R. Lorac

Icewineanne: Death of Jezebel by Christianna Brand

Frances: The Amethyst Box by Anna Katharine Green

Any more nominations?

Yes, I agree, Rosina, plus my confusion about exactly what happens in the house. And as Sandy said the characters converging on the island is also hard to swallow.

PS I was hoping we might find out what happens to Ted Lyte.

I quite enjoyed this, though I thought the parts in England were noticeably better than the sections in Boulogne. I started off by listening to audible, but got hold of a paperback from the library today and then finished the story off quickly!

I'm a bit confused by the explanation at the ending and why the 7 other passengers went to the house - it sounds as if they wanted their revenge on Cauldwell, so how did he manage to kill them instead? Had he produced the gas with the formula?

I know Susan, but you are our queen of challenges!

Very interesting, Susan, thank you! I just remembered that we read a book set in the London fog by Christianna Brand a few years ago - Fog of Doubt which was originally called London Particular. I've just looked up that book and I see it was actually published in 1952, so it must have been very topical when the huge smog broke out after its publication.

Thank you for all your work on this, Susan - looking forward to exploring these authors. :)

Yes, the opening is really compelling.

I can hardly believe it, but it's time to nominate for our December 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.

Suggestions can be seasonal but don't have to be! (We already have a couple of Christmas-themed reads lined up, Rest You Merry by Charlotte MacLeod as our last challenge read and a buddy read of Silent Nights: Christmas Mysteries edited by Martin Edwards/)

Just opening up our new challenge read, by E.C.R. Lorac, a writer who is very popular with group members. Who is reading this one? I've started it and am enjoying the atmospheric portrayal of a fogbound London.

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

October is here, so just opening up our new group read, with thanks to Susan for the introduction.

Who is reading this one? I'm listening to the Audible edition narrated by David Thorpe and enjoying it so far although the story seems far-fetched - I've listened to about 25% so far.

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

Daisy is lovely, Susan!

I'm listening to Seven Dead on Audible, read by David Thorpe who I think reads very well, and enjoying it so far although I'm not all that far in as yet.

I also recently read Inspector French: Fear Comes to Chalfont by Freeman Wills Crofts, which I found a great read - I really like most of the books by Crofts that I've read so far.