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

Judy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I've started this one but am not very far in as yet - I'm enjoying the opening on the train and the amazing quirkiness of the whole setting.

I agree it was good to have Olive appearing more and all the references to various everyday aspects of the war were interesting and helped to make it feel more realistic.

PS I notice we had Bobby running around in the dark at the end again!

I've finished this now - I enjoyed most of it but thought there was too much over-complicated explanation of the solution, which made me slightly glaze over! I also think there are an awful lot of strangely intense people in Punshon's books, and they get a bit similar.

Jill, I usually read the introductions at the end - I actually did read this one first but then forgot it and will need to read it again.

I have that same cover on the library copy I've borrowed, and do agree it isn't exactly appropriate, Rosina!

I've started this and am enjoying it so far, though I sometimes miss the younger Bobby.

The winner of our August poll is Death of a Bookseller by Bernard J. Farmer - thanks to all who nominated and voted.

Full results:
Death of a Bookseller 10 votes, 47.6%
The Polo Ground Mystery 7 votes, 33.3%
The Invisible Host 2 votes, 9.5%
The Chianti Flask 2 votes, 9.5%
The Six Queer Things 0 votes, 0.0%

I really liked this book and agree with Jill that it was interesting to see Maigret tempted by friendship and becoming part of a group, but realising he must remain an outsider.

I've finished this now and must say I really loved it - even better than the first book.

I've started this (only a month late!) and am enjoying it so far. Simenon comes up with so many clever and different plots.

Our new batch of buddy reads are all open now, please take a look and join in. I'm off to work now but will be back later to comment on them :)

Sandy wrote: "I was only so-so about this book, after really liking Death of an Airman..."

This was how I felt too, Sandy - I thought the hotel setting was well done but there were so many characters that I couldn't keep track of them and I didn't think the plot really hung together all that well.

I do agree that I didn't understand why the aptly-named Rev Blood cut up the body, and I also found the idea of so many characters being wealthy, retired drug addicts who were happy to live in the hotel a bit unlikely!

As it's the middle of the month, just opening up our new buddy reads, with thanks to Susan for the introductions. :)

Who is reading this one? I haven't got to it yet but am hoping the Christmas setting makes me feel a bit cooler!

I'm surprised to see a Christmas book (Mistletoe and Magic on the Cornish Coast) on the offers list today!

I remember enjoying The Body in the Road, Jill.

I don't think I've seen Arthur Hughes in anything but Sean Bean as Cromwell is intriguing casting. I see Barak is going to be in the first story instead of Mark - must say I think Barak is a better character.

I see filming for the Disney Plus Shardlake series is now under way and casting has been announced:
https://press.disney.co.uk/news/arthu...

I didn't get on with this foe a while due to various things, but am really into it now and finding it a hard book to put down.

Sarah wrote: "Crispin's chance to thoroughly criticize, through satire, the failings of both Labour and Conservative parties after the war. A Labour candidate who's an Industrial magnate and a Tory who's a farm worker who went to night school. ..."

Great point, Sarah, thank you! I don't think I appreciated the whole election element as much as I could have done, probably because I was listening to an audiobook and constantly waiting to get back to the mystery. I did notice the ironic difference in political views between the left-wing Lord and his Conservative taxi driver fiancee!

What did anyone think of the romances? I enjoyed that one but wasn't so sure about Judd, who I found rather creepy (I suspected him), getting together with Jacqueline.

Jill wrote: "Finished Night's Cloak,,, Please could we have the frozen topics thawed out for the E R Punshon book..."

I've opened the Night's Cloak threads now as requested.

It will be a little while until I get to that one myself though as I'm still rather behind.