Tracey’s Comments (group member since Nov 08, 2017)

Tracey’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Difficult to choose. I want to read them all!

True. Though he does mention how a lot of his trade is non-medical, and that the counter girl can deal with it.

I was taken in my Osbourne too.

Did I miss how the solictor and the three witches pass the information on to Osbourne (and the consumer researchers)? It would have been quite the undertaking to oversee such an organisation, plus put the thallium in place, and run a pharmacy shop... no wonder he retired!

Am very much enjoying the Mrs Oliver character, I think she's quite a hoot! Happy to discover that she appears in some of the Poirot series.

A bit behind on my reading this month... I think this is my favourite Marsh so far. It was good to have Fox and Bathgate back in the picture, and to be introduced to his mother. I found myself lost in a Google wormhole looking at cruises from the UK to NZ, it seems that today they take about 2 months. So although Alleyn was away for a year, he would have spent a large proportion of the year at sea, which explains the time that Troy found to paint his portrait.

As for the murder, the bitter coffee / aspirin / long sleep led me to thinking it was Basil. Will be interesting to see how the romance with Troy develops.

Susan - good point about the inclusion of a Chinaman. I think it works as the big four are international. Though I'm not sure which was published first, this book or Ronald Konx's rules?

Certainly a change from the Poirot books I've read so far! It was interesting to read the background to this book, from the links in the other thread. The chess game and Achille were the highlights for me. Hastings must have spent months away from his wife, it was almost as if he was staying away intentionally!

Elinor - I agree with you. I enjoy a puzzle mystery, and a engaging detective. My personal fave is a locked room mystery, a real brain teaser! I prefer there not to be too much gore in the actual killing.

I'm currently reading Blood on the Tracks: Railway Mysteries. Enjoying so far, it has a great selection of authors. I'm reading this as part of some pre-reading for the Bodies from the Library conference on the 16th June in London - is anyone else going?

I read this book a couple of years ago (and have a tbr pile too high to reread at the moment). I enjoyed the diverse residents of the boarding house. Although agree that the police procedure to catch the killer was pretty farcical at times!

If you enjoyed this, you may want to know that Basil and Betty pop up again in Death on the Cherwell.

Carol - I'm jealous! The descriptions of the scenery made me want to save up for a trip to NZ!

Having skipped the last couple of Poirot buddy reads, I'm back on track with this one. And actually read it early, due to my library being prompt.

I didn't spot the twist at all. And the moment it happened, I kicked myself. As in hindsight all the clues are the there. I've not read much Poirot, and have enjoyed all I've read to date, but this book was utterly brilliant. Looking forward to continuing the challange!

I really liked the setting of this book, and the insight into life in NZ. Although Bathgate didn't appear, we did have Susan Max popping up. I didn't realise from the previous books that Alleyn was such a renowned dectective and author of a dectective book - maybe I'd missed that?

I wasn't as keen on the actual method of murder, I found it all a bit too ridiculous to have this giant bottle champange flying through the sky.

I'd second a vote for including John Dickson Carr in the male 'big 4'. What about adding John Bude for consideration?

I've just finished Miss Pym Disposes which I thoroughly enjoyed. However I can see how it divides opinion as it isn't a classic crime story. But it was a witty read, reminiscent of Malory towers books!

Rosina you've reminded me that one of the books on Garnette's bookshelf was 'from wotan to Hitler'. I was a little shocked by this, as the book was from 1936. But I suppose he was in power at the time, although this is pre-WW2.

Agree with the comments about the sympathies for a Maurice compared to nastiness about others within the group.

There were a few of lines in this book that made me laugh out loud (not entirely sure that was intended). Some of Mr Ogden's language was so over the top, such as 'well ain't you the clam' s cuticle'! Although in hindsight, this OTT makes sense. And I quite enjoyed Alleyn's 'so put that on your needles and knit it'. I think I might try to use that one!

I appreciate a map in a book too!

I am about halfway, and thoroughly enjoyed Bathgate and Alleyn discussing detective novels.

Thank you Judy for the information about the BBC show. I was looking forward to watching this at Christmas, so glad it's finally getting an airing.

Finally finished this book, so can join the discussion. I've recently returned to work after maternity leave, and this working business is playing havoc with my reading time!

I enjoyed this, plenty of suspects. I was suspicious of Dr Roberts due to his views on hereditary traits and eugenics, which didn't seem to be challenged by anyone, including Alleyn (until the final chapter). But I couldn't work out how he did it. Although for an anaesthetist not able to give injections, I'm amazed he got any work at all!

While it was nice to catch up with Nigel and Angela's continued romance, I agree that it didn't really add much to the plot. I found the chapter where they went undercover at the communist meeting a little unbelievable. Not just because it was a public meeting that started at midnight! Would that have happened?

After reading favourable reviews of the TV series Babylon Berlin, I've started reading the first book in the series.