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

Tracey’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Fantastic challenge! Looking forward to it.

charcoal wrote: "The peroxiding of Victoria's hair. Does anyone find this believable? She smelt the chloroform, so she'd have smelt the peroxide, which was presumably applied after the shampoo was rinsed out. Also,..."

Excellent points! Your completely right about the smell, even the most conditioning dyes leave a smell in hair for the first few washes. Let alone 1950's peroxide! Also, unless her hair was super short, could she not see it, especially as it was such a dramatic colour change, or at least feel a texture difference?

Victoria was fun, and after her escape into the desert I couldn't put the book down. The first part of the book was a much slower read.

I thought the air travel information was fascinating. Victoria mentioned a buffet on the plane, stewards handing out cotton wool, chewing gum and barley sugar. And having two overnight stops to get to Iraq.

Thank you, downloaded too. I do like to listen to a bookish podcast whilst cooking.

I agree with the "kitchen sink" completely review. Not enough focus for me.

I didn't particularly enjoy this. I found Cade a bit irritating. It was a bit disjointed to me, are we looking for the jewel or the manuscript (or the letters)?

Enjoyed Lord Caterham, he reminded me of characters in Ngaio Marsh novels. I would have liked him to have played a greater part in the solution though.

I thought the ending of Jimmy getting bashed on the head, and when he woke the mystery solved, had something of the Scooby-Doo about it.

I liked Jimmy! I enjoyed the writing and the setting. Maybe it's because I'm stuck in seemingly endless travel restrictions, that I was weak to the idea of a seaside escape. The conclusion of the mystery itself was poor, but I'd certainly seek out other books by this author.

Susan in NC wrote: "Just started next month’s group read, Calamity in Kent ."

Me too. Enjoying it very much so far.

Judy wrote: "Just wanted to say many thanks to Sandy and Tracey for mentioning the Bodies from the Library conference - I watched it virtually this afternoon and really enjoyed it. Some great speakers including..."

I thought it was brilliant too. My tbr list is groaning from it though! I'm glad to hear they have recorded some of it, as I missed the last couple of talks (due to small people, at one point I did have my littlest reading the very hungry caterpillar on my lap whilst I was attempting to watch!)

Great article Alwynne - thanks for sharing.

Apologies if this has already been mentioned, bodies from the library - the golden age detective fiction conference that's usually held at the British library is going online this year. It's on the 15th May, held over zoom, and it's free to register. The program is available here: https://bodiesfromthelibrary.com/prog...

Sandy wrote: "I have been really enjoying Howdunit: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club. I expected to pick and choose the essays that looked interesting or are by aut..."

I'd heard Martin Edwards speak about this book on a podcast and it pricked my interest. Good to know it's worth a read. Will add to my groaning tbr list.

I enjoyed the diary entry format and Anne was a great character. Agree that there is some quite rated parts.

I wish Anne had gone off into the sunset with Colonel Race, rather than Harry. Her relationship with Harry seemed rather volatile, to say the least!

I'm currently reading Regeneration by Pat Barker. I only really remember from school war poetry by Wilfred Owen, this book is making me want read Siegfried Sassoon. And it also is really making me yearn for a trip to Edinburgh (fingers crossed that will be possible very soon).

Colin wrote: "I'm reading Sorcerer's House by Gerald Verner at the moment. There's a creepy old derelict mansion, whispers about Cagliostro's black deeds in the past, a larg..."

Sounds very intriguing. Added to the tbr list!

Judy wrote: "I used to love the Chalet School books, Tracey, but I don't think I have ever read that one. I wonder if they would appeal to me so much now? I loved the Alpine setting and the sprinkling of French..."

This one is post-war. I think they first moved from Tyrol to Guernsey, then Wales, now to an remote Welsh Island. I've missed the war years, and now Joey is married with a big brood. I am finding them quite charming to read, though it's such a big series, reading them all would be quite an undertaking!

I'm reading The Chalet School and the Island. The fourth Chalet school book that I've recently read. As a child this series passed me by (not sure how or why, as it's very like lots of other books I was an avid reader of). Gentle escapism, which is quite soothing for these times!

I've just finished The Seat of the Scornful which even though the plot had it's less plausible moments, was a fantastic read. I'm not sure John Dickson Carr can go wrong for me! I wish his books were more easily available.

I wondered if Jane Finn was a mix of Jane Doe/Mickey Finn. That thinking made me suspect she was either dead or drugged.