Thou Shell of Death (Nigel Strangeways, #2) in Reading the Detectives

Dec 04, 2016 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Nicholas Blake (the pen name of Cecil Day-Lewis) introduced his fictional detective Nigel Strangeways in A Question of Proof, set in a boys prep school. This second mystery takes place in a more traditional setting, a house party, albeit with a twist. Nigel Strangeways is asked by his uncle, luckily the Assistant Commissioner of Police, to take on a new case. Fergus O'Brien, famous flying ace from WWI and intrepid hero, is staying at the Dower House in Strangeways aunt's estate. He has been rece ...more

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Oct 11, 2016 ShanDizzy rated it really liked it

From pages 34-35 - Lucilla Thrale certainly lived up to O'Brien's description of "professional peach"; she stepped from the car with the air of Cleopatra disembarking from her "burnished throne": even the bleak Somerset wind grew love-sick with her perfume. She was tall for a woman, blonde as a Nazi's dream, full-figured. "O, rare for Antony," murmured Nigel, as she undulated towards the front door.
Philip Starling overheard him. "Nonsense," he said. "Pick 'em up like that two a penny at Brighto ...more

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Nov 19, 2012 Damaskcat rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Nigel Strangeways, private investigator, is invited to spend Christmas with flying ace, Fergus O’Brian, who has rented the Dower House from his aunt and uncle. Fergus’s life appears to be under threat from an anonymous letter writer. Nigel finds himself part of a Christmas house party with a selection of people who might or might not be the letter writer.

When Fergus is found shot dead with his own revolver on Boxing Day morning in circumstances which indicate it may have been suicide Nigel is fa ...more

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Dec 28, 2020 Jenn Estepp rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sleuths-and-gumshoes, kindling, pandemic-and-aftermath

I enjoyed this one much more than the first Nigel Strangeways - enough to keep going with the series. Although still maybe a little long?

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Nov 05, 2018 Gardener0126 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

First of all, let me just say that I thoroughly enjoyed this Nigel Strangeways mystery. Nicholas Blake has written yet another witty, literate mystery. Blake was a pen name of Cecil Day-Lewis, who was poet laureate in the UK from 1968 until his death in 1972, and even in his mystery novels, he uses words in poetic ways. His words seem to flow, there’s nothing awkward or discordant about them. They are purely and simply, a pleasure to read. I stayed up half the night to finish this one, and I was ...more

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Nov 05, 2018 Annarella rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Another fabolous mystery by Nicholas Blake. I loved the other books I read by this author and I loved this one.
The style of writing is great, the mystery both engaging and entertaining.
A book you cannot put down and keep you guessing till the end.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Agora Books and Netgalley for this ARC

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May 28, 2020 Anna Adams rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Enjoying Nigel Strangeways. I understood the whodunnit, but I took it a bit farther than Nigel did, which is probably because I'm reading it decades into the future. I'm making myself read these in order, even though I first bought Book 15. But Nigel, like DLS's Lord Peter, grows with the series, so I didn't want to spoil. (And also, I'm a disappointing rule follower.)

Will probably take a break before #3 because I don't actually want to binge when there are a finite number of books.

...more

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Dec 03, 2022 Ellen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 30, 2019 Leslie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries, kindle

3.5*

It took me a while but I eventually figured the solution out (mostly) before Nigel Strangeways gave his final explanation :) In truth, for quite a long time I had been convinced that (view spoiler). Having read some of the later books in the series, it was fun to see how Nigel & Georgia met. ...more

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