From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives

Mystery Villa
by
Start date
October 17, 2020
Finish date
November 10, 2020
Discussion
Buddy reads
Why we're reading this
The fourth in the popular Bobby Owen series.

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Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 468 topics — 9,046 comments total
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What Members Thought

ShanDizzy
Sep 10, 2018 rated it really liked it
Intriguing

Monday 6:45pm - Only 27% done and I feel so utterly sad. My eyes glisten with unshed tears. This poor old lady seems to have given up on life because of some shock received 40 years earlier. The house in which she resides is completely, achingly desolate, with a woebegone, pervasive loneliness that is utterly, unbearably melancholy. And yet I must (like Sargeant Bobby Owen) find out why?

Tuesday 10:30am - Oh boy! A body has been found in a trunk in that dilapidated relic of a house. It
...more
Jill
Dec 21, 2019 rated it liked it
Shelves: e-r-punshon
I did like this book from the Bobby Owen series, but did find it rather repetitive in parts. Also as others have commented it did end quite abruptly. The question of old frail people living alone, uncared for, is not a thing of the past and happens often even today. However this old lady's circumstances were different, but it didn't stop this reader feeling sorry for her. ...more
Louise Culmer
Mar 21, 2025 rated it liked it
Another case for posh policeman Bobby Owen’s (recently promoted to sergeant). This one has a crazy plot involving an eccentric recluse, a wedding breakfast left untouched for years, and an unexpected corpse. It was quite amusing, though I still find Superintendent Mitchell a more interesting character than Bobby Owens.
Carolien
Oct 24, 2020 rated it liked it
Shelves: 2020, english-mystery
I loved the setting - old Tudor style house with a recluse who occasionally is seen by her neighbors. Suddenly there is a flurry of activity - a young woman visits, a cat burglar and another young man appear and then nothing. The mystery starts strong, but the second half drags on a bit and then the final resolution feels rushed. It is however a good example of a Golden Age mystery and I enjoyed comparing the changes in police procedures to current practices -modern scene of crime officers would ...more
Shauna
May 19, 2017 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: golden-age-crime
Judy
May 14, 2017 rated it liked it
Jan C
May 14, 2017 marked it as to-read
Ellen
Jun 10, 2017 rated it it was amazing
Daniele
Jun 06, 2018 rated it liked it
Rachel Burke
Oct 24, 2017 marked it as want-to-buy
Robin
Feb 19, 2018 marked it as to-read
Susan in NC
Sep 12, 2018 marked it as to-read
Gary Vassallo
Oct 02, 2018 marked it as ebook-library
Tracey
Oct 18, 2020 marked it as to-read
Jennifer
Dec 30, 2020 rated it liked it
Erin Sorrels
Jan 18, 2021 rated it it was amazing
Shelves: 2021-read
ChrisGA
Apr 02, 2021 marked it as to-read
Kajehas
Jun 30, 2022 rated it liked it
Laura Hannaway
Feb 27, 2023 rated it really liked it
Dee Ann
Apr 12, 2023 marked it as to-read
Shelves: mysteries
Gardener0126
Nov 01, 2023 is currently reading it