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Starting/joining in with buddy reads
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What Members Thought
This is the third in the Inspector Sloan series, first published in 1969, and which I am enjoying greatly. This book begins at Ornum House, home of the 13th Earl of Ornum, Henry Augustus Rudolfo Cremond Cremond. With taxes high, the family have opened the house to day trippers and, among these are Mrs Pearl Fisher with her thirteen year old twins, Michael and Maureen. Michael is a very curious boy and manages to extract himself from the tour of the house and find the dungeons, where he discovers
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This short novel, narrated beautifully by Robin Bailey, was fun and a bit baffling to me. Although I spotted the major clue, I couldn’t figure out its significance. Inspector Sloan, however, could, leading to the unmasking of a most surprising culprit.
Although written in the 1960s it reads like a classic Golden Age novel, with the tropes and stereotypes I love. I do plan to read more of Aird’s Inspector Sloan series.
Although written in the 1960s it reads like a classic Golden Age novel, with the tropes and stereotypes I love. I do plan to read more of Aird’s Inspector Sloan series.
This book has also been published under the title 'The Complete Steel'. Ornum House is a favourite place for day trips for the people of Calleshire. Bit one small boy gets more than he bargained for when he lifts the visor on a complete suit of armour and sees a face staring back at him. Osborne Meredith - that family archivist and historian has been murdered and put inside the suit of armour. DI Sloan and DC Crosby are sent to investigate.
Sloan soon decides that it is an inside job but trying t ...more
Sloan soon decides that it is an inside job but trying t ...more
A very English mystery certainly, with many of the clichés associated with them. While this isn't brilliant nor has an overly complicated or intricate plot as far as mystery stories go, I quite enjoyed it. The narrative is humorous mostly because of the interaction between people at very different levels (opposite ends, pretty much) of English society. One character I found a little exaggerated but overall this was a fun revisit.
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As the title says, this story is set in a Stately House, that due to lack of funds, has been opened to the public. It starts by following a coach of locals who are to view the house and it's contents, and to learn something of it's history. Mrs Pearl Fisher, a mother of two young teenagers, Maureen and Michael, are part of he coach party. Michael finds the conducted tour rather slow, and wanders off alone. This leads him to the dungeons, and eventually when the tour catches up with him, he finds
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3.5 stars. A librarian is found dead stuffed within a suit of armour in a stately home. Inspector Sloan is assigned the murder where the murder weapon could be any of medieval arms in the armory of the house. Crosby, the inspector's young assistant, provides excellent moments of comedy. I am really enjoying this well plotted mysteries for their moments of humour.
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5 stars for the book, 4 stars for the narration. (He reads it a little faster than I like, and a few of his voices are a little too similar.) Review to come.
Jan 16, 2016
Lady Clementina ffinch-ffarowmore
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