From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Rest You Merry (Peter Shandy, #1)

Charlotte MacLeod

Start date: December 1, 2023

Finish date: December 31, 2023

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: Last title in our 2023 challenge, a seasonal favourite!
[close] Last title in our 2023 challenge, a seasonal favourite!

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 14 posts · 16 views

last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:08AM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
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last updated Sep 01, 2025 04:16PM

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What Members Thought

Nov 28, 2023 Susan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Hmmm, or should that be, 'er,' as the central character seems to constantly repeat, 'er.....' so often that I was tempted to throw my kindle at the wall once or twice.

This was published in 1978 and was read for one of my Goodreads groups. The main characer is Professor Peter Shandy who, understandably, gets so fed up with all the Christmas decorations on campus ('the Grand illumination') that he puts flashing lights all over the house, blasts music at everyone and goes on holiday. Very smart, yo ...more

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Dec 08, 2021 Jill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: charlotte-macleod

This is the first in the Peter Shandy series and the first book by this author I have read, and I loved it. I looked at the series as Susan in NC said she read this book at Christmas time, so I am grateful to her for the recommendation. The book is so very Christmassy, with illumination of a town, and all things related to Christmas. The plot came together well, from Peter losing his marble to the the culprit being unmasked.
I really liked the Peter Shandy character, despite his little foibles. A ...more

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Nov 27, 2015 Diane rated it it was amazing

Shelves: _favorites_mystery-suspense, mystery_cozy-and-or-humorous

I love this book! Do yourself a favor: at least read the hilarious first chapter. It can stand alone as a short story, & it's readable for free (completely included in the Kindle sample).

RYM starts out with perhaps the funniest "Bah, humbug!" a likable fellow has ever committed, then proceeds to introduce a colorful cast of characters in a clever little mystery.

I don't always like "quirky" cozy mysteries -- sometimes they seem to be trying so hard to be funny that you can't care about the poorl I love this book! Do yourself a favor: at least read the hilarious first chapter. It can stand alone as a short story, & it's readable for free (completely included in the Kindle sample).

RYM starts out with perhaps the funniest "Bah, humbug!" a likable fellow has ever committed, then proceeds to introduce a colorful cast of characters in a clever little mystery.

I don't always like "quirky" cozy mysteries -- sometimes they seem to be trying so hard to be funny that you can't care about the poorly-developed (and/or TSTL) protagonists, and sometimes the author seems to have written a "light" story because they lack the skills for any more -- but Charlotte MacLeod is a fine and even erudite writer.

There are a few brief [literary] allusions which went over my head, although I appreciated the clever ones I did understand, and even if those ALL go over yours, you'll still find PLENTY to make you chuckle in the rest of the book.

General bibliographic info
i.e., all the late Ms. MacLeod (1922-2005)'s mystery series
============================================
Writing as Charlotte MacLeod, she has :
* the Peter Shandy [& Helen Marsh Shandy, DLS] Balaclava Agricultural College mystery series this book begins, and
* the Max Bittersohn / Sarah Kelling Kelling Bittersohn (No, that's not a typo) Boston uppercrust mysteries.
Under the name Alisa Craig, she has Canadian mysteries starring :
* Madoc Rhys of the RCMP [& Janet (pronounced Jennet) Wadman Rhys], and
* the Lobelia Falls Grub-and-Stakers Gardening & Roving Club mysteries, featuring Dittany Henbit Monk, her Zane-Grey-wannabe husband Osbert, and his larger-than-life romance-author aunt, Arethusa.
That's in order by my overall rough preferences among her series'. Although individual books in each are better or worse, there's not a one I regret having read. (My mother, who also loved Ms. MacLeod, felt the Shandy story "Curse of the Giant Hogweed" was simply too nonsensical/zany for her, but it is a bit different, so I can understand.) ...more

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Dec 07, 2023 Frances rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

This was a reasonably engaging mystery from the 70's. set in a University town and centred on the death of a local busybody over the Christmas holidays. Lots of stereotypes and not super believable characters but a fun read. ...more

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Dec 30, 2023 Neer rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: vintage-mystery, american-authors, 1970s, mysteries, humour, women-writers, downloads, canadian-authors, reads-23, new-authors-23

A most enjoyable academic mystery set during Christmas. More here: https://ahotcupofpleasureagain.wordpr... ...more

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Dec 17, 2023 Indeneri rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, historical, 2023

Funny, entertaining and a good mystery.

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Dec 27, 2020 Rachel Burke rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed-and-read, christmas

If this book has a flaw it’s that the language is just inaccessible to most readers. Upper-class American Academese is the language of the book. I have a fairly extensive vocabulary and I was looking things up as I read. And many of the terms were not easily accessible via dictionary.

That being said it was a well plotted thoughtful mystery.

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