A gruesome tale with an interesting premise - the killer video phones the victim's nearest and dearest and sets them a game show type pair of questionA gruesome tale with an interesting premise - the killer video phones the victim's nearest and dearest and sets them a game show type pair of questions, one easy and one they find impossible to answer, horribly torturing and finally murdering the victim.
However, I found it let down by the execution. The only character at all developed was Mr J, who starts off as a red herring as if he could be the killer. He was the redeeming feature of the book and I would like to have read a story about his particular career. The actual protagonist detective is written completely flatly and I found it not terribly convincing that he was supposedly such a genius that everyone including his partner and boss stand around having to have him spell everything out for them. It's also ridiculous that he goes into a perilous situation without backup and without even telling anyone where he's going. In real life, he surely would have been disciplined.
The reveal of the killer's identity was baffling - I had to page through the paperback to track down where they had previously appeared. The effect was of a brand new character who had never featured suddenly being introduced. The actual ending was only redeemed by the inclusion of Mr J.
It was troubling that all of the victims were women. A minor but irritating element was having a 'gag' about women and shoes which even the female boss goes along with and the other stereotype about women not liking whisky. So the most I can rate this as is an OK 2 stars....more
Kinsey is a private detective who occasionally does work for an insurance company who used to employ her fulltime. As Christmas approaches, she is getKinsey is a private detective who occasionally does work for an insurance company who used to employ her fulltime. As Christmas approaches, she is getting morose - her usual support network has withdrawn, with landlord Henry off to see his family, the restaurant where she often eats closed for the season, and her boyfriend on a skiing trip with his family - it seems he is married. Being California, it is rather unseasonal as UK-based people like myself would view it, and Kinsey is finding it hard to get into the Christmas spirit.
To add to her irritations, she is notified of a deposit at the bank of 5,000 dollars which she was not expecting, and phones them to query it. They promise to look into it, but with Christmas looming it seems this will take a while. Then she is assigned what looks like a routine investigation of a fire at a warehouse, owned by a company where she knows the owning family - she was friends at high school with one of the daughters. But the file passed to her has been tampered with to remove references by the fire chief to possible arson, and before long she finds herself framed as an accomplice which would carry a heavy jail sentence.
I'd never read any of this series before and was surprised it was set in California. It was quite a nostalgic read - I gather it was first published in 1988 and there are references galore to manual typewriters, carbon paper, tape recorders and other technology of the period with not a mobile phone or the internet in sight. The only computer mentioned is of the mainframe variety requiring punched card operators.
It was also quite entertaining. The viewpoint character is a no-nonsense woman with a dry sense of humour. There's plenty of action in between the more mundane business of going from one place to another doing old style foot-slogging investigation including a bit of breaking and entering. Some rather shocking things happen, not least the dark turn the story takes which directly impacts on the solution of who is behind the frame and ultimately behind more than one murder. I'll avoid spoilers but those elements were probably especially shocking in the late 1980s when there was far less awareness of abusive relationships. Quite a bit of the character's own back story is revealed also, particularly in relation to her second marriage when her ex-husband Daniel turns up and provides her with more evidence of his unredeemed bad character.
Where the story falls down is in credibility in certain areas. A lot of the fake evidence is planted against Kinsey because she leaves her handbag in an office during her examination of the burned warehouse. Considering that a short while beforehand she had been suspicious of the company CEO whom she was interviewing, this seems rather foolhardy and a bit too convenient for the plot. Throughout the novel, people Kinsey phones or goes to see give her information quite readily which seems a bit unlikely: in the UK, the Data Protection Act was introduced in 1984 and release of information to enquirers was strictly limited, but maybe things were a bit more relaxed in the USA at that time. It does, however, make it easier for her to find out certain things and track down people to interview.
On balance, it was an entertaining page-turning read and I would rate it at 3 stars....more
As a fan of "Foyle's War" I was expecting a good involving read. A self sufficient woman in her forties, volunteering as an ARP warden in 1940 East LoAs a fan of "Foyle's War" I was expecting a good involving read. A self sufficient woman in her forties, volunteering as an ARP warden in 1940 East London, comes across the body of a murdered young woman. The ARP warden lost her husband in the First World War after a brief marriage, for most of which he was away at the Front, and has little to live for, only feeling alive during the bombing. She was a really interesting character and I would have loved to read more about her, but apart from another brief cameo, not in her point of view, she doesn't feature. Instead the rest of the story consists of the plodding viewpoint of the investigating officer and his rookie sidekick.
Things are repeatedly spelled out despite being obvious and there's quite a bit of research on show which often seems unnecessary, yet I did wonder about certain aspects. I know this is early on in the war but there wasn't much awareness of rationing, people were often tucking into fruit cake and the like, and the police use of a car, though permitted, did seem a bit too routine. I also didn't find the characters well developed or the motive for murder and perpetrators convincing so can only rate this as an OK 2 stars, mainly for the potential of the ARP woman. A series about her investigating crimes in the Blitz truly would have been a winner....more
I first read this short story years ago and have re-read it a couple of times since. The re-reads don't carry the same impact of the revelation of whaI first read this short story years ago and have re-read it a couple of times since. The re-reads don't carry the same impact of the revelation of what lies behind the perfect happiness of the citizens of Omelas and their ideal existence, but it still remains a haunting tale nonetheless....more
**spoiler alert** Maggie and Alex find an old journal hidden in the chimney of their cottage, which contains recipes for herbal remedies and some jott**spoiler alert** Maggie and Alex find an old journal hidden in the chimney of their cottage, which contains recipes for herbal remedies and some jottings by someone apparently called Bella who has a difficult relationship with "A". Most of the pages seem blank but with handling, Maggie discovers more writing becomes visible. Her husband, a character I thoroughly disliked, is controlling and refuses to let her return to part time education, insisting she stay home and look after their daughter and son. With no other outlet for her intellect and curiosity, Maggie becomes interested in herbalism and tries out a cure for her son's sore eye.
She buys supplies from a shop, run by a sympathetic man called Ash, and through him, meets Liz. The old woman is a hedge witch/Wise Woman with a curmudgeonly attitude who recognises Maggie as being a 'one' - someone with the potential to become a witch - but worries that she is in too much of a hurry, delving into knowledge that can be harmful.
Maggie is the more sympathetic of the main characters, but flawed, becoming so drawn into her pursuit of magic that she forgets to collect her children from school and nursery on occasion. But Alex is plain awful. Not only does he shamelessly exploit all the women around him, having affairs with two, including a student on the archaeological dig where he is in charge, in one scene he cold-bloodedly beats up Maggie, and at other times acts outrageously towards her. He is brought under control by the end, but I was disappointed not to see him get his just deserts, or at least have him elbowed out and replaced by Ash.
It was surprising that the book was published in the 1990s because that aspect came across as more reminiscent of the 1970s. By the 1990s, there was much greater awareness of the issue of domestic violence, and Alex should not get off lightly. So although I enjoyed the magical aspect, I have to deduct a star and rate this as 4 stars overall....more
A sobering read. I had come across most of the information in various forms before, including television documentaries, at least some produced by the A sobering read. I had come across most of the information in various forms before, including television documentaries, at least some produced by the author, who I think was responsible for "The Nazis: A Warning from History". However, this book adds a valuable view.
Apart from the previously unpublished eyewitness testimony it contains, it sets out to answer the "why" question. It traces Hitler's first documented anti Semitic views in 1919 through his rise to power and then each step along the way towards mass murder and the building of extermination camps, demonstrating that there was not one big decision but a lot of steps and escalations along the way.
I knew about the extermination of the disabled that paved the way by trialing methods of gassing, but hadn't realised quite how involved medical practitioners were in actually running death camps like Treblinka, having transferred from the disabled murder programme following protests from the German public who had finally heard about what was going on. The author contrasts that with the general lack of protest when the rumours spread about the mass murder of Jews. And given previous material about anti Semitic attitudes in Poland, it was interesting that a surprising number of non Jewish Poles saved the lives of Jews in Warsaw by hiding them. Far more than in Berlin.
The narrative continues right through the period when the Nazis were losing the war but still pursuing the extermination policy to the bitter end. It also acknowledges some of the other groups of people murdered, including Sinti and Roma, Polish political prisoners, and Soviet POWs. The Jehovah's Witnesses and gay men are briefly mentioned. There is, however, no mention of the Resistance fighters and the women of SOE who were also killed.
The only reason I have dropped a star is that there is quite a lot of repetition where the author, for example, gives a date two or three times in as many paragraphs which makes the style a bit clunky in places. So overall I rate this as 4 stars....more
In this volume, Morton the genealogist is happily married with a young daughter, and his wife is about to return to duty as a policewoman. He takes onIn this volume, Morton the genealogist is happily married with a young daughter, and his wife is about to return to duty as a policewoman. He takes on a case for an old man who wants to know about a female ancestor who left an intriguing letter which hinted at the presence of gold found after the letter's intended recipient had apparently gone abroad. The evidence is a single gold sovereign.
I found the framing modern day story rather confusing. There seemed to be two nephews with a fixation on the gold, though one appeared in only one scene and the behaviour of the other grew increasingly preposterous. I was also confused by the set up of Morton's family as early books had it that he was born after his birth mother had been raped - given the friendly relationship with his father, that clearly wasn't the case.
The 19th century story of smuggling was more interesting though I did think there was a huge historical "clanger" dropped early on relating to a sum of money which it was absurd that a labourer's wife would even possess let alone give away. Perhaps it was meant as a clue, but later on, the character being researched refers to seeing this person with gold in a different context rather than when she was handed the huge sum, so perhaps the scene wasn't meant that way. It was also not credible that the same money fetched so little at the pub or failed to draw interest especially since it's clear elsewhere that a drink cost a lot less. I have noticed major mistakes elsewhere in this series so it might be another failure to do thorough historical research.
The book dragged a bit and I set it aside to read another so I can only rate it as an OK 2 stars....more
In book 2 of the series about five years have passed. Emerson and Amelia (who he still calls 'Peabody') are missing their ramshackle Egyptian experienIn book 2 of the series about five years have passed. Emerson and Amelia (who he still calls 'Peabody') are missing their ramshackle Egyptian experience but tied to England because of their son, since the climate of Egypt is not thought good for children. An offer comes up for Emerson to take over management of an archaeological dig into what appears to be an undiscovered tomb in the valley of the Kings (note, this is about 35 years or so before the real life discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb there). They finally decide to go and they leave the child with Emerson's brother and his wife, their friend from book 1. The vacancy in Egypt has arisen because wealthy Lord Baskerville died unexpectedly, but leaving provision in his will for the work to continue, and his archaeologist has disappeared. An Irish newsman is soon peddling stories of a curse which becomes problematic during the story as the local people are all too ready to believe it.
Amelia takes a disliking to the widowed Lady Baskerville who seems rather too manipulative in getting men to dance attendance on her. They settle in at a house built by Lord Baskerville within walking distance of the valley, accompanied by Abdullah, their foreman, and other men who have previously worked for them and are loyal. But a local Islamic cleric is opposed to their presence, and trouble looms from the notorious village of tomb robbers. Further complications arise from the presence of a young woman, Mary, chiefly because of her alcoholic and half-demented mother who thinks she is a reincarnation of an Ancient Egyptian Queen and Emerson is her husband - though she keeps changing her mind about which King he formerly was - plus two young men on the archaeological team who are rivals for Mary's affections. The journalist also is a would-be lover of Mary's, and eventually inveigles his way onto the team as a series of deaths occur, staff desert and they find themselves shorthanded to keep the tomb guarded against robbers and also protect Lady Baskerville and Amelia (the latter insisting she doesn't need protection). Amelia at least has her trusty stout parasol and has acquired a revolver, though is a bit unreliable with it. Her conviction that Lord Baskerville's death wasn't natural seems born out when actual murders occur, though her ideas about the culprit shift during the story.
Amelia is her usual opinionated self, and always feels she is right even when she isn't, though this is offset by her kindness to others. The tempestuous marriage between her and Emerson is revealed to have a deep love behind it, even if both parties won't show that in public, and this is clear whenever the life of either is endangered - which happens frequently. The colonialist attitudes of book 1 are not quite as grating: at one point, Amelia points out that the Arab watchman who was killed was also a human being and she is just as keen to bring his killer to justice as she would be for a European victim.
The comedy element continues, with their son Walter, nicknamed Ramesses a prodigal archaeologist in the making, and the slapstick appearances of Mary's mother. I didn't work out who the murderer was and enjoyed the story, not least the wry nod to the presence of Tutankhamun's tomb. The remains of a robber is found in the one they are excavating, who was wearing a pendant with that King's cartouche - Amelia remarks it's just as well that it isn't Tutankhamun's tomb as given his minor status that would be a real let-down! Altogether, I would rate this at 4 stars...more
An interesting cover drew me to this police procedural which it transpired was number eight in a series. A Detective Chief Inspector is a known expertAn interesting cover drew me to this police procedural which it transpired was number eight in a series. A Detective Chief Inspector is a known expert on locked room mysteries and is called in by a Detective Inspector faced with a shooting carried out in a compartment of a vintage railway carriage - the type with no corridor. This has occurred while the train was being filmed for a Edwardian style light feature.
I found the story unrealistic. The police didn't follow up the most rudimentary things. Early on, it was mentioned that the victim had originally come from Yorkshire, where the film was being made, and had changed his name. Given that any murder enquiry involves a deep dive into the victim's background especially when, as in this case, there's no robbery involved and indications are someone had a grudge, plus it was known that the actor had changed his name, it's not credible that it wasn't followed up. It is only when a superior, on leave, phones and tells the DCI the man's real name and what he did years ago when he lived in Yorkshire, that the case is broken. It just totally failed to convince.
I also couldn't understand why an attempt to break into the railyard the night after the murder didn't appear to have been reported to the investigating team. Or at least they don't refer to it until very late in the story. The fact that the carriage in which the murder took place was left unguarded while the constable on duty pursued the person he saw should have alerted the detectives to a possibly successful attempt to tamper with evidence. They also fail to guard it later and the inevitable happens.
Meanwhile, there were quite a few rambling scenes of people going off for the day to enjoy themselves at local beauty spots which had no bearing on the story at all, either to reveal character or develop plot. Scenes like that came across as more a travel guide to Yorkshire than a scene in a crime novel. Altogether I can only give this a 2-star "OK" rating....more
In this series opener, a Doctor Stamford, a man in his sixties in the 1920s, writes a memoir of his first meeting with Sherlock Holmes in 1876 when boIn this series opener, a Doctor Stamford, a man in his sixties in the 1920s, writes a memoir of his first meeting with Sherlock Holmes in 1876 when both were studying medicine. Stamford went on to become a doctor - possibly a surgeon, as recommended by Dr John Watson, with whom he had studied for a while. In fact, Stamford explains that it was he who eventually introduced Watson to Holmes when the former was looking for lodgings to share with someone. At the point where Stamford and Holmes meet, Holmes is studying medicine and chemistry as part of his plan to train to become the world's first consulting detective.
Both men are drawn into an investigation at the British Museum, initially at the request of a friend of Stamford's whose uncle has had an unsettling experience there at night, when he saw what appeared to be a ghostly procession in one of the blacked-out galleries: no means of light was permitted at night due to the fear of fire. They soon find themselves involved in trying to solve the theft of the famous Rosetta Stone. An early appearance of Lestrade, as a sergeant serving a blinkered inspector, is of interest during the investigation as Holmes can make no impression on Lestrade's superior.
I found the story a little drawn out in places and guessed the big twist before Holmes. But it was a pleasant read, if not a memorable one. It did, at least, refrain from the violence to Holmes' character inflicted in another reimagined Holmes novel that I read recently. So overall I would rate this at 3 stars....more
I found this collection of spooky tales involving trains a mixture, though the editor has made a interesting selection of modern stories and classics,I found this collection of spooky tales involving trains a mixture, though the editor has made a interesting selection of modern stories and classics, with settings ranging from Britain to the Far East. I don't intend to comment on them all: some didn't make enough of an impact to recall them after finishing the book.
“Beware of Tuesdays” starts the collection off and I got a strong sense of deja vu because the central premise is so obviously borrowed from Charles Dickens' "The Signalman". Ironically, then, Dickens story rounds off the collection and for me is by far the best, even though I had read it before. It just has such an understated atmosphere and sense of doom.
A couple of the stories were graphically violent and for me the least successful, such as the one in the swamps which was OTT and with a minimal train involvement. Too many unbelievable things were stacked on top of each other in that one - swamp monsters and a supernatural derelict train? Neither the protagonist nor his victim were at all sympathetic, leaving me with a 'so what' reaction. I also felt much the same about the 'evil train' one - it didn't really make sense. The whole premise for me started off wonky and got more and more unbelievable.
I enjoyed the two werewolf stories, one by the editor and set on a funicular railway - especially since I travelled on one of those years ago - and one in the Carpathians. There's a nice ambiguity in the latter as to whether the stoker aboard has or has not been 'turned' by the end of the story.
I wasn't keen on either of the stories set on undergrounds in the Far East. The appearance of the dead to the narrator - and the inclusion of the missing child - seemed random, and the other story was so vague I thought at first that "Tim" was a child himself. Random also was the conclusion of "Why are Trains always Late?" - a twist but so abrupt that it dangles the reader out on a limb. The ending of Edith Wharton's tale rather spoiled the rest of the story for me.
"Gallows Curve" was a heart wrenching story of loss, economically conveyed. By contrast, the story about the cleaner at the hotel was rather a by-the-numbers exercise which went on far too long and apart from having no connection to trains to speak of didn't make sense. If a hotel is semi-derelict, and in the middle of nowhere, why is a cleaner required anyway? There certainly didn't appear to be any guests. And again there was the piling of one unbelievable thing on another with ghosts and some kind of demonic beast. By contrast, "Out of Order" was a nicely developed tale of someone sheltering from the zombie apocalypse in a train toilet, with a twist at the end.
Given the pluses and minuses for me, I would rate this at an overall three stars....more
An interesting and useful book on how to self-edit your manuscript, either before submitting to an agent or before self-publishing. It contains usefulAn interesting and useful book on how to self-edit your manuscript, either before submitting to an agent or before self-publishing. It contains useful advice on how to tackle it, the various types of editing - and it was especially interesting to see the definition of line editing as opposed to copy editing since a lot of editors online seem to blur the lines or use those terms interchangeably - and also some good advice on certain things to work on in the manuscript. It was great to see a section that spells out what passive tense really is - it is not the verb 'to be' as so many people insist on internet forums.
I read through it but can see it will be a useful workbook to have alongside and work through in stages when tackling an edit after the first draft is complete, as you need to chunk up the book as advised and follow the steps indicated. The appendices include useful references. I wasn't put off by the swearing and the author makes it clear that, as an Australian, there will be certain swearing but it might not be to everyone's taste. The only issue I had with the book is that the illustrations were too small to be able to distinguish anything on my Kindle and being published in 2016 it might need some updating. I would rate this at four stars overall....more
This is book one in a series and rather unevenly written. I thought it would be a rare DNF for me, as I found the first few chapters before the protagThis is book one in a series and rather unevenly written. I thought it would be a rare DNF for me, as I found the first few chapters before the protagonist is sent to Yorkshire very off-putting. He is undercover when all goes wrong and it descends into cartoonish violence. There is a lot about his facial disfigurement from a roadside bomb when he was serving in the Paras, his crusade to find his father, who murdered his mother and abused his younger brother, and his precarious position in the police force. It detracted from the opening which was about a teenage girl who leaves home after some kind of dispute with the local vicar and her mother.
I set the book aside for weeks but decided to give it another try, continuing at the point where Grimm goes to Yorkshire. From there, the story does improve. When he arrives in Wensleydale, the mood is lightened by community policeman Jim, a far more likeable character. At first, Grimm is bemused by what he's meant to be doing in an area where the only problem is sheep rustling - something I doubt very much - but then a girl goes missing (the same girl in the story opening) and a body is found.
The book does still have problems, both major and minor. On the minor side, it's risible that the protagonist has never heard of the Blackpool Illuminations or thinks that a reference to hanging game birds means literally doing so. The whole 'up North' angle was rather patronising (and that's speaking as a southerner so I don't know what people from that part of the country make of it.) The constant references to his disfigurement and his army background are a little irritating.
The more serious issues are that many aspects totally fail to convince. The police never interview the missing girl's teachers and classmates to find out what happened at school just before she disappeared, and they don't bother to apply for a court order to get into her phone, initially because they believe they're unlikely to be granted one, and later, when the phone apparently turns up at a crime scene, just don't bother despite the fact that they are now dealing with a murder enquiry and wouldn't have any issue with the court order. This also ignores the point that her leaving home is directly related to a text she received a few days before. In the event, it isn't actually her phone, but they don't know that at first, and they take someone's word for what the text contained. They act passively and the crime is mainly solved by luck and people's willingness to confess. A scene where Grimm gratuitously insults the press is also totally unconvincing, as was the creepiness of his new Superintendent who keeps taking him aside and making threats based on 'dirt' Grimm might bring with him from Bristol.
By the end of the story there were several loose ends such as who actually approached the runaway at the end of the opening sequence? And how did the murderer know what someone else had confessed? The transporting of the body begged several questions too, given the transporting person's health, and it wasn't clear if that person's issues were due to another character's ministrations given a reference to Munchausen's by Proxy which was never followed up. The question about the missing DCI who Grimm was standing in for was also dropped. The police also failed to interview the protestors trying to halt a development despite a photo at the home of the girl's boyfriend (who had also run off by that time) showing him as a participant in a similar protest. It seemed obvious that the young people were probably staying with one of the protestors. That minor subplot (the local business complaining about his development being disrupted) was dropped as if the author had forgotten about it.
I didn't warm to the main character who seemed to be a one-man caped crusader. Scenes where he literally roars with frustration over relatively minor things, sometimes in front of his new colleagues, were downright silly. I couldn't help contrasting this book with the Hillary Greene series where a Detective Inspector is a good leader, a mentor to her team and is excellent at taking the right tone with different members of the public, despite her own personal problems. In those books, the cases are worked with methodical enquiries by her and her team members, despite the presence of one bad apple in said team, and a realistic flavour is given of workaday, plodding police work that nevertheless gets results. Those books, also a recent read, came across as far more convincing. So taking everything into consideration, I can only rate this at two stars as an 'OK' read....more
This book sounded as if it might be interesting, but the questions addressed were ridiculous and also became tedious as they nearly all involved mass This book sounded as if it might be interesting, but the questions addressed were ridiculous and also became tedious as they nearly all involved mass destruction and extinction as the answer. An example is "what would happen if a hairdryer with continuous power were turned on and put in an airtight 1 x 1 x 1 metre box". He then makes the dial go up to stupendous temperatures, makes the box metal etc. That one doesn't involve the Earth's destruction but is an example of the general pointless nature of the questions. A lot of the answers involve impossibilities such as indestructible items or things that go impossibly fast or involve the entire energy output of the planet or whatever as otherwise the real answer would be nothing as that particular scenario isn't possible.
An intriguing illustration on the cover, showing a TRex being swung, and the main reason I bought the book, isn't even one of the included questions.
There are some cute cartoons accompanying the text and I found the one near the beginning of the book quite touching, showing the Moon comforting the Earth and helping it restart spinning after coming to an abrupt halt and losing all its atmosphere and life (from "What would happen if the Earth and all terrestrial objects suddenly stopped spinning, but the atmosphere retained its velocity?") But one cartoon on its own couldn't drag this book into the 'OK' band and I'm afraid it's a one star rating from me....more
In volume 10 of the series, Superintendent Jones is absent initially at sea, chasing a fugitive bound for America, at the insistence of his unpleasantIn volume 10 of the series, Superintendent Jones is absent initially at sea, chasing a fugitive bound for America, at the insistence of his unpleasant superior. While he is away, Posy, the maid at the Jones residence who was rescued by Dickens from a notorious and ghastly orphanage, and for whom he feels jointly responsible, goes missing on an outing with her friend Phoebe - or Phib as she is known. And the girl certainly lives up to her name of 'fib' having befriended Posy for very unpleasant purposes. For the theme in this book is what we would call human trafficking and what tended at that period to be called "white slavery" though that phrase is studiously avoided. Suffice to say, the trade in young girls who could be guaranteed to be virgins was very lucrative.
The story is a non-stop narrative of tension, concern about Posy and danger from the villain Jones was trying to apprehend: a man who has a hypnotic effect on his many followers and has spies everywhere, especially in the shape of street boys. The boys, one in particular, have been corrupted and they delight in violence and intimidation. They form a lurking threat which closes in around Dickens, the street boy Scrap, whom he and the Jones' have befriended, and the Jones household itself. But corruption lurks also in those dressed in velvet and other finery, and one memorable scene has the one and only occurrence of the "f-word" in the whole series: rightfully reserved for a shocking revelation of one character's depravity.
The ending does perhaps lend itself to the closure of the series, but I hope not. It is, in any case, the last available for now, and I will certainly look out for any future volumes. A five star rating from me....more
This is the first in the series about Amelia Peabody, late Victorian archaeologist and Egyptologist - except, being a woman, she comes into the role iThis is the first in the series about Amelia Peabody, late Victorian archaeologist and Egyptologist - except, being a woman, she comes into the role in an unorthodox manner. Amelia is wealthy and a spinster in her early 30s, the daughter of a deceased scholar/historian. Atypical for the 1880s, she champions the cause of the emancipated woman and has a low opinion of most men. She is barred from becoming qualified but decides to go to Egypt anyway, acquiring en route a more typical young English woman as companion.
There, she and Evelyn re-encounter two brothers previously met in Rome, who are Egyptologists and have the concession to dig at the site of the "heretic Pharaoh's" lost city. Evelyn is obviously smitten with Walter, the younger brother, and he with her, but her too delicate conscience over her past puts a barrier between them. Meanwhile, Amelia and the elder brother, usually addressed by his surname, constantly rub each other up the wrong way.
The mystery is rather obvious, so much so that I thought the obvious culprit couldn't really be responsible. The relationship between Amelia and Emerson was probably not such a cliche when this was first published in the mid 1970s, but I believe is referred to now as "enemies into lovers" in the romance genre. Amelia can come across as pretty conceited, and there are some anachronistic mistakes such as her figure supposedly being unfashionable when as far as I am aware, being big bosoomed was actually "in" during the late Victorian period.
The style adopted is a wordy and mannered pseudo late Victorian one and includes British colonialist attitudes towards other nationalities and the Egyptian locals in particular, which will offend quite a few modern readers. In fact, there's rather more of that than in books I've read written in the 1920s - 1930s, and I was surprised to read that it had been published much more recently. The author does overdo that aspect. I was a bit thrown by the author's decision to use a set of translations of Ancient Egyptian names now abandoned.
Altogether, it was a fun read but more of a romance than a cosy mystery and I would rate it at 3 stars....more
A book that sets out to record the experience of the various Trojan women at the fall of their city. It's a mixed bag: it starts with the wife of AeneA book that sets out to record the experience of the various Trojan women at the fall of their city. It's a mixed bag: it starts with the wife of Aeneas, and although I vaguely remembered some details about him, I didn't know what happened to her. That one has a rather abrupt ending. Then various other women are switched between, with some scenes of the survivors on the beach, waiting for the Greeks to get round to awarding them as prizes. In between, there is a narrative from Penelope's viewpoint, in an epistolary structure, and the viewpoint of Calliope, muse of epic poetry, who is rather irritated by the requests of poets.
The book stuck very much to the traditional stories of the women as I already knew them and didn't really add much. There was the interesting idea of a friendship between Briseis and Chryseis, the former giving the latter herbs to stupefy Agamemnon and therefore spare Chryseis his attentions. But after Chryseis is ransomed, although she worries beforehand about the punishment her stern father will dish out for wandering out of the city and being captured, that narrative is ended and we never see the interaction between the two, or find out what happened to her at the fall of Troy. In the legend, she and her father don't necessarily live in Troy - at least, some other adaptations have taken that line - so that would have been a new aspect to explore.
It was an overall OK read, but not an exceptional one, and I would award it 3 stars....more
I had hoped that this series would improve and to begin with it looked as if it had finally settled down into real story telling. Sadly it soon derailI had hoped that this series would improve and to begin with it looked as if it had finally settled down into real story telling. Sadly it soon derailed itself with more and more graphic sex encounters of the 'A' fits into 'B' nature, as if the author was competing in the Bad Sex awards. The character of Achilles too went rapidly downhill as he took on the role of sacker of cities, pillaging each of Troy's neighbours in turn. At the end of the first volume, there was an interesting development where he tried to save Iphigenia, but all too soon in this he becomes a bloodthirsty sociopath.
The book became a never ending catalogue of human body parts being severed, complete with blood and other bodily fluids, when it wasn't dealing with the compulsory sex romps. It got quite exhausting. I also noticed quite a few errors: misspellings and missing words. I liked the character of Briseis and for that reason am awarding it 2 stars rather than 1....more
Having had a fascination with the Greek myths since childhood, I hoped this would be better than some other retellings I've tried lately. UnfortunatelHaving had a fascination with the Greek myths since childhood, I hoped this would be better than some other retellings I've tried lately. Unfortunately, fairly early on it devolved into graphic and cringe-inducing descriptions of sexual acts, complete with a man washing off encrusted secretions afterwards..... There was far too much of that and it came across as if the author was competing in the Bad Sex awards, veering towards soft porn on occasion. There was also repeated reference to a woman's "sacred cross". I got very tired of seeing that....
The book suffered also from a shifting viewpoint. It started off with Hecuba and Priam as a young couple before the birth of Paris. That was a novel area for Homeric retellings with some promise, but soon it shifted to other characters, constantly swapping around. I came to realise it was retelling every myth that had any connection to how the Trojan War came to be fought. The most consistent and best developed characters were Hektor and Achilles and, to a lesser extent because he had less 'screen time', Odysseus. The Hektor and Odysseus segments were probably the best and, not coincidently, the ones that didn't have blow-by-blow sex scenes but, from memory in the Odysseus thread at least, a 'fade to black' which was a decided improvement.
In this retelling the gods are real and are pretty unpleasant in the way they treat humans. The rape scene of Apollo and Cassandra is particularly gruesome. Interactions between humans also include graphic violence, as in the sequence where Agamemnon murders Clytemnestra's first husband and their child. Another aspect some readers might find problematic is the large amount of swearing. It is largely confined to the Agamemnon scenes, and I suppose fits with his generally horrible character. More problematic for me is the constant misogyny and either violence against women or their portrayal as nymphomaniacs once they are 'broken in' by the right man.
I had almost decided not to pursue book 2, but this one does improve towards the end where it ditches the too-explicit sexual encounters and settles down to developing the story and the unfolding tragedy of Iphigenia. So on balance, I would give it an "OK" 2 stars....more
I only embarked upon this third volume because of the title: at last we were going to be treated to the denouement of Clytemnestra's revenge upon AgamI only embarked upon this third volume because of the title: at last we were going to be treated to the denouement of Clytemnestra's revenge upon Agamemnon for the sacrifice of their daughter Iphigenia. But no - the story doesn't even finish on the sack of Troy, and Clytemnestra hardly features. I'm not sure whose rage is referenced unless it is that of Hecuba which is more of a 'revenge is a dish best served cold' type since she does little other than endlessly talk about how she's counting on Apollo to do the deed against Achilles.
One interesting aspect was the exploration of the Paris/Helen relationship as one in which they came to hate each other but were literally turned on by each other's physical presence due to the spell cast on them by the goddess Aphrodite.
As with volume 2, the only saving grace was Briseis who does come across as a real person. Unfortunately, not only were the excruciatingly badly written sex scenes in full force, but the fight scenes became even more over the top gore. And the level of four letter swearing was racked up until almost every character was saying f*** and even c*** just about every sentence. The author obviously is capable of writing touching scenes, and in occasionally using restraint - the most effective bedroom scene, that was a real love scene, was an encounter between Hektor and Andromache which didn't resort to the 'sacred cross', 'bud' and other terminology employed so liberally elsewhere.
It's a pity that no editor or proof-reader was engaged because there were so many mistakes including words missed out of sentences and even in one place the wrong name being used: Themis instead of Thetis. Word usage also suffers: for example, 'passed' is used in several places where 'past' would be the correct word, and a 'dissension' was turned into 'distention'. Worse than that were the continuity problems. The ages of various left-at-home sons veered between sixteen and twenty four as if the author was suggesting the siege of Troy went on for a lot longer than ten years, but then there were two references to it being in the ninth year of the siege. So I was left completely confused as to how old these boys were meant to be.
To conclude, I suppose the story will be dragged out in yet more volumes but I'm giving up with this one in search of a series that better depicts the Trojan War....more
I was intrigued by book 3 as I understood it to be about Danielle who in the earlier books had seemed a more interesting character; certainly more posI was intrigued by book 3 as I understood it to be about Danielle who in the earlier books had seemed a more interesting character; certainly more positive and practical than Dominic. She managed to get away when Tom and James were captured and when this story starts she has holed up in a basement bar within the cordoned off area, venturing out initially for food. As time goes on, she develops more ambitious goals and creates the list of the title, crossing each item off as she achieves it.
The main problem with this book is that it seems to have been written by a different author. The first two volumes for me were a workmanlike 3 star rating. They had their issues, but on the whole the storytelling carried it through. However, here it never gets off the ground because it is bogged down all the time with plodding, overwritten prose. The smallest action has a paragraph dedicated to it, and it's as if the author was in a competition to use as many words out of a thesaurus as possible. Words are also used in totally the wrong context. At one point, a gun is 'strewn' and at another it is 'scattered', both when the weapons are dropped. In a scene where Danielle shoots some of the crab-monsters, their blood (though the simple word blood isn't sufficient, it's "crimson explosions") dye their bodies "like a Pollack" which as far as I'm aware is a type of fish unless it's meant as a nickname for a person from Poland.
The character is also made to behave so foolishly that it's a miracle she survives. On at least two occasions, she shuts her eyes when faced with a gang of crab monsters. And she's a total klutz, dropping her rifle and generally being ditsy. At one point, she leaves it by a doorway, is saved by random chance, and then fails to pick up the gun on the way out when she and the people she's with depart by the same exit. They are then all placed in danger by her lack of the weapon, as only one other character is armed and only with a pistol, when they need to be able to shoot the creatures from a distance.
There are obvious continuity problems which threw me out of the story, such as when a character has his arms stretched out before him and then, on the same page, has them tied behind him. Not only that but he transfers from the floor to a chair. A car is abandoned, there's no hint that they take a bag from it, but at the end of the story it seems they did (hard to see how they lugged it around when engaging in the various activities they have to) because suddenly they have the passports it contained. I could go on, but these were just a few of the issues that spoiled my reading enjoyment. It's a mystery why it is like this when the first two volumes were miles better: perhaps they were edited by a third party? I'm awarding a barely scraped OK 2 stars because it does pick up a little towards the end, but it was a severe disappointment....more
This collection of two short stories was well written and with a good pace. Of the two I preferred the second. The first - about two young women who fThis collection of two short stories was well written and with a good pace. Of the two I preferred the second. The first - about two young women who find escape from their dead-end job by visiting strange places where one poses and the other takes photos for a stock photo website, thus earning them a bit more money - was atmospheric but didn't give enough background about the derelict hotel they explore to make sense of what happens. It seemed a bit too 'stock' and something done lots of times before though, as said above, it was well written.
The second story had more originality in the plight in which the protagonist finds himself. It also immersed the reader much more in the character's inner self, with his chronic toothache and his struggle to stay out of the bad habits of drug abuse and criminality which he seems in danger of sliding back into when he goes to a party at his ex-girlfriend's house, especially when he is approached there by a man with a too-good-to-be-true job offer. The story has a few twists though and a positive ending. Altogether, I would rate this at 4 stars....more
Paige and Hal are not long married but are expectant parents as Paige became pregnant soon after they were married. They are on a trip to south west APaige and Hal are not long married but are expectant parents as Paige became pregnant soon after they were married. They are on a trip to south west Australia as a last couple together holiday before their lives change irrevocably. Unfortunately, that is about to happen but in a way they did not envisage. Their bad luck starts when they pull off the main road for Paige to have a toilet break and for them to have something to eat. The car develops a puncture, Hal goes to fix it but is bitten by a snake and injured by the car dropping on his leg. Paige must go for help as there is no phone signal, but the first people she encounters turn out to be Lizzie and her autistic daughter Shoona. Lizzie is a character very similar to Annie Wilkes from Stephen King's Misery except her motive is rather different.
I won't say any more to avoid spoilers. The book is well written with an edge of the seat suspense, achieved by psychological tension and occasional horrific violence. Certain aspects are very reminiscent of King's book, which invites a comparison which probably works against the book, although I appreciate the difference in the two scenarios.
One thing that didn't work for me was the suggestion that the house in which they find themselves trapped is somehow malevolent in a supernatural way and is responsible for the couple's occasional dark urges to strike back at Lizzie. For me, the things that happen are adequate to explain their occasional murderous feelings, and the hints of the supernatural were superfluous and a bit distracting. I also wasn't keen on the postscript although I appreciate the author wanted to show how things played out, but for me it didn't quite work. And the title of the book is a bit odd: ripper implies a serial killer stalking people which isn't the case. Backwoods Psycho might have been a more accurate title. On the whole a gripping read, but with my reservations I would rate it at 3 stars....more
Initially I thought that I would enjoy this volume more than the first one, based on the story of Medusa. It is at least more coherently structured, fInitially I thought that I would enjoy this volume more than the first one, based on the story of Medusa. It is at least more coherently structured, following the events through time. It does switch characters towards the end but that is inevitable given what happens to Clytemnestra.
I suppose the problem is that I didn't feel this particularly added to the classical sources. It follows the trilogy of Aeschylus quite closely including the trial at the end although with the alteration that the original would have had twelve men rather than six women and six men in the jury. Similarly, Electra plays a little more of a role as she persuades Orestes to escape rather than staying behind and moping round the palace, only helping him when he eventually returns. There were some historical anomalies: Spartan women took part in sports and had more education and legal rights than elsewhere in Ancient Greece, but they weren't actually trained for combat. And rust on an axe isn't possible given that these stories properly belong to the bronze age before the invention of iron.
One thing I found a bit tiresome was the amount of weeping by various characters. If Clytemnestra had been raised as a Spartan I would have expected her at least to be a bit more closed up emotionally and stoical. It's also odd that Apollo is shown as such an all-round great guy when he is responsible for Cassandra's miserable existence as a seer whom no one believes due to his curse. I didn't really enjoy the story and have decided not to bother with the third in this series about the Amazon queens. So an OK 2 star rating from me....more
Having a long standing interest in Greek mythology, I was keen to read a story about Medusa, but I found this disappointing. The idea at the beginningHaving a long standing interest in Greek mythology, I was keen to read a story about Medusa, but I found this disappointing. The idea at the beginning is interesting: Medusa is a young woman whose father's love means that he takes her to the temple of Athena rather than marry her to one of a sequence of suitors who they both know will treat her badly. She passes the 'test' that Athena sets and becomes one of her priestesses, interpreting the Goddess' judgement for those who bring disputes and problems to the temple, but five years later the god Poseidon takes a fancy to her and engineers things so that he has the opportunity to rape her. And then she is repudiated and cursed by Athena.
There are quite a few time jumps in the story so that opportunities for character development are lost. The story is also rather depressing given the constant suffering of the character and her sisters, and the injustice in which they are treated. There are also character 'jumps' to the story of Perseus, beginning with his mother's imprisonment and his conception. After his early life, the story jumps again to when he is a young man and is tricked into a quest to bring back the head of Medusa by an unpleasant king who wants to marry his mother and thinks Perseus will be killed on the quest. When the two characters finally meet things are wrapped up very abruptly and with the odd abandonment of Perseus' vow to tell the world the truth about Medusa - that she was not born a monster and didn't want to kill people but was forced to when they kept coming to her island to kill her.
The book does feature a lot of violence and oppression of women by horrible male characters. The only good men in the story are Medusa's father, Perseus' adoptive father and Perseus himself. Even Perseus finds himself behaving violently when three strange old women balk his need to obtain a sword that the gods send him to obtain. The constant jumping from one time or character to another makes the book rather disjointed. The ending leaves a lot of loose ends - Perseus becomes a hero it seems, but nothing is said about what happened to his mother, whether he saved her from her unwanted bridegroom and so on (my vague memories of the myth is that he did go back and turn the King and his nasty followers to stone using Medusa's head). So for all these reasons, I can only rate this as an OK 2 stars....more
Contrary to the title, this is actually the first person narration of three different women caught up in the events triggered by the Trojan War: ClyteContrary to the title, this is actually the first person narration of three different women caught up in the events triggered by the Trojan War: Clytemnestra, Elektra her youngest daughter, and Cassandra, Princess of Troy.
The most touching segment of the story is when Clytemnestra is taking her eldest daughter, Iphigenia, to her supposed wedding. Unlike some recent retellings, in this version Agamemnon has not killed his wife's first husband and baby son, so she has no inklings of what might be about to occur.
Cassandra's storyline is also tragic, with her wishing in the end to be killed to end her continual suffering. Only Elektra's point of view becomes wearing, with her self-pitying and uncritical hero worship of her absent father becoming rather tiring. The book doesn't really add anything to the familiar myth: it is a straight re-telling, so although it was a perfectly workmanlike read, it was not exceptional and I would award it 3 stars....more
In book five of the series, Hillary has been acting Detective Chief Inspector for a few months following the events of book four, but that is soon to In book five of the series, Hillary has been acting Detective Chief Inspector for a few months following the events of book four, but that is soon to change with her bosses deciding she is not quite up to it despite giving her an award for bravery for having saved her old friend and boss Mel, whose own promotion does become permanent. I did wonder if there was a subtle sexism going on, although Hillary isn't sorry to go back to the more hands-on role of a Detective Inspector. The DCI role is a deskbound one, dealing with paperwork - I didn't think there was an indication that she wasn't any good at it, just that it bored her. To make matters worse, the man who investigated her for corruption (although had to clear her as she was not involved in the activities of her 'bent cop' estranged and now dead husband) is moved into the vacant DCI position and becomes her boss. And it seems he fancies her.
More change is in the air, as my favourite in her team, Tommy, is due to move to another police station in the area to take up the new role of Detective Sergeant, having passed his Boards. Janine, too, may be moving on though, rather than with the promotion she seeks, her relocation is connected with the ongoing and thoroughly unbelievable affair with Mel who had dropped her in book 4 just to get his promotion. Things will be grim if Hillary is left with the obnoxious and lazy Sergeant Frank Ross, plus whatever newbies the bosses see fit to put under her nurturing wing.
She finds refuge in directing the case of a murdered 15-year-old boy found in a shed on the allotments near his home. It soon becomes clear that he was involved in criminal activities which directly led to his murder. I found one or two aspects of this rather odd. It's obvious early on that photographs must be key to the enquiry, yet the police never impound the digital camera found in the victim's bedroom - surely there was a card inside with crucial evidence? - or get a warrant to look at his friend's computer when it becomes obvious that he did his printing at the other boy's home. After all, they are aware of his ambition to become a paparazzi. To me it seemed very obvious what he had been up to and I couldn't understand, even when they finally located printouts, that they didn't follow that up. At least there is a twist on the discovery made late in the story, so it wasn't quite as obvious as I thought, but the actual ending is rather rushed. So a 3-star rating from me....more
After the major hiccup I found with vol 3, this returns more to form although the actual murder investigation of a would-be politician didn't really hAfter the major hiccup I found with vol 3, this returns more to form although the actual murder investigation of a would-be politician didn't really hold my interest. More to the point was the subplot of whatever new Superintendent Raleigh is up to, culminating in the near-disastrous result of a raid on local crime boss Fletcher's house during a drug exchange with other criminals. It was clear that Raleigh was corrupt in some way, but the raid outcome did clue me in on what his motive must really be, down to the family member involved. I don't usually guess the outcome in police procedurals, but did this time. Nevertheless, tension was maintained with Hillary investigating her boss and possibly ending up in the proverbial for doing so. On the whole, that whole subplot had real drive and maintained a high level of drama.
The one thing I thought unrealistic was the denouement concerning her late husband's ill gotten gains, because previously it seemed that only Hilary with her knowledge of his likes and dislikes etc would have worked out exactly where to look for them. It didn't seem credible that a third party without any of that knowledge would have been able to reach the same conclusion with ease. That, and her lack of interest in the disappearance of a certain book didn't really convince.
I also find it increasingly irritating that her female sergeant Janine is always described as 'pretty blonde'. Also the romance between Janine and a senior officer has never struck me as believable. And a reference to 'first degree murder' jarred - in the UK, it's always been a case of murder or manslaughter. I googled the subject after finishing the book, and it seems there was a recommendation back in 2006 by the Law Commission to adopt a system of first and second degree murder plus manslaughter, but this was rejected by the UK government. I have wondered at times whether the author was English or not, as a few other American-related terms occasionally do show up. So all in all, for me it balances out at a 3 star rating....more
This book was a severe disappointment. A minor issue was that the unrealistic affair between one of Hillary's sergeants and their boss, which appearedThis book was a severe disappointment. A minor issue was that the unrealistic affair between one of Hillary's sergeants and their boss, which appeared to have wound up in book two, is for some reason still ongoing.
The main problem I had - and I don't want to create a massive spoiler because I've discovered that the spoiler tags I used to use don't work on the Goodreads app - is that the writer has completely misunderstood the meaning of a donor card. Given that the solution crucially involves a person's personal phobias, it would be totally impossible for that person to have been picked up by the medical profession and therefore the situation that arises at the start of the story could never have happened. Basically, it's an impossible murder so I can only give this a 2 star rating for the general standard of the writing....more
In volume 2 of the series, Detective Inspector Hilary Greene seems to have put at least one problem behind her: the officers appointed to find out if In volume 2 of the series, Detective Inspector Hilary Greene seems to have put at least one problem behind her: the officers appointed to find out if she was as corrupt as her deceased husband have finally given her the all-clear. So she is a bit dismayed when one of them reappears, this time on reassignment to another team in the office. More problems occur when she receives notification that a militant animal rights charity plan to sue her for the money her ex-husband accrued through illegal trade in animal parts, money that was never recovered. It would mean losing the house she has been unable to move back into due to legal problems over her husband's demise, and meanwhile she is living in her uncle's narrowboat.
At work she is soon assigned to look into the death of a young female student at an Oxford college: a death that at first appears drug-related but which soon turns out to be not straightforward. The investigation is realistically portrayed in the way that progress is made by degrees with many setbacks and points where the case is going nowhere through lack of evidence or leads. Hilary is a good leader, and her team have opportunities to learn from her which they relish - all but the nasty sergeant whom no one likes and who obstinately continues his policy of trying to get her into trouble with their boss. The affair between said boss and Sergeant Janine runs its course in this story, with the inevitable outcome that I expected from book 1, and for me is the only thing that I haven't enjoyed about the books so far. But still an enjoyable read, so a 4 star rating again....more
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