Buddy read an Inspector Morse?

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "It's my next read. Maybe after the weekend?"

Mine too - I have the book but have to finish what I am currently reading.

[Susan]

I will start on it as soon as I finish the new John Grisham.

[Leslie]

I finished The Riddle of the Third Mile today. I really liked this one, and was glad to see that Lewis played a bigger role in the book.

[Susan]

I am 80 pages in and enjoying very much. He seems to have hit his stride in this one.

[Bionic Jean]

I finished it today too. Extraordinary towards the end. Hamlet comes to mind...

[Susan]

I liked this one although I kept getting confused between the four men. It kept me turning the pages and I certainly didn't see the end coming.
Do you think Morse had sex with Yvonne?

[Bionic Jean]

That hadn't occurred to me, Susan. I was probably too bothered about getting the plot straight in my mind!

Here is my review

[Susan]

Good review, Jean, although I liked it better than you. How appropriate that Morse's university career was wrecked by a woman. You write good reviews. I always enjoy your insight.

[Bionic Jean]

Thank you Susan! :) And for the friend request. Since then I have been enjoying reading your reviews too - not just the Morse ones.

What I enjoy about Goodreads is that there are so many varieties of opinion shared in a friendly way. I often click "like" on a review even if my experience of the book is completely different, but when I can appreciate where the other reader is coming from and it has made me think a bit. I never expected the Morse series to reveal so many differences in us all! I'm looking forward to seeing if there's a consensus in the next one. :D

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "That hadn't occurred to me, Susan. I was probably too bothered about getting the plot straight in my mind!

Here is my review"

Boy you really didn't care for this one, did you? I am slightly surprised that you didn't think that there had been clues given about (view spoiler)[Browne-Smith's medical condition, and also the rivalry & ambition of the two dons for head of house. (hide spoiler)]

I had a small amount of trouble about Albert and Alfred but otherwise didn't find the plot confusing.

Susan - I got a bit of a chuckle over the irony of that episode from Morse's university days.

[Bionic Jean]

Yes, I think we all appreciated the poignancy about how Morse's earlier disappointment in love fed into his present difficulties.

Leslie - it could be the difficulties of communicating this way, but do I detect a hint of irritation there? I actually gave it 2*, which in Goodreads terms is, "It was OK", which was my overall opinion. If I don't like a book then it gets a 1*!!

There were some good points about it, which I acknowledged, and I also criticised what I thought was poor (eg the escalated ending - not "confusing" as you seemed to think I meant, but certainly complicated compared with the rest of the novel.)

I do try to be as accurate as I can with my ratings and reviews, which have so far been 4:2*, 2:3* and 1:4* (one read out of sequence which is why there are 7!) Goodreads guides to rating are sadly very subjective, but for all the Morse novels I have read so far with this group I have written careful lengthy reviews explaining why I thought what I thought.

I reiterate what I said to Susan. I appreciate the fact that we can have differing opinions, and hope that you can feel like this too. :)

[Leslie]

No, no irritation but a bit of surprise. I like your reviews, even when I don't agree with them. You give a lot of detail about what you liked or didn't like, which I appreciate.

I was just responding with my different point of view, not trying to criticize yours.

[Bionic Jean]

Oh the perils of internet communication... :D Thank you Leslie.

[Penny]

sorry I am behind on this - had various friends staying the last few weekends and been away myself in London the last few days - so I need to get a few of my books finished - am about 3/4 through.

[Susan]

Don't worry, Penny.

[Bionic Jean]

Yes, not to worry, I'm sure we'll all be pleased to hear what you think whenever you manage to finish it, Penny :)

We're doing pretty well sticking to the plan I think. Goodness knows what will happen over Christmas. I'm awestruck at some readers' ambitious reading list plans and am a bit reluctant to promise anything! LOL

[Penny]

well I finished last night - at least I finished the reading - now I have to try to work out exactly what happened!!!! Help Jean!!!! What did the epilogue mean? I thought I was sorted and then I thought maybe I had it all wrong!

[Bionic Jean]

Gosh, Penny, you read fast when you get started! :D I'm a bit puzzled though as my version doesn't have an "epilogue"! Do you mean the last chapter 40, just a page long which is headed "The Final Discovery"?

If so then surely this is just (view spoiler)[ the head from the original body which had been found, so that of the Master of Lonsdale. Ah, I see what you mean - why refer to the make of pistol, as this brings to mind the revenge murder of Browne-Smith. Does that mean that Morse might have got it wrong in all his soliloquising at the end? Maybe there was an extra element involved dating back to El Alamein. (hide spoiler)] It looks to me as if Dexter deliberately left that as an ambiguous "dangling thread". I quite like that!

What do you think, Leslie?

[Penny]

yes my book lists it as an epilogue and implies there was significance to the model of the gun and the regiment - which takes us back to the Gilbert brothers..... but is it just open ended? I dont like that I want it wrapped up and clear!!! With all the Gilberts dead by then am not sure how/when/why we have the events in the epilogue.

[Bionic Jean]

Just Dexter being a bit of a smarty-pants and poking fun at us I think.

Interesting that your book has an extra bit though!! Mine (which is a Thorndike Large Print one, now in the bag for the charity shop unless I have to refer to it again!) has chapter 40 followed straightaway by "About the author". I feel cheated now! LOL

In the bit about the author though, I was pleased to see that there was some critical agreement (or is it done by reader votes? I don't know) with how I personally rated the books we have read so far.

Numbers 1,2,3 and 6 (this one) are not listed as winning any award, and I gave them all 2*. Numbers 4 and 5 both won Silver Daggers, and I gave them respectively 4* and 3*. Two have won Gold Daggers. (We have not read them yet and I will try not to remember which they are so as not to come to it prejudiced!)

Isn't it a nice surprise when you find you are in line with what is generally thought, even if you might rate the series as a whole either higher or lower. I seem to have got the comparisons right at least! :D

[Penny]

Jean wrote: "Just Dexter being a bit of a smarty-pants and poking fun at us I think.

Interesting that your book has an extra bit though!! Mine (which is a Thorndike Large Print one, now in the bag for the char..."

you must be right on target with your assessments Jean!

I'm actually liking them less as we go along! a bit sad really - I think I just dont like to keep picking out the similarities of plot I want more originality. I suppose I wouldnt notice if I was reading them a year apart (would take 13 years!!)

What does everyone want to do over the Christmas time? Shall we push on and read the next one or have a break and resume in January? Am not sure how everyone's schedule is shaping up - December is always mad for me!

[Bionic Jean]

Penny - yes I too have been surprised at the regurgitated themes (twins or brothers, one character substituting for another etc) but I suppose all authors do a bit of this. And I'm quite excited to think we still haven't read the 2 which won gold daggers yet!

True, we wouldn't notice the similarities half so much if we were reading them further apart.

I'm easy as to the next one though. Had "sort of" built it into the plan, although I'm deliberately not promising any new books over Christmas and am a bit in awe of the people who have long challenging Christmas reads. If the majority would prefer to hold it over I would also be fine with that. :)

[Penny]

OK thanks Jean.

I have decided to postpone Decembers read until January as my December is always so hectic and I will be away for part of it.

So I hope that means we wont lose those of you who are still up for this long buddy read!!

Our Morse book for January will be



hope you all have a lovely christmas!

[Bionic Jean]

That's fine by me, Penny. I'm quite relieved to be honest... It's amazing how much busier you can get in the 6 days between posts :D

Hope you have a lovely Christmas too, and thank you for organising this thread so far. It's been fun and I'm looking forward to "the other half"! :)

[Leslie]

As I have already requested The Secret of Annexe 3 from interlibrary loan, I guess I will read it in December and just wait until Jan. to comment about it.

[Susan]

I just got it in the mail yesterday but trust me I can find something else to read. I am enamored by the Frost mysteries now so that will work.

[Penny]

Susan wrote: "I just got it in the mail yesterday but trust me I can find something else to read. I am enamored by the Frost mysteries now so that will work."

hope this is OK with you, Leslie and Susan - I too have the book and may get it finished by the beginning of January - but I wouldnt get it done by the 15th December! I am definitely taking notes on the next one!!

[Leslie]

Penny - it is perfectly fine. December has enough stress, who needs more!

And happy holidays to everyone :)

[Poornima]

Sounds good! am already lagging behind from previous month, hopefully will catch up by Jan! :)

[Bionic Jean]

I was wondering where you were, Poornima! LOL Hope everybody has a nice R-E-L-A-X-I-N-G Christmas holiday :)

[Poornima]

Jean wrote: "I was wondering where you were, Poornima! LOL Hope everybody has a nice R-E-L-A-X-I-N-G Christmas holiday :)"

Hi Jean :) Been a bit swamped, hoping to get time in next few weeks to catch up here.

Happy holidays to all of you and yours!

[Penny]

Happy New year to all our Morse buddies!!

Just a reminder
we are reading and will start our discussion in/around the 15th of the month! we are well into our challenge now so hope there are some of you still up for more Morse!

[Leslie]

Happy New Year to you too Penny!

I will be continuing with this series so look forward to the 15th...

[Susan]

Every once in awhile the books take me by surprise. I am used to the characters on TV so when the book describes Lewis as "thick-set, awkward looking", I want to say, "No, he isn't." It's odd how TV casts its characters. Lynley and Havers look nothing like the descriptions in their books either. And, of course, Cruise looked NOTHING like Reacher.

[Bionic Jean]

I agree, Susan. Morse is dark-haired, slim and taller than Lewis isn't he?

Pleased to see this thread starting up again as I shall begin The Secret of Annexe 3 later today :)

[Fiona]

I know. I almost always enjoy the books more, especially when I have read them before seeing the TV show/movie.

[Susan]

Well, it's too late for me Fiona. I don't know what's more frustrating- reading the books and being disappointed in the casting of the shows or watching the shows and being disappointed in the descriptions in the book.

[Penny]

I am racing to get the second Amelia Peabody mystery finished tonight and then will be starting the Morse book.

[Denise]

I'm just snooping now, too late to catch up with you all if you're on book seven of the series, but I have to know- besides the characters not looking like they do in the television series, how are the books themselves? If you like watching the programme, is it worth it to read the book?

[Bionic Jean]

Personally I think they vary a lot, Denise. I've done lengthy reviews of each separately, if you want to have a look at my page :)

What does everybody think to The Secret of Annexe 3 ? I really like the humour in the first half, but thought the ending very disappointing. Here's my review just posted.

[Leslie]

Denise wrote: "I'm just snooping now, too late to catch up with you all if you're on book seven of the series, but I have to know- besides the characters not looking like they do in the television series, how are..."

I am continuing with the books but overall I would say that I like the TV show better. For the first few, I rewatched the episodes after finishing the book & the plots were basically the same.

[Kathleen]

I think so. I really liked both the book and the TV series.

[Denise]

Thanks, Jean. I will have a look at your reviews.

[Susan]

I agree with you, Leslie. I like the TV shows better too but I don't know if it's because I saw the series first so when there's a difference in things I always think the series is right. In this last one, Lewis' physical description is so different that I was a little disturbed. I really liked this book though. Morse was more likable and there was a lot of humor especially in the first part of the book.

[Denise]

Thanks for the other answers too. For some reason they weren't showing when I replied.

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "...What does everybody think to The Secret of Annexe 3?"

I liked the set-up and the fact that there was more Lewis than the earlier books, but I felt that solution was far-fetched… (view spoiler)[The idea that nobody could tell the difference between a white man in blackface costume and an actual black man seems hard to believe!! (hide spoiler)]. I hope that the next one is better.

[Penny]

Leslie wrote: "Jean wrote: "...What does everybody think to The Secret of Annexe 3?"

I liked the set-up and the fact that there was more Lewis than the earlier books, but I felt that solution was f..."
yes Leslie - I was going along quite well - and for once didnt get lost in the twists of the plot!! - but the ending left me a little cold. Basically it was too neatly tied up - I agree with the point of a black and white man in make up being easily distinguishable. I agree Lewis was more fun this time but I dont think this is a strong one - I am a bit concerned that my general opinion of the series is deteriorating!!!! anyone else?

[Leslie]

Me too, but a few of the later ones are supposed to be some of the best (The Remorseful Day for example). I am willing to persevere if others are.

[Bionic Jean]

I too am looking forward to better ones.

[Penny]

definitely going to continue on - they are quite short so make for a quick read!