Reading the Detectives discussion
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Frances
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May 13, 2019 07:08PM

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Jemima wrote: "I was referring to The Royal Spyness books that I wasn’t too sure I liked. But Fairleigh Field looks like another read I would like. There is a short story she wrote on a Christmas theme that might..."
I haven't tried Royal Spyness, but I really like her series about Evan Evans, a Welsh constable living in a small village - great ones to listen to on audible as the Welsh reader (Roger Clark, I think) has a wonderful speaking voice, though sadly he has only done the first three. I'll bear the Christmas story in mind for later in the year. :)
I haven't tried Royal Spyness, but I really like her series about Evan Evans, a Welsh constable living in a small village - great ones to listen to on audible as the Welsh reader (Roger Clark, I think) has a wonderful speaking voice, though sadly he has only done the first three. I'll bear the Christmas story in mind for later in the year. :)


If I could do emojis on here, I'd do some heart ones, Judy. I hope you enjoy it.

This is as spooky as an invisible library because I picked up this same book in a charity shop last week and am halfway through it. It feels YA to me too. It's distinctly reminiscent of Connie Willis's wonderful To Say Nothing Of The Dog in style but certain plot elements, particularly the use of fairies, also remind me of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell.
So far, it's mildly enjoyable rather than outstanding, but it's keeping me turning the pages, so it must be doing something right.

Later, I will start Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan. This is one I didn't know about until a fellow in my challenge group claimed it for Philippines' Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award. It is relatively short at ~155 pages, and substituting it will allow me to fit in something else I might not have gotten to before the end of the month (Like probably Tenant for Death, the group read I nominated!)
Smaller and Smaller Circles is unique in the Philippine literary scene - a Pinoy detective novel, both fast-paced and intelligent, with a Jesuit priest who also happens to be a forensic anthropologist as the sleuth. When it won the Carlos Palanca Grand Prize for the English Novel in 1999, it proved that fiction can be both popular and literary.
F.H. Batacan has a degree in Broadcast Communication and a master's degree in Art Studies, both from the University of the Philippines in Diliman. She has worked as a policy researcher, broadcast journalist, web designer, and musician, and is currently a journalist based in Singapore. She previously won a prize for her short story "Door 59" in the 1997 Palanca awards, and her work has appeared in local magazines, as well as in the online literary magazine Web del Sol.

It is longer than I thought - that 155 pages is the Student Edition, which I didn't notice. It also would in no way fall into the category that GA readers prefer. Not bloody, but grisly murders. I'm about 15% in - good characterization and writing style.


The book starts with the death of the shepherd.
"He was healthy yesterday," said Maude. Her ears twitched nervously.
"That doesn't mean anything," pointed out Sir Richfield, the oldest ram in the flock. "He didn't die of an illness. Spades are not an illness."

The book starts with the death of the shepherd.
"He was healthy yesterday," said Maude. Her ea..."
Looks different.





Very true - I am a Luciaphile as well! I have read a few of Benson’s other books, but they were social comedies in the Lucia vein. I understand he wrote widely though, in several genres - I’ll have to see if I can find some of his other stuff.







Oh thanks for reminding me - I read the first in the series and got away from it, although I liked him as well. So many books...oh, Elizabeth, just clicked the link and read the summary- can’t blame you for reading out of order, that sounds very intriguing!

I'm up to Book 23 in the series. I've always enjoyed them and should catch up. Some of these long-running series run out of steam eventually, but this one has remained interesting. I'm busy with A Rule Against Murder (also published as The Murder Stone) continuing the Three Pines series. Really enjoying this change of scenery in the series.
Closing down this thread because it has got rather long and may be at risk of a Goodreads bug affecting longer threads - however, it will still be available to refer to.
The new thread is here! https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
The new thread is here! https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
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Books mentioned in this topic
Earthly Remains (other topics)A Rule Against Murder (other topics)
Earthly Remains (other topics)
Earthly Remains (other topics)
The Lake House (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Kate Morton (other topics)E.F. Benson (other topics)
E.F. Benson (other topics)
Ed McBain (other topics)
Leslie Charteris (other topics)
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