No Wind of Blame - Georgette Heyer - SPOILER Thread

[Sandy]

About Hemmingway's personality: In the prior Hannasyde series, Hemmingway is his underling and comes across as light, breezy and self-confident vs. Hannasyde's more sober personality. In the last book, Hemmingway has to cope with a bible-quoting policeman. However there is never any indication of a life outside the job. And they always come late into the investigation, after Scotland Yard is called.

[Roman Clodia]

Sandy wrote: "Finished last night and enjoyed the cast of characters. I didn't find the solution as much of a cheat as others have. For me, the fact that the dog didn't bark was a clear indication that there was..."

Yes, exactly, aiming the gun at Wally seems very, err... hit and miss! I guessed it was White because of the way he had taken himself out of view of the witnesses at the critical time, but had no idea how or why he'd done it.

[Doris]

Sandy wrote: "...Aiming the gun correctly and timing Wally's passage over the bridge to be able to shoot him thru the heart seems very unlikely. "

This was my problem as well. It makes a very far-fetched murder.

[Roman Clodia]

Did anyone actually like any of the characters? I was impressed at Heyer's skill in giving us a whole load of characters who I found either loathsome (Wally, White), foolish, dull (Mary) or irritating... and yet I wanted to keep reading about them to the end. That's a hard thing to pull off, especially as I wasn't particularly invested in Hemmingway as an investigator.

[Susan]

I am not sure I liked any of the characters, but I liked the 'sum,' of all the characters. They played well off each other and worked well together, I thought.

I totally agree that the chances of shooting someone through the heart in that way is near impossible. Yet, even that didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book, which is, indeed, a really difficult thing to pull off.

[Lady Clementina]

Susan wrote: "I am not sure I liked any of the characters, but I liked the 'sum,' of all the characters. They played well off each other and worked well together, I thought.

I totally agree that the chances of ..."

They were entertaining from an observer's point of view- I mayn't have wanted to know them.

[Susan]

No, I think I could have happily said not to be a house guest...

[Judy]

I liked Vicky - I thought she was hilarious but quite sweet at heart, though I suppose she might drive me potty in real life. I was rooting for her and Hugh. :)

[Susan]

They were all, actually, quite pleasant. Even Wally, although an adulterous spendthrift, was not really truly evil.

[Sandy]

I only really disliked White, though I'm rather ashamed of myself for giving Wally a pass (probably because Gladys is off stage and unsympathetic). The prince is dishonest and duplicitous, but polite and good company. Hopefully Robert is honest and upright as Ermy seems unable to judge marriage partners on her own. (That many be unfair to her first husband; big game hunting was acceptable and he was monetarily successful.)

Both Vicky and Ermy were very kind people but either would drive me crazy. Good luck to Hugh! I hope Vicky outgrows her 'character of the hour' stage soon. His father seemed a sensible man and would get my vote for favorite if he had a bigger part.

I was hoping for a second appearance of the religious lady. I'm sure she had a lot to say about the murder.

I agree that the sum is greater than its parts and that Heyer did an excellent job.

[Lady Clementina]

Susan wrote: "They were all, actually, quite pleasant. Even Wally, although an adulterous spendthrift, was not really truly evil."

Initially even despite all his indiscretions, I wasn't sure if anyone would want to do away with him- they didn't seem serious enough.

[Betsy]

As I read this book, it kept running through my mind that Georgette Heyer accumulated all the stereotypical rich, upper class people of the time period and threw them into this book. The shallow, selfish, self-centered behavior of most of the characters was so appalling, I had a really hard time finishing the book. Whereas GH's romance books are wonderful to read, I didn't really care for this book or what's worse - its characters.

[Susan]

I can really see how they would be annoying, Betsy. I actually loved the book, but I can really see why people would be frustrated by those characters.

[Roman Clodia]

Yes, I can see how this wouldn't work if you need to like even some of the characters - I enjoyed laughing at them so it wasn't a problem. I did wonder if this was Heyer letting her sardonic side out in contrast to the romances where she certainly pokes fun at the foolish but isn't as malicious as here.

[Susan]

Underneath the annoying traits, most of them were quite nice. Even Vicky put up with Alan at times, so you could see (or were, perhaps, meant to see) that she wasn't cruel as such - just silly.