Reading the Detectives discussion
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What mysteries are you reading at the moment? (2021)
Jan C wrote: "Jill wrote: "I have finished Death of a Busybody which I liked a lot. Thought the humour was great. Am now going to start [book:A Dreadful Murder: The Mysterious Death of Caroline L..."LOL. It can be had as a paper back for a bit less.
Thom wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Jill wrote: "I have finished Death of a Busybody which I liked a lot. Thought the humour was great. Am now going to start [book:A Dreadful Murder: The Mysterious Death..."I must have been looking at a foreign site. I neglected to re-type the title. I see it is about $18.
I'm glad Death of a Busybody turned out fun. I have it waiting on my TBR. A friend of mine absolutely loves Bellairs and Inspector Littlejohn.
Lady Clementina wrote: "I'm glad Death of a Busybody turned out fun. I have it waiting on my TBR. A friend of mine absolutely loves Bellairs and Inspector Littlejohn."I am hoping that the standard I found continues.
Jill wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "I'm glad Death of a Busybody turned out fun. I have it waiting on my TBR. A friend of mine absolutely loves Bellairs and Inspector Littlejohn."I am hoping that the standar..."
I enjoyed the upcoming Christmas read, The Dead Shall be Raised, that’s why I nominated; looking forward to reading The Murder of a Quack, to see if I like it as much as my two previous Bellairs!
I'm just about to start
, having just finished Pietr the Latvian, and
, which refers frequently to Maigret (as a fictional character) as a model for French policemen.
I hope the other Bellairs are as much fun. My friend loves them all or at least the majority that she has read so far.
Hope you enjoy The Man Who Died Twice, Rosina. I'm just finishing and absolutely loved it.
I've just finished the Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine. I picked up a set of 12 cheaply on kindle, to see what they're like. Interesting, but I don't think I'm going to read all of them.
Victoria wrote: "I've just finished the Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine. I picked up a set of 12 cheaply on kindle, to see what they're like. Interesting, but I don't think I'm going to read all of them."Oh, I know my mom enjoyed them but I haven't read them yet. Have you seen the William Powell adaptations?
Jan C wrote: "Thom wrote: "Jan C wrote: "Jill wrote: "I have finished Death of a Busybody which I liked a lot. Thought the humour was great. Am now going to start [book:A Dreadful Murder: The Mys..."I found decent copies on Amazon for about $8 with shipping. The cheaper ones that are marked acceptable or good I never buy as I find they are often flea bitten...lol.
Rosina wrote: "I'm just about to start , having just finished Pietr the Latvian, and , which refers frequently to Maigret (as a fi..."Ah, I look forward to hearing what you think! I’ve ordered a copy from England- I figured it would take too long to wait for it from my city library - it took months on hold to get the first book!
Lady Clementina wrote: "I hope the other Bellairs are as much fun. My friend loves them all or at least the majority that she has read so far."Good to hear.
Lady Clementina wrote: "Hope you enjoy The Man Who Died Twice, Rosina. I'm just finishing and absolutely loved it."Yay! I’ve only heard good things about it, so glad to know he didn’t hit a “sophomore slump”!
Am reading and enjoying this one:
Called Back I can see why this romantic thriller was a huge hit in it's day. And it has to be read in the context of the times (early 1880s).
It's an unusual book in many ways which is part of why I am find it enjoyable.
Lady Clementina wrote: "Victoria wrote: "I've just finished the Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine. I picked up a set of 12 cheaply on kindle, to see what they're like. Interesting, but I don't think I'm going to read a..."OMG Philo Vance. My grandmother used to love them and so did I.
Thom wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Victoria wrote: "I've just finished the Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine. I picked up a set of 12 cheaply on kindle, to see what they're like. Interesting, but I don't t..."I tried the first one in the series, and just could not connect with the affected way he spoke. Does it get better in later novels?
Doing a back to back reading of American Mystery Classic releases: Ride the Pink Horse
by Dorothy B. Hughes, to be followed by Death from a Top Hat
by Clayton Rawson. Hughes' book is a bit noir for what I normally like, but its well crafted and transporting. In terms of Rawson, how can you go wrong with a magician detective that moonlights as a consultant for the NYPD? I'm hoping that it is as entertainingly bonkers as the premise suggests.
Tara wrote: "Thom wrote: "Lady Clementina wrote: "Victoria wrote: "I've just finished the Benson Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine. I picked up a set of 12 cheaply on kindle, to see what they're like. Interesting, ..."I always felt he spoke in a similar way to Sherlock Holmes. A very formal way of speaking. I haven't read them since early teens but back then I had no issues with it. I'll have to reread the Benson book soon and see if my perceptions have changed...
I remember reading that Vance's supercilliousness didn't appeal to everyone. William Powell's portrayal was liked though
Ogden Nash famously quipped that "Philo Vance needs a kick in the pance" (sic). The first half dozen or so books are the best, the later ones less so.
Lady Clementina wrote: "I remember reading that Vance's supercilliousness didn't appeal to everyone. William Powell's portrayal was liked though"Yes, he does have a kind of superior air about him. But I thought this quote summed it up best:
“Vance was debonair, whimsical, and superficially cynical—an amateur of the arts, and with only an impersonal concern in serious social and moral problems.”—The Scarab Murder Case, 1930, by S.S. Van Dine
And there's this from a review online:
Educated in Europe, he still carries the mannered speech of an upper-class Englishman, habitually referring to his colleagues as “old thing” or “old dear,” and punctuating nearly every other sentence with “don’t y’know.” The monocle-wearing Vance is remarkably indolent and frequently yawns his way through conversations. In truth, about the only thing that saves him from total insufferability is a droll sense of humor.
This air of condescension is not surprising since Vance appears to be an authority on every subject on the face of the earth, knowledge that he shares with his associates at every opportunity. In solving crimes, however, he puts more stock in understanding a suspect’s personal psychology than he does in picking up tangible clues. “When material facts and psychological facts conflict, the material facts are wrong,” he blithely tells Markham.
Tara wrote: " tried the first one in the series, and just could not connect with the affected way he spoke. Does it get better in later novels?"I don't think his way of speaking much changes going forward.
I don't think Vance is really any more "insufferable" than any of the other great detectives of the time - Wimsey, Alleyn, Poirot etc - and I find it's hard to rail against any author who makes an effort to raise cultural awareness and knowledge a bit through their writing. Generally, I like those first half dozen books and anyone who enjoys early Ellery Queen (the nationality titles) will see the parallels and ought to have a good time with them too.
Colin wrote: "I don't think Vance is really any more "insufferable" than any of the other great detectives of the time - Wimsey, Alleyn, Poirot etc - and I find it's hard to rail against any author who makes an ..."I haven't read any yet, so can't comment on that; but people perhaps see it as as 'showing off' rather than simply sharing knowledge.
The Benson Murder Case was one of the books that persuaded me I needed an 'abandoned' shelf in Goodreads, for those books that are so bad, or so irritating, or unpleasant that I just have to give up early. Philo Vance is irritating, but even more so is the awe in which he is held by professionals. (I admit I find Wimsey irritating too, but the books are much better!)
Here are the discussion threads from when we read it as a grouphttps://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Tara wrote: "Doing a back to back reading of American Mystery Classic releases: Ride the Pink Horse by Dorothy B. Hughes, to be followed b..."I really liked Ride the Pink Horse when with read that with Susan and Judy's other group
Colin wrote: "I don't think Vance is really any more "insufferable" than any of the other great detectives of the time - Wimsey, Alleyn, Poirot etc - and I find it's hard to rail against any author who makes an ..."I can't say I found Wimsey or Alleyn insufferable. PM was at times annoying but after two books I got used to him. Never found RA annoying at all. As to HP, there were times when his mannerisms and ways were annoying. But again, I got used to it and grew to like him a lot.
Fascinating how people who dislike characters often rate a book on the low side. Hmmm. I can say I think that's very fair. If a writer can MAKE us like or dislike characters, I would always concede that writer did their job well. I have yet to see any comments from those who rate the book 2 stars or less about plot, craft, etc.
The man was "a stylish, even foppish dandy, a New York bon vivant possessing a highly intellectual bent." To that effect, he is well-sketched by Van Dine.
The author was well-known for his "scathing book reviews and irreverent opinions." And this comes out in his fiction writing as well.
That said, no writer is for everyone. However, despite the fact that he is annoying, I liked the books a lot.
Tara wrote: "In terms of Rawson, how can you go wrong with a magician detective that moonlights as a consultant for the NYPD? I'm hoping that it is as entertainingly bonkers as the premise suggests."As a fan of the author I'd say that Death From a Top Hat is probably Rawson's best novel. The next, The Footprints on the Ceiling, is fine too but his last two Merlini mysteries are not as good and No Coffin for the Corpse is actually downright poor in my opinion.
His short stories featuring Merlini are pretty good.
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Thom wrote: "Colin wrote: "I don't think Vance is really any more "insufferable" than any of the other great detectives of the time - Wimsey, Alleyn, Poirot etc - and I find it's hard to rail against any author..."It took me several months to finish Benson, primarily due to how annoying I found Vance to be (I do not mind EQ so much in the early titles that are stylized in the same fashion). I will say however that I keep thinking back to the book, perhaps as a result of the descriptions of New York at that time, which came alive for me. I have an omnibus version with several other titles, so I will have to give another one a try.
Colin wrote: "Tara wrote: "In terms of Rawson, how can you go wrong with a magician detective that moonlights as a consultant for the NYPD? I'm hoping that it is as entertainingly bonkers as the premise suggests..."Even if the particular book is not my jam, I have to say that all of the books I've read in the AMC collection have been excellent books, and you can see why they were hand picked to be reprinted. Its been a lot of fun exploring authors I might never have otherwise discovered.
Jill wrote: "Tara wrote: "Doing a back to back reading of American Mystery Classic releases: Ride the Pink Horse by Dorothy B. Hughes, to ..."The introduction describes the book as claustrophobic, and that feels like exactly the right word for it.
I started reading the Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries this year and just finished the third Unnatural Death yesterday. Already reserved the next one from my local library :)
Lady Clementina wrote: "Hope you enjoy The Man Who Died Twice, Rosina. I'm just finishing and absolutely loved it."I have just finished - and I loved it too!
I have to admit that for me Douglas sounded very much like Douglas Richardson, as voiced by Roger Allam in
, smooth-voiced old spy god and eternal schemer ...
I have not yet read any Ngaio Marsh but the first one I clicked on said it was "light" so I plan to start, that being what I need whenever my person pandemic problems get worse (like my income taking a serious hit). Should I just start with A Man Lay Dead? I didn't realize this author is a woman until I looked her up.
Jackie wrote: "I have not yet read any Ngaio Marsh but the first one I clicked on said it was "light" so I plan to start, that being what I need whenever my person pandemic problems get worse (like my income taki..."That's her first novel so it's good to start with it. The character does progress over time.
Yesterday I finally finished The Ghosts of Belfast, Stuart Neville's first. I think this book took me 10-11 years - but I hadn't picked it up for 7-8 years. Lost on my Kindle, again.Very exciting finish.
Jackie wrote: "Should I just start with A Man Lay Dead?"I would say no, a thousand times no in fact! It was her first book and while first books are often weak, this is just plain lousy - it downright sucks if I'm being honest. If it were the first Marsh book I'd read, I doubt I'd ever have read another. Jump in with Artists in Crime or one of the theatrical mysteries instead, you won't be missing a thing if you never read A Man Lay Dead.
Colin wrote: "Jackie wrote: "Should I just start with A Man Lay Dead?"I would say no, a thousand times no in fact! It was her first book and while first books are often weak, this is just plain lousy - it down..."
I would say NO, a MILLION times NO. It does NOT suck at all.
The subplot is not especially interesting and got a bit tedious, but otherwise it's a solid novel - and considering the handful of low ratings on here, it still has a near 4/5 ranking. Mostly, it’s a great first book.
She does not write in the same style as Christie so don't go in expecting that. Go it as I do for any book with ZERO expectations as to what it "should" be like. We should always try our best not to make too many comparisons.
Also, your liking of it will depend on how much you like GA mysteries and the writing style back then. I love them. From his average ratings, Colin is not too keen on them.
Go to Amazon and make use of the LOOK INSIDE function for this and a few of her other books. If what you read appeals to you, then it's a safe bet most of her works will.
I never not try a writer based on anyone's outlook. It's all far too subjective.
very interesting comments, thank you all.
Thom, on the contrary, I like GAD very much, just not poorly written GAD and that book is poor indeed. If someone wants to go ahead and read it, then they should do so. However, when someone asks if it would be a good introduction to the writer, then I feel I should point out that it is among her very worst books and there's a good chance the reader would never pick up another. Try the writer by all means, but with someone whose output is as large and massively variable as Marsh's then I'd try to steer a new reader towards something that might actually be enjoyable for them.
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Hopefully this is unnecessary, but may I just remind everyone that obviously opinions do vary and we need to be respectful of one another's views. Thank you.
I just finished Basil Thomson's Richardson's First Case
. I found it rather underwhelming, not bad but not especially engaging either - review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I also have the next book but I can't say I'm in a hurry to get to it. Has anyone read it, and is it an improvement?
Reading the Detectives
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A LOL. A paperback will only set you back about $8.