December 2020: The Christmas Egg: Thoughts while reading

[Elke]

Feel free to chat while reading - avoid spoilers until the end, just in case!

[Heather]

It is interesting that the vantage has gone between the perspectives of both detectives.

[Philina]

I think I know one reason why I still (I'm about half-way done now) cannot connect to this book: I don't care one bit about the characters. Of Nightingale we know that he's got a wife (professional opera singer) and participates in opera productions. At least we got a little bit of info. Of the other guy, who jumped into the river after Ivan (See, I don't even remember his name!), we know nothing.
I have no idea how these two think, how they feel and why, or it's so subtle that I just don't get it. I'm not emotionally engaged in this story. With another book group I once read le Carré and I struggled with that one as well, bored senseless to tell the truth and I'm kind of ashamed of it.

Nightingale seems to hate the Hampstead people (band of thieves?). I don't know why, the book just doesn't tell us. This would be a perfect opportunity to go back into his past, tell us about his character and frame the whole Faberge egg story around finally catching the band of thieves. That framing would give the story structure and purpose. In my opinion, the story has no real structure (Heather put it brilliantly as "all over the place") and no purpose. The purpose should be to find the egg thief, to put the Hampstead people behind bars, etc. Maybe this is the purpose, but it's not really - at least not emotionally - communicated.

When Stephanie visited Nightingale to give him back his glove....why did I feel strange during the whole scene? It kind of felt creepy and surreal, but I cannot put my finger on why.

And then, Christmas... I thought a Christmas mystery would be a little more Christmassy.

Sorry for my ranting, ladies... I think I'm just disappointed, because I had high hopes for a fun, entertaining, Christmassy book.

[Heather]

Philina wrote: "I think I know one reason why I still (I'm about half-way done now) cannot connect to this book: I don't care one bit about the characters. Of Nightingale we know that he's got a wife (professional..."

I felt EXACTLY this way. It doesn't change, unfortunately.

I, too, struggled with The Hampstead group-- where did they come from? How do they fit in? Did I miss reading a past novel that would've told me? Ah. Seems like thieves he has been tracking, so I'll go with it. China? Thievery of china. Ok. Not eggs?

Stephanie comes visiting to return his dropped glove... he knows she's bored. So awkward. Is she asking for an affair?? Why does this just go away later?

The only thing about Christmas are the days in which the murder takes place, there's some snow, and a cameo is bought for his wife Christina for Christmas as she has broken hers.

[Philina]

I'm so glad I'm not alone with my feelings, Heather!

[Sandybeth]

I am over half way through this book and I am not really enjoying it. I assumed that the Hampstead lot were from a previous novel ( I have just checked and this is the third Nightingale book). I cannot warm to the detectives either and the only excitement for me came when they mentioned my home county of Kent as I know Richborough and the Roman fort well.

[Tracey, Yorkshire White Rose.]

Apparently, it is the 3rd in a short series. I wasn't aware of this as this is the only 1 of the series that has been reprinted (as far as I know). It's a pity because it leaves the reader with so much referred to that we are not privy to having not read the 1st two. I wonder why the publisher did this?