English Mysteries Club discussion
Buddy Reads
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Continuing Buddy Read of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, with Adrian
Ellen wrote: "I have been doing the Detection Club Challenge in the Reading the Detectives group. The book for that in May is Whose Body? so I will be reading it and hopefully keep up with the continuing Buddy R..."Ha ha. I have just received notification myself that it is the book for May, how peculiar. Well enjoy and I look forward to your thoughts Ellen.
Tara wrote: "I was definitely surprised that gorgonzola was mentioned 3 times in this book! Not something you would really expect in a GA murder mystery. But I do think that Lord Peter is the perfect blend of e..."I'm looking forward to book 2 as well Tara. After struggling slightly during the first couple of chapters, I think due to sporadic reading, in the end I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Roll on Clouds of Witness , which I did actually read about 6 years ago.
I finished it a few days ago and did enjoy it. It was good to go back to the beginning and I thought the characters that continue through the series were really well fleshed out well for a first book.
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Bionic Jean wrote: "I've put this second book on our home page, to alert everyone Ade. I've made the end date May 30th, but can alter this if it's not right :)"Thanks for that Jean. 30th May is fine.
I know a few people intimated that they might join us along the journey so that will remind them.
Personally, despite struggling in the first 30+ pages I really enjoyed book one, so am looking forward to Clouds of Witness.
Lynnie wrote: "I finished it a few days ago and did enjoy it. It was good to go back to the beginning and I thought the characters that continue through the series were really well fleshed out well for a first book."I think you made a really good point Lynnie, that I hadn't noticed before, in that DLS does bring her recurring characters to life very quickly. She does it so well that it never even occurred type me.
Adrian wrote: "Lynnie wrote: "I finished it a few days ago and did enjoy it. It was good to go back to the beginning and I thought the characters that continue through the series were really well fleshed out well..."Thank you Adrian and I'm looking forward to Clouds of Witness, will probably start it in a week or so as I want to read the group choice Moonflower Murders next.
Lynnie wrote: "Thank you Adrian and I'm looking forward to Clouds of Witness, will probably start it in a week or so as I want to read the group choice Moonflower Murders next...."I'm in the same place, AND I have another buddy read on tap as well. But I haven't read Clouds in decades and I'm looking forward to a re-read!
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Just to say....I'm still fine with one a month!
I've read the first chapter of Clouds of Witness and DLS does write a good inquest scene. She often brings humour to it.
Just finished Whose Body? which I enjoyed very much. For some reason it seems to have improved from what I remembered. I thought the portrayal of Peter's shell shock was well done and as usual loved the Dowager Duchess.
Despite having several books to read, none of them caught my attention, so I decided to start re-reading Clouds of Witness.
Rosemarie wrote: "I read Clouds of Witness last year and loved it!"Well I have to say Rosemarie I'm enjoying it so far
Barbara K wrote: "I'm in the same place, AND I have another buddy read on tap as well. But I haven't read Clouds in decades and I'm looking forward to a re-read! ..."Lynnie wrote: "Thank you Adrian and I'm looking forward to Clouds of Witness, will probably start it in a week or so as I want to read the group choice Moonflower Murders next. ."
Well Lynnie and Barbara I hope you are both enjoying the book.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Ade - just let me know if you would like to extend this read. I have to enter a date to put it on the home page, but it's easy enough to edit."Hi Jean, I think at the moment everyone seems to be ok with one a month, even me ha ha.
Lynnie wrote: "I've read the first chapter of Clouds of Witness and DLS does write a good inquest scene. She often brings humour to it."Yes, I think Lynnie that I had never really noticed before how much humour there is in the books.
Ellen wrote: "Just finished Whose Body? which I enjoyed very much. For some reason it seems to have improved from what I remembered. I thought the portrayal of Peter's shell shock was well done a..."I'm glad you're with us Ellen, I really enjoyed it as well, but I think they get even better !!
carolina wrote: "Despite having several books to read, none of them caught my attention, so I decided to start re-reading Clouds of Witness."As ever carolina, its good to have you with us. I hope you enjoy Clouds of Witness having chosen it over other books.
Well somehow its now over half way through May, where has the year gone ? Rhetorical question obviously, it has disappeared during my wife and I's renovations of our new house.Anyway, I am around 30% through the book on my Kindle, oh how I wish I had my mother's paperbacks. And I must admit like Lynnie I enjoyed the inquest scene and the "hinting" from the coroner was just hilarious.
I have found it so much easier to read than Whose Body? where I struggled during the first 50 or so pages.
So I am looking forward to ploughing through the rest of the book.
As ever I would love to hear others (non spoiler ) thoughts.
I enjoyed Clouds very much - hope to get my thoughts down soon.
I've finished chapter 4. I 've noticed that there are so many interesting places around this country house! a map to locate and remember all of them would be a great idea!
I've just finished Clouds of Witness, it's my 3rd time of reading and once again I'd forgotten "whodunnit". I really enjoyed the growing friendship between Wimsey and Parker and it's great to be introduced to Peter's sister and brother. I love the Dowager Duchess, she is such a great character.
Overall I liked this, some exciting moments in it.
Barbara K wrote: "I enjoyed Clouds very much - hope to get my thoughts down soon."I'm still enjoying it , but am conscious of the fact I only have a few days left. I look forward to your thoughts Barbara
carolina wrote: "I've finished chapter 4. I 've noticed that there are so many interesting places around this country house! a map to locate and remember all of them would be a great idea!"A good point carolina. Having got further than that I now wish I had a map of the area with all the villages and places as a plan of the house.
Lynnie wrote: "I've just finished Clouds of Witness, it's my 3rd time of reading and once again I'd forgotten "whodunnit". I really enjoyed the growing friendship between Wimsey and Parker and it'..."
I'm the same Lynnie, although I haven't quite finished yet, in that I read this a few years ago, and cannot for the life of me remember who "done" it ??
Rosemarie wrote: "I like the Dowager Duchess too!"She's a real character isn't she Rosemarie 😊
So I'm just over 2/3rds of the way through the book. The good news is that my wife and I have completed most of our house renovations and so moving forward I will have a little more time for reading. and the even better good news is that we were down in London this week for our middle sons wedding .
What a fabulous day it was, and a great time was had by the select group of 30 people who attended.
Unfortunately I sort of showed up the family by getting a little emotional during the service, typical. My excuses have ranged from grit in my eye to laughing so much I shed a few tears I don't think any of them worked !!
Hey ho, back now so I can enjoyably finish reading this book !
I love weddings and I also get emotional at them! I finished Cloud of witness and I enjoy it very much. This time I could pay atention to many details I didn't see last time. I also think that the Dowager Duchess is a great character!
Bionic Jean wrote: "I think the next one, starting today, must be Unnatural Death. Is that right Adrian?"Exactly, thanks Jean.
So we head off to country houses in Hampshire and to swish London apartments as Lord Peter battles a series of murders that threaten his own life.
If anyone is feeling that we are rushing these stories, please let me know and we will take a view on whether we should move to one book every two months.
In the meantime for those of you still with us, let me wish you a happy read of Unnatural Death and keep posting your thoughts.
I just finished it. It's very entertaining, although I found it a little sad. I think I prefer Clouds of witness. Lord Peter's family are all super interesting characters!
Just started today. This is not one of my Wimsey rereads so I'm curious if I will like it better than when I was young. I found the beginning quite entertaining and enjoyed the introduction of Miss Climpson.
Finished today. I am not changing my rating. I thought is was a good story but my enjoyment was considerably lessened by the racist attitudes expressed. I'm sure it was the prevailing attitude then but it doesn't make me happy to read it now. At several points I thought she was being sarcastic but at other times not so much. I'm glad I reread it but probably won't be reading it again.
I've just finished Unnatural Death and know what you mean about the racist attitudes, especially of a certain minor character.This book had one of the nastiest murderers!
I enjoyed the suspenseful plot-and Miss Climpson, of course.
carolina wrote: "I just finished it. It's very entertaining, although I found it a little sad. I think I prefer Clouds of witness. Lord Peter's family are all super interesting characters!"Its funny isn't it, I'm about half way through and feel this is my favourite so far. We shall see.
Ellen wrote: "Finished today. I am not changing my rating. I thought is was a good story but my enjoyment was considerably lessened by the racist attitudes expressed. I'm sure it was the prevailing attitude then..."I'm really enjoying Ms Climpson as well. She's quite a character.
With regard the attitudes expressed, it is difficult isn't it. My mother, born in the 20s, despite being incredibly generous and friendly to everyone, would have had to have been very careful in these current times not to offend people unintentionally . I think she would have found it difficult and that is the problem I have with criticising a novel. It was off its time, and whilst we now think those comments racist, I don't know that they were written in malice or hatred, just using the accepted language of the time.
Adrian wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Finished today. I am not changing my rating. I thought is was a good story but my enjoyment was considerably lessened by the racist attitudes expressed. I'm sure it was the prevailing..."I absolutely believe there was no malice or hatred and it was unquestionably the accepted attitude. Indeed my own mother born in 1916 in the south, who was absolutely the best mom ever, had racial attitudes that were completely of her time and now completely unacceptable. I have no doubt if I had been raised in the time and place she was my attitude would have been the same. I guess I can just enjoy Sayers other novels more because the subject doesn't come up.
Ellen wrote: "Adrian wrote: "Ellen wrote: "Finished today. I am not changing my rating. I thought is was a good story but my enjoyment was considerably lessened by the racist attitudes expressed. I'm sure it was..."Well I finished it myself today and I have to say I think it is my favourite so far. I love the interplay between Wimsey and Parker and of course Miss Climpson.
I think (hope) that as we move through the stories they will do nothing but improve. What a lot to look forward to.
I'm still reading this one! I last read it in 1979 so once again have forgotten everything, I am enjoying it so have been taking my time!I know it's the short stories for July - I'm looking forward to them too.
I'm going to start Lord Peter Views the Body soon although the book I have is Lord Peter: A Collection of All the Lord Peter Wimsey Stories. So I will be reading the first 12 stories in the book. I have read them a couple of times but am looking forward to this reread.
Congrats on your son's wedding Adrian! It sounds like it was a lovely time, although I would imagine a London wedding to be quite pricey, even for an intimate crowd.I recently finished Clouds of Witness and just got Unnatural Death. My library has super long hold times for the audiobooks, so while I am still following along with the group, I'm afraid I'm a bit behind.
Tara wrote: "Congrats on your son's wedding Adrian! It sounds like it was a lovely time, although I would imagine a London wedding to be quite pricey, even for an intimate crowd.I recently finished [book:Clou..."
Many thanks Tara, everybody's wedding present was to donate money to hire the Tapas restaurant , as my son and his partner (I suppose I should say husband now) have most things they want/need including the obligatory rescue greyhound ha ha.
There is no problem with being a little behind , please feel free to continue to post your thoughts, Im sure myself and other readers will comment.
And yet again I need to apologise for my absence, this time my youngest son, wife and his family (11 month old twins) arrived from Berlin to stay for three weeks. I had forgotten what 11 month olds are like and if I'm honest I think our youngest son came for a rest as my wife and I ended taking the morning shift whilst they went back to bed for a rest. To say we are exhausted is an understatement and whilst it was fabulous to have them here as we obviously don't see them often, it was also good to drop them off at the airport for them to fly home.
End result little or no reading and very limited GR access.
All of that said I have nearly finished Lord Peter Views the Body amazingly , and I have to admit I have been quite impressed by the quality of the short stories.
So far they have been varied and enjoyable.
Lynnie wrote: "I'm still reading this one! I last read it in 1979 so once again have forgotten everything, I am enjoying it so have been taking my time!I know it's the short stories for July - I'm looking forwar..."
Well I hope you are enjoying the short stories Lynnie. I've found them better than I remembered and better than I'd hoped.
Ellen wrote: "I'm going to start Lord Peter Views the Body soon although the book I have is Lord Peter: A Collection of All the Lord Peter Wimsey Stories. So I will be reading the fir..."I seem to actually have both Ellen in Kindle somehow. It is quite handy to have the "Collection" as it encompasses L0rd Peter stories in about 4 books.
Anyway, I hope you are enjoying them
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Well, as I mentioned it was a re-read for me, but after 40+ years I must admit I didn't remember a single thing about the book.
I did find it quite witty and in the end an enjoyable read.