Reading the Detectives discussion
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These Names Make Clues
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March 23: These Names Make Clues by E C R Lorac (Book 12 in the Robert Macdonald series) (1937)
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Who is reading this one? I haven't started yet but am looking forward to it as I really enjoy Lorac, and it sounds as if it has a great Golden Age plot.
The spoiler thread is linked below:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I read it, very entertaining but not my favorite Lorac - the party and different ‘characters’, attendees given the names of famous authors, identified at the end of the treasure hunt, were clever, but kind of tough to keep track who was who, and who they really were! But Macdonald was a treat, as always- he’s missed when he’s absent from the page for too long.
I’ve started it and am enjoying it a lot! Glad I have a paperback because I can keep referring back to the concordance of character/literary names provided in chapter III. It’s a high-quality paperback too, with wide margins, white space, and large easy-to-read type, which always increases my pleasure when reading.Does anyone know the derivation of the (apparently) Scottish slang expression ‘losh? (Sorry, I’m on my iPad so I can’t get the apostrophe going in the right direction.)
Abigail wrote: "I’ve started it and am enjoying it a lot! Glad I have a paperback because I can keep referring back to the concordance of character/literary names provided in chapter III. It’s a high-quality paper..."Sorry, I don’t, Abigail! I read the kindle, and you’re right, I kept thinking a physical book would have helped with this one!
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From google: Scottish obsolete. a deformation of the word ' Lord' used as an exclamation.
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I may read this one. I like this series.
Sandy wrote: "From google: Scottish obsolete. a deformation of the word ' Lord' used as an exclamation."Like Gosh then! Or Lawks'a'mussy!
I plan on joining on this one. Have it on my Kindle.
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It is! I thought it was charming how he went from reluctant, then got there and figured he just wanted to survive and not look a fool, then realized he was enjoying himself, and holding his own with his distinguished fellow puzzlers! Well, until the lights went out…
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I thought it was really interesting too - granted, confusing too because of “double names” for each character- but more original than a bunch of characters gathering at afternoon tea at a country house setting, and the hostess rattling off a bunch of names!
Susan in NC wrote: "It is! I thought it was charming how he went from reluctant, then got there and figured he just wanted to survive and not look a fool, then realized he was enjoying himself, and holding his own wit..."I think we all must at some time, been dreading going somewhere, and when we actually got there, we surprised ourselves by enjoying it.
Jill wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "It is! I thought it was charming how he went from reluctant, then got there and figured he just wanted to survive and not look a fool, then realized he was enjoying himself, and..."Oh, yes!
I think this was my first MacDonald story. I liked it.
‘Should detectives go to parties? Was it consistent with the dignity of the Yard? The inspector tossed for it—and went.’
Chief Inspector Macdonald has been invited to a treasure hunt party at the house of Graham Coombe, the celebrated publisher of Murder by Mesmerism. Despite a handful of misgivings, the inspector joins a guestlist of novelists and thriller writers disguised on the night under literary pseudonyms. The fun comes to an abrupt end, however, when ‘Samuel Pepys’ is found dead in the telephone room in bizarre circumstances.
Amidst the confusion of too many fake names, clues, ciphers and convoluted alibis, Macdonald and his allies in the CID must unravel a truly tangled case in this metafictional masterpiece, which returns to print for the first time since its publication in 1937.
Please do not post spoilers in this thread. Thank you.