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Kate Fansler Mystery #7
Sweet Death, Kind Death
When Clare College's resident eccentric Patrice Umphelby is found drowned in the campus lake, it's called a suicide. But the college president grows suspicious and calls in noted professor/detective Kate Fansler to research the matter. Ingratiating herself with her academic colleagues to learn more about Patrice's life, Kate digs up the evidence she needs to understand her death....
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
1 person is currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Amanda Cross
51 books57 followersA psuedonym of Carolyn G. Heilbrun.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
February 29, 2016
murder mystery set within the confines of an all-women's college. a thoughtful and calm narrative with a pleasingly grouchy and erudite heroine, a professor herself. unfortunately the mystery is thin and shallow; the whodunit may be driving the story but the answers supplied felt like an afterthought. Cross seems rather disinterested in the mechanics and motivations of who killed who and why.
but no matter; the book's appeal is elsewhere. there are two layers of interest. topmost: a fitfully absorbing study of internecine warfare between faculty members on whether or not it is important to acknowledge the particular challenges and strengths of women via gender studies classes (with women, regrettably, on both sides of this division). beneath that - and of much more interest to this reader - a melancholy yet hopeful contemplation of middle age. I suppose at 45 I am solidly within my own middle age; the book gave me much food for thought. the murder victim's perspective, eventually shared by several characters, is that middle age is a time of letting go and of renewal. one opens the door to the other. it is also a time to welcome the idea of death as the inevitable final chapter in a book you are creating - but a book only partially written. death is nothing to fear! a refreshing idea.
but no matter; the book's appeal is elsewhere. there are two layers of interest. topmost: a fitfully absorbing study of internecine warfare between faculty members on whether or not it is important to acknowledge the particular challenges and strengths of women via gender studies classes (with women, regrettably, on both sides of this division). beneath that - and of much more interest to this reader - a melancholy yet hopeful contemplation of middle age. I suppose at 45 I am solidly within my own middle age; the book gave me much food for thought. the murder victim's perspective, eventually shared by several characters, is that middle age is a time of letting go and of renewal. one opens the door to the other. it is also a time to welcome the idea of death as the inevitable final chapter in a book you are creating - but a book only partially written. death is nothing to fear! a refreshing idea.
December 10, 2019
3.5 stars
I read this book immediately after reading the sixth of the series over the weekend, and I was put off by what appears to be a suicide obsession - so I gave it another few days to simmer. The memorial service for another female professor/author drew Kate to attend, but she did not recall having met the woman briefly some years ago stranded at airport in Scotland due to fog until she got a call from a couple of old gents who were researching for a biography of the dead woman. She was at home, suffering from the flu.
Despite the flu, Kate finally agrees to meet with the men at a restaurant and takes a shine to them, Archer and Herbert. They sparked a memory-- that of pulling out her flask of Laphroaig to offer a "slug" to the lady as they got into a discussion where "they moved on from malt to God, and questions about his existence. The subject had, Kate was certain, been introduced by Patrice; it was not one Kate was likely to bring up at any time, least of all when in fog-bound airports."
Of course Kate ends up investigating the drowning death of Patrice. When she asks questions about whether it was possible that the woman had been injected with something the doctor asks if she is planning a murder or investigating a death.
There are many discussions about women's struggles. "If women's colleges aren't concerned with women's advocacy, what are they doing, except protecting the male ideal of womanhood?"
'"Kate," Madeline said, "I am now feeling better, and shall turn my attention to your problem. You've been very patient with my bad temper. Your problem, if I may state it boldly, is why did Patrice walk into that lake, and if she didn't walk in, how did she get there. Right?"'
So...Kate does her thing. Another book where Reed has minor role.
Library Loan
I read this book immediately after reading the sixth of the series over the weekend, and I was put off by what appears to be a suicide obsession - so I gave it another few days to simmer. The memorial service for another female professor/author drew Kate to attend, but she did not recall having met the woman briefly some years ago stranded at airport in Scotland due to fog until she got a call from a couple of old gents who were researching for a biography of the dead woman. She was at home, suffering from the flu.
Despite the flu, Kate finally agrees to meet with the men at a restaurant and takes a shine to them, Archer and Herbert. They sparked a memory-- that of pulling out her flask of Laphroaig to offer a "slug" to the lady as they got into a discussion where "they moved on from malt to God, and questions about his existence. The subject had, Kate was certain, been introduced by Patrice; it was not one Kate was likely to bring up at any time, least of all when in fog-bound airports."
Of course Kate ends up investigating the drowning death of Patrice. When she asks questions about whether it was possible that the woman had been injected with something the doctor asks if she is planning a murder or investigating a death.
There are many discussions about women's struggles. "If women's colleges aren't concerned with women's advocacy, what are they doing, except protecting the male ideal of womanhood?"
'"Kate," Madeline said, "I am now feeling better, and shall turn my attention to your problem. You've been very patient with my bad temper. Your problem, if I may state it boldly, is why did Patrice walk into that lake, and if she didn't walk in, how did she get there. Right?"'
So...Kate does her thing. Another book where Reed has minor role.
Library Loan
September 19, 2019
Suicide or Murder? The setting is a woman’s college near Boston and Kate Fansler investigates. Unpleasant characters, especially the main one – our detective - who preachers her feminism almost endlessly, and is snotty, snide, and disdainful of anyone with whom she disagrees. Probably the author means this to be “cool” and liberated but it quickly becomes tiresome. The persistent use of literary quotes (to show us how intellectual she is) are probably great for those who love literary quotations but for the rest of us –tedious! Book number 7 in this series.
August 30, 2021
University professor Kate Fansler attends a funeral for a fellow academic and then gets drawn into an investigation into the woman's alleged suicide — or was it a murder?
Kate had only met the woman once and their conversation was interesting, it didn't prompt either woman to reach out and maintain and grow the relationship. But Kate has to admit she liked the woman and as she continues the investigation, she likes her more.
On the other hand, she is not so happy with the faculty at the woman's college where Patrice Umphelby taught. Which opens up all sorts of questions. Her journal gives Kate more clues, but where do they all lead?
I have been slow to like Kate Fansler but in this book, she grows on me, perhaps because I am one of those women who think there is much to look forward to in the second half of life — as is both Kate and Patrice. This was a fun book to read and I enjoyed the characters very much.
Kate had only met the woman once and their conversation was interesting, it didn't prompt either woman to reach out and maintain and grow the relationship. But Kate has to admit she liked the woman and as she continues the investigation, she likes her more.
On the other hand, she is not so happy with the faculty at the woman's college where Patrice Umphelby taught. Which opens up all sorts of questions. Her journal gives Kate more clues, but where do they all lead?
I have been slow to like Kate Fansler but in this book, she grows on me, perhaps because I am one of those women who think there is much to look forward to in the second half of life — as is both Kate and Patrice. This was a fun book to read and I enjoyed the characters very much.
March 3, 2016
I found this a good read, for the style and atmosphere, less for the story. The story begins with Professor Kate Fansler attending a memorial service for Patrice Umphelby, a writer and teacher from a New England women's college (Clare College) she had met only once. Soon after, she is contacted by Patrice's official biographers, who initially want to pick Kate's brains about that meeting, which took place in an airport in Scotland (presumably Prestwick) where they drank Laphroaig , and discussed the existence of God (they agreed on his-non-existence), with quotations from Virginia Woolf. Coincidentally (or not) Patrice had committed suicide in the same method used by Woolf.
The biographers later come clean with Kate and admit that they are concerned that Patrice was actually murdered or induced to commit suicide. Then the President of the College calls and asks Kate to investigate the same thing. And so the story really starts. Kate, as cover, accepts a place on the college's Women's Issues Committee, using the time there to investigate, getting to know Patrice's ex-colleagues and the mood and geography of the college. The Women's Issues Committee allows the author to share her opinions on the subject, which seem not unreasonable. (Perhaps they were radical in 1984?) Unlike some Kate Fansler books, the crime (if there is one) has taken place before the book starts.
Like other Kate Fansler books, there is a lot of conversation, literary reference, and not much actual detecting. The night on which the death took place is compared to the Gaudy Night of DL Sayers, and the work that Patrice was involved in at her death is compared to Dickens’ Edwin Drood. Many quotations are taken from Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, and her diaries, especially musing on the subject of how best to enjoy middle age, without continually rhapsodizing back to one’s youth. (This in fact turns out to be a prime clue in the book). I’m guessing Amada Cross was musing about middle age at the time too. There is a lot of reference to a poet called Stevie Smith, who was apparently in love with death.
Clues are few and far between, but the mystery is finally solved. Reed, Kate's husband, features more prominently in this book, as he pursues and accepts a new job, occasioning more social commentary. I liked the book, which is a short 200 pages, for the literary style, the continual literary references, and the witty conversations. I didn't find as much humor in this book as in others, though some of the descriptions, such as Kate’s flu sufferings, or her thoughts on fortune cookies, are pretty amusing. But it's a good read, for the style and atmosphere.
The biographers later come clean with Kate and admit that they are concerned that Patrice was actually murdered or induced to commit suicide. Then the President of the College calls and asks Kate to investigate the same thing. And so the story really starts. Kate, as cover, accepts a place on the college's Women's Issues Committee, using the time there to investigate, getting to know Patrice's ex-colleagues and the mood and geography of the college. The Women's Issues Committee allows the author to share her opinions on the subject, which seem not unreasonable. (Perhaps they were radical in 1984?) Unlike some Kate Fansler books, the crime (if there is one) has taken place before the book starts.
Like other Kate Fansler books, there is a lot of conversation, literary reference, and not much actual detecting. The night on which the death took place is compared to the Gaudy Night of DL Sayers, and the work that Patrice was involved in at her death is compared to Dickens’ Edwin Drood. Many quotations are taken from Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, and her diaries, especially musing on the subject of how best to enjoy middle age, without continually rhapsodizing back to one’s youth. (This in fact turns out to be a prime clue in the book). I’m guessing Amada Cross was musing about middle age at the time too. There is a lot of reference to a poet called Stevie Smith, who was apparently in love with death.
Clues are few and far between, but the mystery is finally solved. Reed, Kate's husband, features more prominently in this book, as he pursues and accepts a new job, occasioning more social commentary. I liked the book, which is a short 200 pages, for the literary style, the continual literary references, and the witty conversations. I didn't find as much humor in this book as in others, though some of the descriptions, such as Kate’s flu sufferings, or her thoughts on fortune cookies, are pretty amusing. But it's a good read, for the style and atmosphere.
March 26, 2012
I laughed out at a lot of the characters' lines. Really heavy on the dialogue but still enjoyable. The ending was a bit of a let down but the sarcastic humor made up for it. I had to resist the urge to make a martini at several points given the characters are usually drinking while discussing the case at hand.
April 16, 2022
Patrice Umphelby, a history professor and novelist, has killed herself by walking into a lake with stones in her pocket. Unfortunately this occurred on the campus of an East Coast women’s college, which is unhappy about the notoriety ithas caused, and Kate Fansler is recruited to look into this event with an eye toward restoring the school’s reputation. When Kate learns that Patrice was indeed planning to commit suicide, only not just *then*, she decides that something rather more sinister must have been going on…. As usual, this seventh novel in the Kate Fansler series is replete with quotations and pithy moments, especially with regard to the need for women’s colleges, the pros and cons of womens’ studies programs, and the overarching theme of death and perceptions about death. I especially enjoyed the discussions of womens’ studies because so many of the rants against the idea ring so hollow (and did when this book was written in the early 1980s). Kate herself is always engaging and although I’m getting tired of the frequent drinking/smoking scenarios, at least the author acknowledges those by making wry comments about how old-fashioned Kate’s habits are! Quite fun overall; recommended.
October 25, 2017
The story begins with Professor Kate Fansler attending a memorial service for Patrice Umphelby, a writer and professor from Clare College. Shortly after she is contacted by Patrice’s official biographers, who want to pick her brain about her one and only encounter with Patrice.
Arthur and Herbert, the biographers, share that they are concerned that Patrice was murdered and did not commit suicide. The President of Clare College calls, with the urging of the biographers, to request that Kate investigate what happened so that they can put this to bed once and for all. Kate’s cover story is the Women’s Study review committee.
There is A LOT of conversation and literary references which, quite frankly, had me lost at several points in time during the book. I didn’t feel like there was much actual detecting/problem solving. Clues were very few and far between, but the mystery is finally solved.
Overall, this was a good book, but it wasn’t as quite of a read as I would have tough for a book under 200 pages. I frequently had to go back and reread passages as I hadn’t quite understood what was being said.
Arthur and Herbert, the biographers, share that they are concerned that Patrice was murdered and did not commit suicide. The President of Clare College calls, with the urging of the biographers, to request that Kate investigate what happened so that they can put this to bed once and for all. Kate’s cover story is the Women’s Study review committee.
There is A LOT of conversation and literary references which, quite frankly, had me lost at several points in time during the book. I didn’t feel like there was much actual detecting/problem solving. Clues were very few and far between, but the mystery is finally solved.
Overall, this was a good book, but it wasn’t as quite of a read as I would have tough for a book under 200 pages. I frequently had to go back and reread passages as I hadn’t quite understood what was being said.
June 24, 2018
The story moved along, albeit slowly. The author kept the reader involved - the questions (who, what, where, how, why - was it a murder, was it suicide), the theories of what might have happened, etc. - as it should be. However, once the 'sleuth' had figured out what had happened, the reader was left out - just left there going 'What? Why is she asking for this and why does she want that? (she being Kate Fansler). Then, at the end, we, the readers, find out who and what and how through a conversation - everything all nicely wrapped up. That style of writing is crap. I don't want to be following along, only to be sidelined at the end. Tossed away as if I didn't matter. Lovely, I get to read how smart the author is, how knowledgeable about literature, et al. But, and that's a big but, if you - Amanda Cross - are not really interested in writing a mystery novel, then don't write one. Not many books get me this angry, but I feel cheated by the author. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because it was interesting to read, decent sentence structure, etc.
August 24, 2020
Like her other books, literary connections, philosophy, and theory are great pleasures in the Cross mysteries. The author's feminism is increasingly apparent, and very welcome. It has been interesting to read her books almost in order, to observe her increasing skill with fiction and her advancing awareness or at least her increasing willingness to advance feminist theory. Gender Studies were an issue when I was in college and I find here a reasoned overview of the need and controversy of such programs. I have read the books as they come to me. There is still #6 to read, though I believe I read it long ago. I had been thinking as I read that this was a decent attempt at Sayer's Gaudy Night when there is the novel itself referenced at the bottom of page 188!
I am liking the series more as I go through the years. Here is also another alter ego for the real Cross, Carolyn Gold Heilbrun, as victim. Now I am very tempted to read her nonfiction.
I am liking the series more as I go through the years. Here is also another alter ego for the real Cross, Carolyn Gold Heilbrun, as victim. Now I am very tempted to read her nonfiction.
March 3, 2023
I'm really late to the Amanda Cross party and found this book to be a real mix. I had no idea that Amanda aka Carolyn would give Kate Fansler such a feminist, literary background to throw around at faculty parties. While I did find all of the death-loving authors a bit tedious, I kept thinking of a character on a Frasier who found him to be (in a focus group) a "smarty pants."
Having once been married to an academic and virtually ignored at parties (no PhD, mother) I did thoroughly enjoy her take and sarcastic "kill me now" reactions to the way intellectuals love to unzip and compare wherever they are.
The plot was strung out but doable given that I wasn't facing 300 pages - love short books now and again. The ending - came a bit quick and how they knew what to do with pick and shovel escapes me still. I'll give old Amanda another try - at least written a few years ago, I don't have to wade through all of the current pc stuff and not a word about Trump - heavenly.
Having once been married to an academic and virtually ignored at parties (no PhD, mother) I did thoroughly enjoy her take and sarcastic "kill me now" reactions to the way intellectuals love to unzip and compare wherever they are.
The plot was strung out but doable given that I wasn't facing 300 pages - love short books now and again. The ending - came a bit quick and how they knew what to do with pick and shovel escapes me still. I'll give old Amanda another try - at least written a few years ago, I don't have to wade through all of the current pc stuff and not a word about Trump - heavenly.
April 15, 2020
MAnother re-read from my shelves. Again an excellent mystery. Why did Patrice drown in the lake at her college? Her biographers enlist Kate Fansler help to work through the extraordinary mystery surrounding Patrice's death more than a year earlier. Someone at the College is convinced Patrice was murdered but murder is no way definite and the police treated the death as suicide. The story is full of university tensions, literary allusions, and philosphical reflections. For me it was a delight to re-read after many years.
When one is in one's seventies these characters seem delightfully young and for them to be talking about old age is hilarious. Patrice was right life gets better as your body ages. Great fun.
When one is in one's seventies these characters seem delightfully young and for them to be talking about old age is hilarious. Patrice was right life gets better as your body ages. Great fun.
May 17, 2020
Over the last few weeks I've worked my way through seven Kate Fansler mysteries and 20 years of Amanda Cross aka Carolyn Heilbrun novels. I'm not sure that they would have spoken to me in quite the same way if I were a lot younger than I am now.
The character Kate has gone from a mid-1960's mid-30 year old woman to a mid-1980's mid-50 year old woman. She continues to be full of literary and detective novel allusions, and she is still sleuthing. But this novel is very focused on the great possibilities of a woman's late-middle age. It is also focused on the topic of suicide when one has reached a time when great possibilities are no more.
Given Heilbrun's true life story, all of this meditation on the topic through Amanda Cross is fascinating.
The character Kate has gone from a mid-1960's mid-30 year old woman to a mid-1980's mid-50 year old woman. She continues to be full of literary and detective novel allusions, and she is still sleuthing. But this novel is very focused on the great possibilities of a woman's late-middle age. It is also focused on the topic of suicide when one has reached a time when great possibilities are no more.
Given Heilbrun's true life story, all of this meditation on the topic through Amanda Cross is fascinating.
January 3, 2020
Here is another "literary" "mystery" that is really a McGuffin for displaying the author's narrative or dialogue abilities. As a mystery, I rate it low. As a scholarly stroll through campus and gender studies in 1988, it is much more enjoyable. Ms. Cross spends considerable time telling what women authors thought and were later suicides, and she crafts a victim who seems to follow a similar path yet has her own view of aging and activity that seems to me to be very positive. As far as college politics, she captures the Sturm und Drang and the old saw that "they are so bitter because they are unimportant." A pleasant read but no mystery in the standard sense.
January 3, 2020
My first Kate Fansler mystery, sent to me by my friend Rose who is a reading machine. I had never heard of Kate Fansler but will seek out some others as this was quite a fun mystery. Kate is a "modern" woman, independent, strong, business-like, but with an appreciation for her husband and the domestic life. The plot and characters are nicely developed and I particularly enjoyed the setting of a women's college and all the faculty idiosyncrasies. The plot twists were fun and the ending creative leaving me to wonder how the heck to people come up with these things?
December 11, 2022
Cross puts words together wonderfully but is so full of herself, so stuffed with insufferable upper-class arrogance that it makes reading her an often-unpleasant slog. And in this case, while there was a mystery -- was it murder or suicide? - there were no clues and no mystery-solving until the narrator told all on the next-to-last page.
It's too bad Cross hasn't lived up to her first book, in which her unpleasant attitudes were clear but still under some control -- and she gave us a good whodunit.
It's too bad Cross hasn't lived up to her first book, in which her unpleasant attitudes were clear but still under some control -- and she gave us a good whodunit.
August 13, 2020
I'm rereading all the Amanda Cross mysteries, and so far it's my favorite. It's truly a treat for anyone who is also Carolyn Heilbrun fan. It seems to echo _The Last Gift of Time: Life Beyond Sixty_, although I haven't read that in years.
As always, it's less of a murder mystery than an exploration of academia, sexism, relationships, etc. I give it a 5 because for what it is, it is perfect. It's both escapist and intellectually stimulating.
As always, it's less of a murder mystery than an exploration of academia, sexism, relationships, etc. I give it a 5 because for what it is, it is perfect. It's both escapist and intellectually stimulating.
December 5, 2020
Another reread - this one seemed to take longer to get through. Possibly because there was very little "action" - or what passes for action in these wonderful cerebral books. A lot more talking, usually to little purpose. But Kate gets there in the end. She follows a hunch (?) which may have been telegraphed earlier - if it was, I missed it entirely! So I found the ending a little unsatisfying. But still a good read, even if a slightly slower one.
April 1, 2021
The mysteries, or the murders, in the Amanda Cross' books are convoluted and we often read "he/she may have......we'll never know" at the "recapping" discussion.
But the books are delightful, full of literary and academic references, lovely discussions and, frequently, serious looks at what was, at the time, a social problem.
But the books are delightful, full of literary and academic references, lovely discussions and, frequently, serious looks at what was, at the time, a social problem.
October 1, 2022
I probably should have stuck with my gut and NOT picked this one up but… here we are. It doesn’t do anything offensive or bad, it’s just boring and not the kind of mystery I particularly enjoy. I think if I had been alive in the 80s to read this, I would have found it empowering. But it’s sort of meh for 2022.
May 29, 2025
Still love/hate the Fansler novels. Solid issues, generally good story line but her characters to not speak like anyone I know. tThey also speak alike so it's difficult to keep track of who is speaking.
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June 29, 2020I'm sorry. This book was so bad I'm not even going to waste a star or a revue on it.
August 2, 2021
Fun mystery (sort of mystery) with lots academic intellectualish ramblings... if you like that sort of thing.
October 26, 2021
I would have bet anything that this was written by an Englishman, but it turns out that "Amanda Cross" was an American woman. Go figure.
January 9, 2022
literally was perfect til the ending. it felt so rushed and I would have much rather see kate breaking in and discovering everything then hearing her retail it in the end
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 19, 2022What can I say? I love these books.
March 22, 2024
Patrice Umphelby was a brilliant woman. A professor at Clare, a small women's college in Massachusetts, she also thought and wrote about death. Thus, when she is found drowned in the lake on the college grounds, with a suicide note in her apartment, most everyone thinks it a suicide. But even a year later, some are convinced she was murdered. The college president, wanting to put the rumors to rest, asks New York literature professor and sometimes private sleuth Kate Fansler nominally to take part in a gender studies committee, but really to look into the stories and hopefully show for certain that it was a suicide.
Kate, partnered with the two man who are writing Patrice's biography, begins digging into her life. She also starts talking to the rest of the faculty of Clare, and it becomes clear that while some of them admired Patrice, others resented and disliked her.
There are only eight books in this series, which is a shame. I would have liked for there to be many more. (UPDATE: Amazon listed only eight, but apparently there are more. Good news!)
Sweet Death, Kind Death is both a good mystery novel and a discourse on women's colleges in the mid-1980s. The way factions develop, the various conservative elements, and the way the administration deals with things all give a vidid picture of how such colleges functioned. There are parts that are reminiscent of Gaudy Night.
While plot and setting are import to the novel, the main character, Kate Fansler, is what really brings me back to to this series. As I noted above, she's a professor of literature, and is found of making references to literature (in this novel, to Virginia Wolfe, which is fitting given the situation, but there are also references to George Eliot, Charles Dickens, and others). She is engaging, bright, and quick witted, and her interactions with the other characters are entertaining.
Kate, partnered with the two man who are writing Patrice's biography, begins digging into her life. She also starts talking to the rest of the faculty of Clare, and it becomes clear that while some of them admired Patrice, others resented and disliked her.
There are only eight books in this series, which is a shame. I would have liked for there to be many more. (UPDATE: Amazon listed only eight, but apparently there are more. Good news!)
Sweet Death, Kind Death is both a good mystery novel and a discourse on women's colleges in the mid-1980s. The way factions develop, the various conservative elements, and the way the administration deals with things all give a vidid picture of how such colleges functioned. There are parts that are reminiscent of Gaudy Night.
While plot and setting are import to the novel, the main character, Kate Fansler, is what really brings me back to to this series. As I noted above, she's a professor of literature, and is found of making references to literature (in this novel, to Virginia Wolfe, which is fitting given the situation, but there are also references to George Eliot, Charles Dickens, and others). She is engaging, bright, and quick witted, and her interactions with the other characters are entertaining.
March 4, 2014
What to say?
I liked the ideas of it, very much, the thoughts about middle age and death and women's lives were fascinating and strong and spoke to me, a woman in her late 30s, very much. And I found the mystery a decent one, the suicide which may or may not be one, and trying to figure it out.
But the weight of the story was off; things were treated as shocking revelations which seemed just a normal shifting of evidence, and the conversations felt very, very strange, often the call and response was broken, and while this might make for a fine effect, I could never tell if it was supposed to be fragmented (and the characters knew it and were swallowing it, or did not know it because they were upset) or if Cross herself saw some thread in the dialogue I could not follow. So it did not work well, it felt poorly written here and there, never enough that I stopped but it was upon the edge, and I am disappointed. I think I will do the next one but I may take a longer break before it.
I liked the ideas of it, very much, the thoughts about middle age and death and women's lives were fascinating and strong and spoke to me, a woman in her late 30s, very much. And I found the mystery a decent one, the suicide which may or may not be one, and trying to figure it out.
But the weight of the story was off; things were treated as shocking revelations which seemed just a normal shifting of evidence, and the conversations felt very, very strange, often the call and response was broken, and while this might make for a fine effect, I could never tell if it was supposed to be fragmented (and the characters knew it and were swallowing it, or did not know it because they were upset) or if Cross herself saw some thread in the dialogue I could not follow. So it did not work well, it felt poorly written here and there, never enough that I stopped but it was upon the edge, and I am disappointed. I think I will do the next one but I may take a longer break before it.
June 19, 2009
This was somewhat depressing. For many reasons, Kate is investigating the suicide of a professor known for her vocal belief that she would not suffer old age or delibetating sickness and would take her life instead.
Is it really a suicide or a cleverly disguised murder? Kate takes the task of finding out for the duo of biographers and the familly of the professor.
As always in Heilbrun's aka Cross mystery novel, the mystery is somewhat an accessory to the ideas and the philosophy. Here you have Kate stuck on a comittee for gender studies and her beloved husband in a mid-life crisis. This is more about how one face mid live, adulthood, old age and what it means to be a woman then about catching a murderer.
Depressing but well written. Also knowing that the author took her own life does make the whole philosophy displayed here a bit unnerving.
Is it really a suicide or a cleverly disguised murder? Kate takes the task of finding out for the duo of biographers and the familly of the professor.
As always in Heilbrun's aka Cross mystery novel, the mystery is somewhat an accessory to the ideas and the philosophy. Here you have Kate stuck on a comittee for gender studies and her beloved husband in a mid-life crisis. This is more about how one face mid live, adulthood, old age and what it means to be a woman then about catching a murderer.
Depressing but well written. Also knowing that the author took her own life does make the whole philosophy displayed here a bit unnerving.
October 11, 2010
Although I don't like Kate Fansler, the amateur detective star of this series, I love the literary references peppering Cross's books. They have led me to other books and to other authors who I have missed or not delved into deeply enough. In this book, the issue is middle aged women, with quotes from Virginia Woolf, Stevie Smith, and many others. As I have been pondering this subject this year, I find these quotes affirming. The mysteries are not solved fairly; indeed, the characters hold secret conferences that the readers are not privvy to, which I hold as cheating.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews