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Decluttering Mysteries #3
Waste of a Life
Ellen Curtis is about to have her own life thrown into chaos in this third light-hearted decluttering mystery!
" Brett layers the old-fashioned puzzle with deep psychological insights . . . Not to be missed" Booklist Starred Review
Declutterer Ellen Curtis has been working to bring order into the life of Cedric Waites, a recluse in his eighties who hasn't left his house or let anyone inside it since his wife died. On one of her regular visits, Ellen finds the old man dead.
Sad but, given his age, perhaps not unexpected. Nothing to get worked up about . . . until the police raise the suspicion that Cedric might have been poisoned! The cause seems be something he ate, and as Ellen cleared away the old man's food containers, she is under suspicion. As is Dodge, who works for Ellen and has unhelpfully done a runner . . .
Meanwhile, a rival declutterer is out to sabotage Ellen's reputable business, her two grown-up children are back home and in crisis, and she has a potential love interest. Ellen's life has taken on a chaotic turn of its own! Can she uncover the killer and bring order back to her own life?
" Brett layers the old-fashioned puzzle with deep psychological insights . . . Not to be missed" Booklist Starred Review
Declutterer Ellen Curtis has been working to bring order into the life of Cedric Waites, a recluse in his eighties who hasn't left his house or let anyone inside it since his wife died. On one of her regular visits, Ellen finds the old man dead.
Sad but, given his age, perhaps not unexpected. Nothing to get worked up about . . . until the police raise the suspicion that Cedric might have been poisoned! The cause seems be something he ate, and as Ellen cleared away the old man's food containers, she is under suspicion. As is Dodge, who works for Ellen and has unhelpfully done a runner . . .
Meanwhile, a rival declutterer is out to sabotage Ellen's reputable business, her two grown-up children are back home and in crisis, and she has a potential love interest. Ellen's life has taken on a chaotic turn of its own! Can she uncover the killer and bring order back to her own life?
191 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2022
36 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
Simon Brett
330 books536 followersSimon Brett is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.
He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.
After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.
He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
February 27, 2023
The best in the series so far.
OverDrive, thank you!
OverDrive, thank you!
November 26, 2022
Simon Brett's Waste of a Life is a novel about the life of eightieth-year-old hermit Cedric Waites, who has not left his home or allowed anybody inside since his wife's death. During one of her routine visits, Ellen discovers the elderly man dead.
I appreciated the novel's cosy, suspenseful mood created by the author's skillful writing and the decluttering environment and books.
The commentary dismissing gender studies, feminism, calling the #MeToo movement a big scam, trans rights and the ability to use specific pronouns (“it’s so easy to offend anyone nowaadays”), cultural appropriation (“kids singing around a fire would be called cultural appropriation now”), and influencers' judgements was unappealing and detracted from the tale for me. Ellen is an extremely dull protagonist, and her journey lacks any genuine development or arc. I also disliked how women were depicted in this novel.
Overall, Waste of a Life is an interesting read that may be beneficial for some readers. While it was not for me, I believe that there are others who will appreciate it.
You will like this if you enjoy : Jordan Peterson, The Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro, and Fox News.
Rating: 2.5 stars (leaning towards 2)
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciated the novel's cosy, suspenseful mood created by the author's skillful writing and the decluttering environment and books.
The commentary dismissing gender studies, feminism, calling the #MeToo movement a big scam, trans rights and the ability to use specific pronouns (“it’s so easy to offend anyone nowaadays”), cultural appropriation (“kids singing around a fire would be called cultural appropriation now”), and influencers' judgements was unappealing and detracted from the tale for me. Ellen is an extremely dull protagonist, and her journey lacks any genuine development or arc. I also disliked how women were depicted in this novel.
Overall, Waste of a Life is an interesting read that may be beneficial for some readers. While it was not for me, I believe that there are others who will appreciate it.
You will like this if you enjoy : Jordan Peterson, The Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro, and Fox News.
Rating: 2.5 stars (leaning towards 2)
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn House for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2023
Ellen Curtis, professional declutterer, finds one of her clients dead and assumes the cause was old age ... until the cops arrange an autopsy and start asking questions. Meanwhile, her sort-of adult children both require her attention. Life is pretty busy, but she's nevertheless determined to figure out what happened to Cedric.I read the second book in this series a year ago because I've enjoyed a few Simon Brett mysteries when they appear on the New Books shelf at the library. I was a bit meh about last year's installment -- it was a little grey for me -- so I never looked up the first book. But when I saw this one, I knew it would be a quick read, and since I was in a bit of a reading slump, mysteries have been hitting the spot for me. So I picked it up.
And I enjoyed this much more than the previous one. Maybe it was just nice to be back in the familiar territory of Ellen's narration, or maybe it's because this story ended up feeling a little more colorful and positive than last year's, but I really enjoyed this. Enough so that I actually suffered a teeny book hangover when I finished it. Both the mystery and Ellen's life worked out very well in the end -- satisfactorily and believably. I'm looking forward to more installments in this series.
December 1, 2022
Waste Of A Life is the third book in the Decluttering Mysteries series by British author, Simon Brett. As is often the case, it has taken some time for decluttering expert Ellen Curtis to win the trust of her new client, Cedric Waites, but once she does, her regular visits to this reclusive widower are helping to make his life safer and more comfortable.
When she finds his body during her regular visit, she’s more sad than shocked: in his seventies, after a long period of poor nutrition and hygiene, it’s no surprise he pulled a dodgy meal out of the freezer.
But then the police tell her that Cedric was poisoned. Intentionally? It seems that, with her routine efficiency at decluttering, she may have inadvertently removed a potentially vital clue. And they want to talk to any tradesmen she brought in. Her reclusive recycling carpenter, Dodge aka Gervaise Palmier, is nowhere to be found.
Ellen busies herself with helping her regular, and some new, clients: a retired English teacher with encroaching dementia whose book hoard is becoming a problem; and a very green couple whose decluttering begins to quickly look like a tit-for-tat exercise.
Distracting her from those are: her usually self-centred mother remarking on the conspicuous lack of communication from her granddaughter, Ellen’s eldest child, Jools; the attentions of a certain Tim Goodrich, the executor of Cedric’s will, which are not unwelcome; and Ellen is also feeling a little guilty that she doesn’t like her son Ben’s new girlfriend more.
On top of all that, it seems that the proprietor of another decluttering company is trying to undermine Space Woman with warnings to prospective customers and nasty website reviews.
While she doesn’t usually do house clearances, she agrees to do Cedric’s house when asked by his son, thinking she might stumble on a clue about his death. It’s immediately apparent that the focus of Cedric’s daughter-in-law is on their likely financial gain. It all gets quite interesting when Ellen discovers Cedric’s valuable collection of first-edition books.
Brett gives the reader another clever plot that includes: one child having a career implosion, the other, a career success; a touch of romance; plenty of emotional baggage unloaded with the aid of copious alcohol consumption; and a nasty scam targeting the demented elderly.
Ellen’s inner monologue always provides humour, as does any scene that features her mother, Fleur. It does seem that this series is improving with each new book, so it’s to be hoped that Brett has many more of these up his literary sleeve. Very enjoyable cosy crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate Books/Severn House
When she finds his body during her regular visit, she’s more sad than shocked: in his seventies, after a long period of poor nutrition and hygiene, it’s no surprise he pulled a dodgy meal out of the freezer.
But then the police tell her that Cedric was poisoned. Intentionally? It seems that, with her routine efficiency at decluttering, she may have inadvertently removed a potentially vital clue. And they want to talk to any tradesmen she brought in. Her reclusive recycling carpenter, Dodge aka Gervaise Palmier, is nowhere to be found.
Ellen busies herself with helping her regular, and some new, clients: a retired English teacher with encroaching dementia whose book hoard is becoming a problem; and a very green couple whose decluttering begins to quickly look like a tit-for-tat exercise.
Distracting her from those are: her usually self-centred mother remarking on the conspicuous lack of communication from her granddaughter, Ellen’s eldest child, Jools; the attentions of a certain Tim Goodrich, the executor of Cedric’s will, which are not unwelcome; and Ellen is also feeling a little guilty that she doesn’t like her son Ben’s new girlfriend more.
On top of all that, it seems that the proprietor of another decluttering company is trying to undermine Space Woman with warnings to prospective customers and nasty website reviews.
While she doesn’t usually do house clearances, she agrees to do Cedric’s house when asked by his son, thinking she might stumble on a clue about his death. It’s immediately apparent that the focus of Cedric’s daughter-in-law is on their likely financial gain. It all gets quite interesting when Ellen discovers Cedric’s valuable collection of first-edition books.
Brett gives the reader another clever plot that includes: one child having a career implosion, the other, a career success; a touch of romance; plenty of emotional baggage unloaded with the aid of copious alcohol consumption; and a nasty scam targeting the demented elderly.
Ellen’s inner monologue always provides humour, as does any scene that features her mother, Fleur. It does seem that this series is improving with each new book, so it’s to be hoped that Brett has many more of these up his literary sleeve. Very enjoyable cosy crime fiction.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Canongate Books/Severn House
December 19, 2022
Decluttering expert Ellen Curtis returns in the third entry in this offbeat mystery series. One of Ellen’s clients, a 70-something recluse named Cedric Waites, dies; this being a cozy mystery, Cedric’s been poisoned. Author Simon Brett creates a lovely plot for the mystery, but I also loved catching up with Ellen’s family.
October 13, 2022
I very much enjoyed Waste Of A Life. This series has a good deal more emotional heft than some of Simon Brett’s other work, which I like very much.
Here, in the third of the series featuring professional declutterer Ellen Curtis, an old and much-liked client dies and the death soon begins to look suspicious. As Ellen and her close friends and family become involved, the only real solution is for them to try to catch the culprit.
Brett, as always, gives us an interesting cast of very well-drawn characters, and Ellen herself is an engaging narrator and protagonist. The publishers’ blurb describes this as “a light-hearted mystery,” which I suppose is true of the mystery itself and, to be honest, I found the plot and its denouement a little thin. However, what does give these books real interest and drive for me is Brett’s treatment of various aspects of trauma and mental health problems in his characters. He is perceptive and humane, and I have become very invested in the regulars here: Ellen herself, her adult daughter and son Julia and Ben, and her friend and colleague, Dodge. This may not be to everyone’s taste; the books have all Brett’s usual readability, but slightly less of the light, humorous tone of many of his books. Personally I like it very much and I’m already looking forward to the next in the series.
(My thanks to Severn House for an ARC via NetGalley.)
Here, in the third of the series featuring professional declutterer Ellen Curtis, an old and much-liked client dies and the death soon begins to look suspicious. As Ellen and her close friends and family become involved, the only real solution is for them to try to catch the culprit.
Brett, as always, gives us an interesting cast of very well-drawn characters, and Ellen herself is an engaging narrator and protagonist. The publishers’ blurb describes this as “a light-hearted mystery,” which I suppose is true of the mystery itself and, to be honest, I found the plot and its denouement a little thin. However, what does give these books real interest and drive for me is Brett’s treatment of various aspects of trauma and mental health problems in his characters. He is perceptive and humane, and I have become very invested in the regulars here: Ellen herself, her adult daughter and son Julia and Ben, and her friend and colleague, Dodge. This may not be to everyone’s taste; the books have all Brett’s usual readability, but slightly less of the light, humorous tone of many of his books. Personally I like it very much and I’m already looking forward to the next in the series.
(My thanks to Severn House for an ARC via NetGalley.)
January 2, 2023
This is my first foray into Simon Brett's Decluttering mysteries though I have read two of the instalments in his Fethering cosy crime mystery series (The Liar in the Library - book eighteen and Death and the Decorator book twenty-one) but I'd be happy to read more. Waste of a Life was a good example of amateur sleuthing and really easy to read. Set in Chichester, England I like the complex sleuth, Ellen Curtis who runs SpaceWoman, a decluttering company and I didn't feel lost coming in late into this series, but I would like to go back and read the previous books to learn more about her. Simon Brett's writing style is a hit with me although I had an inkling of the ending. All in all, I would recommend Waste of a Life to anyone who is fond of a good cozy novel. It covered some serious topics and it was a great tale.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Severn House via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Severn House via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
November 20, 2022
It's amazing to me that Simon Brett has written nearly 100 books, and still keeps writing fresh material and growing as a writer. Waste of a Life is the third book in his Decluttering series--a series that I am following avidly. Ellen Curtis's decluttering service, Spacewoman, is well-established. She has two new clients, Mim, and Cedric, both elderly, and Mim has dementia. Both are hoarders. Ellen also has a competitor who is spreading lies about her, and trying to steal her clients. When client Cedric is found dead, Ellen is suspected, but the police's primary suspicion falls on her good friend, the strange and police-phobic Dodge. In addition to having a true mystery on her hands, with her friend in trouble, there's trouble at home. Son Ben, prone to the same depression demons as his dead father, has a career on the rise, and a girlfriend, but the stress appears to be breaking him. Daughter Jools is incommunicado--moreso than usual--and Ellen fears trouble. On top of it all, Ellen finds herself buying new undergarments because she's wildly attracted to Tim, the executor of Cedric's will. Throw in some very rare books, and you have a tantalizing, book-lover's mystery.
What's special about the decluttering mysteries, and Waste of a Life in particular, is the delicate balance between the mystery surrounding Cedric's death and Ellen's deep connection to her friends and family. Her family is in crisis, and she always puts it first (as one of Brett's characters mentions). Ellen is complex and deeply human. Brett captures her feelings and concerns beautifully, and we come to care very much about her. Her dilemmas are those of so many working, mature women, and as a woman I identify with them.
I found the wrapping up of the mystery a tad rushed, but that's insignificant. Overall, Waste of a Life is a wonderful book, and definitely not a waste of time. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for a digital advance copy.
What's special about the decluttering mysteries, and Waste of a Life in particular, is the delicate balance between the mystery surrounding Cedric's death and Ellen's deep connection to her friends and family. Her family is in crisis, and she always puts it first (as one of Brett's characters mentions). Ellen is complex and deeply human. Brett captures her feelings and concerns beautifully, and we come to care very much about her. Her dilemmas are those of so many working, mature women, and as a woman I identify with them.
I found the wrapping up of the mystery a tad rushed, but that's insignificant. Overall, Waste of a Life is a wonderful book, and definitely not a waste of time. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!)
Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for a digital advance copy.
September 8, 2022
Ellen Curtis is a declutterer and she’s hired to help hoarders who need some help organizing their space. With two elderly clients on her current roster, she’s working to help them clean up and organize their homes. When she finds one of them dead in his home, she believes he died of old age, but the police don’t believe that. What happened to the man and could the police be right?
With her friend and colleague Dodge being the last to see the man alive, he becomes a person of interest. Ellen knows Dodge wouldn’t hurt anyone, so how can she help her friend? She will sleuth while clearing the man’s home out and hope she can figure it out before Dodge is found and charged for something he didn’t do. If Ellen can get that far without finding herself in the killer’s crosshairs.
This was the first book I read in this series and it reads fine as a stand alone. I really liked Ellen’s honesty about being a bitchy woman at times, after all, we can all relate ourselves. Also her caring about people, both her family and her customers, makes her even more endearing and you’re rooting for her to solve the mystery and succeed in all she does. The reference to books in this one is also a great addition as you get into some 20th century quotes and poetry. A brilliant read!
With her friend and colleague Dodge being the last to see the man alive, he becomes a person of interest. Ellen knows Dodge wouldn’t hurt anyone, so how can she help her friend? She will sleuth while clearing the man’s home out and hope she can figure it out before Dodge is found and charged for something he didn’t do. If Ellen can get that far without finding herself in the killer’s crosshairs.
This was the first book I read in this series and it reads fine as a stand alone. I really liked Ellen’s honesty about being a bitchy woman at times, after all, we can all relate ourselves. Also her caring about people, both her family and her customers, makes her even more endearing and you’re rooting for her to solve the mystery and succeed in all she does. The reference to books in this one is also a great addition as you get into some 20th century quotes and poetry. A brilliant read!
September 6, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
The third of the Decluttering series is another good one. It's become my favorite Simon Brett's series.
Ellen Curtis' company (of one) SpaceWoman is still going strong and this story concerns the death of
Cedric, one of her longtime clients, who she still looks in on.
We're also kept up to date with her son and daughter. I love those parts, her children, especially Ben, have caused her some serious worry and this time her daughter also gives her cause for concern. She hasn't heard from her in quite a while, as her mother, Fleur, loves to rub in.
Her thoughts and musings are delightful, I love reading about her life and look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended!
The third of the Decluttering series is another good one. It's become my favorite Simon Brett's series.
Ellen Curtis' company (of one) SpaceWoman is still going strong and this story concerns the death of
Cedric, one of her longtime clients, who she still looks in on.
We're also kept up to date with her son and daughter. I love those parts, her children, especially Ben, have caused her some serious worry and this time her daughter also gives her cause for concern. She hasn't heard from her in quite a while, as her mother, Fleur, loves to rub in.
Her thoughts and musings are delightful, I love reading about her life and look forward to the next in the series. Highly recommended!
November 27, 2022
Waste of a Life by Simon Brett is a highly recommended mystery and the third installment of his entertaining decluttering mystery series.
Ellen Curtis is the owner and sole employee of SpaceWoman, a decluttering company in Chichester, England. She doesn't do major cleaning out of hoarders houses, she helps people overwhelmed with stuff organize what they have. When Social Services asks her to bring order to the home of Cedric Waites, she agrees to work with him. Waites is an elderly recluse who needs to have his home decluttered and repaired in order to live in it. Ellen has to be persistent to finally get Waites to allow her in and eventually start to get the repairs and organization that he needs done. She is shocked and sad to arrive one day and find Waites dead. It is even more shocking when she learns that the police believe he was poisoned.
Along the way Ellen tackles some other interesting cases, does some sleuthing and questioning on her own, and learns of a rivals campaign to smear her. She is also dealing with her two grown children and problematic mother. This is lighthearted entertainment rather than a heart-stopping thriller. The appeal is in Ellen's personable and upbeat narration and descriptions of the people she is working for and events she's experiencing.
As you're reading it may seem that the other decluttering cases are just filler, but they actually provide information pertinent to several mysteries. The pace is quick and Waste of a Life can easily be read in a day. Although this works as a standalone, after reading it I'm definitely interested in reading the first two in the series, The Clutter Corpse and An Untidy Death. Ellen is a great character and this could easily lead to another book in the series.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Severn House via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/1...
Ellen Curtis is the owner and sole employee of SpaceWoman, a decluttering company in Chichester, England. She doesn't do major cleaning out of hoarders houses, she helps people overwhelmed with stuff organize what they have. When Social Services asks her to bring order to the home of Cedric Waites, she agrees to work with him. Waites is an elderly recluse who needs to have his home decluttered and repaired in order to live in it. Ellen has to be persistent to finally get Waites to allow her in and eventually start to get the repairs and organization that he needs done. She is shocked and sad to arrive one day and find Waites dead. It is even more shocking when she learns that the police believe he was poisoned.
Along the way Ellen tackles some other interesting cases, does some sleuthing and questioning on her own, and learns of a rivals campaign to smear her. She is also dealing with her two grown children and problematic mother. This is lighthearted entertainment rather than a heart-stopping thriller. The appeal is in Ellen's personable and upbeat narration and descriptions of the people she is working for and events she's experiencing.
As you're reading it may seem that the other decluttering cases are just filler, but they actually provide information pertinent to several mysteries. The pace is quick and Waste of a Life can easily be read in a day. Although this works as a standalone, after reading it I'm definitely interested in reading the first two in the series, The Clutter Corpse and An Untidy Death. Ellen is a great character and this could easily lead to another book in the series.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Severn House via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/1...
June 19, 2023
Ellen is a declutterer, and as such she works with many old and ill people. Cedric was both, but he was also more reasonable than many of the folk she sees, and she formed a personal connection with him, which makes her all the sadder when he dies. When she learns that the police think his death was suspicious, she worries about her friend Dodge, who has his own mental problems, which include foraging for food and fear of the police. He sometimes cooked for Cedric, but would never have hurt him deliberately. Ellen is also dealing with a retired English teacher who is being slowly overwhelmed by her precious books, and as always by the problems of her two children. While I do like this series by the prolific and popular Brett, this novel seems plagued by repetition.
December 6, 2022
I love Simon Brett and I think he's one of the greatest living mystery writer. This is the last series he developed and deals with with serious topics like mental health, hoarding, and solitude.
This means that the novels can be a light mystery with a darker and more serious side or a dramatic novel with some lighter moments.
This one was an excellent and balanced mix of the above elements and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I love Ellen and love the empathy of the writer towards the characters and their issues.
A mystery which is thought provoking and entertaining at the same time.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
This means that the novels can be a light mystery with a darker and more serious side or a dramatic novel with some lighter moments.
This one was an excellent and balanced mix of the above elements and the solid mystery kept me guessing.
I love Ellen and love the empathy of the writer towards the characters and their issues.
A mystery which is thought provoking and entertaining at the same time.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
November 16, 2022
Know that this is less about who killed Cedric, an elderly man who Ellen has befriended, than it is about mental health issues. Ellen's husband struggled until his death and her children struggle today. She works "decluttering," for hoarders and others- and she does so with considerable sensitivity. Don't get me wrong- this is not a heavy read but rather one that wraps in more serious issues until a novel with both a murder (or two) and a wry sense of humor. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.
August 18, 2023
Romance was cute, but the commentary was not. It pokes fun at the #MeToo movement & it’s simply not the book for this day and age. Perhaps there maybe others who feel differently.
December 23, 2022
Fun & engaging short read, but incredibly predictable plot with a few too many attempts to make it more complex without any real follow through. Painfully obvious that female characters were written by a male author.
March 4, 2023
This was an easy short read! Loved that it followed a decluttering business. Not much character development and didn’t grab my full attention, but still decent.
April 16, 2024
I love this series!
August 4, 2024
This is the third installment of the decluttering series, and I think it's by far the best one. I know there's another installment I haven't read yet, but I don't see how it could beat this one.
The ending was quite a shock, I sincerely never saw it coming. Can't wait for the next one.
The ending was quite a shock, I sincerely never saw it coming. Can't wait for the next one.
January 1, 2023
Usually I don't like when male authors have a female main character, especially when it's written in the first person, but I really enjoy these books. Simon Brett creates a quiet hero in Ellen. She lives a fairly normal life, which includes emotionally supporting a depressed adult son, who seriously worries her, a daughter who primarily lives a separate life, and a horrible mother. Plus, she has a job decluttering people's homes and the emotions that brings. I've heard people turned off by this series. It's not a cozy though it sounds like one. The talk about depression and suicide can get pretty serious. I just like spending a little time in Ellen's life.
December 11, 2022
My thanks to Severn House for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Waste of a Life’ by Simon Brett.
This is the third in Brett’s series of semi-cosy ‘Decluttering Mysteries’, featuring professional declutterer and amateur sleuth, Ellen Curtis.
The novel is narrated by Ellen and she opens by providing basic information on her life, including details of her business, SpaceWoman, helping people to declutter their homes. While I have read both earlier books, it was useful to have the reminder. Each book in the series works fine on its own.
For some months Ellen has been working with elderly recluse Cedric Waites. Since his wife’s death eight years previously he had not allowed anyone into his home until Social Services stepped in following a bad fall and Ellen was assigned his case.
They had been making progress so Ellen was only checking in weekly - though one morning she discovers his dead body. His death is not unexpected given his age though following the autopsy the police believe that Cedric had been poisoned. Ellen finds herself a person of interest as she is one of a few people who had provided ready-to-heat meals for Cedric’s freezer.
It’s time for Ellen to put on her deerstalker and do some sleuthing. Meanwhile, a business rival seems to be out to sabotage SpaceWoman. Complicating everything, Ben and Jools, Ellen’s grown children, have returned to the nest bringing plenty of problems home with them.
Simon Brett uses Ellen’s voice to address more serious subjects than the usual cosy crime fare, including various mental health issues, loss and bereavement, loneliness, and the toll of ageing. While there are lighter moments in the novel, Brett doesn’t trivialise its more serious themes.
I relate to Ellen on a number of levels and especially enjoyed her chats with the police detective handling Cedric’s case, who appears to be a fan of crime fiction. They discuss the legacy of Golden Age writers like Agatha Christie leaving readers with the idea of the police as not the “sharpest knives in the drawer” and by contrast the high expectations generated by TV crime series.
Overall, I enjoyed this book (and series) as it has well realised characters and also contains some useful decluttering tips. Along the way various mysteries and Ellen’s more conventional cases are resolved in a satisfying way.
More please, Mr. Brett.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
This is the third in Brett’s series of semi-cosy ‘Decluttering Mysteries’, featuring professional declutterer and amateur sleuth, Ellen Curtis.
The novel is narrated by Ellen and she opens by providing basic information on her life, including details of her business, SpaceWoman, helping people to declutter their homes. While I have read both earlier books, it was useful to have the reminder. Each book in the series works fine on its own.
For some months Ellen has been working with elderly recluse Cedric Waites. Since his wife’s death eight years previously he had not allowed anyone into his home until Social Services stepped in following a bad fall and Ellen was assigned his case.
They had been making progress so Ellen was only checking in weekly - though one morning she discovers his dead body. His death is not unexpected given his age though following the autopsy the police believe that Cedric had been poisoned. Ellen finds herself a person of interest as she is one of a few people who had provided ready-to-heat meals for Cedric’s freezer.
It’s time for Ellen to put on her deerstalker and do some sleuthing. Meanwhile, a business rival seems to be out to sabotage SpaceWoman. Complicating everything, Ben and Jools, Ellen’s grown children, have returned to the nest bringing plenty of problems home with them.
Simon Brett uses Ellen’s voice to address more serious subjects than the usual cosy crime fare, including various mental health issues, loss and bereavement, loneliness, and the toll of ageing. While there are lighter moments in the novel, Brett doesn’t trivialise its more serious themes.
I relate to Ellen on a number of levels and especially enjoyed her chats with the police detective handling Cedric’s case, who appears to be a fan of crime fiction. They discuss the legacy of Golden Age writers like Agatha Christie leaving readers with the idea of the police as not the “sharpest knives in the drawer” and by contrast the high expectations generated by TV crime series.
Overall, I enjoyed this book (and series) as it has well realised characters and also contains some useful decluttering tips. Along the way various mysteries and Ellen’s more conventional cases are resolved in a satisfying way.
More please, Mr. Brett.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
December 24, 2022
Part three of a most promising series. But then again: what else to expect of Simon Brett? A tiny bit predictable, but so well written that that is easily forgiven.
December 10, 2022
Another cozy whodunnit by Simon Brett with very satisfying endings.
November 4, 2022
I love Simon Brett’s crime mysteries and this relatively new series is a great addition to his books. A Waste of a Life is the third in the Decluttering series but I think that you could easily read it as a stand alone.
Ellen’s job as a declutterer takes her into people’s houses and these people are often elderly or vulnerable so possibly easy victims. This time she goes and works at the house of Cedric who has become a recluse after the death of his wife. On one of her regular visits, she discovers him dead in bed. Ellen assumes that he has died of natural causes but the post mortem reveals traces of poison and the police become involved. Ellen is also working at the house of Mim, a retired school teacher who led a very active social life in the 1960’s. At first Mim and Cedric appear to have nothing in common but gradually a link appears between them.
I really enjoyed this mystery. There were a lot of twists and turns which kept me interested and I liked the host of secondary characters. This is a cosy crime novel but Simon Brett still keeps us in touch with reality. Mim increasingly suffers from dementia and there are several characters in the book with mental health problems including both of Ellen’s children.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, Severn House, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Ellen’s job as a declutterer takes her into people’s houses and these people are often elderly or vulnerable so possibly easy victims. This time she goes and works at the house of Cedric who has become a recluse after the death of his wife. On one of her regular visits, she discovers him dead in bed. Ellen assumes that he has died of natural causes but the post mortem reveals traces of poison and the police become involved. Ellen is also working at the house of Mim, a retired school teacher who led a very active social life in the 1960’s. At first Mim and Cedric appear to have nothing in common but gradually a link appears between them.
I really enjoyed this mystery. There were a lot of twists and turns which kept me interested and I liked the host of secondary characters. This is a cosy crime novel but Simon Brett still keeps us in touch with reality. Mim increasingly suffers from dementia and there are several characters in the book with mental health problems including both of Ellen’s children.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, Severn House, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 4, 2023
Waste Of A Life is the third book in the Decluttering Mysteries series, written and read by British author, Simon Brett. As is often the case, it has taken some time for decluttering expert Ellen Curtis to win the trust of her new client, Cedric Waites, but once she does, her regular visits to this reclusive widower are helping to make his life safer and more comfortable.
When she finds his body during her regular visit, she’s more sad than shocked: in his seventies, after a long period of poor nutrition and hygiene, it’s no surprise he pulled a dodgy meal out of the freezer.
But then the police tell her that Cedric was poisoned. Intentionally? It seems that, with her routine efficiency at decluttering, she may have inadvertently removed a potentially vital clue. And they want to talk to any tradesmen she brought in. Her reclusive recycling carpenter, Dodge aka Gervaise Palmier, is nowhere to be found.
Ellen busies herself with helping her regular, and some new, clients: a retired English teacher with encroaching dementia whose book hoard is becoming a problem; and a very green couple whose decluttering begins to quickly look like a tit-for-tat exercise.
Distracting her from those are: her usually self-centred mother remarking on the conspicuous lack of communication from her granddaughter, Ellen’s eldest child, Jools; the attentions of a certain Tim Goodrich, the executor of Cedric’s will, which are not unwelcome; and Ellen is also feeling a little guilty that she doesn’t like her son Ben’s new girlfriend more.
On top of all that, it seems that the proprietor of another decluttering company is trying to undermine Space Woman with warnings to prospective customers and nasty website reviews.
While she doesn’t usually do house clearances, she agrees to do Cedric’s house when asked by his son, thinking she might stumble on a clue about his death. It’s immediately apparent that the focus of Cedric’s daughter-in-law is on their likely financial gain. It all gets quite interesting when Ellen discovers Cedric’s valuable collection of first-edition books.
Brett gives the reader another clever plot that includes: one child having a career implosion, the other, a career success; a touch of romance; plenty of emotional baggage unloaded with the aid of copious alcohol consumption; and a nasty scam targeting the demented elderly.
Ellen’s inner monologue always provides humour, as does any scene that features her mother, Fleur. It does seem that this series is improving with each new book, so it’s to be hoped that Brett has many more of these up his literary sleeve. Very enjoyable cosy crime fiction.
When she finds his body during her regular visit, she’s more sad than shocked: in his seventies, after a long period of poor nutrition and hygiene, it’s no surprise he pulled a dodgy meal out of the freezer.
But then the police tell her that Cedric was poisoned. Intentionally? It seems that, with her routine efficiency at decluttering, she may have inadvertently removed a potentially vital clue. And they want to talk to any tradesmen she brought in. Her reclusive recycling carpenter, Dodge aka Gervaise Palmier, is nowhere to be found.
Ellen busies herself with helping her regular, and some new, clients: a retired English teacher with encroaching dementia whose book hoard is becoming a problem; and a very green couple whose decluttering begins to quickly look like a tit-for-tat exercise.
Distracting her from those are: her usually self-centred mother remarking on the conspicuous lack of communication from her granddaughter, Ellen’s eldest child, Jools; the attentions of a certain Tim Goodrich, the executor of Cedric’s will, which are not unwelcome; and Ellen is also feeling a little guilty that she doesn’t like her son Ben’s new girlfriend more.
On top of all that, it seems that the proprietor of another decluttering company is trying to undermine Space Woman with warnings to prospective customers and nasty website reviews.
While she doesn’t usually do house clearances, she agrees to do Cedric’s house when asked by his son, thinking she might stumble on a clue about his death. It’s immediately apparent that the focus of Cedric’s daughter-in-law is on their likely financial gain. It all gets quite interesting when Ellen discovers Cedric’s valuable collection of first-edition books.
Brett gives the reader another clever plot that includes: one child having a career implosion, the other, a career success; a touch of romance; plenty of emotional baggage unloaded with the aid of copious alcohol consumption; and a nasty scam targeting the demented elderly.
Ellen’s inner monologue always provides humour, as does any scene that features her mother, Fleur. It does seem that this series is improving with each new book, so it’s to be hoped that Brett has many more of these up his literary sleeve. Very enjoyable cosy crime fiction.
January 29, 2023
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Waste of a Life is the third book in the decluttering mystery series by Simon Brett. Released 6th Dec 2022 by Severn House, it's 192 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The author writes entertainingly and well. All the parts (and they are varied and numerous) fit together and do precisely what they're meant to do. The characters are believable and well rendered. The dialogue works and is never clunky or awkward. Although this series isn't fluffy enough (in my estimation) to fit firmly into the cozy mold, it's not at all gritty, either. In short, it's a modern British murder mystery with a well plotted story arc, some not-too-graphic crimes, some humour, and a satisfying denouement and resolution. For readers who enjoy modern amateur sleuths without paranormal aspects, talking cats, telepathy, and crystals, this series is blessedly free of them.
A fair bit of the book does revolve around mental illness (expectedly since the protagonist is a de-clutterer and works with professional local social services to help clients). The author manages to treat the subjects sensitively, but some readers could conceivably find some of the subject matter and situations triggering.
I found it a delightful read and despite the potentially serious subplot elements, Mr. Brett manages to imbue the whole with enough humour to make it an entertaining and quick read. North American readers should be aware that it's written in British vernacular (faffing around, lift, flat, etc), but this shouldn't pose any problems in context.
Four stars. Really well done. With three books currently extant in the series and such a prolific author, this would make a good choice for a binge/buddy read. Recommended for fans of not-terribly-fluffy modern cozies. Fans of M.C. Beaton, G.M. Malliet, and Anthony Horowitz will likely enjoy these also.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Waste of a Life is the third book in the decluttering mystery series by Simon Brett. Released 6th Dec 2022 by Severn House, it's 192 pages and available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
The author writes entertainingly and well. All the parts (and they are varied and numerous) fit together and do precisely what they're meant to do. The characters are believable and well rendered. The dialogue works and is never clunky or awkward. Although this series isn't fluffy enough (in my estimation) to fit firmly into the cozy mold, it's not at all gritty, either. In short, it's a modern British murder mystery with a well plotted story arc, some not-too-graphic crimes, some humour, and a satisfying denouement and resolution. For readers who enjoy modern amateur sleuths without paranormal aspects, talking cats, telepathy, and crystals, this series is blessedly free of them.
A fair bit of the book does revolve around mental illness (expectedly since the protagonist is a de-clutterer and works with professional local social services to help clients). The author manages to treat the subjects sensitively, but some readers could conceivably find some of the subject matter and situations triggering.
I found it a delightful read and despite the potentially serious subplot elements, Mr. Brett manages to imbue the whole with enough humour to make it an entertaining and quick read. North American readers should be aware that it's written in British vernacular (faffing around, lift, flat, etc), but this shouldn't pose any problems in context.
Four stars. Really well done. With three books currently extant in the series and such a prolific author, this would make a good choice for a binge/buddy read. Recommended for fans of not-terribly-fluffy modern cozies. Fans of M.C. Beaton, G.M. Malliet, and Anthony Horowitz will likely enjoy these also.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
January 6, 2023
Before I go further, I need to mention a trigger warning – in Ellen’s past there is a suicide. While this book doesn’t go into huge detail about the event, ten years later it still reverberates through Ellen’s life in a poignant and realistic manner.
If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading the previous two books, don’t be deterred from enjoying this one. Like many murder mystery series, while there is a narrative arc for the main protagonist, each whodunit is resolved within the book so you won’t be left to flounder. And an author of Brett’s skill and experience doesn’t do such things to his readers, anyway. I have huge affection for Ellen. She is at an age where she is of the middle generation squeeze – still looking after grown-up children, neither of whom are particularly thriving, as well as confronted with an ageing and increasingly frail mother. It doesn’t help that she isn’t on particularly good terms with her mother or her daughter.
I like Brett’s unsentimental approach to family life. There is often a rather unrealistic gloss around the key relationship between mothers and daughters in genre fiction, unless it is the darker psychological sort, or gritty murder mysteries. But while there is definitely a bedrock of love and concern in the relationship between Ellen and her children, she is also extremely careful to step around their adult sensibilities. The result is often poignant and humorous. In amongst all this family angst, Ellen is having to continue her daily routine – also refreshingly realistic.
The murder mystery in this story is a slow burn that gradually gains momentum. I won’t claim that the murderer is a huge surprise. But I wasn’t sure they would be satisfactorily uncovered so the police could step in – and I’m not telling you if that happens, as then we’d be lurching into Spoiler territory. Once more, I was pulled into this story to the extent that I didn’t put it down until I’d reached the end, so I read it in two greedy gulps. Highly recommended for fans of the gentler sort of murder mystery that nonetheless has an edged look at modern life. While I obtained an arc of Waste of a Life from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading the previous two books, don’t be deterred from enjoying this one. Like many murder mystery series, while there is a narrative arc for the main protagonist, each whodunit is resolved within the book so you won’t be left to flounder. And an author of Brett’s skill and experience doesn’t do such things to his readers, anyway. I have huge affection for Ellen. She is at an age where she is of the middle generation squeeze – still looking after grown-up children, neither of whom are particularly thriving, as well as confronted with an ageing and increasingly frail mother. It doesn’t help that she isn’t on particularly good terms with her mother or her daughter.
I like Brett’s unsentimental approach to family life. There is often a rather unrealistic gloss around the key relationship between mothers and daughters in genre fiction, unless it is the darker psychological sort, or gritty murder mysteries. But while there is definitely a bedrock of love and concern in the relationship between Ellen and her children, she is also extremely careful to step around their adult sensibilities. The result is often poignant and humorous. In amongst all this family angst, Ellen is having to continue her daily routine – also refreshingly realistic.
The murder mystery in this story is a slow burn that gradually gains momentum. I won’t claim that the murderer is a huge surprise. But I wasn’t sure they would be satisfactorily uncovered so the police could step in – and I’m not telling you if that happens, as then we’d be lurching into Spoiler territory. Once more, I was pulled into this story to the extent that I didn’t put it down until I’d reached the end, so I read it in two greedy gulps. Highly recommended for fans of the gentler sort of murder mystery that nonetheless has an edged look at modern life. While I obtained an arc of Waste of a Life from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10
November 11, 2022
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of Waste of a Life, the third novel to feature professional declutterer Ellen Curtis, set in Chichester.
Ellen has been asked to help Cedric Waites organise his life a bit better. Elderly, Cedric hasn’t left his house since his wife died eight years ago, nor let anyone in. Ellen rises to the challenge and has been visiting Cedric regularly until one day she finds him dead. The Police suspect poison, but Ellen has disposed of the evidence and her eccentric friend, Dodge, comes under suspicion.
I thoroughly enjoyed Waste of a Life, which is an entertaining read with plenty going on and several twists. It’s enough to keep any reader occupied. The novel is told from Ellen’s first person point of view and as she can have, when roused, a rather jaundiced view of her fellow humankind she makes the novel fun.
The plot isn’t particularly difficult to work out, but then I don’t think it is intended to be as it is all about the characters and their difficulties and how they react to them. Decluttering almost inevitably implies that the hoarders need help and Ellen is kind and understanding with the clients who need support, be it with loneliness, mental health or dementia. The author never makes fun of these people and treats their issues sensitively enough that it is informative for the reader. It is not just her clients who need support, however, as her adult children are not the strongest mentally and the reader gets the other side of the coin as Ellen wonders if she is doing enough to support them. As it said it is done sensitively but not with a heavy hand so it seems natural.
I really liked some of the twists in the novel. They won’t derail the reader from the conclusions they have drawn, but they are a bit of sharp surprise in what is a cosy novel.
Waste of a Life is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
Ellen has been asked to help Cedric Waites organise his life a bit better. Elderly, Cedric hasn’t left his house since his wife died eight years ago, nor let anyone in. Ellen rises to the challenge and has been visiting Cedric regularly until one day she finds him dead. The Police suspect poison, but Ellen has disposed of the evidence and her eccentric friend, Dodge, comes under suspicion.
I thoroughly enjoyed Waste of a Life, which is an entertaining read with plenty going on and several twists. It’s enough to keep any reader occupied. The novel is told from Ellen’s first person point of view and as she can have, when roused, a rather jaundiced view of her fellow humankind she makes the novel fun.
The plot isn’t particularly difficult to work out, but then I don’t think it is intended to be as it is all about the characters and their difficulties and how they react to them. Decluttering almost inevitably implies that the hoarders need help and Ellen is kind and understanding with the clients who need support, be it with loneliness, mental health or dementia. The author never makes fun of these people and treats their issues sensitively enough that it is informative for the reader. It is not just her clients who need support, however, as her adult children are not the strongest mentally and the reader gets the other side of the coin as Ellen wonders if she is doing enough to support them. As it said it is done sensitively but not with a heavy hand so it seems natural.
I really liked some of the twists in the novel. They won’t derail the reader from the conclusions they have drawn, but they are a bit of sharp surprise in what is a cosy novel.
Waste of a Life is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.
April 9, 2023
I started reading this novel after finishing the previous one in the series for APDO Book Club in November.
I put it down for a very long while after reaching the scene in which the crooked book dealer uses white gloves. I suspect that the gloves were meant to indicate how clueless he was (because rare books professionals do not use white gloves - they lead to far more damage than clean, dry hands). However, it’s always an irritant to see this tired old trope in fiction.
I picked it up again as I want to clear out “old stock” on my NetGalley shelf, and blasted through it quite quickly this morning.
Three stars from me always means that I believe an author has achieved their aims but that I personally didn’t fall in love with the book. Other people may enjoy it more than I did.
For me, the issue was not so much the white gloves (so many good writers use them that I can’t make that a reason to deduct stars in the rating scheme). No, it was the tediousness of the protagonist’s relationship with her offspring. Having quite liked Ellen Curtis in previous books I really tired of her in this one.
We discover along with Ellen that her successful daughter (whom she has all but ignored in preference to her son) is not successful but actually struggling and it’s difficult to watch as Ellen has half conversations and tip-toes around. Then we have the most unbelievable “suicide attempt” by her son. (Not a suicide attempt - a cry for help). And finally there’s a lot of stuff that hints that Ellen may have TERF-tendencies. (Only “may” though - the author stays just the right side of sentences I read in fear he may end disappointingly. Personally, I’d have preferred him to steer clear of gender as a topic altogether - it’s a cosy crime novel, and doesn’t need identity politics).
So, in conclusion, a novel that some people will love but that I found just OK.
Three Word Review: Dullsville, West Sussex 🥱
I put it down for a very long while after reaching the scene in which the crooked book dealer uses white gloves. I suspect that the gloves were meant to indicate how clueless he was (because rare books professionals do not use white gloves - they lead to far more damage than clean, dry hands). However, it’s always an irritant to see this tired old trope in fiction.
I picked it up again as I want to clear out “old stock” on my NetGalley shelf, and blasted through it quite quickly this morning.
Three stars from me always means that I believe an author has achieved their aims but that I personally didn’t fall in love with the book. Other people may enjoy it more than I did.
For me, the issue was not so much the white gloves (so many good writers use them that I can’t make that a reason to deduct stars in the rating scheme). No, it was the tediousness of the protagonist’s relationship with her offspring. Having quite liked Ellen Curtis in previous books I really tired of her in this one.
We discover along with Ellen that her successful daughter (whom she has all but ignored in preference to her son) is not successful but actually struggling and it’s difficult to watch as Ellen has half conversations and tip-toes around. Then we have the most unbelievable “suicide attempt” by her son. (Not a suicide attempt - a cry for help). And finally there’s a lot of stuff that hints that Ellen may have TERF-tendencies. (Only “may” though - the author stays just the right side of sentences I read in fear he may end disappointingly. Personally, I’d have preferred him to steer clear of gender as a topic altogether - it’s a cosy crime novel, and doesn’t need identity politics).
So, in conclusion, a novel that some people will love but that I found just OK.
Three Word Review: Dullsville, West Sussex 🥱
March 7, 2023
The first three chapters of this book read like a documentary. I had to actually look at the book cover and title once to be sure I was reading fiction. After learning the difference between decluttering and cleaning, the story moved on, our main character and narrator, Ellen, still very droll and placid. Her life didn't seem all that exciting but my midway through, the pace had picked up enough that I was looking forward to picking the book back up each time I left off.
Ellen ran her own decluttering business and a client came to her on recommendation of some social workers after he'd been hospitalized for a fall. Cedric was very reclusive, maybe borderline a horder, but not as bad as some Ellen had seen. She thought she could convince him of making the few repairs and changes needed but Cedric ignored the door when she came to it. Over and over until they came to an agreeable peace. It turned out that Cedric was very well read and could even be funny. I think Ellen decided she liked him. After his house was put back in order, she continued to drop by to check on him.
That's how she became suspect in his murder. Cedric had been poisoned by eating one of the meals given to him by well meaning acquaintances. Including Ellen. To top it off, Ellen had cleared out all the empty cartons before she realized that Cedric had been poisoned.
This story got better, and I grew to like Ellen better as time went on. Pretty good little mystery with some sweet revenge.
Here's a passage I highlighted:
"Strange how you don't notice change if it happens gradually. It's like elderly couples not realizing that, to the outside world, they look old. To each other, the minor depredations of the years have happened so relatively sl0wly they're almost imperceptible."
Ellen ran her own decluttering business and a client came to her on recommendation of some social workers after he'd been hospitalized for a fall. Cedric was very reclusive, maybe borderline a horder, but not as bad as some Ellen had seen. She thought she could convince him of making the few repairs and changes needed but Cedric ignored the door when she came to it. Over and over until they came to an agreeable peace. It turned out that Cedric was very well read and could even be funny. I think Ellen decided she liked him. After his house was put back in order, she continued to drop by to check on him.
That's how she became suspect in his murder. Cedric had been poisoned by eating one of the meals given to him by well meaning acquaintances. Including Ellen. To top it off, Ellen had cleared out all the empty cartons before she realized that Cedric had been poisoned.
This story got better, and I grew to like Ellen better as time went on. Pretty good little mystery with some sweet revenge.
Here's a passage I highlighted:
"Strange how you don't notice change if it happens gradually. It's like elderly couples not realizing that, to the outside world, they look old. To each other, the minor depredations of the years have happened so relatively sl0wly they're almost imperceptible."
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