Sandy’s Comments (group member since Dec 14, 2015)

Sandy’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

Susan in NC wrote: "Currently reading the short Bonfire Night and I can’t believe my luck, first to get the ebook of The Impossible Fortune ..."

I also got The Impossible Fortune today and it will be next up. As I canceled my request in another library system, I noticed they estimated the wait as six months. Lucky us.

I listened to 24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There. Amusing, informative and ties in well with Falco.

Susan wrote: "I came across a fun book (released 30th Oct) that some of us may be interested in:

Travels with Agatha Christie

In 1922, a youn..."

Sounds good! A few years ago I read The Grand Tour: Letters and Photographs from the British Empire Expedition 1922 which is Christie's version based on her letters, I only gave it two stars but maybe I was in a bad mood.

Jackie wrote: "Wow, I never thought to question Letitia's death but now that we know what her sister is capable of...

Susan in NC wrote

every time I read it, I pick up on yet another twist in the plot

We kn..."

Interesting thought but I don't suspect Lotty of Letty's death. No reason for it: Letty would share, easier for Lotty to be herself.

Finally finished and really disliked the detective. Bunny and her daughter were great characters, much more interested in actually solving the murders then Price was. I am so glad she left her husband to his distasteful daughter, ineffectual son and bankruptcy.

I thought the plot was very well done once the story finally got moving, but there was quite a lot of non-action in the first half.

I am 'almost' tempted to continue the series just to see if the author continues with the unlikeable and inept detective. But probably not.

In the US, PBS' Masterpiece Theatre is starting a Maigret series this weekend, though I'm not sure I recognize him from this description:

"Maigret is an unconventional young detective, relentlessly pursuing investigations while heading the elite police unit, La Crim."

I agree with relentlessly pursuing.

Susan in NC wrote: "Jackie wrote: "accidentally posting this in the other thread so moving it here:


I was happier with the Edmund Swettenham character ending up with Phillippa...wait, she turned out to be Emma, righ..."

I agree that Pip could have done a lot better than Edmund. Regarding Patrick and Emma, I'm indifferent; neither appealed to me.

Susan wrote: "We are always looking for suggestions, Ellen. Thank you, I will have a look. I can see that the first is available on kindle.

I spent a fun evening at Daunt Books watching Alexander McCall Smith...."

I follow #1 Ladies though a couple of books behind. Not sure if they are really mysteries but there is always a problem to investigate and solve. Tried a couple of other series that didn't click but there is a new one that I like (silver Saab or peculiar crimes). I also read his standalones which are sweet and life-affirming. He gives a good talk. I go to any I can.

I ALWAYS think the murderer is either Pip or Emma probably because their names, and the reason for them, sticks in my memory. Christie does it again.

I have started this and not very far in, but the detective is pretty distasteful.

Amused by the Sargent portrait of the first wife. Reminds me of his portrait of Isabella Stewart Gardner, a museum i often visit.

https://artsandculture.google.com/ass...

I will nominate The Caxton Manor Murders : Book 1 Alexander Wolfe Series, a book I own so it must have been free once. It is currently $5 on kindle in the US and available through kindle unlimited.

Book 1 The Alexander Wolfe Series

Best selling author with sales of over one million books

Christmas at Caxton Manor promises to be a festive gathering of old friends, but the holiday cheer turns deadly when an uninvited guest, the ruthless industrialist Boris Bullen, is found murdered in the snow. Called in to discreetly investigate, the enigmatic Alexander Wolfe arrives to find himself embroiled in a perplexing mystery with echoes of a past crime. With a pearl-handled knife as the only clue and a house full of secrets, Wolfe—accompanied by his newly appointed and rather inept valet, Dicks, the erratic James Fox, and the mischievous terrier, Wilf—must navigate a labyrinth of suspicious characters, hidden agendas, and a potentially dangerous woman with a killer past. As the snow falls and the secrets unravel, Wolfe must uncover who killed Boris Bullen and why, before the festive season turns into a deadly winter nightmare.

Susan wrote: "I would like to nominate Murder After Christmas by Rupert Latimer

An ingenious lost Christmas mystery returns to print..."

I liked that book and would not mind reading it again. It is $8 on kindle in the US but the BLCC series are often available in libraries.

I will be binge reading the last three Bobby Owen as one of my libraries is dropping Hoopla (yet another ebook source) and I used that for Punshon and other GA books. I doubt I will remember much of the last two by the time of our buddy reads.

Jackie wrote: "I read the book, then listened to the audio book, then watched the Joan Hickson version on YouTube. I am SO ready to talk about this book!"

An expert!

I really have to try Alice Hoffman. I have a signed hard cover (the author is local) from my sister and someday she (sister, not Alice) will ask if I liked it. So many books.

Judy wrote: "We tried the first two in the Jack Haldean series by Dolores Gordon-Smith as part of our challenge last year. The first 4 books are now available on Kindle as a box set for 99p, [bo..."

Same price in US.

I bailed on actually reading the book after 50ish pages and went for the audio stage version - 2 and a half hours. Means I missed Peter's bio but I remember it pretty well. I knew various plot points: missing poppy, loose knee, broken phone, shell-shocked friend, and I definitely remember the murderer being given a loaded gun and told to do the gentlemanly thing.

I hadn't put untalented artist in this book, but I can still visualize her painting of the doctor from the Carmichael series. He played Peter in this dramatization.

So, on to my last buddy read ... or I may start with our monthly challenges. Far behind and still two library books that can't be renewed. Not bad problems to have.

Yes, Fandorin is back to having only his Japanese sidekick for company. That has seemed to be his destiny since book one. His mistress from the second half probably made the right decision.

I rather skimmed the second novella, not liking gory details nor cryptic messages from deranged killers. I think we learned somewhere that the author wrote in a different style for each book. This one obviously his Jack the Ripper take-off.

Surprised that this is the book that established the series!

Quite a shift in tone. Off to the spoiler thread.

Judy wrote: "I'm going to the first-ever Ipswich Book Festival on October 4-5 and will be hearing talks by two crime writers. One is Vaseem Khan, so I've picked up [book:The Perplexing Theft o..."

I like Vaseem's Malabar series. Only read the first Baby Ganesha.