2022 ONTD Reading Challenge discussion

When editor Susan Ryeland is given the manuscript of Alan Conway’s latest novel, she has no reason to think it will be much different from any of his others. After working with the bestselling crime writer for years, she’s intimately familiar with his detective, Atticus Pünd, who solves mysteries disturbing sleepy English villages. An homage to queens of classic British crime such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, Alan’s traditional formula has proved hugely successful. So successful that Susan must continue to put up with his troubling behavior if she wants to keep her job.

Conway’s latest tale has Atticus Pünd investigating a murder at Pye Hall, a local manor house. Yes, there are dead bodies and a host of intriguing suspects, but the more Susan reads, the more she’s convinced that there is another story hidden in the pages of the manuscript: one of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition, and murder

I'm not too far as I've been reading this on my lunch break at work. It's, so far, easy to forget it's a book within a book. It also makes it harder to discuss which book I mean, haha.

The Conway novel does a good job of introducing the characters, even though I did forget them already. Oop, lol. And it's supposed to have a golden age mystery feel, with tones similar to Poirot, but I can't help but picture Poirot instead of Pünd. (view spoiler)[(Pünd is also working on a book as well and it's very so I. Heard you like cars so I put a car inside a car for a moment. ) (hide spoiler)]

As for the Horowitz novel, not much has happened in that plot yet.

Forgot to update that I have finished it. Oops! Haha! Maybe it was for the best that I didn't ~con~ too many people into reading it.

I did enjoy the Pünd mystery. I love Agatha Christie like mysteries in sleepy, English villages. Then the Conway mystery was introduced and when it got back to the Pünd mystery it felt like the momentum was lost. The ending to that mystery made me sad, as I didn't think the author would make that person the murderer.

Even the solution to the Conway mystery wasn't very satisfying for me. I understand the motive, but I still thought it was dumb.

Just saw that this is $2.99 for Kindle right now. Do you (or does anyone else) recommend it?

Hmm I'm not sure. You're getting two stories essentially...a third person Agatha Christie like one in a small village and a modern day mystery in first person. As I've mentioned previously, I'm more of a fan of the first and did indeed enjoy it even though I felt it lost momentum. The modern day mystery was just not my style, nor did I particularly care about any of the characters mentioned in it.

If it was a library rental, sure... As for a purchase, I'm more wary to fully endorse it.