The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham Libby - Good - Liked it even though it was dated. Libby hadn't read Allingham but it did keep her interested. The characters were stereotypes but she enjoyed it more than she expected. LJ - Good - I had forgotten how silly and over-plotted this first book is of the Campion series and that Campion appears as a secondary character. Stereotypical as they seem today, Allingham was wonderful at creating a cast of characters, each with their own voice. The fun of the book is the setting, both in place and time. Trust me, the series does improve with subsequent books. Nancy - VG+ - Really had a good time in spite of the stereotyping. the language was so individual to the characters. A lot of it was offensive to her, but she really liked it anyway.
The Becket Factor by Michael David Anthony Corona - VG+ - She is in the middle of it. It was hard to get into, at first, but now she is very much enjoying it and will definitely finish it. Libby - - She started and did find it hard to get into, but she is really enjoying it now. LJ - VG - This was a very good book. I had a bit of trouble, at first, placing the time period, probably because the whole book is really very English, which is not a criticism but an observation. I liked the character of Richard and how both he, and his relationship with his wife, changed through the story. I found the ecclesiastical information to be fascinating. It’s hard to say much about the story without giving something away. Everything is woven tightly together and playing on everything else. Sadly, the author only completed two other books in this series, plus one standalone, before dying suddenly. However, I enjoyed this enough that I have found, and will read, the remaining two books in the series. Nancy - G - She didn't like it because she doesn't like the protagonist, Harrison. She didn't like his attitude. Nancy viewed it with a different emotional weight than Corona or I.
A Presumption of Death (Amateur Sleuth, Harriet Vane/Peter Wimsey, England, WWII) - last in series - Jill Payton Walsh and Dorothy L. Sayers Andrea - VG - Liked it. Really liked Harriet Vane and that this was, primarily, her book. the plot left something to be desired, but there were some interesting plot twists to it. Charlotte - - She is about half-way through. The letters, in the opening, threw her, but then she got into it and is enjoying it. LJ - Ex - Although the classic mystery was certainly there, in this book, this was much more. The mystery plot was well done with plenty of twisty bits to it. However, it was the reflection of citizen life during the war that was most interesting to me. From the chatty letters at the open and close, to rationing and ways of “enhancing” it, to the secrecy and suspicion of the time, I found it fascinating. I must admit, I do enjoy Sayers/Walsh’s literary games the characters play and the clever use made of them in the plot for decoding a message. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Nancy - G+ - She was a bit undecided as she thought it would be more like the PBS 1940's house. However, that was set in London, whereas the book takes place in the country and with an upper-class family.
Libby - Good - Liked it even though it was dated. Libby hadn't read Allingham but it did keep her interested. The characters were stereotypes but she enjoyed it more than she expected.
LJ - Good - I had forgotten how silly and over-plotted this first book is of the Campion series and that Campion appears as a secondary character. Stereotypical as they seem today, Allingham was wonderful at creating a cast of characters, each with their own voice. The fun of the book is the setting, both in place and time. Trust me, the series does improve with subsequent books.
Nancy - VG+ - Really had a good time in spite of the stereotyping. the language was so individual to the characters. A lot of it was offensive to her, but she really liked it anyway.
The Becket Factor by Michael David Anthony
Corona - VG+ - She is in the middle of it. It was hard to get into, at first, but now she is very much enjoying it and will definitely finish it.
Libby - - She started and did find it hard to get into, but she is really enjoying it now.
LJ - VG - This was a very good book. I had a bit of trouble, at first, placing the time period, probably because the whole book is really very English, which is not a criticism but an observation. I liked the character of Richard and how both he, and his relationship with his wife, changed through the story. I found the ecclesiastical information to be fascinating. It’s hard to say much about the story without giving something away. Everything is woven tightly together and playing on everything else. Sadly, the author only completed two other books in this series, plus one standalone, before dying suddenly. However, I enjoyed this enough that I have found, and will read, the remaining two books in the series.
Nancy - G - She didn't like it because she doesn't like the protagonist, Harrison. She didn't like his attitude. Nancy viewed it with a different emotional weight than Corona or I.
A Presumption of Death (Amateur Sleuth, Harriet Vane/Peter Wimsey, England, WWII) - last in series - Jill Payton Walsh and Dorothy L. Sayers
Andrea - VG - Liked it. Really liked Harriet Vane and that this was, primarily, her book. the plot left something to be desired, but there were some interesting plot twists to it.
Charlotte - - She is about half-way through. The letters, in the opening, threw her, but then she got into it and is enjoying it.
LJ - Ex - Although the classic mystery was certainly there, in this book, this was much more. The mystery plot was well done with plenty of twisty bits to it. However, it was the reflection of citizen life during the war that was most interesting to me. From the chatty letters at the open and close, to rationing and ways of “enhancing” it, to the secrecy and suspicion of the time, I found it fascinating. I must admit, I do enjoy Sayers/Walsh’s literary games the characters play and the clever use made of them in the plot for decoding a message. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Nancy - G+ - She was a bit undecided as she thought it would be more like the PBS 1940's house. However, that was set in London, whereas the book takes place in the country and with an upper-class family.