What I've Finished Reading

Scales of Justice was pretty middle-of-the road Marsh, with a low-key investigation of a grisly murder. There was quite a lot of buildup regarding a shameful village secret, which made it even more disappointing when [Vaguely-worded but effective spoiler!]local prejudices against outsiders are 100% confirmed, and the true motive turns out to be barely more ( Read more... )

Traitor's Purse was ok! It's about at the level of Dancers in Mourning for entertainment value, with a little extra boost from Amanda and the amnesia, minus the annoyance of getting a slightly creepy encomium to dewy youth every time Amanda is on the page. Allingham's technical skills have improved tremendously since Sweet Danger, which used some ( Read more... )

The other night I had a dream that I had been recommended the perfect mystery novel, which was called "In Memoriam" by J. D. Robb. I was looking for it in a church rummage sale in a small town, and late for something else. In the morning I looked to see if it was a real book, but I don't think it is. There is a series by J. D. Robb of books with " ( Read more... )

This Monday will be less a roundup than a rant. I have a cold that just keeps getting worse, and I don't know what the hell is going on with The Fashion in Shrouds. The sexist asides haven't just been dialed up, they've invaded, like a plague of locusts. Here's a typical decorative detail, from a conversation between Val and Campion ( Read more... )

I've been a little busier than usual, so this Monday brings only a light dusting of fictional murder.

I've just started The Fashion in Shrouds, and it is pretty delightful, even if Margery Allingham seems to have dialed up her tendency to make random sexist asides along with improving her writing. Maybe it's just the high-fashion setting? There ( Read more... )

Ok, I know I said I was going to give Margery Allingham a rest, but these books are so small that it's a terrible temptation. Anyway, before I knew it I was reading Dancers in Mourning and GUESS WHAT

( I LIKED IT )

The Case of the Late Pig was unsatisfactory.

( I am not entirely sure why. )

Begun recently: Agatha Christie's An Overdose of Murder is not bad. A dentist apparently shoots himself in the middle of the work day, but why would he do that? Hypothesis: He probably wouldn't? So far there is not much to say about this book except it has lots of Poirot being Poirot. This is not always the most important thing in a Poirot book, ( Read more... )

Flowers for the Judge was ok. Not great, not terrible. There are a couple of good moments and a lot of meandering. It seems as if Allingham gets in about one good scene and one interesting character per book, and even their dark secrets are a little weak. But her writing is still improving noticeably. Flowers for the Judge probably has about as ( Read more... )

Guess who has two thumbs and just pre-ordered the latest Charles Lenox mystery!

Home Before Nightfall is going to set the Most Comfortable Man in London in the middle of a taffy-pull of loyalties again! And oh no -- "his grieving brother"? What happened? It's nice to be attached to an ongoing series with new books to look forward to, though it's ( Read more... )