I don't always like the Miss Silver mysteries (Grey Mask is awful), but I did enjoy this one.I don't always like the Miss Silver mysteries (Grey Mask is awful), but I did enjoy this one....more
I was disappointed by this. It kept me really gripped until about 3/4 of the way through when an extra sub-plot, with a new group of characters, was iI was disappointed by this. It kept me really gripped until about 3/4 of the way through when an extra sub-plot, with a new group of characters, was introduced far too late, then I found the actual solution totally unbelievable.
And call me a snob, but shouldn't it be "Death At The Operetta"?!...more
OK whodunnit (which as usual I didn't guess). The plucky and beautiful heroine, who is inexplicably in love with the hopeless man, got on my nerves a OK whodunnit (which as usual I didn't guess). The plucky and beautiful heroine, who is inexplicably in love with the hopeless man, got on my nerves a bit. I'd rather have had more of Inspector Narracott and less of her.
I have enjoyed some Miss Silver mysteries, but I didn't really like this. Firstly, there isn't nearly enough of Miss Silver herself. She barely appearI have enjoyed some Miss Silver mysteries, but I didn't really like this. Firstly, there isn't nearly enough of Miss Silver herself. She barely appears. Most of the novel is seen through the eyes of Charles, a decent chap who is in love with Margaret, his former fiancee, a nice gel who has somehow got herself mixed up with a nasty gang of crooks and instead of being married to Charles has to work for a living in a hat shop. In that respect it reminded me of "Anna Where Are You?", another in the series that I didn't really enjoy. The mystery unfolds through Charles and Miss Silver just pops up every so often and tells him yes, she knew that too. We never actually see her investigating anything.
I found the whole secret society really unbelievable and thought the very end something of a convenient cop-out. There were also some pretty unbelievable coincidences. And Margot is just so irritatingly silly.
I won't write off the whole series and will try a few more, hoping Miss Silver actually gets to do some detecting in them!...more
Entertaining if rather unbelievable whodunnit set among a weird religious cult that may or may not be a total sham. Inspector Alleyn's journalist mateEntertaining if rather unbelievable whodunnit set among a weird religious cult that may or may not be a total sham. Inspector Alleyn's journalist mate just happens to be there when the murder takes place, so calls Alleyn in person to come and investigate, saying "I know a Scotland Yard man..."
BTW, why does she describe a character as specifically "tall for a Frenchman"? I've never noticed Frenchmen being short and I used to live there!...more
Variety of short stories, two featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, some featuring a travelling wine salesman detective called Montague Egg, and some neither. Variety of short stories, two featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, some featuring a travelling wine salesman detective called Montague Egg, and some neither. Some are comic and some rather creepy. A mixed bag and some I enjoyed, some I didn't.
Bizarrely, the edition I have makes no mention anywhere on the cover or in the preface pages to the fact they are short stories. I mistook the list of stories for chapter headings and only realised what was going on when Lord Peter solved the crime in about 14 pages, which seemed very early for a novel!...more
OK but really dull in places. I simply can't get excited about the process of digging roads and railways (seemingly unlike the author).
It wasn't too hOK but really dull in places. I simply can't get excited about the process of digging roads and railways (seemingly unlike the author).
It wasn't too hard to guess (I guessed part of the solution and I'm truly hopeless at solving whodunits) and I found the device of giving us the page numbers for us to look back at the clues downright irritating. I've only just read the book - I remember what happened! ...more