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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
This book was written in 1929. The book is based on a group of 6 people who try to solve a murder that the police have been unable to solve. Each member of the group puts forth their ideas and who they thought was the murderer. A little dry, but interesting if you are a fan of authors such as Agatha Christie.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Usually I prefer mysteries where character, atmosphere, theme, and environment are more important than plot: exactly the kind that The Poisoned Chocolates Case makes fun of several times. But this whodunit is a marvel.
Six different amateurs come up with six different theories about a murder the police have been unable to solve. Each one is convincing enough. You say to yourself, "All right, they're making assumptions about human nature here, but no more than later and more literary writers like P.D. James or (in a completely different way) Patricia Cornwell." But it turns out those assumptions are not mere conventions. They're mistakes, and the next one in line explodes them and wheels out a different theory, only to be shown up in turn.
I knew all along who would turn out to have the correct theory. What that theory was, I have to admit, was a complete surprise. And the only way to know it's correct is that the murderer tacitly admitted it through action. In a way, I'd like to see a sequel in which the policeman, or the maid of one of the suspects, or the author Anthony Berkeley comes on the scene and disproves the solution. This is the kind of story that should never end.
Six different amateurs come up with six different theories about a murder the police have been unable to solve. Each one is convincing enough. You say to yourself, "All right, they're making assumptions about human nature here, but no more than later and more literary writers like P.D. James or (in a completely different way) Patricia Cornwell." But it turns out those assumptions are not mere conventions. They're mistakes, and the next one in line explodes them and wheels out a different theory, only to be shown up in turn.
I knew all along who would turn out to have the correct theory. What that theory was, I have to admit, was a complete surprise. And the only way to know it's correct is that the murderer tacitly admitted it through action. In a way, I'd like to see a sequel in which the policeman, or the maid of one of the suspects, or the author Anthony Berkeley comes on the scene and disproves the solution. This is the kind of story that should never end.
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is the first Anthony Berkeley book i have ever read, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am a fan of the cozy mystery, and the Golden Age of Crime novelists but somehow had not heard of Berkeley before, although I have at least heard of Francis Iles, one of the pseudonyms that he has used. Guess I have been missing out, because this was a very innovative story that piled on twist after twist to keep me totally engrossed.
The story revolves around a murder case which has baffled the police, and its taken up by the Crimes Circle, a club that Sheringham has started. The approach they take, though, is not of working together to solve the crime, rather its a competition to see which one of them is able to solve it. Let the Murder Olympics begin!
Almost the entire novel is basically each of the members giving the speech thats usually at the end of a cozy mystery, where the detective explains his/her reasoning to the reader and the key characters in the story. Each of the Crime Circle members present a pretty good case based on their deductions, which the next member then starts breaking down based on their own deduction. Of course, to successfully be able to build and then break the same crime down, there have to be some details that are kept from the reader but that's not unusual in mysteries. Overall, I highly enjoyed The Poisoned Chocolates Case and I will definitely read more of Berkeley's books.
The story revolves around a murder case which has baffled the police, and its taken up by the Crimes Circle, a club that Sheringham has started. The approach they take, though, is not of working together to solve the crime, rather its a competition to see which one of them is able to solve it. Let the Murder Olympics begin!
Almost the entire novel is basically each of the members giving the speech thats usually at the end of a cozy mystery, where the detective explains his/her reasoning to the reader and the key characters in the story. Each of the Crime Circle members present a pretty good case based on their deductions, which the next member then starts breaking down based on their own deduction. Of course, to successfully be able to build and then break the same crime down, there have to be some details that are kept from the reader but that's not unusual in mysteries. Overall, I highly enjoyed The Poisoned Chocolates Case and I will definitely read more of Berkeley's books.
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Oh god this awful drivel... all the characters are pompous windbags and stuffed to the brim filled with their own pride of themselves. I despise Roger Sheringham and find both the little meek man stupid and afraid of his own shadow. This is terrible stuff. It really should go back to being unpublished
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Actually, Mr. Chitterwick, you're wrong! My theory is that Mrs. Bendix killed herself . Case closed!!! >_<
It shows (...) how easy it is to prove whatever you want, through a process, conscious or unconscious, of selection.
NOTE TO SELF: A exaggerate consumption of nitrobenzene or bitter almonds can cause a deadly intoxication.
#aliciadammersdefender #freemygirl #bradleyglazer