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blogginboutbooks's review against another edition
3.0
I've enjoyed several thrillers by Rader-Day, so I was intrigued when I saw she was writing a historical mystery. It's set at Agatha Christie's holiday home in the English countryside and revolves around two nurses, neither of whom is what they seem, who are tasked with keeping a group of London children safe during World War II. It features an everyone-is-hiding-something cast and the mysterious murder that threatens to reveal everyone's secrets. With a set-up like that, how could I resist DEATH AT GREENWAY?
Considering everything I just described, the novel moves at a surprisingly slow pace. It's just over 400 pages long and, not going to lie, it sometimes felt like double. The murder mystery really isn't the prime focus of the story. It's more about the nurses and the friendship that develops between them despite everything they're not telling each other. Which is fine, except that neither is very likable. Bridey is hard-working and compassionate, yes, but she's also a cold stick-in-the-mud who's just not all that interesting. Gigi is lazy and self-centered. She's more colorful than Bridey and yet, I didn't like her at all. The other characters are all rather bland. Because there are lots of them, some of them ran together for me because they don't have distinct personalities. The story is told from many different perspectives, which added to the slowness of the plot. Also, the idea of everyone having a secret isn't played up as much as it could have been—that would have added more tension and conflict to the story, making it much more interesting. As is, DEATH AT GREENWAY was just an average read for me. I wanted warmer characters, a tighter plot, and more suspense to make the book one I couldn't put down.
Considering everything I just described, the novel moves at a surprisingly slow pace. It's just over 400 pages long and, not going to lie, it sometimes felt like double. The murder mystery really isn't the prime focus of the story. It's more about the nurses and the friendship that develops between them despite everything they're not telling each other. Which is fine, except that neither is very likable. Bridey is hard-working and compassionate, yes, but she's also a cold stick-in-the-mud who's just not all that interesting. Gigi is lazy and self-centered. She's more colorful than Bridey and yet, I didn't like her at all. The other characters are all rather bland. Because there are lots of them, some of them ran together for me because they don't have distinct personalities. The story is told from many different perspectives, which added to the slowness of the plot. Also, the idea of everyone having a secret isn't played up as much as it could have been—that would have added more tension and conflict to the story, making it much more interesting. As is, DEATH AT GREENWAY was just an average read for me. I wanted warmer characters, a tighter plot, and more suspense to make the book one I couldn't put down.
kindleandkettle's review against another edition
4.0
Death at Greenway was a tangled web of mysteries set on Agatha Christie's Greenway estate during WWII.
The story's main focus is on Bridey, who comes to Greenway house to help care for children evacuated from London during The Blitz. Bridey was a trainee nurse in London who made a terrible mistake, resulting in her dismissal. Greenway is full of mysteries and none more than the other nurse, Gigi. Not long into their tenure at Greenway, a body washes ashore near the estate. Bridey soon realises that the victim has been murdered.
Initially, Bridey is a very timid character and prone to anxiety and panic attacks . As the book progresses, we see Bridey take control of her emotions and the situations around her. The book is very much a story about Bridey's growth. Throughout the book we also have chapters from the points of view of other supporting characters. This book is a twisted web of mysteries and alternating the perspectives really helps with the slow unravelling of them. I love that there were so many different storylines interwoven in the main storyline. I was continually second-guessing who was responsible for what.
The writing style took me a little to get used to. I feel like it is trying to emulate the writing of Agatha Christie. I did have to slow my reading and re-read some passages at times to digest what was happening but I felt like the style suited the story. While this story is set on Agatha Christie's estate, she only plays a very minor role in the actual story. This book is based on historical fact as children were evacuated to the estate during WWII.
Overall, this historical mystery is well done.
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for providing me with a copy.
The story's main focus is on Bridey, who comes to Greenway house to help care for children evacuated from London during The Blitz. Bridey was a trainee nurse in London who made a terrible mistake, resulting in her dismissal. Greenway is full of mysteries and none more than the other nurse, Gigi. Not long into their tenure at Greenway, a body washes ashore near the estate. Bridey soon realises that the victim has been murdered.
Initially, Bridey is a very timid character and prone to anxiety and panic attacks . As the book progresses, we see Bridey take control of her emotions and the situations around her. The book is very much a story about Bridey's growth. Throughout the book we also have chapters from the points of view of other supporting characters. This book is a twisted web of mysteries and alternating the perspectives really helps with the slow unravelling of them. I love that there were so many different storylines interwoven in the main storyline. I was continually second-guessing who was responsible for what.
The writing style took me a little to get used to. I feel like it is trying to emulate the writing of Agatha Christie. I did have to slow my reading and re-read some passages at times to digest what was happening but I felt like the style suited the story. While this story is set on Agatha Christie's estate, she only plays a very minor role in the actual story. This book is based on historical fact as children were evacuated to the estate during WWII.
Overall, this historical mystery is well done.
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for providing me with a copy.
mostlyreadingbooks's review against another edition
2.0
This book was all over the place and absolutely nothing I expected it to be. It’s nothing like the blurb to be honest. It went from mystery to historical fiction to romance. It was just so confusing
heather626's review
3.0
I was super excited to read Death at Greenway by Lori Rader-Day. It has history, nursing, and suspense all wrapped up into one book. Bridey comes to Greenway to help take care of children and keep them safe during the war. As they board the train to Greenway with the children, Bridey meets her new nursing partner, Gigi. Everything is so new and different to Bridey, but everything seems off. The house, the family, Gigi, and the town itself.
Unfortunately, Death at Greenway wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into it. I read nearly 50% of the book before deciding I was giving up on it. The story for me was too slow. I couldn't keep the characters straight, aside from Bridey and Gigi.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Lori Rader-Day, and William Morrow and Custom House Publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 3 stars
#DeathatGreenway #NetGalley
Unfortunately, Death at Greenway wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into it. I read nearly 50% of the book before deciding I was giving up on it. The story for me was too slow. I couldn't keep the characters straight, aside from Bridey and Gigi.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Lori Rader-Day, and William Morrow and Custom House Publishing for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. 3 stars
#DeathatGreenway #NetGalley
darrenstj's review against another edition
2.0
I was disappointed with this book. Read good things about it, had a good star review. Unfortunately I found this book a little heavy to get through. Found myself choosing other things to do rather than finishing this book.
Unfortunately this one was not for me.
Unfortunately this one was not for me.
mesulkin's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
seibways's review against another edition
This was a DNF for me. I really wanted to like it, but 2/3 through I just didn't care at all about the ending. The story falls flat from the setup, and it feels like a tragic waste of setting and setup to tell the story it ends up telling. It's not what the plot summary promises at all.
ellie31773's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
ridgewaygirl's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
3.0
When Lori Rader-Day visited Greenway, Agatha Christie's Devonshire home, she discovered that during the Second World War the house had housed evacuees, children sent from urban centers to keep them safe from bombing. Fascinated, she tried to find a book on the subject, but none have been written. She's a mystery author, so Death at Greenway is a mystery novel of sorts, although there are no sleuths or detectives or any of the other usual characters.
Bridget Kelly is a young nursing student living in London with her family. She's eager to help with the war effort, but a mistake at work puts her nursing career in danger. She's given a way out; an offer to help care for a group of children being evacuated from London. Arriving at the train station, she discovers that all the children are under five, two are infants and the other nurse is also somehow named Bridget Kelly and doesn't seem to know anything about nursing or childcare. And the Devon coast is less serene than expected. Not only is there something odd about the other nurse, but there seems to be too many mysterious deaths in the village.
Rader-Day is one of the rare authors who clearly do the research but use what they learned so carefully, that it never feels like she is telling us what she learned. The result is a story deeply set in a place and a time that feels authentic. Bridget is a wonderful character because she fits so perfectly into this setting. She's almost invisible to others, especially those who imagine themselves her betters. Rader-Day also narrates the novel from the points of view of other characters, from that of the housekeeper, to the voice of one of the young evacuees, and makes each voice distinct. I usually like a little more oomph in my crime novels, but as a gentle historical novel about the British home front, this one was very enjoyable.
Bridget Kelly is a young nursing student living in London with her family. She's eager to help with the war effort, but a mistake at work puts her nursing career in danger. She's given a way out; an offer to help care for a group of children being evacuated from London. Arriving at the train station, she discovers that all the children are under five, two are infants and the other nurse is also somehow named Bridget Kelly and doesn't seem to know anything about nursing or childcare. And the Devon coast is less serene than expected. Not only is there something odd about the other nurse, but there seems to be too many mysterious deaths in the village.
Rader-Day is one of the rare authors who clearly do the research but use what they learned so carefully, that it never feels like she is telling us what she learned. The result is a story deeply set in a place and a time that feels authentic. Bridget is a wonderful character because she fits so perfectly into this setting. She's almost invisible to others, especially those who imagine themselves her betters. Rader-Day also narrates the novel from the points of view of other characters, from that of the housekeeper, to the voice of one of the young evacuees, and makes each voice distinct. I usually like a little more oomph in my crime novels, but as a gentle historical novel about the British home front, this one was very enjoyable.
lori_loves_reading's review against another edition
1.0
This book started out with such promise but went straight downhill once they got to Greenway. Such bland, boring characters.