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amalia1985's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As London descends into the familiar darkness of war, a man of questionable morality is murdered. The fog cannot hide the frightened young man who is arrested for the murder of his uncle by the somewhat naive and hideous Special Constable Verraby. Five people who form an interesting bohemian company seem to be the only ones who can help shed some light on a case that hides more than meets the eye.
Inspector Robert Macdonald is the protagonist of this wonderful mystery, constructed like an elaborate game of chess. In 24 hours, the movements of the players/witnesses will reveal the answer to a crime of ambition, obsession and hellish choices, in a time when life was under threat every minute of every day. Apart from the exciting mystery, E.C.R.Lorac provides an excellent commentary on the idea of ''easy'' money as a solution to all problems and the family dramas unfolding during the darkest period in human History.
One of my favourite mysteries in our beloved series, beautifully introduced by Martin Edwards.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
Inspector Robert Macdonald is the protagonist of this wonderful mystery, constructed like an elaborate game of chess. In 24 hours, the movements of the players/witnesses will reveal the answer to a crime of ambition, obsession and hellish choices, in a time when life was under threat every minute of every day. Apart from the exciting mystery, E.C.R.Lorac provides an excellent commentary on the idea of ''easy'' money as a solution to all problems and the family dramas unfolding during the darkest period in human History.
One of my favourite mysteries in our beloved series, beautifully introduced by Martin Edwards.
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/
maddie_kelly's review against another edition
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
3.0
A detective only concerned with the cold truth entails on mysterious interactions with a series of chess metaphors.
kah's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.0
bookaneer808's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
This really captures the atmosphere of London during the Blitz; on a night of filthy fog, a curious party is assembled. Two men play chess in an artist's studio while the artist in question paints a portrait of his sitter, all the while the artist's sister prepares their evening meal.
They are burst in upon by a Special Constable clutching a young soldier, claiming he has murdered their elderly neighbour.
Thus the mystery begins, and only the keen eye of Inspector Macdonald can pierce the fog of confusion and solve the mystery.
Enjoyed the atmosphere & local characters, though I was pretty sure whodunnit & how halfway through.
They are burst in upon by a Special Constable clutching a young soldier, claiming he has murdered their elderly neighbour.
Thus the mystery begins, and only the keen eye of Inspector Macdonald can pierce the fog of confusion and solve the mystery.
Enjoyed the atmosphere & local characters, though I was pretty sure whodunnit & how halfway through.
bev_reads_mysteries's review against another edition
4.0
It's the early 1940s. London. A fog-shrouded night with windows draped in black-out curtains or
painted over to meet the black-out standards. In Bruce Manaton's barn-like studio, the hush of the fog seems to seep in and focus the concentration of the oddly-assorted group gathered for the evening. Bruce, a talented but as of yet unsuccessful artist, is fully focused on his latest painting--a portrait of a man in the scarlet robes of a Cardinal. The model for this work is Andre Delaunier, an equally talented and unsuccessful actor, who holds his pose with the import of Shakespearean drama. At the other end of the room, Robert Cavenish, a thoroughly respectable Home Office man, and Ian MacKellon, a brilliant chemist somehow connected with the war effort, are thoroughly engrossed in a game of chess. Moving in and out from the kitchen just beyond, Rosanne Manaton, the artist's sister, prepares dinner and runs her own artistic eye over the tableau. Outside, muffled by the fog are various warning signals and other noises. Among them a shot?
For next door, the Manatons' miserly landlord, Albert Folliner, is shot to death in his sitting/bedroom and apparently robbed of his miser's stash. The Special Constable who has been on his nightly rounds comes bursting into the Manatons' lodging dragging a young Canadian soldier as prisoner. The soldier is Neil Folliner, the nephew of the slain man, and the Special Constable swears he has caught the man red-handed. But Scotland Yard sends Inspector Macdonald to take over the case and when he has finished taking statements, examining the premises--both the studio and the landlord's rooms, and following up the clues that escaped the constable's nervous eyes, he finds that all may not be as straight forward as it seems. For instance--if the constable came upon Neil Folliner after the crime was committed, why have the former's footprints been overlaid by the latter's? And what happened to the loot? And is Mrs. Tubbs really just the jolly cockney charwoman that she seems to be? And what about those previous tenants of the studio?
As I told John from Pretty Sinister Books (who tried to warn me away from this one), I must have a thing for Lorac's fog-shrouded, black-out-centered mysteries, because I thoroughly enjoyed her Checkmate to Murder (1944). Inspector MacDonald is a very thorough yet very human policeman. He is never quick to judge and he has a way of seeing everything--even the things the witnesses and suspects think they've hidden properly. The mystery is fairly clued--maybe too fairly, because I figured this one out. Not absolutely every little detail, but enough that I'm calling it a win for Inspector Bev.
But figuring out the solution fairly early didn't detract from my enjoyment. The characters are well-drawn and Mrs.Tubbs, Folliner's charwoman; Mrs. Stanton, whose garden backs up against the "murder house' and studio; Mrs. Blossum, the owner of the Green Dragon pub; and Bert Brewer, a rheumatic gardener all add a good bit of local period color to the proceedings. ★★★★ for a highly enjoyable wartime mystery.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
painted over to meet the black-out standards. In Bruce Manaton's barn-like studio, the hush of the fog seems to seep in and focus the concentration of the oddly-assorted group gathered for the evening. Bruce, a talented but as of yet unsuccessful artist, is fully focused on his latest painting--a portrait of a man in the scarlet robes of a Cardinal. The model for this work is Andre Delaunier, an equally talented and unsuccessful actor, who holds his pose with the import of Shakespearean drama. At the other end of the room, Robert Cavenish, a thoroughly respectable Home Office man, and Ian MacKellon, a brilliant chemist somehow connected with the war effort, are thoroughly engrossed in a game of chess. Moving in and out from the kitchen just beyond, Rosanne Manaton, the artist's sister, prepares dinner and runs her own artistic eye over the tableau. Outside, muffled by the fog are various warning signals and other noises. Among them a shot?
For next door, the Manatons' miserly landlord, Albert Folliner, is shot to death in his sitting/bedroom and apparently robbed of his miser's stash. The Special Constable who has been on his nightly rounds comes bursting into the Manatons' lodging dragging a young Canadian soldier as prisoner. The soldier is Neil Folliner, the nephew of the slain man, and the Special Constable swears he has caught the man red-handed. But Scotland Yard sends Inspector Macdonald to take over the case and when he has finished taking statements, examining the premises--both the studio and the landlord's rooms, and following up the clues that escaped the constable's nervous eyes, he finds that all may not be as straight forward as it seems. For instance--if the constable came upon Neil Folliner after the crime was committed, why have the former's footprints been overlaid by the latter's? And what happened to the loot? And is Mrs. Tubbs really just the jolly cockney charwoman that she seems to be? And what about those previous tenants of the studio?
As I told John from Pretty Sinister Books (who tried to warn me away from this one), I must have a thing for Lorac's fog-shrouded, black-out-centered mysteries, because I thoroughly enjoyed her Checkmate to Murder (1944). Inspector MacDonald is a very thorough yet very human policeman. He is never quick to judge and he has a way of seeing everything--even the things the witnesses and suspects think they've hidden properly. The mystery is fairly clued--maybe too fairly, because I figured this one out. Not absolutely every little detail, but enough that I'm calling it a win for Inspector Bev.
But figuring out the solution fairly early didn't detract from my enjoyment. The characters are well-drawn and Mrs.Tubbs, Folliner's charwoman; Mrs. Stanton, whose garden backs up against the "murder house' and studio; Mrs. Blossum, the owner of the Green Dragon pub; and Bert Brewer, a rheumatic gardener all add a good bit of local period color to the proceedings. ★★★★ for a highly enjoyable wartime mystery.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
verityw's review against another edition
3.0
Not my favourite of these that I've read, but still a good murder mystery with a few nice twists and turns.
sunilsinghx's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
farmgirlwrites's review
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
miara's review
slow-paced
3.5
The reading flow was really good as well as the character design. For me personally it could've done with a bit more tension and the reasoning why certain people did things could've been a bit more explored/ explained. Overall I like and enjoyed reading the book.