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amandajeanne's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
melissa_who_reads's review
3.0
Not one of my favorites. Though the clues were sort of there ... the solution came out of left field for me. And one where one of the better people in the story is the murder victim, and a lot of the time MacDonald spends talking to those who are ... less than generously portrayed. Which makes for some tedious reading. Still, well written and I'm not sorry to have read it.
cimorene1558's review against another edition
4.0
Ahah! A new excellent classic mystery writer to read! Very enjoyable.
spaulk57's review against another edition
4.0
This was a surprisingly good mystery despite having been written in 1944.
horthhill's review against another edition
3.0
"Fire in the Thatch" by E.C.R. Lorac is a decent murder mystery written during the golden-age (in this case, mid '40s). While Lorac is known for her detecting pair Chief Inspector MacDonald and Detective Inspector Reeves, it is only MacDonald who does the sleuthing in this mystery. The story takes place during the war in rural Devon and involves the - supposedly - accidental death of a Royal Navy lieutenant-commander who has been invalided out of service. The crucial witness is a small cockney boy who has been evacuated from London. The plot requires the lack of petrol due to severe petrol rationing. A cottage is indeed consumed by fire. All in all a good plot that moves forward but with clues that are ambiguous. The summing up by MacDonald - somewhat forced over several chapters - is adventurous in its conclusions. It'll probably leave you scratching your head and muttering 'Really?" However, it is a good read.
annieb123's review
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Fire in the Thatch is a re-release of a mystery originally published in 1946 and re-released in the British Crime Classics series. Published 5th June 2018 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 240 pages and available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook versions. This reformat and release includes a new introduction and historical notes by Martin Edwards.
This particular book is one of a series set in Devon by E.C.R. Lorac (Edith Caroline Rivett) featuring Chief Inspector Robert MacDonald. This is classic golden age mystery and the gems which have been selected for inclusion in this series are all well deserving of being dusted off and presented to a new audience of mystery lovers. I was unfamiliar with this author before reading another book in this series, but these are top shelf, well written and satisfying mysteries. The writing is solid and the plotting moves the story along at a good pace.
I will say that this was a melancholy read for me. I was sad that there wasn't really any 'happily ever after' aspect of the plotting or for the characters. On the other hand, the writing, plotting, characters, and mystery were thoroughly enjoyable, and I highly recommend the book and this author.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Fire in the Thatch is a re-release of a mystery originally published in 1946 and re-released in the British Crime Classics series. Published 5th June 2018 by Poisoned Pen Press, it's 240 pages and available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook versions. This reformat and release includes a new introduction and historical notes by Martin Edwards.
This particular book is one of a series set in Devon by E.C.R. Lorac (Edith Caroline Rivett) featuring Chief Inspector Robert MacDonald. This is classic golden age mystery and the gems which have been selected for inclusion in this series are all well deserving of being dusted off and presented to a new audience of mystery lovers. I was unfamiliar with this author before reading another book in this series, but these are top shelf, well written and satisfying mysteries. The writing is solid and the plotting moves the story along at a good pace.
I will say that this was a melancholy read for me. I was sad that there wasn't really any 'happily ever after' aspect of the plotting or for the characters. On the other hand, the writing, plotting, characters, and mystery were thoroughly enjoyable, and I highly recommend the book and this author.
Four stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
tereoleneva's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75