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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
Good concept, I enjoy novels, mysteries set in Britain pre-WWII, but seemed too modern somehow. I think the Maisie Dobbs series more accurately captures Britain between the two wars. I did not read straight through, but picked it up again, and figured out the mystery but still read to the end, I did like many of the characters.
emotional
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The golden age of detective stories lives again! <3 <3 <3
Really I want to give this 3.5; I thoroughly enjoyed Upson's writing and characters, but found her decision to use something like nine or ten narrative voices slightly distracting and overwhelming. That choice made the novel feel rather crowded, as the events unfold over what I'm told is three or four days but what, when reading, feels like an age due to jumping around and back and sideways. The mystery was creative and compelling, however, and I look forward to reading the next in the series.
3.5 stars
This was an unexpected find due to my reading challenge in 2016 (I needed to find an author whose name started with U).
An old-fashioned murder mystery set around London's West End. I enjoyed the gentle story telling (though not the overuse of the word "lover") and it made me want to visit London again. And possibly make a train trip!
This was an unexpected find due to my reading challenge in 2016 (I needed to find an author whose name started with U).
An old-fashioned murder mystery set around London's West End. I enjoyed the gentle story telling (though not the overuse of the word "lover") and it made me want to visit London again. And possibly make a train trip!
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The protagonist, being set up as the detective, ends up doing next to no sleuthing and stumbles upon the solution. You could remove her and the story would be almost unchanged...
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
informative
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
I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to the rest of the series. There may be a few anachronisms but on the whole it gives a convincing portrait of the times.