Reviews

Fell Murder by E.C.R. Lorac

lelia_t's review against another edition

4.0

One of Lorac’s best. Goodreads reviewer Carol (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23315273-carol) listed it among her favorites and I agree wholeheartedly. Often in these stories, my attention flags toward the end, when the detective explains the mystery, but this one had me alert and on my toes all the way through. Lorac is clearly engaged with both the place and characters, celebrating the steadiness and strong work ethic found among country folks. Her engagement creates a rich atmosphere that we can feel, smell and see. And MacDonald shines as a special kind of detective. When he arrives on the scene (rather excruciatingly late in this story), the characters become more open and the reader does too. I found that the annoying local detective who’d been so haughty with the farmers he interviewed, becomes more likable as MacDonald’s congenial effects are felt.

marialouisea's review

dark mysterious reflective slow-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

3.0

melissa_who_reads's review against another edition

5.0

Very good - I didn't guess until nearly the end, and at that didn't know how it was pulled off ... some loose ends, but all in all an excellent read.

spiderwitch's review

emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25

darkpsychereads's review against another edition

2.0

2 Stars

Sorry this isn't really my thing. I tried to get through the book but I suppose the language is outdated for me, and the dialogue very dense and I didn't feel a sense of thrill. I struggled to get through the book and finished a third of the way through. Perhaps better suited for fans of classic mysteries?

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for this free ARC for a review.

krobart's review against another edition

4.0

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022/02/03/review-1794-fell-murder/

slvq's review

Slow pacing, uninteresting characters - will try again next time I'm in Lancaster

annieb123's review

5.0

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Fell Murder is a re-release of a classic golden age mystery by E.C.R. Lorac published in the British Library Crime Classics series by Poisoned Pen Press it's 240 pages and due out 6th Jan 2020 (ebook format available now).

I have really enjoyed this gem of an author. I also haven't got a 'stinker' yet in the crime classics series.

For fans of classic British golden age mysteries this one is gently written and charming. The characters are well written with a touch of wry humour. I absolutely love golden age British mysteries. This isn't gritty. I found myself giving up trying to figure out 'whodunnit' (although I did guess correctly, as it turned out), and just really enjoying the read.

I enjoyed the diverting plot, and the utter sense of place. The pacing was a trifle slow compared to 'modern' procedurals and gritty crime novels, but perfectly within acceptable parameters considering the time period. It's a book to be enjoyed and, yes, savored a bit.

Inspector MacDonald is a gem and this is a wonderful addition to the series. I enjoyed it very much.

Available in ebook and paperback in this edition (also hardbound originals, apparently).

Four and a half stars. Enjoyed it enough that I'm making an effort to locate and read her other works- high praise indeed from me since my TBR pile is neverending.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

sammy_'s review against another edition

3.0

I love Agatha Christie but have read little other Golden Age detective fiction, so picked this one up in my library. I did enjoy it, and I didn't guess who did it, but for me it was still a little too straightforward, it didn't have that jaw-dropping quality of a lot of Agatha Christie's solutions. Some interest and charm was added for me by the fact it was set in rural Lancashire where I live, but I'm not sure if this would be enough for somebody else! Not sure if I will try another E.C.R. Lorac soon but I will definitely try more from this series of Golden Age re-issues.

larkken's review

mysterious reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75