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bexlrose's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty standard detective cosy crime stuff. Fairly enjoyable but nothing like as good as Daughter Of Time. 3 stars.
hannahnevo's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
4.0
crankyfacedknitter's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
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? No
4.5
trin's review against another edition
2.0
Appropriately after reading [book: Watching the English], here’s a murder mystery that revolves around queuing. I adore Tey’s [book: The Daughter of Time], but I’d never read any other books by her. This is her first novel (originally published under a male pseudonym; ‘Tey’ is actually a pseudonym, too) and it introduces Alan Grant, who’s the detective in Daughter of Time, too. He’s an enjoyable, if not especially vivid character to me—Time is fantastic because of its plot, which involves an investigation of whether Richard III was framed—but here, where the plot is less solid, the fact that Grant is (to make the obvious comparison) no Peter Wimsey is especially and unfortunately apparent. The ending was additionally disappointing—an unprompted confession? Lame! All in all, while this was a light, quick read, it was not an especially memorable one.
bog_gorb's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
dmturner's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
An old favorite that I read before, decades ago.
katieinca's review against another edition
3.0
He's no Peter Wimsey, but Inspector Grant did grow on me in the second half. I might have gone four stars except for the convenience/inexplicability of the end. Going to pick up the second one next!
thesefragments's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
3.5
laz_'s review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
nice intriguing mystery! josephine tey coud be satisfying my detective itch. could have done without the CONSTANT repetition in the first half of the book of the term dago (could absolutely have done without the phrase “the dago’s ratlike preference for the sewers”) and in the latter half have done better establishing the eventual “twist” ending, as i prefer mysteries where all the components to solve the mystery are given to the reader but carefully concealed instead of hidden until an opportune moment. otherwise this was a really nicely set up story and i’m genuinely excited to check out more of tey’s work !!
nice intriguing mystery! josephine tey coud be satisfying my detective itch. could have done without the CONSTANT repetition in the first half of the book of the term dago (could absolutely have done without the phrase “the dago’s ratlike preference for the sewers”) and in the latter half have done better establishing the eventual “twist” ending, as i prefer mysteries where all the components to solve the mystery are given to the reader but carefully concealed instead of hidden until an opportune moment. otherwise this was a really nicely set up story and i’m genuinely excited to check out more of tey’s work !!