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mariafernandagama's review against another edition
4.0
Very good, with an unexpected resolution. I liked how the author led us on and played with our expectations, even giving us a handy list of clues in a certain moment.
kcfromaustcrime's review against another edition
3.0
Yes, yes, I know. What am I doing reading a book like THE AFFAIR OF THE BLOODSTAINED EGG COSY. In my defence I used to be quite a SPLASHER (4MA speak for somebody who reads a wide range of crime book "styles") although in recent years I will admit I've moved more and more to the dark side. But every now and then I like a bit of a splash around in the lighter side of the genre, and I do rather like the eccentric side of the classic English country house sub-genre. Chuck in a slightly batty Lord; an unflappable Lady; a house with secret passages; a poor cousin / secretary / jolly young thing girl; a bit of spying and/or intrigue; an imperious butler; an exotic unknown female and some dashing around in the dark, and well I can be quite happy. Provided it's all done rather well, and doesn't veer too much into cartoon territory. Which THE AFFAIR OF THE BLOODSTAINED EGG COSY (henceforth to be known as THE AFFAIR ETC) avoids nicely.
Originally written in 1975, THE AFFAIR ETC has a very authentic 1930's feeling to it. And just the slightest dash of lunacy about it. The biggest part of the action takes place on one night, when there's a woman screaming; somebody gets locked in a linen closest; one man goes missing (his dead body shows up the next morning in the lake outside the house); one valuable necklace is stolen; the exotic female goes missing; alarms go off; people rush around; and a lot of stuff goes bump in the night whilst nobody thinks to turn on the lights. All of which culminates in the arrival of a very self-effacing detective, who seems to think he's been promoted above his abilities, and mostly seems to do his detecting by standing around and waiting for others to stick their feet in it... so to speak.
There's also a bit of business to do with a famous pair of guns; a famous gun collection; and a dirty, bloodstained egg cosy in the lavender bushes. Now it goes without saying that we're talking a very busy plot here, delivered with just a hint of really good farce. This is the second book from the Burford Family mysteries (actually the first in the series I believe) that I've read and I've got to say I really like these books. Light-hearted, enormously batty, good humoured and very entertaining, THE AFFAIR ETC is incredibly complicated. You'll be doing better than me if you can work out what's going on for most of the time, but I hope, like me, you really not going to care and just enjoy being very entertained.
Originally written in 1975, THE AFFAIR ETC has a very authentic 1930's feeling to it. And just the slightest dash of lunacy about it. The biggest part of the action takes place on one night, when there's a woman screaming; somebody gets locked in a linen closest; one man goes missing (his dead body shows up the next morning in the lake outside the house); one valuable necklace is stolen; the exotic female goes missing; alarms go off; people rush around; and a lot of stuff goes bump in the night whilst nobody thinks to turn on the lights. All of which culminates in the arrival of a very self-effacing detective, who seems to think he's been promoted above his abilities, and mostly seems to do his detecting by standing around and waiting for others to stick their feet in it... so to speak.
There's also a bit of business to do with a famous pair of guns; a famous gun collection; and a dirty, bloodstained egg cosy in the lavender bushes. Now it goes without saying that we're talking a very busy plot here, delivered with just a hint of really good farce. This is the second book from the Burford Family mysteries (actually the first in the series I believe) that I've read and I've got to say I really like these books. Light-hearted, enormously batty, good humoured and very entertaining, THE AFFAIR ETC is incredibly complicated. You'll be doing better than me if you can work out what's going on for most of the time, but I hope, like me, you really not going to care and just enjoy being very entertained.
jam3713's review
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
siria's review against another edition
3.0
A solid entry in the "murder at a country house party in interwar England" genre. James Anderson has his tongue just enough in cheek to add some extra enjoyment for the reader, but not so much that Affair of the Blood Stained Egg Cosy descends into farce. It's got about everything you could want from this kind of book—impoverished daughters of the gentry, Texan oil millionaires, blackmail, aristocrats, Ruritanian duchies, and so on—which make it an ideal read on a lazy, rainy weekend.
norwegianforestreader's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, War, Violence, Abandonment, Child death, Grief, Death, Murder, Suicide, Kidnapping, Blood, and Death of parent
hoperu's review against another edition
4.0
A fun, convoluted mystery. There is no way to guess the solution, so if you like that kind of mystery, I wouldn't recommend this one. My mom liked this one enough to go straight back to the library for the other two books in the series. I liked it, but it was rather slow in getting to the action and detection.
scifrog's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
mazza57's review against another edition
2.0
This is a murder mystery that takes much from the style, setting and characterisation of Agatha christie's novels. However it felt much harder work and very confusing at times although everything was wrapped up nicely in the end
stagasaurus's review against another edition
2.0
Took too long to get started for me. Solution was too ridiculous and unworkoutable which always feels like a cheat. Also, Anderson is so obviously trying to be an Agatha Christie copy that you can't help but compare, and he doesn't quite compare unfortunately. Christie could have written this book in a hundred fewer pages.
However, I did care about Jane, so that shows some skill.
However, I did care about Jane, so that shows some skill.