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c_lindsay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Sexism, and Sexual assault
sinds's review against another edition
3.0
There were some good, intriguing things about this book: the three women's friendship and how they all had each other's backs, the intertwining mysteries, the growth of the one police officer. But I did not appreciate the author using queerness as bait: there is so much homophobia in this towards the three women, but the homophobia is never actually reckoned with, in part because the women all end up being straight after all. (I know this is part of the time period in which this was written, but still.) I also found the writing style a bit stilted which made this tough to get into, but that may also be the time period.
spiderwitch's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-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? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
This is a reread and I liked it still quite a bit. I love the way Walters pulls all the threads together of the plot. That most of her characters are quite unlikable. Still, her characters are strong, wilful women. They have learned that they can protect themselves quite well thank you very much. I like that in the end it's all about revenge and envy. That it's not all tied up in a neat moral bow.
I knew that a Masterpiece theatre was made of the book but I had no idea a young Daniel Craig played Andy. Too bad it's not available in DVD. It might be worth a look.
A strong 4 stars because it's still even in reread an excellent mystery and character story.
I knew that a Masterpiece theatre was made of the book but I had no idea a young Daniel Craig played Andy. Too bad it's not available in DVD. It might be worth a look.
A strong 4 stars because it's still even in reread an excellent mystery and character story.
sarrie's review against another edition
2.0
It was terrible, but it wasn't great. It's feels very dated, and set within it's own world. The characters were either very dull or wildly inconsistent. I don't know that I'd recommend it. About the best I can say is that once past the 50 page mark it moves pretty fast.
baranchi's review against another edition
2.0
Content warning for homophobia, misogyny, sexual assault, and mentions of sexual abuse, physical abuse, and abuse of a child
What was fun about this book was watching three women outsmart abusive police officers. Unfortunately, halfway through it switched from that to a "hero" police officer saving them from circumstances that they had little to do with. Also, the "hero" cop was a violent misogynist who assaulted one of the women when he considered her a suspect. Then he suddenly changed to be their biggest champion for no reason. It was jarring and very difficult to root for him at the end. Especially when he ended up romantically involved with the woman he assaulted.
What was fun about this book was watching three women outsmart abusive police officers. Unfortunately, halfway through it switched from that to a "hero" police officer saving them from circumstances that they had little to do with. Also, the "hero" cop was a violent misogynist who assaulted one of the women when he considered her a suspect. Then he suddenly changed to be their biggest champion for no reason. It was jarring and very difficult to root for him at the end. Especially when he ended up romantically involved with the woman he assaulted.
crazygoangirl's review against another edition
4.0
This is my first book by Minette Walters and her debut, first published in 1992. This was a fantastic reading experience for me - interesting characters, decent plot, neat twists, and a well paced narrative!
Three friends live together in the Grange, in the village of Streech, Phoebe, Diana and Anne. It’s been 10 years since Phoebe’s husband disappeared and the discovery of a corpse on the property sets into motion a series of events that will change their lives irrevocably.
I loved Walters writing! I loved that she knows her characters inside out and upside down and makes no apologies for their flaws (they have many!). I especially love how she writes Phoebe, Anne and Andy McLoughlin, the main trio of characters that drive the plot forward along with Inspector Walsh, a despicable man if ever there was one!
This is a story about secrets kept and secrets shared; about the challenges of true friendship and the sacrifices we make for those we love. It is also about facing up to one’s faults and finding the strength to overcome internal inertia and external prejudice and make a change. Walters manages to keep the narrative gritty and gripping, but where she excels is in her study of human characters and how they would react in certain situations. Her skill is such that you forget you’re reading fiction - I can’t think of a better way to express how this book made me feel! My only disappointment is that this isn’t a series! I would have LOVED to revisit these three women and Andy a few years down the line! Andy reminds me a lot of Jean Guy Beauvoir, Inspector Armand Gamache’s protege in the Louise Penny series. They’re by no means identical but they’re similar in their thought processes and approach to people.
Yet another author I’ve discovered this year that I’m excited to read! The long term plan is to read all her work 😊
Three friends live together in the Grange, in the village of Streech, Phoebe, Diana and Anne. It’s been 10 years since Phoebe’s husband disappeared and the discovery of a corpse on the property sets into motion a series of events that will change their lives irrevocably.
I loved Walters writing! I loved that she knows her characters inside out and upside down and makes no apologies for their flaws (they have many!). I especially love how she writes Phoebe, Anne and Andy McLoughlin, the main trio of characters that drive the plot forward along with Inspector Walsh, a despicable man if ever there was one!
This is a story about secrets kept and secrets shared; about the challenges of true friendship and the sacrifices we make for those we love. It is also about facing up to one’s faults and finding the strength to overcome internal inertia and external prejudice and make a change. Walters manages to keep the narrative gritty and gripping, but where she excels is in her study of human characters and how they would react in certain situations. Her skill is such that you forget you’re reading fiction - I can’t think of a better way to express how this book made me feel! My only disappointment is that this isn’t a series! I would have LOVED to revisit these three women and Andy a few years down the line! Andy reminds me a lot of Jean Guy Beauvoir, Inspector Armand Gamache’s protege in the Louise Penny series. They’re by no means identical but they’re similar in their thought processes and approach to people.
Yet another author I’ve discovered this year that I’m excited to read! The long term plan is to read all her work 😊
lawrenceevalyn's review against another edition
2.0
The mystery itself was compelling and compellingly presented, but I can't get over my disappointment with the characters. I'm so disappointed that the three central women were not, as they introduced themselves, a lesbian triad. It made it feel like the whole book actually endorsed the homophobic attitudes that the women spent so much time fighting against at the beginning. Instead, the chief "romance" of the book was a witty feminist who was inexplicably seduced by a violent, drunken, miserable man who becomes marginally less violent, drunk, and miserable thanks to her nurturing influence. He choked her! And forcibly kissed her!! Due to his overpowering lust!!! WHAT is meant to be the appeal there??
The novel itself waffled strangely between a wryly feminist understanding of the world as it is (which I can certainly appreciate) and a discordantly misogynist dismissal of several individual women as vapid walking stereotypes. It made our central triad seem complex and interesting not because they, like all women, are human, but because they are "not like other girls".
I think mainly I've learned that books from the 90s haven't aged enough for me to be ready to read them: the gushing description of wall-to-wall white carpet I can accept as reflecting the times, but the characters' worldview is both too alien and too familiar to be anything but distracting. I have better luck with the eighteenth century.
The novel itself waffled strangely between a wryly feminist understanding of the world as it is (which I can certainly appreciate) and a discordantly misogynist dismissal of several individual women as vapid walking stereotypes. It made our central triad seem complex and interesting not because they, like all women, are human, but because they are "not like other girls".
I think mainly I've learned that books from the 90s haven't aged enough for me to be ready to read them: the gushing description of wall-to-wall white carpet I can accept as reflecting the times, but the characters' worldview is both too alien and too familiar to be anything but distracting. I have better luck with the eighteenth century.
teachertroitsky's review against another edition
4.0
Walter's zinger of a debut deftly dissects the lives of three reclusive English women who become the subject of censure and speculation during a murder investigation. After a rotting corpse is found in the ice house of Streech Grange, Chief Inspector Walsh sets out at once to prove it is the body of David Maybury, whom wife Phoebe was suspected of murdering when he was reported missing years earlier. Since no body was ever found, Walsh deduces that Maybury returned and was killed by Phoebe or one of her friends, Anne and Diane, who live with her at the Grange. Detective Sgt. Alan McLoughlin, however, isn't so sure, especially after the coroner says the dead man was older than David and the local belief that the three women are a lesbian menage a trois turns out to be untrue. But McLoughlin can't understand why the Grange's residents make the investigation so difficult by refusing to answer questions and sometimes openly lying. Walters skillfully brings together the relationships between the women and the policemen into a complicated but believable puzzle, which she solves with panache.
wickedwriter's review against another edition
4.0
Read years ago and still have a copy and the TV series on DVD