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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
Animal lovers—skip the “Maher-Shalal-Hashbaz” story.
Interesting idea of what an author can do with ideas that they don't think they can flesh out to a full length book.
The Mr. Egg stories seemed like mystery solving by a middle class man, as a break from or in juxtaposition to the high class Lord Peter Wimsey.
Interesting idea of what an author can do with ideas that they don't think they can flesh out to a full length book.
The Mr. Egg stories seemed like mystery solving by a middle class man, as a break from or in juxtaposition to the high class Lord Peter Wimsey.
I'm not usually gung ho about detective short stories. This collection was actually pretty cute though.
3.5*
Mixed bag…
The Wimsey stories were decent, especially the very dark ‘Elopement’ one. The following ones featuring Egg were ok but rather anecdotal. And finally the last two. ‘Fountain Plays’ was also a pretty good one but I much preferred ‘The Man Who Knew How’. That one was the best in my opinion :0)
Mixed bag…
The Wimsey stories were decent, especially the very dark ‘Elopement’ one. The following ones featuring Egg were ok but rather anecdotal. And finally the last two. ‘Fountain Plays’ was also a pretty good one but I much preferred ‘The Man Who Knew How’. That one was the best in my opinion :0)
Extremely short and wildly uneven. Interesting to see how her non-Wimsey stories compare. Very interesting to see her dip a toe into the early 20th century horror genre. She captures ghastly almost too well. Also, there's an interesting bit of meta on "one of those mystery novels" that rips it apart on exactly the lines of what bugged me about Have His Carcase. Makes me suspect DLS was srsly blocked in this era and sending any damned thing to the publisher while struggling to put another good novel together.
1) I love the way Sayers uses short stories in a sort of exploratory self-indulgence. She allows her characters to engage in situations that are just patently ridiculous, unbelievable, stretched over too long a time, or too slender a premise to warrant a full novel. I like the way she PLAYS in short stories.
2) I have never read any Montague Egg stories before and I'm SO glad the novels are about Peter Wimsey instead. I mean, Monty's heart is in the right place, but he's awfully earnest.
3) What further do we learn about Peter's character here?
"My religious beliefs are a little ill-defined."
"I'm a bit of a conjurer myself."
4) Rural garages no longer use "clock-faces with movable hands to show lighting-up time." Wow, it took me a LONG time to work out what this meant, and it was key to the plot, as well. "Lighting-up time" is, of course, half-an-hour after sunset, when you need to LIGHT YOUR HEADLAMPS on your Model T or whatever it is that British people drove in 1925. It was significant that the murder occurred on 18 June--at midsummer--when lighting-up time would have been very late (10.20 p.m., in fact).
2) I have never read any Montague Egg stories before and I'm SO glad the novels are about Peter Wimsey instead. I mean, Monty's heart is in the right place, but he's awfully earnest.
3) What further do we learn about Peter's character here?
"My religious beliefs are a little ill-defined."
"I'm a bit of a conjurer myself."
4) Rural garages no longer use "clock-faces with movable hands to show lighting-up time." Wow, it took me a LONG time to work out what this meant, and it was key to the plot, as well. "Lighting-up time" is, of course, half-an-hour after sunset, when you need to LIGHT YOUR HEADLAMPS on your Model T or whatever it is that British people drove in 1925. It was significant that the murder occurred on 18 June--at midsummer--when lighting-up time would have been very late (10.20 p.m., in fact).
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A mixed bag, but the "Strange Elopement" was quite enjoyable
Library.
I enjoyed this book of short stories much more than the last. I think I knew it was short stories ahead of time, which helped. Also, I would read a story, then put the book down and work on the sand castle, then read a story, then walk in the water, then read a story ... Ah, the beach was the great distracter :)
I liked these stories better, too. The story about the Dr. who took his wife to Spain; the masquerade. I even liked Montague Egg and his stories. The last two stories were interesting in their development without a sleuth.
Anyway, excellent stories. Ready to move back to a long book and see more of Miss Vane.
I enjoyed this book of short stories much more than the last. I think I knew it was short stories ahead of time, which helped. Also, I would read a story, then put the book down and work on the sand castle, then read a story, then walk in the water, then read a story ... Ah, the beach was the great distracter :)
I liked these stories better, too. The story about the Dr. who took his wife to Spain; the masquerade. I even liked Montague Egg and his stories. The last two stories were interesting in their development without a sleuth.
Anyway, excellent stories. Ready to move back to a long book and see more of Miss Vane.
This collection of short stories had a nice mixture of Wimsey tales, as well as several featuring a travelling salesman named Mr. Montague Egg, and a couple which had no central detective. Very entertaining...though I find short mysteries are just about reading them. There is no trying to figure it out. It's over before you've begun! No less fun to read, though.
It ended on a strong note. There were 2 Wimsey stories, 8 Montague Egg stories and 2 standalones. I loved the 2 standalones best.
This was my introduction to the Montague Egg character and I liked him. I will surely look up for more of his stories.
This was my introduction to the Montague Egg character and I liked him. I will surely look up for more of his stories.