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melissa_who_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Fun. A little historical argument along with a house party in England with a "comedian" pranking his way to murder ....
heidenkind's review against another edition
Woohoooo, I'm finished! That was actually a pretty good mystery. Totally did not figure out who dunnit.
kevincanada's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
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
2.75
cimorene1558's review against another edition
4.0
English history is my bag, and of course I've read The Daughter of Time, so I really enjoy this one. The best book with Jacqueline Kirby is definitely Die for Love, but this one is probably my second favourite (there are only four).
dynila's review against another edition
2.0
Nowhere near as good as the author's Amelia Peabody series.
salderson's review against another edition
2.0
This was an OK book I guess, I really didn't like the main characters at all. I especially disliked Jacqueline, I felt she was sort of..... abrasive, too much so really. I wish I could have gotten into the characters, I like a good mystery and I love British history. I was hoping that, seeing as the information the author had in Richard III was from the early 70's, it would be cool to see what people thought of the king before all of the modern advances. But alas, it was not to be.
emertbyrne's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
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
3.0
alrey's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
thenovelbook's review against another edition
3.0
Liked the historical stuff more than the actual mystery, which didn't end up being all that intriguing. But the history! This is what makes Elizabeth Peters different. This book also takes on a little more significance in view of the fact that Richard III's remains were finally discovered last year under a parking lot in Leicester, England. I'm glad Elizabeth Peters was still alive to hear about that discovery. It was a pretty big deal. Anyway, not being much of a Shakespearean, I didn't know that much about Richard III's terrible reputation, although I did vaguely remember something from high school history about "the princes in the tower" (Richard's nephews, debated heirs to the throne whom he supposedly had killed). He is suspected of a lot of other bloodguilt as well. But there are societies of people who call themselves Ricardians that believe that his reputation was maligned by his successors, and that he was in reality a very decent king. Incidentally, they were a moving force behind the excavations last year. This novel, written in the 70s, is about a group of them who gather for a house party. One of them claims to have a letter from Elizabeth of York, the king's niece, that will help to exonerate him in the eyes of the world. But then someone starts playing tricks on the guests, and Jacqueline Kirby, the librarian who knows all, starts to worry about what these tricks might be leading to.
I do enjoy books that turn me into an armchair historian. I now know significantly more about Richard III and his family, and I can understand why people get interested.
I do enjoy books that turn me into an armchair historian. I now know significantly more about Richard III and his family, and I can understand why people get interested.