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3.33 AVERAGE
3.33 AVERAGE
Interesting mystery book - a quick little read; would be interesting to have read it in the original language
Fun mystery book, set in on the Argentine Atlantic coast. A doctor on a plan for a relaxing beach vacation runs into a murder. He tries his best to solve the mystery but it solves itself.
Well written, flourishing language, uplifts the spirit.
Well written, flourishing language, uplifts the spirit.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I liked this; a quirky, funny mystery that makes fun of the genre while being a good read in itself.
Goodreads Read Harder Challenge: A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author
Challenge complete! This was really fun and I read and enjoyed some things I probably wouldn’t have picked up otherwise. (I’m on my second Miss Marple right now.) Here’s to 2019!
Goodreads Read Harder Challenge: A mystery by a person of color or LGBTQ+ author
Challenge complete! This was really fun and I read and enjoyed some things I probably wouldn’t have picked up otherwise. (I’m on my second Miss Marple right now.) Here’s to 2019!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lovely titled mystery co-written by husband & wife that is slim and quick to read. Unfortunately, I didn't find it all that engaging and it kind of resembled a PBS styled mystery playhouse drama or a fancy-pantsed version of the game of Clue. I always hated that game growing up!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Where There's Love, There's Hate by Adolfo Bioy Casares and Silvina Ocampo, literary luminaries from Argentina (and, incidentally, husband and wife), was first published in 1946. It was translated into English for the first time in 2013. Casares and Ocampo managed to produce an interesting mystery in the "British country house" style that is a clever murder mystery, a witty parody of those same Golden Age novels, and a highly literary piece of fiction all rolled into one. Suzanne Jill Levine and Jessica Ernst Powell have done an excellent job of translation with just a few minor passages having a slightly off-kilter feel.
Dr. Humberto Huberman, physician, writer, and inveterate busybody, has gone to the Hotel Central at seaside Bosque de Mar for a literary vacation. He is in search of a quiet place to work on his adaptation of Petronius. But instead of peace and quiet, he finds himself in the middle of murder. A pretty, young translator named Mary is found dead on the very first night of his stay--apparently poisoned. There had been ripples of jealousy between Mary and her sister Emilia over Emilia's fiance. There is also the matter of Mary's missing jewels. Although the police are immediately on the scene, Huberman takes it upon himself to investigate and give the officials pointers when he thinks it needed.
The police are quite sure that Emilia is the guilty party--even when notations in her sister's hand are found that make it seem that Mary has committed suicide. Then the owner's young son goes missing as well as Emilia's fiance (who winds up being a top-level Inspector). Is anyone who they seem to be? And what really happened to Mary and her jewels?
This short piece is a fine little self-aware novel. It makes no bones about being aware that it is a mystery story about mystery stories. We have the police inspector who apparently takes the amateur into his confidence and who, apparently, is taking in all of Huberman's suggestions....but then goes on to ignore them. We have Huberman who finally comes round to the official view of the mystery...only to find they are all proved wrong. It is a very interesting look at the makings of a mystery story. Not terribly complex and good reading detectives will know who the culprit is. But I don't think this detracts from the fun. Four stars.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Dr. Humberto Huberman, physician, writer, and inveterate busybody, has gone to the Hotel Central at seaside Bosque de Mar for a literary vacation. He is in search of a quiet place to work on his adaptation of Petronius. But instead of peace and quiet, he finds himself in the middle of murder. A pretty, young translator named Mary is found dead on the very first night of his stay--apparently poisoned. There had been ripples of jealousy between Mary and her sister Emilia over Emilia's fiance. There is also the matter of Mary's missing jewels. Although the police are immediately on the scene, Huberman takes it upon himself to investigate and give the officials pointers when he thinks it needed.
The police are quite sure that Emilia is the guilty party--even when notations in her sister's hand are found that make it seem that Mary has committed suicide. Then the owner's young son goes missing as well as Emilia's fiance (who winds up being a top-level Inspector). Is anyone who they seem to be? And what really happened to Mary and her jewels?
This short piece is a fine little self-aware novel. It makes no bones about being aware that it is a mystery story about mystery stories. We have the police inspector who apparently takes the amateur into his confidence and who, apparently, is taking in all of Huberman's suggestions....but then goes on to ignore them. We have Huberman who finally comes round to the official view of the mystery...only to find they are all proved wrong. It is a very interesting look at the makings of a mystery story. Not terribly complex and good reading detectives will know who the culprit is. But I don't think this detracts from the fun. Four stars.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.