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shadypinesma's review against another edition
3.0
The ending was sacrilege for this golden age of mystery lover. That said, this book is a romp and not to be taken seriously so I won't hold it to the rules of fair play. The author weaves pokes fun at chick-lit within a chick-lit book while weaving in classic whodunnit and isolated closed circle country house elements, complete with a nearly omniscient detective. I laughed out loud on several occasions and enjoyed my time with this random find from my local lending library.
catrink's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good for a commute "listen". Unsure I would have liked it as well just sitting and reading it. I found the ending a bit...lacking. Your mileage may vary!
bkdrgn303's review against another edition
3.0
St Just is starting to grow on me. The rest of the characters are all pretty nasty. Mystery is good.
lorimichelekelley's review against another edition
4.0
Audible version: This one just makes you giggle the whole way through as it was about a conference for mystery writers and they all hate the super successful young writer because her books are all high heels, bouncy hair, and cell phones and theirs are becoming a bit stale. The cast of characters are all perfectly drawn. I like this G.M. Malliet! I bought all three of these St. Just Mysteries, and I'm guessing I'll get around to the 3rd one soon as these are the perfect listens for puzzling and cozy evenings indoors. And Florida right now is the perfect time for fluffy down comforters, wool socks, hot cocoa, and delightful mystery that keeps you giggling throughout! Davina Porter is the PERFECT narrator and possibly is the real reason I love these so much!
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, a group of mystery writers from both Great Britain and the United States are housed in a castle in Scotland--all expenses paid, I might add--during a writing festival. Please raise your hand if you think one of them is going to get killed. Very good. And I didn't even mention that Chief Deputy Inspector St. Just is also in residence. This book is both a homage to the golden age of mysteries and a skewering of modern mystery writers and publishing. Loved the stereotypes, loved the in-jokes, loved the "dark and stormy night" when the murder occured, the lights went out, and the drawbridge stayed up. A very entertaining read.
verydazedragon's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I dont personally think that this book was as suspenseful as the first. I found the plot to be mediocre at best, but the writing was just as charming as ever. As with the first book, I appreciated Malliet's effort to establish each character dynamic, but unlike in the first book, the connections were a little far-fetched and less believable. I did like the references to hallmarks of literature (to Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and others), and I also like her subtle nod to the previous book. The budding romance fell between the detective and Portia was a nice touch. This book felt more worldly than its predecessor, more inclusive to the world at large, in spite of the characters being marooned, as it were, in the castle. I liked the more intimate, conflicted familial setting of book one much better. This book fell a bit flat for me, but I do enjoy her writing style and vocabulary, so I plan on pursuing the series.
victoria92's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
stellarstar's review against another edition
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Written in a most enjoyable manner, but I still don't know what the motive for murder was.
auri_underthing's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Funnily enough, with most murder mysteries, the plot speeds up after the person is murdered, in this book, it slower down. The first 70 pages were so entertaining but the rest was somewhat underwhelming. I liked what happened on page 268 though.