Reviews

These Names Make Clues by E.C.R. Lorac

mitchk's review against another edition

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mysterious 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? It's complicated

4.0

rithebard's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

streberkatze's review against another edition

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adventurous funny mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I hate to say this, especially because Murder by Matchlight is one of my favorite GAD books ever, but I did not enjoy this one. I was seriously considering to quit as late as 72% in. (Luckily I figured out I could switch to the audiobook version through a free Everand trial subscription at that point, and so I did that.) There were some elements about this book I did enjoy: I thought the author handled the large number of characters really well. I didn’t find that part confusing at all, and the list of names along with their respective professions early on in the book certainly helped with that. I also really enjoyed the character development. I thought that especially the female characters were really well-written and multidimensional, which is not always the case in books from that era. But the plot just dragged. I know that GAD novels often have a slow build-up until everything starts to make sense and unfold. But this just was way, way too slow for me. So many different people pursuing their own investigations, and the author follows every single one of them in detail. I think the lesson I learned from this is that I should just switch to audio when I feel like this the next time because it did make things more enjoyable for me. I’m okay with things being slow-going when I can do something else while I’m listening to the story. 🙃

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1mpossiblealice's review

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3.25

A mixed bag for me. There was a lot I enjoyed here but I felt there were too many ideas crammed into one book and it should have been at least two separate ones. Some of the characters were great and others so forgettable I had to go back and check who they were. I also could really have done with a map of the house as it was confusing to imagine.
I did enjoy a lot about this though, particularly the historical detail and stuff about women's suffrage etc as these aren't things that come up often in Golden Age detective fiction. I'd definitely read another Lorac to see what else she's done. 

evaalice's review

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mysterious relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

purpleberryblue's review

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mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

lelia_t's review against another edition

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3.0

There’s not a lot to this one. The names may make clues, but while Chief Inspector MacDonald figures out what they mean, we’re tagging along with the reporter Peter Vernon. I felt a bit cheated when everything was wrapped up at the end and the reader hasn't been in on the real detective work.

melissa_who_reads's review against another edition

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5.0

Really enjoyable fun Golden Age mystery - I did not guess at the end. This one is filled with anagrams and crossword puzzles and a lot of mischief, and is quite fun to read. It was written right after E.C.R. Lorac joined the Detection Club, and there are subtle allusions to other members - with a hint of the political situation in 1937 Britain.

mckeanja's review against another edition

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challenging emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

decretaro's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0