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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
#1 Ellery Queen - how exciting to find these vintage mysteries on Scribd. It's brilliant, of course, but Ellery's character is just developing.
I love mysteries, and had never read Ellery Queen. I was a little disappointed. I liked the fact that it was a traditional, follow the clues type mystery. For some reason, though, my mind kept wandering throughout. I think it was a little repetitive and overlong in some areas. I have heard that the later Ellery Queen novels are much better so maybe I will give them a try.
Also, it was very racist and sexist. I understand that authors are products of their time, but the racist overtones in this one were worse than other books from the era that I have read.
Also, it was very racist and sexist. I understand that authors are products of their time, but the racist overtones in this one were worse than other books from the era that I have read.
I enjoyed this book very well. I hadn't read an Ellery Queen book for 15 years and it took me a full month to read this particular beauty. The mystery is engrossing.
In the preface the authors whet your appetite by telling you that the criminal has a remarkable mind. That's kind of a tall order to live up to, but this book delivers. At first the criminal could be anyone, but then it turns out that the murderer is someone in the vicinity, not unlike Marple or Poirot stories.
The book was pleasing but not cozy enough to warrant 5 stars. It doesn't have that type of pull on you.
In the preface the authors whet your appetite by telling you that the criminal has a remarkable mind. That's kind of a tall order to live up to, but this book delivers. At first the criminal could be anyone, but then it turns out that the murderer is someone in the vicinity, not unlike Marple or Poirot stories.
The book was pleasing but not cozy enough to warrant 5 stars. It doesn't have that type of pull on you.
I understand that at the time this book was written the reason for the murder fit into the racial morays of the time. I also understand that at the time this book was written, people called there black servants terrible names. That doesn't mean that it was right, it just was. I understand the significance of "Ellery Queen" in the overall development of detective novels. However, that wasn't what made this book so bad.
This is a very poorly written book with awful character development, and so much repetition. If I heard about the hat, or a sentence that consisted of "Hat, hat, hat" one more time I was going to scream. Yes, the hat was important, but about 1/2 of this book could have been removed and it would have still been too long and taken forever to get to the point. I know editors existed when this was written, where was the editor?
I'll try another book as I know first books in a series are not always great. Maybe I needed to read this series a long time ago before I had gotten use to substantially better writing from later authors.
This is a very poorly written book with awful character development, and so much repetition. If I heard about the hat, or a sentence that consisted of "Hat, hat, hat" one more time I was going to scream. Yes, the hat was important, but about 1/2 of this book could have been removed and it would have still been too long and taken forever to get to the point. I know editors existed when this was written, where was the editor?
I'll try another book as I know first books in a series are not always great. Maybe I needed to read this series a long time ago before I had gotten use to substantially better writing from later authors.
A masterpiece this is not. While I think it did the atmosphere of the setting justice and I found it interesting to see how differently cops were portrayed back then, the story just wasn’t as interesting as I would have liked it to be. It took a long time getting to the point, making you slog through unimportant bits to get to the good stuff. All in all, not a bad mystery but I wouldn’t recommend it to others.
TW: casual racism
The latest play sensation includes the sounds of gunfire and a dip into the underworld of the mob. What it's not supposed to include is a dead body. But such is the world's introduction to Ellery Queen and his father. And it was a good mystery with the now famous "stop" that lets readers try and deduce for themselves who would want to kill a lawyer by poisoning him with gasoline.
I vaguely knew about this story but it was really the Classic Mysteries podcast that sparked my interest. I wish there had been some warning about the Queen's houseboy Juno and some of the terms used to describe him that definitely wouldn't be used today.
The latest play sensation includes the sounds of gunfire and a dip into the underworld of the mob. What it's not supposed to include is a dead body. But such is the world's introduction to Ellery Queen and his father. And it was a good mystery with the now famous "stop" that lets readers try and deduce for themselves who would want to kill a lawyer by poisoning him with gasoline.
I vaguely knew about this story but it was really the Classic Mysteries podcast that sparked my interest. I wish there had been some warning about the Queen's houseboy Juno and some of the terms used to describe him that definitely wouldn't be used today.
Un po' acerbo, talvolta soprattutto verso i due terzi non riesce benissimo a tenere la tensione. Ma inizia a delineare bene gli ingredienti dei primi romanzi di Ellery Queen, soprattutto riguardo una narrazione senza fronzoli e un'investigazione tecnica e complessa, ben diversa ad esempio dalle trame di Agata Christie.
Meet Queen and Queen—a father son detective duo cira 1930s New York, New York.
Richard Queen, the father, an inspector for the police and charmer of middle aged ladies. Ellery, the son, who mooches off his father and gets dragged along on police business for no official reason (where his personality consists of sassy literary statements and random expostulations: 'You didn't tell us about the time...YOU WENT TO PRISON!' *gasp* 'How did you know??' He didn't. He just guessed and it worked. Every time.)
I've fallen hard for both men. They just crack me and up and their dynamic is both original and fun. This isn't Holmes and Watson. These two stand on an equal playing field and their banter as they try and one up one another keeps the otherwise straightforward clues funny.
This is just a fun novel in general. Characters all talk like they walked straight out of a gangster movie. It is over the top drama and I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
Richard Queen, the father, an inspector for the police and charmer of middle aged ladies. Ellery, the son, who mooches off his father and gets dragged along on police business for no official reason (where his personality consists of sassy literary statements and random expostulations: 'You didn't tell us about the time...YOU WENT TO PRISON!' *gasp* 'How did you know??' He didn't. He just guessed and it worked. Every time.)
I've fallen hard for both men. They just crack me and up and their dynamic is both original and fun. This isn't Holmes and Watson. These two stand on an equal playing field and their banter as they try and one up one another keeps the otherwise straightforward clues funny.
This is just a fun novel in general. Characters all talk like they walked straight out of a gangster movie. It is over the top drama and I can't wait to read the next one in the series.
So that was weirdly chevalier in its racism...
I mean it's 1929 so I am not surprised but still ouch.
Also... just saying the amount of time someone got grabbed by the arm is just ridiculous. Americans are apparently awfully handsy.
That is not to say I didn't appreciate the mystery but I am curious about where this goes next.
I mean it's 1929 so I am not surprised but still ouch.
Also... just saying the amount of time someone got grabbed by the arm is just ridiculous. Americans are apparently awfully handsy.
That is not to say I didn't appreciate the mystery but I am curious about where this goes next.
I just recently realized I had never read an Ellery Queen mystery. This is the first one, written in 1929. I think the story held up over the years and I found it interesting.