Scan barcode
catsbah's review against another edition
3.0
I thought the first three pages and last three pages of this book were hilarious. The dialogue was great. The actual mystery was okay. It took a while to get into it, but the end when everything unravels was interesting and I wanted to know who was behind it and how they were going to get out of their predicament. I was interested enough to read the next Vicky Bliss book.
holtfan's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the first chapter of this book. Vicky's introduction, Tony's proposal, the bet...it is good fun and left me chuckling. And I love the end. The conclusion to the bet I didn't see coming because series like this tend to follow a pattern and it didn't occur to me the pattern would deviate.
The mystery itself only gets about 3 stars from me. It was clever and plays off the reader's assumptions nicely, but it was mostly Vicky and Tony stumbling around and then presenting brilliant hypotheses that they pull from dust.
I enjoyed it enough that I definitely want more!
The mystery itself only gets about 3 stars from me. It was clever and plays off the reader's assumptions nicely, but it was mostly Vicky and Tony stumbling around and then presenting brilliant hypotheses that they pull from dust.
I enjoyed it enough that I definitely want more!
smlunden's review against another edition
4.0
Vicky had me in the first paragraph with being unusually tall and smart in the 5th grade.
bethh609's review against another edition
2.0
I love the Amelia Peabody series, so I'm willing to read a couple more Vicky Bliss novels with the hope that Ms. Peters redeems herself from the travesty of "Borrower of the Night".
thyhandbelinda's review against another edition
3.0
3.75 stars. What a delightful mystery! I’ve been craving a good “academic/art heist” mystery, and oho how this fit the bill. The vernacular was quite posh and roundabout, however considering this is about academia and published in the 70’s, it is unsurprising.
jessmcall's review
3.0
Not as good as the Amelia Peabody series--which one one of my favorite series ever--but I'll give this series another book.
krisrid's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this up because I adore Elizabeth Peter's other series about the Emerson family, and the character of Vicky Bliss sounded different, but still interesting enough for me to give her a try.
I enjoyed the book. Vicky, an American is just as spunky and unorthodox as Amelia but in a completely different flavour. Her rivalry with Tony, although certainly entertaining, doesn't have quite the same level of amusement and snap as the one between Amelia and Emerson.
Still, the story was fun, and the shenanigans that go on in the German manse where everyone is frantically, and in some cases murderously searching for a priceless piece of religious art are worth reading.
I will probably give another Vicky Bliss story a try, although Amelia and Emerson are still my favourites!!
I enjoyed the book. Vicky, an American is just as spunky and unorthodox as Amelia but in a completely different flavour. Her rivalry with Tony, although certainly entertaining, doesn't have quite the same level of amusement and snap as the one between Amelia and Emerson.
Still, the story was fun, and the shenanigans that go on in the German manse where everyone is frantically, and in some cases murderously searching for a priceless piece of religious art are worth reading.
I will probably give another Vicky Bliss story a try, although Amelia and Emerson are still my favourites!!
danico's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
writerlibrarian's review against another edition
2.0
Written in 1973, this is Peters' first novel in her Vicki Bliss series. I've been told that it isn't really representative of the whole series but still it was an enjoyable romp in an German medieval castle hunting for a lost treasure with ghost, villains and death waiting at the bottom of a forgotten cellar. There are some things, mainly Vicki's hear me roar I'm a tall, strong woman, that kinda got on my nerves a little but I'm reading the next one soon. Very different. This is not Amelia not by a long shot and it's a good thing.