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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
Mysteries and thrillers have always struck me as inherently conservative in their nature, which is why I’m baffled by the sheer number of 1-star reviews for this here on Goodreads. The story of a pair of women charged with the kidnapping and battery of a girl who has had statutory rape committed upon her would end very differently today, I know, but even for the time it was written, this was grossly unfair treatment for the antagonist, regardless of the fact that it was based on a case that was two hundred years old at the time of publication. I read all this in one sitting but it did not leave a pleasant taste in my mouth despite the very obvious skill of the author. Brilliantly put together but quite mean-spirited in its execution.
Josephine Tey is such a good writer! The plotting is excellent, the story, the setting and characters so good - the only reason this doesn't get a five is that some of the politics left me a little uncomfortable.
4.5
Good fun. An Inspector Grant novel where he is just a walk-on character, while a lawyer does the detecting.
Tey's elegant writing continues to amaze me. Looking forward to the next one in this series, and maybe another of her books just for fun.
Good fun. An Inspector Grant novel where he is just a walk-on character, while a lawyer does the detecting.
Tey's elegant writing continues to amaze me. Looking forward to the next one in this series, and maybe another of her books just for fun.
This is my favorite of her books so far. It's a sweetie. Juicy and well-paced. She is always so current somehow.
dark
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:
No
This book is different to all other crime books I’ve read, which can be a bit repetitive and similar from book to book, so it was nice to have a unique storyline. It’s hard to put down and an enjoyable read.
I am decidedly obsessed with Tey.
She writes the most fabulous novels.
I adore Grant and I thoroughly missed him in this book but Robert was an excellent stand in.
I have a surprisingly heartfelt love for this series and with only 2 left I am utterly depressed.
Note: there is casual racism and sexism and prudishness. And while these do detract from the actual magical writing, the book could genuinely be edited a bit to take out unnecessarily offensive phrases.
She writes the most fabulous novels.
I adore Grant and I thoroughly missed him in this book but Robert was an excellent stand in.
I have a surprisingly heartfelt love for this series and with only 2 left I am utterly depressed.
Note: there is casual racism and sexism and prudishness. And while these do detract from the actual magical writing, the book could genuinely be edited a bit to take out unnecessarily offensive phrases.
Interesting that this book in the Inspector Grant universe only sees him at a distance and is told through an entirely different set of characters. The cultural markers of a woman wearing her hair up or wearing a hat also caught my attention. Nice ending.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Another great Golden Age mystery by Tey, minimally featuring her detective Grant, which, if you can put aside some rather classist and mildly misogynistic assumptions, makes a really compelling read.
Interesting premise, unfathomable boring delivery. Good prose though.