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katieinca's review against another edition
4.0
I love '30s and '40s British mysteries, but don't usually get into American ones. This is an exception, probably because it reads like a movie - a movie I am VERY SAD does not exist. Only a real '40s actress could pull off Helene. Maybe Veronica Lake. Jean Arthur?
Anyway, I could see it in my head, and it was a hell of a time. Man, these guys drink A LOT.
Anyway, I could see it in my head, and it was a hell of a time. Man, these guys drink A LOT.
darcerenity's review
funny
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
amlibera's review against another edition
4.0
So happy to find that these had been reissued for Kindle -nothing better than a set of wisecracking 1930's amateur detectives running around Chicago drinking rye and mixing with a variety of colorful characters. The mystery itself is not the point- its the dame with the blue silk pajamas that can stand in for an evening gown if need be who drives best when she's full of drink. If you love The Thin Man movies, this scratches the same itch.
violinknitter's review against another edition
4.0
Three & a half stars. I was promised a silly, fun mystery where the main “detectives” drink as much as Nick & Nora Charles. Yep, accurate! No complaints on that front! The story is less about the mystery and more about the characters falling around all over each other. Great popcorn/cotton-candy read.
sandin954's review
3.0
The series debut first published in 1939 featuring lawyer John J. Malone and his two compatriots Jake Justus and Helene Brand. A fairly decent plot with lots of booze and screwy situations.
annieb123's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Eight Faces at Three is a reformat and re-release of the first book featuring John J. Malone written by Craig Rice. Originally published in 1939, this edition was released 3rd August 2021 as part of the American Mystery Classics series. It's 288 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats in this edition. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a relentlessly lighthearted banter filled alcohol and cigarette-soaked mystery and the first book to feature Rice's lawyer sleuth John Malone. It's definitely a product of its time period and hearkens back to the days of witty repartee drawing room comedies of the stage. I honestly found much of the dialogue forced and found myself (after a while) reading the lines as if they were read by actors in a play which lent a frenetic quality to the banter, but did nothing for the narrative as a whole.
The mysteries, resolution, and denouement are pretty well constructed and satisfying. It's the dialogue and relentlessly, almost frenetically, witty writing which are somewhat wearying.
I would recommend the series as a whole to fans of period mysteries and republishing in new matching formats certainly saves readers (like me) from having to hope that they serendipitously find an old dogeared paperback copy circa 1940 which escaped being recycled in the WW2 paper drives, but this book in particular won't be for all readers.
Three and a half stars. It's good to see these lesser known gems from the American mystery golden age being dusted off and reprinted for new generations of readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Eight Faces at Three is a reformat and re-release of the first book featuring John J. Malone written by Craig Rice. Originally published in 1939, this edition was released 3rd August 2021 as part of the American Mystery Classics series. It's 288 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats in this edition. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a relentlessly lighthearted banter filled alcohol and cigarette-soaked mystery and the first book to feature Rice's lawyer sleuth John Malone. It's definitely a product of its time period and hearkens back to the days of witty repartee drawing room comedies of the stage. I honestly found much of the dialogue forced and found myself (after a while) reading the lines as if they were read by actors in a play which lent a frenetic quality to the banter, but did nothing for the narrative as a whole.
The mysteries, resolution, and denouement are pretty well constructed and satisfying. It's the dialogue and relentlessly, almost frenetically, witty writing which are somewhat wearying.
I would recommend the series as a whole to fans of period mysteries and republishing in new matching formats certainly saves readers (like me) from having to hope that they serendipitously find an old dogeared paperback copy circa 1940 which escaped being recycled in the WW2 paper drives, but this book in particular won't be for all readers.
Three and a half stars. It's good to see these lesser known gems from the American mystery golden age being dusted off and reprinted for new generations of readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
chazaloo's review
4.0
This was a fun, breezy read, somewhat equivalent to watching the Thin Man series of movies, although maybe not quite as sophisticated. Maybe it's just all the drinking that goes on in the book, which is taken to hilarious extremes. The characters are fun, especially the wacky Helene, and the plot of the mystery had me guessing until the end. I don't know if I loved it enough to carry on with the series, but enjoyed it well enough.
johnnyb1954's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
3.5
This probably doesn’t deserve 3.5 stars. There are clues the “detectives” don’t see until very late in the book. The explanation of the murderer’s plan relies on two major assumptions of how people will act.
But it was lighthearted and amusing and kept my interest throughout.
But it was lighthearted and amusing and kept my interest throughout.
daniy's review against another edition
4.0
3.5, but rounded up because I had lots of fun.
The thing that made it lose stars its that sometimes the characters had the clue right there, and a reaaaaaaaaaally obvious clue and wouldnt put it together for the life of them.
The thing that made it lose stars its that sometimes the characters had the clue right there, and a reaaaaaaaaaally obvious clue and wouldnt put it together for the life of them.