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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
An enjoyable mystery that had some good twists and turns. Looking forward to finding the next in this series.
A fun murder mystery.
Set during the Regency of King George - the son of the mad King Henry.
It's a little wordy - very "old English", but that's entertaining too, The author is a graduate of Yale and Oxford - you can tell.
Set during the Regency of King George - the son of the mad King Henry.
It's a little wordy - very "old English", but that's entertaining too, The author is a graduate of Yale and Oxford - you can tell.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I needed something more amusing after the last book I read and this book nailed it for me. Perfect book at the perfect time. Charles Lenox is an armchair detective living in London during the mid 1800's. His best friend and next door neighbor, Lady Jane, asks him to investigate the death of a former maid of hers. Her death was caused by poison but was it suicide or murder. I adored every character in Lenox's inner circle from Lady Jane, to his brother Edmond, to his friend McConnell. It ended up being a book that I flew through and kept wanting to get back to. In fact, once I finished it, I promptly bought the next two in the series.
Very interesting setting; London in the mid 18th century. Lots of details about food and clothing and the life of the idle rich. Lenox is a detective just because he likes it and is good at it. This plot is more than a little convoluted, but interesting. There have been thefts from the mint, so a lot of gold is being stored in a private home, guarded and protected. A housemaid in that house is poisoned... by whom? why? And there's another murder... by whom? why? All solved.
See my full review at https://topplingbookpile.wordpress.com/2023/04/26/a-beautiful-blue-death-by-charles-finch/
i tried i really tried. I got more than half way and just couldn't care a rats ass anymore
I thought this quite entertaining until about three chapters from the end when the story jumped ahead approximately 40 years to detail the history of a main character then back to finish the falling action of the story. Completely unnecessary and poorly edited because the action at the end of the that chapter did not mesh well with the opening of the next.
Dropped it a full star.
Dropped it a full star.
I suppose that "classic Victorian mystery" can mean "give me lots of exposition instead of dialogue and interaction." This was a good book, but not quite up to the standards of those books it seeks to emulate; Sayers is the most immediate comparison. For example: in Sayers's books, we learn about the Bunter/Wimsey history and relationship through their interactions in many, many books, and I feel like we never get the entire story there. In this book, the Graham/Lenox relationship is practically dumped in our laps through a lot of tedious explanation and awkwardly inserted backstory.
I actually did like the book, and I'll likely read the rest of the series. It's not a "to buy" series for me, nor even a "request immediately from the library" priority. I'll read them as I happen upon them.
I actually did like the book, and I'll likely read the rest of the series. It's not a "to buy" series for me, nor even a "request immediately from the library" priority. I'll read them as I happen upon them.
This was a charming mystery. The killer and motive were not readily transparent, but yet made clear sense when revealed. Amateur detective Charles Lenox, with his dignified morality, is a delightful protagonist. From Lenox's longtime friend Lady Jane to his butler Graham and brother Edmund, Charles Finch has crafted an engaging collection of individuals. Combine this with the top-notch murder case, and the reader encounters a cozy delight.