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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
This was ok - a little too much 'set up' maybe the rest of the series will be better but I prefer to have things unfold in their own time rather than hit over the head.
Some may love it - seems to be going for a nicer Sherlock Holmes kind of thing.
Just not for me.
Some may love it - seems to be going for a nicer Sherlock Holmes kind of thing.
Just not for me.
This is an old-fashioned, Victorian mystery following the adventure of the aristocratic amateur detective Lenox as he solves a series of murders. The characters and setting are somewhat traditional, as Lenox is a gentleman with spare time for solving mysteries, and he is aided by his right-hand man, the butler. Despite this, Lenox is interesting and certainly not stuffy. The book was enjoyable, but I think the author simply didn't know when to stop. Far after the mystery should have been solved and over, the plot continues to add more minor twists and ideas.
Story was enjoyable and fun. I didn't like the narrator. He wasn't terrible, just not always consistent on his accents.
I love Victorian British fiction and this fit the bill nicely. Can't wait to read more of Finch's mysteries.
This was my first Charles Finch novel; I read it on recommendation. Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would read more of his mysteries simply for fun. My 3-star rating is based on how well his story-telling kept my interest, and not of his writing overall.
Notably, Finch does a great job tying up all loose ends. I was pleased to see that near the end of the novel, he remembered to circle back to all of the small clues that had popped up throughout the storyline that had yet to be explained. There is only one clue that he did not explain, though I'm not sure it affects the momentum of the storyline in any way. The main character, Lenox, observed Barnard, director of the Royal Mint, and Soames, Barnard's latest house guest and guard of the soon-to-be-realeased-mint, walking into the mint through separate doors. Finch never explains why they would have been walking into the mint together. The reader can only assume that perhaps they were there on official business since we later learn Soames was helping to guard the mint in Barnard's house. It does leave me wondering if Barnard, though not a convicted killer, was in on Soames' murder in so far as he knew it was going to happen.
Another aspect of Finch's storytelling that I appreciated was his ability to make everyone seem like a suspect. At one point, though brief, he even tries to spin the story that perhaps the chief detective is suspect. We learn early on that blue indigo, a nearly unattainable and expensive poison, was used in the first murder, that of Prudence Smith. Finch then writes in several characters who could have access to this rare poison or who would have a reason to own it, as after it expires and loses its potency, it becomes good for orchids. In the end, Lenox realizes it is the collector of orchids, Barnard, whose involvement/crime he may have overlooked. It is finally realized how Barnard has come into all of his money.
Finally, I adored the platonic relationship between Lenox and Lady Jane. I believe in every good story, the protagonist should have one close friend in whom s/he can always rely on. Lady Jane was just that for Lenox.
While this may just be preference or perhaps Finch's intention, I did not like how I could not always follow Lenox's train of thought when announcing his latest suspect. While it is evident Finch uses a narrator with limited perspective, it didn't make sense (to me) to withhold Lenox's inner-monologue from the reader. For example, when Lenox was convinced Jack Soames must be Prue's killer, he names him as suspect without a motive. In fact, Finch never mentions a motive for either murder until nearly the end of the novel. Now, any sensible reader could assume that the motive for a "random" murder in a house of money is likely- money. But, I still believe Lenox would have seemed more credible and the storyline more believable had Finch explained early on the motive for the murders and why Lenox believed each character to be suspect when he did.
Overall, while the writing and dialect did not meet that of Sherlock Holmes, I did enjoy tracking the characters and trying to solve the murders. At times, I found Finch's diction poetic. When describing Toto's beauty, he writes: "She was like something fragile, small, and beautiful that you might find in a forest, living in perfect radiance no matter how torrential the monsoons or fierce the predators. No tempest touched her beauty." And at other times, Finch's diction was funny. Lenox was quite cold all throughout the novel. When describing just how cold he was, Finch writes: "Really horribly cold. You expect a seal to stroll by you on the street." I always appreciate a bit of humor in a good mystery novel!
Notably, Finch does a great job tying up all loose ends. I was pleased to see that near the end of the novel, he remembered to circle back to all of the small clues that had popped up throughout the storyline that had yet to be explained. There is only one clue that he did not explain, though I'm not sure it affects the momentum of the storyline in any way. The main character, Lenox, observed Barnard, director of the Royal Mint, and Soames, Barnard's latest house guest and guard of the soon-to-be-realeased-mint, walking into the mint through separate doors. Finch never explains why they would have been walking into the mint together. The reader can only assume that perhaps they were there on official business since we later learn Soames was helping to guard the mint in Barnard's house. It does leave me wondering if Barnard, though not a convicted killer, was in on Soames' murder in so far as he knew it was going to happen.
Another aspect of Finch's storytelling that I appreciated was his ability to make everyone seem like a suspect. At one point, though brief, he even tries to spin the story that perhaps the chief detective is suspect. We learn early on that blue indigo, a nearly unattainable and expensive poison, was used in the first murder, that of Prudence Smith. Finch then writes in several characters who could have access to this rare poison or who would have a reason to own it, as after it expires and loses its potency, it becomes good for orchids. In the end, Lenox realizes it is the collector of orchids, Barnard, whose involvement/crime he may have overlooked. It is finally realized how Barnard has come into all of his money.
Finally, I adored the platonic relationship between Lenox and Lady Jane. I believe in every good story, the protagonist should have one close friend in whom s/he can always rely on. Lady Jane was just that for Lenox.
While this may just be preference or perhaps Finch's intention, I did not like how I could not always follow Lenox's train of thought when announcing his latest suspect. While it is evident Finch uses a narrator with limited perspective, it didn't make sense (to me) to withhold Lenox's inner-monologue from the reader. For example, when Lenox was convinced Jack Soames must be Prue's killer, he names him as suspect without a motive. In fact, Finch never mentions a motive for either murder until nearly the end of the novel. Now, any sensible reader could assume that the motive for a "random" murder in a house of money is likely- money. But, I still believe Lenox would have seemed more credible and the storyline more believable had Finch explained early on the motive for the murders and why Lenox believed each character to be suspect when he did.
Overall, while the writing and dialect did not meet that of Sherlock Holmes, I did enjoy tracking the characters and trying to solve the murders. At times, I found Finch's diction poetic. When describing Toto's beauty, he writes: "She was like something fragile, small, and beautiful that you might find in a forest, living in perfect radiance no matter how torrential the monsoons or fierce the predators. No tempest touched her beauty." And at other times, Finch's diction was funny. Lenox was quite cold all throughout the novel. When describing just how cold he was, Finch writes: "Really horribly cold. You expect a seal to stroll by you on the street." I always appreciate a bit of humor in a good mystery novel!
Started reading it because I saw there was one of Finch's mysteries on the NEW shelf at the library. And being one to read things in order, I started off with this one, the first in the series. Turns out I had read it! And since it only came out in 2008, I read it recently! So that shows it made a huge impact on me. Ah well. I read the rest of them too....
A charming mystery story set in Victorian England. The hero was a genius but not an annoying genius. Good set of supporting characters. Nicely devised murder mystery.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Actually closer to 3.5. This is the first entry in the Charles Lenox mystery series. Charles Finch has a very sure voice and style, with just a few annoying tics. The mystery is set in London in 1865, and the author works hard to set the scene in the upper class milieu of society in Mayfair and the clubs. This is where some of the annoying parts come in--he doesn't quite get the geography right. If you know London, or like to check maps when reading, this can be very distracting.
In the first part of the book, Finch sets the scene. Charles Lenox, our detective, is a wealthy amateur who has been solving crimes, and giving the credit to Scotland Yard, for twenty years. He has a very useful butler named Graham, who is a combination of Lord Peter Wimsey's Bunter and Jeeves. Next door lives the lovely Lady Jane, childhood friend and wealthy widow. There is the inept Scotland Yard detective, Exeter, who is forced to take hints and accept credit. His Dr. Watson is Thomas McConnell, a non-practicing physician who can give Lenox medical advice and can do a quick autopsy. Plenty of other useful characters make an appearance, from a poison expert who could be in a Dickens novel, to a jolly former copper who is happy to spend his days following suspects.
Lady Jane provides the opening to the crime. Her former maid has died mysteriously. Can dear Charles please nip over to the house of George Barnard, where the said maid, Prudence Smith, lies dead in her room? Of course George Barnard is not pleased to have a dead body in the house, and even less pleased to have Lenox there poking about. What could Barnard by hiding? And then Dr. McConnell announces that Prudence was not a suicide after all. She died from an exceedingly rary and dangerous poison, Blue Indigo. And we are off to the races. Barnard is hiding something and he has a houseful of odd guests and relatives. Charles has his hands full investigating these characters without arousing too much suspicion from Scotland Yard and Barnard.
But the mystery has a rather leisurely pace. Charles likes his comforts and many a page is spent with him drinking coffee or tea, or sitting by the fire warming his feet and thinking about travel. After about the twentieth cup of coffee, I was ready for a bit more urgency.
If you like a period mystery with a solid Victorian setting, you will probably enjoy "A Beautiful Blue Death".
In the first part of the book, Finch sets the scene. Charles Lenox, our detective, is a wealthy amateur who has been solving crimes, and giving the credit to Scotland Yard, for twenty years. He has a very useful butler named Graham, who is a combination of Lord Peter Wimsey's Bunter and Jeeves. Next door lives the lovely Lady Jane, childhood friend and wealthy widow. There is the inept Scotland Yard detective, Exeter, who is forced to take hints and accept credit. His Dr. Watson is Thomas McConnell, a non-practicing physician who can give Lenox medical advice and can do a quick autopsy. Plenty of other useful characters make an appearance, from a poison expert who could be in a Dickens novel, to a jolly former copper who is happy to spend his days following suspects.
Lady Jane provides the opening to the crime. Her former maid has died mysteriously. Can dear Charles please nip over to the house of George Barnard, where the said maid, Prudence Smith, lies dead in her room? Of course George Barnard is not pleased to have a dead body in the house, and even less pleased to have Lenox there poking about. What could Barnard by hiding? And then Dr. McConnell announces that Prudence was not a suicide after all. She died from an exceedingly rary and dangerous poison, Blue Indigo. And we are off to the races. Barnard is hiding something and he has a houseful of odd guests and relatives. Charles has his hands full investigating these characters without arousing too much suspicion from Scotland Yard and Barnard.
But the mystery has a rather leisurely pace. Charles likes his comforts and many a page is spent with him drinking coffee or tea, or sitting by the fire warming his feet and thinking about travel. After about the twentieth cup of coffee, I was ready for a bit more urgency.
If you like a period mystery with a solid Victorian setting, you will probably enjoy "A Beautiful Blue Death".