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affiknittyreads's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
stefhyena's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
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? It's complicated
3.0
Surprisingly enjoyable and flowed well. The ending was a mess. The sort of outdated psychology you'd expect from that time.
But...flowd along pleasantly enough for most of the book. I would probably read more of these.
But...flowd along pleasantly enough for most of the book. I would probably read more of these.
kittybetty's review against another edition
2.0
If you can stomach the jingo lingo, the story flows fairly well and there are some characters to cherish here. There's a gender-defying teen I'd like to see again--does she appear in later novels in the Inspector Grant series? But I may never know. I was so often put off by racist and classist sentiments, I think I'll have to step away from Josephine Tey, at least for a little while.
“Ill-educated, emotional, and ruthless; like most of his race,” she describes a Jew , in the voice of omniscient narrator. Shortly after, we get to hear another side as a character who is a Jew calls England out for touting supposed tolerance while practicing prejudice. But then Inspector Grant, the detective whom we presumably trust and admire writes the Jew's speech off as indicative of a psychiatric complex—perhaps inferiority, persecution, or even messianic.
There's a lot more racist invective about "Hebrews," or "Israelites," or just plain Jews, but don't imagine Tey has a single focus for her hate speech. When a character is suspected of being at least part Black or Native-Something, we can see her value as a human being, and her trustworthiness, decreasing in Inspector Grant's estimation.
The upper class, meanwhile, are not to be questioned at all, if possible. Peers are presumed above suspicion. Is this tongue-in-cheek? I hoped so, that would be great, but I just couldn't find clear evidence that Tey was mocking attitudes if her hero was displaying them and her omniscient narrator was repeating them.
“Ill-educated, emotional, and ruthless; like most of his race,” she describes a Jew , in the voice of omniscient narrator. Shortly after, we get to hear another side as a character who is a Jew calls England out for touting supposed tolerance while practicing prejudice. But then Inspector Grant, the detective whom we presumably trust and admire writes the Jew's speech off as indicative of a psychiatric complex—perhaps inferiority, persecution, or even messianic.
There's a lot more racist invective about "Hebrews," or "Israelites," or just plain Jews, but don't imagine Tey has a single focus for her hate speech. When a character is suspected of being at least part Black or Native-Something, we can see her value as a human being, and her trustworthiness, decreasing in Inspector Grant's estimation.
The upper class, meanwhile, are not to be questioned at all, if possible. Peers are presumed above suspicion. Is this tongue-in-cheek? I hoped so, that would be great, but I just couldn't find clear evidence that Tey was mocking attitudes if her hero was displaying them and her omniscient narrator was repeating them.
dennisfischman's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting mystery in which a variety of people are guilty of a variety of things, but only one of them committed murder--not for a reason I found believable.
One star off because of the antisemitism. Even the positive stereotypes were still off-putting, as if English and Jewish were two different species of human beings.
I enjoyed [b:Fear in the Sunlight|13069249|Fear in the Sunlight (Josephine Tey, #4)|Nicola Upson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327358596l/13069249._SY75_.jpg|18235286], which referred back to this book, better than the original, and I liked the Marta and Lydia characters that [a:Nicola Upson|984417|Nicola Upson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1400494637p2/984417.jpg] came up with better than their namesakes by [a:Josephine Tey|44023|Josephine Tey|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1193918690p2/44023.jpg].
One star off because of the antisemitism. Even the positive stereotypes were still off-putting, as if English and Jewish were two different species of human beings.
I enjoyed [b:Fear in the Sunlight|13069249|Fear in the Sunlight (Josephine Tey, #4)|Nicola Upson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327358596l/13069249._SY75_.jpg|18235286], which referred back to this book, better than the original, and I liked the Marta and Lydia characters that [a:Nicola Upson|984417|Nicola Upson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1400494637p2/984417.jpg] came up with better than their namesakes by [a:Josephine Tey|44023|Josephine Tey|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1193918690p2/44023.jpg].
genevievesbooknook's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked this one, especially at the beginning, compared to other Inspector Grant books, but it was still an OK read for me. Unlike Miss Pym Disposes, some died straight away, getting right into the heart of the mystery. Then, it meandered.
Firstly, I have to force myself to get into the mood to read these books and then once I do, I'm fine. For something that is 200-odd pages, it feels as though the plot sometimes meanders just to fill a word count. The plots in Inspector Grant novels, I feel, aren't always succinct and they go off in weird directions which I feel do not make sense. We get there eventually, but still.
Inspector Grant, his detective sidekick Williams and Marta are great characters and it would have been amazing to have them all team up on a theatre murder mystery. The reporter was also good, in an annoying reporter way.
Also, as a heads up, some of her characterisations of some characters who aren't British, upper-class does steer into stereotype and slightly offensive territory.
Firstly, I have to force myself to get into the mood to read these books and then once I do, I'm fine. For something that is 200-odd pages, it feels as though the plot sometimes meanders just to fill a word count. The plots in Inspector Grant novels, I feel, aren't always succinct and they go off in weird directions which I feel do not make sense. We get there eventually, but still.
Inspector Grant, his detective sidekick Williams and Marta are great characters and it would have been amazing to have them all team up on a theatre murder mystery. The reporter was also good, in an annoying reporter way.
Also, as a heads up, some of her characterisations of some characters who aren't British, upper-class does steer into stereotype and slightly offensive territory.
onetrooluff's review against another edition
4.0
A super-twisty mystery. I really like Alan Grant and I flew through the first half of this - probably would have finished it in one sitting if life didn't intervene.
caitibeth's review against another edition
3.0
Well-written and an interesting mystery. I like Erica a lot (although she is a very childish seventeen, and if they attempt to make her into a love interest for Grant, I shall rage-quit this series instantly).
Tey does continue to have nasty bits about women, although it's not as prevalent as in the first book of the series. For example, one character is introduced thus: "a sulky fair girl who played 'dumb' blondes from year's end to year's end, and whose life was one long fight between her greed and her weight". Left a bad taste in my mouth.
Tey does continue to have nasty bits about women, although it's not as prevalent as in the first book of the series. For example, one character is introduced thus: "a sulky fair girl who played 'dumb' blondes from year's end to year's end, and whose life was one long fight between her greed and her weight". Left a bad taste in my mouth.
vstewart76'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
4.5
iceangel9's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The second book in the Inspector Grant mystery series. When a woman's body washes up on an English beach. Inspector Grant is called in. The victim turns out to be a famous actress, and Grant is baffled by false leads and confusing clues. Is there anyone who didn't want Christine Clay dead? Fans of Tey's Inspector Grant will love this installment.