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lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
3.0
Third in my binge on Heyer's mysteries. This one features one of her "dandy who is much smarter and more formidable than he looks" characters, which I generally find some of her most amusing. The cast of unpleasant family members with multiple motives to be the killer, but very little ability to do so, appears again. The unlikeliest suspect is always the one to suspect, and this time there is an elaborate but rather clever solution, if discouraging to one's sense of justice.
hoperu's review against another edition
3.0
A decent enough murder mystery, but the focus was mostly on the family and not the detective. I tend to prefer mysteries where the detective is more of a personality; here, Hannasyde hardly makes any impression at all. The other characters are all pretty obnoxious. Although this was written in the same time as it is set, And had little domestic details that I doubt a modern writer would remember, I kept feeling like it was written more recently. As an aside, the cover for this edition is completely misleading and has nothing to do with anything in the actual story.
debralewi's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kelly04's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
dlmoldovan's review against another edition
4.0
With Heyer's mysteries, once you start reading one, you cannot really stop. I think I read 4 in a row, before I decided to switch to another author. This was the second mystery from her that I picked up, and just like the first one, it didn't disappoint. Heyer was a master at creating eccentric characters, an intricate plot that wasn't too convoluted, great dialogues, and a fun mystery. Love the characterizations in her books, love the setting, love the comedy, and I absolutely love the sarcasm and British wit that infuse her mysteries. Great for reading on a cold and rainy day, while listening to music from that period.
ccgwalt's review against another edition
3.0
While the plot was clever, and the writing as good as always, I did not enjoy this mystery as much as I'd hoped. There was simply no one to like here. I had a pretty good idea of much of the mystery before the end, but there were one or two surprises. It's just that the bickering was tiresome and the character we're supposed to be sympathetic with at the end was unlikeable. So the pluses were clever writing and good plot, but unlikeable characters that diminished my enjoyment.
jessicas_library_card's review against another edition
4.0
It's true - Heyer's mysteries are never quite as mysterious as they should be. I was fairly certain who had committed the crime by the second chapter, and my conclusion proved correct.
But never mind - I wasn't in for the mystery. The key is to not see it as anything other than a charming 1930s comedy of errors. I love Georgette Heyer because of her ability to write charming characters. I have read a fair number of regencies and mystery novels where the characters are flat stereotypes of the genre. Her characters, on the other hand, have a rare depth for the genres - they change, and our view of them changes along with the story. The main characters in "Behold, Here's Poison" are universally unlikable when they are first introduced, but over time I grew quite fond of them (in particular Randall, presented as a mean-spirited foppish sort at first, over the course of the novel he was revealed to have unexpected depths... still rather witty at the expense of others, but I appreciate that in a character.)
The romance did come a bit out of nowhere. I think this is the second of Heyer's novels I have read with cousin marrying as a plot point, which is perhaps a bit strange to modern eyes. This isn't her strongest work (none of the mysteries are really - read "The Grand Sophy" if that's what you're looking for. Sophie is one of the greatest characters in a genre populated by stereotypes.) It's enjoyable, and recommended for fans of the 1930s mysteries.
But never mind - I wasn't in for the mystery. The key is to not see it as anything other than a charming 1930s comedy of errors. I love Georgette Heyer because of her ability to write charming characters. I have read a fair number of regencies and mystery novels where the characters are flat stereotypes of the genre. Her characters, on the other hand, have a rare depth for the genres - they change, and our view of them changes along with the story. The main characters in "Behold, Here's Poison" are universally unlikable when they are first introduced, but over time I grew quite fond of them (in particular Randall, presented as a mean-spirited foppish sort at first, over the course of the novel he was revealed to have unexpected depths... still rather witty at the expense of others, but I appreciate that in a character.)
The romance did come a bit out of nowhere. I think this is the second of Heyer's novels I have read with cousin marrying as a plot point, which is perhaps a bit strange to modern eyes. This isn't her strongest work (none of the mysteries are really - read "The Grand Sophy" if that's what you're looking for. Sophie is one of the greatest characters in a genre populated by stereotypes.) It's enjoyable, and recommended for fans of the 1930s mysteries.
majkia's review against another edition
5.0
Very good mystery with lots of 'airy persiflage' to compound the mystery.
lucyandherbooks's review against another edition
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? Yes
4.0