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edb14's review against another edition
5.0
Well, this will show me not to judge Heyer's abilities.
I had previously looked somewhat superciliously on Heyer's attempts at mystery-writing. The previous two that I had read I guessed almost immediately (one of them indeed from page 1), and I compared them unfavorably to Heyer's literary peer Christie. I set these failures down to Heyer's incurable love of comedy and romance and her tendency to populate her books with quirky and amusing characters that one simply can't bear to finger as the murderer. In the end, Heyer's twists are secondary to her love of hijinks, and therefore it is easy to guess what she is planning.
I started this book with that same superior attitude, expecting to enjoy the wit and charm that is par for the course with her but not to exercise my mental faculties to any great degree in guessing the villain. When early on there is, I sat back to comfortably enjoy her shenanigans with my smug guesses intact.
However, I failed to remember the lessons of [b:Penhallow|311190|Penhallow|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320460141l/311190._SY75_.jpg|2788445]: Heyer can create a whole cast of sympathetic buy unlikable characters, and she can make you feel like you don't want anyone to be caught as the murderer in spite of that. By keeping her cast of characters small and very slowly revealing deeper relationships and motivations, Heyer successfully kept me guessing while becoming more fearful of who the murderer would turn out to be. Her comedy is still there, and even a bit of romance, but both are kept so subtle and in the background that it took me a while to realize where everything was going. The ending itself completely surprised me. Perhaps the clues were kept a little hidden from the reader (unlike Christie's novels: sorry, I couldn't help one small comparison!) but there were enough clues that I should have been on the right track, and I was not at all.
Perhaps now that you have read this review (whoever you are), you will be forewarned and therefore forearmed, and you will be able to guess everything and can then feel superior to me. All I know is that I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book and it is the first mystery of hers that I have read that I can rate as highly as her Regency romances.
I had previously looked somewhat superciliously on Heyer's attempts at mystery-writing. The previous two that I had read I guessed almost immediately (one of them indeed from page 1), and I compared them unfavorably to Heyer's literary peer Christie. I set these failures down to Heyer's incurable love of comedy and romance and her tendency to populate her books with quirky and amusing characters that one simply can't bear to finger as the murderer. In the end, Heyer's twists are secondary to her love of hijinks, and therefore it is easy to guess what she is planning.
I started this book with that same superior attitude, expecting to enjoy the wit and charm that is par for the course with her but not to exercise my mental faculties to any great degree in guessing the villain. When early on there is
Spoiler
a thoroughly unlikable character with an unshakable alibiHowever, I failed to remember the lessons of [b:Penhallow|311190|Penhallow|Georgette Heyer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1320460141l/311190._SY75_.jpg|2788445]: Heyer can create a whole cast of sympathetic buy unlikable characters, and she can make you feel like you don't want anyone to be caught as the murderer in spite of that. By keeping her cast of characters small and very slowly revealing deeper relationships and motivations, Heyer successfully kept me guessing while becoming more fearful of who the murderer would turn out to be. Her comedy is still there, and even a bit of romance, but both are kept so subtle and in the background that it took me a while to realize where everything was going. The ending itself completely surprised me. Perhaps the clues were kept a little hidden from the reader (unlike Christie's novels: sorry, I couldn't help one small comparison!) but there were enough clues that I should have been on the right track, and I was not at all.
Perhaps now that you have read this review (whoever you are), you will be forewarned and therefore forearmed, and you will be able to guess everything and can then feel superior to me. All I know is that I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this book and it is the first mystery of hers that I have read that I can rate as highly as her Regency romances.
streberkatze's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cmbohn's review against another edition
4.0
Some good reviews on here already, so I just want to point out that the cover has no relation to the book whatever.
deannah's review against another edition
3.0
I tend to think that mysteries are much more charming when set in the English country side. That the Master of the Manor might have died because the "duck was a touch gamey" is not something you come across in the American equivalents. Again, a good vacation read.
ssejig's review against another edition
3.0
George Matthews is dead. Though the doctor initially says it is syncope (heart issues), George's sister (Mrs. Lupton) insists that an autopsy be performed. When one is done, it is found that he is dead of nicotine poisoning.
This is a typical Heyer novel where the rich and cranky old man is killed surrounded by his not-so-loving family. This particular rich and cranky old man had a sister (eccentric penny pincher who likes to save dribs and drabs of everything for later use), a sister-in-law (histrionic woman who doesn't actually seem to care about anyone other than herself and her son), the sil's two children (neither of whom seem to do much other than leech off the uncle), another sister and her daughter (who aren't really suspects but Mrs. Lupton is a Forceful Personality and helps to move the story along) and her husband (who actually seems to have some secrets of his own), and another nephew and presumed heir (who seems to be a good suspect since nobody seems to like him very much either but he is also the only one with an alibi). Any of these relatives could have murdered him but which one was it?
This is a typical Heyer novel where the rich and cranky old man is killed surrounded by his not-so-loving family. This particular rich and cranky old man had a sister (eccentric penny pincher who likes to save dribs and drabs of everything for later use), a sister-in-law (histrionic woman who doesn't actually seem to care about anyone other than herself and her son), the sil's two children (neither of whom seem to do much other than leech off the uncle), another sister and her daughter (who aren't really suspects but Mrs. Lupton is a Forceful Personality and helps to move the story along) and her husband (who actually seems to have some secrets of his own), and another nephew and presumed heir (who seems to be a good suspect since nobody seems to like him very much either but he is also the only one with an alibi). Any of these relatives could have murdered him but which one was it?
holtfan's review against another edition
4.0
As Sergeant Hemingway might say, 'good psychology!'
Maybe three stars for the actual murder but a fourth for the characters. I always delight in finding Heyer's traditional characters in different settings. And in her detective fiction, they are not only in a different setting...they are just a bit more unlikable.
Which I love.
The characters all have motive--no matter how slight--for doing away with their unlikable relative. And now he is dead. As the police dig deeper, even the ones without motive gain motive.
I honestly quite enjoyed this book up until the end. The murderer felt a bit too much like a stretch. And the romance did not tie up quite as perfectly as I wished. But I still jumped right in shipping characters and suspecting motives and enjoying all the personalities that emerged. So worth it in the end. I'd re-read it.
Maybe three stars for the actual murder but a fourth for the characters. I always delight in finding Heyer's traditional characters in different settings. And in her detective fiction, they are not only in a different setting...they are just a bit more unlikable.
Which I love.
The characters all have motive--no matter how slight--for doing away with their unlikable relative. And now he is dead. As the police dig deeper, even the ones without motive gain motive.
I honestly quite enjoyed this book up until the end. The murderer felt a bit too much like a stretch. And the romance did not tie up quite as perfectly as I wished. But I still jumped right in shipping characters and suspecting motives and enjoying all the personalities that emerged. So worth it in the end. I'd re-read it.
mooly666's review against another edition
5.0
I still have a crush on Randall, the “amiable snake,” after all these years...
storiesforhisglory's review against another edition
5.0
Favorite
I listened to this via audible this go round. I’ve lost track of how often I’ve read this book (and most Heyer books, to be fair) to date. I like the snarky interplay between Stella and Randall, the personalities in play, and how they all react under pressure. Fun listen.
I listened to this via audible this go round. I’ve lost track of how often I’ve read this book (and most Heyer books, to be fair) to date. I like the snarky interplay between Stella and Randall, the personalities in play, and how they all react under pressure. Fun listen.
bookcrazylady45's review against another edition
4.0
All of Georgette Heyer's mysteries are humorous and a good read. I reread them often.