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teresac's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
mgeake's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
miniingrid's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Disfrutaría más de los libros de Tey sin los comentarios racistas "de la época"... Pero tengo que reconocer que son muy entretenidos.
geri_reader's review
4.0
Great mystery, lots of humor, plot twists, interesting characters, well-written. I read this because it was the recommended read for a book group this month. I like the Inspector Grant character, probably read some Tey mysteries years ago, but plan to read more now.
cleheny's review
3.0
I've always loved The Daughter of Time, but I hadn't read any of Tey's other Alan Grant mysteries. A Shilling for Candles is enjoyable, largely because Tey writes lively and direct prose and creates some great characters. Grant is intelligent and thoughtful, but he's not perfect. He has a healthy respect for imagination but that imagination consistently takes into account the facts. Erica Burgoyne is another interesting character; she's a teenager who is independent and lives a bit in her own head. The reader gets the impression that she is socially awkward and doesn't have a lot of friends her own age. But her independence and self-confidence (which are never precious or precocious) lead to an important turning point in Grant's investigation. And Grant's genuine liking of Erica, and his appreciation of her ideas and actions, makes him a more endearing character.
I think a real triumph of this book is the way Tey explores celebrity and brings alive the character of the victim, Christine Clay, who is dead when we first meet her. There are no flashbacks or revealing letters hidden by the murder victim and then later discovered; Christine Clay is revealed (and, sometimes, hidden) through the reminisces of her theatrical colleagues, her husband, people she knew as a child, and--the only direct evidence we have from her--through her will and a codicil. Yet somehow, as the mystery draws to a close, I felt that I had gotten to know and like Christine, and that her death was a cruel and pointless thing.
The resolution of the mystery does rely on Grant's discovery of some last-minute clues that are indicated to, but not shared with, the reader. That irritates me a bit; part of the fun of a mystery is learning along with the detective, and seeing if you put the clues together to get to the same result. It feels like a bit of a cheat to have the detective learn something that isn't shared with the reader, but which is the key to revealing the murderer. Still, this is an enjoyable and satisfying read.
I think a real triumph of this book is the way Tey explores celebrity and brings alive the character of the victim, Christine Clay, who is dead when we first meet her. There are no flashbacks or revealing letters hidden by the murder victim and then later discovered; Christine Clay is revealed (and, sometimes, hidden) through the reminisces of her theatrical colleagues, her husband, people she knew as a child, and--the only direct evidence we have from her--through her will and a codicil. Yet somehow, as the mystery draws to a close, I felt that I had gotten to know and like Christine, and that her death was a cruel and pointless thing.
The resolution of the mystery does rely on Grant's discovery of some last-minute clues that are indicated to, but not shared with, the reader. That irritates me a bit; part of the fun of a mystery is learning along with the detective, and seeing if you put the clues together to get to the same result. It feels like a bit of a cheat to have the detective learn something that isn't shared with the reader, but which is the key to revealing the murderer. Still, this is an enjoyable and satisfying read.
bookpossum's review
3.0
I enjoyed it, but unfortunately remembered “who dunnit” so that spoiled the fun a bit.
slferg's review
4.0
I read a lot of Josephine Tey several years back and quite enjoyed her work. But, I managed somehow to miss this one.
iainkelly_writing's review
4.0
Enjoyable cosy crime novel, with just enough suspects to keep you guessing.
jocelyn_sp's review
3.0
I read it for a quick-and-easy re-read, because it is on my e-reader. It is an entertaining, nicely done murder mystery. The racist assumptions and Tey's odd notions of physiognomy are slightly unpleasant but easy to overlook
diannel_04's review
4.0
This is the second book in the Inspector Grant series and once again my only problem with it is having to remember when it was written so the racial stereotypes don't bother me.
When a beautiful actress is found drowned Inspector Grant has to figure out who of her society friends is responsible. Once again, I did not pick the murderer, a sure sign of a good book. I can't wait to read more from this author.
When a beautiful actress is found drowned Inspector Grant has to figure out who of her society friends is responsible. Once again, I did not pick the murderer, a sure sign of a good book. I can't wait to read more from this author.