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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
funny
lighthearted
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:
No
It was a lot of fun to read this vintage mystery, set in a University library with a librarian sleuth, a miscellany of professors who could have done the deed, student workers who find ways to slack off, mysterious "stacks" and entrances. Too bad the pseudonymous author only did this as a one off instead of the series it seems to portend. Recommend to fans of Christie and her ilk. (Audio version released in April 2024)
The fact that I worked at Cornell for 15 years before I learned that Morris Bishop (as W. Bolingbroke Johnson) had written a murder mystery set in the A.D. White library in 1942 with a librarian protagonist is COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. This book was fun, funny, as erudite as could be expected and surprisingly modern in the agency afforded its female characters. Bishop is most known today for his definitive history of Cornell, but his wry observations about faculty life show a writer well aware of both the seriousness and silliness of humans in academia. Loved it!
“It has always been presumed to be their fault,” said Professor Belknap. “The lawgivers, and society too, have always said that the woman is to blame. If a man attacks and a woman yields, the woman is to be punished for yielding, while the man becomes a kind of hero.”
“It has always been presumed to be their fault,” said Professor Belknap. “The lawgivers, and society too, have always said that the woman is to blame. If a man attacks and a woman yields, the woman is to be punished for yielding, while the man becomes a kind of hero.”
Don't mind me. I'm just over here reading classic mysteries instead of contemporary books that I'm "supposed" to read. This one has a few things to recommend it: a gutsy heroine, the library setting, wit.
It also has a few things that didn't age well, namely. I didn't care for that. On the whole, a fun and quick read.
It also has a few things that didn't age well, namely
Spoiler
the fact that the heroine ends up with the dude who almost strangled her
Thank you to the author, narrator publisher and Net Galley for providing a free e-audio version of this book in exchange for my review.
I love the Golden Age Detective novels. The writing is just so different from the books now. There are issues with some of the generalizations, some of the phrases - it was a different time - but the stories are my first choice.
I'm not familiar with this author, but was excited to have a chance to listen to a new to me Golden Age mystery. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others. I look forward to more of these books published with Otto Penzler. So glad these books are being re=printed.
3 stars for "I liked it"
I love the Golden Age Detective novels. The writing is just so different from the books now. There are issues with some of the generalizations, some of the phrases - it was a different time - but the stories are my first choice.
I'm not familiar with this author, but was excited to have a chance to listen to a new to me Golden Age mystery. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others. I look forward to more of these books published with Otto Penzler. So glad these books are being re=printed.
3 stars for "I liked it"
"The Widening Stain" is an interesting mystery. The story follows the entire investigative thought process, which I thought was fun. The mystery is pretty basic, and there are some problematic moments. All in all, it's a good classic mystery.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book was not my jam and I can tell you it was a me problem and not a book/author problem. This was my 1st book by W. Bolingbroke Johnson but I will certainly give them another read!
mysterious
medium-paced
A classic mystery that I have never read before. The audiobook version narrated by Todd Menesses who brought the characters to life in a way where they all felt easy to distinguish who was speaking because of the quality of the narration. As for the book itself, it is a story that people who enjoy reading murder mysteries are likely to enjoy and the setting of a library was not one that I have read before and it turned out to be a very interesting aspect of the story for me.
Audiobook provided by NetGalley for review purposes.
Audiobook provided by NetGalley for review purposes.