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A review by christinecc
Love Lies Bleeding by Edmund Crispin
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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? Yes
4.0
Likely not the strongest of the series, but certainly a fun time. especially if you love British humor, British boarding schools, and mysteries in the countryside.
Gervase Fen is our lanky, self-absorbed detective whose real job is being a don at Oxford University. He drives a bratty car nicknamed Lily Christine, he's trying to write a mystery novel set in the Catskills, and also no one wants to hear about his novel set in the Catskills. So instead, he's helping out a friend by acting as the keynote speaker for a boarding school's Speech Day (or maybe you know it as Prize Day).
When a local schoolgirl encounters something frightening and, later, when two murders come to light, Fen does his friend yet another favor by helping the local police solve the growing list of mysteries.
What I really like about the series is its great mix of lighthearted humor. Fen is certainly smug in a fun way, and he is still somewhat flighty, but not as much as in the earlier books. Ten canonical years have passed since his second adventure, the famous "Moving Toyshop" story, and Fen now realizes that detection requires caution. Fen has also become more conscious of the lives at stake when a murderer is on the loose, and it's so much fun to see him show concern and even fear when facing down danger.
All in all, this is a solid and very fun installment in the Gervase Fen series, and I particularly loved the supporting cast of students, townspeople, and professors all milling around the school at the end of term.
Recommended for fans of British humor, British mysteries, and campus novels. Honestly, don't hesitate to read the others in the series or start with this one (although it's hard to beat "The Moving Toyshop" or, if you're a theatre/opera/music fan, "Swan Song").
Gervase Fen is our lanky, self-absorbed detective whose real job is being a don at Oxford University. He drives a bratty car nicknamed Lily Christine, he's trying to write a mystery novel set in the Catskills, and also no one wants to hear about his novel set in the Catskills. So instead, he's helping out a friend by acting as the keynote speaker for a boarding school's Speech Day (or maybe you know it as Prize Day).
When a local schoolgirl encounters something frightening and, later, when two murders come to light, Fen does his friend yet another favor by helping the local police solve the growing list of mysteries.
What I really like about the series is its great mix of lighthearted humor. Fen is certainly smug in a fun way, and he is still somewhat flighty, but not as much as in the earlier books. Ten canonical years have passed since his second adventure, the famous "Moving Toyshop" story, and Fen now realizes that detection requires caution. Fen has also become more conscious of the lives at stake when a murderer is on the loose, and it's so much fun to see him show concern and even fear when facing down danger.
All in all, this is a solid and very fun installment in the Gervase Fen series, and I particularly loved the supporting cast of students, townspeople, and professors all milling around the school at the end of term.
Recommended for fans of British humor, British mysteries, and campus novels. Honestly, don't hesitate to read the others in the series or start with this one (although it's hard to beat "The Moving Toyshop" or, if you're a theatre/opera/music fan, "Swan Song").