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A review by genevievesbooknook
A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I liked this one, especially at the beginning, compared to other Inspector Grant books, but it was still an OK read for me. Unlike Miss Pym Disposes, some died straight away, getting right into the heart of the mystery. Then, it meandered.
Firstly, I have to force myself to get into the mood to read these books and then once I do, I'm fine. For something that is 200-odd pages, it feels as though the plot sometimes meanders just to fill a word count. The plots in Inspector Grant novels, I feel, aren't always succinct and they go off in weird directions which I feel do not make sense. We get there eventually, but still.
Inspector Grant, his detective sidekick Williams and Marta are great characters and it would have been amazing to have them all team up on a theatre murder mystery. The reporter was also good, in an annoying reporter way.
Also, as a heads up, some of her characterisations of some characters who aren't British, upper-class does steer into stereotype and slightly offensive territory.
Firstly, I have to force myself to get into the mood to read these books and then once I do, I'm fine. For something that is 200-odd pages, it feels as though the plot sometimes meanders just to fill a word count. The plots in Inspector Grant novels, I feel, aren't always succinct and they go off in weird directions which I feel do not make sense. We get there eventually, but still.
Inspector Grant, his detective sidekick Williams and Marta are great characters and it would have been amazing to have them all team up on a theatre murder mystery. The reporter was also good, in an annoying reporter way.
Also, as a heads up, some of her characterisations of some characters who aren't British, upper-class does steer into stereotype and slightly offensive territory.