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A review by anjana
Vintage Crime: From the Crime Writers' Association by
3.0
I read this collection more than a month ago and spent all that time postponing my review. I wanted to talk about the individual stories in the book for two reasons. My reactions to many varied and making sure all the separate author names are catalogued for my own reference in the future.
First off, I should mention the title is a bit of a misnomer. The stories begin way back in time but end up in our own generation. Although those stories were equally good, they were mildly jarring. I only intend to write a line or two per story, and since there are quite a few of them, it might seem to be a tedious post. One way of enjoying/reading it could be to look out for author names familiar to you.
Money is Honey by Michael Gilbert – 1956
I have read and liked a full work by this author previously
Short tale with not much of a mystery but entertaining characters and an ominous atmosphere
Family feud with feigned illnesses and real deaths
I was not satisfied with the ending
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Strolling in the Square one day by Julian Symons
Unexpected direction of the narrative
Once again I was not sure of the ending
Begins and ends with a discussion around a photo and the implications surrounding it
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The service flat by Bill Knox – 1966
The plot is simple, we are faced with an empty flat and possible intruders
I thought I was following the breadcrumbs right but never saw the final twist coming
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Footprint in the sky by John Dickson Carr – 1968
I have read a few other works by the author
The ominous atmosphere is set from the very beginning.
The problem itself was simple ( it felt like the most obvious suspect) but the odd clue was a little surprising
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Woman who had everything by Celia Fremlin – 1984
With every story of hers I encounter I realise how much I like the women the author writes, they are so real
Here also we have a desperate woman who has a lot of shades to her
Well written and I never saw the ending/twist(s) coming.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
The nuggy bar by Simon Brett 1985
This is a sad story with an untrustworthy narrator
There are funny bits to how things turned out for the aforementioned narrator during the planning stage
Well written but I was annoyed by the final outcome.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author –1985
I found certain quirks in the narration entertaining but on the whole it was an okay read
The plot did not lend itself to be self deduced since information was only revealed in bits
I found it really odd that the author had never visited the country he based his series in till almost the very end!
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The Perfect Alibi by Paula Gosling – 1991
A superior officer is entertaining his colleague with reminisces about a diamond robbery
I can see the shift in narrative styles and the twist caught me off guard!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Cuckoo in the wood by Lesley Grant- Adamson – 1992
This is a sad story which was well written
I did not like where the narrative led and the images it left behind
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
In those Days by Lisa Cody
The setup and the writing was well done
I think I understood what the implied solution was but I want to talk to someone who has read it and can point out the revelation moment to me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Turning Point by Anthea Fisher – 1993
The twist was the saving grace of the story. I never saw it coming.
A lonely housewife decides to take a vacation and ends up having to think on her feet
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The hand that feeds me by Michael Z. Lewin
Did not realise who the narrator was till a few paragraphs in, this being the unique part of the story
It is not a mystery per se, and therefore, I was not so caught up in it
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Cold and Deep by Frances Fyfield – 1994
The atmosphere was set well but the flow of the story seemed obvious.
The writing was well done.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Moving On by Susan Moody – 1996
Convoluted situation with two friends and their spouses’ lives intertwining to disastrous consequences
Well done but sad and it left the possibilities mildly ambiguous.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
The woman who loved Elizabeth David by Andrew Taylor – 1998
Yet another sad story about a wronged woman that did not have me very excited
The twist saved some of it but overall not one of my favourites
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Nowhere to be found by Mat Coward – 1999
Ending was left hanging and made me jus plain sad for the turn of events
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Interior, With Corpse by Peter Lovesey – 2000
Pretty unique setup ( at least of the ones I have read)
Never saw the end coming when the narrative begins with a scarily accurate painting of a corpse
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Egyptian Garden by Marjorie Ecks – 2002
Although there is death in it, it is not a mystery
The stifling atmosphere added some feeling but it was all about family dynamics
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Melusine by Martin Edward – 2003
Not my kind of story
I did not see the twist coming but did not help me like the story either
We have another couple of friends who weigh in the others’ lives
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Top Deck by Kate Ellis – 2005
Simple story that did not go the way I thought it would, given that it begins with a man who suspects that we witnessed a murder
Interesting in its own way
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Sins of Scarlet by Robert Barnard – 2005
I found this a little weird and was not very drawn in by the possibilities
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
All she wrote by Mick Herron – 2006
Once again I get the feeling that I do not ‘get’ the current thriller/mystery genre
Did not enjoy the turn of events, it seemed a very obvious progression
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Since I liked the older ones more than the newer ones, my total tally does come to be 3 stars on the whole.
First off, I should mention the title is a bit of a misnomer. The stories begin way back in time but end up in our own generation. Although those stories were equally good, they were mildly jarring. I only intend to write a line or two per story, and since there are quite a few of them, it might seem to be a tedious post. One way of enjoying/reading it could be to look out for author names familiar to you.
Money is Honey by Michael Gilbert – 1956
I have read and liked a full work by this author previously
Short tale with not much of a mystery but entertaining characters and an ominous atmosphere
Family feud with feigned illnesses and real deaths
I was not satisfied with the ending
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Strolling in the Square one day by Julian Symons
Unexpected direction of the narrative
Once again I was not sure of the ending
Begins and ends with a discussion around a photo and the implications surrounding it
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The service flat by Bill Knox – 1966
The plot is simple, we are faced with an empty flat and possible intruders
I thought I was following the breadcrumbs right but never saw the final twist coming
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Footprint in the sky by John Dickson Carr – 1968
I have read a few other works by the author
The ominous atmosphere is set from the very beginning.
The problem itself was simple ( it felt like the most obvious suspect) but the odd clue was a little surprising
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The Woman who had everything by Celia Fremlin – 1984
With every story of hers I encounter I realise how much I like the women the author writes, they are so real
Here also we have a desperate woman who has a lot of shades to her
Well written and I never saw the ending/twist(s) coming.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
The nuggy bar by Simon Brett 1985
This is a sad story with an untrustworthy narrator
There are funny bits to how things turned out for the aforementioned narrator during the planning stage
Well written but I was annoyed by the final outcome.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Inspector Ghote and the Noted British Author –1985
I found certain quirks in the narration entertaining but on the whole it was an okay read
The plot did not lend itself to be self deduced since information was only revealed in bits
I found it really odd that the author had never visited the country he based his series in till almost the very end!
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The Perfect Alibi by Paula Gosling – 1991
A superior officer is entertaining his colleague with reminisces about a diamond robbery
I can see the shift in narrative styles and the twist caught me off guard!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Cuckoo in the wood by Lesley Grant- Adamson – 1992
This is a sad story which was well written
I did not like where the narrative led and the images it left behind
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
In those Days by Lisa Cody
The setup and the writing was well done
I think I understood what the implied solution was but I want to talk to someone who has read it and can point out the revelation moment to me.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Turning Point by Anthea Fisher – 1993
The twist was the saving grace of the story. I never saw it coming.
A lonely housewife decides to take a vacation and ends up having to think on her feet
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
The hand that feeds me by Michael Z. Lewin
Did not realise who the narrator was till a few paragraphs in, this being the unique part of the story
It is not a mystery per se, and therefore, I was not so caught up in it
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Cold and Deep by Frances Fyfield – 1994
The atmosphere was set well but the flow of the story seemed obvious.
The writing was well done.
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Moving On by Susan Moody – 1996
Convoluted situation with two friends and their spouses’ lives intertwining to disastrous consequences
Well done but sad and it left the possibilities mildly ambiguous.
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
The woman who loved Elizabeth David by Andrew Taylor – 1998
Yet another sad story about a wronged woman that did not have me very excited
The twist saved some of it but overall not one of my favourites
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Nowhere to be found by Mat Coward – 1999
Ending was left hanging and made me jus plain sad for the turn of events
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Interior, With Corpse by Peter Lovesey – 2000
Pretty unique setup ( at least of the ones I have read)
Never saw the end coming when the narrative begins with a scarily accurate painting of a corpse
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Egyptian Garden by Marjorie Ecks – 2002
Although there is death in it, it is not a mystery
The stifling atmosphere added some feeling but it was all about family dynamics
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Melusine by Martin Edward – 2003
Not my kind of story
I did not see the twist coming but did not help me like the story either
We have another couple of friends who weigh in the others’ lives
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Top Deck by Kate Ellis – 2005
Simple story that did not go the way I thought it would, given that it begins with a man who suspects that we witnessed a murder
Interesting in its own way
⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Sins of Scarlet by Robert Barnard – 2005
I found this a little weird and was not very drawn in by the possibilities
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
All she wrote by Mick Herron – 2006
Once again I get the feeling that I do not ‘get’ the current thriller/mystery genre
Did not enjoy the turn of events, it seemed a very obvious progression
⭐⭐
Rating: 2 out of 5.
Since I liked the older ones more than the newer ones, my total tally does come to be 3 stars on the whole.