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A review by bluefairybug
The Croaking Raven by Guy Hale
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
I honestly think that if I'd been given a copy of this book with the authors name omitted, I would have known who it was by because Guy has such a unique, comedic and clever way of writing. Every bit of it is clever, from the character names, such as actors called Oliver Lawrence and Dame Suzy Tench, to the twists on lines from Shakespeare, and indeed the main storyline following that of Hamlet.
Even Guy's bad guys don't seem that bad. Whilst the killing spree seems like a total overreaction to a bad review, I found myself hoping the killer didn't get caught and disliking others on his behalf.
I loved the setting of 1970s Stratford-upon-Avon, despite it being a place I've never been, and a decade before my birth. Setting it in the past means there would be limits on what the police can do that wouldn't exist now, and also allowed for some attitudes and stereotypes that really worked for the book and didn't feel out of place.
I've honestly laughed so much reading this and hope there's an Act II in the pipeline
Even Guy's bad guys don't seem that bad. Whilst the killing spree seems like a total overreaction to a bad review, I found myself hoping the killer didn't get caught and disliking others on his behalf.
I loved the setting of 1970s Stratford-upon-Avon, despite it being a place I've never been, and a decade before my birth. Setting it in the past means there would be limits on what the police can do that wouldn't exist now, and also allowed for some attitudes and stereotypes that really worked for the book and didn't feel out of place.
I've honestly laughed so much reading this and hope there's an Act II in the pipeline