tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post400016121651234476..comments2024-03-28T11:17:43.586+00:00Comments on Read-warbler: Yet more crime and mystery books...Cathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-71932530573907386462014-08-06T23:18:12.485+01:002014-08-06T23:18:12.485+01:00Bev: I know... crazy isn't it???Bev: I know... crazy isn't it???Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-82571437384516536832014-08-06T20:26:46.299+01:002014-08-06T20:26:46.299+01:00Sayers is such a good author. She even makes it ea...Sayers is such a good author. She even makes it easy to learn everything you never knew you needed to know about bell ringing. :-)Bev Hankinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127476456755776574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-67821666621469329232014-05-03T10:39:08.731+01:002014-05-03T10:39:08.731+01:00Tracy: I'll continue to read the Rex Stout boo...Tracy: I'll continue to read the Rex Stout books as I never think a first book in any series is typical of the whole series. Often they improve and it's always to best to give them another chance.<br /><br />Yes, I think I saw your review of The Golden Spiders and left a comment. That's definitely one I want to read. Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-11409833728442861312014-05-01T17:50:24.873+01:002014-05-01T17:50:24.873+01:00Commenting very late on this, but I was looking th...Commenting very late on this, but I was looking through your blog and noticed that you had read a book by my favorite author, Rex Stout. I just wanted to comment that my son (who reads mostly fantasy, we sort of swap books now and then)... read Fer-de-Lance and did not care for it at all. Recently he read the second book, The League of Frightened Gentlemen, and liked that one a lot better. But it is possible that you just don't care for the style in Rex Stout and the attitudes are really old fashioned. Sometimes I wonder if I would have liked the books at all if I had started reading them later in life.<br /><br />I recently re-read The Golden Spiders, which was about the 9th book in the series, and I noticed that one was about half the length of the first novels. There are other US mystery writers from that time that write very differently. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-2778853255783268362014-03-24T10:36:45.498+00:002014-03-24T10:36:45.498+00:00Susan: Yes, the tone... but I'd be hard put to...Susan: Yes, the tone... but I'd be hard put to put into words *why* the tone has stopped appealing to me over the years. I don't think her Merlin books would feel like that, but I don't think I'll put it to the test and ruin my memories of them.<br /><br />I don't think a reread of Dorothy Sayers would be a problem. LOL Loads of people reading her now I notice. <br /><br />Yes, it is hard not to gobble up an author's work when you discover them. I try not to but sometimes you just can't help it. Right now it's Anna Dean's Dido Kent books. I think I mentioned her to you on your Jane Austen letters post. Since then I've gobbled up three with the fourth on the library pile. *Love* them.Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-35470134045992879622014-03-23T23:33:47.269+00:002014-03-23T23:33:47.269+00:00I read Thornyhold by Mary Stewart earlier this yea...I read Thornyhold by Mary Stewart earlier this year, and found the same thing - enjoyable, but dated somehow too. Which was surprising, since I didn't think her work would date itself. Something about the tone, then, I wonder? Still, she has interesting ideas. Ana at Things Means Alot had an interesting review of Touch Not the Cat also late last year.<br /><br />I have read Dorothy Sayers, but I can't remember which ones, it was long ago before I kept any lists! I will have to go back and reread them, which if I remember correctly, won't be a problem at all - I think I really enjoyed them at the time! lol I'm glad to see her getting read again, and so many enjoying her stories. It is hard to not read an author all the way through, once you know you like them, isn't it?Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09095246748581382752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-90309915538447589552014-03-18T15:00:39.687+00:002014-03-18T15:00:39.687+00:00Peggy: When you eventually get to read DLS I think...Peggy: When you eventually get to read DLS I think you'll be surprised at good the books are. I've been totally shocked, I had no idea. Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-86989730325443182612014-03-18T14:25:41.270+00:002014-03-18T14:25:41.270+00:00Cath, I have an old copy of The Nine Tailors on th...Cath, I have an old copy of The Nine Tailors on the shelf and have never got to it. Actually I've never read Sayers yet! Enjoyed your review will read it this year! Peggy Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426356514707257708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-14612854359238011432014-03-18T11:02:48.165+00:002014-03-18T11:02:48.165+00:00Major: Yes, I too thought it was a bit too long. I...Major: Yes, I too thought it was a bit too long. I'll bear in mind your comment that the ones published after WW2 being better. Interesting. Enjoyed reading your review too so thanks for including the link to that.<br /><br />Margaret: I hope you enjoy The Nine Tailors as much as I did.<br /><br />I'm ashamed to admit that I've read no Sylvia Plath whatsoever! And your comment doesn't make me want to rush out and buy any. Not that my knees allow me to rush anywhere much these days...<br /><br />I feel the same way about the Merlin books, I was besotted with them and don't want to spoil that memory.<br /><br />It *is* sad about Clarissa. I feel quite bereft, to be honest.<br /><br />Val: You may confess whatever you like here, m'dear. ;-) But seriously, yes I think it is to do with picturing the settings etc. more easily. Plus I like the 1930s English version of the English language better I think. The American version seemed a bit too 'gangsterish' for my taste.<br /><br />I shall look up the book you rec in a moment. It sounds interesting.<br /><br />Yes, really sad about CDW. I have to admit to being very shocked.<br /><br />Pat: Yeah, I was thinking I might bury Peter under the patio but now I have lots of better ideas! LOL!!! ;-)<br /><br />Cathhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06371069000185280668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-25470771789510102402014-03-17T20:11:30.154+00:002014-03-17T20:11:30.154+00:00By the time this year is over my "sis" s...By the time this year is over my "sis" should be able to pull off the "perfect crime"!! lol..DesLilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02582481597658080464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-22214070398425389642014-03-17T19:52:55.458+00:002014-03-17T19:52:55.458+00:00Sorry I forgot to mention before that my review at...Sorry I forgot to mention before that my review at PBS of Fer de Lance is at<br /><br />http://blog.paperbackswap.com/mystery-monday-fer-de-lance/2013/05/Majorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05038437416575948282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-25607127874768197272014-03-17T16:58:23.138+00:002014-03-17T16:58:23.138+00:00Can I confess that I too have a bias towards Briti...Can I confess that I too have a bias towards British Crime versus American ...but that may just be my ability and comfort in "picturing" the characters and settings. It's lovely to read your reviews of DL Sayers works they are favourites of mine and you still have more treats in store. There is an Old book called "The Puritan Pleasures of the Detective story" by Erik Routley that you might enjoy (hopefully it's in the library) It's a book about detective novels by an enthusiastic Vicar he introduced me to many fun authors :0)<br />I thought of you this morning as I read about Clarrisa Dickson Wrights death ..you introduced me to her as a very interesting if complex character. St Pauls Youtube account has a recording of her that I'm going to listen to later. All the best from a presently deeply snowy Alaska :0)Valhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03003915263556622215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-74498299167305660332014-03-17T14:49:12.097+00:002014-03-17T14:49:12.097+00:00I'm so glad you liked The Nine Tailors and tha...I'm so glad you liked The Nine Tailors and that you didn't give away any spoilers, because I'll be reading it in April. I'm really looking forward to it. Our book group's choice this month is The Bell Jar, which I read first several years ago and am not liking it any more this time round!<br /><br />I think I'll give Touch Not the Cat a miss - even though I too loved the Merlin books years ago - I'm wondering if I'd still like them now, but it's best not to re-read them, in case it spoils my memories.<br /><br />I haven't read any of Rex Stout's books. They sound interesting as a comparison to Agatha Christie's books - Poirot too liked to use his little grey cells, but at least he went out and about.<br /><br />So sad about Clarissa Dickson Wright!BooksPleasehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721650104596705715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-74647490111155537222014-03-17T12:36:27.654+00:002014-03-17T12:36:27.654+00:00This comment has been removed by the author.Majorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05038437416575948282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958492963483272678.post-68373729877251643562014-03-17T12:36:09.312+00:002014-03-17T12:36:09.312+00:00I thought Fer-de-lance was too long, which is my m...I thought Fer-de-lance was too long, which is my main gripe for many, many Golden Age mysteries. But the characters of Nero and Archie felt genuine, as if they had been together for a long, long time. I don’t know how Stout achieved this in a first book in the series, but he did. I think the Nero novels published after WWII are the best ones and the novellas are better than the novels.Majorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05038437416575948282noreply@blogger.com