Reading the Detectives discussion

Carolien & I are intending to start this buddy read tomorrow. Feel free to join us!

I've started. I think I have read this one before but I'm not sure. Marsh has done a caste of characters at the start.

I read this at the end of November for our book club at the pub (we met on the 5th December :D)

I've started, but need to deal with a work crisis tonight. Will hopefully be able to continue tomorrow.

Carolien wrote: "I've started, but need to deal with a work crisis tonight. Will hopefully be able to continue tomorrow."

I've progressed further. This book does have definite Christmassy touches. I'm visualising quite beautiful Christmas decorations!

I agree, and it must smell very Christmassy with a real tree and mistletoe. What an ill assorted party however! Troy must have serious doubts of the wisdom of joining this party .

Carolien wrote: "I agree, and it must smell very Christmassy with a real tree and mistletoe. What an ill assorted party however! Troy must have serious doubts of the wisdom of joining this party ."

Finished. One of Marsh's better ones, so I think I'm going to give it a solid 4*.

Carolein, when you have finished Chapter 8, could you let me know? I'm not sure if I have spotted a typo or something that doesn't make sense to me!

I just found an interesting one as well. It's during the scene where Cressida explains to Hilary how Moult became the Druid. Chapter 4.2 in my copy. "And then when he eggzitted I returned to the cloakroom and helped him to clean up". It re-occurs a few pages later when Cressida explains when she last saw Moult. "When he eggzitted after his thing..."

My copy is a 1972 Fontana .

I've got an old hardback William Collins (1972) Same spelling in mine.

I can imagine that being 70s speech. Cressida does veer between 1970s & 1930s speech (which is what the rest of the cast sounds like, other than Troy)

Like Christie, Marsh struggled with younger people's speech in her later books.

Just discovered Audible has a new audio book of this available, so I will give it a try over the Christmas break! I did read it in paperback probably 40 years ago, but hopefully won't remember much.

Judy wrote: "Just discovered Audible has a new audio book of this available, so I will give it a try over the Christmas break! I did read it in paperback probably 40 years ago, but hopefully won't remember much."

Well that could be fun! :)

☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: "Carolien wrote: "I agree, and it must smell very Christmassy with a real tree and mistletoe. What an ill assorted party however! Troy must have serious doubts of the wisdom of joining this party ."..."

I finished it this afternoon. Must give the author a lot of credit for developing her characters and plot well. Quite an achievement for a murder mystery when the corpse only turns up in the second last chapter.

I must admit, I'm not sure exactly how the scene with the cats is supposed to fit into the whole scheme of things other than to create an alibi for the attempted murder of the detective.

Carolien wrote: "☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: "Carolien wrote: "I agree, and it must smell very Christmassy with a real tree and mistletoe. What an ill assorted party however! Troy must have serious doubts of the wisdom of joi..."

I took it that (view spoiler)[ Cressida was trying to frame the servants (hide spoiler)]

Did you notice any slightly off dialogue in chapter 8.

I'm hard of hearing myself (wear a hearing aid in one ear) But Bed & Flea gave me a real laugh. I said Bed & Flea gave me... :D

Bed and Flea were a treat as was Mr Smith. She gets the older characters spot on, but seems to struggle a bit with the younger ones.

Chapter 8 is a bit of a struggle in the middle part in general I thought.

I read Marsh's mini biography on here & she started writing in her 30s.

I put in my review the idea that maybe Marsh should have picked a decade & left Alleyn there.

I tend to agree with you. A bit like Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver who didn't seem to change too much over time.

I suppose it is a challenge if you write over such a considerable period of time to decide on a time period or not.

Carolien wrote: "I tend to agree with you. A bit like Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver who didn't seem to change too much over time.

I suppose it is a challenge if you write over such a considerable..."

& Marsh wouldn't have been able to predict how successful this series would become.

Grafton made a smart choice putting Kinsey in the 80s & leaving her there.

Edit; I'm taking the book back into work today. We have done really well selling Christmas themed books.

I agree about Grafton's approach. She at least foresaw a long series!

Carolien wrote: "I agree about Grafton's approach. She at least foresaw a long series!"

I have a bookseller friend who told me that Grafton was under contract for all of those alphabet books, almost from the very first! I wonder if she started getting tired of them long about "J"....

☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: Did you notice any slightly off dialogue in chapter 8 ...
"

I've finished chapter 8 so, whispering in my good ear, tell me what it was you saw! I'm eaten with curiosity!! ☺

Ella's Gran wrote: "☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: Did you notice any slightly off dialogue in chapter 8 ...
"

I've finished chapter 8 so, whispering in my good ear, tell me what it was you saw! I'm eaten with curiosity!! ☺"

I'm going to go pick up chapter 8 right now...

Aaaarrggghhh,I'm really sorry everyone I handed the book in to my work! I'm back in next Wednesday if the book is unsold I can check then.

I can't remember what the word was but it was twice on the same page on my copy & the first time it didn't look like correct useage - but I can't remember the word!

☆ Ｃａｒｏｌ ☆ wrote: "Aaaarrggghhh,I'm really sorry everyone I handed the book in to my work! I'm back in next Wednesday if the book is unsold I can check then.

I can't remember what the word was but it was twice on th..."

I'll keep my eyes peeled!

Just started listening to this while wrapping presents etc, and I was most surprised at the mention of Steptoe and Son - hadn't realised this was published in 1972!

Judy wrote: "Just started listening to this while wrapping presents etc, and I was most surprised at the mention of Steptoe and Son - hadn't realised this was published in 1972!"

I checked the publication date, and it really helped me visualize Cressida's Christmas Eve outfit! But, alas, I've never seen Steptoe and Son...

Here you go Karlyne - a Christmas present!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxlTj...

Karlyne, I've now got up to Cressida's appearance, and, while the rest of the cast might seem as if they are stuck in a 1930s/50s timewarp, she definitely seems to be from the 1970s!

The reader on the Audible book is great at doing different voices for the different characters, and makes her sound very bored.

Carol, thanks for posting the link! It's a long time since I've seen them.

Judy wrote: "Karlyne, I've now got up to Cressida's appearance, and, while the rest of the cast might seem as if they are stuck in a 1930s/50s timewarp, she definitely seems to be from the 1970s!

The reader o..."

Cressida veers back & forth dialogue wise.

& your welcome for the Steptoe link!

Thanks for the Christmas present, Carol, and a very Merry Christmas to you - and to everybody else, too!

I was slightly puzzled by all the references to the kissing bough in this, since I wasn't sure exactly what it was - I knew it must involve mistletoe, but couldn't picture it.

I just did a bit of googling and found some nice pictures of kissing boughs - they seem to have varied a lot, but some featured apples as well as holly, mistletoe etc.

Here is one site which briefly explains the history of this custom:
http://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/adv...

I'm well over halfway through now, and the suspense is certainly building up! Must say I'm enjoying this a lot more than most other audio books I've tried.

It's funny how obvious the murderer is and, yet, Marsh is so able that you keep saying, "Naw, that can't be it"!