The Mystery, Crime, and Thriller Group discussion

This is the thread for discussing The Three Evangelists, by Fred Vargas. Gisela is your discussion leader. Have fun!!!

Anyone planning to read this book?

Cool.

I've just downloaded it onto my Kindle, looking forward to reading it. Not read anything by this author before.

I'm planning to read it, but am mid-search for a tangible copy. My library doesn't own it . . . Wah.

Read it a few weeks ago in german language and loved it. Really funny characters and a werd story! I was told either you love her books or you hate them.

Michael wrote: "Read it a few weeks ago in german language and loved it. Really funny characters and a werd story! I was told either you love her books or you hate them."

This one is fun, as is the sequel. She is great at quirky characters,

I can't get my hands on this book. My library does not have a copy (nope, not one) and it's not on any of the digital formats that my library uses. I'm disappointed.

❀✿ Gem ✿❀ wrote: "I can't get my hands on this book. My library does not have a copy (nope, not one) and it's not on any of the digital formats that my library uses. I'm disappointed."

It's available on Amazon, for $9.99.

❀✿ Gem ✿❀ wrote: "I can't get my hands on this book. My library does not have a copy (nope, not one) and it's not on any of the digital formats that my library uses. I'm disappointed."

A "good" condition used book shipping from the US starts at about $3.00. Does your library do interlibrary loan?

Just downloaded it to my Kindle. I couldn't pass up a mystery that includes three historians.

Hi
Sorry for not participating earlier, but I had a family emergency and it is a bit difficult to have internet access. But I try and do my best. I am planning to download the book on my kindle and start reading it asap. Definately can do with a bit of escape at the moment. Have a great read everybody.

Gisela wrote: "Hi
Sorry for not participating earlier, but I had a family emergency and it is a bit difficult to have internet access. But I try and do my best. I am planning to download the book on my kindle and..."

I hope everything is ok soon.

❀✿ Gem ✿❀ wrote: "I can't get my hands on this book. My library does not have a copy (nope, not one) and it's not on any of the digital formats that my library uses. I'm disappointed."

Here too Gem. It looks very good too.

I have read the first few chapters now and so far it reminds me of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared. So far, good for escape reading. However, apart from the French street names, I feel it could be situated anywhere. Anybody else having the same impression?

I read this years ago and it introduced me to Fred Vargas. I adore her quirky, sometimes surreal plotting and characterisation. She's brilliant at combining mystery and genuine emotional impact - often understated, sneaked in around the edges. I know few authors who can so adroitly balance absurdity and sinister threat.

I do seem to recall that Three Evangelists gets off to a slow start and that the pace really picks up in the second half of the book.

Having said that... I don't actually think the Evangelist books are her best (there's a later follow-up to this one). I much prefer the Commissaire Adamsberg series - start with The Chalk Circle Man

I'd also agree that the sense of place in 'Three Evangelists' is strangely suppressed.

Be interesting to hear what everyone makes of it!

I agree, not a big sense of place. I am now halfway through and the stoy could be anywhere. However the writing style different from the British, German, Scandinavian books I have read recently. Can't put my hand on what it is, but the writing style is different. The story is starting to get more sinister, but can't say I really know either what had been going on or what is going on. So, decent sense of suspense. Might trz a Commissaire Adamsberg as Rowena suggested, but doubt that this author is going to be a favourite.

The evangelists are becoming more suspect too. I also never trust good, pretty girls like Lex who mange to captivate all the males around her!!! We shall see. Not even sure if there really has been a murder!

Carla wrote: "I haven't started the book yet but I'm intrigued from what I read on the summary. I also read the comments on sense of place being off.

How did you like the book? Is it worth buying it and is it ..."

I don't think so. On the whole I found it quite boring. Half-way through it started to get promising, but none of the promises came true. Personally, I won't read another one. For me it had to little background, i.e. sense of place, culture, people. The characterisation was ok but not more than that.

I reached around 70% of this book. Although the first half was slow, and more like slice-of-life with no tight plot, but I have read worse. Maybe I am a sucker for rag-tag team stories, and these three historians are eccentrics with some hilarious dialogs between them or with Uncle Vandoosler. And I like how they help each other(view spoiler)[. Love the scenes when Matthias and Marc helping drunk Lucien (hide spoiler)].

Jokoloyo wrote: "I reached around 70% of this book. Although the first half was slow, and more like slice-of-life with no tight plot, but I have read worse. Maybe I am a sucker for rag-tag team stories, and these t..."

I love quirky characters.

Nancy wrote: "Jokoloyo wrote: "I reached around 70% of this book. Although the first half was slow, and more like slice-of-life with no tight plot, but I have read worse. Maybe I am a sucker for rag-tag team sto..."

I didn't feel you ever got to know any of them properly. I like to have at least one character whom I feel I know what he is about. Don't necessarily need to like them. Characterisation didn't seem very defined

Gisela wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Jokoloyo wrote: "I reached around 70% of this book. Although the first half was slow, and more like slice-of-life with no tight plot, but I have read worse. Maybe I am a sucker for ra..."

Interesting!! I'm someone who cares much less for plot than for characters and for writing. To me, these three main characters were fun, eccentric and the story really seemed to emanate mainly from their personalities.

Nancy wrote: "Gisela wrote: "Nancy wrote: "Jokoloyo wrote: "I reached around 70% of this book. Although the first half was slow, and more like slice-of-life with no tight plot, but I have read worse. Maybe I am ..."
Yeah apart from their subject areas, I didn't really feel I knew what they were about. I give you they all were eccentric though.

Gisela wrote: "I didn't feel you ever got to know any of them properly. I like to have at least one character whom I feel I know what he is about. Don't necessarily need to like them. Characterisation didn't seem very defined"

I might be easily pleased. I don't seek background, as long as the voice of characters are interesting at present. Maybe because I've read a lot of mystery fiction without depict protagonists' background. But it's only my taste.

I've heard & read so many positive things about this author & her series that i must give this a go. I know i'm late to this discussion. Not sure how i missed it but borrowed the book from the library and when i'm done i'll add a my thoughts even though it may be too late for the group :)

Icewineanne wrote: "I've heard & read so many positive things about this author & her series that i must give this a go. I know i'm late to this discussion. Not sure how i missed it but borrowed the book from the libr..."
It's always good to have a new opinion. I sometimes get to group reads late too, but it is still good to see what others thought about a book.