Reading the Detectives discussion

As I forgot last month, I am opening this thread a little early! This thread can be used to discuss any spoilers openly. If you haven't yet finished the book and (understandably) do not want to have the ending spoilt for you, then stick to the general thread until you have finished.

Thanks everyone. Enjoy!

Placetne and Placet, at the very end of the books, are words used mostly in university or church gatherings to express assent. Much as "aye" does in a political setting, but of course much more sophisticated! [g] Very Oxfordian, naturally.

It is how the presiding officer of a church or university or similar academic meeting asks for approval of a motion or decision or proposal or whatever.

Literally, in Latin Placetne magistra is the question, "does it please, mistress? (Or teacher, or priest, or whomever the question is being asked of.)

The response, "Placet" means "it pleases."

Could there be a more perfect ending to any love story?

I will admit to having tears in my eyes at that moment, Everyman :)

Susan wrote: "I will admit to having tears in my eyes at that moment, Everyman :)"

You were far from alone.

Everyman wrote: "Placetne and Placet, at the very end of the books, are words used mostly in university or church gatherings to express assent. Much as "aye" does in a political setting, but of course much more sop..."

It is a perfect ending and always brings tears to my eyes.

I've just finished my reread and really enjoyed it - I must admit I don't think the mystery itself is great, as others have said, and also I remembered who the Poison Pen was from previous reads. It does seem a bit strange to have a mystery book without a murder, although, having said that, I've recently read another one which didn't have a murder either!

But the romance plot is fascinating (I'd probably give 5* for the romance and 3* for the mystery!) and I do love the scene between Harriet and Peter in the punt where she finally realises that she loves him - even though there is a lot more agonising to go before they finally agree.

I do miss Peter in the early part of the book, but there are constant mentions of him and it allows readers a chance to get to know Harriet better.

I have read a few GA mysteries without a murder. Now I suspect that a publisher/agent would demand at least one death!

There are a few contemporary cozies that have mysteries without murders (thinking of the Aunt Dimity series, for instance). But I wouldn’t class Gaudy Night as a cozy. I like it when there isn’t a murder—there’s a whole world of evil that is interesting to explore!

I finished the book earlier in the week; here’s my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Great review, Abigail.

Thank you, Susan!

Where Judy wrote "it allows readers a chance to get to know Harriet better" I think it where it all went wrong for me. I liked Harriet in Strong Poison, I got a bit annoyed with her in Have his Carcase, and found I really didn't like her in this one. The "will-she , won't - she" just got me down.

Yes, I felt sorry for poor Peter. Even Viscount St George more or less told her to make her mind up!

Abigail wrote: "There are a few contemporary cozies that have mysteries without murders (thinking of the Aunt Dimity series, for instance). But I wouldn’t class Gaudy Night as a cozy. I like it when there isn’t a ..."

Great review Abigail! I agree with your analysis and felt similarly by the end of the book. Not a traditional crime thriller but an excellent book!

Thank you, Susan in Perthshire! (At least I know if I run for literary office, I shall have the Susan-fan-of-golden-age-mysteries vote locked up . . .)

Abigail wrote: "Thank you, Susan in Perthshire! (At least I know if I run for literary office, I shall have the Susan-fan-of-golden-age-mysteries vote locked up . . .)"

I posted a smiley face in response Abigail, but it doesn't seem to be showing here!

Did anyone guess the writer of the poison pen letters correctly? I already knew from a previous reading, but I don't think I would have guessed otherwise! The Latin in one of the notes tends to point at a scholar, and you would have to work out the surprise twist of the scholar being married to one of the 'Scouts'.

I always find plots involving anonymous letters rather intriguing - they are so typical of the Golden Age and I've just come across an intriguing poison pen story in the collection of short stories I'm reading at the moment, Serpents in Eden: Countryside Crimes.

Just came across this interesting article about poison pen plots in classic detective stories: https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

No to be honest I did think that maybe it was the farmers wife that Harriet had spoken to at the gaudy night. She would have known Latin being an ex-student and wondered if she begrudged the others their being there, after she had chosen a hard life as a farmer's wife. This may have been a red herring or it could just have been me fishing around. I don't remember the woman's name.

She seemed like a likely candidate to me, in part because of the way she kept popping up; and her account of her backstory didn’t seem quite to add up. But I wouldn’t say I was sure. I also thought of Miss Lydgate as a possible, despite the damage to her galleys. That could have been accounted for—e.g., by playing up the fact that she seems to not really want to finish them. And she was such a Candide, her very good-nature became almost suspicious to me.

Yes she was one of my suspects too, for the same reasons.

I am hopeless at guessing. I think there were three or four possible suspects that I thought it could have been.

Susan wrote: "I am hopeless at guessing. I think there were three or four possible suspects that I thought it could have been."

Me too. I never guessed the guilty party.

I admit that I usually don't bother trying to work out the guilty party. Sometimes it's pretty obvious, and sometimes I stumble on it, but I never make an effort to try to work it out. Just enjoy the book as written.

I am the same, Everyman. Quite happy to go with the story and be surprised. I think some GA mysteries are written to be worked out - like the Red Herrings PW novel, but I cannot imagine sitting down with a pad and working out time tables while reading! Not that there is anything wrong with that, if it is the puzzle element anyone enjoys.

Just reposting this for Linda:

Linda wrote:

I too recently finished Gaudy Night. I liked the second half of the book very much, after I knew what was going on. I'm not sure why the first part seemed so unfocused. I enjoyed the dialogue but I had trouble following who was who. And in the end, it didn't matter.

I was a little suspicious of Annie because she kept popping up . We're there red herrings? I didn't suspect any dons.

Did anyone else think Annie's tirade against educated women who take men's jobs, a little reminiscent of current events?

I finally finished last night. Must be my third or fourth reading of the book. Had totally forgotten who the guilty party was.

Loved her rant. Shows her madness.