Reading the Detectives discussion

This is the third Nigel Strangeways mystery, first published in 1937.

Private detective and poet Nigel Strangeways is invited to address the Maiden Astbury literary society. The picturesque Dorset town is home to Bunnett's Brewery, run by the much disliked, and feared, Eustace Bunnett and shortly before Nigel's visit, Bunnett's dog Truffles, was found dead in one of the brewery's vats. The culprit was never caught - although there was no shortage of suspects - but when a body is then found in the same vat, boiled down to its bones, Nigel is called into action to help capture the killer.

Please refrain from posting spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

I really enjoyed this - lovely light writing style and Nigel is a great character! Can't understand why these books are not better known,

I totally agree, Judy. As I said in another thread, the next in the series, The Beast Must Die is a real classic of the genre and often considered his best.

I noticed, on re-reading this, that the author toned down the eccentricities, such as the eternal tea drinking (something I personally indulge in myself!), obviously thinking that he was going to make this into a series and needed to re-think certain aspects of the character.

Haha, I think he is still quite eccentric, Susan - he might have cut back on the endless cups of tea (I'm a coffee woman myself and can't manage more than a couple of cups a day nowadays!), but he seems to have changed over to eating the most enormous meals and throwing cigarette ash all over other people's carpets!

Nigel definitely has a strong personality and puts his own stamp on the book. I'm also looking forward to reading The Beast Must Die.

Yes, that is true, Judy. Nigel is certainly eccentric and he is also very aware, in this novel, that some of the suspects might be his friends (not really a spoiler as virtually everyone hated the victim!). However, more on spoiler thread...

Is anyone else joining Susan and me in reading this one? I can definitely recommend it - I found it very enjoyable and the mystery kept me guessing all the way.

I thought the start was excellent and got me hooked right away - the whole idea of investigating a dog's murder was intriguing. I love the name Truffles, which reminds me that I think there is a little girl with that name in a few of the Peanuts cartoons.

Judy wrote: "Is anyone else joining Susan and me in reading this one? I can definitely recommend it - I found it very enjoyable and the mystery kept me guessing all the way.

I thought the start was excellent a..."

I'll be starting it either today or tomorrow, having cleared up most of my backlog. I haven't read either of the first two and will be meeting Nigel for the first time. I own the next one, so hope I like Mr. Strangeways.

Sandy wrote: "I'll be starting it either today or tomorrow, having cleared up most of my backlog..."

That's great, Sandy. I think you will enjoy the eccentric Nigel - and I don't think it matters you haven't read the others as it doesn't continue on. No constant references to previous adventures as with our current group read Murder at Merisham Lodge!

P.S. Congratulations on clearing the backlog, Sandy - I need to do the same!

My backlog will never be cleared, I fear.... So glad you are joining us, Sandy. There is no need to have read the earlier two. He meets his wife in the previous book, but she appears for about two pages and he seems to have forgotten he had married her at all, at one point!

Susan wrote: "My backlog will never be cleared, I fear.... So glad you are joining us, Sandy. There is no need to have read the earlier two. He meets his wife in the previous book, but she appears for about two ..."

Sounds like an interesting marriage! And, the backlog is not cleared but the books due back soon are read.

I really thought one of my libraries had the book as an 'always available' ebook, but, if it ever did, it doesn't any more. I suppose I will break down and sign up for kindle unlimited so I can get this and Murder at Merisham Lodge. Off to read Amazon's terms and conditions ...

Does anyone have any experience with kindle unlimited?

Sandy, I tried Kindle Unlimited a couple of years ago now - I took out a month's free trial but for some reason they then gave me a second free month!

I read quite a few good books via KU but found the selection was very limited so I didn't renew - however, I get the impression they now have a lot more titles than they did back then. I may give them another try in the future, especially as they keep sending me even more free membership offers...

I've signed up for Kindle Unlimited and downloaded both Trouble Brewing and Merisham Lodge so will be posting to both threads (fairly) soon. After all, the first month is free. And everyone need more books ...

I've started Trouble Brewing and loving the breezy style. Nigel's wife seems to disappear after a couple of pages in this one as well. Suppose that's the problem, or advantage, of marrying an explorer.

One strange note: Nigel and the doctor were schoolmates, but the doctor keeps referring to "young Nigel".

And at least this police inspector did a cursory check of Nigel's background before allowing him access to the investigation.

Perhaps the doctor was in a year above him at school and those age gaps do tend to be magnified as children.

Nigel's wife is an interesting character - indeed she is the lead character in a future book - but she does later disappear abruptly from the series, so Cecil Day-Lewis probably got bored with her, or just wanted Nigel back on his own. Or, possibly, he was a little absent minded, as poet's are apt to be...

Sandy wrote: "I've signed up for Kindle Unlimited and downloaded both Trouble Brewing and Merisham Lodge so will be posting to both threads (fairly) soon. After all, the first month is free. And everyone need mo..."

I'm considering signing up for Kindle Unlimited so I'd be interested to hear how you get on Sandy. I think I'm just going to mentally note how often a book I look at on Amazon is on KU to start with.

Ruth, Trouble Brewing isn't on KU in the UK, though Merisham Lodge is - I suspect the selection here is still more limited than in the US, but quite a few books I want to read are on it even so...

However, I belong to Scribd at the moment and don't think I could cope with both at once!

Sandy wrote: "And at least this police inspector did a cursory check of Nigel's background before allowing him access to the investigation..."

Good point, Sandy - Nigel and the doctor seem to regard him as a real stick-in-the-mud for bothering to do so!

Judy wrote: "Ruth, Trouble Brewing isn't on KU in the UK, though Merisham Lodge is - I suspect the selection here is still more limited than in the US, but quite a few books I want to read are on it even so... ...
However, I belong to Scribd at the moment and don't think I could cope with both at once! "

Yes it's easy to take on too much then get overwhelmed isn't it!

Yes, I am trying to limit my NetGalley/review books, as I got so overwhelmed. Of course, though, I do still have book group reads to do.

Ruth wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I've signed up for Kindle Unlimited and downloaded both Trouble Brewing and Merisham Lodge so will be posting to both threads (fairly) soon. After all, the first month is free. And ev..."

My mental notes never work very well, so I've set up a list on GR for the books I get via KU so I will be able to analyze my use.

Sandy wrote: "Ruth wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I've signed up for Kindle Unlimited and downloaded both Trouble Brewing and Merisham Lodge so will be posting to both threads (fairly) soon. After all, the first month is free...
My mental notes never work very well, so I've set up a list on GR for the books I get via KU so I will be able to analyze my use. "

Great idea! I've just realised mental notes won't work for me either as I saw a book on Kindle Unlimited earlier and have already completely forgotten what it was.....

Goodreads is great for that, isn't it? I have lists for bookclub reads, Vine books, NetGalley books, books I need to read next, etc.

I've finished Trouble Brewing and really enjoyed Nigel's character and the light humor. The style reminded me of Crispin's Fen, another series I love. Fen is quirkier and has to hold down a job between cases, though Nigel (and Day-Lewis) probably feel poetry is a job.

Off to the spoiler thread for plot points.

I also really like Nigel's character. There are a couple, in particular, that I am very fond of. One, Malice in Wonderland, is a peculiar mystery, in that it doesn't have a murder, but I love the setting of an early holiday camp. It reminds me a little of "Death in High Heels," by Christianna Brand, which is not necessarily a great crime novel, but is set in an exclusive dress shop. Sometimes I find the setting of some of these early crime books as interesting as the actual mystery.

I was also reminded of Fen, Sandy - they have the same kind of bouncy over- confidence! Though I don't think Nigel throws in quite as many quotes as Fen. He doesn't seem like the stereotypical poet, does he, very down to earth and in no danger of wasting away!

I agree there were similarities with Fen. If anyone does like those books, they would probably enjoy these too. He is certainly in no danger of wasting away though, Judy, I agree :)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/bo...

I came across this interesting article about Cecil Day-Lewis - the crime writer.

Very interesting, Susan, thanks for the link. A shame he felt the need to put down his own crime books, but I think their quality speaks for itself!

I agree, Judy. Odd how so many 'serious' authors seemed to turn to crime to make money. It is still, I am pretty sure, the most lucrative genre.

Romance may be more profitable. Those readers out do most others.

I recently read a romance writer saying she always feels crime writers are taken more seriously than romance writers so perhaps there is a pecking order which equates to volume of sales - i.e. the more sales your genre commands, the further down the ranks you are in terms of esteem!

That's a bit snobbish, but I can easily believe it, Ruth.

I remember a documentary some years ago on BBC4 with Sandi Toksvig, when she looked at books people read - she read chick lit, crime and another genre, I can't remember which, and addressed why those books sell so much more than literary fiction. It was really interesting and she honestly addressed her own prejudices. Personally I like everything - from history, to classics, lit fiction, crime and most things in between...

After going on guided tours of quite a few small breweries over the years, I could really picture the setting in this book. Seems as if methods haven't changed all that much!

The old ways are the best, perhaps, Judy?

In this book, I really get the sense that the author is still finding his feet with Nigel. He has married him, but doesn't use his wife until later in the series, and then discards him. I do wonder whether he was, at this stage, slightly embarrassed at writing crime novels and so there is a sense of not being sure where to go with the books. Dororthy L Sayers, for example, seemed much more certain about where she wanted to go with her series.

Yes, I think Nigel isn't all that consistently portrayed in these early books, although his character makes a strong impression even so! I remember there is a mention in the article you linked to that Day-Lewis said he started by basing the character on Auden but later he turned into more of a self-portrait.

He was very good friends with Auden, I believe.

Is anyone still reading There's Trouble Brewing? Seems as if this read is now winding up, so I might take it off the group's 'currently reading' shelf...

Yes, good idea, Judy. I will open the thread for the Miss Marple read at the end of next week. I have posted reminders on both the buddy read and Miss Marple thread.

Thanks, Susan. Looking forward to the Miss Marple bio - I will start reading it in the next couple of days.

Just a reminder of forthcoming buddy reads. We have The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple from mid-October to Mid-November. Then, our last buddy read of 2017 will be "Not a Creature was Stirring." I am really looking forward to re-reading that one. A full list below:

Oct/Nov: The Life and Times of Miss Jane Marple
Nov/Dec: Not a Creature was Stirring: Jane Haddam
Jan/Feb: Green for Danger: Christianna Brand
Feb/March: The Documents in the Case: Dorothy L. Sayers
March/April: The Beast Must Die: Nicholas Blake

Looking forward to reading Jane Haddam at last after all you have said about her, Susan! I also look forward to giving Christianna Brand another try with one of her best books.

Good to hear, Judy. We will have a month and a half to read the Haddam, so plenty of time for people to join and and then some extra time in January (we have 'extra' Miss Marple and Ngaio Marsh books those months, if anyone is doing the challenge, so I didn't want to do too many extra reads in those months).