Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our mid-July/mid-August 2019 buddy read of the fourth in the Angela Marchmont series.

Lost in the mists of the Romney Marsh, Angela Marchmont stumbles upon the body of a woman whose face has been disfigured—presumably to prevent recognition. Who is she, and what was she doing out there in the middle of nowhere? The search for answers will take Angela from a grand stately home to London’s most fashionable—and disreputable—nightclub, and into a murky world of illegal drinking, jazz music and lost souls.

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

Angela Marchmont definitely is a magnet to dead bodies. I like this episode and really liked her relationship with her chauffeur. I don't think we had met him before, but her friends just didn't seem to be the sort of people she would have been friendly with. I am certainly warming to Angela now. Freddy , in his new career as reporter, did seem to be the most natural, pleasant but a shade naughty, making a good companion for Angela. The scene in the nightclub was quite humourous, as were Freddy's friends.

Jill wrote: "Angela Marchmont definitely is a magnet to dead bodies. I like this episode and really liked her relationship with her chauffeur. I don't think we had met him before, but her friends just didn't se..."

This was my first Marchmont, I got a kick out of Freddy and that scene! I like Angela, and the fact that she seems to have a varied group of friends and acquaintances - I look forward to future books and learning more about her mysterious background and time in America. I’d also like to see how Freddy fares in his budding journalism career...

Maybe I was misremembering about William - I thought we had already met him, but I have read the next book so might be in a muddle, sorry!

This is a so-so series for me. Not sure why I haven't connected with Mrs. Marchmont as I find nothing to dislike about her. Freddy shows promise and the mystery was fine. Maybe the writing style just isn't my taste.

I own the next two so will probably read those if we continue with the series.

One annoyance I can identify: After four books, if Angela does have a past, perhaps some of it could be revealed?

Thank you - in my reading experience, the longer an author stretches out a tease about a mysterious past, or a “will they, won’t they” romantic situation over a series arc, the more likely they are to piss off readers! They simply lose interest; this was only my first read in this series, but as a newcomer I found it ok - didn’t really like or dislike anybody, it struck me as yet another in a sea of modern authors offering their take on popular GA British mysteries. Agatha Christie takes spiked tea at Downton Abbey, if you will!

When my mother was alive, she worked for years at Barnes & Noble, and she said she could always tell what was trending in different genres by shelving the books. There was the supernatural/paranormal romance trend, spawned by the Twilight books, the far right hate screed political manifesto spawned by the Obama years, the explosion of WWII-based chick lit (Guernsey Potato Peel, etc.) There are always trends, and writers/publishers try and exploit them.

She’s been gone a few years, but I can see it myself in the books amazon pushes at me in my emails, “You may be interested...” Heyer and Austen imitators, Christie and Marsh and Allingham and Sayers wannabes - no thanks, I’ll just reread the real thing!

I have finished this now. The series, so far, hasn't thrilled me, but I think I like the idea of Freddy more. He can go looking for crime, whereas Angela always seems to, implausibly, stumble over it. I will give him a try, at some point.

I quite like will they/won't they relationships and secrets in people's past, I must admit!

Judy wrote: "I quite like will they/won't they relationships and secrets in people's past, I must admit!"

Me, too, it adds interest and can be quite tantalizing, but I think the author has to know when to clear things up a bit, or it goes on to long! This was my first Angela, and I liked her and Freddy, and there was humor and a clever, plausible puzzle.

However, as Susan says, if Angela constantly stumbles into murders every time, it begins to be implausible. Policemen and reporters have an excuse to go out seeking malefactors, but if a private person constantly stumbles into them, you begin to wonder. I’d think people would avoid you, if Death seemed to follow you around!

Did anyone guess the killer in this? This was a reread for me but I had already forgotten whodunit and wrongly suspected Miles! I think sometimes the killer is a bit obvious in CB's books, but not in this one for me.

Also, I am always a little bit disappointed to get a letter from the killer explaining how they did it - I know this happened a lot in GA mysteries, so I suppose that is why Clara Benson included it as part of her homage to the style, but it's not one of my favourite features. I prefer to have the detective explain it all!

I kind of began to suspect at the art show, when the author writes the old lady gave Angela a penetrating look or something. I realized she was a very strong-willed autocrat of the old school, and would be appalled at the idea of a commoner becoming lady of the manor - but I figured she would’ve hired private detectives to spy on her son and get the facts at Somerset House, I never suspected the victim contacted her!

As for the confession letter at the end, I don’t mind it as a plot device if it’s concise and written in the established character of the killer - as was the case here. Imperious, tough old bird didn’t make excuses or ask forgiveness, just stated what she did and why, and did it for an honorable reason, to exonerate her son. I actually liked that part and thought it was well done and in character- plus I think it reinforced Angela’s role as a rather reluctant sleuth, unwilling to bring the spotlight on herself with a big, climactic reveal scene in the drawing room!

In the letter Mom was also taking full responsibility to clear her future daughter in law from any legal repercussions.

I finally suspected Mom but only at the very, very end (probably the first bedroom scene). Not sure it counts.

Sandy wrote: "In the letter Mom was also taking full responsibility to clear her future daughter in law from any legal repercussions."

Good point, true - Future DIL gave me chills, she’s got the makings of becoming a grand old battle axe someday!

Yes, I felt really sorry for Gilbert. He might have been better off with the chorus girl, rather than his mother, or Lucy. I thought it was realistic that Angela warned Lucy about the boy.

I agree about Gilbert. I was quite surprised that he was going ahead and marrying Lucy at the end - especially after the hints to the reader that she might have been involved in the murder.

He seemed to do what he was told, didn't he? I was surprised they adopted the child.

Susan wrote: "He seemed to do what he was told, didn't he? I was surprised they adopted the child."

Hate to sound callous, but I think it was much to avoid any future scandalous revelations about a male offspring cluttering up the inheritance as it was about any filial feeling. Couldn’t help wondering if he’d become the heir, or just a spare if Lucy and Gilbert have a son...

Susan in NC wrote: "Susan wrote: "He seemed to do what he was told, didn't he? I was surprised they adopted the child."

Hate to sound callous, but I think it was much to avoid any future scandalous revelations about ..."

I too wondered if he would be the heir. However I have warmer feelings toward Lucy than may be justified. She is a character I like and hope, without proof, she was an unwilling accomplice.

I could see that - I think the old lady saw her as the proper sort and used and manipulated her as much as anyone.

Lucy seems a rather inconsistent character - on the one hand warm and motherly, so that you can believe she will look after the child, but on the other involved in that callous murder.

If he is the eldest son, I would imagine he would inherit, and I think that was the problem. If the baby had been a girl, she might have been safer, because I could totally see that Lucy would want her own son, if she had one, to inherit. Do we think she really loved Gil?

I think she really loves Gil, and as the child is his son she will love him too - but I'm not so sure that Gil really loves her.

Interesting point, Judy. I thought she was more interested in the house/status, but then she did become fond of him.

Loving the child because it is Gil's is an interesting thought. I don't have step-children, but I know people who do and liking them seems to be fairly evenly split between really loving them, to outright war! Still, the baby is young and that should make a difference - as should the fact that he has no real family, other than an uncle. Lucy can bring him up as hers and he could be a project. Let's hope he likes riding :)

Judy wrote: "Lucy seems a rather inconsistent character - on the one hand warm and motherly, so that you can believe she will look after the child, but on the other involved in that callous murder."

Exactly!

Judy wrote: "I think she really loves Gil, and as the child is his son she will love him too - but I'm not so sure that Gil really loves her."

Agreed - I thought, in that last scene at the beach cottage, she clearly loves Gil, almost obsessively, and possibly since she was very young. I think Gil looks to her almost as another mother/protector- she’ll never steer him wrong, always look out for his comfort and best interests. I wouldn’t want that type of marriage, but in an age or class where people were expected to still marry as a duty to their heritage, family name and estate, and love could be discreetly found later outside marriage, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had a “successful “ marriage- maybe not happy, in today’s terms.

Susan wrote: "Interesting point, Judy. I thought she was more interested in the house/status, but then she did become fond of him.

Loving the child because it is Gil's is an interesting thought. I don't have s..."

Very good points! Yes, she could mold him with no outside interference, and I do think as an extension of Gil, she would provide and protect the child.

A lot of men, from that class, like mother substitutes. Too much time, too early, at boarding school.

I could definitely see that - reading To Serve Them All My Days in another group.