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eswee's review against another edition
2.75
Not very special, but a nice palet cleansing, straight forward murder mystery from the seventies. Relaxing to read.
astrangerhere's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoying getting to see a bit more of Wexford the man.
nichola's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I don't know if it's that I haven't noticed the lyrical quality of Rendell till now but that is surprisingly beautiful. I like Wexford definitelt grows on you as time passes. He has some very traditional views but that makes him more of a lens to see the world through and not actively unlikeable.
This was also interesting to see a really foul man be portrayed differently by different characters. It gives a lot of meaning to the complexity around the relationships people have to one another.
This was also interesting to see a really foul man be portrayed differently by different characters. It gives a lot of meaning to the complexity around the relationships people have to one another.
cmbohn's review against another edition
3.0
The bachelor party ends with the best man dead. Features Chief Inspector Wexford. Not one of her darkest books, but still not exactly light.
marystevens's review against another edition
3.0
Not one of her best. It's confusing and she's a bit sloppy in building the solution to the case.
bucherca49's review against another edition
4.0
This is the Wexford I remember! He loves his younger daughter Sheila the actor, and he quotes Shakespeare. And, as he says, he knows human nature. Burden moves into the background as the moralistic sidekick, and Wexford takes center stage as the detective who works out the solution based on evidence, intuition, and psychology. There are two cases to solve. Wexford begins with the murder of a "best man" for a wedding that is about to take place. A second case crops up related to the deaths of two people in an auto accident.
lenreadsalot's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
crazeedi73's review against another edition
4.0
This was the best inspector Wexford book so far in the series. Of course I am only at number 4 . I like the fact that the author Paul more of the inspectors family in this book
jlmb's review against another edition
3.0
A solid but ultimately forgettable mystery novel.
One thing that perplexes me about the Inspector Wexford series is trying to figure out his age. I get the sense that Wexford is eternally in his mid fifties but yet the town changes, his kids get older, he retires etc. There is actually a quote in this book where Wexford says he is 40 years older than his youngest daughter. She is about 18 in this book written in 1969 so that makes Wexford born around 1910. The final book in the series was published in 2013 so Wexford would be solving a mystery at the age of 103?!?! I haven't read the final books so not sure of his age there but it's a nagging irritation, this lack of clarity about his age.
One thing that perplexes me about the Inspector Wexford series is trying to figure out his age. I get the sense that Wexford is eternally in his mid fifties but yet the town changes, his kids get older, he retires etc. There is actually a quote in this book where Wexford says he is 40 years older than his youngest daughter. She is about 18 in this book written in 1969 so that makes Wexford born around 1910. The final book in the series was published in 2013 so Wexford would be solving a mystery at the age of 103?!?! I haven't read the final books so not sure of his age there but it's a nagging irritation, this lack of clarity about his age.