Scan barcode
tregina's review against another edition
3.0
Everything's better with lesbians. Fact.
Otherwise, this book is ordinary bordering on unpleasant. I may have gotten some metaphorical whiplash from Lindsay and Cordelia's hot and cold conversations, and not seen where the slightest bit of attraction came from other than physical, but it was an unsensationalised lesbian relationship in a contemporary book from the eighties and that's something.
And the murder mystery was both a bona fide murder and an adequate mystery, which is more than I can say for a lot of what I've read lately.
Otherwise, this book is ordinary bordering on unpleasant. I may have gotten some metaphorical whiplash from Lindsay and Cordelia's hot and cold conversations, and not seen where the slightest bit of attraction came from other than physical, but it was an unsensationalised lesbian relationship in a contemporary book from the eighties and that's something.
And the murder mystery was both a bona fide murder and an adequate mystery, which is more than I can say for a lot of what I've read lately.
ingo_lembcke's review
4.0
Started December 15th, 2012. Light reading, not as hard and heavy as her newer books. Feels a bit like a lesbian Agatha Christie.
booksnake386's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
sparkatito's review against another edition
4.5
old-school lesbian murder mystery. main character is a reporter who gets caught up in a murder at a posh all-girls school and there also meets an intriguing love interest. The reader is great and the characters and mystery are all satisfying.
marshmalison's review against another edition
3.25
Wasn't sure where this fitted in the Val McDermid chronology. It was ok but not as strong as her later, more contemporary, work
derhindemith's review against another edition
3.0
It was a wonderfully middling book. Completely transparent and unpretentious. I loved that it was a story by a woman about women. Literally all of the men were minor characters. I've heard that the later books are better, and that's pretty much what I would have expected.
magic_at_mungos's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
2.75
There’s parts that haven’t aged particularly well and it feels like an early work from the author. It is still a fun read but there’s a few points where you can see the workings.
twincam59's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
2.5
Decent story line but McDermid's left-leaning socialist political agenda overshadows the plot.
krystlekouture's review against another edition
3.0
Gorgeous writing but the characters were rather flat and unlikeable.
kelbi's review against another edition
3.0
I love her books but this is an early one and not anything like as good as her later ones.