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robinwalter's review
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The third Inspector Cockrill mystery and my second, this was one was even worse in the end than Green for Danger. Cockrill is BIZARRE - two mysteries in a row where's he's personally known to many of the suspects, consistently called by them "Cockie", treated as a cross between a personal friend and domestic staff and does nearly zero actual detection.
In Green for Danger, he set up an elaborate ruse that nearly enabled a second murder, in this book, he accused an illiterate man of writing his own suicide note. In the end, he had nothing whatsoever to do with the resolution of this mystery. I may be old-fashioned when it comes to mysteries, but I do prefer the detectives therein to be competent. Brand writes VERY well, her description of the aftermath of bomb falling on a house is magnificent, but I'm not sold on her as a mystery writer
In Green for Danger, he set up an elaborate ruse that nearly enabled a second murder, in this book, he accused an illiterate man of writing his own suicide note. In the end, he had nothing whatsoever to do with the resolution of this mystery. I may be old-fashioned when it comes to mysteries, but I do prefer the detectives therein to be competent. Brand writes VERY well, her description of the aftermath of bomb falling on a house is magnificent, but I'm not sold on her as a mystery writer
michelleful's review
3.0
Read this for a book club, not having read the previous two Inspector Cockrill books. I found myself rather annoyed by the cast of suspects, mostly the family of the deceased patriarch, who were constantly bickering and bantering and went beyond eccentricity into artifice.
There was a locked-room element with each of the two murders and I liked the various theories the family threw out, which were all quite clever; the thing I didn't like was that Cockrill was very hands-off. We hardly see him detecting, apart from prodding the family to make even bigger fools of themselves by crossing from bickering into accusing one another of murder.
Brand's writing style could at times be quite lyrical and full of psychological insight, but taken altogether the effect was rather melodramatic and overwrought.
There was a locked-room element with each of the two murders and I liked the various theories the family threw out, which were all quite clever; the thing I didn't like was that Cockrill was very hands-off. We hardly see him detecting, apart from prodding the family to make even bigger fools of themselves by crossing from bickering into accusing one another of murder.
Brand's writing style could at times be quite lyrical and full of psychological insight, but taken altogether the effect was rather melodramatic and overwrought.
persey's review
3.0
Solid Golden Age/locked room tale, excellent characterizations and interactions, protracted and overwrought ending.
ssejig's review
4.0
The cast:
Ellen - Married to Phillip for five years with one child; generally jolly but now shocked because her husband has a secret
Phillip - doctor, having an emotional affair (at least) with Ellen's friend Clair
Clair- newspaper woman, cousin to Phillip (relationships between cousins were not regarded as unnatural in England at the time this book was written)
Edward - half-cousin to Clair, Peta and Phillip (his father was the offspring of their shared grandfather); the type of character who likes to wallow about in his own psychosis; his latest psychiatrist has told him he might be prone to fugue states; new heir after Bella dies
Peta - the heir presumptive to Sir Richard March, daughter of his oldest son, in love with Stephen
Bella - Edward's grandmother, Sir Richard's former mistress now his wife and the person who is going to be the heir under Sir Richard's new will
Sir Richard - still loving his dead wife, Seraphita, has his family down every year on the anniversary of her death
Stephen - family lawyer and a beau of Peta's, well, he loves her but doesn't feel comfortable courting her because he is a "quiet country lawyer" and she is an heiress
WWII is on but everyone is gathered at the family estate Swanswater. As so often happens, a grumpy old rich man is killed after he threatens to disinherit his family. The grandchildren weren't that worried, to begin with. They had had some high spirits at dinner and secrets came out. Sir Richard decides to sleep in the lodge. The next morning, when Clair takes his breakfast tray, he is dead.
So Many Red Herrings. And such a dramatic ending. I think, definitely, the audiobook is the way to go. David Thorn adds emotion that I would not have otherwise gotten out of this story.
Ellen - Married to Phillip for five years with one child; generally jolly but now shocked because her husband has a secret
Phillip - doctor, having an emotional affair (at least) with Ellen's friend Clair
Clair- newspaper woman, cousin to Phillip (relationships between cousins were not regarded as unnatural in England at the time this book was written)
Edward - half-cousin to Clair, Peta and Phillip (his father was the offspring of their shared grandfather); the type of character who likes to wallow about in his own psychosis; his latest psychiatrist has told him he might be prone to fugue states; new heir after Bella dies
Peta - the heir presumptive to Sir Richard March, daughter of his oldest son, in love with Stephen
Bella - Edward's grandmother, Sir Richard's former mistress now his wife and the person who is going to be the heir under Sir Richard's new will
Sir Richard - still loving his dead wife, Seraphita, has his family down every year on the anniversary of her death
Stephen - family lawyer and a beau of Peta's, well, he loves her but doesn't feel comfortable courting her because he is a "quiet country lawyer" and she is an heiress
WWII is on but everyone is gathered at the family estate Swanswater. As so often happens, a grumpy old rich man is killed after he threatens to disinherit his family. The grandchildren weren't that worried, to begin with. They had had some high spirits at dinner and secrets came out. Sir Richard decides to sleep in the lodge. The next morning, when Clair takes his breakfast tray, he is dead.
So Many Red Herrings. And such a dramatic ending. I think, definitely, the audiobook is the way to go. David Thorn adds emotion that I would not have otherwise gotten out of this story.
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