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mg_in_md_'s review
3.0
My mom received a copy of the third St. Just mystery courtesy of Midnight Ink (thank you!) at a 10-year birthday celebration the publisher hosted at the 2015 Malice Domestic conference, and she kindly shared it with me. While I was familiar with the Max Tudor series written by this author, this series was new to me. Like the Max Tudor series, this one is set in England but the protagonist is a police officer. Detective Chief Inspector Arthur St. Just is called to the (fictitious) St. Michael's College at Cambridge to handle a delicate situation. During a fundraiser weekend at the college for select (read: wealthy) alumni, one of elite few, the glamorous Lexy Laurant, turns up dead. As DCI St. Just methodically makes his way through the lengthy list of suspects to find the culprit, he uncovers other campus secrets along the way. This reminded me of a Georgette Heyer mystery with a cast of quirky characters that made DCI St. Just's job challenging. It was an enjoyable summer read that clearly drew on the author's first-hand knowledge of England. I also appreciated the extras, such as the cast of characters at the beginning and the book club questions included at the end. Fans of old-time-style mysteries in modern settings will undoubtedly enjoy this one!
catrink's review
4.0
Delightful mystery to listen to on my work commute. Not quite a "comfort" mystery, it does require more attention than that, but there are some interesting aspects to the story and yet is suited to listen to during a work commute.
lorimichelekelley's review
3.0
Audible version: This was my least favorite so far. The murder was really stupidly explained. But the rest of it was just what I listen to these for - funny that makes me laugh out loud. I just found out a new one is coming out in January, so pre-ordered! I do love Davina Porter.
judyward's review
3.0
St. Michael's College at Cambridge is one of the smaller and less known of the Cambridge colleges and, as a result, is always in need of money. To help with this situation, a group of wealthy alumni who were all at St. Michael's at the same time are invited to a weekend reunion and fundraiser and, of course, one of them gets killed. The investigation is pure throw back to the golden age of mystery so, of course, I enjoyed it immensely. There is even the classic gathering of the suspects at the end so that the detective can unmask the killer. Fabulous. Keep them coming G.M. Malliet.
verydazedragon's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
The plot was very thoughtless. The subterfuge of the murder was too ridiculous to be plausible. Malliet recycled the "smarter-than-she-acts" trope from book two, complete with her paramour doing her in. I was disappointed with the inexpendability of the book and characters.
amandajeanne's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- 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? It's complicated
3.5
biowoman's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
3.0
bev_reads_mysteries's review
3.0
Liked this one better than Death & the Lit Chick. Back on track for G. M. Malliet.