Reviews

Thirteen Guests by J. Farjeon

blueyellow's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

krobart's review

3.0

See my review here:

https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2015/08/19/day-757-thirteen-guests/

bethanjane21's review

mysterious

3.5

nik_reads02's review

3.0

This is a solid manor murder mystery from the Golden Age of crime. As is often the case there are probably a few too many characters floating around, at the expense of any real character development of some of them. However, there are a few well drawn ones, and the detective is clever and no nonsense. There is also one of those deeply weird romances that crop up so often in these books where people fall madly in love after a few days and cryptically dance around it. It’s tiresome, but doesn’t take up that much of the book.

jenmcmaynes's review

2.0

I wish I could give this book a higher rating. I love the gorgeous cover in the British Library Crime Classics edition, and it was a Christmas present from my husband. But in the end, this recently republished country house murder just wasn't that great. My two complaints were that the characters were dry, dry, dry! They were just sketches of people, to the point that I had a hard time caring about any of them. My second fault was that the clues to the murder weren't really given to the reader. I always feel this is cheating. And a minor quibble is that the Inspector had just as dull a personality as the suspects, and didn't even do much detecting! On the plus side though was the fact that I do love the setting and there were some nice jokes and one liners.

So, disappointing on the whole. I received another British Library Crime Classics for Christmas and I hope this one is better. I hope that my opinion wont be that these mysteries were better off lost in the mists of time!

lindasdarby's review

2.0

A murder mystery set at a country house - what more could I want? A lot because this book seriously bummed me out. Don't waste your time on this book.

guybrushtmp's review

2.0

I was given a copy of this book and was determined to finish it but my god do I have many thoughts.

I know this book was written in the 1930s, however, my frustration is more for the choice to republish now.

The introduction written by Martin Edwards talks of how it is such a shame that only people remember the female crime writers of the 30s not the men (

klazu's review

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

wanderlustsleeping's review

3.0

Nothing about this mystery in particular stood out to me, but it was an enjoyable story to read! I'll probably try more mysteries by this author in the future.

vandana_onmyshelf's review

3.0

Twelve guests arrive to Bragley Court for a hunting weekend with Lord Aveling and his family. Among the guests are an actress, a journalist, an artist, and a mystery novelist. John Foss makes an unexpected thirteenth guest when he is injured at the train station and, with no where else to go, brought to the estate to recuperate. Laid up on the couch, John becomes an outside observer of the party. Soon events take a sinister turn when a painting is mutilated, a dog stabbed, and a man strangled. Death strikes more than one of the house guests, and the police are called. Detective Inspector Kendall’s skills are tested to the utmost as he tries to uncover the hidden past of everyone at Bragley Court.

This book has all that classic Agatha Christie Vibe going for it. Multiple Suspects and country house settings. But it has a completely different spin to it in the writers on way. This is an intriguing and well-written mystery. The author is very good at creating an atmosphere of suspense and violence seething under the surface. The characters are a fascinating variety.............

for full review please visit www.bibliogyan.com