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h3dakota's review against another edition
3.0
If you read this book without expecting William Murdoch of the Toronto Constabulary as shown in the tv show, you'll enjoy it. If, on the other hand, you expect the geeky inventor & virtuous teetotaler, you'll be sorely disappointed. Outside of that slight (ok, not so slight for me!) problem, the mystery is good, the story is full of gritty details.
bonja's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jquellin's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
amystraw's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
kaitsbooked's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-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? No
3.5
lgpiper's review against another edition
3.0
I found this to be rather a disappointment. My spouse and I have begun watching the popular TV series, Murdoch Murders, and have enjoyed them quite a lot. While this book contains characters with similar names, their characteristics aren't much like the video characters. In the video, William Murdoch is a highly educated person who employs scientific investigations to help his investigations along. In the book, we learn that Murdoch was poorly educated and began his working career as a lumberman. Also, he has a mustache, unlike the video character. Then too, Insp. Brackenreid turns out to be an Irishman of the "orange" variety, who had emigrated to Canada as a child, so never darkened the doors of Scotland Yard, and George Crabtree is a bit of a jock. So, it would seem that the only similarity between the book and the video series are the names of three characters and the fact that things are set in the 1890s.
But, I think the biggest disappointment for me is that even the educated people in the book, doctors and lawyers and such like, don't understand grammar. While it's rather common that younger people who have come of age since the 1990s don't don't properly differentiate between objective and nominative case, find it hard to believe that educated people in the 1890s would do likewise. Interestingly, these rather glaring grammar faux pas are also a feature in the videos. I find myself correcting the characters multiple times per episode. Really, they shouldn't talk like the people on sports talk radio in the 21st century. Gah!
Sorry, I got distracted.
Now, as for the story. A young woman, a Therese Laporte is found frozen to death in the snow. It turns out that she had been drugged with opium first. Later on, before her body was discovered by the authorities, her clothes were stripped off. Therese was a maid in the household of Dr. Cyril Rhodes and his wife, Donalda. It seems that Therese was several months pregnant. The only two people in the household who mourned Therese's demise were Donalda and the stable boy, Joe Seaton.
Two people who might have been involved were two young women, Bernadette Weston and Alice Black, who allegedly sewed gloves for a living, but who also seemed to derive most of their income by "entertaining" gentlemen, might know something. Their lodging was near where Therese was found, and Murdoch, upon talking to them, is sure they're hiding something. Later on, he finds Therese's clothes hidden in the outhouse behind the women's lodging.
Another line of inquiry, of course, is to look for the person who got Therese "with child". Might it have been her employer, his son, Owen, or perhaps, the butler? Then too, it could be the not so punctilious father of Owen's fiancée, Harriet Shepcote.
A while later on, Alice is found frozen to death on a lake, having also been drugged with opium.
So, anyway, we have lots of suspects and lots of blind alleys. Eventually, it all gets figured out. I dunno, I gave it 3*, but were it possible on GoodReads, I'd likely give it only 3*-, which to my mind makes it better than 2*+, but still only a vaguely GoodRead.
But, I think the biggest disappointment for me is that even the educated people in the book, doctors and lawyers and such like, don't understand grammar. While it's rather common that younger people who have come of age since the 1990s don't don't properly differentiate between objective and nominative case, find it hard to believe that educated people in the 1890s would do likewise. Interestingly, these rather glaring grammar faux pas are also a feature in the videos. I find myself correcting the characters multiple times per episode. Really, they shouldn't talk like the people on sports talk radio in the 21st century. Gah!
Sorry, I got distracted.
Now, as for the story. A young woman, a Therese Laporte is found frozen to death in the snow. It turns out that she had been drugged with opium first. Later on, before her body was discovered by the authorities, her clothes were stripped off. Therese was a maid in the household of Dr. Cyril Rhodes and his wife, Donalda. It seems that Therese was several months pregnant. The only two people in the household who mourned Therese's demise were Donalda and the stable boy, Joe Seaton.
Two people who might have been involved were two young women, Bernadette Weston and Alice Black, who allegedly sewed gloves for a living, but who also seemed to derive most of their income by "entertaining" gentlemen, might know something. Their lodging was near where Therese was found, and Murdoch, upon talking to them, is sure they're hiding something. Later on, he finds Therese's clothes hidden in the outhouse behind the women's lodging.
Another line of inquiry, of course, is to look for the person who got Therese "with child". Might it have been her employer, his son, Owen, or perhaps, the butler? Then too, it could be the not so punctilious father of Owen's fiancée, Harriet Shepcote.
A while later on, Alice is found frozen to death on a lake, having also been drugged with opium.
So, anyway, we have lots of suspects and lots of blind alleys. Eventually, it all gets figured out. I dunno, I gave it 3*, but were it possible on GoodReads, I'd likely give it only 3*-, which to my mind makes it better than 2*+, but still only a vaguely GoodRead.
alexandradk3's review against another edition
4.0
Great read. I enjoyed this book as much as the TV show!
laurak23's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to love this book. I have loved Detective Murdoch since I started watching Murdoch Mysteries several years ago (around 2010?). I may be a bit biased because I have been a big fan of Yannick Bisson since 2002 when I started to watch Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye. Anyway, I love the television show: the characters, the setting, the forensic science used.
I expected to have a similar experience with this book.
That was not the case. The characters are quite different. Murdoch is more gruff than in the tv series. I was quite surprised to see him curse at one point. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing, but it was just not what I was expecting from Murdoch. Crabtree is physically very different from Jonny Harris. Again, that's not a bad thing, just...different. I believe that in the book he is also married with a whole lot of kids at home? I don't have the book with me any more, so I can't go back and check. Brackenreid was very different, hardly ever seen, but referenced as a much less likable person.
I think those were the majority of my "problems" with this book. They weren't truly problems, but my own preconceptions of what I thought I would get. So I was kind of disappointed as I made my way through this novel.
Once I was able to push those aside, I was able to enjoy the book for what it was and not what I expected it to be.
I don't know why, but it took me a really long time to read this book. That's unusual for me, especially for a book of this length. I usually read at night before bed, but I guess I didn't read as much at night during April. Anyway, that might have contributed to my "difficulty" with this book.
I thought Jennings did a really nice job of using the language of the time (1895), but I did find it a little confusing at times. I like reading Victorian era stories, but I admit I was not familiar with all the terms and slang used in this book. But I really did feel like she captured the essence of that era. Not only the language used by the characters, but also the social conventions and overall culture.
I did have some trouble with the motive behind the crime in this book. I never really did understand why the murder was committed.
Overall, I enjoyed the book decently enough. I plan on reading the next two that my local library has. I hope that I can get my hands on the later books in the series if I like the next two as well.
I expected to have a similar experience with this book.
That was not the case. The characters are quite different. Murdoch is more gruff than in the tv series. I was quite surprised to see him curse at one point. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing, but it was just not what I was expecting from Murdoch. Crabtree is physically very different from Jonny Harris. Again, that's not a bad thing, just...different. I believe that in the book he is also married with a whole lot of kids at home? I don't have the book with me any more, so I can't go back and check. Brackenreid was very different, hardly ever seen, but referenced as a much less likable person.
I think those were the majority of my "problems" with this book. They weren't truly problems, but my own preconceptions of what I thought I would get. So I was kind of disappointed as I made my way through this novel.
Once I was able to push those aside, I was able to enjoy the book for what it was and not what I expected it to be.
I don't know why, but it took me a really long time to read this book. That's unusual for me, especially for a book of this length. I usually read at night before bed, but I guess I didn't read as much at night during April. Anyway, that might have contributed to my "difficulty" with this book.
I thought Jennings did a really nice job of using the language of the time (1895), but I did find it a little confusing at times. I like reading Victorian era stories, but I admit I was not familiar with all the terms and slang used in this book. But I really did feel like she captured the essence of that era. Not only the language used by the characters, but also the social conventions and overall culture.
I did have some trouble with the motive behind the crime in this book. I never really did understand why the murder was committed.
Overall, I enjoyed the book decently enough. I plan on reading the next two that my local library has. I hope that I can get my hands on the later books in the series if I like the next two as well.
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4 STARS
"Toronto, February 1895. When the body of a young woman is found naked and frozen in a quiet laneway, Acting Detective William Murdoch, driven by pity for the dead girl and the desire to secure his promotion, is determined to pursue every lead and reveal the truth. Though influential people bring pressure to bear on the police to solve the mystery quickly, when the body is eventually identified it soon becomes clear that many of those connected with the girl's life have secrets to hide. Murdoch must use every detective skill he possesses and his understanding of human nature to untangle the case before more lives are lost." (From Amazon)
I really enjoyed this gritty novel and will definitely be continuing the series. I also like the TV series which is very different.
"Toronto, February 1895. When the body of a young woman is found naked and frozen in a quiet laneway, Acting Detective William Murdoch, driven by pity for the dead girl and the desire to secure his promotion, is determined to pursue every lead and reveal the truth. Though influential people bring pressure to bear on the police to solve the mystery quickly, when the body is eventually identified it soon becomes clear that many of those connected with the girl's life have secrets to hide. Murdoch must use every detective skill he possesses and his understanding of human nature to untangle the case before more lives are lost." (From Amazon)
I really enjoyed this gritty novel and will definitely be continuing the series. I also like the TV series which is very different.
dynasty404's review against another edition
3.0
I think I love the tv show a bit too much. The differences between Murdoch in the book and Murdoch on TV were just too much that even though I know the series is based on the book, book Murdoch just does not work-he’s too …ordinary. He solves it in such a non-Murdoch way with barely any science and I don’t get the motive?