frumiousb

There was plenty to like about this book-- not the least of which is Rankin apparently making fun of the idea that all murders these days have to be puffed up into conspiracies, but it still isn't the strongest in the series. Why not? The pacing is a little bit odd-- I found it difficult to hold attention and I always give attention to Rebus books. Also possibly a few too many red herrings. Readers new to Rebus should not begin here-- don't think that it is really representative.

This book is interesting for fans, of course, as it may be the last Rebus book. (I confess that I have my doubts because of a hint or two dropped in the story.) I kind of hope not myself, but we'll see.

I think that this may be the last Peter James detective novel that I attempt to read. Although his work gets quite good reviews from fans, I don't find them to be my cup of tea. This is my second attempt at a Roy Grace book, and the second time that I've wound up disappointed.

It *was* reasonably entertaining. I often found the prose awkward, but that's not so unusual in detective novels. Unfortunately, I found the plot sadly predictable, and that's much more difficult for me to forgive. James is a reasonable hand at character, which is the only reason that I'm wavering on giving up on his books. Can anyone recommend a Roy Grace book by him that they really like?

One of the first books that I read this year was Tiger in the Smoke, by Margery Allingham. That book got me hankering to read more by her, and I decided to reread The Fashion in Shrouds, historically one of my favorite books by Allingham.

Why did I like this book so much-- both originally and still? Largely, it has to do with the tone around class and aristocracy. There is something genuinely dissolute about all the characters in this book-- even Albert Campion. It's difficult to read now if it was intended to be critical or simply descriptive, but there is something that stinks in way that the group lived their immunity to the police and prosecution-- the way that even Albert is willing to collude against the authorities. The dynamics between the men and women is also very suspect-- so over the top that it is impossible for me to read it as serious. It had always seemed to me the most layered of the Campion books-- the most Douglas Sirk-- criticism dressed up as mystery. I might have been over-reading, but there you go.

However, on this re-read (with a new copy of the book) it has become clear to me that I had always read an expurgated version of the text. This actually seems to be fairly common with golden age detective editions published in the US-- the racism of the period was often removed post-WWII for the US audiences. (Christie's Ten Little Niggers becomes Ten Little Indians becomes And Then There Were None. The anti-Semitic references removed from Sayers.) Anyhow, this was the first time that I have read the breathtakingly casual racism about the African colonies in this book. Racism that comes not only from Sir Raymond Ramillies (the tragically flawed man in the piece) but also from Albert Campion himself.

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The Doorbell Rang
Second Confession
More Deaths than One (titled And Be A Villain in the US)

I love Rex Stout. Archie and Nero had to be two of the most obnoxious detectives in the history of detective fiction. Between Nero's eating and Archie's remarks regarding women past their sell-by date, I really like these guys. When I was a young teenager first reading these books, I loved Archie and his hard-boiled ways with women. Now that I'm approaching (or even in) middle age, I can completely get behind Nero using his genius to fund reading and eating.

First a note about the omnibus edition itself. This is a very strange selection of Wolfe novels, and they are bound in a very strange order. First of all, the omnibus publishes the books in an order opposite to the order in which they were published. So, The Doorbell Rang was published in 1965; Second Confession was published in 1949; More Deaths than One was published in 1948. Publishing them in reverse order wouldn't be so bad if the books were totally independent of each other in terms of plot. Unfortunately, that's not true. Second Confession and More Deaths than One are two out of the three Wolfe books that feature Arnold Zeck-- something like Wolfe's ultimate nemesis. It's really just wrong to read them out of order, since they (at least loosely) refer to each other. So if you find yourself with this particular omnibus edition, do yourself a favor and read the novels from back to front. Trust me. You'll thank me later.

Stout is highly recommended in general. If you like intelligent mysteries and you haven't read any of the Wolfe books before then you would be in for a treat with any collection of his work.

( and each particular book )

Reader, I loved it. I was sick in bed when I read it and I spent a whole flu-sodden day obsessively reading it, and I was so so sorry when it was over. I was also sorry that the alternate universe didn't really insist because I wanted to go to the Rocky-Horror style showings of Richard the III. Most of all, I wanted to walk around in Jane Eyre.

I really had my doubts about Jasper Fforde. Some of my friends really loved his Thursday Next novels. Some of my friends write sermons of irritation about his Thursday Next novels. I rather dimly thought that I would find them too precious, but I have to stress that I did not really know what the books were about.

( big fun )

Maigret is sat in his office on a fine June day when an old school friend, Leon Florentine, appears at his door. The last time Maigret saw Leon, they had nothing to say to each other, and he wonders what has brought him back to visit now. Florentine explains that his mistress, Josée, is unfortunately dead. An unwilling Maigret goes to have a look.

It quickly appears that there was more than one man on the scene for the unfortunate Josée. There are three men of repute and standing along with his old friend-- the old friend who he rapidly concludes has become rather seedier with age. It is an unfortunate case, and one that causes Maigret a good deal of old-fashioned annoyance.

*****

Lately I have been reading a fair number of these later Maigret book. (This one, originally titled L'Ami d'enfance de Maigret was published in 1968.) I haven't been as delighted by these as his earlier titles-- I guess that's natural. However, Maigret's Boyhood Friend is quite good for one of these later books. What I like best is that Simenon does a good job of exploring the world and time around Maigret-- there's a particularly brilliant section where Maigret and his wife discuss how they use their new car. When Simenon gets that part right, his books are really great.

What I also like is the way that he treats school friends who meet again after so many years. Simenon really captures well the mix of nostalgia and annoyance that can be part of those encounters. His characterization, as always, is spot on.

I find it such a shame that so many of these books are out of print.