growintogardens's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
annecm's review against another edition
adventurous
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
judyward's review
3.0
The Kelling family of Boston, like all old-money New England families, has a spacious and well-maintained family vault for the burial of their dead. But Great-Uncle Frederick has a stipulation in his will that his remains be placed in the old family vault at Boston Common. Problem one: the old vault hasn't received a body in over a hundred years and there is concern that the lock won't work after all of this time. Problem two: The lock worked fine, but then a fairly recently built brick wall is found behind the entrance to the vault and when that wall is broken down, a skeleton with rubies in its teeth is discovered lying on the floor. The skeleton is easily identifiable. It's the skeleton of Ruby Redd, a well-known figure in Boston's burlesque world of 25 years before. Sarah Kelling with the help of art-fraud investigator Max Bittersohn take on the task of figuring out what is going on. The first book in the Sarah Kelling/Max Bittersohn series and I think that I am going to seek out other books in this series.
wiseowl33's review
4.0
Really good first book in a series... interested to keep reading. Very good mystery
iheartchickens's review
3.0
Weird family dynamics but the plot was interesting and fast enough paced. This was published in 1979 but that doesn't account for the weirdness of the family relationships. The main protagonist, Sarah, is a woman of 26 married to a 47 year-old man. She married him when she was 19 and the marriage has never been consummated. He spends all his time taking care of his mother. They all are wealthy but have no spending money. Their houses are falling apart, they have a maid who doesn't do anything and Sarah spends her time cleaning, cooking and doing whatever her husband and friends want her to do - whether she wants to or not. Eventually all of this is explained as part of the resolution of the murder mystery, but basically Sarah and her husband were unbelievable doormats. However, it was still a fun read.
incrediblefran's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
3.5
Charlotte MacLeod is apparently known as America's Agatha Christie, and it's pretty easy to see why. I didn't find this as fun as Christie at her best, but it's a promising start and definitely has the feel of a golden age murder mystery. Sarah Kelling is a pragmatic, steadfast protagonist, and the family she's married into is full of bizarre rich people with multiple skeletons in the closet.
The prose itself is workmanlike, even staid at times, and MacLeod spends a lot of time describing the step-by-step of preparing food, cleaning the house, making tea… it sometimes veers from setting-building detail to being tedious. The mystery works pretty well, with fun red herrings and some unexpected twists, and the ending is satisfying.
The prose itself is workmanlike, even staid at times, and MacLeod spends a lot of time describing the step-by-step of preparing food, cleaning the house, making tea… it sometimes veers from setting-building detail to being tedious. The mystery works pretty well, with fun red herrings and some unexpected twists, and the ending is satisfying.
ms_aprilvincent's review against another edition
2.0
This book is so gloomy. I felt gray every time I picked it up.
slferg's review
5.0
Love Charlotte MacLeod's books.
This is the first in the Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn series.....
At the beginning of the book, Sarah is a lot, weary girl married to her second cousin Alexander whom she adores. Alex is about 20 years older than she is. The whole family seems to turn to Alexander when there is a problem and he is constantly dancing attendance on his mother who has become deaf and blind. She is still very involved with committees, etc. and expect Alex to wait on her pleasure for chaperoning her to those meetings and interpreting for her. The outside trouble starts when Great-Uncle Frederick does not want to be buried in the family cemetary with another Great-Uncle. He has stated in his will that he wants to be buried in the old, historical family vault. Sarah has gone to meet some of the other cousins to get the vault opened, even though they asked for Alex. But Alex has taken his mother to an appointment and Sarah resents the relatives constant demands on him. So, Sarah has gone in his place.
When the vault is opened, there is a brick wall inside the door - and behind the brick wall, a body. It is Ruby Redd, with her rubies still in her teeth. She disappeared quite some time ago. And Sarah recognizes the pattern the bricks behind the door are laid in - and the bricks. It is a pattern that Alex and his mother had created years ago and had used bricks scavenged when an old building was torn down.
Sarah is an heiress in her own right and Alex is her trustee. But Alex and his mother are supposed to be supremely wealthy themselves. Only the three of them are living off the interest of Sarah's inheritance - since she can't touch the principal until she is 27.
With the discovery of Ruby's body, Sarah begins to grow up. She has always been treated like a child, but has discovered she wants to be treated like a wife and an adult. So one evening, she sits Alex down to find out what has been going on because he has been distraught since Ruby's body was found. She discovers that his mother has lost all of their money - he doesn't know how. And she insisted he marry Sarah, whom he loved, but he thought she might prefer someone nearer her own age. But Sarah has always adored him. So, she lets him know there will be some changes. As a wife, she wants his attention more than his mother does. So they begin to work out a new way of living. Then, at a blow, Alexander and his mother die and Sarah is bowled over. But she has begun to throw her weight around and demand respect from the people around her who always ignored her as inconsequential. She is also suspicious of Alex's death and is sure it was not an accident. Then she discovers the author she has been suppposed to make drawings for for a book, is actually an insurance investigator tracking jewelry and art theft......
The characters are all a little quirky, Sarah not the least. The Kellings are a large and old family who tend to marry second and third cousins to keep the money in the family and Sarah doesn't know anyone much beyond family. Except for Max Bittersohn, the detective. She has several great-uncles and cousins however, who immediately take up for her in family disagreements as she is learning to stand on her own.
This is the first in the Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn series.....
At the beginning of the book, Sarah is a lot, weary girl married to her second cousin Alexander whom she adores. Alex is about 20 years older than she is. The whole family seems to turn to Alexander when there is a problem and he is constantly dancing attendance on his mother who has become deaf and blind. She is still very involved with committees, etc. and expect Alex to wait on her pleasure for chaperoning her to those meetings and interpreting for her. The outside trouble starts when Great-Uncle Frederick does not want to be buried in the family cemetary with another Great-Uncle. He has stated in his will that he wants to be buried in the old, historical family vault. Sarah has gone to meet some of the other cousins to get the vault opened, even though they asked for Alex. But Alex has taken his mother to an appointment and Sarah resents the relatives constant demands on him. So, Sarah has gone in his place.
When the vault is opened, there is a brick wall inside the door - and behind the brick wall, a body. It is Ruby Redd, with her rubies still in her teeth. She disappeared quite some time ago. And Sarah recognizes the pattern the bricks behind the door are laid in - and the bricks. It is a pattern that Alex and his mother had created years ago and had used bricks scavenged when an old building was torn down.
Sarah is an heiress in her own right and Alex is her trustee. But Alex and his mother are supposed to be supremely wealthy themselves. Only the three of them are living off the interest of Sarah's inheritance - since she can't touch the principal until she is 27.
With the discovery of Ruby's body, Sarah begins to grow up. She has always been treated like a child, but has discovered she wants to be treated like a wife and an adult. So one evening, she sits Alex down to find out what has been going on because he has been distraught since Ruby's body was found. She discovers that his mother has lost all of their money - he doesn't know how. And she insisted he marry Sarah, whom he loved, but he thought she might prefer someone nearer her own age. But Sarah has always adored him. So, she lets him know there will be some changes. As a wife, she wants his attention more than his mother does. So they begin to work out a new way of living. Then, at a blow, Alexander and his mother die and Sarah is bowled over. But she has begun to throw her weight around and demand respect from the people around her who always ignored her as inconsequential. She is also suspicious of Alex's death and is sure it was not an accident. Then she discovers the author she has been suppposed to make drawings for for a book, is actually an insurance investigator tracking jewelry and art theft......
The characters are all a little quirky, Sarah not the least. The Kellings are a large and old family who tend to marry second and third cousins to keep the money in the family and Sarah doesn't know anyone much beyond family. Except for Max Bittersohn, the detective. She has several great-uncles and cousins however, who immediately take up for her in family disagreements as she is learning to stand on her own.
cmhayesduffey's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
Dated
May read another one to see if main character develops at all
May read another one to see if main character develops at all