mrears0_0's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
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
fun but predictable
ahinks's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
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
4.0
tombomp's review against another edition
4.0
Rating is purely on its merits as a mystery story - the character writing isn't deep or anything, there's no fascinating insight into human nature, it's not humorous etc. BUT as a mystery it's really solid - lots of clever misdirection, a long walk to the point when you get to see the big picture of what's going on but nothing at all held back (if you're clever you could work out things quite a bit before the denouement I think), well paced so the interest is constantly kept up, a wide pool of believable suspects. In the denouement he's very specific about what exactly happened and also gives the page numbers of the clues used to build the case. Admittedly you could pick holes in it a bit but it satisfied me. I'd have liked a little bit more of an epilogue but ah well. The mystery as a whole is really satisfying and clever without ever really breaching suspension of disbelief or being too complicated to keep track of (although there's definitely a good amount of trickery involved, it's the totally fair kind). You'll only like it if you like the mystery aspect a lot BUT if you do it's a pretty neat story, imo. Not being specific about stuff because the interest is all in the mystery and I don't want to spoil it at all, heh.
iceangel9's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
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
4.75
A wonderful Golden Age mystery from a author most people have never heard of. When Dr. Earle disappears from his home near Hog's Back Ridge, Inspector French is called in to solve the case. Is it murder or something else? A clever and charming mystery. Crofts should be more well known that he is.
backpackfullofbooks's review against another edition
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
maryrobinson's review against another edition
2.0
Mystery from the “golden age” of detective fiction (Agatha Christie era) that is well engineered and very precisely plotted. On the other hand, it’s just boring. The detective Joseph French is smart, methodical and so admirable – but where are the tortured characteristics and sarcasm and quirkiness I’m used to from so many modern detectives? You know…the qualities that are so much fun. It was hard to feel upset for the victims because I knew them so little.
diannel_04's review against another edition
Not much luck with books lately. This was another one that bored me to tears.
lachesisreads's review against another edition
challenging
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? Yes
3.75
vsbedford's review against another edition
4.0
I received a copy of The Hog's Back Mystery from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
The Hog's Back Mystery firmly asserts itself as a "puzzle" mystery, but plays very fair with the reader (even providing a round up of the case with page references to check our detective's logic). One must definitely enjoy the Golden Age style - the characters are not much more than pieces on Mr. Crofts chessboard - but I, for one, am not particularly interested in the inner turmoil of scruffy inspectors and found this book a delight. This is a mystery that asks the reader to engage in the intellectual task of solving the case and assumes that he or she is up to that task. Highly recommended.
The Hog's Back Mystery firmly asserts itself as a "puzzle" mystery, but plays very fair with the reader (even providing a round up of the case with page references to check our detective's logic). One must definitely enjoy the Golden Age style - the characters are not much more than pieces on Mr. Crofts chessboard - but I, for one, am not particularly interested in the inner turmoil of scruffy inspectors and found this book a delight. This is a mystery that asks the reader to engage in the intellectual task of solving the case and assumes that he or she is up to that task. Highly recommended.