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slipperose's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
tomhill's review against another edition
3.0
Younger Wexford is a bit more temperamental and sometimes downright mean, but at least he has a personality. This is a very straightforward murder mystery which Wexford methodically solves, step by step. He's also a bit pompous and sexist here. Not sure if that's a reflection of the time the book was written, or just another way to shade his character. At least he's a bit more complicated and flawed. And in true Wexford/Rendell fashion, two seemingly separate mysteries turn out to be connected. Another standard, satisfying whodunit.
yeoldeeclair's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
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? No
3.0
helen___'s review against another edition
dark
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? Yes
2.75
eswee's review against another edition
2.75
Not very special, but a nice palet cleansing, straight forward murder mystery from the seventies. Relaxing to read.
msmandrake's review against another edition
2.0
I recently read the very first Wexford book and thought it was not bad, but didn't feel compelled to read them in order. So I next tried one of the later ones and didn't like it much... thought, maybe she had run a little dry, I'll try an earlier one again. This had a lot of problems with the plot, it got very convoluted and hard to follow, I could not figure out how the police figured it out as it didn't make sense and there is a very important clue that is hidden until the end because if you knew it it would have been too obvious, but that's bad plot construction and the characters were all so unlikeable I didn't much care who got murdered or why anyway. Sort of disappointing, I was hoping to really like this series.
astrangerhere's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoying getting to see a bit more of Wexford the man.
nichola's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
I don't know if it's that I haven't noticed the lyrical quality of Rendell till now but that is surprisingly beautiful. I like Wexford definitelt grows on you as time passes. He has some very traditional views but that makes him more of a lens to see the world through and not actively unlikeable.
This was also interesting to see a really foul man be portrayed differently by different characters. It gives a lot of meaning to the complexity around the relationships people have to one another.
This was also interesting to see a really foul man be portrayed differently by different characters. It gives a lot of meaning to the complexity around the relationships people have to one another.
cmbohn's review against another edition
3.0
The bachelor party ends with the best man dead. Features Chief Inspector Wexford. Not one of her darkest books, but still not exactly light.