shanaqui's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
For my money, E.C.R. Lorac is one of the finest classic crime writers. She writes compelling mysteries with an amazing sense of place and setting, and characters who are enjoyable, if sometimes idealised. There's a sense with her books that the mysteries arise out of place and personality, rather than coming up with a mystery and then inventing a setting to fit around it, which is probably true if Martin Edwards' introductions about Lorac and her love for Lunesdale are true.
The Theft of the Iron Dogs returns to Lunesdale, in fact, and the mystery is only unravelled because the people of the area have habits, patterns and expectations which aren't obvious to people from outside the area, meaning the cover-up of the crime isn't as perfect as the perpetrator thinks. The story features Macdonald, of course, Lorac's series detective, with his usual conscientiousness and care, and his sense of compassion for the people affected by his investigations.
It's a slow one, country-paced, in a way that feels right for the place and the story. I really enjoyed this one, and though the crime itself is not terribly "cosy" (is any crime?), the overall feel is a pretty cosy, lower-stakes kind of story.
The Theft of the Iron Dogs returns to Lunesdale, in fact, and the mystery is only unravelled because the people of the area have habits, patterns and expectations which aren't obvious to people from outside the area, meaning the cover-up of the crime isn't as perfect as the perpetrator thinks. The story features Macdonald, of course, Lorac's series detective, with his usual conscientiousness and care, and his sense of compassion for the people affected by his investigations.
It's a slow one, country-paced, in a way that feels right for the place and the story. I really enjoyed this one, and though the crime itself is not terribly "cosy" (is any crime?), the overall feel is a pretty cosy, lower-stakes kind of story.
More...