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robinwalter's review against another edition
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
This was a fascinating read. The first in the Ludovic Travers mystery series, it proved to be nothing like other debut novels of serious detectives. For the first two thirds of the story Travers (who bears some physical and behaviour characteristics that reminded me of my all time favourite Albert Campion) hardly appears in it at all, although he is mentioned often, and is operating "off-camera" as it were. Instead, the story is told primarily with a focus on his Watson. In the end the intricately connected mysteries are solved in part by Travers, in part by his Watson, and in part by the murderer – who turned out to be not at all the person I was suspicious of, and who may or may not have ended up getting away with it! Truly a remarkably interesting debut, and fun to read.
More than merely the mysteries though, I scored this book highly because of an important lesson it taught me. English has changed A LOT in the century or so since the "golden age" of traditional English style murder mysteries, and this book helped me to realise the simple key to getting the most enjoyment out of them. Slow down.
Modern mysteries are written for modern readers, and writers recognise that most readers want them to cut to the chase in terms of syntax, vocabulary and sentence structure. Bringing that kind of "get on with it" hustle to stories like this one is a recipe for frustration and disappointment. Instead, readers need to relax and enjoy being let up the garden path by carefully and delicately constructed sentences and paragraphs that often may not advance the story much but are there to celebrate the joy the author clearly felt writing them and to provide leisurely amusement to the reader. One example out of many in this book, the only one that I remembered to highlight, is the following paragraph
He even chuckled aloud at the thought of how he had salved Ludo’s conscience. He certainly wouldn’t know where he was going to be at any particular moment from now on.
As a matter of fact, at the precise moment when Ludo was making that identical statement in answer to Burrows’ question, it was extraordinarily true. Not only was Ludo completely ignorant of the whereabouts of his fellow-conspirator, but Wrentham had not the faintest idea of them himself.
In a story built around flowers and gardens, passages like the above are a perfect fit. There are many similar examples, several much more striking than the above, of passages that reward the reader for simply taking their time. A modern reader who rushes through them (a crime I have been guilty of many times with similar books) is somewhat like a cruise ship tourist snapping away furiously in a four hour trip to Siena. One might be able to tick it off as "done", but the experience does no justice to the reader or to the writer. So for forcing me to stop and smell the roses (or in this case, the lilies), and for rewarding that leisurely pace with contentment and amusement, I give this book 4.5/5, an outstanding start to the series.
More than merely the mysteries though, I scored this book highly because of an important lesson it taught me. English has changed A LOT in the century or so since the "golden age" of traditional English style murder mysteries, and this book helped me to realise the simple key to getting the most enjoyment out of them. Slow down.
Modern mysteries are written for modern readers, and writers recognise that most readers want them to cut to the chase in terms of syntax, vocabulary and sentence structure. Bringing that kind of "get on with it" hustle to stories like this one is a recipe for frustration and disappointment. Instead, readers need to relax and enjoy being let up the garden path by carefully and delicately constructed sentences and paragraphs that often may not advance the story much but are there to celebrate the joy the author clearly felt writing them and to provide leisurely amusement to the reader. One example out of many in this book, the only one that I remembered to highlight, is the following paragraph
He even chuckled aloud at the thought of how he had salved Ludo’s conscience. He certainly wouldn’t know where he was going to be at any particular moment from now on.
As a matter of fact, at the precise moment when Ludo was making that identical statement in answer to Burrows’ question, it was extraordinarily true. Not only was Ludo completely ignorant of the whereabouts of his fellow-conspirator, but Wrentham had not the faintest idea of them himself.
In a story built around flowers and gardens, passages like the above are a perfect fit. There are many similar examples, several much more striking than the above, of passages that reward the reader for simply taking their time. A modern reader who rushes through them (a crime I have been guilty of many times with similar books) is somewhat like a cruise ship tourist snapping away furiously in a four hour trip to Siena. One might be able to tick it off as "done", but the experience does no justice to the reader or to the writer. So for forcing me to stop and smell the roses (or in this case, the lilies), and for rewarding that leisurely pace with contentment and amusement, I give this book 4.5/5, an outstanding start to the series.
jrenee's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
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