Reviews

The Jewel That Was Ours by Colin Dexter

ruthiella's review against another edition

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3.0

Another convoluted Morse mystery with lots of red herrings. I can’t figure out if it is Dexter or Morse who is unhealthily obsessed with sex. Possibly both. I did find this slightly annoying since many of the characters in this title are Americans from California, and yet they all sound like total hicks, like they just fell off the turnip truck. I am probably being too sensitive! In any case, this was a solid entry in the series for those who like mysteries where the detective’s character is as important as the actual plot. Only more books to go and I will have read the whole series, excepting the short stories.

jennyspencer's review against another edition

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mysterious 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? Yes

2.0

samanthawattam's review against another edition

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3.0

A good mystery story if you like Morse you'll like this.

bonnieq's review against another edition

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3.0

3.5

lucyb's review against another edition

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3.0

As always, Dexter's sophisticated plotting and gift for evoking atmosphere are a treat. As I've noted in reviews of other volumes in the series: if you're put off by Latin tags, dirty jokes, or dirty jokes disguised as Latin tags, Inspector Morse is probably not your cup of tea. But I enjoyed this, although, as a devotee of the Rules of Fair Play for detective stories devised by Christie et al., I could quibble with the amount of disclosure Dexter allows to the reader before the denouement. The characters of both Morse and Lewis--and their relationship--are nicely developed in this installment, though. And I thought the women in the story were more thoughtfully and interestingly developed than sometimes... a conscious bow to a feminist, or at least to a female, readership? evolution as an author? I don't know, but I relished it.