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Nov 2020
3:08pm, 20 Nov 2020
47,380 posts
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McGoohan
It's not even December yet and I've got the December book thread up!
This book did used to be called "Envious Casca" but I guess the publishers thought they could sell more at Christmas but putting the word in there. See also, A Christmas Gatsby, Wuthering Christmas, The Little Match-elf and Lady Chatterley's Santa.
Please dispense your thoughts below.
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Nov 2020
10:09pm, 24 Nov 2020
15,663 posts
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Autumnleaves
I've read this many times (mostly under previous title) as I love Georgette Heyer. I think I have read all her books, and I return to them like old friends in times of stress.
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Dec 2020
8:55pm, 10 Dec 2020
47,650 posts
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McGoohan
Sorry, I really couldn't get through this. Two chapters were enough. I've seen geological strata less dated.
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Dec 2020
8:55pm, 10 Dec 2020
20,610 posts
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Columba
Well, I've finished it. It never really gripped me, but part-way through I did start feeling a little intrigued... and was quite pleased with the final explanation, which incorporated Maud's lost library book. But detective fiction is Not My Genre.
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Dec 2020
5:24pm, 12 Dec 2020
31,956 posts
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LullayLulLazyDaisy
I finished it last night, and this is what I thought of it. Obviously since it's a basic whodunnit there will be spoilers in this review.
It was originally entitled 'Envious Casca' - I had to look up who Casca was, and discovered that he was one of the band of assassins who killed Julius Caesar. In fact he struck the first blow, stabbing Julius in the back. If I'd known that it would have made spotting the murderer obvious from the start, as really only one character had any reason to be envious. No wonder it was re-named, albeit very unimaginatively.
It was not so much hard work as a trudge to get into it. The language and style is so dated, the characters pretty unlikeable to a man or woman (Columba chided me for including Mathilda in this but she was just the least awful, and at the end when she swooned into boorish Stephen's arms I found myself scoffing at the am-dram-like tying up of loose ends.
That's what this book reminded me of - a stage-y, am-dram production. Enough (but not too many) roles for both men and women; what now sounds like very stilted dialogue with lots of scope for over-acting and much of the action taking place off-stage. The denouement is in a way, quite frustrating - the rather plodding policeman suddenly seeing through Joe's cod acting - I was rather hoping the gun-running would be at the bottom of it all but of course that was the required red herring.
This is only the second Georgette Heyer novel I've ever read (the first being one of her historical novels given to me when I was in hospital as a teenager) and quite honestly I wouldn't have gone back for a second novel had this not been the Book Group choice. I won't be looking for a third, I'm afraid.
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Dec 2020
1:42pm, 14 Dec 2020
19,994 posts
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Serendippily
I didn’t hate it I was just confused as to why it took so long to get where it was going. From Wodehouse to Sayers to Christie there is a lot of dressing for dinner and sneering at chorus girls in period dramas and some of the tropes were so well worn they were a struggle to get through. I gave it a 6 because I got through it in one go
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Dec 2020
9:49pm, 17 Dec 2020
4,611 posts
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westmoors
I was a little disappointed with this as I guessed who was going to be murdered and who by within the first few pages. Then when the body was discovered I knew the how too. However, as a bit of light entertainment, I quite enjoyed the read. Gave it a 7.
Will now read back.
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Dec 2020
10:08pm, 17 Dec 2020
4,612 posts
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westmoors
Unlike others I didn't struggle with the language or style being dated, but that is probably because I am also reading an 18th century novel (Clarissa by Samuel Richardson) which is a bit of a slog.
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Dec 2020
10:10pm, 17 Dec 2020
47,725 posts
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McGoohan
How far are you through Clarissa? And how are your arms feeling? It's quite a workout to even lift it! 
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Dec 2020
10:11pm, 17 Dec 2020
4,613 posts
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westmoors
About to start volume 5 (of 9)...and its on kindle so is featherweight!
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