A Christmas Party - Dec 2020 Book Group discussion thread

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Dec 2020
9:14pm, 18 Dec 2020
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Columba
Haven't read any of the Richardsons; still ploughing determinedly through The Iliad; but oughtn't all these comments about Other Books to be on the Book Thread (or even the Official Unofficial Book Thread) rather than the Christmas Party thread?
Dec 2020
9:18pm, 18 Dec 2020
47,757 posts
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McGoohan
Er... yes... we may have got a little sidetracked there...
Dec 2020
11:54pm, 18 Dec 2020
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Plumpuddingeater
A Christmas Party

I don't experience synaesthesia, but it has always rather fascinated me. The closest experience I have are some flash-bulb visual memories that are bound up with smell or taste. Remembering one, brings back the other - for example a swimming ring that I had on holiday aged 6 and the smell of the PVC plastic. But this book is forever stuck in my memory as muddy-brown. Most murder stories introduce a set of suspects, including a cousin who died in Australia and may be significant, and set of circumstances, with enough uncertainty about both to keep you going until the end. This story starts as an account of a group of people milling about waiting for the obvious candidate to get murdered, they then mill about a bit more as the obvious suspect is confirmed. Coruscating social observation it isn't. Startling revelations of cunning schemes, there are none. About a third of the way through the Scotland Yard Inspector arrives and there is a one page summary of events so far. Save some time and start there. If even I can work out who was going to get done, and who done it, there's really not too much mystery left. Maybe it would work better as a play. But that explanation of the locked room is pretty feeble.

Score: Dun/10
Dec 2020
12:03am, 19 Dec 2020
20,023 posts
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Serendippily
That really amused me. There was a lot of milling about
Dec 2020
12:05am, 19 Dec 2020
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Plumpuddingeater
Reading back:

I'll have to read one more Georgette Heyer

to make sure that I'm not being unfayer.
Dec 2020
7:28am, 19 Dec 2020
43,532 posts
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LindsD
I'm not sure I can be bothered.

I hated this at first, and had to read the first bit three times because I couldn't work out who was who.

And then I was just indifferent. Stuffy writing, boring unbelievable characters, stupid story. I don't care who killed the old duffer. Ugh. I gave it a 2. I'm glad I've tried Georgette H but I won't be going back.
Dec 2020
7:41am, 19 Dec 2020
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LindsD
Dun/10

Definitely

My colleague has quite several synaethesia.

Sorry AL
Dec 2020
3:59pm, 19 Dec 2020
32,023 posts
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LullayLulLazyDaisy
I'd be interested to hear AL's take on this book - are we all missing something?
Dec 2020
4:26pm, 19 Dec 2020
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Autumnleaves
Okaaaaay! I can see I'm up against it! First, I wouldn't by any means suggest it's a great work of art - it's a detective story from an age when there were lots of them about. I think criticism of it being dated is harsh - it's of its time and many such books are dated in the same way. I personally think the plot is quite clever - it is after all a locked room mystery. Georgette Heyer is best known for her regency romances, which I love - she researched language, fashion, locations etc meticulously. They are comedies of manners and I do love them - but if you don't buy into the style and language then you probably wouldn't like them. They are absolutely not bodice ripper romances. Her book set around the battle of Waterloo - An Infamous Army - was so well regarded for historical accuracy that it was used at Sandhurst for years. If you'd asked for a recommendation I might have picked one of the other detective stories first, but I assume you wanted a Christmas book. Have to say, there aren't many vintage detective stories I'd suggest for a book group though.
Dec 2020
4:57pm, 19 Dec 2020
32,027 posts
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LullayLulLazyDaisy
I take your point AL about the datedness being almost inevitable but people like Margery Allingham and my favourite, Dorothy L Sayers, seem less so. Maybe I'll have a look at that Waterloo one, though, having been to the excellent museum at Waterloo a few years ago I'll be able to visualise what's going on :-)

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Maintained by McGoohan
It's not even December yet and I've got the December book thread up!

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