Martha’s Comments (group member since Jan 16, 2016)

Martha’s comments from the Reading the Detectives group.

I’d like to nominate Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare, if I may. I have really enjoyed his books we’ve read for buddy reads.

I’m also about halfway through and I’m loving the writing style and dry wit of the author. I would definitely like to continue with this series!

I'm reading Thank You For Being Late, by Thomas Friedman. Has anyone else read it? It was strongly recommended to me, but I'm finding it rather dry in the early chapters: a lot of explanation of technological advances from 2007 on. If it doesn't get thought-provoking and/or mind-blowing soon, I may have to bail and go back to my light, entertaining little mysteries.

I finished reading the Ngaio Marsh Inspector Allen books this year, #25 through #32 since January. I just really love her style of writing, and feel so sad to have come to the end of that series. My other favorite for the year was Christie's The Mirror Crack'd.

I just finished reading Ngaio Marsh's last book, Light Thickens. It was quite good for perhaps two thirds of the book, but became rather clumsy and jumbled when Alleyn began solving the murder. Too bad: I have loved reading the entire body of Marsh's 32 Alleyn books since I started the series back in November of 2015. She is probably my favorite GA author next to Christie.

And now, whom shall I start on next?

That's actually one of the reasons I love reading British novels! I enjoy picking up a new turn of phrase or singularly British expression, and then try to use it in everyday conversation. It often makes people do a double take.

Already reading it- enjoying it so far and have forgotten the details so all the mo..."

I just finished it last night and really enjoyed it. I had seen the TV episode many years ago and so I had a vague recollection of whodunnit, but the writing was so wonderful that I still loved it.

When Christie wrote this book, did she intend for it to be the first in a series about Miss Marple? Or did she just write this mystery with Miss Marple in it, and then like the character so much that she continued writing more mysteries featuring her?

Everyman, thank you for sharing those links! They were amazing. I recently read Ngaio Marsh's "Death of a Fool", in which Morris dancing and sword dancing were featured, and I really had no idea what it entailed until I watched your videos. Wow! I feel like I should go back and reread the book so I can better appreciate the descriptions of the dancing.

Has anyone here read any Rhys Bowen books, particularly the Her Royal Spyness series? My husband is currently listening to them on tape, much to my amusement, as he is a rough-around-the-edges, manly sort of man. (In fact, I'm forbidden to tell anyone what he is reading because he's embarrassed about it!)

I understand they are set in the Golden Age. Once I've made my way through Ngaio Marsh, I'm considering taking up Bowen, if it's worthwhile. Any thoughts or opinions?

I've made it one of my reading goals to read through the entire Alleyn series, and I'm loving it! I'm currently on #12 "Colour Scheme". My favorite books so far have been the ones in which the majority of the book is spent developing the plot and the interrelationships between the characters, with the murder occurring well after the halfway point and Alleyn not even appearing until maybe 2/3 of the way through. ( I'm a sucker for a psychological mystery). I think it's very interesting to observe how the characters and their relationships are developing book by book, particularly that of Alleyn and Fox. I love their witty, dry banter.

Also, as an American, I'm fascinated by the British class system from the Victorian Age up to WWII (Downton Abbey fanatic here). Marsh's books certainly place more emphasis on the upper class, with the 'downstairs' characters getting little development other than providing alibis, but I adore the depiction nonetheless.

I'm new to goodreads so I have a rookie question. As I'm reading everyone's comments in this thread, all I see is 'spoilers removed', so how do I view the comments behind that? I am reading on my IPhone app, if that makes a difference. Thanks for your help.

Hi, I'm Martha from the US (Ohio). I adore British mysteries, and when I saw this group on goodreads I just had to join! Having never been a member of a book club before, I'm excited to talk to people who love the genre as much as I do.

I'm currently working my way through the Ngaio Marsh series (on #7). I do plan to jump into this group's Dorothy Sayers reading challenge with the next book. I devoured all her books as a teenager, and actually read Whose Body several months ago, intending to reread them again, but got sidetracked by the charming Alleyn.

So excited to be here!