tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post676657720072204298..comments2024-03-11T01:39:11.362-04:00Comments on At the Scene of the Crime: Jumping the SharkPatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-12646970988454775822012-11-05T15:04:40.932-05:002012-11-05T15:04:40.932-05:00I have to agree that non-Catholic authors in gener...I have to agree that non-Catholic authors in general do an extremely poor job of capturing the behavior and beliefs of observant Catholics. The lives of those within religious orders are difficult even for practicing Catholics to understand fully, and are probably impossible for non-Catholics to comprehend. Non-believers who attempt to portray the inner society of a religious order in works of pure entertainment do a terrible disservice to the faithful who have devoted their lives to God. Sandra Parshallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17403144248962124138noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-79140695866999474842012-09-07T20:05:22.043-04:002012-09-07T20:05:22.043-04:00I think I've come to the conclusion that unles...I think I've come to the conclusion that unless the author is themselves religious, I think religious characters are usually best left unwritten. If you've been a Catholic priest for 25 years, then yes, you'll have some insight into what a priest will think, say, or do. But if you're an outspoken atheist who thinks all Catholics are ninnies, there's no way you will be able to capture the mind-frame of a Catholic priest, and the result could quite likely end up offending people who *are* Catholics! (However, you'll do a terrific job capturing what you *think* Catholic priests must be like!)<br /><br />However, re-reading your review, I doubt the book is one of those overwritten ones where nothing happens for 200 pages and then the killer confesses.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-43598600815889406132012-09-07T20:00:49.220-04:002012-09-07T20:00:49.220-04:00Steve, thank you-- I'm not insane! I thought t...Steve, thank you-- I'm not insane! I thought the ending to the first book was terrible considered as a detective story-- very, very manipulated to say the least! We are few, but we are not alone... which is nice. :)Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-91326929853426216222012-09-07T17:04:18.273-04:002012-09-07T17:04:18.273-04:00Well, that's one writer I can bump down my lis...Well, that's one writer I can bump down my list.<br /><br />I wonder what you, as a Catholic, would think of Dr. Mary Finney, a medical missionary, who's Matthew Head's series detective and loved her in <i><a href="http://moonlight-detective.blogspot.com/2011/04/prevaricatory-hangman.html" rel="nofollow">The Devil in the Bush</a></i>. Coming from me, that might not be good thing. ;)TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-62265012885468963342012-09-07T12:04:06.831-04:002012-09-07T12:04:06.831-04:00I read the first in the series, found it lacking a...I read the first in the series, found it lacking as a detective story, contrary to all the praise it received, and have not read any since. Your review does not encourage me to change my mind, that's for sure!Steve Lewishttp://www.mysteryfile.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-46254024967164674462012-09-07T11:05:49.937-04:002012-09-07T11:05:49.937-04:00Ron, I read four random books in this series. The ...Ron, I read four random books in this series. The factory raid hadn't come up until now. And there's no way I'm coming back to the series any time soon to find out just what I missed in detail. The summary was more than enough for me, and it already seemed overwritten. The choice of wording "something about a factory raid" was intended to ring a bell with anyone who *has* read the series in order, and to warn off anybody who hasn't and doesn't want major spoilers.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-59125289598992337822012-09-07T11:03:13.903-04:002012-09-07T11:03:13.903-04:00Are you kidding me!! Something about a factory rai...Are you kidding me!! Something about a factory raid! Are you sure you read any books about Gamache before? Rather like claiming to know about Abraham Lincoln and saying you heard something about some sort of civil strife. It is that big a factor in Gamache's life, his career, his team and the police force to which he belongs. It colours the entire series. This is a series which must be read in order.Ron Smythhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00575735524072816238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-61440419815038389262012-09-07T00:20:39.839-04:002012-09-07T00:20:39.839-04:00Definitely Chesterton.Definitely Chesterton.Christopherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03343947041898057102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-81645244878153513962012-09-06T23:54:55.304-04:002012-09-06T23:54:55.304-04:00Chesterton probably is the best Golden Age mystery...Chesterton probably is the best Golden Age mystery writer, period, in terms of literary skill.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-31107747235396756242012-09-06T22:41:08.124-04:002012-09-06T22:41:08.124-04:00Surely it must be Chesterton? He has THE INVISIBLE...Surely it must be Chesterton? He has THE INVISIBLE MAN, THE ORACLE OF THE DOG, THE EYE OF APOLLO, and THE THREE TOOLS OF DEATH to his name, among others. An author with just *one* of those stories on his resume could be considered accomplished!Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-69795717367688604932012-09-06T22:39:49.699-04:002012-09-06T22:39:49.699-04:00I'm glad you liked it. Thank you for commentin...I'm glad you liked it. Thank you for commenting!Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-35794455380580482222012-09-06T17:27:44.162-04:002012-09-06T17:27:44.162-04:00I wonder who the best faith mystery writers are? ...I wonder who the best faith mystery writers are? In the Golden Age, Chesterton, of course, Freeman Wills Crofts and H. C. Bailey were heavily influenced in their mysteries by their faith. And there's Sayers' Nine Tailors of course.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-51339187579693695252012-09-06T11:15:12.408-04:002012-09-06T11:15:12.408-04:00A very fine review. Thank you.A very fine review. Thank you.Keen Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18171491573514489497noreply@blogger.com