tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post7536963305703965754..comments2024-03-11T01:39:11.362-04:00Comments on At the Scene of the Crime: Bloody MurderPatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-83635328805898923762011-07-30T23:12:39.237-04:002011-07-30T23:12:39.237-04:00"they call themselves the Bloodhounds and the..."they call themselves the Bloodhounds and they meet once a week to discuss mysteries." -- Sounds just a little like the Black Widowers stories, by Isaac Asimov, which I've been reading lately. In any event, based on your glowing recommendation and the fact that my library actually stocks it, I'll give it a try.William I. Lengeman IIIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16851637611407729555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-20379699085659660592011-07-24T06:20:20.930-04:002011-07-24T06:20:20.930-04:00Hi Patrick, glad this one 'did it' for you...Hi Patrick, glad this one 'did it' for you too - it's the one I usually recommend to those unsure about Lovesey - mind you, the other is FALSE INSPECTOR DEW and PuzzleDoctor just refused to be impressed despite my most persuasive arguments!Sergio (Tipping My Fedora)http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-15630031122346391072011-07-20T13:14:39.580-04:002011-07-20T13:14:39.580-04:00I wonder about Lovesey's other books as I love...I wonder about Lovesey's other books as I loved this one (there's a review over on my blog) but was rather indifferent to his "classic" The False Inspector Dew. I really must get round to one of his other Peter Diamond novels one day.Puzzledoctorhttp://www.classicmystery.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-6343445565613192472011-07-20T10:40:41.961-04:002011-07-20T10:40:41.961-04:00A great retro locked room novel! I loved that Carr...A great retro locked room novel! I loved that Carr was talked about as if he were a dusty author left lingering on the shelves. And Diamond's reaction to the books he read was very funny.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-58563426945952555452011-07-20T09:13:01.098-04:002011-07-20T09:13:01.098-04:00Definitely a 10, as I saw where the killer was com...Definitely a 10, as I saw where the killer was coming from. (I *really* have to be careful with phrasing here!)<br /><br />Yes, it's got imperfections, but I would say it's better than 95% of the stuff published right now. We've got glimmers of hope in writers like Louise Penny.<br /><br />And I definitely recognized some of the types! I particularly identified with Sid.Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-91020409358394134032011-07-20T04:06:06.310-04:002011-07-20T04:06:06.310-04:00Bloodhounds might have its imperfections, but you ...<i>Bloodhounds</i> might have its imperfections, but you have it admit, it's better than about 98% of the stuff published these days and the characters are so recognizable. You only have to glance at some of the GAD discussion groups to know how true that statement is. That being said, this is still the only Lovesey novel I have read and it's becoming embarrassing. <br /><br />By the way, on a scale of one to ten, how much did you love the killer's motive?TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-45980675854438818912011-07-19T21:54:58.367-04:002011-07-19T21:54:58.367-04:00Believe me Sextonblake, I'm glad I enjoyed thi...Believe me Sextonblake, I'm glad I enjoyed this book as well. I knew that Carr gave him early positive reviews (Sergio's post on "Wobble to Death" gave me that information) but I did not know that he's recommended Carr to other mystery lovers.<br /><br />You've got it in a nutshell regarding the ending. It's not cheating but the clues are far from conclusive. I'd add one more stipulation: the conclusion should feel inevitable, with that feeling of "Of course!" prevailing. (Instead of the Lionel Twain effect: "You've withheld clues and information that made it impossible for us to guess who did it! You introduced characters into the last pages that weren't in the book before!")<br /><br />That's a really clever way of summing up at least this novel- it walks around disguised as a police procedural, but at the finale it drops the mask and reveals itself as a truly old-fashioned detective story. And I wouldn't have it any other way!Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01844617192737950378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-499247432649483938.post-70168130989574407162011-07-19T19:21:54.966-04:002011-07-19T19:21:54.966-04:00So glad that you really enjoyed this book. Lovesey...So glad that you really enjoyed this book. Lovesey has recommended Carr's stuff to lovers of detective fiction, so it's fair to say that he's a fan. Apparently his first books were given very positive reviews by Carr when he used to write THE JURY BOX section of ELLERY QUEEN MYSTERY MAGAZINE, so Lovesey felt that he owed Carr this novel!<br /><br />I know what you mean about the ending. It's not really a cheat, and in fact it's rather clever, but you feel that you would be hard pressed to get it just from the clues that you're given. The explanation to any mystery novel should be obvious in retrospect, but completely obscure when you first read it.<br /><br />One of the things that I love about the Diamond series is that although they seem to be 'police procedurals', they are, in fact, old fashioned detective stories. I think that you will enjoy them, and other Lovesey books.Sextonblakenoreply@blogger.com