Ada Moncrieff

Every Christmas I like to read a Christmas themed book, and this was my choice for this year.

Set in 1935, Daphne King is an agony aunt at a local newspaper in London, but dreams of being a serious journalist. When she is sent to do a fluff piece interviewing the director of a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol being performed at the Theatre Royale, matters take a serious turn when the lead actor dies on stage, apparently of a heart attack. But Daphne suspects that there is more to the death and decides to investigate.

All I wanted from this book was an easy enjoyable read, and on that level it definitely delivered. However, there were a few things that niggled at me slightly. The characters were all caricatures, and the females particularly were almost cartoonish. I did like Daphne though and would like to see more of her in future stories.

The story itself was fun with plenty of twists and turns, and enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing, and it was a pleasant enough way to pass some time. Other than that, I don’t have a lot to say…if you’re looking for a meaty serious read, this is not it. If you’re looking for a fun diversion (think Agatha Christie but really really ‘lite’) then this might be something you would enjoy.… (mehr)

It’s 1938, and Lord and Lady Westbury are hosting a Christmas gathering for family and and some select friends. Alas, when one guest turns up dead the next day, it throws a pall over the festivities. Originally thought to be a suicide, a closer look by one of the guests, a would-be amateur detective, suggests it was murder. Though a murder mystery, this tale is clearly a character-driven one. The clues that the reader is shown are nearly nonexistent - we are truly not able to solve the murder. Much of the book is taken up with the conversations between the characters, as they discuss mundane happenings as well as the death. Only at very end is the long awaited solution of the demise of the unfortunate man finally apparent. Not aiding in understanding the characters, their backgrounds, or their personalities is the somewhat stilted language of the characters dialogue and the prose of the narration.… (mehr)