Great to see older mysteries still on my library's shelves. After reading, found my own copy at used book store. Well written; characters round and interesting; villains worthy and different. A "cozy" -- good night's read on a cold and dreary late autumn evening. ( )

I am a person who likes a good story. One of the things that I like about series books is that I can follow the characters and see how their story develops. That was the nice part of this book, but here wasn't enough character development, because the mystery part got in the way. I did enjoy the mystery and thought the hiding place was very clever! ( )

Antiquarian bookseller Dido Hoare finds one of her occasional customers somewhat ill. She takes him to a hospital. He checks himself out and is assisted by a man whom the nurses presume to be his son. Dido becomes concerned when she doesn't see him and mentions it to her police friend. The man shows back up in her shop, but it's only a short time later that he is found dead. Dido finds herself in an unusual position of being named his executor, even though she didn't know him well. The case is actually assigned to special branches in Scotland Yard because the man had once worked in intelligence. It's an interesting case with interesting turns of events, but I found myself disappointed in the resolution. ( )

I really enjoy this series of mysteries - the plotting is interesting and none too predictable; the characterisation is engaging and believable and it gives an insight into the world of antiquarian bookselling that is intriguing for an amateur bibliophile.. This book, dealing with murder in the present and dirty dealing in the middle east after the war is very readable and enjoyable.

transferring reading records from spreadsheet