Marie

Don't think one is superior to the other unless you want to drive and read.

Jack McDevitt's Alex Benedict Series is one of my favorites. Reading an Alex Benedict book is like boarding a speeding train with no way and no wish to get off until it’s over. The characters are good friends and the world is exciting. You live in it rather than just hearing about it. So, of course, I had to give this book a try. I liked it and recognized McDevitt's hand in it -- all the way to the end (I felt a bit let down by the ending -- wish I could tell you why without spoiling it for you). Not as good as the Benedict Series, but worth a credit. If I could give the story two ratings, I would rate the book 4 and ending 3.

I read these books, one right after the other and never got tired of them. If you like cozy mysteries with a little romance, and dislike graphic violence and listening to dry descriptions of sex, you will like these books.

Yes, at some point, I may go back over the entire series again. They are all wonderful, light, easy cozy mysteries with a little romance. No graphic violence or boring sex scenes. They go down so smoothly -- like a whole box of chocolates.

I have listened to it twice and I am sure I will listen to it again. I was somewhat reluctant to purchase the book since most of it takes place during WWII and that is not a subject I want to read about. But the book is not really about the war. There were a few passages that were hard to hear, but for every one of those, there were many more about the small and large acts of kindness that do occur even in war. Just as the title was part serious (The Guernsey Literary Society) and part humorous (The Potato Peel Pie Society), so also was the book. Overall it lifted my spirits and made me glad to be part of the human race.

I loved the writing, loved the characters (yes, they were all stereotypes, but it worked in the same way as a melodrama works), loved the setting, and the action. I even loved Oscar. I just kept smiling throughout the book - all 17 hours. It's a comedy, a romance, and a farce in the style of Twelfth Night and the Importance of Being Earnest (as other reviewers have mentioned). The author cautions against "emulating the behavior of any of the characters" as "They're all quite mad." And freely admits that he has no idea "what I am talking about." when he describes the science in the book. Don't expect science fiction. In among all the comedy and romance runs a strong thread of women's rights, independence, and strength of character. I would never have guessed it was written by a man. But don't let that put you off; it's too much fun. Sadly, it is the only book Audible has by this author.

It is not a bad book. I rate it just a bit better than the average cozy mystery. It was a quick, light, easy book with nothing offensive, but I didn't hate to put it down or become very involved with any of the characters. Porter, however, is one of the best narrators, and the reader can make all the difference.

This is my second book by Edmund Crispin. My first was Holy Disorders which I rated with only 2 stars. So, no, Crispin, probably not. Stephen Thorne, yes.

No. I generally love cozy mysteries. Some of my favorite authors are P. D. James, Rex Stout, Agatha Christie, Jack McDevitt (Alex Benedict), but not, it seems, Edmund Crispin. It simply didn't hold my interest. I rewound continually through the book as my mind wondered off. I didn't care about the characters or the murders.

Why three words? But, okay, love the accent. Here's another three, strange sounding characters. Maybe another three, would listen again.

Yes, one reviewer likened it the Keystone Kops and that seemed appropriate. Better in video form, I should think, minus the literary references.

I gave it 3 stars because I did listen to the whole book, generally liked the reader, and there was no unnecessarily graphic violence, no torture, no serial killer or lurid sex scenes.

very high

The main character, of course.

Trying to describe the effect of this book is like trying to describe great sex. It is just best to experience it. I immediately checked to see if Audible had any other books written by Vine and read by Landor. Such an experience should be repeated. No luck, but there was a Barbara Vine with Robert Powell. Variety is the spice . . . . P.S. You won’t find any dry, boring sex-by-numbers in this book.

Any murder mystery that forgoes the overly graphic descriptions of violence and sex deserves at least a 3 on my personal rating scale. This book did that and, in addition, was well read and very funny in places. I was also motivated to learn more about “grace and favor” and Hampton Court Palace so I was not sorry I bought it. But….if it were part of a series, I would probably not buy the second book and will probably not listen to this one again. Those kinds of books are rated 4 on my scale. It is just a pleasant, light read that you will forget the minute you close the book (or stop the player).

In this first novel of the series, Rutledge is just returning from fighting in the Great War to his job as an inspector for Scotland Yard. This is his first case since his return, and he is left shattered by his war experience. I started this series in the middle because the first books were not available from Audible at that time. I really like the series (and it just keeps getting better). This first book in the series is good, but, beyond that, it answered a couple of question about characters in the series that had disturbed me. I never understood how Rutledge could have sentenced Hamish to death. I also never understood why his Scotland Yard supervisor resents him so much and tries to set him up for failure. Both of those things are mentioned in the later novels but not really explained. These novels have no overly graphic descriptions of torture, rape, violence or sex -- just ordinary characters who behave as you would expect them to under the circumstances and a mystery to be solved, while Rutledge struggles to regain his sanity. It is a series I highly recommend.