tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post5007940110805884754..comments2024-03-28T22:42:54.810-07:00Comments on Bitter Tea and Mystery: Thou Shell of Death: Nicholas BlakeTracyKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-65046216311964944272017-01-02T14:16:57.206-08:002017-01-02T14:16:57.206-08:00Difference being, I tend to fake it, while you kno...Difference being, I tend to fake it, while you know your stuff. ;)Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-50973049656865243842017-01-02T10:37:15.424-08:002017-01-02T10:37:15.424-08:00Good question, Prashant. I don't know if it ma...Good question, Prashant. I don't know if it makes much difference where you start. I read his 8th Nigel Strangeways mystery first, then the first two in the series. But I had read some of them years ago too.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-34076398290139804632017-01-02T03:14:48.274-08:002017-01-02T03:14:48.274-08:00Tracy, I hope to read Nicholas Blake ever since I ...Tracy, I hope to read Nicholas Blake ever since I read one of his poems at Moira's blog. I'm just not sure where to start.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-7009813880795879752017-01-01T12:29:52.310-08:002017-01-01T12:29:52.310-08:00I don't see this as being your type of reading...I don't see this as being your type of reading, Mathew, although you would surely do better with the literary allusions that I do.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-34357756044515942942016-12-31T11:37:18.925-08:002016-12-31T11:37:18.925-08:00Not my cup of tea, I'm afraid, pip pip. Your m...Not my cup of tea, I'm afraid, pip pip. Your mention of the unsatisfactory ending reminds me of Geoffrey Homes's <i>The Man Who Didn't Exist</i>, which I bought after reading an FFB review (maybe yours?). Loved the characterizations but found the ending a huge letdown. No surprise, and way too much yakkity yak by the narrator. Happy New Year, Tracy!Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-40811322805487547252016-12-30T12:06:23.121-08:002016-12-30T12:06:23.121-08:00I agree that Nicholas Blake books are not easy to ...I agree that Nicholas Blake books are not easy to find, Yvette. I bought the first two in the series in Rue Morgue editions, because they have great background about the author. (Unfortunately they are no longer in business.) I have one more that I found at the book sale but will have to start looking online I guess.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-73583342373934292182016-12-30T12:02:07.430-08:002016-12-30T12:02:07.430-08:00I look forward to your post, Moira. I think my pro...I look forward to your post, Moira. I think my problem with Blake's novels, in the three I have read recently, is that I am not thrilled with the endings. And the end of a book is what I focus on or remember (usually). But in general I am fond of the series and each is a bit different, which I like.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-22850707587027403382016-12-30T09:19:49.162-08:002016-12-30T09:19:49.162-08:00I read this, in fact, I own the book or did at one...I read this, in fact, I own the book or did at one time. But darn if I can remember anything about it, Tracy. (Except that I never read another Nigel Strangeways so maybe I didn't like it.) Hmmm. Time for a reread, I think. I haven't read any other books by Nicholas Blake aka Cecil Day-Lewis, I think. (Daniel Day-Lewis' poet father.) They're not that easy to find. Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-24034521906747817232016-12-30T08:51:11.388-08:002016-12-30T08:51:11.388-08:00I read this one too this year! My blogpost I think...I read this one too this year! My blogpost I think will go up tomorrow. I liked it somewhat more than you did.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-27800677083089937752016-12-29T22:01:12.031-08:002016-12-29T22:01:12.031-08:00I am the same way, Nan, I like to start at the beg...I am the same way, Nan, I like to start at the beginning. I like to at least get the set up for the character and his background before reading later ones. Although I read that the first ones in the series are each very different. We shall see. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-56078541342487868822016-12-29T21:59:37.019-08:002016-12-29T21:59:37.019-08:00This one is definitely good, Margot. I am not sure...This one is definitely good, Margot. I am not sure I ever read The Beast Must Die either, but it is the 4th one so I will get there soon.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-38867791001538413822016-12-29T21:57:50.375-08:002016-12-29T21:57:50.375-08:00I don't think I read the later books in this s...I don't think I read the later books in this series, Patti, but they all seem new to me. I cannot remember books I read even twenty years ago.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-3444864747090088842016-12-29T10:20:50.588-08:002016-12-29T10:20:50.588-08:00I keep meaning to begin this series, and after rea...I keep meaning to begin this series, and after reading this I went over to amazon and found a used copy of A Question of Proof. Thanks for the nudge to get going! Even if it isn't great, I like to begin at the beginning. ;<)Nanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15547916206007733970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-65358952110885716122016-12-29T08:25:50.084-08:002016-12-29T08:25:50.084-08:00These are great mysteries, Tracy. Thanks for the r...These are great mysteries, Tracy. Thanks for the reminder of them. And I think this one is one of his best ones. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-39874345210132994822016-12-29T05:56:31.544-08:002016-12-29T05:56:31.544-08:00Also a big fan. I need to reread one or two. It...Also a big fan. I need to reread one or two. It's been forty years. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-53331978236459200142016-12-28T15:47:45.200-08:002016-12-28T15:47:45.200-08:00I wish you luck in finally finding a copy of one o...I wish you luck in finally finding a copy of one of his mysteries, Bernadette. This one is good, and Minute for Murder is good, but I don't recommend the first in the series, A Question of Proof. It isn't really bad but it would not convince me to read more of his books.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4167054806459662988.post-86946877368770223732016-12-28T15:00:32.266-08:002016-12-28T15:00:32.266-08:00I've been trying to get hold of a Nicholas Bla...I've been trying to get hold of a Nicholas Blake novel for Crimes of the Century but they are always stupidly expensive to get posted to Oz. What I need is for some Australian mystery fan with a huge library to suddenly move to a tiny house and sell their entire collection on eBay.Bernadettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07641617609801125707noreply@blogger.com