Helpful Score: 2
If you like classic British authors and don't know Cyril Hare, you are missing out. Unlike many of today's grim offerings, a Hare novel offers a dash of humour along with its good writing, good characters, good plots and satisfactory endings.
Elizabeth E. (TylerTxRose) reviewed Suicide Excepted (Inspector Mallett, Bk 3) on + 84 more book reviews
"Is equal in interest to Mr. Hare's other detective stories, and that puts in very good company indeed."says James Sando of the New York Herald Book Review. "Distinguished by plot-twist which I'll wager Chrisit wishes she'd thought of." states The New York Times. [Cyril are is the pseudonym of the distinguished judge, the late Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark.]
A real classic, very well-written, and a truly surprising plot twist...
April D. (knittymama) reviewed Suicide Excepted (Inspector Mallett, Bk 3) on + 424 more book reviews
Third book in the Inspector Mallet series. I really enjoyed this book, but was a little disappointed to note that Mallet was in this book very little -- some at the beginning and, of course, at the end. But it was still a very good mystery. I love how the ending sneaks right up on you.
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
If you're looking for a mystery with a lot of action, skip this book. There are no shootouts, car chases, exploding bombs, international conspiracies, mass murders, or strange cults killing everyone to keep ancient treasures or secrets hidden. But what you will find is a classic British mystery masterfully done. This novel was originally published in 1939.
Most of the work is done by amateur sleuths with some later assistance by a British police inspector. It's a merry tale consisting mostly of tracking down people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. Or is it the other way around? In any case, I found it fascinating.
Of course, the final reveal blew me away. I had no idea. Or maybe I did. A brief discussion of some travel arrangements in the very beginning seemed odd to me. But as the story sped along, I forgot about it. It was only in the end that its importance was revealed.
Most of the work is done by amateur sleuths with some later assistance by a British police inspector. It's a merry tale consisting mostly of tracking down people who just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. Or is it the other way around? In any case, I found it fascinating.
Of course, the final reveal blew me away. I had no idea. Or maybe I did. A brief discussion of some travel arrangements in the very beginning seemed odd to me. But as the story sped along, I forgot about it. It was only in the end that its importance was revealed.
Cyril Hare is above and beyond many mystery writers.
I liked this mystery. Since the author was a lawyer and judge in England legal issues play a big part in the story. Nice pace for the most part although there is a slow area in the middle of the plot. The end is a rush to a very surprising conclusion. I doubt you will guess this ending.
