tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post2532932376390125844..comments2024-03-27T22:32:02.739+01:00Comments on Beneath the Stains of Time: Spell Bound TomCathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-13420302152352762062017-04-21T22:35:11.855+02:002017-04-21T22:35:11.855+02:00We can't always agree on everything, John.We can't always agree on everything, John. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-79211041764650410482017-04-21T21:24:02.989+02:002017-04-21T21:24:02.989+02:00[...sigh...] I surrender.
Don't know how I mi...[...sigh...] I surrender.<br /><br />Don't know how I missed this review posted over three weeks ago. Guess I've been reading a lot of good books most of which I'll not be reviewing on my blog to preserve what little dignity I have left as an arbiter of good crime fiction.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-65171929312393896892017-04-08T08:32:22.458+02:002017-04-08T08:32:22.458+02:00You could say that similarities to other novels he...You could say that similarities to other novels helped, but there were other indicators that made me mighty suspicious. Sometimes, the behavior or opinions espoused by characters can be indicators of guilt, because they're supposed to subtly place that character within the ranks of the innocent. In this case, it was a rejection of something that made this character a viable suspect in my eyes. <br /><br />I know that's very vague, but any more details would give away the identity of the murderer. TomCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03415176301265218101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5516189026477178777.post-15872272051960387392017-04-08T01:24:47.566+02:002017-04-08T01:24:47.566+02:00Thanks for the review. I recently read this title,...Thanks for the review. I recently read this title, and I, too, felt slightly underwhelmed by the mystery. The descriptions of the settings and the culture, and the characterisations, were interesting, but I agree that the motive did emerge somewhat out of nowhere. <br /><br />From my recollection, I caught onto the culprit before the grand reveal - which doesn't happen very often for me. The choice of the culprit was reminiscent of one or two of John Dickson Carr novels, but in this case one or two actions were slightly too clumsily described for the culprit to escape notice. When you said you 'instinctively, guessed' the culprit's identity, do you mean you made inferences based on other similar novels...? Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03389512470283015279noreply@blogger.com