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Bezig met laden... The Christmas Egg (origineel 1958; editie 2019)door Mary Kelly (Auteur), Martin Edwards (Introductie)
Informatie over het werkThe Christmas Egg door Mary Kelly (1958)
Christmas Reading (23) Books Read in 2021 (4,980) Bezig met laden...
Meld je aan bij LibraryThing om erachter te komen of je dit boek goed zult vinden. Op dit moment geen Discussie gesprekken over dit boek. "The bitter cold could not neutralise the café-emanations of fish and chips and vinegar, in which the road seemed steeped; but it served to enhance the seasonable contents of the shops—tangerines, nuts, fir trees, boxes of frilly crackers, row on row of trussed turkeys lit by a ghastly glare of fluorescence. Nature, in awe to Him, Had doffed her gaudy trim. Human nature was more than making up for climate deficiencies, and preparing to commemorate the event with its customary wallowing. Brett looked along a chain of windows, gaudy with red and silver, dabs of cotton wool, strings of fairy lights." I want to read more by Mary Kelly. This was a fantastic find among the re-discovered BLCC titles, and I already look forward to the re-issue of The Spoilt Kill in May. Brett Nightingale is investigating the death of Olga Karukhin, a Russian Princess, whose backstory alone is worth the read of this book. She was hard as nails. Who could have had any designs on her life? Or did anyone? Without getting entangled in pointless chases of dead ends and red herrings, Kelly actually created a mystery that primarily relied on police interviews and the clues given to the reader during the investigation. And what made it better is that we had investigators who were utterly human. No superheroes here, but fully fleshed-out characters, who were able to hold conversations with other characters, even those of the other sex, without sounding like a stereotype. It made the book for a thoroughly enjoyable read, except for one thing: the ending. I am not entirely what happened at the ending, but we suddenly had characters kidnapped and bound and gagged and so much action - car chases and everything - that I had to check whether I was still reading the same book. Did it make sense? I suppose. But it didn't make for great reading. This however is my only criticism of the book, and as mentioned above, I really want to read more by this author. Well done to Martin Edwards and the BLCC for unearthing Mary Kelly's work for today's readers. geen besprekingen | voeg een bespreking toe
"Chief Inspector Brett Nightingale and Sergeant Beddoes have been called to a gloomy flat off Islington High Street. An elderly woman-Princess Olga Karukhin, an emigrant of Civil War Russia-lies dead on the bed, and her trunk has been looted of its glittering treasure... Out in the festive chaos of the capital a colourful cast of suspects abound: the downtrodden grandson, a plutocratic jeweller, Bolsheviks with unfinished business? Beddoes and Nightingale have their work cut out in this tightly-paced, quirky and highly enjoyable jewel of the mystery genre"-- Geen bibliotheekbeschrijvingen gevonden. |
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Google Books — Bezig met laden... GenresDewey Decimale Classificatie (DDC)823.914Literature English & Old English literatures English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC-classificatieWaarderingGemiddelde:
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Princess Olga Karukhin is found dead in her dark, claustrophobic flat in Islington. She found refuge in London following the desolation of Russia during the October Revolution of 1917 and became a British citizen, carrying a portion of her belongings. Her trunk is empty. Investigating a death and a theft, Chief Inspector Brett Nightingale has to deal with suspicions of revenge and the threat of the Bolsheviks, dubious transactions initiated by shady jewellers and an oppressed -or is he, really? - grandson. It is December the 22nd and Christmas is coming but the criminals aren’t deterred by holidays…
I love Islington, its vibe and character are exceptional! The Almeida Theatre, the Regent’s Canal!!
Anyway, back to our book!
Mary Kelly demonstrates the atmosphere of London during the wonderful hullabaloo of Christmas and the unique aura of Islington during the 50s. Blending the troubled and troubling history of Russia, the persecution of the members of the aristocracy that found refuge in Europe by the spies and thugs of the Bolsheviks, the legendary Fabergè eggs with the characteristics, the prejudices, the aspirations of British society. Embellished with Opera references and an acute perception of heterogeneous social and political implications, Mary Kelly created a realistic and sophisticated seasonal mystery. And I adored Brett Nightingale!
Every time I start a new British Library Crime Classics volume, I can’t help thinking that Martin Edwards’s Introductions are as enjoyable as reading the actual mystery itself. Absolutely brilliant!
My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/ ( )