Unfortunately, I haven't had much time for reading over the past couple months, as this nearly dormant blog can attest to. But now I finally have a new, albeit brief, review to share with you! I picked up this copy at the local library book sale for a mere 50 cents, but I would gladly pay twenty times that, as it's a genuinely good read.
As a historical novel, The Way of the Traitor is right on the mark. The historical elements are incorporated in a way that doesn't feel obvious, making the prose flow with a very natural feel. Rowland mixes education with entertainment, inserting historical details subtly. It's especially nice, after having read historical novels where the author either tries too hard to put you in the period and crams details down your throat, or doesn't try and makes the setting completely incidental.
I especially appreciated this, since the novels are set in "medieval" Japan (really the late 17th century, but perhaps that was the Japanese equivalent?), which is a time period that I'm not overly familiar with. I had taken a Japanese culture class back in school--which did help a little with recognizing some events and names--but overall, knowledge of Japanese culture or history isn't a requirement to enjoy the book. I did find it very informative, though. A good portion of the plot revolves around the history of Japanese interaction with the West, and the varied reactions it produced.
This is one of those series where later books allude to earlier ones frequently. The Way of the Traitor, being the third book in the series, does make references to the first two books, and does spoil some of the story elements. It probably would be best to specifically seek out the first book in this series if you're interested in reading them.
One thing that struck me is the universality of some of the themes. I found Sano and his situation to be very reminiscent of hard-boiled detective novels; the tought detective, dedicated to his cause, and the corrupt society that conspires to bring him down by any means necessary. He has an almost timeless appeal to him; I found myself almost picturing him in a Philip Marlowe novel. Rowland also weaves in some thriller-genre elements with political subplots.
I'm definitely interested in reading more by this author, since I've far too frequently been disappointed by historical mysteries. I'll be seeking out the first book in this series to start from the beginning, and will hopefully be able to expand more in the subsequent review.
In one sentence: A well-balanced historical mystery that blends gripping storytelling with historical and political anecdotes in a way that entertains and educates.
Good sleuthing!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
The rules of the game...
While I was prepping for the next review, I realized something: there weren't really any rules applied to how I'm conducting my reviews. This is a wee bit problematic, since about three-quarters (my own observation, not cold, hard fact!) of mystery novels seem to be in series. If I turn down one book in a series, should I go ahead and review other in the same series? After all, I don't want to see Murderess Ink turn into "reviews of every single book my favorite author wrote."
So: if a reader requests a review, I will do my best (barring complete inavailability) to review that book. For example, if a reader wishes a review from a series that I gave a "pass" on (such as the Mrs. Jeffries series), I will honor that request.
I'll be doing a media review (TV, movie, or radio) once a month. With regards to TV, I will try to do a review of a season in one sitting. Hence, you would see a review of Season One of "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" instead of a review of the show in its entirety. There are some shows that I won't review, however. These are shows like Law and Order or House: huge media properties that feature mystery elements as only a fraction of the plot (the former is more of a crime/courtroom drama, and the second is more of a medical drama). Shows like USA's Monk will, however, make their appearances here.
In conclusion, I don't want you guys to think I'm doing reviews arbitrarily according to my own tastes--I want to do this as fairly as possible.
And as a final note, I want to thank my readers. You guys keep me going!
So: if a reader requests a review, I will do my best (barring complete inavailability) to review that book. For example, if a reader wishes a review from a series that I gave a "pass" on (such as the Mrs. Jeffries series), I will honor that request.
I'll be doing a media review (TV, movie, or radio) once a month. With regards to TV, I will try to do a review of a season in one sitting. Hence, you would see a review of Season One of "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" instead of a review of the show in its entirety. There are some shows that I won't review, however. These are shows like Law and Order or House: huge media properties that feature mystery elements as only a fraction of the plot (the former is more of a crime/courtroom drama, and the second is more of a medical drama). Shows like USA's Monk will, however, make their appearances here.
In conclusion, I don't want you guys to think I'm doing reviews arbitrarily according to my own tastes--I want to do this as fairly as possible.
And as a final note, I want to thank my readers. You guys keep me going!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
What's coming next!
Just a quick update on the next few reviews...
I'm going to try and make at least one post a week for the blog, so any given month should get about 4-5 reviews. I'll make the next post some time in this coming week.
The next post will be an Author Introduction post (first one!) for Agatha Christie (which I really should have done earlier). It will combine a biography, (brief!) bibliography, some reviewer recommendations, plus the review for The Secret Adversary. I'm about halfway through my stack of "questionable" mystery novels (books that I've never read before and don't know if I'll like), and I'll start the first March review with one of them, and try to alternate between those reviews and other books.
Also, expect a movie/TV review sometime next month. I'm going to try and do at least one of those per month, as well. Lots of good stuff is forthcoming, I promise!
Good sleuthing!
I'm going to try and make at least one post a week for the blog, so any given month should get about 4-5 reviews. I'll make the next post some time in this coming week.
The next post will be an Author Introduction post (first one!) for Agatha Christie (which I really should have done earlier). It will combine a biography, (brief!) bibliography, some reviewer recommendations, plus the review for The Secret Adversary. I'm about halfway through my stack of "questionable" mystery novels (books that I've never read before and don't know if I'll like), and I'll start the first March review with one of them, and try to alternate between those reviews and other books.
Also, expect a movie/TV review sometime next month. I'm going to try and do at least one of those per month, as well. Lots of good stuff is forthcoming, I promise!
Good sleuthing!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Case of the Murdered Mackenzie: A Masao Masuto Mystery
Two reviews in as many weeks? What could be going on? What diabolical scheme could Miss Scarlett being cooking, you ask? Frankly put, my area has been hit with heavy snow and I've been given a few days off from work. What better time could there be than to read through a few novels?
The next book on my stack is The Murdered Mackenzie, the last novel in the Masao Masuto Mystery series. The series was authored by E.V. Cunningham, a pen name of the novelist Howard Fast. This is one of those few instances where the author is far more interesting than the book; Fast was a prolific novelist who specialized in historical fiction. However, for a good portion of his writing career, he was blacklisted (for Communist activities and a criminal record!) and forced to write under a psuedonym.
The detective in this series is Sargeant Masao Masuto, a second-generation Japanese-American, or nisei police detective from Beverly Hills. Masuto, a practioner of Zen Buddhism, uses his extensive mental and physical training to crack even the most puzzling of cases.
I think the Masuto Mysteries are be interesting primarily because of the time the novels take place. The series began in the late sixties, but the majority of the books were written in the seventies. This is the time period where many authors began to experiment with the detective genre, and began moving it away from the stereotypical white, male, hardboiled detective figure and tropes. So the Masuto novels were among the first to feature a non-white detective.
The plot begins with Masuto and his family away on vacation; while he's gone, a high-profile murder occurs. An engineer is found dead in a bathtub, and his beautiful ex-actress wife accused of the crime. She claims that the corpse is not her husband's, but four other witnesses disagree. But before the trial reaches a verdict, she dies in a mysterious accident, which Masuto thinks might not have been so accidental...
Now, I found the book itself to be average at best. The plot was quite tricky in some areas, involving an interesting bit with a disappearing body and several characters who technically don't exist. But quite early on, Fast/Cunningham starts smacking the reader in the face with "hints" that there's some sort of conspiracy going on, and eventually pulls in the F.B.I and a few other
big organizations
To be honest, I find the whole "conspiracy theory"/"secret agent" theme to be rather silly and very out of place in a detective novel. It's really more at home in a thriller novel--which may have mystery elements, but is not a detective novel!
The dialogue felt very stilted and unnatural--especially anything spoken by Masuto or his wife. They are native English speakers, for crying out loud! Why are their speech patterns completely different from the Anglo characters?
I felt rather disengaged with this book. Although the blurbs on the back cover praise Masuto as "fresh and likeable," I just found it hard to "bond" with Masuto. But that's my personal take on it; there have been many books where I liked it overall but just didn't find the characters interesting.
I appreciated the hardboiled elements in the book very much. There are a few heart-pounding, almost cinematic moments of serious danger (trying to prevent a car with tampered brakes from crashing, for example) that punch up the otherwise monotonous investigation.
Overall, the book is fairly balanced between elements that I enjoyed and areas where I was so bored I had to skim through. I'll skip this series, though, since I wasn't too engaged. Hard-boiled fans may enjoy this one, but beware that the plot starts to lean heavily on the "secret spy agency conspiracy" trope towards the end.
In one sentence: A later-generation hard-boiled detective novel that lags in some areas, starting well but ending on a flat note.
Good sleuthing!
The next book on my stack is The Murdered Mackenzie, the last novel in the Masao Masuto Mystery series. The series was authored by E.V. Cunningham, a pen name of the novelist Howard Fast. This is one of those few instances where the author is far more interesting than the book; Fast was a prolific novelist who specialized in historical fiction. However, for a good portion of his writing career, he was blacklisted (for Communist activities and a criminal record!) and forced to write under a psuedonym.
The detective in this series is Sargeant Masao Masuto, a second-generation Japanese-American, or nisei police detective from Beverly Hills. Masuto, a practioner of Zen Buddhism, uses his extensive mental and physical training to crack even the most puzzling of cases.
I think the Masuto Mysteries are be interesting primarily because of the time the novels take place. The series began in the late sixties, but the majority of the books were written in the seventies. This is the time period where many authors began to experiment with the detective genre, and began moving it away from the stereotypical white, male, hardboiled detective figure and tropes. So the Masuto novels were among the first to feature a non-white detective.
The plot begins with Masuto and his family away on vacation; while he's gone, a high-profile murder occurs. An engineer is found dead in a bathtub, and his beautiful ex-actress wife accused of the crime. She claims that the corpse is not her husband's, but four other witnesses disagree. But before the trial reaches a verdict, she dies in a mysterious accident, which Masuto thinks might not have been so accidental...
Now, I found the book itself to be average at best. The plot was quite tricky in some areas, involving an interesting bit with a disappearing body and several characters who technically don't exist. But quite early on, Fast/Cunningham starts smacking the reader in the face with "hints" that there's some sort of conspiracy going on, and eventually pulls in the F.B.I and a few other
big organizations
like the C.I.A and the KGB of all things; I guess when you want to make the incarnate bad guy, you throw in Communists?
To be honest, I find the whole "conspiracy theory"/"secret agent" theme to be rather silly and very out of place in a detective novel. It's really more at home in a thriller novel--which may have mystery elements, but is not a detective novel!
The dialogue felt very stilted and unnatural--especially anything spoken by Masuto or his wife. They are native English speakers, for crying out loud! Why are their speech patterns completely different from the Anglo characters?
I felt rather disengaged with this book. Although the blurbs on the back cover praise Masuto as "fresh and likeable," I just found it hard to "bond" with Masuto. But that's my personal take on it; there have been many books where I liked it overall but just didn't find the characters interesting.
I appreciated the hardboiled elements in the book very much. There are a few heart-pounding, almost cinematic moments of serious danger (trying to prevent a car with tampered brakes from crashing, for example) that punch up the otherwise monotonous investigation.
Overall, the book is fairly balanced between elements that I enjoyed and areas where I was so bored I had to skim through. I'll skip this series, though, since I wasn't too engaged. Hard-boiled fans may enjoy this one, but beware that the plot starts to lean heavily on the "secret spy agency conspiracy" trope towards the end.
In one sentence: A later-generation hard-boiled detective novel that lags in some areas, starting well but ending on a flat note.
Good sleuthing!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Mrs. Jeffries on the Ball: A Victorian Mystery
I finally decided that I needed to do something about the stack of books I bought at the last library book sale (It is, indeed, a stack, tucked away in front of a fully stocked bookcase. I seem to need another bookcase!). That being said, on my last day off I picked up the book on the top of the stack (Mrs. Jeffries), and sat down to while away an hour or two.
I must say, I was less than impressed. But I'll cover that in a moment.
This book is part of The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries series, written by Emily Brightwell. It's a traditional "cozy" style mystery series set in Victorian London--in the 1880s, to be precise. Our protagonists are an unusual duo: a humble and mild-mannered Scotland Yard inspector named Mr. Witherspoon, and his housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries. While it is Inspector Witherspoon who does the official sleuthing, it is Mrs. Jeffries who helps him along clandestinely. The widow of a police officer, Mrs. Jeffries has considerable knowledge of murder investigations, and along with the other servants in the Witherspoon household, searches for information that she can push into the Inspector's way.
Mrs. Jeffries on the Ball is the fifth book in the series, and is set specifically during Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, placing the book in late June of 1887. The plot revolves around the inner scandals and gossip of the Hyde Park Literary Society, which culminates in the death of one of its members at the Jubilee Ball. Suspicion falls on the victim's fellow club members as it is revealed that several had very good motives to wish her ill. Of course, it is up to the Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries to deduce the truth and prevent another murder from occuring.
Now, as I said earlier, there was a lot about this book that I didn't like. For one, I felt that the characters simply did not stand out. There is a fairly large cast of characters in this book, not including the murder suspects, and they were not memorable or well-characterized. At one point, I found myself flipping backwards because I couldn't tell the servants apart. For a book this far in to the series, that's not a good sign. I honestly felt that the members of the Literary Club were more well-developed, even though they were not recurring characters who would be showing up later.
The setting also felt completely incidental. The author claims to set the book in Victorian London, but there is honestly nothing to show that. I have always felt that the hallmark of ANY book is to treat the setting like a character; it must be developed, mentioned, and appear often. This is especially true for a historical novel. I feel it's important to at the very least mention a little background, or describe the places the characters visit. The book felt like it could have taken place virtually anywhere, with nothing really to anchor it in that time period.
There are also a fair number of unresolved side plots. Now, I understand that for books in a series, there are going to be ongoing elements that are addressed in later books. But what's also important is to make sure that the book can stand on its own. This means that a plot thread that will be finished in a later book at least *feels* like it either has some resolution, or that the characters will resolve it in the near future. For example, the servants have acquired a mysterious benefactor who leaves presents in their quarters. It is strongly hinted to be Smythe (who engages in numerous internal monologues about keeping secrets), who also has a myserious connection to Inspector Witherspoon's deceased aunt. This plotline remains unresolved at the conclusion of the novel, and shows little relevance to any of the novel's events. It just seems to take up space.
Now, I will say in the book's favor that the murder plot was nicely complicated, and the shifting finger of blame progressed in a very natural fashion. I thought the unraveling of the suspects' motives was well-plotted overall.
I'm not really inclined to read the rest of the books in the series to see if the earlier books had focused more on developing the characters. Overall, while the mystery portion was good, the rest of the supporting elements were too poorly developed, in my opinion, to make the book a worthwhile read.
I'll pass on this series, but if you like the cozy genre and are looking for a quick read, you might be interested.
In one sentence: A decently plotted "cozy" historical mystery that suffers from lackluster characterization and setting.
Good sleuthing!
I must say, I was less than impressed. But I'll cover that in a moment.
This book is part of The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries series, written by Emily Brightwell. It's a traditional "cozy" style mystery series set in Victorian London--in the 1880s, to be precise. Our protagonists are an unusual duo: a humble and mild-mannered Scotland Yard inspector named Mr. Witherspoon, and his housekeeper Mrs. Jeffries. While it is Inspector Witherspoon who does the official sleuthing, it is Mrs. Jeffries who helps him along clandestinely. The widow of a police officer, Mrs. Jeffries has considerable knowledge of murder investigations, and along with the other servants in the Witherspoon household, searches for information that she can push into the Inspector's way.
Mrs. Jeffries on the Ball is the fifth book in the series, and is set specifically during Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, placing the book in late June of 1887. The plot revolves around the inner scandals and gossip of the Hyde Park Literary Society, which culminates in the death of one of its members at the Jubilee Ball. Suspicion falls on the victim's fellow club members as it is revealed that several had very good motives to wish her ill. Of course, it is up to the Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries to deduce the truth and prevent another murder from occuring.
Now, as I said earlier, there was a lot about this book that I didn't like. For one, I felt that the characters simply did not stand out. There is a fairly large cast of characters in this book, not including the murder suspects, and they were not memorable or well-characterized. At one point, I found myself flipping backwards because I couldn't tell the servants apart. For a book this far in to the series, that's not a good sign. I honestly felt that the members of the Literary Club were more well-developed, even though they were not recurring characters who would be showing up later.
The setting also felt completely incidental. The author claims to set the book in Victorian London, but there is honestly nothing to show that. I have always felt that the hallmark of ANY book is to treat the setting like a character; it must be developed, mentioned, and appear often. This is especially true for a historical novel. I feel it's important to at the very least mention a little background, or describe the places the characters visit. The book felt like it could have taken place virtually anywhere, with nothing really to anchor it in that time period.
There are also a fair number of unresolved side plots. Now, I understand that for books in a series, there are going to be ongoing elements that are addressed in later books. But what's also important is to make sure that the book can stand on its own. This means that a plot thread that will be finished in a later book at least *feels* like it either has some resolution, or that the characters will resolve it in the near future. For example, the servants have acquired a mysterious benefactor who leaves presents in their quarters. It is strongly hinted to be Smythe (who engages in numerous internal monologues about keeping secrets), who also has a myserious connection to Inspector Witherspoon's deceased aunt. This plotline remains unresolved at the conclusion of the novel, and shows little relevance to any of the novel's events. It just seems to take up space.
Now, I will say in the book's favor that the murder plot was nicely complicated, and the shifting finger of blame progressed in a very natural fashion. I thought the unraveling of the suspects' motives was well-plotted overall.
I'm not really inclined to read the rest of the books in the series to see if the earlier books had focused more on developing the characters. Overall, while the mystery portion was good, the rest of the supporting elements were too poorly developed, in my opinion, to make the book a worthwhile read.
I'll pass on this series, but if you like the cozy genre and are looking for a quick read, you might be interested.
In one sentence: A decently plotted "cozy" historical mystery that suffers from lackluster characterization and setting.
Good sleuthing!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries
Happy New Year, everyone! I have returned, and present to you the first Murderess Ink review of 2010!
Now, I apologize, because this is not the review that I originally intended to post. Far from it, in fact. But over the holiday break, a friend of mine introduced me to a new series, and I decided that this must be the next review that I post! This review will be for the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries, a televised adaptation of several novels of the mystery author Gladys Mitchell. I freely admit that this review is a little unorthodox in that I am reviewing the television version before I have ever read the books, but bear with me here, please! I will be speaking about the series in general, rather than focus on the individual cases.
BIOGRAPHY - GLADYS MITCHELL
Gladys Mitchell was born in the year 1901 in Cowley, Oxford. She taught history, English, and physical education for nearly 40 years while still managing to publish at least one novel a year. Mitchell's hobbies included architecture, writing poetry, and psychology, the latter serving as a tremendous influence on her work. She wrote 66 novels featuring her detective Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, a psychoanalyst and author, as well as several other detective novels and children's books under various pseudonyms.
Mitchell was a member of the Detection Club, a literary club comprised of the most famous authors of the time, and was widely acknowledged to be one of the most celebrated female detecive authors of the 1930s. Besides the Detection Club, she was a member of several literary organizations, and was the 1976 recipient of the Crime Writers Association's Silver Dagger Award. After her death in 1983, Mitchell's work was neglected though several posthumous books sold well. However, interest in her work perked up again after the creation of the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries.
ABOUT MRS BRADLEY
Now, the series itself is a treasure. Heartbreakingly short (only four episodes and a full-length film), it is a hybrid mystery/comedy show. Mrs. Bradley herself offers the wittiest banter, through wry observations and asides to the audience. The series was shown in the US on PBS's program Mystery!, hosted by Diana Rigg (who also starred as Mrs. Bradley!).
The Mrs Bradley Mysteries focus less on the crime-solving aspect of the mystery, preferring to invest itself in the characters. The presentation and examination of clues is haphazard at best, and the show refuses to throw so much as a bone to the viewer eager to solve the puzzle along with Mrs. Bradley. The vital information needed to solve the case is usually withheld from the viewer, making the show more of a passive experience than a challenge to the wannabe sleuth. Regardless, the fantastic acting and writing more than make up for this.
ACTORS
The series stars the incomparable Diana Rigg, who brings a sly and seductive edge to the character. Her Mrs. Bradley is an indomitable woman who refuses to let anything--from age to the sexist society she lives in--dictate how she should live her life. Rigg clearly enjoys playing Mrs. Bradley, relishing her air of mystery and sophistication. (I have heard that Rigg's interpretation of Mrs. Bradley varies greatly from the book, though I suppose that will be covered in a later review)
Every Sherlock needs his Watson, and so Mrs. Bradley is accompanied by her loyal chauffeur George (played by Neil Dudgeon). He serves as the straight man in their odd relationship, and primarily is responsible for ferreting out information or running errands. Dudgeon does a terrific job as George, imbuing him with an energetic personality--which one definitely needs to keep up with Mrs. Bradley!
The supporting cast in each episode is strong, as well. Keep an eye out for a pre-Dr. Who David Tennant in "Death at the Opera." Excellent casting, overall.
EPISODES
Details I liked - The music in this series is terrific. Preferring to eschew general background music, the show offers songs from the period to help immerse the viewer in the world of the 1920's. The writing was tight and well-done, and strikes a nice balance between developing the cast of characters we're given and moving the plot along. And the comedic dialogue is superb.
Details I didn't like - Whoever chose Mrs. Bradley's outfits should be immediately arrested by the fashion police. Those were some of the ugliest coats and hats I have seen since Keeping Up Appearances! And why did so many people have the same exact hairstyle and color as Mrs. Bradley? It almost seems as though the costuming department had a surplus of Mrs. Bradley wigs, and started passing them out to characters at random.
Based on what I have seen, I definitely will read the Mrs. Bradley books, and look forward to reviewing them.
In one sentence: A tightly written, well-acted series of novel adaptations that provides for good entertainment, though it is more passive than some hardcore mystery fans might enjoy.
Good sleuthing!
Now, I apologize, because this is not the review that I originally intended to post. Far from it, in fact. But over the holiday break, a friend of mine introduced me to a new series, and I decided that this must be the next review that I post! This review will be for the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries, a televised adaptation of several novels of the mystery author Gladys Mitchell. I freely admit that this review is a little unorthodox in that I am reviewing the television version before I have ever read the books, but bear with me here, please! I will be speaking about the series in general, rather than focus on the individual cases.
BIOGRAPHY - GLADYS MITCHELL
Gladys Mitchell was born in the year 1901 in Cowley, Oxford. She taught history, English, and physical education for nearly 40 years while still managing to publish at least one novel a year. Mitchell's hobbies included architecture, writing poetry, and psychology, the latter serving as a tremendous influence on her work. She wrote 66 novels featuring her detective Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley, a psychoanalyst and author, as well as several other detective novels and children's books under various pseudonyms.
Mitchell was a member of the Detection Club, a literary club comprised of the most famous authors of the time, and was widely acknowledged to be one of the most celebrated female detecive authors of the 1930s. Besides the Detection Club, she was a member of several literary organizations, and was the 1976 recipient of the Crime Writers Association's Silver Dagger Award. After her death in 1983, Mitchell's work was neglected though several posthumous books sold well. However, interest in her work perked up again after the creation of the Mrs. Bradley Mysteries.
ABOUT MRS BRADLEY
Now, the series itself is a treasure. Heartbreakingly short (only four episodes and a full-length film), it is a hybrid mystery/comedy show. Mrs. Bradley herself offers the wittiest banter, through wry observations and asides to the audience. The series was shown in the US on PBS's program Mystery!, hosted by Diana Rigg (who also starred as Mrs. Bradley!).
The Mrs Bradley Mysteries focus less on the crime-solving aspect of the mystery, preferring to invest itself in the characters. The presentation and examination of clues is haphazard at best, and the show refuses to throw so much as a bone to the viewer eager to solve the puzzle along with Mrs. Bradley. The vital information needed to solve the case is usually withheld from the viewer, making the show more of a passive experience than a challenge to the wannabe sleuth. Regardless, the fantastic acting and writing more than make up for this.
ACTORS
The series stars the incomparable Diana Rigg, who brings a sly and seductive edge to the character. Her Mrs. Bradley is an indomitable woman who refuses to let anything--from age to the sexist society she lives in--dictate how she should live her life. Rigg clearly enjoys playing Mrs. Bradley, relishing her air of mystery and sophistication. (I have heard that Rigg's interpretation of Mrs. Bradley varies greatly from the book, though I suppose that will be covered in a later review)
Every Sherlock needs his Watson, and so Mrs. Bradley is accompanied by her loyal chauffeur George (played by Neil Dudgeon). He serves as the straight man in their odd relationship, and primarily is responsible for ferreting out information or running errands. Dudgeon does a terrific job as George, imbuing him with an energetic personality--which one definitely needs to keep up with Mrs. Bradley!
The supporting cast in each episode is strong, as well. Keep an eye out for a pre-Dr. Who David Tennant in "Death at the Opera." Excellent casting, overall.
EPISODES
Details I liked - The music in this series is terrific. Preferring to eschew general background music, the show offers songs from the period to help immerse the viewer in the world of the 1920's. The writing was tight and well-done, and strikes a nice balance between developing the cast of characters we're given and moving the plot along. And the comedic dialogue is superb.
Details I didn't like - Whoever chose Mrs. Bradley's outfits should be immediately arrested by the fashion police. Those were some of the ugliest coats and hats I have seen since Keeping Up Appearances! And why did so many people have the same exact hairstyle and color as Mrs. Bradley? It almost seems as though the costuming department had a surplus of Mrs. Bradley wigs, and started passing them out to characters at random.
Based on what I have seen, I definitely will read the Mrs. Bradley books, and look forward to reviewing them.
In one sentence: A tightly written, well-acted series of novel adaptations that provides for good entertainment, though it is more passive than some hardcore mystery fans might enjoy.
Good sleuthing!
Monday, November 23, 2009
This is just for me guys; I need the HTML training as reference. Disregard!
Testing, guys!
eh, spoiler later guys...
so you're still reading the testing of blah blah blah.
this is me STILL testing.
yep, still testing, you guessed it...
ok, still going strong
HEY MOMMY!!!!
done testing, let's see this spoiler!
YAY more testing! CLUE!!!!
eh, spoiler later guys...
so you're still reading the testing of blah blah blah.
this is me STILL testing.
yep, still testing, you guessed it...
ok, still going strong
HEY MOMMY!!!!
done testing, let's see this spoiler!
put your hidden text here
YAY more testing! CLUE!!!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
