#CF British Classic Smallbone Desceased
Finish date: 02.12.2024
Genre: mystery (1950)
Rating: A+++
#Classic British Crime
Reading time: 8,5 hrs
Good News: I devoured The Name of the Rose, a murder mystery that takes place in a remote medieval abbey in Italy during the fourteenth century. Now, you know how long it has been since I really enjoyed a mystery!
Bad News: Since I’m not a avid reader of CF, I’ve had no where to look for a good solid ‘whodunit’. I just followed the most popular books on the market and have gotten stung once or twice. The popular scandinavian noir books often have blood dripping of every page I am hesitant to pick it up because just when you think it can’t possibly get worse, it does. That put me off this genre.
Good News: Michael Gilbert:…hidden gem for me all these years…has convincded me there is more to CF than meets my unexperienced eye. Smallbone Deceased is a nice legal mystery …in a some what cozy Golden age territory. But I’ve read M. Gilbert also wrote thrillers that are a bit darker, noirish crimes. I’m looking forward to these books.
Personal: Some die hard mystery/CF aficionados thought this book was overrated..I thought it was terrific. After reading 2 classic British murder mysteries this month which I find more satisfying than a lot of the drivel that is frankly a waste of my time…I’ve finally found my CF niche. This book had interesting characters,…the pacing was very good and the ending was satisfying. I did not know who the murder was until the last pages. I missed ALL the clues!
#ILikeCosyCrimeFiction
NancyElin.blog 
I am so glad you enjoyed Smallbone Deceased. Michael Gilbert is an excellent writer. I think I told you that this was not my favorite of his books that I have read, but I enjoyed others by him. And I have more to try.
Tracy, classic British CF is very good. Still there are many more CF writers I want to try. I found an A-Z author challenge…and I’m going to see how many CF books I can link to this list. It should be fun to investigate, but letters X-U-Z will be a challenge!
Glad you finally found a CF you enjoyed.!
Trying to incorporate more CF into my 2025 readng. BTW I just found an Aussie CF published 2024 that sounds very good!
Which one?
Now that I got your attention…soon you will see which book it is: “stay tuned!”
Ha ha – tease 😛
:)