tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post4505267577220531221..comments2024-03-28T17:57:24.552+00:00Comments on Clothes In Books: The Child Garden by Catriona McPhersonClothes In Bookshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-49600454395093739742017-04-20T12:32:09.813+01:002017-04-20T12:32:09.813+01:00Yes, I agree with everything you say, your analysi...Yes, I agree with everything you say, your analysis is spot on - I am never very good at seeing what exactly it is I like in a book. But Catriona Mc is, as you say, SO good at clues, just like a GA writer. And yes, her plots are so outrageous, but so carefully planned you just have to enjoy. Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-10826619472393556602017-04-19T18:25:49.723+01:002017-04-19T18:25:49.723+01:00You've already seen my comment on Kate's b...You've already seen my comment on Kate's blog about this book, but had to stop by and mention that I think this is one of the best contemporary detective novels I've read in recent years. A genuine detective novel, too. Very hard to find them these days. Hard to believe it didn't win an award, because it's rather brilliantly executed. Superbly done on so many levels from the weird neo-Gothic mood that pervades the story, the atmospheric use of Scottish legends, and especially the conceit of a registrar of births and deaths turning amateur detective. That main motif is just so obvious I wonder why no one else has thought to use the job as a springboard for a crime plot. And her plot! While it borders on the preposterous it's so well done that I believed everything including the nearly absurd motive. I gasped when I realized the identity of the villain about two chapters prior to the reveal. She has some very clever methods of planting clues. Traditional mystery fans would enjoy her books a lot. I wonder if she would ever dare to write a mystery from the male point of view. She might just be able to pull it off.<br /><br />Also, just about finished with my first Dandy Gilver book -- THE REEK OF RED HERRINGS - and it reminds me of Gladys Mitchell at her wackiest and the macabre side of Jonathan Stagge (aka "Patrick Quentin" aka Webb & Wheeler). I love it! Another amazingly intricate plot and all the business with Scottish teenames is alternately fascinating and dizzying.J F Norrishttp://prettysinister.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-59602730868172691342017-02-25T21:03:13.745+00:002017-02-25T21:03:13.745+00:00I'm sure you'd like this one Tracy, I keep...I'm sure you'd like this one Tracy, I keep thinking about it since I read it.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-54891234628349314342017-02-25T21:02:40.871+00:002017-02-25T21:02:40.871+00:00Such a good writer! If they weren't crime and ...Such a good writer! If they weren't crime and seen as 'genre' I think she'd be accepted for the great literary stylist she actually is.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-88575112406395213002017-02-25T20:44:57.270+00:002017-02-25T20:44:57.270+00:00I will have to try this one. I am way behind in re...I will have to try this one. I am way behind in reading McPherson's books.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-78572072726209679672017-02-25T15:10:38.437+00:002017-02-25T15:10:38.437+00:00Yay! Another Catriona McPherson fan - I'm tryi...Yay! Another Catriona McPherson fan - I'm trying to persuade everyone to read them; she's great at "average Scottish people", or probably " average people" really! I must look at your feature on The Day She Died, which I reviewed ages ago. She's a huge talent and I hope everyone else realises it soon! (I love Dandy too!)crimeworm.wordpress.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02297857551339384804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-72562846036293815912017-02-12T19:43:00.290+00:002017-02-12T19:43:00.290+00:00Fascinating theory. Once, playing some kind of boa...Fascinating theory. Once, playing some kind of board game, I reckoned that the men in our group were a lot better tat spelling things backwards than the women. Can't think what to make of that!<br />McPherson's bit about the men dressing the child had me looking out a picture of my daughter as dressed by her father to come into hospital to bring home me & our second child. She had the most mismatched outfit of all time, it makes me smile to think of it still. Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-65520262545565562012017-02-11T19:42:36.843+00:002017-02-11T19:42:36.843+00:00The book sounds terribly interesting, and it goes ...The book sounds terribly interesting, and it goes without saying that it goes on 'The List' (sigh...) The little observations and asides are splendid. The stuff about dressing badly is very good. I know that in my local town there used to be people who looked as though they dressed in the dark, and clearly had no idea what they looked like to other people. Nowadays you can buy everything off the rack for very little money, and as a result everyone looks very similar. Only the well-off have the time and money to dress really badly.<br /><br />The bit about dressing toddlers is another winner, and made me wonder about what men can do better than women. Certainly I've noticed in my own life that whilst my wife is very good at practical things, I am better at breaking down a problem into its composite parts and finding a solution. That ability to see something as a collection of smaller pieces seems to be a more masculine talent (although I could be completely wrong!)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-86906230925907476342017-02-11T16:16:39.235+00:002017-02-11T16:16:39.235+00:00I can't apologize - it really is good!I can't apologize - it really is good!Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-27974774777512429572017-02-11T04:32:56.614+00:002017-02-11T04:32:56.614+00:00Damn. One more book for the stack!Damn. One more book for the stack!carrpshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16726596939143045758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-56486528217382160322017-02-10T22:00:42.707+00:002017-02-10T22:00:42.707+00:00Yes, sorry, but I think you will love it. Intellig...Yes, sorry, but I think you will love it. Intelligent, well-written and very tense... just what we need.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-38155436396011978432017-02-10T22:00:04.323+00:002017-02-10T22:00:04.323+00:00Go for it! Honestly, great book, guaranteed good r...Go for it! Honestly, great book, guaranteed good read.Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-46261723393317056782017-02-10T21:59:46.746+00:002017-02-10T21:59:46.746+00:00Glad you liked it! But of course, Gloria had such ...Glad you liked it! But of course, Gloria had such interesting clothes comments...Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-2912250181885564352017-02-10T21:59:13.766+00:002017-02-10T21:59:13.766+00:00I really enjoyed this, it kept me breathless!I really enjoyed this, it kept me breathless!Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-87557106405904282322017-02-10T16:37:57.141+00:002017-02-10T16:37:57.141+00:00Ooh, this does sound good. You have tempted me, Mo...Ooh, this does sound good. You have tempted me, Moira! Again!Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16510409974009816550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-35926063798974900472017-02-10T16:22:52.333+00:002017-02-10T16:22:52.333+00:00This looks fabulous...going to look for a copy now...This looks fabulous...going to look for a copy now!Sara O'Learyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12072523590967285445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-11332411854075626202017-02-10T15:58:25.243+00:002017-02-10T15:58:25.243+00:00Moira, I'm tickled pink to have Gloria feature...Moira, I'm tickled pink to have Gloria featured in CiB! I never thought one of my contemporary novels would get here. Thank you. catrionahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07377696246539539528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129427507761315524.post-63964000590571024412017-02-10T12:19:55.151+00:002017-02-10T12:19:55.151+00:00Oh, now that's really interesting, Moira, incl...Oh, now that's really interesting, Moira, including the Stevenson in with the story. Somehow that makes it all the more interesting. And the premise is intriguing, too. This sounds terrific, and I can see why you liked it so well. And that scene in the changing room....just really works.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com