tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post3119144827729339212..comments2024-01-06T05:28:46.111-05:00Comments on Matt Paust's Crime Time : INTRUDER IN THE DARK – George BellairsMathew Pausthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-39981716733272117822018-09-20T20:38:59.674-04:002018-09-20T20:38:59.674-04:00Well, he was a banker. Thanks for the recommendati...Well, he <i>was</i> a banker. Thanks for the recommendation,John. I wasn't planning on reading any others, but now I shall check out <i>The Dead Shall Be Raised</i>.Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-81361813940141005912018-09-20T18:11:01.677-04:002018-09-20T18:11:01.677-04:00I've read five of his books. The more I read t...I've read five of his books. The more I read the more I realized he was only creating characters to indulge in his love of mockery and ridicule. You certainly picked up on it in this very late entry (not actually from his midpoint career at all, but #44 out of #58). I really only liked THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED (1942). It was a real detective novel with a plot that was baffling and engaging. It's a wartime mystery and it dares to break free from the "rules" and detective novel conventions that make it a standout for Bellairs. I pretty much disliked everything else I've read of his. The plots suffer for cliche ideas and trite situations. Some writers succeed in making this kind of ridicule humor entertaining, but with others I see the nastiness hiding beneath the so-called humor. With Bellairs so many people in his books are beneath contempt for him that I began to think he must've been a miserable guy in real life.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-60333816471780351512018-09-20T17:52:15.210-04:002018-09-20T17:52:15.210-04:00The book was published in 1966. "Fruity"...The book was published in 1966. "Fruity" was definitely intended to be a gay insult.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-69189139627140574112018-09-18T16:46:18.941-04:002018-09-18T16:46:18.941-04:00His supporting characters are fun to hate, Tracy. ...His supporting characters are fun to hate, Tracy. The mystery was guessable, but the story held my interest. Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-28052136223978712472018-09-18T15:47:18.632-04:002018-09-18T15:47:18.632-04:00These are all interesting comments on the Bellairs...These are all interesting comments on the Bellairs books. I have not read any but I am hoping to get some soon. It does seem like mysteries written at that time often focused less on the sleuths and more on the other characters. TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-23194039332468211802018-09-15T10:49:13.640-04:002018-09-15T10:49:13.640-04:00I've been wondering about that, too, Todd, alt...I've been wondering about that, too, Todd, altho I'm going to hafta Google <i>plummy</i>.Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-86678144612838592392018-09-15T06:13:19.929-04:002018-09-15T06:13:19.929-04:00I wonder if a "fruity" voice at this jun...I wonder if a "fruity" voice at this juncture was akin to a "plummy" voice rather than an effeminate one...but this is probably too much to hope for...Todd Masonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01815516018079824802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-79659563691862879912018-09-14T14:42:41.436-04:002018-09-14T14:42:41.436-04:00I have The Case of the Seven Whistlers in the batt...I have The Case of the Seven Whistlers in the batting lineup, Yvette. For next week I'm reading <i>Detective Inspector Huss</i> by Helene Tursten, a Swedish writer recommended by either you or Tracy. I'm finding it a tad slow-going, and it's about twice as long as most cozies, but I'll finish it. Mathew Pausthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06157135006791553019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7547065615486762917.post-32292003843133006422018-09-14T11:59:50.526-04:002018-09-14T11:59:50.526-04:00Littlejohn's first name is Thomas. :) And you&...Littlejohn's first name is Thomas. :) And you're right, Bellairs didn't spend a great deal of time giving us much about him. We know he's happily married and his wife's name, I think, is something like Etty. Littlejohn is very fond of Cromwell and they work well together. But they are neither of them vivid in their personalities. But that's okay with me because everyone else in these mystery tales is vivid enough. So glad you gave Bellairs a try, Mathew. I'm currently reading CRIME IN LEPER'S HOLLOW - another Littlejohn - and it is SO good. Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.com