Death Is Now My Neighbour
2 journalers for this copy...
Amazon.com Review:
"The latest novel in the series presents few surprises for the seasoned Morse fan. However, any newcomers to the genre should start elsewhere as this novel at times assumes too much knowledge, filled as it is with in-jokes and references to character traits that have been carefully developed over many years.
Again we find ourselves in the familiar surroundings of north Oxford where suburban death is interwoven with college life - Lonsdale College, where the election of a new master is to take place. The two leading candidates are swiftly smothered with motive and opportunity, as are their spouses and as one would expect.
Lewis plays his customary role as the straight man, Strange yearns for retirement and Morse seems to be going through the motions. In fact, as the story charts its usual elliptical course to the not altogether surprising conclusion, it increasingly appears that Colin Dexter is turning the handle in a rather too predictable manner. The sexual innuendo seems inappropriate and heavy-handed, the text appears more liberally littered with words more accustomed to the Observer crossword and the attention paid to brand names (often real ales) I see as a sign of laziness in an author. In addition, the not so secret twist in the tail and the demise of Morse's health in the story's progression hints that this series may be running its course.
Nonetheless, it still provides the loyal reader with an enjoyable few hours, re-visiting familiar Oxford sights and hostelries, while the characterisation is certainly more multi-textured than many best-selling novelists tend to produce."
"The latest novel in the series presents few surprises for the seasoned Morse fan. However, any newcomers to the genre should start elsewhere as this novel at times assumes too much knowledge, filled as it is with in-jokes and references to character traits that have been carefully developed over many years.
Again we find ourselves in the familiar surroundings of north Oxford where suburban death is interwoven with college life - Lonsdale College, where the election of a new master is to take place. The two leading candidates are swiftly smothered with motive and opportunity, as are their spouses and as one would expect.
Lewis plays his customary role as the straight man, Strange yearns for retirement and Morse seems to be going through the motions. In fact, as the story charts its usual elliptical course to the not altogether surprising conclusion, it increasingly appears that Colin Dexter is turning the handle in a rather too predictable manner. The sexual innuendo seems inappropriate and heavy-handed, the text appears more liberally littered with words more accustomed to the Observer crossword and the attention paid to brand names (often real ales) I see as a sign of laziness in an author. In addition, the not so secret twist in the tail and the demise of Morse's health in the story's progression hints that this series may be running its course.
Nonetheless, it still provides the loyal reader with an enjoyable few hours, re-visiting familiar Oxford sights and hostelries, while the characterisation is certainly more multi-textured than many best-selling novelists tend to produce."
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Given to KEMS.
Given to KEMS.
Davros-10 kindly released this book to me because he knows how much I have recently enjoyed some other Colin Dexter novels.
