Improving storyline but still over connived! Stolen stamp & corpse! murder mystery reading group, whatever!!!!! ( )

A good entry in this series, complete with eccentric English mystery story afficionados, improbable coincidences and even a locked room mystery! I did wonder why one character was so underplayed, and my suspicions were rewarded at the end. ( )

This book shows Peter Lovesey at his magnificent best, and he manages to combine a gripping murder story with an analysis of the different genres of crime fiction.

As the novel opens, Lovesey's permanently irascible Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond has just arrested a bank clerk who has just confessed to the murder of his branch manager, so he is feeling pretty smug. Meanwhile Shirley-Ann Miller decides to go along to a meeting of the Bloodhounds, a group of keen readers who meet weekly to discuss crime fiction. There are only six other members, but it soon appears that they have wide-ranging and passionate ideas about what constitutes the ideal crime novel. Some favour gritty, modern realism while others prefer the traditional whodunnit, and particularly the ‘locked room’ mystery. One member is obsessed with Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose" (understandable within certain parameters), to the exclusion of every other crime novel that has ever been written. Lovesey uses the differing opinions of the Bloodhounds to illustrate the contrasting genres of crime fiction which he does in an informative but also immensely entertaining way.

The population of Bath is suddenly captivated by a series of riddles sent to the local radio station, threatening a major crime. In true crime fiction form, the local police (diamond included) are baffled as to what this might mean, until a after a daring raid, the world’s most expensive stamp, which had been on loan to one of the city’s museums, is stolen.

The mystery thickens when one of the Bloodhounds finds himself inexplicably in possession of the missing stamp, just a couple of days after its theft. This is merely the start of a series of events that will end in the murder of two of the members and the investigation of the rest. Lovesey weaves his own intricate "Locked room" mystery, and embeds it soundly within a robust police procedural, and adds further grist to the Diamond canon.

Most enjoyable ( )

A good mystery. Very satisfying. Good group of characters. It will take me awhile to track down all the authors and titles that were brought to my attention by the Bloodhounds book group. I love books that send me off on a hunt for others! ( )

I'm getting crazy, reading books *out of sequence*......

This is 4th in a series, but stands alone fairly well. May read more, will certainly recommend the author to some of our mystery fans.
Especially this title. We need to creat a Bloodhounds group! ( )