Tour De Force

Rating:
Summary: Tour De Force is a Treat
Review: A well-plotted, clever, fun tale of a British tour group's visit to an island near Italy but governed by Spain. One of the tourists is murdered, naturally. The local police just want to arrest *someone*; they can always arrange to hire some "witnesses" later. So Inspector Cockrill's vacation turns into a busman's holiday and he investigates, after informing the local officers "Me--Scotalanda Yard!". Lots and lots of clues, and plenty of red herrings. I correctly guessed the solution, but Brand almost convinced me I was wrong. I was impressed by the non-judgmental depiction of a gay character, pretty progressive considering that the book was first published in 1955. A witty book, and (hooray) one of several Brands currently in print.

Rating:
Summary: Mystery in the Mediterranean
Review: Inspector Cockrill goes abroad for the first time on a conducted tour of Italy. His companions on the holiday are a very mixed bunch, a famous novelist, an embittered former concert pianist who lost his right arm in an accident, accompanied by his long-suffering wife, a flamboyant fashion designer, a prim spinster and a quiet and apparently innocuous young woman, Vanda Lane. When the group is staying on a small meditteranean island, one of the party is murdered, and it falls to Inspector Cockrill to find out who, the local police being worse than useless. I cannot help agreeing with a previous reviewer who says that this is no Agatha Christie. Although the story is quite clever and the characters not without interest, I couldn't help thinking as I was reading it how much more amusing it would have been had Christie written it. The women in particular are all sad, desperate and lovesick, there are none of the strong female characters Christie enjoyed creating, no eager, adventurous young girls or good-humoured, independent spinsters. And Poirot would have enjoyed himself on the holiday much more than Cockrill. And the denoument is just too far-fetched to be believable, even Christie might have had trouble pulling it off.

Rating:
Summary: Agatha Christie...it's not
Review: Ms. Brand attempts to write an Agatha Christie mystery but she can't plot like the master so we are left with a very disappointing effort.

Rating:
Summary: Great fun!
Review: This book was really a lot of fun. It's a classic whodunit with plenty of clues as well as some red herrings so that you can really try to figure it out for yourself. Well written as well.

Rating:
Summary: Great fun!
Review: This book was really a lot of fun. It's a classic whodunit with plenty of clues as well as some red herrings so that you can really try to figure it out for yourself. Well written as well.