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dabbe
The Boscombe Valley Mystery | Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir
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Librarybelle I again had my suspicions about the conclusion, which I normally cannot figure out the guilty party until the reveal. I thought Conan Doyle is really getting into the storytelling groove - as we progress, the stories are a bit more polished, a bit easier to read. Or, maybe I am just getting used to Conan Doyle‘s writing style at this point. 2w
CatLass007 I think I‘m enjoying the short stories more than the novels. But that could be because Conan Doyle is hitting his stride with the character. 2w
IndoorDame I actually knew who the villain would be this time which never happens! though I totally didn‘t work out the details of why ahead of time. Not sure if that means I‘ve read this one before and don‘t remember it, or if the setup is just a bit obvious 🤔 I‘m leaning towards the latter. 2w
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dabbe @Librarybelle I think you hit the combo and that both apply because I also feel the same way! These Victorian writers can be long-winded, can't they? 🤩😂😃 2w
dabbe @CatLass007 It'll be interesting when we read the other two novels down the road if he polishes them up better than his first two. 2w
dabbe @IndoorDame There definitely was something “off“ with the elder McCarthy character. Who argues with their son when they just come home? I definitely smelled a red herring over that! 🤩😃😂 2w
CatLass007 It will be very interesting. 2w
kelli7990 I like the short stories better than the novels. 2w
CogsOfEncouragement I was amused when Mary says W is always interested in SH's cases & he replies: I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained thru one of them. 😍 At the scene, W says SH gathered up what seemed to be dust. I thought this was ash SH would identify from cigar, etc & was happy to see I was right. Ballarat was a clever word to have Turner misunderstand. The culprit is - “Mr. John Turner,“ cried the hotel waiter... was very funny to me. 2w
dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement That was a cute thing W said to Mary! And good thing Holmes is a virtuoso when it comes to tobacco ash! 😂 2w
BeeCurious Just a general comment that I think this is my fav story so far. Perhaps Doyle has hit his writing stride or maybe my impatient mind just likes the short stories better. 2w
dabbe @BeeCurious There are quite a few gems in the Adventures! 🤩 2w
42 likes13 comments
blurb
dabbe
The Boscombe Valley Mystery | Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir
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Librarybelle Anyone who reads British mysteries or has watched Midsomer Murders knows how dangerous the countryside can be! 😂 It‘s almost deceiving how the peaceful countryside can be deadly and hold secrets. 2w
CatLass007 People are people no matter where they live. I‘ve lived in urban, suburban, and rural areas and I‘ve discovered that kind, friendly people live in New York and that rude, inconsiderate people live in East Tennessee. 2w
IndoorDame I didn‘t really think about it until you asked, but the setup of the adjoining estate and farm is the perfect example of appearance obfuscating reality. It‘s not until the very end that you can pick apart what‘s really going on there. 2w
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dabbe @Librarybelle Especially because one is so isolated! You can yell your head off in the country if someone is attacking you, but no one will probably hear you! Yet in the city people might hear but do nothing because it's not their business. 2w
dabbe @CatLass007 Very true. I wonder where a killer would rather kill--the country or city? 🤔 2w
dabbe @IndoorDame Right? People “assumed“ Turner and McCarthy were friends based on their association in Australia, yet nothing could be further from the truth. 2w
Read4life I enjoyed their story outside of London. I think the different locale added to the more polished feel of this one. 2w
dabbe @Read4life It makes it more of a real quest, doesn't it? And with the train racing to their destination, it adds to the suspense. 2w
kelli7990 I liked that this story was set in Australia. 2w
CogsOfEncouragement I don't think there is a fundamental difference in the morals of city people and country people. Human nature is human nature. Evil can be found anywhere. 2w
dabbe @kelli7990 We've now had the western US, India, and Australia! 🤩 2w
dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement I agree. I do think the country setting could be scarier and lonelier perhaps, but people are people wherever they are. 2w
39 likes12 comments
blurb
dabbe
The Boscombe Valley Mystery | Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir
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Librarybelle I was a little surprised over Holmes‘ response to the confession. I had not thought of this response in conjunction with his response to Identity…I must not be a very detailed reader! But, this response seems almost more sympathetic than his response in Identity. I didn‘t get the full patronizing feel from this one like I did with the Identity conclusion. 2w
CatLass007 I guess it means Holmes has a philosophy of “Let the punishment fit the crime.” I also think it means that Holmes isn‘t a completely cold-hearted bastard. 2w
IndoorDame I definitely saw a similarity in the “protecting the delicate sensibilities of women” sense. I also see that Holmes clearly thinks he‘s more fit than the justice system to judge people and dispense sentences 😂. I wondered in this one though… the happily ever aspect is sweet, but will the courts really just drop such a public case because James was acquitted or will someone else pay for what Turner did? And does Holmes care about that? 2w
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dabbe @Librarybelle @CatLass007 @IndoorDame ... I guess when you're the world's only private consulting detective, you can pass judgment however you'd like. Watson never tells us, though, why the police didn't keep looking for a murderer after acquitting McCarthy. This one didn't have the resolution sewed up so tightly as the others. And wouldn't McCarthy want to also know who killed his father? Even if he was a jerk? 2w
Read4life @dabbe And not just McCarthy wanting to know who killed his father. Wouldn‘t others in the area want to know if a killer walks amongst them? 2w
dabbe @Read4life You'd think that, wouldn't you? It's also hard for me to believe that Lestrade would just let McCarthy go without having someone (usually the wrong person when the police are involved) to take his place in jail. Doesn't somebody have to pay? 2w
kelli7990 I didn‘t notice any similarities but maybe it‘s because I‘m not a detailed reader. 2w
CogsOfEncouragement I took it that Holmes agreed that McCarthy got what he deserved. He wasn't concerned with some sort of justice for him. When Holmes says it is interesting that McCarthy had the Hatherley Farm rent free, I think Holmes suspected there to be a reason other than a gesture of friendship - such as blackmail. When he hears McCarthy wanted the marriage of the children and Turner didn't, he asks - Do you not deduce something from that? 2w
dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement There are quite a few stories where Holmes does not feel beholden to necessarily tell the police anything. And since Turner was dying anyway, Holmes thinks he's been punished enough. 2w
CogsOfEncouragement @dabbe I'll keep that in mind as we read on. In A Case of Identity there were a number of reasons SH doesn't tell Mary, or try to help get the stepfather prosecuted for something that would be considered against the law at the time. In this one there is more than just Turner dying soon. For example, McCarthy was no innocent, Turner's daughter is innocent and loves her father, and young McCarthy does not take after his father. 2w
dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement Young McCarthy's no innocent either, having married a barmaid that he didn't love. I think Holmes even describes him as not being the brightest bulb. Still, like you said, he's nowhere near as bad as his father, and he does love Alice. The two young ones shouldn't have to pay the price for their fathers' mistakes. 2w
36 likes11 comments
blurb
dabbe
The Boscombe Valley Mystery | Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir
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Librarybelle I honestly didn‘t read into anything wrong with the marriage. I‘m not married nor have a significant other, so I cannot speak from personal experience, but she knows hanging with Holmes makes Watson happy, plus it gives her some quiet time. As for his dress, I just accepted that comment as Holmes‘ snobbishness. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w
CatLass007 It never crossed my mind that the Watsons had marital problems. It‘s something to consider. 2w
IndoorDame 🤣🤣🤣 That comment jumped out at me for a totally different reason. This is the first place I‘ve noticed Doyle using formulaic writing. But he tends to interject a Holmes deduction about something unrelated to the case early on like that. And it becomes a staple of both Sherlock‘s personality and the whole genre. 2w
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dabbe @IndoorDame Excellent word choice with “staple.“ We do come to expect Holmes showing us his incredible power of deduction right at the very beginning, don't we? 2w
dabbe @CatLass007 Mary is quite accommodating in letting Watson jet around with Holmes. She needs to pay attention more to how he looks, though! 🤩😍😃 2w
dabbe @Librarybelle To not notice how your husband looks early in a marriage may not be a good thing or it may not be anything. I know my husband has (on a few occasions) questioned me as to why I let him go out the door with, say, wrinkled pants. My answer usually is: “25+ years of marriage, that's why.“ 😂🤩😍 2w
kelli7990 I don‘t have a husband or a boyfriend so I don‘t know but I didn‘t think about the Watsons having marriage problems. 2w
CogsOfEncouragement I saw it as a very loving, selfless move on Mary's part to encourage Watson to go. She knows how much he enjoys being a part of the cases. Why would she stop him from doing something he loves? They want each other happy. I took the bad shaving as an entertaining way for Sherlock to be observant and make an alarmingly accurate deduction. I don't think we need blame Mary or think Doyle meant to. 2w
dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement She is quite an amazing woman! 🤩 2w
BeeCurious I just thought Mary realized Watson needed a change of scenery but otherwise didn't read any troublesome motivators into the equation. 2w
dabbe @BeeCurious She also probably knows by now how much Watson loves to be involved with Holmes's cases, including her own! 🤩 2w
Aimeesue @dabbe Wrinkled pants! 🤣 I mean, men can use mirrors, can‘t they? But honestly, having married a military man myself, I have to say that the military drills that in to a person - attention to detail, starting with personal appearance. Watson‘s slipping! 2w
dabbe @Aimeesue my 1st husband and high school sweetheart (gasp) was in the Navy. He insisted that I always fold his t-shirts military style. When done, you could stack them like the folds of an accordion! 😂 2w
30 likes13 comments
blurb
dabbe
The Red-Headed League | Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir
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Librarybelle I liked this one, maybe as much as the short story from last week. I read it in one sitting. 4w
Read4life I liked this one, too. I remember reading this for the first time at 10 or 11 and being so proud of myself for figuring it out early. ☺️ 4w
5feet.of.fury Very enjoyable! 4w
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IndoorDame Bizarre, but super fun! 4w
Daisey I really like this one. It‘s kind of random but fun. 4w
BeeCurious This is my favorite story so far. It wasn't overly complicated or violent and I thought the initial mystery was so bizarre that I found it amusing. Well, Mr. Wilson seemed rather naive. 4w
dabbe @Librarybelle Me, too! During happy hour, of course! 🍸 4w
TheAromaofBooks I am really enjoying these short stories!! I think this is a format that works well for Sherlock - keeps things concise! 4w
dabbe @Read4life 🤩🤩🤩 4w
dabbe @5feet.of.fury Agreed! 🤩🤩🤩 4w
dabbe @IndoorDame 🤩🤩🤩 4w
dabbe @Daisey It was a bit out there! I'd love to earn $ just for copying out of the encylopedia! 🤩 4w
dabbe @BeeCurious Just a wee bit! 😂🤩😃 4w
Aimeesue They‘re a very enjoyable part of my week, as Stephen Fry is very kindly reading them to me! He‘s so good with the voices. 4w
CogsOfEncouragement I enjoyed this one. It seems an ironic truth that people as cheap as Mr. Wilson (paying someone only half wages) have no trouble believing that someone would want to pay them a lot of money to do nothing of value. lol 4w
dabbe @Aimeesue Yay! 🤩😍😃 4w
dabbe @CogsOfEncouragement Excellent point! He kind of was a buffoon all around. I loved when Holmes and Watson laughed at him, and Holmes even said that he didn't lose much because at least he gained some knowledge! 🤩😂😍 4w
dabbe @TheAromaofBooks I bet Conan Doyle quickly realized it, too, since these stories are when the whole Holmes phenomenon really took off! 😍 4w
kelli7990 I enjoyed this one as much as the last story. I finished it in one sitting. 4w
eeclayton I enjoyed it, too. I found the RHL ruse much more amusing than the actual mystery. 4w
Cuilin I loved this one, it was simple and clean cut. 4w
Cuilin @Aimeesue I could listen to Stephen Fry read a telephone book!!! 4w
Cuilin @TheAromaofBooks agree, I love the laconic compact style. 4w
Cuilin @BeeCurious sometimes you need a simple solvable mystery. This one was great. 4w
CatLass007 @Aimeesue @Cuilin Stephen Fry‘s narration is priceless. I also like his introductions. 4w
CatLass007 The thing I like the least about this story and Conan Doyle‘s writing in general is that he doesn‘t want the reader to try to solve the mysteries so he withholds information. I don‘t usually try to solve things myself but I know others enjoy doing so. (edited) 4w
Cuilin @CatLass007 I think he gave us enough clues to know about a tunnel being dug to a bank. Everything else was all in Sherlock‘s head, which is not shared with the reader. Perhaps to cultivate the image of Sherlock‘s super intelligence. 4w
dabbe @kelli7990 Me, too! 🤩 4w
dabbe @eeclayton Jabez Wilson was quite the hoot! 😂 4w
dabbe @CatLass007 Agatha Christie was a maestro at this as well. Some love it, and some hate it. When you reread it, the clues jump out at you, but the first time around??? For me, anyway, I was like “Huh?“ 😂 4w
dabbe @Cuilin I guess that's why he's the detective hero and we sit on our couches, clueless. 🤩😂😍 4w
CatLass007 @Cuilin I think you‘re right about being given enough clues to figure out about tunneling into a bank vault. But if we don‘t know everything the detective knows we don‘t know the whole picture. @dabbe (edited) 4w
dabbe @CatLass007 So true. I can't imagine how tough it would be to write a detective story. You want the reader hanging on until the end, so you don't want to make it too easy to solve. But then you don't want it to be impossible either. #catch22 4w
CatLass007 @dabbe Exactly! 4w
46 likes34 comments
blurb
dabbe
The Red-Headed League | Arthur Conan Doyle, Sir
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Librarybelle A league of red-headed men was a little out of my scope! Also, the fact that the letter stated a gentleman from Lebanon, Pennsylvania recently died - I live not far away from Lebanon. Bizarre for me that a town in PA would show up in a Holmes story! 4w
Read4life Copying the Encyclopedia? Just need red hair not legible penmanship? 4w
IndoorDame The idea of that many people answering a sketchy add or conversely, of them supplying huge numbers of actors to make con seem legit on day 1 both seemed a bit absurd to me, but the story doesn‘t work unless you go with the flow 😁😆 4w
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Aimeesue Copying the encyclopedia cracked me up. As did Sherlock saying that at least he got an education about topics starting with "A" ? 4w
dabbe @Librarybelle Now that would be a fun research project: how many people jump in on bizarre schemes? Probably quite a few, now that I think about it. All of the quick-rich schemes that are out there, right? 😂 4w
dabbe @Read4life And we'll pay you the equivalent of $655 a week (our $ now), but you have to buy your own paper and pens? 🤩😂😃 4w
dabbe @IndoorDame You hit on the words I'd tell my students over and over again: How much does one have to suspend his/her/their disbelief in order for the story to work? Sometimes the only point is to “go with the flow“ and enjoy it, right? 🤩 4w
dabbe @Aimeesue That part reminded me of Joey on FRIENDS only being able to buy the “V“ encyclopedia, then sharing his knowledge with his “friends“ until they brought up the Korean War, of which he knew nothing! 😂 4w
kelli7990 No. I didn‘t notice anything. I just went with the flow and enjoyed the story. 4w
Cuilin This was probably the only story I could predict some of the ending. The knees, the bank and the clue of being out of the way. But how Holmes knew about the timing I missed. 4w
Read4life @dabbe Exactly! 🤦🏼‍♀️ 4w
dabbe @kelli7990 That's what make SH so great! 🤩 4w
dabbe @Cuilin You're better than me. The 2nd time I read it (years ago), I was like “Doh, stupid me!“ RE: timing: maybe Sherlock thought Saturday as the day because that would give more time for the robbers to escape before Monday. 🤷‍♀️ 4w
42 likes13 comments
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Jeansandatshirt
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Best investment I‘ve made as a teacher (besides having my own classroom library). Very practical, excellent results! 7th graders (given the chance) are brilliant, kind, and we should really consult them on matters of education! #teacherlife #nonfiction

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rrkreads
Untitled | Unknown
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Join me at the Eternal Seekers book club on Bookclubz app and let's have fun read-along and discussions on exciting books.

#bookclub #BookReview #discussion #readalong

https://bookclubz.com/clubs/24685/join/6a49ee/

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Bookwormjillk
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I took a break from reading tonight to watch this, and now I‘m not sure I‘ll get to sleep. I‘ve seen this movie multiple times, but it still freaks me out. #teamslaughter

KT1432 This was a creepy one! 4y
37 likes1 comment
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revellbooks
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Just a piece of Irene Hannon on our shelf. So prolific! Who is your favorite prolific author?

#irenehannon #hopeharbor #favoriteauthor #discussion