All of my regular readers, i.e., me, know that I don't care for mysteries. They irritate me with their formulaic formulaity. I recently got suckered into reading a book that I didn't not immediately sniff out as a mystery and now find myself irritated with it, myself, and the author.
What is most irritating to the bookcharmer? The sudden, late entry introduction of character who it turns out to be is responsible for dang near everything, Colonel Mustard in the parlor with a candlestick and so forth.
The book in question that has so aggravated the 'charmer is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Good beginning, good writing, interesting main character, then bam! Mysterious character springs forth from author's head without proper introduction to hijack the plot. Whatever. I skimmed to the end. If this is such a meaningful and powerful character, why is she left to lurk in the shadows of the plot? When I have attempted to read mysteries, I have always been disappointed in the author's lack of truly developing their dastardly characters, leaving the proof to suddenly appear near the end then close the book. Again, I swear off mysteries. Begone, I say!
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