93.
Author: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Title: The Valley of Fear
publication: paperback
Pages:
Genre: mystery
Acquisition: work text
Date: December 5, 2011
Rating: ***1/2

The Valley of Fear is published by Conan Doyle in 1914. Feeling shackled by the character for which he is best known, Conan Doyle's writing of the famous eccentric shows his narrative burden; Holmes himself is literally absent for over half of the book, as Part II explores the background of a particular character from Part I. This shift in genre is not entirely successful, as it does not seem to manage the expectations of the established audience; however, both narratives are enjoyable when read as separate bodies of work, and I would argue that they would be most successfully read as such.

92.
Author: Lorna Barrett
Title: [Sentenced to Death]
publication: Kindle
Pages:
Genre: cozy mystery
Acquisition: Necessary baby-feeding ebook
Date: December 5, 2011
Rating: ***1/2

I have apparently missed a book or two in my reading of this series, but my understanding was not hindered by the oversight.

My reading of Sentenced to Death is mixed. I appreciate Barrett's acknowledgement of the difficulties all cozy authors must face: most importantly, how librarians/booksellers/bakers/candlestick makers keep coming across bodies in an otherwise "perfectly safe" environment. Barrett's characters readily recognize the growing crime rate in their community, and proper concern is mixed. This seems to be a flag for the end of the series, as the murder rate will soon outgrow the constraints of a small tourist town.

What I found most difficult about the novel is the murder itself; while Barrett eventually justifies such an outlandish act, the details of the murder are still so extraordinary that it's dificult to believe the murderer could even get it right.

This is one for fans of the series, but probably not one worth picking up for readers not already invested in Tricia and her community.

28. Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. The Hound of the Baskervilles. 243 pages. 3.22.09.

The Hound of the Baskervilles was my first expedition into the world of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes, and I greatly enjoyed the experience. As I have no means of comparison, I am not sure whether the style of the novel is consistent or singular in terms of Sherlock Holmes novels and stories, but I was delighted by the narration provided by Dr. Watson. As a narrator, he was faithful and consistent, and Doyle skillfully manipulates the character to both gain the reader's confidence and sense of security, while keeping many important facts close to his chest. Holmes, on the other hand, was detestable. From his very first introduction I felt repulsed by the character. For that reason, I am glad that the narrator was Watson and not the infamous detective himself. In the end, he played a relatively minor role, and the novel itself is very enjoyable.