Golden Age of Detective Fiction

Not that many books haven’t stacked up so far in 2023, but, of course there are always a few that just don’t jive with me for whatever reason. Today, I’ll reflect on the books I didn’t like.

Agatha Raisin sells her business, moves to the country, and attempts to fit into village life by entering the annual quiche competition with a store-bought quiche. When her neighbor is poisoned after eating a slice of her quiche- she must clear her name.

Agatha Raisin is a terrible person- which could make her a funny protagonist, like in Arrested Development or Archer, but she isn’t. She also isn’t an good amateur sleuth; she barely does any detecting or any investigating. If Agatha wasn’t kidnapped by the murderer, I’m not sure she would have bothered to put forth enough energy to solve who poisoned her neighbor.

The mystery, devoid of any real attention in the book, was incredibly weak- with too few suspects and a lack of motives. I was excited about the long-running series, but it’s not for me. You can read my review here.

Ralph Leslie, broke and waiting for his new medical post to start in the fall, joins the crew of the Ella as a steward for the wealthy Turner family for the summer. Tensions simmer between the family, and the crew struggles to satisfy their drunk and demanding owner, but things turn deadly when in the middle of the night, three people are hacked to death with an ax- including the captain. Weeks away from shore, Leslie must investigate the crimes before they all end up dead.

The premise is good, even if the set up is sparse and contrived, but Ralph Leslie is not a hero. He has a knack for angering people at every turn; he is racist, sexist, and often a complete idiot. The main character aside, the book has no clues to help the reader solve the mystery. My review here.

Death and Croissants is Ian Moore’s debut novel, and it’s terrible. It’s the only book this year that is in my DNF pile. A man might have been murdered in a bed and breakfast, and when the owner teams up with one of his other guests to investigate….things happen? There’s an angry twin, a rival bed and breakfast that caters to nudists, and a chicken is murdered. None of the characters do anything that makes any sense, and I can’t believe two more books are planned for this series. My review.

What books have been a disappointment to you so far this year? Let’s discuss all our “bad books” in the comments below.