Sunday, November 6, 2016

Reviews: Far From You, and Death in Ecstasy

Wow, this has been a crazy week! Between Halloween and parent-teacher conferences, I've been so tired--but we had a three day weekend, which was fantastic and much needed. I went and saw "The Girl on the Train" with one of my best friends, and we both really enjoyed it. Yesterday I babysat for a former student, and today I cooked for the week (and read of course!).

I also finished two books--Far From You, and Death in Ecstasy!


In my opinion, this is how you do a young adult mystery. 

The narrator feels real, a teenage girl who is flawed and thus so very human, fighting for strength and answers, a character I was rooting for from the very first pages.

The mystery was gripping, and the twists and turns really surprising. I didn't call them at all, which is always fun.

I also really liked the way Sharpe played with the concept of romance. It didn't feel like a cliche, and perfectly complemented the mystery and the narrator's personal growth.

If you've been looking for a good young adult mystery to read, I would definitely recommend this book.


Ngaio Marsh is one of my favorite mystery writers, and Death in Ecstasy contained so many of the reasons why I love her work. 

Nigel Bathgate and Inspector Alleyn are a great take on the classic Holmes and Watson trope. The supporting characters, especially Fox and Bailey, bring humor and a warm sense of familiarity. 

The central mystery surrounds a mysterious cult, and all the unique and complex characters caught up in it. The surprises and twists are well-played, and the ending is one that rings true when reading back.

If you haven't read any Ngaio Marsh, I definitely recommend you do. She is a classic mystery writer!




2 comments:

  1. I'm definitely intrigued about that YA mystery! I don't read them all that often, so any recommendations I can get are great!

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