Welcome to Litsy!

When the HQ of the Peculiar Crimes Unit is blown up with Arthur Bryant inside, John May finds links to their first case together when he joined the unit during the Blitz.

I went into this with high hopes having heard good things about the series and expecting urban fantasy along the lines of the Rivers of London. It wasn't like that at all. It was basically a procedural investigating a series of gruesome crimes committed in a London theatre. ⬇

#coffeeandabook

A dancer dies in a gruesome way in an empty theater, setting off a series of deaths among the cast of a production. It just so happens that the London Blitz is occurring, making for an interesting backdrop to the story. There were aspects of this that I liked, but I found it plodded along a bit and the detectives didn‘t so much investigate as hang around and watch things happen.

I‘m just starting this. It follows 2 timelines; present day when detective May finds out his partner, Bryant, has been killed and 1940 when they met during the war when May joined Bryant in the Peculiar Crimes Unit in London during the Blitz. The details of wartime London feel genuine, with commonplace observations and not like Fowler did exhaustive research on it. Liking it so far

Very much enjoyed this mystery set in WW2 London. Its probably a common trope to have a pair of detectives, one sensible and one eccentric and misunderstood but the setting made it more interesting. There was a little sexism, some of which was due to the setting, but hopefully thats handled better in the rest of the series because I‘m keen to try more.

So I liked this book, but didn‘t love it. I liked the London Blitz setting, the bizarre series of crimes, and the dark humour, and the characters grew on me. However, there was so much going on that the main story got a bit lost and the pacing was uneven. Saying that... this series has got potential and I‘m intrigued enough to read the next. #bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

My #bookspinbingo for March @TheAromaofBooks 📖 The tagged book is my #bookspin (luckily enough that‘s the one I had already started!) and The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep is my #doublespin

An engaging detective duo emerged from this tale, delighting me with their absurd and charming ways. This murder mystery voices back and forth between the first and last cases of Bryant and May. I finished with a smile on my face, ready to plunge into another!

Jan 2021 - crime drama. The first in a series and I‘m not sure I would seek out additional works. Enjoyed the characters and writing, but might not have been in the mood. It was going well until the end where The Who done it was very WTH.

So far, this one is quirky and interesting! I love it.

A mystery set in wartime London, with further action set 60 years later, when the events of the case catch up with the investigators. This is the first of a series featuring Arthur Bryant and John May of the Peculiar Crimes Unit. It centres on a series of murders in a theatre, and while it has some hints of supernatural elements the resolution is firmly human, which is a good combination. It's atmospheric and funny with likable characters ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I initially thought that this book was going to be a Bail as it was one of those that I had started reading but had put aside.
However, it may just be the place that I picked it up again... I got dragged into the mystery- some peculiar murders committed at a theatre in London and in another timeline, the murder of one of the detectives. The setting is during the Blitz and I loved how the author weaved in bits of history about the city into this.⬇️

So I managed 10.5 hours for this past weekend‘s #24b4monday. Not the 12 hours I hoped for, but I finished one book and made progress in two others.

Thanks for hosting @Andrew65 @jb72 @SumisBooks

My first (and probably only) finish for #24B4Monday. This is a first in a series and this has the traditional growing pains of getting to know the characters, but I loved the writing. There were issues, but overall it was well written and thoughtful. I will continue in the series.

Book 2 for #15Books15Weeks
#doublespin for #bookspinbonanza

#momreviews @Doll8455

Christmas hols, day 3, beginning book 5.
I won an ARC of the latest installment, which was a lot of fun, so I‘m going back to the start of the series. #bryantandmay

Listening and reading. I haven‘t figured out the mystery yet even though I‘m close to the end. It‘s so good!

Look what arrived today! So I now have books 1-3 and 10-11. A few gaps to fill in. I‘ve almost finished listening to the 1st book on audio. Now I can read it too.

I just ordered the first three books in my new fave series by one of my new fave authors. I love these covers too.

Traveling for work again tomorrow so I went on an Audible shopping spree. I got these four!

While waiting for lunch.

Really enjoyed this first book in this series - fun to read. Snippets of info about life during the London blitz interspersed throughout their investigation. Loved both of the lead detectives. Looking forward to reading more.

Well, that was fun. I know I‘m late to the party with this series. Loved the characters and all the London details. Great for fans of Peter Grant and Rivers of London.

Bryant and a May are my favorite #seniorcitizens and the lead detectives of the Peculiar Crimes Unit. If you're in the mood for good detective fiction with a twist, give these guys a chance. #recommendationsday (and yes, I'm way behind on this series)

#anditsaugust #backtoreading

What a great mystery this was! I didn't realize that I was in the middle of the series, but since this book goes back to how Bryant and May met, it works. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I will be looking for the rest of this series for certain.

"I suppose I'll miss him." Ya reckon?! ??? I am loving this book.

This entire paragraph makes me so sad. 😞

I am loving this book! Plus, it mentioned a book I recently read. Many thanks to @Lizpixie for bringing this book to my attention.

On to the next book. I can't remember who brought this to my attention. I'm thinking @Lizpixie ?

Saw this book in a used bookstore and thought, "Hey, this IS the kind of thing Bryant-and-May Bryant would write." ?

Really liked this! The history major in me loved the setting in the Blitz, so interesting to juxtapose life in WW2 vs. modern day.

I have @Lizpixie to thank for bringing my attention to Raven Black. Then, when I was ordering it, this crawled into my cart. Anyone read Full House Dark?

This is an excellent....mystery? Crime novel? World War Two drama? All of the above, and I'm happy to see there are many more of Fowler's books!
Oh and the candlelight? Power's been out for an hour, but I HAD to finish it!
#readinglife #hardcore #committed #ohdarkthirty

'Anyway, he was a bleedin' awful Polonius. I could shit a better lecture to Laertes than that.'
😂 #hamlet #theatre #murder #london

Okay, love Christopher Fowler, just all of his writing! Full Dark House is part of his Bryant and May series and their Peculiar Crime Unit. English eccentricity, wit, strong plotting, a touch of tenderness rooting for the aging detectives, thrills, and eternal love for the city of London makes the series addicting.

If you do not like quirky British characters solving crime in London. do not read this book. If you like to laugh out loud at the witty dialogue and preposterous situations (therefore scaring those sitting around you as you read) with some peculiar crimes, you may like this book.