The Little Victim (Country House Crime Book 4)

This may be something cozy readers would like, although there are no cutesy gimmicks here. Hard-core mystery readers like myself may find it a bit tame and a bit slow. However, it was a decent read and I was captivated for a while. I'd label it "not too bad. Jun 03, Cece rated it really liked it Shelves: I liked this first mystery-the narrator is consistent and a bit self-deprecating-the writer, a man, writes a very convincing female viewpoint-but there is a dearth of "feelings" and emotions that I welcomed.

Too much of self-analysis or navel-gazing in a first person narrator and out the window the book goes. The reader is lead up the garden path several times, but as we are right behind our heroine, who is just as confused, it is less like author trickery and more because the reader is seeing on I liked this first mystery-the narrator is consistent and a bit self-deprecating-the writer, a man, writes a very convincing female viewpoint-but there is a dearth of "feelings" and emotions that I welcomed. The reader is lead up the garden path several times, but as we are right behind our heroine, who is just as confused, it is less like author trickery and more because the reader is seeing only the clues as she does, and having only her interpretation-an honest way to tell a story if done consistently.

I will certainly search out the other two books in this series. I thought that I had it figured out.

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Pretty good mystery, but not enough character depth. No one was vile enough to play the villain, mad enough to act the red herring, drunk enough to perform the misunderstood patsy, cute enough to be the beloved victim, mean enough to stage the irascible elderly, sweet enough to achieve the desirable love interest, psychotic enough to be the depressed author. Jul 31, Rajat rated it liked it. This book had more potential than it offered. The opening was a bit slow until Payne enters after which it became really interesting. I liked the not so usual for their age romance of the two protagonists.

The twists and turns were great but a bit too many and some were unnecessary.

Assassins at Ospreys

Ove This book had more potential than it offered. Overall I'd say it was a nice, quick read but could have been a lot better. Surprising This is an interesting start to a new mystery series. Though the characters aren't yet well developed enough to decide they're keepers, the ground has been set.

I also think the English Club bsse of operations lends itself to lots of future escapades for the sleuths, particularly since the members have served in British colonial posts around the world. I see hints of a mastery to come in the Nepal papers spirited away in this one!! Apr 11, Rob rated it really liked it. Cool to watch a developing professional and perhaps personal relationship between Hugh and Antonia. The internal dialouges can be bit "swimmy, i. Looking forward to the second installment. What started out a little slow picked up quickly and had a few great hairpin turns to keep you in suspense to the last page.

Dec 31, Linda Brue rated it did not like it.

Little Victim (Country House Crime Mystery, #4) by R.T. Raichev

Don't waste your time on this one. The writing is okay, but poor plotting and an obvious ending render it unremarkable. I have no idea why I even finished it. Apr 15, Stephanie rated it liked it. Not quite my cup of tea. Sep 09, Adrienne rated it really liked it Shelves: This book started out a little rocky, but I'm glad I stuck with it. It was fun, somewhat light, and not scary.

I guessed the main "whodunit" pretty early but there were twists that I still didn't see and was surprised at a couple things at the end. The British-ness of this novel was delightful and I could tell Raichev is in love with British culture. The descriptions of places, homes, people, their choice of words and humor are like a love letter to the place, very romantic but without being too This book started out a little rocky, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The descriptions of places, homes, people, their choice of words and humor are like a love letter to the place, very romantic but without being too flowery and indulgent.

I very much liked the protagonist Antonia. I liked how she wasn't your typical grandma, consumed with her adult son's life and her granddaughter.

Antonia had a curious mind, and an awesome job that would be right up my alley! Because of her character I wanted to keep reading. Raichev did a great job with her, I thought. It was confusing at the beginning for me when Antonia started describing "the tragedy," because I didn't know if it was a real event or one of her writing drafts. She referred to one of the people involved as "protagonist" and "character. But in this case it worked, because it was her writing, her curiosity and her enjoyment of solving a crime allowed her to solve it.

The two things - writing a crime story, and solving an actual real life crime, blended together really well, I thought. Talking about writing, and finding details, her neurosis and her worrying about her writing style was too much navel-gazing for me, however. I finished wanting more of the characters involved in the tragedy, especially Lawrence Dufrette who was a dangerous mix of evil and tenderness imo. I wanted to know the nitty-gritty of their relationships, how X fell in love with Y, and how the affair between A and B happened - before, during and after.

I wanted to know what motivated people, their feelings about it. But I had to remind myself this is a crime novel. The crime and solving it are the point of it. So even if I was left unsatisfied I understand. I enjoy finding new authors, and I'll definitely read the other two? A very cold case, a missing child, mistaken memories.

On the memorable day Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles in , a lively houseparty was gathered at Richmond-on-Thames, visiting Lord Michael and Lady Mortlock, a wealthy couple who had gathered an odd group of people around them to spend that weekend together in their mansion. The main purpose was to watch the Royal Wedding ceremony on a l , 1 Antonia Darcy, librarian and mystery writer, London; cosy, with historical flashbacks. The main purpose was to watch the Royal Wedding ceremony on a large color TV set up in the drawing room especially for the occasion.

While all the adults are watching the ceremony, Sonya wandered off and was feared drowned in the Thames; her body is never found. This oddly elliptical novel slowly traces what happened that day as seen through various perspectives and memories of the people in the house-party, but particularly that of Antonia, who comes to the realization twenty years later that she has some personally unfinished business around the disappearance that she still needs to sort out.

Full review at Reviewing the Evidence: I don't think words can adequately convey how much I disliked this book. The plot is so-so, but the writing's so stilted that I had to check the copyright page to see if it had been translated from another language. It hadn't, so there is no excuse. It also suffered from major perspective problems: And, annoyingly f I don't think words can adequately convey how much I disliked this book.

And, annoyingly from a plot point of view, the story really only starts to get going after the book ends. I was also rather envious of the lead character's job as the librarian in a London gentleman's club, a job which, if it existed, would have suited me down to the ground.

1. Al di là della vita: La mia esperienza da veggente (Oscar nuovi misteri Vol. 114) (Italian Edition).
2. This Corporation of Ours: Changes: Part One of the This Corporation of Ours Series (This Coroporation of Ours Book 1).
3. Choices;
4. See a Problem??
5. GamZ ON @ The Evil Within!
6. Little Victim.

Feb 08, Carrie rated it liked it Shelves: I actually stumbled across this book reading R. It sounded interesting, so I ordered it through Interlibrary Loan. I kind of have conflicted feelings about it. On one hand, the murderous "whodunit" aspects were easy to figure out, and I had no doubts about the inevitable reveal. That, to me, is always kind of a let down. The challenge of a mystery is figuring out whodunit before the end of the book On the other hand, the writing was inter I actually stumbled across this book reading R. On the other hand, the writing was interesting and it was fun to see the main characters unravel the story.

I do think that the writing occasionally tried too hard to be clever and instead ended up excessively flowery and murky. Overall, this was interesting enough that I will probably check out the next book of the series, but not particularly compelling.

Era sfinita, ma non riusciva ad addormentarsi. Forse, cominciando a leggere, P. Un passato che riaffiora, un mistero da risolvere, sullo sfondo il matrimonio di Carlo e Diana. Jan 17, Elizabeth rated it liked it. I enjoyed the book somewhat but I got interested in the characters names. For one thing we are all familiar with a major pain or even a huge pain so why would you call a character Major Hugh Payne?

And then you have a little girl who is very difficult and she is called Sonya do fret Dufrette. So I kept looking for hidden meanings in all the names and wondering what the author have in mind. The mystery was not so very mysterious and the character rather superficial but I will try the next in I enjoyed the book somewhat but I got interested in the characters names.

The mystery was not so very mysterious and the character rather superficial but I will try the next in the series. Oct 21, Gail rated it liked it Shelves: Antonia is still troubled by the twenty-year-old disappearance of a little girl named Sonya. She feels just the least bit responsible, and would like to resolve, for her own peace of mind, just what happened all those years ago.

The Hunt for Sonya Dufrette

This conceit is developed into a well-written, literate mystery with lots of blind alleys and plenty of bizarre characters. A good first effort and worth reading. A teensy bit of romance is deftly handled so that it doesn't become sloppy or take away from the plot. Ra Antonia is still troubled by the twenty-year-old disappearance of a little girl named Sonya.

Raichev is a researcher and writer who grew up in Bulgaria and wrote a university dissertation on English crime fiction. He is the author of four novels in the Antonia Darcy series and has lived in London since Hardcover , pages. Published June 1st by Soho Constable first published Country House Crime Mystery 4. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Little Victim , please sign up. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Jul 04, Susan rated it really liked it Shelves: Mystery writer Antonia Darcy and her husband Hugh Payne accompany an aged friend of the family on a trip to Goa to buy a villa from Roman, the local criminal mastermind.

They are both fascinated and disgusted by the so-called tropical paradise, but when an expatriate detective tells Antonia that he saw Roman kill his well-born English mistress, they become involved in a twisty mystery. Can the detective be trusted? Is he even still alive? And what of Roman's jealous wife, whose lottery win was t Mystery writer Antonia Darcy and her husband Hugh Payne accompany an aged friend of the family on a trip to Goa to buy a villa from Roman, the local criminal mastermind.

And what of Roman's jealous wife, whose lottery win was the foundation of his fortune? Raichev calls his series "Country house murders" and he's stretching the boundary with this one, but it is a constantly surprising read nonetheless. Jun 03, Margaret Quarrell rated it did not like it. Struggled to get through it. I quite liked the other Raichev books I have read but this one was boring in the extreme. I wondered if the author had ever been to India - perhaps he should keep Antonia and her husband in England.

Nothing about it was believable or easy to relate to. Would not recommend it. Aug 05, Cece rated it it was ok. Although the Kirkus Review and the Library Review gush, I found the last two books by this author to be missing something. Not much detecting, a lot of talking, and POP!

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Dec 31, Kel rated it liked it. Strange people and plot. Major Payne was in rare form and Antonia was a stick-in-the-mud. Jun 25, Lotte rated it liked it. The over-the-top carictatures kept me smiling so much despite my best efforts at control that I might seek out this author again. Elizabeth rated it liked it Aug 11, Sallie rated it liked it May 03, Robin rated it it was ok Aug 22, Purplekitty rated it liked it Apr 25, Marilyn rated it really liked it Feb 26, Johanna rated it really liked it Nov 29,