Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Depressing - no., 12 Nov 2009
I love the Kate Fansler books, but this one is special.
I know it deals with old age, and death, and possible suicide, but I found it curiously life-enhancing. I am near the age where one does start to wonder whether the best has gone and whether going on is necessary or feasible, and I could identify with Patrice, although this character was at the younger end of her own declared spectrum and therefore an unlikely suicide.
I was not depressed by the theme of this book and the author's suicide. She had her own agenda and I'm only sorry that her splendid stories, her wit, her humanity and effortless imparting of information within the confines of crime fiction, were brought to an end.
I cherish her books.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating and interesting, but sadly depressing, 24 July 2009
This fascinating book presents Kate Fansler with the task of understanding the life of Clare College's exceptional and unusual Professor Patrice Umphelby who is found dead in the lake on campus. The question is whether it was suicide or murder, and Kate is asked to investigate. However, this novel appears less a murder mystery than a paean for justifying suicide. In this context, it is a sad book.
Cross weaves opinions of suicide by a number of well know literary figures into this novel. In retrospect, this novel seems to state the thinking behind her decision, although healthy, to commit suicide in 2003. Thus, the story, may affect the current reader, who knows of Cross' suicide, in sadly unexpected ways. As usual Cross displays an exceptional understanding of human motivations, and her writing is pithy and well structured.
I rated this four rather than five only because, for me, her discussion of death, in this otherwise well designed work, was somewhat depressing when considered in light of her own suicide. Clearly this was a very personal emotional response that will not be felt by all readers. However, in predicting the motivation for her 2003 death this work provides some exceptional insights.
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