An interesting kinda-mystery that isn’t actually a mystery. The novel tells the story of a lazy vicar who enjoys his peaceful parish until a wealthy widow latches onto him and makes his life hell. So, about a quarter of the way through the book, he murders her. The story continues from there, with the narration oscillating between the vicar, the widow’s cat, and a local dog (both of the pets end up living with the vicar).This book is even-keeled and interesting, if not all that engrossing. Maurice, the cat, is particularly funny in his haughty evaluation of the dog and the vicar; the dog is this opposite, loving and jubilant. The 1950s diction and attitudes give the story a jaunty, polished feeling.While I liked the book, I couldn’t help but notice how empty the vicar was of any feeling about the crime he’d committed. It’s not all that strange to see a novel where you’re just fine with the murderer getting the chop (c.f. the M.C. Beaton Death of a Cad series), but it is weird to be in on the murder, to see the murder proceed without much guilt or thought, and not to mind.Overall, worth a read, but if you don’t like it after 50 pages, you won’t like it any better as it goes on.
A Load of Old Bones by Suzette Hill is very much a mixed bag, as far as genre goes. It's sort of a murder mystery in that there is a murder and an investigation - only there's not much that's mysterious. It's sort of a suspense novel - except the stakes are so low. It's very much an animal story, as large parts are narrated by a cat and dog - only most of it is narrated by the owner. It's kind of a slice of life novel, about the mundane and fussbudget life of a lowly vicar in 1950s England - except that all that the other bits are mixed in as well.It is a humorous story, although the humor is very dry and low key. Most of the laughable moments come from the differing values of cats, dogs and humans, and how they compare and contrast and interpret the world. It's light and airy and just a little bit snarky. I have to say that I was quite shocked when the actual murder took place. The way it came about… well, I wasn't expecting that twist at all.The ending was too abrupt for my taste. It's like the novel just stopped and there was no resolution or cap to the tale. In the end, fairly enjoyable. I'd give it 3 and a half if I could.
What do You think about A Load Of Old Bones (2007)?
A book of gentle humour set in a bygone age. A comedic Agatha Christie type novel. I read all of them enjoying their slow charm.All the Reverend Francis Oughterard had ever wanted was some peace and quiet, instead he becomes entangled in a nightmare world of accidental murder, predatory female parishioners, officious policemen and a drunken bishop. As the vicar's life spirals out of control it is his supercilious cat, Maurice, and bone obsessed hound, Bouncer, who save the day. A Load of Old Bones is a charming and farcical romp through a 1950's mythical Surrey. Praise for Suzette A. Hill: 'Perfect one-sitting summer read.' Laura Wilson, Guardian 'E F Benson crossed with Jerome K Jerome' The Times audiobooks review 'Quite why this series should be charming, astringent and witty, instead of emetically twee, I am not sure, but it is entirely delightful' Guardian 'This dry, funny British gem, with its eccentric cast of characters, will have readers laughing and eagerly awaiting the next episode' Publishers Weekly
—Anne-marie
Gentle, amusing and diverting (though not, as the blurb-excitement reads, remotely close to being ‘Three Men in a Boat’), A Load of Old Bones is more a quiet parody of the fluffy rural crime genre of a particular period. Narrated, in turns, by the cat belonging to the victim, the dog belonging to the victim’s would-be male companion, and the local vicar, I found it difficult to reconcile the cuteness with the murder until I realised (somewhat belatedly) that the author was treating that as cute (cute with edge, perhaps) too. Once you’ve tucked away any residual hardened crime-reader habits, though, A Load of Old Bones is readable; not over-burdened with strong characters beyond the vicar – who I admit I enjoyed rather a lot, and consider a decent candidate for character serialisation – but sporting a well-paced narrative and plenty of colourful detailing.
—trishtrash
