Elizabeth MacPherson/Dawson cozies confound because they are a little off-kilter. Not quite mysteries, generally speaking, although there usually is a murder, not quite always 'solved', although sometimes someone does solve it - never Elizabeth herself - but the murder is never the focus, and while there is a lot of action, it primarily is through insult or satiric conversation, diary entries or letters, despite the dialogue occurring in interesting settings through which the multiple characters walk about. Nobody is evil, generally, but everyone is plenty annoying the way many relatives are when you have to accommodate their presence and opinions when you don't quite get along. As the series progressed, Elizabeth graduated from college, is lovesick a few times, meets her man and marries him, moved to Scotland, is a qualified forensic anthropologist and somehow walks past, around, under and over every murder happening in front of her nose. Occasionally, she actually realizes one has happened or is about to happen - yet she gets it wrong.It's very amusing.I wish the writing was better. Too often I come across clunky sentences (frankly, since I'm not a writer and am no expert on grammar, I can't explain why I get jarred, but I do). However, these novels are fun and interesting, and the author is not afraid to mix up her styles of cozy presentation. This one is for bibliophiles, particularly those who adore murder mysteries and authors, and those who enjoy touring. There are real-life tours available where fans can go on buses which take readers to houses, streets, pubs, etc. where either a famous character or author actually lived or ate. As you can imagine, Britain can provide such a fan with a billion such tours. To really get your money's worth on literary tours, it has always appeared to me the fan must memorize every sentence in every book by an author they adore, plus read multiple biographies about the author and memorize every line of those, and to really do it right, find and memorize every arcane fact and rumor ever printed or mentioned throughout history about the book and author. Then, go on a tour which takes you to all the locations with other fans seated around you, and proceed to argue, disagree and ventilate with everyone around you about the facts you learned about your author or adored character. I hate these kinds of fans because I hate these kinds of conversations. I love books and characters, and I find it interesting, sometimes, to trouble myself to learn more about the author. I REALLY don't care to drive by a house that the author used as a plot device or memorize the second sentence in chapter ten. The absolute dullest moment I can imagine is to waste time on staring at a square of sidewalk on an ordinary street because that's where a character got shot or deserted or whatever in a famous book. Occasionally, I pick up an annotated version of some book, but to tell the truth, reading all of those notes on the text can have me yawning after a few chapters, interesting and enlightening as they can be. I've done it, but it's not my usual first impulse to study a novel when I hear about a good book. This novel, sigh, is an itinerary of a bus tour, with amusing conversation.Murder mystery bibliophiles who undertake a tour in southern England around various locations where a variety of mystery writers lived, wrote and died, as well as where genuine murders from real life were committed by 14th century aristocrats and commoners up to the present day are humorously portrayed in 'Missing Susan'. The tourists are not professional literature researchers, but avid admirers and titillated readers of murder, real and fictional. Unknown to them, an uncle of one of the tourists has approached the guide with an offer he finds difficult to refuse. The uncle has a niece he wants killed, and he is willing to pay thousands to have it done. While the guide mulls the offer over during the tour, Elizabeth is getting to know her fellow travelers and enjoying herself with as much shopping as she can squeeze into their crowded itinerary. Eventually, the guide decides to do it, but as he really is not a murderer, his tentative strikes at the oblivious victim go terribly wrong. Basically, the people who are near the lady tend to get hurt in the oddest accidents.I enjoyed the last chapter very much.
Missing Susan is not a conventional murder mystery, in which the investigator tries to nab the killer.Rather, in a refreshing turnabout, the reader follows London crime expert and tour guide Rowan Rover, the most unlikely killer for hire imaginable. Rowan's preparing to lead a group of bibliophiles on a tour of sites connected with English mystery novels and crime scenes, when an American businessman approaches him with an offer he can't refuse. All he has to do is find a way to kill the American's niece,Susan, at some point during their tour, and make it look like an accident. What follows is an almost farcical comedy of errors. Rowan likes to study scandalous murders, but he's never been tempted to commit one himself. Now, in desperate need of ready cash, he accepts the offer and begins plotting. From day one, Susan begins to drive her fellow tourists crazy, so annoying that Rowan begins to think killing her will be a pleasure. Easier said than done. Author McCrumb saves the best bits of the story for the final chapter, by which time your mouth is tired from all that smiling.Five stars for the enjoyment factor of this imaginative and competently presented novel.
What do You think about Missing Susan (1995)?
I first read this book nearly twenty years ago when I borrowed it from a friend, and liked it a lot. It reminded me of The Trouble with Harry, only Susan wasn't a corpse. Happily, re-reading it again now proved that I enjoyed it as much a second time around. There is no mystery here, it's just a book about murder, with bountiful references to mystery fiction and real murders of the past. By coincidence, I had just finished reading The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher about the murder that the protagonist of Missing Susan, Elizabeth McPherson, was fairly obsessed with, which added to my enjoyment.
—PastAllReason
Bungling crime-tour director, Rowan Rover, has become an unlikely would-be assassin. An American business man has hired him to kill his niece, Susan, and I don't think it's giving away too much of the plot to say he keeps "missing Susan".This was a re-read for me. I went back to it because I enjoyed its humor and all the odd bits about British crime in history. The case of Constance Kent was especially interesting. I must have read this the first time before any of my kids migrated to Minneapolis because I hadn't remembered all the disparaging remarks about Minnesota.
—Jane
