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Liked It “When sharp-tongued, Mathilda dies in her home with a scold's bridle over her head, it looks like an apparent suicide, but the detective assigned to the case doesn't think it really is a suicide. Mathilda's GP, Dr. Sarah Blakeney is another that doesn't believe Mathilda would kill herself. After...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“When sharp-tongued, Mathilda dies in her home with a scold's bridle over her head, it looks like an apparent suicide, but the detective assigned to the case doesn't think it really is a suicide. Mathilda's GP, Dr. Sarah Blakeney is another that doesn't believe Mathilda would kill herself. After meeting Mathilda's daughter and granddaughter, both the detective and Sarah are even less inclined to believe the old women would kill herself. After the will is read, everything people thought they knew about Mathilda, change.
WonderBunny wrote this review Friday, May 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
This was a well paced thriller that goes from the beauty of a doctors care to the cruelty within in a single family with too many secrets. Well written with the internal struggles of within the characters, this was an enjoyable mystery that will keep you guessing with all the twists.”
“WonderBunny said: 4 Stars
Play Book Tag Shelf wrote this review Friday, May 15 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Scold's Bridle (from Wikipedia): A scold's bridle was a torture device for women, resembling an iron muzzle or cage for the head with an iron curb projecting into the mouth and resting precariously atop the tongue. The curb was frequently studded with spikes so as to cruelly torture the tongue if it dared stir: with the tongue lying calmly in place, it inflicted a minimum of pain.
When sharp-tongued, Mathilda dies in her home with a scold's bridle over her head, it looks like an apparent suicide, but the detective assigned to the case doesn't think it really is a suicide. Mathilda's GP, Dr. Sarah Blakeney is another that doesn't believe Mathilda would kill herself. After meeting Mathilda's daughter and granddaughter, both the detective and Sarah are even less inclined to believe the old women would kill herself. After the will is read, everything people thought they knew about Mathilda, change.
This was a well paced thriller that goes from the beauty of a doctors care to the cruelty within in a single family with too many secrets. Well written with the internal struggles of within the characters, this was an enjoyable mystery that will keep you guessing with all the twists.
I've found I really enjoy Minette Walters novels. Many of her characters have internal struggles and none of them are perfect. I guess it makes it more believable to me and hence, enhance my enjoyment of reading her novels.
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“This is the second mystery I've read by this author. Very good. Excellent characterization and development and excellent mystery. Kept me turning pages until the end. ”
booklady wrote this review Saturday, December 27 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Unpopular old Mathilda Gillespie dies in her bathtub. She is discovered wearing a medieval torture device and with her wrists slit. Suicide or murder? To determine that, the characters struggle to figure out the motives involved, even though no one is above suspicion--not her daughter, granddaughter, doctor, the doctor's husband, the granddaughter's boyfriend, nor the widower, all of whom have good reason to silence the old woman's sharp tongue for ever. Excerpts from Mathilda's diaries provide new information that complicate the speculation. The reader is kept guessing to the end, even about the characters' relationships among each other. A good read!”
Tamia B wrote this review Friday, August 8 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Really good book. Read it if you get the opportunity.
mazda502001 wrote this review Wednesday, February 28 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Blurb:
An old woman is found dead in her bath, her wrists slashed; an apparent suicide. But she is wearing a scold's bridle on her head, adorned with a crown of nettles. What could have driven her to such a desperate act? The rumours start to spread that her death wasn't suicide but murder.”
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