Thanks to ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
oursin, I discovered three Amanda Cross books that I hadn't been aware of, all from late in her career. I had not only thought I'd read all Cross's novels, I've reread the ones I own, some of them several times; they're mysteries, but there's enough character and relationship stuff going on that knowing the "solution" doesn't take away the interest, for me.
Like most of Cross's fiction, The Edge of Doom is about Kate Fansler, a literature professor and amateur detective. This starts with Kate thinking she has reached the age at which life holds no more surprises, and being proven wrong when a stranger turns up, claiming to be her biological father. There are levels of mystery plot, but this is mostly about relationships and self-definition: Kate spends a lot of time thinking about nature vs. nurture, and her self-identification as not being like the rest of the Fanslers. I liked this, but wouldn't start here if you haven't read any of Amanda Cross's earlier Kate Fansler mysteries.
Honest Doubt is the other Amanda Cross novel I hadn't read. This one is narrated by a professional detective who was hired to investigate a murder at a small private college, and advised to consult Kate Fansler for information about, and insights into, academia. I didn't like this as well; I'm not sure if that was because of the different point of view (Cross's other novels are in tight third person, focused on Kate Fansler) or the ending.
The Collected Stories of Amanda Cross is short. Several of the stories, though not all, are about Kate Fansler. I'd read a couple of these before, and enjoyed the rest, but again wouldn't recommend this as a starting point.
I borrowed all three of these as ebooks from the King County library, and probably won't buy copies, since they don't feel like things I'm going to want to reread.
oursin, I discovered three Amanda Cross books that I hadn't been aware of, all from late in her career. I had not only thought I'd read all Cross's novels, I've reread the ones I own, some of them several times; they're mysteries, but there's enough character and relationship stuff going on that knowing the "solution" doesn't take away the interest, for me.Like most of Cross's fiction, The Edge of Doom is about Kate Fansler, a literature professor and amateur detective. This starts with Kate thinking she has reached the age at which life holds no more surprises, and being proven wrong when a stranger turns up, claiming to be her biological father. There are levels of mystery plot, but this is mostly about relationships and self-definition: Kate spends a lot of time thinking about nature vs. nurture, and her self-identification as not being like the rest of the Fanslers. I liked this, but wouldn't start here if you haven't read any of Amanda Cross's earlier Kate Fansler mysteries.
Honest Doubt is the other Amanda Cross novel I hadn't read. This one is narrated by a professional detective who was hired to investigate a murder at a small private college, and advised to consult Kate Fansler for information about, and insights into, academia. I didn't like this as well; I'm not sure if that was because of the different point of view (Cross's other novels are in tight third person, focused on Kate Fansler) or the ending.
The Collected Stories of Amanda Cross is short. Several of the stories, though not all, are about Kate Fansler. I'd read a couple of these before, and enjoyed the rest, but again wouldn't recommend this as a starting point.
I borrowed all three of these as ebooks from the King County library, and probably won't buy copies, since they don't feel like things I'm going to want to reread.
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