This is the sixth Stevenson book I’ve read this year, and it’s also the final one for me, I think.
The first couple books were really witty (tons of repartee) and had fun and convoluted mysteries. But there’s been a downward trajectory on both parts, and with this one, there’s not much left to enjoy.
Like many authors who write jokey stuff, Stevenson continues to write in the same style, even if the jokes just aren’t there any more. Some people manage to keep the fun going over the years, but most don’t. But that’s not the worst problem: It’s like Stevenson has no idea what he’s going to write about, so you have endless conversations between the characters where they repeat to each other what we’ve just read, and trying to figure out what to do next.
And these scenes read like as if Stevenson is just trying to think aloud to figure out how he can develop the plot. It’s just tedious.
The ending is definitely the worst of all these books, so — I’m out. No more Stevenson for me.
Or at least I think so… It’s the lowest rated book in the series, so perhaps it picks up again? Hm…
Strachey’s Folly (1998) by Richard Stevenson (buy used, 3.78 on Goodreads)