Sun 14 Aug 2016
Reviewed by William F. Deeck: FRANCES & RICHARD LOCKRIDGE – The Judge Is Reversed.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[4] Comments
William F. Deeck
FRANCES & RICHARD LOCKRIDGE – The Judge Is Reversed. J. B. Lippincott, hardcover, 1960. Pocket, paperback, 1983.
With the period of mourning for Pete, the Norths’ first cat, nearing its end, it was time for Pam to have another cat to talk to. At a cat show she finds a judge being criticized harshly. Attending a tennis tournament later, she and Jerry discover that same judge being criticized harshly.
Still, despite his flaws as a judge, did someone have to hit him a killing blow in the back of the head, maybe with a cat’s scratching post? Did a cat breeder do it? The foot-faulting tennis player? Or the chairman of the committee against cruelty to animals who tries to kick cats?
Not a great mystery as such, but Pam North always amazes and amuses, particularly when she is looking for a Siamese whose face doesn’t come to a point.
August 14th, 2016 at 1:53 pm
“Not a great mystery as such, but Pam North always amazes and amuses…”
I think you could say this about every one of the Norths books.
August 14th, 2016 at 6:50 pm
The likelihood, or rather unlikelihood of a person being both a cat show judge and a professional tennis judge is a problem, I think.
August 14th, 2016 at 7:52 pm
I think the Lockridges had to have talked fast to get around that one. I don’t much believe it either.
August 15th, 2016 at 7:26 pm
I read the North books to watch Pam in action, her style of lateral thinking almost always entertaining. Granted they were better suspense than detective novels usually.
For me the series still has a charm unique to the North’s. After Nick and Nora they are tied with the Duluth’s as my favorite husband and wife sleuths.