The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow: Chapters 7-12

[Prof. Amy Lupin]

We'll be discussing chapters 7 through 12 of The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow in this thread.

In these chapters, one of the characters stumbles across a potential clue as to the titular mystery. Do you enjoy stories where you can attempt to solve the mystery alongside the characters (or even before they do so)? Or do you prefer for a character to make a grand reveal right at the end as to who it was all along?

Please use spoiler tags to avoid accidentally revealing anything to anyone who hasn't read this far.

[Prof. Tarma Amelia Black]

This is great -- I was surprised to start accumulating clues in this story. My first experience of mystery stories was Rex Stout, followed closely by Agatha Christie, so I was sort of accustomed to having the clues doled out so we have a chance to solve it ourself along with whoever is the actual detective in the story -- but later 'mystery' stories are often written differently, when the grand denouement at the end. Agatha Christie, I think, was most even with giving clues so the reader could come up with a complete solution on their own, but Rex Stout was pretty good too, with generosity along those lines.

I really liked the character development of this story. Even with just a few words, the author very clearly shows attributes for everyone so that, even if the name of the person speaking isn't given (although it is), you know who it is by what is said.

Some surprises in these chapters, too! This is where I decided that I might just have to keep reading the book, and not just stop at chapter 6 in order to write about the book in here. (Actually, I paused at chapter 8 and realized oh, I'd gone past chapter 6 (the demarcation chapter) without even realizing!)