Death of a Prankster (G K Hall Nightingale Series Edition)

Book Description

MysteryLarge Print EditionThe detective novels of M. C. Beaton, a master of outrageous black comedy, have reached cult status. The TimesWhen Police Constable Hamish Macbeth is called to a murder at Arrat House, home of relentless practical joker Arthur Trent, he doesnt exactly race to the scene. Prepared for a prank, Hamish arrives to find that Trent is most decidedly dead stabbed and stuffed in a closet. And for suspects, theres a houseful of greedy relations, all more interested in the will than the crime at hand.

Customer Reviews:

Not Much to Laugh or Smile About.......2007-01-20

Death of a Prankster is that rarity in this series, a pretty ordinary mystery and story that borders on not quite being up to the average level. Unlike many of the other stories in the series, you could skip this one and not miss anything. But I think you'll enjoy Death of a Prankster well enough, as long as you don't expect it to begin to match up to Death of a Hussy.

Think of this novel as the case that got Hamish central heating for the Lochdubh police station where he resides.

Andrew Trent is a monster of a man, playing cruel, crude jokes on one and all: It's his purpose in life. His family avoids him like the plague, but because Andrew is rich, they flock together when he tells one and all that he's on death's door. Trent may not have meant that to be true, but it turns out to be the case when someone murders the old scoundrel. But bumping off Trent doesn't end the murderous mayhem. Until late in the book, it's clear that almost everyone hated Trent . . . but the motive and method of his murder are unclear. A chance investigative foray reveals all, and the ending simply explores the harm that greed does to the soul. In typical Hamish Macbeth fashion, there's a confrontation with all of the suspects that leads to a confession (Perry Mason style) based on a pretty far-fetched scenario.

Trent doesn't ring true as a character. That's a major flaw in the book. In addition, most of the other characters don't ring true either. Some, while ringing a little bit true, aren't anyone you want to know more about. So you're left with the story to keep you entertained. It's not a very entertaining story. So you'll find yourself simply cherishing the moments when it's all Hamish and Priscilla in their intimate-at-arm's-length relationship.

The book is ultimately almost totally forgettable. I don't even remember having a good laugh or smile while reading the material.

Not one of her best.......2003-10-15

In this book we see Hamish called to Arrat House on the demise of the master of the house, Mr. Arthur Trent. Hamish has had a previous run-in with this man because of one of Trent's endless practical jokes, so Hamish is not sure if it's a real murder when he's called or just a prank. It turns out to be real, so Hamish sets out to find a killer. We see the odious Inspector Blair and more of Priscilla in this book. I found the plot a little thin, and it's missing a lot of the unique highland flare that shows up in Ms. Beaton's other books, but well worth a read if you're reading the series as I am.

Not her best , but still enjoyable.......2003-01-05

Hamish McBeth is called to a strange murder scene. Inveterate practical Joker Andrew Trent has been murdered by a guest in his home. The live in couple already have him laid out with candles on his billiard table. Apparently, the deceased got all of his relatives to visit him by saying that he was dying. After tormenting them with various cruel practical jokes, he is found stabbed to death in one of the guest's rooms. They all hated him enough to kill him, but which one actually did?

This wasn't the best of the series. The characters are not very sympathetic and are pretty two dimensional. Hamish and Priscilla's relationship has no real place in the story, and the ending really doesn't resolve much. A quick read, but not up to her usual standards.

Not her best , but still enjoyable.......2003-01-05

Death of a Prankster.......2002-02-02

"Death of a Prankster" is the seventh Hamish Macbeth mystery by M. C. Beaton. Andrew Trent, a rich old man, who is a terrible practical joker has called his family to his home telling everyone he is dying. It is a practical joke, but comes to pass as he is murdered. When Hamish Macbeth is told that Mr. Trent has been murdered at his home, he hesitates thinking it is just another practical joke. But Andrew Trent has been murdered. Hamish Macbeth investigates finding several people in his family that wanted him dead. Was he killed for hate, or was he killed for money? This novel is good, but some of the local Scottish flavor that is in the other books is absent in this one, but if you are reading through the series, as I am, it is worth your time.

Death in the Claimshack (Nightingale Series)

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Death in the Claimshack (Nightingale Series)
John L. Sinclair
Manufacturer: G K Hall & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Death of a Hussy (G K Hall Nightingale Collection)

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The Best Book in the Hamish Macbeth Series!
The continuing adventures of Hamish Macbeth
Another First Class Macbeth!
A bonbon treat of a cozy.
Fast and Fun read

Death of a Hussy (G K Hall Nightingale Collection)
M. C. Beaton
Manufacturer: G K Hall & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Death of a Snob
Death of a Prankster (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries)
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Death of an Outsider (Hamish Macbeth Mysteries)
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ASIN: 0783886640

Book Description

"Splendid fun." The New York Times Book Review
A Hamish Macbeth mystery.
Wealthy Maggie Baird is neither nice nor kind nor generous. Once she was beautiful, but now, although middle-aged, she retains the appetites of a beautiful woman. When Maggie's car catches fire with her inside it, suspicion focuses on the five houseguests staying at Maggie's luxurious Highlands cottage: her timid niece and four former lovers, once of whom Maggie had intended to pick for a husband. All five are impecunious. All five had ample opportunity to monkey with Maggie's car. So finding who did it requires all Police Constable Hamish Macbeth's extraordinary common sense and insight into human nature. And lazy lout though he may be, Hamish lets no grass grow under his feet when it comes to solving a murder. Especially when he may be the next target.

Customer Reviews:

The Best Book in the Hamish Macbeth Series!.......2007-01-12

What's a hussy? The definition that fits this book is "an immoral woman." As you can imagine, hussies are not well regarded in the conservative Scottish highlands. Put a hussy in that locale, and the results can be explosive.

If you love Hamish Macbeth mysteries, you have a great treat ahead of you with Death of a Hussy. But if you haven't read any of the books in the series, you owe it to yourself to begin with the excellent, Death of a Gossip. Then go on to read the books in order of their publication. You'll enjoy the development of the ongoing characters better that way.

As the book opens, Hamish has been banished to Strathbane to be beat officer. His new partner there proves to be a good foil for lots of humor. But he misses Lochdubh. Feeling forlorn, rescue comes from an unexpected direction: New resident Maggie Baird suggests that the locals make up imaginary crimes to force the powers to be to send Hamish back . . . even though she's never met him. Strathbane capitulates and Hamish returns. Then the story leaps forward in time as Maggie retires from the scene to work on recovering her previous good looks from the days when she was a highly sought-after companion for rich men. Her timid niece, Allison, remains behind with one thing on her mind: Becoming a driver. Hamish is pressed into duty as her driving instructor. The book alternates between Hamish and Allison as the narrators, and the contrast enlivens the story development. Maggie unexpectedly returns, much thinner, more toned, with freshly dyed and cropped hair, and wearing expensive clothes. But she's in a bad mood. She has set up four of her former lovers in competition to marry her for her money. In the meantime, Maggie makes life difficult for Allison, her heir. When Maggie dies following a suspicious car fire, the criminal investigation part of Death of a Hussy begins. You probably won't have any trouble figuring out who the murderer is, but it's a most enjoyable story. There's also a development on the Priscilla-Hamish front to look forward to.

Death of a Hussy has several qualities that make it stand out from other books in the series:

1. The subplots are long, interesting, and invariably humorous.
2. The time involved isn't compressed into just a few days. As a result, there's more room for interaction and development in relations among the characters.
3. There's more variety of locales than usual.
4. The humor is much stronger throughout the book. You almost get a sense of M.C. Beaton as being a perfectly happy person in reading this book.
5. The plot nicely brings out new dimensions of the on-going characters in ways that strengthen the series for future books.

This book shows much more care in planning and execution than the earlier or later books in the series. It's as though M.C. Beaton realized that she had a potentially bigger winner on her hands if she made some mid-course corrections in the series . . . and those corrections are perfect!

The continuing adventures of Hamish Macbeth.......2005-06-02

Constable Macbeth has an unusual problem, he is too good at his job. Crime in the village is down, way down mostly because Macbeth is very good at his job. Unfortunately for Macbeth, this coupled with the fact that his superiors suspect (rightly) that he is better at his job than they, has led to his assignment to a larger town. Macbeth is miserable there and the village of Lochdubh is miserable without him. What to do? New village resident Maggie Baird has a suggestion, Lochdubh needs a crime wave, one that can only be checked by Macbeth. Once Macbeth returns home the crime rate does return with yet another murder in this sleepy little town.

This is another in the Hamish Macbeth series of cozy mysteries. We are again treated to scenes of village life and given the chance to spend some time with the charming young constable. Of course there is a little more progress, of a sort, into the stumbling romance of Hamish and Priscilla and oh yes, there is this little murder thing.

The only complaint I have about this one is that it's a bit short (150 pages). I would have enjoyed a couple more twists to the plot and maybe a bit more time in Lochdubh, especially with Hamish and Priscilla.

Another First Class Macbeth!.......2003-09-18

Ms. Beaton is the queen of village mysteries, and each one of her Hamish Macbeth books is as delightful as the last. In this one, the story starts with Hamish living in Strathbane where he has been tranferred. He's not a happy man because he has had to move from his beloved Lochdubh. The villagers of Lochdubh aren't happy either, and they stage a number of "crimes" in their small village which forces the authorities to send Hamish and Towser back where they want to be. But in true Hamish fashion, murder seems to follow his reinstatement. One of the villagers is burned inside her car, and it's apparent to Hamish that it was murder. He opens up a whole wasp's nest of potential murderers, and it's up to Hamish to find the one who did it. This book is a delight - offbeat and funny.

A bonbon treat of a cozy........2002-12-17

Short and sweet and jam-packed with fun, DEATH OF A HUSSY is the fifth in the series of Hamish Macbeth mysteries. There are some really colorful characters here. Beaton is so good at creating characters with both good and bad sides. Even the "hussy" has some good points -- and the combination of characters can be pretty funny. Satisfying conclusion. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Fast and Fun read.......2002-10-07

Hamish is stationed in Strathbane, due to the downsizing of constabularies in the Highlands. He is unhappy with living in the city and with the attitude of his new partner. The residents of Lochdubh are unhappy with the situation also. A new woman in town suggests that they stage a series of fake crimes to get him back, it works. Mrs. Baird is something of a femme fatale, encased in a layer of fat. She is a former professional hussy and has amassed a fortune with her looks. She has taken in a niece recovering from cancer, and turned her into a secretary, unpaid of course. When she goes away to restore her looks, her niece is charged with typing up her filthy memoirs. The girl wants to learn how to drive and to get a proper job, but Mrs. Baird forbids it. Hamish teaches her to drive and she is feeling independent until her aunt returns home and announces that she is getting married again and cutting the niece out of her will. She is killed shortly thereafter and the niece and Mrs. Baird's four suitors are the main suspects.

This is a typical Hamish McBeth book. The mystery isn't difficult, but the characters and story line are alot of fun.

5 Titles in Inspector Adam Dalgiesh Series : A Mind to Murder - Shroud for a Nightingale - Death of an Expert Witness - Devices and Desires - Death in Holy Orders
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5 Titles in Inspector Adam Dalgiesh Series : A Mind to Murder - Shroud for a Nightingale - Death of an Expert Witness - Devices and Desires - Death in Holy Orders
P.D. James
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: B000LSRLSK

Product Description

5 massmarket paperback Titles in Inspector Adam Dalgiesh Series : A Mind to Murder - Shroud for a Nightingale - Death of an Expert Witness - Devices and Desires - Death in Holy Orders

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Craftsmanship , Vividness and Beauty
Okay, but nothing spectacular
My first to read by Eugene McCabe..boy,what a writer!
This is a "forced" read most of the time
A PERFECT MARRIAGE OF STORY AND STYLE

Death and Nightingales
Eugene Mccabe
Manufacturer: Vintage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Heaven Lies About Us: Stories

ASIN: 074939868X
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

It is 1883 and the farms of County Fermanagh, on the border of Ulster and what we now know as the Republic of Ireland, are crisscrossed with religious, political, and generational tensions. Through the events of a single day in the life of Elizabeth Winters, we see decades of pain, betrayal, and resentment build to a devastating climax.

Against the fearsome beauty of the Fermanagh landscape, the fate of McCabe's heroine, Beth, slowly and suspensefully unfolds. Born to a Catholic mother and an unknown Catholic father, conceived shortly before her mother's marriage to Protestant Billy Winters, Beth has lived a life of silent suffering since her mother's death. Determined to decide her own fate but doomed to repeat the tragic circumstances of her birth, McCabe illuminates her quiet, searing power with the tenderness of a poet, offering up a powerful, lyrical indictment of the tensions that tear families and nations apart.

Customer Reviews:

Craftsmanship , Vividness and Beauty.......2006-12-17

This is a superb book. McCabe combines fresh clear description with a subtle psychological grasp of the complexity of character. There are ambiguities and reversals which are believable and earned. The story illuminates the political situation of late 19th century Ireland through the situation and and relationships of the characters. Sounds simple but it's hard to do well. Mcabe is masterful.

Okay, but nothing spectacular.......2006-06-10

I got this book because I had never read a novel written from a native Irishman's point of view. I was looking forward to learning new slang and getting a feel of rural Irish culture in the 19th century. The story was okay, but it wasn't very memorable. I read it a couple of months ago and I don't even remember how it ends, which is pretty rare for me.

My first to read by Eugene McCabe..boy,what a writer!.......2006-03-15

I am continuing to find Irish writers who amaze me with their superb abilities with language and storytelling. After reading this author for the first time,I must say I am as impressed with his work as I am with Roddy Doyle,Frank and Malachy McCourt,Sean O'Callghan,Brendan O'Carroll,Tim Pat Coogan,Don Mullan,Liam O' Flaherty,Morgan Llywelyn,Brendan Behan and many more of my favorites.
In this novel we get a story that keeps us totally engrossed from beginning to end. Not only a good story,it is set in 1883,just a quarter century after the Great Famine in the northern County of Fermanagh. We are given a great insight into the social issues of Irish/Anglo,Catholic/Protestant,Wealthy Landowner/Poor Tennants,Parnell and the struggle of Freedom from the British and other elements that influenced every apect of the society in late 18th Century Ireland.
McCabe uses language like a great painter strokes a brush,a great guitarist fingers the strings or a balladier like Paddy Reilly sings a ballad. Let me give you just a taste of what you'll be in for in this novel;
"Up here,this place is half-way to heaven!"
"Billy Winters watched them watching the Bishop of Clogher.Cheeky,smooth little bugger ticking me off like that. Doesn't need wiskey;intoxicated with himself. This room packed with Tammany Taigs,vindictive unforgiving pack,outbreed us yet,that's what they're up to,get the land back,get us off it or bury us in it,convert us or kill us,burning zeal...Still got a half notion he'll make a convert of me...no bloody fear, Sir,not my soul...not my land,not my gold,defend it to the death."
And how about this for Irish banter?
"Being born in a stable doesn't make you a horse,that's what the Duke of Wellington said about being born here."
From the half-light of the hollow Donnelly's voice came back:
"It could also make you a God. He rules the universe!"
"A bloody bad job he made of this wee corner." Billy muttered.
"I've only the two sons left out of the dozen I've reared. The poet fellow inside never laves the bed and this fella here's hardly ever in it!"
And then ,how's this for blunt talk?
"I'll give you death and nightingales...you'll fly from here,forever,with rooks,daws,and magpies,you'll croak like scald crows from now on with fellow thieves and vermin."
And finally;
"Nature's a terrible tinker,full of tricks and contrariness."

This could only be an Irish novel and will be a great read now as well as many decades ahead.

This is a "forced" read most of the time.......2005-09-21

I picked this book up in a used bookstore based on two things: 1) on the cover is a quote by Michael Ondaatje saying "A deeply moving, powerful, and unforgettable book." and 2) I flipped through several pages and enjoyed McCabe's writing style. I should also say that I'm a bit of a fan of Ondaatje's writing style, but I don't fall all over the man's writing. (I read "In the Skin of a Lion" and found that book to be somewhat plotless and pointless, but still he is a very good wordsmith.) The story in Death and Nightingales is a little bit difficult to get into if you don't know any background to the Irish conflict between Protestants and Catholics. That's the undercurrent in this novel. It's also a "forced" read because, as one reviewer relates, there's not much of a plot to go on here. As you read you have to keep telling yourself to read. But I can accept that, because many late 20th century novelists tend to write this way. With the type of writer that McCabe is, you're reading his novel for his wordsmiting as much as for his storytelling abilities. What I found disappointing was that as I read I was becoming less and less enamored with his wordsmithing. There would be sentences and images I could really hang on to, but then his language would slip and drop completely flat, almost as if he'd left things unpolished, or untouched. It seemed as if, in spots, he became tired of his own work. That's how I read it, at least. And that's a very dangerous space for a novelist to be in. Also, I found McCabe's point of view switches to first person very forced and very clumsy. The pace did pick up in the last quarter of the book, though, and I found myself reading more for the story than for his turns of phrase or writing style. (Whereas, in the work of Styron or Faulkner, you *really* are reading and *enjoying* the language on the page.) All in all, 3 stars: not great (*certainly* not one of the best novels of the 20th century--good grief--as one reviewer suggests), not horrible, either.

A PERFECT MARRIAGE OF STORY AND STYLE.......2002-09-04

Eugene McCabe's DEATH AND NIGHTINGALES absolutely picked me up and dropped me - the book was that powerful and moving. For a novel set in 1883 in rural Ireland to transport me as a reader so quickly and thoroughly shows me the hand of a master at work. This is an author that I am pleased to have discovered - and one whose work I will actively seek.

McCabe's writing style is as rough-hewn as the characters he portrays - but this is deceptive, because there are many subtleties at work here. His descriptive abilities are staggering - but most of the story is carried along either as conversation or as revelations to the reader of the characters' thoughts. Another reviewer commented that the author's style almost compelled the reader to create the story while reading it - and that's a pretty apt description of the `work' required of the reader to grasp the monumental achievement of this novel. This `work' is not toil-in-vain, however - there is a great reward to putting forth a little effort here.

The characters are vivid and real - and the story is one that involves love, family, politics, class struggle and murder. There is a palpable air of mystery and suspense that permeates the story, one that keeps the reader guessing, rapt until the end. There are likable characters whose treachery lurks just beneath the surface, as well as persons who seem to be less than respectable at first glance who turn out to be made of stout moral fibre - and there are those as well who are just as they seem, so I'm not really giving anything away with these statements. There's also one of the most unlikely heroes you're liable to run across anywhere.

Customer Reviews:

An intelligent mystery with a whiff of better things to come.......2001-06-26

This is the first of RDE's series of mysteries set in modern-day British institutions, introducing Robert Amiss, the unlikely and likeable hero of the series, and his policeman friend Jim Milton. It demonstrates RDE's trade-mark clear-sighted understanding of her settings, in this case the intricacies and absurdities of the British government and civil service. At the same time she does not lecture. She hits the plot straight away (we don't even get to meet the murder victim alive) and does not let up the pace. Amiss is the junior-but-fast-tracked (graduate entrant), intelligent and basically decent Private Secretary to the murdered Permanent Secretary who is recruited by Milton to be his mole and his guide to the complex hierarchy, conventions and personalities involved. Amiss' explanations get a wee bit laboured - I can't believe that a senior British policeman needs to have explained to him what the various "Secretaries" in the civil service really connote - but I guess explanation in some form or another is unavoidable if she is not to lose her non-British readers entirely. As it is, this is a painless and indeed enjoyable introduction to the British civil service by an insider (as RDE has been a civil servant herself).

Another RDE trademark is that believable and distinct (and recognisably British) characters come to life with remarkable economy of words. As usual with RDE the plot is not over-clever, but nonetheless tight and can't be faulted. Her strength really is making everything so true-to-life. Policemen engage in real hard thinking and thorough dog-work, coping at the same time with political pressures. People act true to nature and yet don't always conform to steorotype. Milton and Amiss display real intelligence and understanding of human nature (no glaring oversight of an obvious angle which proves to be the key to the mystery). RDE mixes realism and entertainment to a commendable degree. Needless to say, she writes well; well-paced, articulate and snappy prose.

This books take the point of view of Jim Milton more than Robert Amiss, which is interesting for devotees of the series because Amiss quickly becomes central whereas Milton fades away gradually. For the reader interested in character development, this first book provides an important piece in the jigsaw. Here Milton is portrayed more vividly than in any other book in the series, and we learn to respect his patience and professionalism, and understand a little more of his personal life. Amiss is a bit flat here compared to the following and later books where he becomes more lively. One gets the feeling that perhaps at this stage RDE meant Milton to be her central character rather than Amiss. But this is the only book where he is in real and appropriate employment so for Amiss fans it is a chance to see him on his homeground.

Customer Reviews:

This ought to be in pictures . . ........2001-05-13

Hello--BBC? Are you there, old chaps? I say, there is this terrific novel that would make an absolutely smashing episode of MYSTERY or one of those type programs which you all do so well.

Death & the Princess--no, no! not *that* Princess--by Robert Barnard just cries out for a visual treatment. There's this hunky Scotland Yard Superintendent with a bit of Toff in his history somewhere there, and a name that could hardly be more Brit. Peregrine Trethowan. Now I ask you! Of course, he's married (aren't they all) and has a young son, to boot, so he wouldn't be up to much in the way of hanky-panky, but still--that gorgeous young man who played Mr. Darcy in your recent P & P, would be ideal in this role.

Anyway, the Princess here is Helena, who is a many-times removed sprig of the current residents of Buckingham Palace, via her now-deceased Mama. Her Bavarian Papa, Prince Rupert, has managed to wangle himself into a position with the current Prince of Liechtenberg, and that entourage is about to visit London. This promises to create a bit of a stir, you see, because the Princess likes to have things happen. Especially when she's there to watch!

In her ordinary life, Helena is a charming young miss (rather reminds me of the second Miss Bennett in that aforementioned P & P) who cheerfully carries out all the 'meet and greet' type tasks assigned to her by the higher-ups, in exchange for which she has a 'grace and favor' at Kensington Palace. Athough the Royals don't really specialize, as such, it seems as though Helena visits an awful lot of places that cater to the elderly, and does it cheerfully, too!

She even manages to have a private life, of sorts. There's that young, and supposedly Honorable Edwin Frere, and the Northern Ireland footballer Jimmy McAphee, the MP (from perhaps the wrong side of the aisle) Harry Bayle, and the current acting sensation, Jeremy Styles (who once did portray the aforementioned Mr. Darcy) in the current batch. Oh, and let us not forget the reporter Bill Tredgold. Unfortunately, he's no longer with us, having had a gas heater do exactly the wrong thing while he was staying at a Tudor era inn near Shrewsbury.

Well, there you have the cast of characters, except for a short star turn by Edwina, Lady Glencoe, that is. (You can read all about her on page 136 of the first edition.) There's even a bang-up plot that comes to light when a old lay-about mumbles something about a threat to the Princess. I think you really will have to read this for yourself, old chaps, to see just how it goes together so neatly. And such perfectly delicious political satire thrown in for good measure. I can just hear that first-person narration now . . .

Death by sheer torture (Nightingale series)
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Enjoyable, although cynical and irreverent, with over-the-top characters, and unusual language.

For everybody with an "interesting" family....

classic whodunit with a slyly nasty twist

Death by sheer torture (Nightingale series)
Robert Barnard
Manufacturer: G.K. Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0816134561

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable, although cynical and irreverent, with over-the-top characters, and unusual language........2007-03-18

The mystery begins with the strappado death of CID Detective Inspector Peregrine "Perry" Trethowan's estranged father Leo at the Trethowan ancestral home, Harpenden House. Perry is asked by the Assistant Commissioner to participate in the investigation. This is an assignment Perry would have preferred to avoid. It is professionally embarrassing, as his 70 year old father was found dead wearing spangled tights, and although Perry left Harpenden House years ago, one or perhaps more of his highly eccentric relatives, still living there, is likely to be the murderer(s).

This somewhat bizarre story is populated by odd characters and biting commentary about Perry's relatives and upper class attitudes and practices. This is a well told tale that held my interest throughout, although it took a while to get comfortable with Barnard's idiosyncratic writing style, which occasionally, for me, intruded on the storytelling.

Barnard writes with an acerbic, tongue-in-the-cheek comedic style, using a unique choice of words and sentence structure. Two first chapter quotes: "...like all right thinking people I read my paper backwards ...", and "Certainly he would not have committed suicide: he never was one to do anybody a favor", demonstrate the story's humorous tones.

His uncommon choices of words and sentence structure seem more redolent of a foreign writer with an exceptional command of English, than an English-born and Oxford-educated author. Some illustrative examples are: "I began expatiating aggrievedly on a theme...", "Aunt Sybillia went into acidulated retirement...",

If your looking for an unusual reading experience and are comfortable with occasionally pregnant sentences, unique over-the-top characters, a humorous but disparaging viewpoint, and a more entertaining than mysterious story you may find this a surprisingly entertaining novel.

For everybody with an "interesting" family...........2003-12-10

For everybody with an "interesting" family, this book offers a delightful mystery set against memorable characters. Perry Trethowan is an "everyman" sensible cop coerced into revisiting a past that he had good reason to flee; in order to solve a murder that will embarass him for the rest of his life.

Numerous red herrings ensure that you will not solve the case by chapter three, always worth three stars. The other two stars are for the charaters.

classic whodunit with a slyly nasty twist.......1999-08-12

Perry is a London police detective who has, to his immenserelief, been disowned by his upper-class family. The Trethowans mightbest be described as cut-rate Sitwells or Mitfords: a poet, a painter (long deceased, and the only one with any real talent), a composer, a set-designer, and a Nazi sympathizer -- plus their various offspring, all living in a monstrosity of a country house. When Perry's father (the composer) is found dead on a torture device of his own design, our detective's immediate reaction is: "That is just how one of my family would die, and just how one of my family would murder... I'll be the laughing-stock of the CID for the rest of my life." However, the Scotland Yard brass decide that only a Trethowan can comprehend the mind of another Trethowan -- and so, despite his pleas, Perry is sent back to the bosom of his family to find the killer among them. Although there is very little violence or sex in this book, it's still not your typical warm fuzzy aristo-Anglophile romp either.

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