Review: The Red House Mystery

September 4, 20143 Comments

A.A. Milne, The Red House Mystery

In the time-honored tradition of the classic British mystery, a house party goes terribly awry when one of the guests is murdered and the host disappears. Mark Ablett, owner of the Red House, enjoys collecting people around him, so the house party includes such diverse characters as his private secretary, a military man, an actress, and several idle young people. The party appears to be going well until Ablett learns that his brother, the black sheep of the family who had been living in Australia, will be visiting the Red House for an unspecified but sinister reason. When Robert is inevitably murdered, Mark is nowhere to be found. Is he the murderer, or did someone else in the house party do the deed? Young man-about-town Antony Gillingham just happens to arrive on the scene at a pivotal moment, so he decides to try his skill as an amateur detective; but ultimately he discovers that the solution to the mystery is far more tragic than amusing.

When I came across this book a few years ago, I was delighted to discover that the creator of Winnie the Pooh had written a mystery story! It follows many conventions of the classic Golden Age mystery — such as being “fair,” with all clues presented to the reader as the detective discovers them — but it turned out to be a bit darker and sadder than I was expecting. Tony discovers the murderer’s identity fairly early in the book, so the bulk of the mystery lies in discovering how and why the deed was done. And the thing is, I found the murderer very sympathetic! So I was disappointed that this character turned out to be the guilty party. Also, unlike many mysteries from this period, this book doesn’t contain much humor, nor are there any subplots to lighten the mood of suspense and doom. Tony’s sidekick provides a few funny moments, but otherwise the tone remains pretty dark. Finally, Tony’s character isn’t developed very much, which disappointed me; he seemed really interesting, and I would have liked to know more about his backstory. The book is still worth reading if you enjoy Golden Age mysteries, but I have to admit, it wasn’t my favorite.

Review: In Tearing Haste

September 2, 2014Leave a comment

Charlotte Mosley, ed., In Tearing Haste: Letters Between Deborah Devonshire and Patrick Leigh Fermor

Deborah Devonshire began life as the youngest of the (in)famous Mitford sisters, but she unexpectedly became the duchess of Devonshire when her husband, Andrew Cavendish, inherited the duchy from his brother. Patrick Leigh Fermor was a travel writer who became a war hero by kidnapping the commanding German officer on the Nazi-occupied island of Crete. (The movie “Ill Met by Moonlight” is a fictionalized account of his experience.) The two first met when Deborah was still a young debutante, but they eventually formed a deep friendship, as well as a correspondence that would last for more than half a century. Although “darling Paddy” and “darling Debo” lived through many political upheavals and personal tragedies, their letters to each other always remained upbeat, humorous, and cheerful.

I usually find nonfiction very slow going, but this book was a pleasure to read. Both “Debo” and “Paddy” wrote in a lively conversational style that’s very easy to read, and I felt truly immersed in their day-to-day lives. Patrick often wrote about the various exotic places he visited, including the little town in Greece where he and his wife eventually settled. Deborah largely stayed on the Devonshire estates in England and Ireland, where she waxed poetic about sheep breeding and various fox-hunting excursions. The book also provides some fascinating insights into the psychology of the British upper classes: for example, Deborah mentions, with the utmost casualness, dining with President Kennedy several times. Though there’s not much in-depth discussion of the historical events through which they lived, anyone who is interested in reading a firsthand account of the 20th century should pick up this book! I’d also recommend it for fans of the Mitfords or early 20th-century British literature in general.

Review: The Young Clementina

September 1, 20142 Comments

D.E. Stevenson, The Young Clementina

Charlotte Dean can’t remember a time when she wasn’t in love with Garth Wisdon, her childhood playmate and next-door neighbor. Although Charlotte is merely the daughter of the local vicar, while Garth is the heir to a large estate, she grows up confident that they will marry someday. As they reach adulthood, Garth seems to reciprocate her feelings, but their love is arrested by the outbreak of World War I. Garth goes off to fight in the war, and when he returns, Charlotte no longer recognizes the man she once knew. The new Garth is angry and cynical and seems to hold her in contempt. Nevertheless, she is still overwhelmed with shock when he quickly becomes engaged to her younger sister, Kitty. Now Charlotte is living in a shabby flat in London, where she has little contact with Garth and Kitty. But a tragic turn of events brings them both back into her life — along with their strange, shy daughter, Clementina — and Charlotte must make a decision that could alter the entire course of her life.

I’m so glad Sourcebooks is reprinting the novels of D.E. Stevenson, because I’ve really enjoyed all the ones I’ve read so far! This book is a bit more somber than her Miss Buncle series, but it’s still a nice, leisurely, and ultimately sweet read. I was expecting the central storyline to be a romance, but really the book is much more about Charlotte’s growth as she is forced out of her comfort zone. In the beginning, it’s a bit difficult to feel much sympathy for her because she accepts her sister’s betrayal so passively. But as she emerges from her solitary cocoon and starts to cultivate friendships, she becomes a much stronger person who is capable of standing on her own two feet. On the other hand, I never felt much sympathy for Garth, even after he explained his actions; in my opinion, everything he suffered throughout the novel was his own stupid fault! But overall, I’d definitely recommend this book to people who like slower-paced, old-fashioned books with a contemplative feel.

Review: Naughty in Nice

July 7, 2014Leave a comment

Rhys Bowen, Naughty in Nice

Lady Georgiana Rannoch is facing yet another a dreary winter in London. Despite her royal pedigree — she’s 34th in line to the throne of England — she has no income, and the worldwide depression in the wake of World War I has made it impossible for her to find work. What’s more, her brother Binky and his intolerable wife, Fig, have decided to close up their London house, which means Georgie will be essentially homeless. Fortunately, the queen comes to her rescue by sending her to the French Riviera on a secret mission: she must recover a stolen snuffbox, believed to be in the possession of one Sir Toby Groper. At first, Georgie is ecstatic to be in Nice, mingling with rich English pleasure-seekers and dashing French aristocrats. She even meets Coco Chanel, who asks her to model one of the looks from Chanel’s new collection. But then a priceless necklace is stolen and a man is murdered — and in the eyes of the French police, Georgie is the prime suspect! Can she clear her name by finding the real thief and murderer?

I’m really enjoying the Royal Spyness series, and this book (the 5th installment) is no exception. It’s a light, exuberant mystery that still manages to incorporate a lot of information about this time period. For example, the Prince of Wales and his paramour, Wallis Simpson, make brief appearances in the book, and there are also a few mentions of Hitler as he begins his rise to power in Germany. In addition to the setting, I enjoyed the plot of this book, which is a bit more substantial than some of the earlier books in the series. Georgie is a fun character, but she’s not really much of a detective; she tends to stumble onto the solution of the mystery rather than actually investigating or deducing anything. In this book, though, she actually does take some initiative and is able to put the pieces together — though not before her own life is endangered once more. All in all, I think this is one of the better installments of the series, and I’m planning to continue with The Twelve Clues of Christmas in December!

Review: A Blunt Instrument

June 30, 20144 Comments

Georgette Heyer, A Blunt Instrument

When wealthy Englishman Ernest Fletcher is found in his study with his head bashed in, his relatives and neighbors are shocked. Ernest was well-liked and seemingly had no enemies, so why would anyone want to kill him? But as Superintendent Hannasyde and Sergeant Hemingway investigate the case, they soon uncover several motives. First there’s Neville Fletcher, the dead man’s nephew and heir to his fairly large fortune. Then there is Helen North, who has a secret involving Ernest that she doesn’t want anybody — especially her husband — to know about. Or the culprit could be Abraham Budd, a businessman who was complicit in some of Ernest’s shady financial dealings. But as the police collect motives and unearth secrets, they become more and more puzzled by the conflciting testimony about what actually happened on the night of the murder. And when a second victim appears, Hannasyde and Hemingway know they will have to act fast to catch a partiuclarly elusive killer.

In general I prefer Heyer’s romances to her mysteries, but I really enjoyed this book! There are some wonderful characters in this one: the vague, mischievous Neville, who is much sharper than he appears; the blunt, monocle-wearing Sally Drew, who writes detective novels; Constable Glass, the Bible-quoting policeman; and the impatient, down-to-earth Sergeant Hemingway. The dialogue is witty and sparkling, as usual, and I loved the romance(s) that emerged throughout the course of the book. The mystery itself is also a bit more substantial than in some of Heyer’s other books, and I was surprised by the Christie-esque twist that revealed the murderer’s identity. Overall, if you’re interested in trying Heyer’s mysteries, I think this is a really good place to start! (Hannasyde and Hemingway are recurring characters in her mysteries, but the books absolutely do not have to be read in order.) I’m reading these mysteries in chronological order, so I’ll be interested to see whether they get even better as they go on!

Review: No Bed for Bacon

June 29, 20141 Comment

Caryl Brahms & S.J. Simon, No Bed for Bacon

In this hilarious send-up of the Elizabethan era — or rather, the Elizabethan era as perceived by popular culture — Sir Francis Bacon is desperate to obtain a bed that Queen Elizabeth has slept in during one of her royal progresses. He wants it to be an heirloom for his family, as he knows the bed’s value will only increase through the years. Sir Walter Raleigh’s attention is divided between his new cloak, which he hopes will be the envy of everyone at Elizabeth’s court (especially that dandy, the Earl of Essex), and his upcoming introduction of the potato to England. Meanwhile, Sir Francis Drake is grumbling about the fact that he hasn’t been able to do any really good pirating in years; theater owner Philip Henslowe will do anything in his power to shut down his rival, Burbage; and Shakespeare is trying to work on a new play, Love’s Labour’s Wunne, but he keeps getting distracted by the problem of how to spell his own name. Add a little romance, an overly ambitious watchman, and some reminiscing about the glory days of the Armada, and the stage is set for high comedy with a few history lessons thrown in.

I didn’t know it until I read the introduction, but this book is actually part of the basis for the Academy Award-winning movie “Shakespeare in Love.” But while the movie focuses almost entirely on the romance between Shakespeare and the noble Lady Viola, in the book it’s just one of many plots involving the most famous figures of the Elizabethan age. If you know anything about the era or are interested in learning more, I highly recommend this book! It’s pure farce, so there isn’t much “plot” to speak of, but the jokes are more than funny enough to make up for that! One of my favorites was an exchange between Shakespeare and Bacon about some plot element of Shakespeare’s play that Bacon didn’t like. Shakespeare responds with great indignation, “Master Bacon, do I write my plays or do you?” Then there’s this internal monologue from a Puritan who seeks to shut down the theater: “People had no right to enjoy themselves. He was going to stop them. His cause was a just one and he knew it. He was enjoying himself.” So if you like Shakespeare and don’t mind a little (or a lot of) silliness, you should definitely check out this book!

Review: That Summer

June 27, 2014Leave a comment

Lauren Willig, That Summer

In 2009, Julia Conley learns that she’s inherited a house in England from a great-aunt she’s never met. She hasn’t even been to England since her mother died when she was little. When Julia reluctantly goes to London to get the house ready to sell, she teams up with her cousin Natalie and an attractive antiques dealer named Nick to sort through her great-aunt’s belongings. Julia is especially intrigued by a stunning painting that she finds in a wardrobe, which looks like it was painted by a member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Her quest to learn more about the painting leads her to the story of Imogen, who lived in the house with her husband Arthur in the 1840s. Imogen thought her marriage would be like a fairy tale, but in reality her husband is selfish and distant. She finally finds the love she’s been longing for when she meets a struggling painter named Gavin Thorne, who has been hired to paint her portrait. But will their romance last, or is it destined to end in tragedy?

I’m a longtime fan of Willig’s Pink Carnation series, so I was excited to read this book, her second stand-alone novel. As an added bonus, I really like Pre-Raphaelite art and was interested to learn a bit more about the movement. But while this was a fairly good read, I didn’t love it quite as much as I was hoping to. Both Julia’s and Imogen’s stories had the potential to be really interesting, but because the book divides its focus between them, neither plot is as rich as it could be. I had a hard time connecting to Imogen’s story in particular; the romance seemed to happen very abruptly. Also, I personally have a very hard time with love stories that expect me to condone adultery, so while I sympathized with Imogen’s plight, I wasn’t exactly rooting for her and Gavin to get together. Finally, I missed the lighthearted tone and occasionally silly humor of the Pink Carnation books. This novel is much more somber, and I didn’t find it as enjoyable. Overall, I’d say the book is worth a read if you’re a Willig completist (like me) or if you are particularly interested in the premise.

Review: Double Cross

June 26, 20142 Comments

Ben Macintyre, Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies

Seventy years ago, the Allies stormed the beaches of Normandy and began the campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied Europe. Many circumstances contributed to the success of the D-Day invasion, but one of the most important factors was the campaign of disinformation being fed to the Germans by a network of double agents whose sole purpose was to convince the Abwehr that the Allies would be landing at Calais rather than Normandy. Had these agents failed, the Germans would have concentrated their forces at Normandy, most likely stopping the Allied invasion in its tracks. This book tells the stories of the individual double agents involved in this task, including Serbian playboy Dusko Popov (“Tricycle”), Peruvian socialite Elvira Chaudoir (“Bronx”), and Polish nationalist Roman Czerniawski (“Valentine”). Ultimately, Macintyre makes a convincing case for the proposition that the Allies would never have won the war on the battlefields had they not already won the intelligence war.

This book gives a wealth of fascinating detail about the six men and women who acted as double agents in Britain, allegedly spying for Germany but really working for the Allies. I was shocked to learn that British intelligence had actually discovered and turned every German agent in Britain at the time! Because of this, the Allies were able to present a unified message to the Germans, subtlely directing their attention away from Normandy and toward other possible invasion sites. Some of the specific stories in the book prove once again that truth is stranger than fiction: for example, Dusko Popov thrived on creating networks of sub-agents that were entirely fictional, yet he retained the Abwehr’s complete trust. I also loved the fact that these double agents were handled in Britain by the Twenty Committee, so named because the Roman numeral for 20 is XX, or “double cross.” In short, if you’re interested in true stories of WWII-era espionage, Ben Macintyre is your man!

Review: Rose Under Fire

June 20, 20142 Comments

Elizabeth Wein, Rose Under Fire

Rose Justice is an American pilot who has just come to England to help with the war effort. Though women aren’t allowed to fly planes in combat, she is able to get a job with the Women’s Air Transport Auxiliary ferrying planes back and forth within Allied territory. At first Rose sees her work as a grand adventure, a fascinating change from her sheltered upbringing. But her life is instantly, horribly changed when she is captured by the Germans in the middle of a routine flight from France to England. She is immediately arrested and transported to the women’s concentration camp at Ravensbrück. There Rose confronts the hideous realities of this war for the first time, including the brutal scientific experiments performed on a group of young women known as “rabbits.” But depsite the horrific treatment Rose endures, she forges close bonds with a small group of fellow prisoners and somehow manages to hold onto hope.

This companion novel to Code Name Verity is equally powerful and moving, although it struck me in a very different way. I loved CNV for its suspense, its elements of espionage, and its intense portrayal of friendship. This book is not as suspenseful; we know from the start of Rose’s narrative about Ravensbrück that she is remembering her experiences after she has escaped. It’s also not as personal (if that’s the word I want) because while Rose forms incredibly close bonds with her fellow prisoners, the emphasis is less on individual relationships and more on the experience of Ravensbrück as a whole. Neverthless, this book did strike me on a very deep personal level. It’s easy to become a little desensitized to the atrocities committed by the Nazis, simply because we’ve heard about them so many times, but this book certainly made them vivid for me. The most horrifying thing is that similar atrocities are still occurring in parts of the world today. So this is not an easy read, but I think it’s a very important one.

You Book Me All Night Long

Tag: england