Sunday 17 April 2011

CRIME REVIEW: Dandy Gilver 6: Dandy Gilver and an Usuitable Day for a Murder - Catriona McPherson

Release Date: 14/04/11

SYNOPSIS:

Friday 3rd June, 1927 Dear Alec, 'Careful what you wish for, lest it come true' is my new motto, and here is why. I was summoned to Dunfermline, that old grey town, in the matter of a missing heiress. She had flounced off in a sulk over forbidden love and I, suspecting elopement, was loath to take the job of scouring guesthouses to find the little madam and her paramour. Before I could wriggle out of it, though, there was a murder in the mix - or was it suicide? I had hardly begun to decide when it happened again. Then I was sacked. Actually sacked! By two separate people, and both dismissals in writing. And that's not even the worst of it, darling: matters here are careering downwards much in the style of a runaway train. Please hurry - or who knows where it might end, Dandy xx


REVIEW:

Readers who love a mystery set during the Art Deco Period really have to try this series by Catriona McPherson. The genteel aspects of the characters flood through and even though I’m reading the sixth title in the series without having read the previous hasn’t left me feeling alienated.

The characters fit the times; they have various hooks that allow a modern reader to associate with them and perhaps best of all the dialogue has an authentic feel.

Add to this a wonderful amount of research that was obviously lovingly conducted, a great sense of pace and an author who knows how to divert the reader’s attention with ease.

It’s clearly a done and when you add the fact that there’s no heavy info dump within makes this a title that will more than please many a reader who decides to take tea with the fascinating Dandy Gilver.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Oh I love the language of this book, it's like delving into the books I read as a child, but with a nice balance of prose. (and easier to undertand! LOL!)
Great review!