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historical_bookworm's review
4.0
Delightful whodunnit set in early 20th England. Very Downton Abbey feel which I loved and a story that hooked you to the end.
tmdavis's review
4.0
This debut mystery by Tessa Arlen transports readers back in time to early 20th century England before the Great War. Lady Montfort's annual costume ball goes off without a hitch until someone finds the body of her nephew hanging from one of the gamekeeper's gibbets in a remote section of the woods. In addition, one of Lady Montfort's guests and one of the new maids have both gone missing. Lady Montfort convinces her housekeeper, Mrs. Jackson to help her investigate the murder alongside and unbeknowst to the local constable. What results is a very enjoyable mystery that addresses the issues of the day such as women's suffrage, class prejudices and the privilege of the rich. Downton Abbey fans will love this one!
literaryfeline's review
4.0
http://www.literaryfeline.com/2015/01/bookish-thoughts-death-of-dishonorable.html
biblioventurer's review
4.0
Imagine a murder mystery at Downton Abbey and you'll have the feel of this book. After a summer ball, two young ladies go missing and the host's bad egg of a nephew is found dead. Good mystery with unpredictable twists and turns.
kimmerp's review
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is not a "thriller" or even very fast-paced. It is a fabulous exploration of the personalities, cultural divides, and unlikely partnership between the lady of the house and her housekeeper. I thought the writing was fluid and beautifully described the scenes. I never once thought about a clunky transition or poorly paced paragraph. Even though the book is methodical in its exploration of the cultural themes and mystery, it feels like a normal pace, not hurried by some super-smart investigator who figures things out just a little too easily, connects dots that really aren't obvious. I never grew impatient with the pacing. Ms. Arlen did a a fabulous job for this book in this genre which I why I gave it 5 stars. And she is a first-time author!
krisrid's review
2.0
This book did not hold my interest or draw me in and I did not finish it.
I don't know if it's because I have read a fair number of books about British house parties where murder occurs, and I have become saturated for that format, or if this just wasn't terribly original, but it felt dull to me. I felt like I was reading a book I've read over and over, and which was filled with characters who were predictable cliches, and where nothing felt interesting or unique.
That sounds bad, I know but it wasn't really. The writing was very good, and the characters were well drawn, and some of them - like Lady Montfort especially - were actually quite likable. But despite that, I just was not drawn into this story at all. I was bored, and found myself drifting and scanning over large chunks of the pages by page 65, which is a pretty good indication that a book isn't a good fit for me.
This one is going back to the library.
I don't know if it's because I have read a fair number of books about British house parties where murder occurs, and I have become saturated for that format, or if this just wasn't terribly original, but it felt dull to me. I felt like I was reading a book I've read over and over, and which was filled with characters who were predictable cliches, and where nothing felt interesting or unique.
That sounds bad, I know but it wasn't really. The writing was very good, and the characters were well drawn, and some of them - like Lady Montfort especially - were actually quite likable. But despite that, I just was not drawn into this story at all. I was bored, and found myself drifting and scanning over large chunks of the pages by page 65, which is a pretty good indication that a book isn't a good fit for me.
This one is going back to the library.
colleenlovestoread's review against another edition
4.0
The full review can be found at http://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2015/01/death-of-dishonorable-gentleman-blog.html.
Being a huge fan of Downton Abbey I was so excited to read this book, which sounded to me like a cross between that lovely show and the movie Clue (although I assumed, given the cast of characters, that Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman would be a little less campy and much more elegant then that particular movie). Who wouldn't love the opulence of a lavish costume ball tarnished by a vicious murder and two missing girls? Well, I'm happy to say that the author did a wonderful job of setting the stage and delivering a page-turning murder mystery with a cast of characters sure to delight.
Being the two main characters, Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson were wonderful complements to each other and really showcased their two different worlds and how each were able to add their own bits of skill and expertise to the task of locating not only the two missing girls - Lucinda, the daughter of one of the guests and Violet, the house's newest housemaid - but discovering who murdered the despicable Teddy. I wondered at first how these two would ever begin working together given the strict separation of the classes but once Lady Montfort discovered her beloved son might be accused of the murder and implored Mrs. Jackson to assist her in finding out who did commit the crime before it was too late, it was easy to see how they could work if not together than towards the same purpose. Mrs. Jackson's loyalty to the family she works for and her steadfast belief that her duty was to guard the family's reputation from outside forces combined with her quick mind and calm demeanor made it easy to see her assisting the imaginative and determined Lady Montfort.
The remaining cast of characters, from below stairs and above, are a fun hodgepodge of gossiping servants and the eccentric rich. Most all fit into the neat patterns we typically see in this sort of story - loud and gruff cook, stuffy butler, cold dowager, rich lady dripping with jewels and an ever-present lap dog, etc. - but some break free of this mold and deliver a nice bit of change. It's interesting to see how quickly the secrets begin to slide out when everyone is made to stay put together and their every move is scrutinized. I very much enjoyed watching the juggling act Lady Montfort had to perform between keeping her guests happy and safe, the inspectors satisfied with their investigation and her own investigation from being discovered.
As a secondary storyline the novel highlighted the big changes coming to England during this time, from the uptick in "new money" to the changing politics to women's suffrage, and while I found these topics interesting they somewhat pulled me away from the central story of who murdered Teddy and what happened to those two girls. I also found the discovery of the two girls somewhat anti-climactic and by the last page wasn't overly sure why they were included other than to draw the eye away from the murder and give a reason for the killer to have committed the crime.
This being said I was completely surprised by who the killer ended up being. I was so sure I had it (going with the idea that it is usually the person you least expect) and kept reading to see if I was right. The author did a splendid job of giving the reader many plausible suspects and really surprising with the end result. By the end, learning what a horrid human Teddy had been, I was ready to forgive just about anyone for the murder and I have to say, without giving anything away, I left the story feeling like some justice had been done even if the actions were unlawful.
I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series. I agree that fans of Downton Abbey will enjoy Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman but would also extend that to those who enjoy whodunits and a generous cast of plucky characters.
Being a huge fan of Downton Abbey I was so excited to read this book, which sounded to me like a cross between that lovely show and the movie Clue (although I assumed, given the cast of characters, that Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman would be a little less campy and much more elegant then that particular movie). Who wouldn't love the opulence of a lavish costume ball tarnished by a vicious murder and two missing girls? Well, I'm happy to say that the author did a wonderful job of setting the stage and delivering a page-turning murder mystery with a cast of characters sure to delight.
Being the two main characters, Lady Montfort and Mrs. Jackson were wonderful complements to each other and really showcased their two different worlds and how each were able to add their own bits of skill and expertise to the task of locating not only the two missing girls - Lucinda, the daughter of one of the guests and Violet, the house's newest housemaid - but discovering who murdered the despicable Teddy. I wondered at first how these two would ever begin working together given the strict separation of the classes but once Lady Montfort discovered her beloved son might be accused of the murder and implored Mrs. Jackson to assist her in finding out who did commit the crime before it was too late, it was easy to see how they could work if not together than towards the same purpose. Mrs. Jackson's loyalty to the family she works for and her steadfast belief that her duty was to guard the family's reputation from outside forces combined with her quick mind and calm demeanor made it easy to see her assisting the imaginative and determined Lady Montfort.
The remaining cast of characters, from below stairs and above, are a fun hodgepodge of gossiping servants and the eccentric rich. Most all fit into the neat patterns we typically see in this sort of story - loud and gruff cook, stuffy butler, cold dowager, rich lady dripping with jewels and an ever-present lap dog, etc. - but some break free of this mold and deliver a nice bit of change. It's interesting to see how quickly the secrets begin to slide out when everyone is made to stay put together and their every move is scrutinized. I very much enjoyed watching the juggling act Lady Montfort had to perform between keeping her guests happy and safe, the inspectors satisfied with their investigation and her own investigation from being discovered.
As a secondary storyline the novel highlighted the big changes coming to England during this time, from the uptick in "new money" to the changing politics to women's suffrage, and while I found these topics interesting they somewhat pulled me away from the central story of who murdered Teddy and what happened to those two girls. I also found the discovery of the two girls somewhat anti-climactic and by the last page wasn't overly sure why they were included other than to draw the eye away from the murder and give a reason for the killer to have committed the crime.
This being said I was completely surprised by who the killer ended up being. I was so sure I had it (going with the idea that it is usually the person you least expect) and kept reading to see if I was right. The author did a splendid job of giving the reader many plausible suspects and really surprising with the end result. By the end, learning what a horrid human Teddy had been, I was ready to forgive just about anyone for the murder and I have to say, without giving anything away, I left the story feeling like some justice had been done even if the actions were unlawful.
I am very much looking forward to the next book in this series. I agree that fans of Downton Abbey will enjoy Death of a Dishonorable Gentleman but would also extend that to those who enjoy whodunits and a generous cast of plucky characters.