The PR company handling marketing asked me to review
this book. It’s not my usual read, but, having watched some of the adaptations
on TV and enjoyed them, I agreed.
The eponymous character is well drawn, matching the
depiction from the screen. He’s an interesting personality, personifying that quintessentially
English upper middle class hero who prefers to pretends to be a little dim. In
fact, of course, his wit is razor sharp and his intelligence high. The other
players in this novel are equally well put together; individuals who manage to
be representative of certain types without becoming stereotypical.
The narrative is delivered with a tongue-in-cheek
gentle humour reminiscent of an earlier age. At times, I found the convoluted
descriptions a little tedious, though this was only an occasional irritation,
which quickly passed. There is a certain type of wit here that will definitely appeal
to those who have loved the previous novels and those who enjoy the Jeeves and
Wooster books.
The plot is clever and its denouement very well
handled, keeping the reader interested to the very last. The relationships
between the various characters are drawn with humour and compassion so that
even the villains engender a certain amount of sympathy. In one of those
peculiar coincidences that sometimes cause delight, I began to read this book
on the day I had visited Lavenham, in Suffolk. This is the town on which the
main setting of the book is based, so I immediately felt at home with the
descriptions of the place and some of its buildings.
Against my expectations, I thoroughly enjoyed the
book. It’s an entertaining and engaging read and I expect that those who love
their crime with a touch of humour will find it thoroughly worthwhile.
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