Customer Reviews

Bertie and the Tinman

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I listened to this on audio, so I'm not sure how much of my enjoyment came from the story itself and how much from the wonderful presentation. But this book gave me several good chuckles as well as a decent brain-teaser.

In understanding the detective, it helps to do a little research on the real-life Prince of Wales (Wikipedia will do). The scene between Bertie and his mother (Queen Victoria) was especially enhanced by knowing that in real life, Victoria did consider her eldest son pretty much of a wastrel. And apparently the descriptions of his marriage to Alex (fond, if not faithful) and his extracurricular activities (romantic and otherwise) are fairly close to the truth.

The mystery itself was diverting, and I didn't figure it out (although I did anticipate the main twist).

One note: The review titled "Great Victorian Mystery Novel" must actually be a review of some other book, because the plot is nothing like what the reviewer describes.

Having read several of Lovesey's Peter Diamond novels (e.g. The Vault), I chanced upon one of his earlier works in which he employs the Victorian Prince of Wales as his detective. Quite an innovation! Unfortunately, from my perspective, he describes His Royal Highness (HRH) as quite hedonistic, self-centered, self-absorbed, unfeeling... It seems to me that Lovesey likes to use VERY flawed detectives. I find it annoying--you might find it refreshing. I do enjoy Lovesey's occasional humorous dialog, however:
p. 26: The Duchess had wrapped herself in a sable coat that must have decimated the wildlife of Canada.
p. 133: [When called in to see the Queen urgently] A butterfly fluttered in my stomach--the species known as the monarch.
The plot is reasonably good, centering around thoroughbred flat racing--reminiscent of the many novels of Dick Francis (e.g. Whip Hand) which also depict a great jockey with a reputation for high moral standards. I did figure out the basic mystery which was reasonably clever IMHO, but some things seemed inexplicable or stretched the imagination quite a bit--when the "detective" reveals all at the end. I do like the afterward in which Lovesey provides info on what eventually happened to the characters. One wonders, however, if the Prince in real life had any resemblance to this fictional depiction--Lovesey provides an unusual "disclaimer" about the book--probably to avoid civil suit by the British royal family!
P.S. Lovesey also has a 3rd series (e.g. Abracadaver (A Sergeant Cribb Mystery)) that features the original Scotland Yard--I find it intriguing--not only in the descriptions of London at that time, but also in the attitudes of the police.

The background of the story is based on the true-life romance between Bertie, Prince of Wales and the beautiful Lady Daisy Brooke, Countess of Warwick. The setting is a country-house weekend at the estate of the latter, to which our sleuths have also been invited. Two murders occur, first that of a young servant and then that of a gentleman guest. Dark hints are dropped that many of the characters have secret motives for the fell deeds, ranging from blackmail to jealousy to anarchism. Sheridan focusses on the men, while Kate questions the women and servants of the house to get to the bottom of the mess