A Better Class of Person [Hardcover]

Tessa Barclay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2003

The second book in a new mystery series from one of our best-loved authors. A week-long birthday party on Greek millionaire's island - what could be more glamorous? But ex-Crown Prince Gregory of Hirtenstein - first introduced to readers in Farewell Performance - soon begins to worry that something strange is going on. The birthday girl, Elissa Paroskolos, seems almost out of her mind, her husband is overly protective, and Gregory's girlfriend Liz is scared. The prince looks about for explanations. He uncovers a plot which could involve three nations in a scandal. In the end, only he and Liz can save Elissa...

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Bestselling British author Barclay (A Lovely Illusion) delivers another enjoyable, fast-paced crime novel, her second (after 2002's Farewell Performance) to feature former Crown Prince Gregory of Hirtenstein, now working as a concert arranger (and sometime detective) under the name of Gregory Crowne. When Crowne and his girlfriend are invited to a private Greek island for a birthday party for a rich heiress, they are unsettled by the woman's flashbacks to time spent at a snake laboratory. Their hackles are only raised further when the heiress's husband, a private doctor, and a nurse, who seems more like a warder than a caregiver, attempt to persuade them that everything is normal. Although the mystery is more a what-was-done than a whodunit, it is a pleasant, old-fashioned puzzle with attractive contemporary trappings.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Barclay's experience writing romance novels comes through clearly in her second foray into the crime genre. Former crown prince Gregory of Hirtenstein (known as just plain Gregory Crowne after his father was deposed), and his girlfriend, Liz, have been invited to an exotic birthday bash on a remote Greek island. The birthday girl is Elissa Paroskolos, whose recently deceased father was one of the wealthiest men in the world. Elissa will come into her inheritance now that she's turning 25, thus the extravagant birthday celebration. But when Greg and Liz arrive, they sense something's not right. Greg has known Elissa since she was a child, and she's always been a bad-tempered, selfish brat. The Elissa who's being feted seems sweet, mild, and slightly disoriented. And she's grown much taller since Greg saw her a few years ago. Puzzled, Greg and Liz begin investigating, only to find a bizarre plot involving elaborate disguises, fraud, and scandal. Despite predictable characters and an often implausible plot, there's actually something quite appealing about this novel. Definitely "mystery lite" but entertaining nonetheless. Emily Melton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers (February 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727859021
• ISBN-13: 978-0727859020
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,261,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Premise, September 3, 2007

By 

Richard C. West (Madison, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Better Class of Person (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book immensely. The characters were appealing, especially Crown Prince Gregory and his grandmother, the ex-Queen Mother of Hirtenstein. It was interesting to see how the author handled the idea of an ex-royal family having to make their way in a non-royal world. The mystery was adequate, but it was the characterization and setting that make this book. There is, of course, a romance, but it is handled in a believable fashion.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Abosolute CRAP, May 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: A Better Class of Person (Hardcover)

The jacket of her book may say that "Tessa Barclay is the best selling author of over forty novels and one of the most popular writers in the UK", but I have seen absolutely no evidence to back up this claim. You'd be much better off with one of Liz Evan's books.