Blind Corner [Paperback]

Dornford Yates (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1985

This is Yates' first thriller: a tautly plotted page-turner featuring the crime-busting adventures of suave Richard Chandos. Chandos is thrown out of Oxford for 'beating up some Communists', and on return from vacation in Biarritz he witnesses a murder. Teaming up at his London club with friend Jonathan Mansel, a stratagem is devised to catch the killer.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born Cecil William Mercer into a middle class Victorian family with many Victorian skeletons in the closet, including the conviction for embezzlement from a law firm and subsequent suicide of his great-uncle, Yates' parents somehow scraped together enough money to send him to Harrow. The son of a solicitor, he qualified as a barrister whilst still finding timeto contribute stories to the Windsor Magazine. After the first world war hegave up legal work in favour of writing, which had become his great passion, and completed somethirty books. These rangedfrom light- hearted farce to adventure thrillers. For the former, he created the 'Berry' books which established Yates' reputation as a writer of witty, upper-crust romances. For the latter, he created ther character Richard Chandos, who recounts the adventures of Jonah Mansel, a classic gentleman sleuth. As a consequence of his education and experience, Yates' books feature the genteel life, a nostalgic glimpse at Edwardian decadence and a number of swindling solicitors. In his hey day, and as testament to hisfine writing, Dornford Yates' work was placed in the bestseller list. Indeed, 'Berry' is one of the great comic creations of twentieth century fiction; the 'Chandos' titles also beingsuccessfully adapted for television. Along with Sapper and John Buchan, Yates dominated the adventure book market of the inter war years. Finding the English climate utterly unbearable, Yates chose to live in the French Pyrenees for eighteen years, before moving on to Rhodesia where he died in 1960. 'Mr Yates can be recommended to anyone who thinks the British take themselves too seriously.' - Punch 'We appreciate fine writing when we come across it, and a wit that is ageless united to a courtesy that is extinct'-Cyril Connolly --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 225 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (November 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006080775x
• ISBN-13: 978-0060807757
• ASIN: 006080775X
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,405,045 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Edge of the seat adventure, January 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blind Corner (Paperback)

Though the 1990's reader has to imagine him or herself back in the post-war idyll of the 1920's, when taken at face value this is a jolly good 'Boys Own' adventure. Featuring Jonah Mansell, who has the stiffest of stiff upper lips, and his two friends, the trio heads off to Austria in search of literally buried treasure. How do they know that? Well there was this dying man with a dog, and in the dog collar was a map, and well you get the picture... it's a Dornford Yates yarn with all the trimmings. Goodies as always are frightfully British and frightfully good. Baddies are dastardly lowlifes and moral jetsam. Though the book does introduce one of the all-time bestest baddies: Rose Noble, a man of piercing gaze, razor-sharp intelligence, who knows all the gambits and more. Do the goodies win out over the baddies...? This is Dornford Yates. Do the goodies get the treasure...? How else do they support the Berry & Co lifestyle of perpetual summer and wit-filled charming indolence. Fun to read, re-read, or to give to your pre-teen as their first real adventure book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Story for Readers, May 21, 2007

By 

Ovina (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blind Corner (Paperback)

If you enjoy the craft of story telling this is a must read! The plot is well-crafted. The characters are sketched with the kind of detail that makes you see them. There is suspense and humour and drama.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars smashing, January 11, 2007

By 

Simone Naef "7scout7.com" (Rotterdam, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blind Corner (Paperback)

I really loved this book. I guess it is more aimed at the male reader but i really enjoyed the beautiful English.

A classic treasure hunt incredible detailed. The only thing better than this is having it read to you by Alan Rickman, look for the Audiobook with the same title!!