Invitation to a Funeral [Hardcover]

Molly Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1998

London, 1676: Spy-turned-playwright Aphra Behn is having more than her share of troubles. Her last play was a flop, her financial situation is getting desperate, and she's stuck with the worst actress in the world as the lead in her new comedy. But when she offers to organize the funeral of a murdered man it seems her troubles are only just beginning...

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

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The deaths of two impoverished brothers?one found murdered in her own back yard?draw 17th-century playwright Aphra Behn into royal court intrigues in this atmospheric debut. Aphra has troubles of her own, including a soured love affair with a drunken attorney, a doltish lead actress foisted upon her by the dissolute Lord Rochester and enough debts to get her arrested. But one of the dead men is Matthew Cavell, who once helped her in a great hour of need, so she feels bound to organize a proper funeral for him. Meanwhile, the paramours of King Charles II vie for power in the palace. One of them, Nell Gwyn, brings her friend Aphra into the royal orbit. Are the Restoration religious and political battles connected to the puzzling interest of some nobles in the deaths of the two destitute men? Brown generously mixes factual and fictional Restoration history and campy drama?including such devices as secret passageways, knockout drops in the claret and manipulative mistresses?to great effect.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-Leading readers back to the London of 1676, Brown provides all the sensual descriptions needed to conjure up the squalor in which most of the population lived. Aphra Behn, striving to get her new play into production, keep creditors away, and put her love life back into order, finds none of her efforts working. Into her already chaotic life appear two brothers who befriended her 15 years ago when she desperately needed their help. Aphra rallies to help them, only to become involved in the circumstances of both of their deaths. Deeply grieved over her misguided attempt to aid, she arranges both funerals and unwittingly becomes even more mired in intrigue, mystery, and personal danger. The largest part of the action takes place on the palace grounds of King Charles II with its luxury and opulence dramatically contrasting with the other major scenes. Aphra's best friend turns out to be Nell Gwyn, the actress and mistress of the King, and a strong ally in solving most of the heroine's personal problems. Various other figures from that era turn up also, adding a dash of reality to the story. The mix of adventure, history, and the surprise twist should appeal to most YAs, especially those who enjoy strong heroines.
Pam Johnson, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1st U.S. Ed edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312185987
• ISBN-13: 978-0312185985
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,152,939 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Playwright / spy stars in Restoration-era mystery, September 18, 2000

By 

Author Bill Peschel "Writers Gone Wild" (Hershey, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invitation To A Funeral (Mass Market Paperback)

While the Restoration London of 1676 is full of paranoia about French, Dutch and Catholic spies infiltrating Whitehall, the heroine of Molly Brown's "Invitation to a Funeral" seems far away from all that.

When first we meet Aphra Behn, she is waking with her head aching and mouth dry from a night's revelry. The playwright is broke after her last play flopped, and her new play must run at least three days for her to make any money on it. To make matters worse, the Earl of Rochester managed to cast his mistress in the lead, despite her obvious lack of talent, as part of a bet that Aphra can turn her into London's best actress.

When a man who befriended her many years ago is found dead, she arranges for his funeral to repay an old debt. But her innocent act has drawn the attention of some mysterious figures, including the head of the king's secret service.

"Invitation to a Funeral" is full of Restoration figures, noble and common: King Charles II, his competing mistresses such as the actress Nell Gwyn and the Duchess of Portsmouth (nicknamed "Squintabella" by Nell), and the carousing Earl of Rochester. Those who know the era will recognize some of the incidents Brown uses for her own devices.

Aphra Behn stands out among the general run of amateur detectives for her refusal to act like one. She is not Jessica Fletcher teleported to the 17th century, just a single working girl trying to keep body and soul together while working in a profession which most people of the time considered one step removed from prostitution. What with shepherding her play to the stage, dealing with Rochester's mistress, running deeper into debt and avoiding her debtors (as well as an ex-lover attempting to win her back), she doesn't have time to play detective. How she manages to get into serious trouble anyway makes "Invitation to a Funeral" a pleasurable jaunt back to another historical era.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable character driven historical mystery ., August 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Invitation to a Funeral (Hardcover)

What makes this Historical Mystery story such a great read is the careful deliniation of characters as well as the absolutely accurate feel to the setting in time and place, in all it's splendor and squalor. It reminds me of the Brother Cadfael series in that respect. Aphra Behn, real life former spy turned playwright, is a pefect choice for a heroine. Also, 17th centruy England was full of enough intrigue to funish the plots to several books, which is a fervent hope of this reader and not a criticism. My only quibble with the book, and it is a minor one, is that it seemed a little thin in some places and that the ending was a little abrupt, (except that it is a perfect set up for a sequel). This is not to say that the book is dissappointing, just that the world Molly Brown brought to life was so compelling, that I wanted to spend more time in it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A rollicking romp that's fun to read., December 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Invitation to a Funeral (Hardcover)

Invitation To A Funeral is one of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time. It's fast-moving and funny, with as lively and witty a group of characters as any reader could wish for. But fun as it is, there is a much harder edge to this book than you find in the traditional historical cozy. The book is not as light as it appears at first glance; there is an element of gritty realism here, that to my mind, makes the book as a whole a much more satisfying experience. All in all, I recommend Invitation To A Funeral to anyone who is interested in a rollicking read with wonderful characterization and a great sense of fun. I'm looking forward to the sequel!