Skeleton in Waiting [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Peter Dickinson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The sequel to Dickinson's King and Joker brings readers back into the lives of his fictional but convincing British royal family during a crucial period: October 1987 through September 1988. The focus is on Princess Louise, her husband Piers Chandler and their infant son David. Subtly, the author hints at danger when the princess meets Mrs. Walsh, a woman claiming to be a Romanov who escaped during the Russian Revolution. At Walsh's apartment, Louise and baby David are trapped by kidnappers, and she comports herself admirably until rescue comes. But the mysterious Mrs. Walsh, and another Russian on the scene, are killed, leaving the princess determined to learn the secrets that died with them. Thus Louise accompanies Piers to Tashkent and finds out what Walsh had strived to conceal about her past. A superb stylist, the author evokes empathy for the ruling family, especially HRH and her commoner spouse--righteous, regal, and human as any real-life exponent of the arduous royal life.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

A sequel to Dickinson's King and Joker , this novel focuses on the same fictional British royal family after the death of heroine Princess Louise's grandmother, Grand Duchess Marie Romanov. Dickinson juggles several subplots--a rumor of possible terrorist action; the odd behavior of Louise's sister-in-law--but concentrates mostly on the Grand Duchess's possibly scandalous letters and the strange woman hired to translate them from Russian. This rather slight story is bolstered by a facile, intelligent prose style, well-developed characters, and some penetrating insights into how it feels to live a life where one's every action is dictated, discussed, and endlessly scrutinized. Less a suspense thriller than a "slice of life," this should please those looking for a leisurely, literate change of pace. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/89.
- William Schoell, New York
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 271 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Pr; Large Prnt edition (August 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560540044
• ISBN-13: 978-1560540045
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,423,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Flawed but thought provoking, May 23, 2000

By 

Robert Simpson - See all my reviews

This review is from: Skeleton-in-Waiting (Hardcover)

This book is based on the premise that the Duke of Clarence survived to become king in the early 20th century, and hence there is a totally different royal family. Good idea, but unfortunately the resulting family is little different from the true one in terms of style and actions. Despite that the plot is good and tight, although the crucial point pulling everything together is given as a rather cryptic side note on the family tree. Overall a fun read, with a little bit of thinking needed to make it all out.