Toby's Folly: A Penny Spring and Sir Toby Glendower Mystery (Penny Spring/Sir Toby Glendower Series) [Paperback]

Margot Arnold (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The eighth appearance (after The Menehune Murders ) of archeologists/sleuths Penny Spring and Sir Toby Glendower features a Russian ballet troupe touring the U.K. during the era of glasnost. The company manager, a KGB agent who had been sexually harassing many of the troupe members, is found murdered in Brighton's Royal Pavilion, and ballerina Sonya Danarova goes missing. Found and arrested, she demands to see Sir Toby, claiming he is her father. The astounded archeologist admits to a postwar romance with a Russian dancer, although he hadn't known of a child's existence. The defection to Brazil of two dancers and the murder of the prima ballerina follow as Toby, Penny and her son, physician Alexander Spring, try to prove Sonya's innocence and keep her in the U.K. Pursued by a motorcycle gang, Toby and Alex take Sonya to Toby's Welsh hideout, while a mysterious figure out of the sleuths' past enters the case with important information on what is really going on--a blackmail scam and a black market in Russian icons. Arnold's lively and literate mystery is enhanced by her sure eye for details.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: The Countryman Press (March 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881502286
• ISBN-13: 978-0881502282
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,547,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure pleasure --, March 12, 2001

By 

kellytwo "kellytwo" (cleveland hts, ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Toby's Folly: A Penny Spring and Sir Toby Glendower Mystery (Penny Spring/Sir Toby Glendower Series) (Paperback)

Margot Arnold, where have you been all my reading life? How does it happen I'd never even heard of you until a month or so ago, when I've been devouring mysteries (especially well-written, intelligently-plotted ones) for some forty years now? (Oops, probably shouldn't have said that, but--it's only too true, so why not?)

My first acquaintance with Penny and Toby was in 'Lament for a Lady Laird'--the title having caught the eye of this devoted Anglophile. I was immediately caught up in the adventure of Dr. Penny Spring, an anthropologist, and Dr. Tobias Glendower, archeologist. One is almost tempted to add the word 'extraordinaire' after each occupational designation, for such they are.

Penny, an American occupied at Oxford as a teacher, is a widow of perhaps 50-something, with a 30 year-old son, Alex, who is scheduled to join her for a holiday in her adopted country, now that he's a full-fledged medical doctor, about to take up his practice in New York City.

Before his arrival, however, she is queried for the whereabouts of her fellow teacher, Toby. Scotland Yard is most desirous of his presence, immediately if not sooner, because of a murder at the Brighton Pavillion, during a reception for the visiting troupe of Russian ballet stars. The suspected ballerina, Sonya Danarova, will speak ONLY to Sir Tobias, which has quite flummoxed Inspector Grey, the man in charge.

Toby, in a blue funk, as happens not infrequently, is off in Wales, excavating a cave, known locally and elsewhere as Toby's Folly, a location as secretive and nearly inaccessible as the moon. Eventually, he is found, and prevailed upon to return to England and in Brighton, finally, meets up with Sonya, who is the daughter he never knew he had.

Although no year is mentioned, if Sonya is in her late twenties, and Toby was last in Russia in the late 50s, then this story quite obviously takes place in the mid to late 1980s, when spies and espionage were still very much a part of every day life.

The characterizations are wonderfully realized, every one of them unique. The plot is perfectly sensible, and the writing will blow you away. Entirely. Although I've only read two of these books--so far--I wasn't thrown off pace or made to feel I'd missed anything by not reading the stories in order. I can guarantee it won't be long before I visit once again with Penny and Toby and share another of their adventures. What a treat to find an intelligent couple of a certain age, who have a wonderful working relationship, get along well together, and who also function well when they're apart. They are, moreover, a straight couple who have apparently never had the slightest inclination to fall into bed together. Extraordinaire, indeed!