Seventy-Seven Clocks: A Bryant & May Mystery (Bryant & May Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Christopher Fowler (Author)
Key Phrases: tattered man, arts minister, torch beam, Charles Whitstable, James Makepeace Whitstable, John May (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Set in 1973, Fowler's bloody and compelling third mystery to feature eccentric London detectives Arthur Bryant and John May details how the pair first joined Scotland Yard's Peculiar Crimes Unit. The murders Bryant and May investigate more than fit the unit's mission to handle cases outside the norm—an elderly lawyer is found poisoned in a hotel lobby, apparently from a snake bite, while other victims are killed by toxic makeup and a starved tiger. The odd sleuthing couple find that these terrifying crimes are all connected with the strange Whitstable family, whose Victorian patriarch founded a bizarre group called the Alliance of Eternal Light. Fans of the previous books in the series, Full Dark House and The Water Room, will appreciate the portrait of a younger Bryant and May, but even they are likely to feel let down by the far-fetched solution. Still, that won't erase the pleasure of a twisty thriller, full of action and plot surprises.
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Review
"Highly unusual ... exciting and original.... It starts with a violent death in the lobby of the legendary Savoy Hotel and quickly expands to include art vandalism, Gilbert and Sullivan, and a host of other peculiarities."—Chicago Tribune

"A twisty thriller, full of action and plot surprises."—Publishers Weekly


From the Paperback edition. --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (November 29, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553587153
• ISBN-13: 978-0553587159
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #300,654 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the first two in the series., February 8, 2006

By	L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I absolutely loved the first two books of this series. The writing was such that I'd read passages aloud to others. This didn't have that same cache'. There didn't seem to be as much interaction between the two protagonists until well into the book. Fowler loves introducing twists to the plot which is fun, but the solution to the mystery really strains credibility. There is a secondary protagonist in Sam Gates, a receptionist at the Savoy, but the outcome of her fear of the dark really bothered me. I enjoyed the story, but didn't feel it was nearly as good as the first two books.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you're new to the Bryant & May mysteries, don't start with this one..., February 2, 2008

By	DayLily - See all my reviews

I love these old school detectives- no fingerprints, no fiber evidence here, just two cops bouncing ideas off of each other as they interview witnesses and suspects. Each book is set in London, and the city's rich history and geography play a part in each book.

However, this book is not the strongest in the series. There are a couple of coincidences that don't work for me, and the plot is just so complicated that it strains belief.

Read them in order, starting with Full Dark House. By the time you get to Seventy Seven Clocks, you'll forgive the author of any mistakes he has made.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Revisiting "Darkest Day", June 15, 2006

By	OolooKitty (los angeles, ca) - See all my reviews

It would have been nice if somewhere, anywhere, in this book -- the copyright date, the title page, a note to the reader, anything -- it might have been mentioned that this is little more than a reworking of an early Bryant/May mystery, "Darkest Day". I always enjoy Fowler's books, but not so much that I need to buy them twice over.