This was a random choice from the library and the dedication is to Louise who enjoys a good laugh, so I thought I’d give it a go. It was published in 2011 and is in the vintage crime style.
This book takes daftness to the extreme but it’s entertaining if you just want to read a light bit of fun. Ingredients-wise it’s a Christmas pudding of a book. Simon Brett has nicked bits of just about every vintage crime writer that you can think of.
Blotto and Twinks are a brother and sister amateur sleuthing team of the upper class toff variety. Blotto is the male and his character is along the lines of Captain Hastings from Agatha Christie with a smattering of Margery Allingham’s Albert Campion mixed in. His sister Twinks is the one with the brains and she sounds at times like Sherlock Holmes although she also has a bit of Harriet Vane from Dorothy Sayers in her with her allusions to classical literature, although thankfully she steers clear of ancient Greek. This is another book where the action moves to Scotland and at that stage it all gets a wee bit John Buchan-ish.
When I tell you that Blotto manages to deal with as many as 20 armed men with only his cricket bat as a weapon you’ll realise that this book should be read only if you are happy to take it with your tongue stuck firmly in your cheek. There are plenty bits of humorous social comment too.
I ended up enjoying it, but then I do have a cricket bat which lives in a corner of my bedroom within easy reach of my side of the bed. It has been there for 24 years and so far I haven’t had to use it – but if I ever do hear an intruder coming up the stairs during the night I’m ready to lean over the banisters and give them a good old whack with it!
I read the first of these novels a couple of weeks ago and thought it was far too silly but fun and think I would only borrow them from the library though not part with money.
Jo,
When I borrowed it from the library I wondered if you had read any of them and then you reviewed one a few days later. I certainly wouldn’t buy any either although I will try another of his books, I think he has written a lot over the years.
I’ve read the first one and agree about the silliness, but I rather liked it.
It sounds as though the series may be a bit repetitive as in the first one Blotto fights off canon balls with his cricket bat! Definitely not books to take too seriously.
Margaret,
I did enjoy this one but it’s the sort of book that you have to be in the mood for, good for dodging all the bad news that we get nowadays and entering a daft world. Yes it sounds like this series might be a bit ‘samey’ but I’ll look out for his other books.
Haha! Your description had me laughing. I like books like this in theory, but I really can never read them all the way through because they are just much too ridiculous.
Anbolyn,
I hardly ever give up on books but this is the sort of thing that you could just dip into to cheer yourself up when you need something a bit light-hearted in your life. You wouldn’t have far to read before you found a mad bit of daftness.
I’ve never read Simon Brett yet, but have seen TV show based on one of his characters. Katrina, Iwanted to ask you how to pronounce John Buchan’s last name, if you can ‘help’ me ‘hear’ it in writing:) I just found two of his books in a used book store!
Peggy Ann,
Buchan is a difficult one for English people to pronounce, but I don’t know about Americans. It’s bu as in but and the ch is pronounced as in loch which English people say as lock – which is obviously something entirely different and wrong, or like the German word – kirche. Jack has just said that the sound is as if you are clearing your throat – charming – I hear you say! The emphasis is on the first syllable Buchan. The end an sound isn’t quite the same as your Ann it’s nearer to an in sound. I hope that all makes sense. Which books did you buy?
Thanks so much! I hate mispronouncing things. I got a double book, Greenmantle and The Thirteen Steps.
Oh and tell Jack I can just hear him saying loch!
Peggy Ann,
Oh good, he cleared his throat especially!
Peggy Ann,
I hopped over to you, should have done that before then I would’ve known the books you bought. The 39 Steps was written whilst Buchan was ill, very quickly and really to entertain himself, and although it’s enjoyable it’s not as good as Greenmantle in my opinion. There have been a couple of films made of 39 Steps but they’re quite different from the book because they feature the Forth Bridge, mainly because Hitchcock had that idea, which really Buchan should have thought of.