The American version of this book seems to be Deadly Duo, why do they give books in the UK and the US different titles, I can’t help thinking that they hope we will end up buying the same book twice.
Anyway, the two taken at bedtime are novellas, or long short stories if you prefer. The first one is called – Wanted: Someone Innocent and this one was my favourite. It’s set in London where a young penniless woman, Gillian Brayton, who has no family is trying to earn her living making hats, but she has realised that she has no talent for the work.
Whilst at a school reunion she gets an offer of another job, as a sort of housekeeper/secretary for an old schoolfriend who seems to have married very well. And so the mystery begins!
Last Act, the second novella didn’t appeal to me so much, mainly because I disliked Madame Zoffany, who was a bit of a diva but apparently everyone ended up adoring her, no matter how bad her behaviour was. Well that everyone didn’t include me but apart from that I felt that there were just too many characters, but that might be because I haven’t been able to concentrate much on my reading recently. The blurb says that – this is a fascinating study of personalities, as well as an absorbing mystery.
I think the dual titles are often because they don’t think Americans will like or understand a particular title, like Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (the received wisdom being US readers wouldn’t buy a book with philosophy in the title).
I thought these were both entertaining, but I liked the first much better – I didn’t take to Madame Zoffany either.
Lisa,
I’m sure you’re correct about that. It would be good if they would write the alternative title on the inside title page too, in brackets so that people don’t buy the same book twice, which has happened in the past, but luckily not to me. It’s especially confusing if you buy books on the internet. I did enjoy them but I think my favourite Allingham is still Tiger in the Smoke.
Sounds like an interesting pair. I’m putting it on my list with both titles, just to be sure I can find it!
Debbie,
I hope you can find the book – which ever title it goes by in Canada!