Julia Larwood's Aunt Regina needs help. She and two friends pooled their modest resources and invested in equities. Now the tax man demands his due...
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Jul 05, 2007
Dorian
rated it: 
A strange little book that I'd idly picked up years ago and only turned to now. Undoubtedly, this book is not for everyone--as the Alexander Keith's Brewery in Halifax used to say: "Those who like it, like it a lot." Caudwell has a marvelous prose style: it's arch, and mannered, maybe even a little fussy, but never quite precious. Its politics are intriguingly hard to pin down--its a *queer* book in many senses of the term. A parody of the traditional English "cozy," it m
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Nov 21, 2007
GraceAnne
rated it: 
The delectable, lapidary, sly Caudwell. Only four mysteries, but what delights.
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Feb 07, 2009
Moira
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I had never read Sarah Caudwell before, but now I have to read her other books (sadly there are only a few and she is no longer with us). This reads like an old-fashioned cozy, but takes place in modern times. It's charmingly written (if you like the "dear reader" style, which I do!) and it's a very good mystery wiht a lot of twists and turns.
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Jul 17, 2011
Hilary
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It took me some time (living as I do in seclusion) to realise this book existed, it having been some ten years since the author's previous work, and, having found it, I then put off reading it, knowing that there will be no more from this writer. Even though she wrote only four novels, her death was a profound loss, not only in itself but also in that it deprives us forever of learning more of Julia, Selina, Ragwort, Cantrip, Timothy and the eternally mysterious and genderless Professor Hilary T
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Jun 28, 2011
Janine
rated it: 
A fun little mystery story, but it didn't live up to its hype.
See, a friend of mine (sadly not on Goodreads), has been talking up Sarah Caudwell recently. Well, this is the novel I found first, so it's the one I read. And I suppose it's nice enough, but...
It all felt so contrived. Oh, the OTT "upper-class English speech" (which: I went to the wrong parties at Oxford apparently). Oh, the way everyone knows everyone (e.g., the lawyer you bump into in London happens to More...
See, a friend of mine (sadly not on Goodreads), has been talking up Sarah Caudwell recently. Well, this is the novel I found first, so it's the one I read. And I suppose it's nice enough, but...
It all felt so contrived. Oh, the OTT "upper-class English speech" (which: I went to the wrong parties at Oxford apparently). Oh, the way everyone knows everyone (e.g., the lawyer you bump into in London happens to More...
Jan 16, 2009
Hilary
rated it:
It took me some time (living as I do in seclusion) to realise this book existed, it having been some ten years since the author's previous work, and, having found it, I then put off reading it, knowing that there will be no more from this writer. Even though she wrote only four novels, her death was a profound loss, not only in itself but also in that it deprives us forever of learning more of Julia, Selina, Ragwort, Cantrip, Timothy and the eternally mysterious and genderless Professor Hilary T
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Mar 13, 2008
Yveva
rated it:
I love Sarah Caudwell's books! If you enjoy classical references and you're up to a quirky mystery story, this book's for you :) I highly recommend.
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Feb 11, 2008
Catherine
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I love this series. Brilliantly written, quirky mysteries penned by an author with a keen eye for social dynamics. Highly recommended.
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Jun 18, 2011
Sparrow
rated it:
Possibly this was my favorite of the Tamar series. It is lovely how this series gets better and better. I had to go back and give them all five stars just because they don't drop off and get terrible by the end. This one has hokum and euphemistic professions and an evilly helpful girl, and finally we meet Julia’s dear Aunt Regina (pronounced . . . well, you know). And, of course, murrrrderrrrr. I listened to half of it on audio, but then I was so impatient to read the rest that I sat down a
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Nov 23, 2011
Roberta
rated it:
A modern day send up of the classic English mystery. Very well written in a mannered way that almost tipped over into silliness, but didn't. It reminded me of the .Mapp and Lucia books by E.F. Benson, with strong hints of the pub series by Martha Grimes They all have that same English country village full of eccentrics drinking copious G & Ts.
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Jun 04, 2008
Eric
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Each of Caudwell's four mystery novels is brilliant, but this is the best of the lot.
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May 02, 2007
Elaine
rated it:
Witty and very fun mystery/comedy of manners series featuring English tax lawyers.
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Dec 16, 2009
Shala
rated it:
Love this writer. Very sad that there will only ever be four books from her.
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Aug 09, 2011
Jane
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I have to admit, I judged this book by the cover. I love Edward Gorey and couldn't resist the cover art. The reviews describe the book as 'hilarious,' but it never reached laugh out loud funny for me, though it did induce quite a few wry smiles and head shakes. I think clever and amusing would be more apt adjectives. A good mystery, told mostly through letters from a main character's aunt, who lives in a quiet village where there's been a suspicious death. The central figure in Caudwell's b
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Sep 11, 2011
While this final example of Sarah Caudwell's fiction is not, to my mind, her best, her mysteries are among the best comic novels one could hope to find, so not-her-best is much better than what most authors have to offer. This time, her usual narrator and protagonists have, for example, a household vulture to (indirectly) contend with. It is a great misfortune that Sarah Caudwell spent most of her life practicing law and so little of it writing fiction.
Oct 19, 2010
Sheila
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Actually, I'm not sure how to rate this book. It didn't exactly keep me spellbound, and it took me a while to get into it; however, the characters and the slow pace grew on me, and the book kept my interest until the end. Worth a try if you like slow-paced, quirky, character-oriented stories. I admit I only picked it up in the first place because of the Gorey artwork on the cover.
Aug 27, 2011
Susan
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I was delighted to learn there was one more Sarah Caudwell mystery. The clever conversation, dry humor and familiar cast of characters are as enjoyable as ever in this short book, with events largely unfolded in letters. The mysteries of insider trading, blackmail and murder take a bit of a backseat though to the characters and the narrator's wit.
Aug 05, 2009
Elizabeth
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Delightful; Hilary Tamar is a fantastic narrator, the epistolary touch is fantastic, and while I lost track of the plot about two-thirds of the way through, I think that's my fault, not the author's. Any book with a gay unskeevy cleric, a dominatrix, academic infighting, and references to classical poisoning tracts has to be awesome.
Dec 08, 2011
Juno
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Not as good as the first 3, mostly because we are not having an absurd adventure with the young barristers but watching it through their eyes at a slight remove. But very much a pleasure. People who complain that no one writes letters like that so its not realistic are very much missing the point.
Dec 28, 2009
Liz
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Nothing like a mystery that starts out with a tax law issue to get me excited. This wasn't exactly an exciting novel, set out mostly in a series of letters. Rather it is a good story told by a wonderful story teller. I can't wait to pick up another one of Caudwell's novels.
Jul 30, 2010
Clever, comical, cunning ... and so much of it unfolds at the bar; how lovely. Sarah Caudwell's humor is delightfully intelligent and fun, and her tone warm and familar. A true joy. Glad to learn she's written more, sorry to learn she's passed.
May 04, 2011
Elissa
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I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and maybe would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't had such a small amount of time to read lately! I like the mysterious scholarly narrator and the letter-writing style. The plot was a bit convoluted, which made it less suspenseful, but not less enjoyable.
Feb 28, 2009
I have developed a deep fondness for Caudwell. Her almost mysteries are witty and very British; however she has recently died and left only four books. Much despair on my part
Dec 29, 2008
Beth
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Reread in Dec. 2008. First read maybe 2003? Lots of witty material here. Unfortunately, Caudwell's last book (a total of four featuring Hilary Tamar)--she died in 2000.
Sep 06, 2011
Sara
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I was surprised to enjoy a mystery so much! Keep your dictionary handy though - the main characters of the book are lawyers and academics, after all!
Jan 23, 2010
Kelly
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A very enjoyable British mystery complete with Vicar, crazy neighbor, and dry wit. Lots of twists and turns with everything finally wrapped up in the end.
Mar 29, 2011
Leslie
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It's been a while since I read this one -- I've reread all the others, but put off a second read of this one. If memory serves, it's the best-written of the four, but also the darkest.
"Adonis" and "Sirens" are favorites of mine because they are narrated by the more amusing characters. I don't remember who is in charge of most of the storytelling for "Sibyl" ... I just remember finding the ending deeply unsettling. And the fact that it was the LAST one o More...
"Adonis" and "Sirens" are favorites of mine because they are narrated by the more amusing characters. I don't remember who is in charge of most of the storytelling for "Sibyl" ... I just remember finding the ending deeply unsettling. And the fact that it was the LAST one o More...
Jun 10, 2009
Margarita
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This is, sadly, the final book by Sarah Caudwell. All her books are a pleasure to read; they are literary mysteries which are clever and humorous.
May 13, 2009
Kristi
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Dec 05, 2011
Heidi
rated it:
Delightfully British at first, slightly tedious by the end, but an enjoyable read all the same.
