Young barrister Michael Cantrip has skipped off to the Channel Islands to take on a tax-law case that's worth a fortune -- if...
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Feb 04, 2012
Beth
rated it: 
“Yes,” said Julia. “So the impasse—which I take to be the correct expression for a situation in which no one makes a pass at anyone—continued throughout my stay . . . except that on the way back to our hotel I tripped over something, and Patrick took my arm to prevent me falling over. This had a very peculiar effect on me, even worse than the breathlessness and indigestion which I have previously mentioned—I felt as if suppose an ice cream might feel when hot chocolate sauce is poured over it.
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Jun 14, 2011
Sparrow
rated it: 
Another stupendous installment of the madcap adventures of the gang at 62 and 63 New Square! This time, the mystery has the same background story as John Grisham’s The Firm, but it is deeeelightful, instead of being kind of dark and boring. Again, what I find wonderful about all of Caudwell’s books is that the unraveling of the stories are so light and fun, but the denouement always has a sense of insight into the depth of misunderstanding and tragedy of which humans are capable. These charac
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Feb 09, 2011
Jessie
rated it: 
What a dreadful slog! And therein, dear readers, lies the fault for this intrepid reader, or if not the fault then that is to say the foremost reason for which this tome became a mirelike ooze through which one waded, like a water-fowl whose feathers were so besmirched with odious sludge as to make of flight an impossiblity, towards a faint horizon in fair hope of rescue, or indeed of justification for the journey. Holy cow! I have so far been able to distance myself from ..... egads! I can not
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Dec 19, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
The plot in Hilary Tamar books is almost beside the point. The point is the voice that Caudwell captures — the hyperliterate, formal, stylized, awesome voice. I don't know if anyone has ever actually talked like this, but oh, I hope they did, I hope someone still does, and I hope I meet that person and spend as much time as possible with them.
Also: dear jacket copy, some of us do not give a fig about Hilary Tamar's gender, preferred pronoun, or status as a hero or heroine. (No, serio More...
Also: dear jacket copy, some of us do not give a fig about Hilary Tamar's gender, preferred pronoun, or status as a hero or heroine. (No, serio More...
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Feb 02, 2010
Kelly
rated it: 
I preferred the Sybil in Her Grave to The Sirens Sang of Murder but this was also enjoyable. It, as do all the Caudwell novels, involves British Tax lawyers and an Oxford scholar. My preference for "The Sybil" was it's setting. I found the characters in the village reminded me of a Miss Marple Mystery. This also involves a remote location (the Cayman Islands) and includes a humorous "chase" scene. Both of these books are enjoyable because they are quick, light reads and humor
Jun 19, 2008
Leslie
rated it:
I'm rereading Sarah Caudwell this summer and having such a good time! And I really had to add a star when I finished this one; it's even better than I remembered. Mostly because a good portion of it is "narrated" by Michael Cantrip -- the story's sweetly sexy doofus (think Bertie Wooster being forced to work in a London law firm) -- via fax.
Caudwell is amazing. Who else could make mysteries based on British tax law so compelling? But though the mysteries, themselves, are very good,
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Jan 13, 2012
Kate
rated it:
There's a tremendous style and voice to the novel, but the tone occasionally feels a bit "precious" and wouldn't appeal to non-Anglophiles. If you like Rumpole of the Bailey, you'll like these books. Similarly, these novels are heavy on character and (sometimes) weak on plot. All in all, I enjoyed the story and this set of characters and found myself chuckling out loud several times -- I will be reading more from this series!
Jul 25, 2011
Martinet
rated it: 
Didn't finish. I picked out this book primarily because I was interested in the premise that the narrator's gender is unidentified (his/her name is Hilary; pronouns are neatly avoided by having him/her be a first-person speaker, and no one else ever seems to indicate a difference). The main plot, though, was pretty much dull as dishwater--whoever thought that a mystery centering on tax attorneys and their work was a good idea? The language is very British and the humor (what's recognizable as
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Mar 29, 2011
Sylvia
rated it:
She only wrote four books before she died at 60 of cancer. Such a shame! Very entertaining literary mystery with witty dialogue and preposterous situations.
Jan 23, 2012
Tripp
rated it:
I gave up on this one. Compared to Adonis, the legal elements felt more intrusive and less interesting. I also didn't find much new in the humor or the characters. Perhaps I should have waited longer between volumes.
Jun 27, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
totally glorious - described as "a saga of sex, international tax planning, and witchcraft." recommended.
May 27, 2010
Michael
rated it:
Enjoyable as always but perhaps one of the weaker of the series
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Mar 05, 2009
MB
rated it:
This one was slow going for me. I felt kind of like I was wading through mud.
Nov 10, 2008
Eric
rated it:
I'm embarking on a mystery novel. Very odd for me. These were suggested by my Father-in-Law. Hopefully they'll work out....
OK...solid read. Better than most mysteries I've encountered. I like the idea of these novels better than the novels themselves, but they are fun to read and a nice experience!
OK...solid read. Better than most mysteries I've encountered. I like the idea of these novels better than the novels themselves, but they are fun to read and a nice experience!
Aug 27, 2011
Frank
rated it:
Amusing here and there, but far too much complicated fiscal-legal stuff, too much telling and little showing, and the whole plot is finally so uninteresting (as usual, in crime fiction). I was a little disappointed.
May 02, 2007
Elaine
rated it:
Witty and very fun mystery/comedy of manners series featuring English tax lawyers.
Feb 10, 2012
