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The Code of the Vavasors
Tom Winscombe and his ex-girlfriend Dorothy Chan are on a mission to crack a code – a code embedded in a chip inside two alpacas that used to belong to the famed dead mathematical geniuses, the Vavasor twins.
Their search leads them to a secretive mathematical retreat at a country house. While there, various members of the party succumb to a succession of bizarre fatal accidents. Will Tom and Dorothy succeed in their mission – and get out alive?
Join Tom and a cast of disreputable and downright dangerous characters in this witty thriller set in a murky world of murder, mystery and complex equations.
Their search leads them to a secretive mathematical retreat at a country house. While there, various members of the party succumb to a succession of bizarre fatal accidents. Will Tom and Dorothy succeed in their mission – and get out alive?
Join Tom and a cast of disreputable and downright dangerous characters in this witty thriller set in a murky world of murder, mystery and complex equations.
- GenresMystery
290 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 25, 2024
9 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Pinnock
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 5, 2024
Blog Tour Review
The writing was light, humorous and entertaining. The recaps from the previous books in the series were done well so I was able to get an idea of who the characters were without too much trouble. It added something to the mystery that we were about to read. There was just enough detail without taking away from the current mystery. There was always something going on which kept my interest.
The chapters were fairly short so you were able to move through the story at a good pace. This kept my interest. We didn't linger on anything for too long, allowing for more information to be given to the reader.
The main characters were great. After reading this book I would like to read more about them. I liked their sense of humour and enjoyed reading about their adventures in this book. A lot seemed to have happened to them for them to get to this point, but they were still interesting enough to keep me engaged and wanting to read more about them.
There were some fractions in the group of characters which I would also like to read more about. These were hinted at by the conversations had between the characters. You could feel their individual personalities coming across.
Lastly the settings. They were well described and gave an extra layer to the story. The level of detail was needed because it ended up being integral to the mystery. There was just enough to make the whole story come together without it being overbearing.
Overall an enjoyable read. Whilst it was a good standalone, I think that it would be better to read the other books in the series to get a more rounded picture.
The writing was light, humorous and entertaining. The recaps from the previous books in the series were done well so I was able to get an idea of who the characters were without too much trouble. It added something to the mystery that we were about to read. There was just enough detail without taking away from the current mystery. There was always something going on which kept my interest.
The chapters were fairly short so you were able to move through the story at a good pace. This kept my interest. We didn't linger on anything for too long, allowing for more information to be given to the reader.
The main characters were great. After reading this book I would like to read more about them. I liked their sense of humour and enjoyed reading about their adventures in this book. A lot seemed to have happened to them for them to get to this point, but they were still interesting enough to keep me engaged and wanting to read more about them.
There were some fractions in the group of characters which I would also like to read more about. These were hinted at by the conversations had between the characters. You could feel their individual personalities coming across.
Lastly the settings. They were well described and gave an extra layer to the story. The level of detail was needed because it ended up being integral to the mystery. There was just enough to make the whole story come together without it being overbearing.
Overall an enjoyable read. Whilst it was a good standalone, I think that it would be better to read the other books in the series to get a more rounded picture.
August 3, 2024
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
The Code of the Vavasors is the sixth book in the Mathematical Mystery series by Jonathan Pinnock. Released 25th April 2024 by Duckworth on their Farrago imprint, it's 304 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
This installment sees Tom and Dorothy still chasing the code to cracking the secrets of the Vavasours, this time at a retreat for geniuses at an isolated country house; the perfect limited suspect pool mystery setting.
The setup and humor remind me very much of other British SF(ish) classics: Fforde, Holt, Fowler, Grant/Naylor, Moore, Stross, Aaronovitch, et.al. It's not derivative, not really, the author has a slightly different humorous slant and oh, good heavens, the puns flow like a mighty river. Readers will definitely feel like the aforementioned authors are being channeled though...
There are genuinely funny moments and the pacing is frenetic and relentless. The bad guys are boo-worthy, the good guys are plucky and funny and brave (if often quite hapless) and the end result is enjoyably readable. This is precisely the type of mystery/speculative fiction fans adore and it's honestly captivating from the first page. The author is adept at writing in the necessary backstory, so it works well enough as a standalone, but it's a consistently high quality series, and definitely worth a binge read.
Four and a half stars, rounded up for the writing. People who loathe puns (or intelligent humour) will likely not enjoy this one. Fans of Laundry Files, Red Dwarf, HHGttG, and the others will find a lot to like until the next Shadow Police novel hits the stands (if it ever does... yes, we're lookin' at you, Paul Cornell). For North American readers, the spellings and vernacular are British English. Nothing which should prove frustrating in context.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Code of the Vavasors is the sixth book in the Mathematical Mystery series by Jonathan Pinnock. Released 25th April 2024 by Duckworth on their Farrago imprint, it's 304 pages and available in paperback and ebook formats.
This installment sees Tom and Dorothy still chasing the code to cracking the secrets of the Vavasours, this time at a retreat for geniuses at an isolated country house; the perfect limited suspect pool mystery setting.
The setup and humor remind me very much of other British SF(ish) classics: Fforde, Holt, Fowler, Grant/Naylor, Moore, Stross, Aaronovitch, et.al. It's not derivative, not really, the author has a slightly different humorous slant and oh, good heavens, the puns flow like a mighty river. Readers will definitely feel like the aforementioned authors are being channeled though...
There are genuinely funny moments and the pacing is frenetic and relentless. The bad guys are boo-worthy, the good guys are plucky and funny and brave (if often quite hapless) and the end result is enjoyably readable. This is precisely the type of mystery/speculative fiction fans adore and it's honestly captivating from the first page. The author is adept at writing in the necessary backstory, so it works well enough as a standalone, but it's a consistently high quality series, and definitely worth a binge read.
Four and a half stars, rounded up for the writing. People who loathe puns (or intelligent humour) will likely not enjoy this one. Fans of Laundry Files, Red Dwarf, HHGttG, and the others will find a lot to like until the next Shadow Police novel hits the stands (if it ever does... yes, we're lookin' at you, Paul Cornell). For North American readers, the spellings and vernacular are British English. Nothing which should prove frustrating in context.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
May 27, 2024
To quickly recap, former PR executive Tom Winscombe and his software developer girlfriend Dorothy Chan, who runs Dot Chan with partner Ali, got reacquainted in book 1. Tom accidentally found himself caught in the battle for the famous Vavasor mathematical papers, written by the late twins Archimedes and Pythagoras. All the hilarious details are in books 1 to 5, involving death by magi mix, the sinking of an artificial island, a murdering monk, the Belarussian mafia and further near misses in Las Vegas. After falling out after Tom accidentally burnt the last remaining copy of the Vavasor papers, he and Dorothy are now on better terms again. Many of the old familiar faces are back, including Ali, Patrice (pregnant with Tom’s donation), Margot, Benjamin and of course alpacas Dolores and Steven who the couple believe have computer chips implanted in them that will lead to the Vavasors’ lost mathematical secrets. In a mission to access these chips and crack their code, the trail takes them to the ugliest of pottery pieces in the hands of a tech giant on a private Scottish island where the latest Vavasports weekend is being held. Aside from a spot of housebreaking, a psychotic rabbit, fiendishly clever maths problems and some very suspicious deaths, what can possibly go wrong this time?
Although this story is hilarious in its own right, I really would suggest reading all the earlier books to get a grip on the wild and wacky world of Archie and Pye and their rather quirky followers. As with the previous five books in what is one of my favourite series, this is brimming with wonderful eccentric characters and humour to chuckle at on virtually every page (there’s a cat called µ, for example). The story is beautifully told and the pages fair turn themselves as it’s so easy to become immersed in this strange and crazy world that poor Tom found himself in one day and never quite seems to escape from. Wickedly clever and I can’t recommend it enough.
Although this story is hilarious in its own right, I really would suggest reading all the earlier books to get a grip on the wild and wacky world of Archie and Pye and their rather quirky followers. As with the previous five books in what is one of my favourite series, this is brimming with wonderful eccentric characters and humour to chuckle at on virtually every page (there’s a cat called µ, for example). The story is beautifully told and the pages fair turn themselves as it’s so easy to become immersed in this strange and crazy world that poor Tom found himself in one day and never quite seems to escape from. Wickedly clever and I can’t recommend it enough.
May 30, 2024
“She dies from food poisoning and leaves everything to her cat…”
“What happened to the cat?” I said.
“….someone stole her just after Mrs Standage died.”
“Right,” said Dorothy. “But what if the cat were to turn up again?”
“I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” said Munt. “She was a very old cat.”
“But what about any kittens she might have had?” said Dorothy.
Munt was temporarily lost for words. At this point, so was I. I knew this book was going to be good.
Fast-paced and often shocking, The Code Of The Vavasors is a hilarious romp into mathematics and murder. A strange combination, I know. This is actually the sixth book in the Vavasors series, but a lot of the previous goings on are briefly alluded to throughout the story, so it’s relatively easy to keep up.
Apart from the cat (which we don’t really hear much about later on), the book also includes two alpacas – Stephen and Dolores – who appear to have some kind of chip inside them, plus a bluetooth-enabled alpaca figurine, and an Angora rabbit called Mr Snuffletrousers. The figurine is up for auction, and our two main protagonists – Tom and Dorothy – try to buy it, because it is highly collectible by Vavasor fans. This is after they try to break into a cottage previously owned by the Vavasor twins where they find a dead body. The first of many I hasten to add. I may be getting confused here, but hopefully you are getting the gist.
Eventually they succeed in inveigling themselves into a mathematics-themed Vavasports weekend on a remote island, owned by a collector of Vavasor memorabilia, where hopefully they can recover the alpaca. The body count rises and it’s touch and go whether our intrepid heroes can get away with their deception. I’m exhausted just thinking about it, I probably need to go and lie down. Brilliant book – enjoy!
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
“What happened to the cat?” I said.
“….someone stole her just after Mrs Standage died.”
“Right,” said Dorothy. “But what if the cat were to turn up again?”
“I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” said Munt. “She was a very old cat.”
“But what about any kittens she might have had?” said Dorothy.
Munt was temporarily lost for words. At this point, so was I. I knew this book was going to be good.
Fast-paced and often shocking, The Code Of The Vavasors is a hilarious romp into mathematics and murder. A strange combination, I know. This is actually the sixth book in the Vavasors series, but a lot of the previous goings on are briefly alluded to throughout the story, so it’s relatively easy to keep up.
Apart from the cat (which we don’t really hear much about later on), the book also includes two alpacas – Stephen and Dolores – who appear to have some kind of chip inside them, plus a bluetooth-enabled alpaca figurine, and an Angora rabbit called Mr Snuffletrousers. The figurine is up for auction, and our two main protagonists – Tom and Dorothy – try to buy it, because it is highly collectible by Vavasor fans. This is after they try to break into a cottage previously owned by the Vavasor twins where they find a dead body. The first of many I hasten to add. I may be getting confused here, but hopefully you are getting the gist.
Eventually they succeed in inveigling themselves into a mathematics-themed Vavasports weekend on a remote island, owned by a collector of Vavasor memorabilia, where hopefully they can recover the alpaca. The body count rises and it’s touch and go whether our intrepid heroes can get away with their deception. I’m exhausted just thinking about it, I probably need to go and lie down. Brilliant book – enjoy!
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours
May 10, 2024
I’m going to be honest: I didn’t know that this was a series when I started this book. I very quickly realised that this was in fact book 6, and I was filled with dread – but it didn’t matter! I still really enjoyed the story and I got a great introduction to the characters and the world, while still getting a sense of the wider story that this was a part of.
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In many ways this book reminded me of the Rivers of London series, just without the magic. It had a strong sense of humour, a good cast of characters with a couple of core players and some others who pass in and out, and a wacky and slightly unhinged (in the best way) approach to the plot.
The maths elements were also a really fun addition. I love maths and I’ve never seen it mixed in with a book like this, but it was also done in a way that could appeal and make sense to those with less mathematical knowledge. Everything is explained between the characters in a way that includes the reader without slowing down the story.
I also really liked the author’s approach to diversity. There were characters of different races, sexualities and gender identities, but it was done in a way that felt very realistic and true to life. There wasn’t any fanfare about it, but it still affected the character’s lives in day-to-day ways.
This was a great read, and now I’m going to go and track down the first five books in the series!
I received a free copy for an honest review.
📚Blog📖YouTube📖Instagram📚
In many ways this book reminded me of the Rivers of London series, just without the magic. It had a strong sense of humour, a good cast of characters with a couple of core players and some others who pass in and out, and a wacky and slightly unhinged (in the best way) approach to the plot.
The maths elements were also a really fun addition. I love maths and I’ve never seen it mixed in with a book like this, but it was also done in a way that could appeal and make sense to those with less mathematical knowledge. Everything is explained between the characters in a way that includes the reader without slowing down the story.
I also really liked the author’s approach to diversity. There were characters of different races, sexualities and gender identities, but it was done in a way that felt very realistic and true to life. There wasn’t any fanfare about it, but it still affected the character’s lives in day-to-day ways.
This was a great read, and now I’m going to go and track down the first five books in the series!
I received a free copy for an honest review.
June 15, 2024
This is one of those funny , farcical, mystery stories that is so tongue in cheek it will have you laughing your socks off. For a few hours of reading entertainment this is hilarious and, even though it is the sixth book in the series it is not necessary to have read the previous books in order to get the enjoyment out of this one. However, if you are like me, you may want to go back and read the previous books in the Mathematical series to find out what Tom uncovered and solved previously.
Jonathan has an incredible ability to describe everyone in such a way, that leaves you feeling that you have come across them before, even if like me this is your first encounter with Tom and Dorothy, whilst also not labouring paragraph after paragraph of description which is a style that I like.
The description of both the setting and the characters fires the imagination and moves the story on at a pace that is easy to keep up with and doesn’t tax the brain too much, making it an ideal read to chill and relax with in this castle on a remote island off the Scottish coastline. However, you will probably find yourself having to explain the laughter if you have anyone else in the room whilst you are reading it otherwise they will wonder what on earth you are reading.
Have fun, enjoy and let others know what a brilliant comedic writer Jonathan Pinnock is.
Jonathan has an incredible ability to describe everyone in such a way, that leaves you feeling that you have come across them before, even if like me this is your first encounter with Tom and Dorothy, whilst also not labouring paragraph after paragraph of description which is a style that I like.
The description of both the setting and the characters fires the imagination and moves the story on at a pace that is easy to keep up with and doesn’t tax the brain too much, making it an ideal read to chill and relax with in this castle on a remote island off the Scottish coastline. However, you will probably find yourself having to explain the laughter if you have anyone else in the room whilst you are reading it otherwise they will wonder what on earth you are reading.
Have fun, enjoy and let others know what a brilliant comedic writer Jonathan Pinnock is.
June 1, 2024
Tom and Dorothy's continuing quest to crack the Vavasor's mathematical formula/code takes them to a mathematics contest in a country house on a remote island. Chaos and murder ensue, as they often do with Tom and Dorothy. I enjoy this series because each book provides a balance of fresh plot with characters and a general feeling of knowing what you're going to get and you don't mind getting it. Tom and Dorothy's witty repartee still brings a smile to one's face, and unlike a couple of the earlier books, no mathematical knowledge is required to follow the plot. This is a very enjoyable series and I look forward to the next installment.
May 18, 2024
Jonathan Pinnock's mysteries are always fun and entertaining. This one didn't disappoint and kept me guessing and having fun.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews