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Johnson Johnson #1
Dolly and the Singing Bird
Tina Rossi, an opera singer discovers her lover, a top research scientist, dead at their secret meeting place and Johnson Johnson, an artist and amateur detective, helps her unravel the mystery.Also known as Rum Affair/ Photogenic Soprano.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
About the author
Dorothy Dunnett
30 books864 followersDorothy Dunnett OBE was a Scottish historical novelist. She is best known for her six-part series about Francis Crawford of Lymond, The Lymond Chronicles, which she followed with the eight-part prequel The House of Niccolò. She also wrote a novel about the real Macbeth called King Hereafter and a series of mystery novels centered on Johnson Johnson, a portrait painter/spy.
Her New York times obituary is here.
Dorothy Dunnett Society: http://dorothydunnett.org
Fansite: http://www.dorothydunnett.co.uk/
Her New York times obituary is here.
Dorothy Dunnett Society: http://dorothydunnett.org
Fansite: http://www.dorothydunnett.co.uk/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
August 22, 2015
[7/10] extra star for being written by one of my favorite authors
Before becoming a writer, Dorothy Dunnett was a voracious reader. According to her biography, when she complained to her husband that she has run out of reading material, he asked her why she doesn’t write her own stories. The result of the challenge is one of my all time favorite historical adventures: the epic “Lymond Chronicles”, followed by equally impressive “House of Niccolo” novels.
The Dolly mystery novels are lightweight, summer reads compared to her erudite, monumental historical doorstoppers. But they shine with the same intelligent, mischievious, subversive approach to storytelling. I can imagine the author chuckling over the typewriter, as she sets out not to imitate but to play with the rules of the sleuthing game as set out by the likes of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers.
Like his more famous counterparts, Sherlock Holmes and Lord Peter Whimsey, our detective is an intriguing individual with a passion for solving mysteries and a rich repertoire of affectations and idiosyncrasies. His name is Johnson Johnson, he is a renowned portrait painter and a passionate sailor on his private yacht “Dolly”. His visage is rather non-descript, dominated and defined by his bifocal glasses, and he is thrifty in providing personal information:
I like Bach, whisky, striped underpants, Montego Bay, shooting and Peruvian brandy. Also beautiful ladies of character.
This is my first novel in the series and, from the brief research I have made, it appears that each episode is a stand-alone adventure, told from the perspective of a ‘lady of character’, set aboard the yacht “Dolly” in an exotic location close to the sea. In the first installment the narrator is Tina Rossi, a world famous coloratura soprano, and the setting is Scotland, starting in Edinburgh with a recital at the Festival, and moving later to the islands on the West coast, in particular one called Rum. So there’s where the new title comes from, although I was confused in the beginning, considering a Whisky Affair more appropriate for the Hebrides. I actually like the original title better: “Dolly and the Singing Bird”, with Tina Rossi in the role of the singing lady.
Tina is a lively, resourceful and sharp-tongued protagonist, alternating her behaviour from a damzel in distress to a sophisticated jet-set primadona, with an underlaying layer of pragmatism and ambition. She’s at the top of her career, but she never forgets her modest start in a foster home. Her troubles begin in Edinburgh, when she escapes from her luxurious hotel on a romantic assignation, where instead of meeting her lover in their love nest, she finds a dead body in a cupboard. Johnson Johnson intervenes to help her out of this tricky situation, and then offers to take her on his boat to the remote island where this man, a respected scientist named Kenneth Holmes, is either missing or in deep trouble with the authorities. Expect complications and a lot of surprising twists.
The way Dunnett balances sophisticated comedy with mystery and with several edge-of-the-seat set pieces, in particular an Atlantic storm in a disabled small boat, reminds me pleasantly of the talent displayed in her historical pieces, while keeping the overall tone lighter and avoiding the eclectic, encyclopaedic references that tend to slow down said novels.
I would recommend the book as a good vacation choice, especially for readers who have a passing interest in sailing, in Scotland whisky distilleries, in grand opera and in British-flavoured whodunits. They may not be representative of the author’s exquisite talent for historical fiction, but they are a good example of writing for fun and profit.
Note: I have another example of an author who got high praise for sprawling historical epics, yet managed to publish a series of crime mysteries with female leads and a humorous tone: M M Kaye is well known for her Indian adentures, “The Far Pavillions” and “Shadow of the Moon”, yet her murder novels are sadly out of print. I wish some publisher will pick them up for electronic publishing and make it easier for the fans to track them down and buy them.
Before becoming a writer, Dorothy Dunnett was a voracious reader. According to her biography, when she complained to her husband that she has run out of reading material, he asked her why she doesn’t write her own stories. The result of the challenge is one of my all time favorite historical adventures: the epic “Lymond Chronicles”, followed by equally impressive “House of Niccolo” novels.
The Dolly mystery novels are lightweight, summer reads compared to her erudite, monumental historical doorstoppers. But they shine with the same intelligent, mischievious, subversive approach to storytelling. I can imagine the author chuckling over the typewriter, as she sets out not to imitate but to play with the rules of the sleuthing game as set out by the likes of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers.
Like his more famous counterparts, Sherlock Holmes and Lord Peter Whimsey, our detective is an intriguing individual with a passion for solving mysteries and a rich repertoire of affectations and idiosyncrasies. His name is Johnson Johnson, he is a renowned portrait painter and a passionate sailor on his private yacht “Dolly”. His visage is rather non-descript, dominated and defined by his bifocal glasses, and he is thrifty in providing personal information:
I like Bach, whisky, striped underpants, Montego Bay, shooting and Peruvian brandy. Also beautiful ladies of character.
This is my first novel in the series and, from the brief research I have made, it appears that each episode is a stand-alone adventure, told from the perspective of a ‘lady of character’, set aboard the yacht “Dolly” in an exotic location close to the sea. In the first installment the narrator is Tina Rossi, a world famous coloratura soprano, and the setting is Scotland, starting in Edinburgh with a recital at the Festival, and moving later to the islands on the West coast, in particular one called Rum. So there’s where the new title comes from, although I was confused in the beginning, considering a Whisky Affair more appropriate for the Hebrides. I actually like the original title better: “Dolly and the Singing Bird”, with Tina Rossi in the role of the singing lady.
Tina is a lively, resourceful and sharp-tongued protagonist, alternating her behaviour from a damzel in distress to a sophisticated jet-set primadona, with an underlaying layer of pragmatism and ambition. She’s at the top of her career, but she never forgets her modest start in a foster home. Her troubles begin in Edinburgh, when she escapes from her luxurious hotel on a romantic assignation, where instead of meeting her lover in their love nest, she finds a dead body in a cupboard. Johnson Johnson intervenes to help her out of this tricky situation, and then offers to take her on his boat to the remote island where this man, a respected scientist named Kenneth Holmes, is either missing or in deep trouble with the authorities. Expect complications and a lot of surprising twists.
The way Dunnett balances sophisticated comedy with mystery and with several edge-of-the-seat set pieces, in particular an Atlantic storm in a disabled small boat, reminds me pleasantly of the talent displayed in her historical pieces, while keeping the overall tone lighter and avoiding the eclectic, encyclopaedic references that tend to slow down said novels.
I would recommend the book as a good vacation choice, especially for readers who have a passing interest in sailing, in Scotland whisky distilleries, in grand opera and in British-flavoured whodunits. They may not be representative of the author’s exquisite talent for historical fiction, but they are a good example of writing for fun and profit.
Note: I have another example of an author who got high praise for sprawling historical epics, yet managed to publish a series of crime mysteries with female leads and a humorous tone: M M Kaye is well known for her Indian adentures, “The Far Pavillions” and “Shadow of the Moon”, yet her murder novels are sadly out of print. I wish some publisher will pick them up for electronic publishing and make it easier for the fans to track them down and buy them.
July 10, 2012
Dorothy Dunnett is an astonishingly flexible author. I had read Dolly and the Bird of Paradise because it was the only of the Dolly mysteries my library seemed able to lay its hands on. However, in February 2012, all of the books became available as Kindle books. Happily, they've all been renamed. (Rum Affair was originally titled Dolly and the Singing Bird. I never really liked the Dolly titles. It makes them sound childish, which they very much aren't. Also, you know, we don't really refer to women as "birds" anymore, but that's neither here nor there.)
Each of the Dolly mysteries is narrated by a different woman. Each possesses her own very distinct worldview and a breathtakingly distinct voice. I honestly don't know how Dunnett does it. The Lymond and Niccolo books both had a very similar erudite, witty tone. The Dolly novels are completely different. These mysteries are extremely intelligent psychological mysteries that are also heavy on geographic escapism. Each is in a different exotic locale that the reader (by the end of the book, if not right at the beginning) would very much like to visit.
The protagonist (and narrator) of Rum Affair is Tina Rossi, a worldly-wise opera singer. She is self-absorbed, sophisticated, and very dryly funny. The "Rum" in this title refers, not to the alcohol but to one of the islands in the Scottish Hebrides, spelled "Rhum" for much of its history.
The mystery involves international espionage, mines, bodies tumbling out of closets at unexpected moments, a visit to Fingal's cave, and of course, the mysteries' tie: portrait painter Johnson Johnson and his ship the Dolly. Dunnett is an amazingly skillful author who takes the idea of an unreliable narrator to heard. These books are wonderfully satisfying adventure romps in beautiful locales.
I highly recommend these books.
Each of the Dolly mysteries is narrated by a different woman. Each possesses her own very distinct worldview and a breathtakingly distinct voice. I honestly don't know how Dunnett does it. The Lymond and Niccolo books both had a very similar erudite, witty tone. The Dolly novels are completely different. These mysteries are extremely intelligent psychological mysteries that are also heavy on geographic escapism. Each is in a different exotic locale that the reader (by the end of the book, if not right at the beginning) would very much like to visit.
The protagonist (and narrator) of Rum Affair is Tina Rossi, a worldly-wise opera singer. She is self-absorbed, sophisticated, and very dryly funny. The "Rum" in this title refers, not to the alcohol but to one of the islands in the Scottish Hebrides, spelled "Rhum" for much of its history.
The mystery involves international espionage, mines, bodies tumbling out of closets at unexpected moments, a visit to Fingal's cave, and of course, the mysteries' tie: portrait painter Johnson Johnson and his ship the Dolly. Dunnett is an amazingly skillful author who takes the idea of an unreliable narrator to heard. These books are wonderfully satisfying adventure romps in beautiful locales.
I highly recommend these books.
March 7, 2025
Ouch. I'd really been looking forward to this one, as I trawl through mysteries past (I recently re-read Murderess Ink, delighted that since the invention of the Internet I could finally get my hands on the many referenced works).
It began well--the title soprano was likable, the surprising Mr. Johnson equally so, and so the beginning pleased. And then--dear God--she joined Mr. Johnson on some kind of sailing race. If the book were called The Interminable Nautical Descriptions I would have known to steer clear of it. But instead I had to suffer through pages and pages of prose describing the bits of the boat, and the water, and the view, and the relationship of them all to each other (do I need to read a precise description of docking? Can't I just trust they know how to do it, did it, and we can move past it? No, apparently). Instead we get treasures like:
"I stood staring by the bare pole of the mainmast while Johnson dropped anchor beside a whorl of stacked peats made of pumice-stone, and I plodded down the companionway as soon as the dinghy was loaded."
Or
"I was between the brass handrail which ran along the side of the coachhouse roof and the ridge of the gunwale. I was against the lee rail of a hard-sailing ship, and if I released my grip of this icy brass rail I should be hard put to it not to slip sideways between those wide manropes and thence into the sea."
Almost all the characters are nautical people, so the entire plot (after the initial excitement) consists of visiting one another in port and discussing the race.
My fault, I suppose, for expecting a whodunnit--but the question of responsibility for the initial corpse is dealt with mid-way through without any particular excitement. At the 3/4 mark another murder is committed, and we finally have something resembling a murder mystery, with actual suspects and a couple of clues, but the perpetrator is fingered in about 20 pages, so so much for that.
An interesting twist figures in the final chapter, but having been bored still for about 180 pages in the middle, it's not enough to redeem me. Kudos for creating some characters compelling enough to have me keep hoping against hope that the book would take a turn for the better, instead of ditching it 52 pages in (my current rule--read at least your age, then discard if you're still not enjoying it).
It's really just a not-very-engaging pseudo-thriller for people who love reading about other people racing boats.
Edited in 2022 to add I have Zero recollection of reading this book. That's how much of an impression it made. I'd assumed when I saw it in my list this was a DNF, but no, I read it all the way to the end, and purged it. It's also convinced me to give up on the Lymond series (I'm 30 pages into The Game of Kings and not loving it) ... since it's by the same author, I don't think it'll be for me.
Edited in 2025 to add not only do I still have Zero recollection of reading this book, I have Zero recollection of starting The Game of Kings and deciding to stop. And yet the things I love (attending the closing night off-broadway performance of Hamilton, reading A Wrinkle in Time, dinner at Le Bernardin) are as fresh as if they happened last week. Amazing how memory works, letting go of the dull (not the ghastly, unfortunately ... but at least the dull).
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
It began well--the title soprano was likable, the surprising Mr. Johnson equally so, and so the beginning pleased. And then--dear God--she joined Mr. Johnson on some kind of sailing race. If the book were called The Interminable Nautical Descriptions I would have known to steer clear of it. But instead I had to suffer through pages and pages of prose describing the bits of the boat, and the water, and the view, and the relationship of them all to each other (do I need to read a precise description of docking? Can't I just trust they know how to do it, did it, and we can move past it? No, apparently). Instead we get treasures like:
"I stood staring by the bare pole of the mainmast while Johnson dropped anchor beside a whorl of stacked peats made of pumice-stone, and I plodded down the companionway as soon as the dinghy was loaded."
Or
"I was between the brass handrail which ran along the side of the coachhouse roof and the ridge of the gunwale. I was against the lee rail of a hard-sailing ship, and if I released my grip of this icy brass rail I should be hard put to it not to slip sideways between those wide manropes and thence into the sea."
Almost all the characters are nautical people, so the entire plot (after the initial excitement) consists of visiting one another in port and discussing the race.
My fault, I suppose, for expecting a whodunnit--but the question of responsibility for the initial corpse is dealt with mid-way through without any particular excitement. At the 3/4 mark another murder is committed, and we finally have something resembling a murder mystery, with actual suspects and a couple of clues, but the perpetrator is fingered in about 20 pages, so so much for that.
An interesting twist figures in the final chapter, but having been bored still for about 180 pages in the middle, it's not enough to redeem me. Kudos for creating some characters compelling enough to have me keep hoping against hope that the book would take a turn for the better, instead of ditching it 52 pages in (my current rule--read at least your age, then discard if you're still not enjoying it).
It's really just a not-very-engaging pseudo-thriller for people who love reading about other people racing boats.
Edited in 2022 to add I have Zero recollection of reading this book. That's how much of an impression it made. I'd assumed when I saw it in my list this was a DNF, but no, I read it all the way to the end, and purged it. It's also convinced me to give up on the Lymond series (I'm 30 pages into The Game of Kings and not loving it) ... since it's by the same author, I don't think it'll be for me.
Edited in 2025 to add not only do I still have Zero recollection of reading this book, I have Zero recollection of starting The Game of Kings and deciding to stop. And yet the things I love (attending the closing night off-broadway performance of Hamilton, reading A Wrinkle in Time, dinner at Le Bernardin) are as fresh as if they happened last week. Amazing how memory works, letting go of the dull (not the ghastly, unfortunately ... but at least the dull).
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
July 13, 2020
Dolly and the Singing Bird has a lousy title but a fantastic story inside. The writing style is different (I never seemed to settle into a rhythm reading it) but the plot, characters and setting more than made up for it. A great mystery read!
Read
March 4, 2014Part mystery, part spy story, but primarily a character study of a famous female singer. Her practiced coping with the men who want to use her, sleep with her, or impede her is one of the more interesting aspects of this book. I also found interesting her detailed description of her (endless) array of outfits, because that is very much a part of a woman who is famous and to whom appearance is a primary factor.
The story is a tad overlong, and could particularly have done without most of the final 20%, and the last twist kind of left me blah, but I'm curious to see how different the next book will be, so I'll probably try one or two more of these.
The story is a tad overlong, and could particularly have done without most of the final 20%, and the last twist kind of left me blah, but I'm curious to see how different the next book will be, so I'll probably try one or two more of these.
July 12, 2015
Exalted opera singer Tina Rossi has a hidden romance. When she goes for a secret meeting with Kenneth, she finds a dead body instead of her lover. Yachting artist Johnson Johnson steps in to help her reach him, along the route of a world famous yacht race. Kenneth, a leading scientist, is sequestered somewhere along the race route, suspected of sabotage. Nothing is going to stop Tina from reaching him.
An interesting group of characters in a complex and uncertain web of interactions. Expect surprises, over and over.
An interesting group of characters in a complex and uncertain web of interactions. Expect surprises, over and over.
August 30, 2010
Twists and turns with a very unexpected hero. Reminds me of Dorothy Sayers' Peter Wimsey.
March 8, 2025
I've been a huge fan of Dorothy Dunnett's superb historical fiction, but her mysteries are much, much harder to get hold of. They were originally published under Dorothy Halliday, Dunnett's maiden name, they were published under a variety of titles (in part because the publishing company didn't want to risk offending Ladybird Johnson!), and then they went out of print for quite a few years. I finally got this one on interlibrary loan from some library in Boston, and it took forever.
The series premise is intriguing; each book follows a different woman, who encounters the yacht Dolly and her owner Johnson Johnson in various mysteries. At first this novel seemed almost shockingly different from Dunnett's other works, but the more I read, the more similarities I found. Dunnett's writing style shines through, and while it does seem to be intentionally obfuscating at times (something I found more irritating in this contemporary-ish novel than in her historical fiction), it's still lovely to see, and the plot had some superb twists. Having visited Scotland last summer and read up on a lot of the geography, I was able to better understand the course Dolly sails throughout the Hebrides, but you don't have to know these details to enjoy the story.
The series premise is intriguing; each book follows a different woman, who encounters the yacht Dolly and her owner Johnson Johnson in various mysteries. At first this novel seemed almost shockingly different from Dunnett's other works, but the more I read, the more similarities I found. Dunnett's writing style shines through, and while it does seem to be intentionally obfuscating at times (something I found more irritating in this contemporary-ish novel than in her historical fiction), it's still lovely to see, and the plot had some superb twists. Having visited Scotland last summer and read up on a lot of the geography, I was able to better understand the course Dolly sails throughout the Hebrides, but you don't have to know these details to enjoy the story.
October 17, 2019
While there are mystery aspects to this book, I would classify it more as a suspense/thriller. I was completely surprised by the ending!
BTW, this book is also known as "Dolly and the Singing Bird"
BTW, this book is also known as "Dolly and the Singing Bird"
August 6, 2022
3.5 stars
October 18, 2012
BOTTOM LINE: #1 Johnson Johnson, bon vivant, artist, sailor, coastal islands of Scotland; cosy suspense/thriller. Valentina Rossi has it all - at the top of her career as a classical singer, she is young, beautiful and wealthy. She also has secrets, including her love affair with an esteemed - and closely guarded - scientist. When her attempts to see him again result in murder and blackmail she sets her determined mind and resources to clearing up the obstacles in her path, sometimes aided and sometimes thwarted by the ubiquitous Mr. Johnson, as she ostensibly sails in a race aboard his yacht, all the while keeping her own counsel.
Tremendously complex, very well-done first mystery under another name by a famous author of historicals, this is a satisfying - and witty - read, with good set-up, excellent pacing and build-up, and at least two enormously strong twists that leave the reader agreeably off-balance. Tina is an extremely likable narrator, and the ending is quite a stunner - wonderful stuff.
Superb example of the “unreliable narrator” technique, smoothly done, with just enough information given in a gently misleading manner, to string us along to the smashing denouement. Nothing, and no-one, is what they seem, not even Our Hero.
Note:
THE PHOTOGENIC SOPRANO was originally published under the name of “Dorothy Halliday” under the title of DOLLY AND THE SINGING BIRD; novel was also published under the title of RUM AFFAIR
Tremendously complex, very well-done first mystery under another name by a famous author of historicals, this is a satisfying - and witty - read, with good set-up, excellent pacing and build-up, and at least two enormously strong twists that leave the reader agreeably off-balance. Tina is an extremely likable narrator, and the ending is quite a stunner - wonderful stuff.
Superb example of the “unreliable narrator” technique, smoothly done, with just enough information given in a gently misleading manner, to string us along to the smashing denouement. Nothing, and no-one, is what they seem, not even Our Hero.
Note:
THE PHOTOGENIC SOPRANO was originally published under the name of “Dorothy Halliday” under the title of DOLLY AND THE SINGING BIRD; novel was also published under the title of RUM AFFAIR
February 25, 2022
It's interesting, after reading a few of her historical fictions, to see the same storytelling applied to a more contemporary setting. I love the vivid characterizations, the dramatic flares, and the hyper-competent protagonist. However, instead of misleading the reader and giving you a satisfying twist like most books in this genre, this story is a blurry picture where you can't make anything out at all, and it just gradually becomes clearer towards the end. It would have been a little boring, if not for all the intense action scenes. Bombs, guns, sailing through storms - those are a lot of fun! (Even though I knew absolutely nothing about boats and sailing and ignorantly fumbled my way through all the technical vocabularies.) Will definitely read other books in this series after this!
September 7, 2012
I discovered the Dolly books when I was living in Europe and looking for something to read at the American Embassy in Geneva. Little did I know that I would be swept away by Dunnett's quirky, hilarious hero Johnson Johnson, wealthy social gadfly and undercover mystery solver extraordinaire. Dolly is his yacht...he travels from port to port meeting fabulous people and helping them out of sticky situations.
I had to rush back to the Embassy to buy ALL the books they had in this series. The humor is very British so it took some getting used to but I love how unique her voice is. I don't think I ever figured out just who Johnson Johnson really is but I'd sure want him on my side.
I had to rush back to the Embassy to buy ALL the books they had in this series. The humor is very British so it took some getting used to but I love how unique her voice is. I don't think I ever figured out just who Johnson Johnson really is but I'd sure want him on my side.
February 8, 2015
I wasn't sure what to expect as I'd never read any of Dorothy Dunnett's books. It is a well written mystery, with several interesting twists. It's presented from the perspective of one of the main characters, but not necessarily from the one you'd expect. The terminology is both nautical, and European. (Ms. Dunnett was based in Scotland) A dictionary on hand might be helpful, but not necessary to continue with the flow of the story. The descriptions of the scenery, clothes, and jewels are beautiful. I enjoyed it, even though I didn't really connect with any of the characters.
February 26, 2025
I attempted this once before and was unable to finish but I was successful this time. However, I still struggled. I am a big fan of DD's historical fiction (I simply adored The Lymond Chronicles, and I'm currently loving The House of Niccolo series).
It may have just been all the nautical lingo that I didn't understand, or not being familiar with the Hebrides (a map may have helped me there). The twist at the end was interesting but it didn't save it for me.
It may have just been all the nautical lingo that I didn't understand, or not being familiar with the Hebrides (a map may have helped me there). The twist at the end was interesting but it didn't save it for me.
March 2, 2011
I perfectly adequate mystery, but a little disappointing after her historical novels which I recommend every chance I get. I think it would have been more exciting if I read it during the cold war and understood all the references.
My real disappointment is that Dorothy dunnett is deceased, and so will not be publishing any more books.
My real disappointment is that Dorothy dunnett is deceased, and so will not be publishing any more books.
June 8, 2012
The catorization of this as modern novel or mystery is only approximate. Dunnett's "mysteries" defy labels. This is a psychological tale about the intersection of spies and ordinary life, told by a rather self-involved, thus unreliable narrator. It's fun; it's not great, even if it is the first of her Johnson Johnson (or "Dolly") books, and even if she's one of my all-time favs.
December 13, 2012
Aka Dolly and the Singing Bird.
November 11, 2021
The 2nd mystery in the Johnson Johnson series was a twisty, constantly surprising, action-packed novel which had a bitter-sweet ending which totally caught me unawares.
January 12, 2014
Excellent plot, but a lot of sailing jargon makes this a difficult story to follow unless the reader has a good sense of how a sailboat works.
July 8, 2023
This book was originally published in the 60’s and it has such a feel of the time to it. I love the way the main protagonist, opera singer Tina Rossi describes every designer outfit with care. There’s also something about the dialogue which reminds me of films of that era and the whole book has a lovelyu feeling of nostalgia and retro cool.
If I was going to give this a genre I guess it would be cosy crime which isn’t something I read a lot of. I freely admit that for about 50% of the book I didn’t really know what was going on! That didn’t spoil my enjoyment of it though. What I did love was the setting onboard the boat ‘Dolly’ and how incredibly knowledgeable the writer was about sailing. I really enjoyed the personalities of the different yachts and their crews and the descriptions of sailing particularly in the final quarter of the book.
The ending was completely unexpected and knowing what I do now I’m tempted to go back and see if there were clues that I missed.
I’ve been doing a bit of background reading and I realise now that this is part of a series of books in which Dolly and her owner, Johnson Johnson are the main characters. I find this intriguing as the story was told from the first person perspective of Tina, a character who doesn’t feature in the other books. It makes me wonder what the voice of the other books will be like. It seems as if they are all told by woman… is Johnson some sort of James Bond type character? I’ll have to read the other books to find out.
I’m also in love with the original cover art from the book’s previous iteration and totally intrigued by the way the books have been rebranded for a modern audience.
This is was a fun quirky holiday read with such an intriguing story around it. I’m so glad these characters are being given a new lease of life.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
If I was going to give this a genre I guess it would be cosy crime which isn’t something I read a lot of. I freely admit that for about 50% of the book I didn’t really know what was going on! That didn’t spoil my enjoyment of it though. What I did love was the setting onboard the boat ‘Dolly’ and how incredibly knowledgeable the writer was about sailing. I really enjoyed the personalities of the different yachts and their crews and the descriptions of sailing particularly in the final quarter of the book.
The ending was completely unexpected and knowing what I do now I’m tempted to go back and see if there were clues that I missed.
I’ve been doing a bit of background reading and I realise now that this is part of a series of books in which Dolly and her owner, Johnson Johnson are the main characters. I find this intriguing as the story was told from the first person perspective of Tina, a character who doesn’t feature in the other books. It makes me wonder what the voice of the other books will be like. It seems as if they are all told by woman… is Johnson some sort of James Bond type character? I’ll have to read the other books to find out.
I’m also in love with the original cover art from the book’s previous iteration and totally intrigued by the way the books have been rebranded for a modern audience.
This is was a fun quirky holiday read with such an intriguing story around it. I’m so glad these characters are being given a new lease of life.
I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.
July 14, 2023
The Lymond Chronicles (review here) and The House of Niccolo ( review here) by Dorothy Dunnett are some of my favourite books and the author’s ability to spin an amazing story is evident in the Rum Affair, book two in the Dolly mysteries.
The Dolly Mysteries featuring Johnson Johnson, portrait painter and spy have been rereleased under different names and in chronological order rather than its original publication date. Interestingly the books are told from the point of view of several strong women characters and our view of Johnston is formed through their eyes.
I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion.
Tina Rossi is a self-made successful opera singer whose life collides with Johnson when they bond together over a dead corpse in her lover’s flat. Unfortunately, her lover has fled to Scotland rather than compromise her reputation (this is a book of its time), so of course Tina hitches ride on Johnson’s yacht Dolly. But as this is a book Dunnett- Dolly is part of a race, Johnson painting Tina’s portrait, lots of intrigue, mystery around the bombing of a nuclear facility and of course numerous attempts on Tina’s life.
Tina is tough and interesting, and each new peril or danger adds a little more to her character.. The plot races through from one action scene to another- reminiscent of the grand action scenes in Dunnett’s historical fiction.
Dunnett manages to pack a lot of story, action and drama in this 224-page book and sometimes I couldn’t keep track of all the characters and their motives.
I can’t wait to read the next Dolly mystery.
The Dolly Mysteries featuring Johnson Johnson, portrait painter and spy have been rereleased under different names and in chronological order rather than its original publication date. Interestingly the books are told from the point of view of several strong women characters and our view of Johnston is formed through their eyes.
I received a copy of the book for a free and unbiased opinion.
Tina Rossi is a self-made successful opera singer whose life collides with Johnson when they bond together over a dead corpse in her lover’s flat. Unfortunately, her lover has fled to Scotland rather than compromise her reputation (this is a book of its time), so of course Tina hitches ride on Johnson’s yacht Dolly. But as this is a book Dunnett- Dolly is part of a race, Johnson painting Tina’s portrait, lots of intrigue, mystery around the bombing of a nuclear facility and of course numerous attempts on Tina’s life.
Tina is tough and interesting, and each new peril or danger adds a little more to her character.. The plot races through from one action scene to another- reminiscent of the grand action scenes in Dunnett’s historical fiction.
Dunnett manages to pack a lot of story, action and drama in this 224-page book and sometimes I couldn’t keep track of all the characters and their motives.
I can’t wait to read the next Dolly mystery.
January 18, 2024
OK so this is #1 in publication order of the seven Johnson Johnson mysteries, but the 2nd in “chronological” order, or so they say. Frankly, I read the reputed first in chronology & as mentioned in that review, it won’t make a damn bit of difference what order you read them in; now I’m slightly amending that to say that reading this first outing first will make it clear that Dunnett was getting her feet wet here. The convention is the same: a female first person narrator who will only feature in this novel, but Johnson Johnson will be here always. As well, the convoluted and frenetically paced plot developments are here in force, as well as Johnson’s penchant for popping up in a scene where it was already discussed with other characters that he would not.
This is all OK as far as it goes, you either enjoy the tales or not, but I will say author Dunnett leavened her story-telling and better developed (at least, as far as empathy and likeability) her one-time protagonists in other entries. That to me made them more successful books.
And again, I won’t try to explain the plot, as I’m 76 and not sure I have enough years left to do a clear and logical job of that. Try one, and if you like it, you’ll like the others…I have, and I’m sure I’ll finish the series soon.
This is all OK as far as it goes, you either enjoy the tales or not, but I will say author Dunnett leavened her story-telling and better developed (at least, as far as empathy and likeability) her one-time protagonists in other entries. That to me made them more successful books.
And again, I won’t try to explain the plot, as I’m 76 and not sure I have enough years left to do a clear and logical job of that. Try one, and if you like it, you’ll like the others…I have, and I’m sure I’ll finish the series soon.
December 26, 2023
It's Dunnett, but not as we know her. One of her 'Dolly' series. I really struggled with this one but something kept me hanging on, and that's testament to how good she is. It started well and it ended well, but in between I didn't have a clue what was going on. Set in Scotland, beginning with a murder in Edinburgh during the festival and then moving to a yachting race off the west coast, there's plenty of local colour to keep the reader entranced. And the lead characters are interesting, an opera singer, an engineer and a painter with lots going on characterwise besides the jobs they do. It's heavy with yachting terminology, I struggled. But the main challenge was that lots of elements of plot were happening and I didn't understand any of it, until the end when it's all explained. Added to that Dunnett's love of a vast array of characters, I was completely lost. Anyway I finished it. And I know what happened. Which is pleasing. I might try another in the series, see if I fare better.
June 28, 2023
This is book 2 in the Dolly Mysteries series. I reviewed book 1, Tropical Issue a few weeks ago ...and I'm really pleased that I've also got book 3 to review soon too.
From looking into this author a bit more, I believe that these books were written in the 60's and not written in the current order that we're now reading them in.
Hence, this book seems to be out of order in terms of the era.
I really loved book 1 and so was a little disappointed that this one didn't have the same pull. The storyline was presented quite differently, although if you get past the information side of this one, then the plot is actually equally clever.
I also wasn't as keen on our characters in this book - our main female narrator didn't intrigue me as much - but obviously Johnson was as brilliant as ever.
Although a much smaller novel, this took me longer to get through, mainly because of all the technical sailing detail in it, which was a little too much.
Overall, a good plot and an interesting read - but hoping that book 3 will be back to the original exciting, fun writing style as book 1.
From looking into this author a bit more, I believe that these books were written in the 60's and not written in the current order that we're now reading them in.
Hence, this book seems to be out of order in terms of the era.
I really loved book 1 and so was a little disappointed that this one didn't have the same pull. The storyline was presented quite differently, although if you get past the information side of this one, then the plot is actually equally clever.
I also wasn't as keen on our characters in this book - our main female narrator didn't intrigue me as much - but obviously Johnson was as brilliant as ever.
Although a much smaller novel, this took me longer to get through, mainly because of all the technical sailing detail in it, which was a little too much.
Overall, a good plot and an interesting read - but hoping that book 3 will be back to the original exciting, fun writing style as book 1.
March 25, 2020
THAT is a very wrong book summary from goodreads or possibly Amazon. Incorrect in both fact and genre. The book is very well done and has that particular flair for plot twist like the Lymond series. However, I thought, even through the first few chapters, that I was reading one genre while the story is another, and I can't quite shake off the sense of contract break between the reader and the story. This is not a mystery story. It's written in first person. I was expecting something that was more....well, fun.
That being said, this story, for what it is, is really well written and has one of the most memorable female character I've read in ages.
That being said, this story, for what it is, is really well written and has one of the most memorable female character I've read in ages.
November 5, 2025
Starts and ends well, but at least a hundred pages could have been edited out of the middle with very little harm to either plot or characterization.
The narrator's constant emphasis on clothing styles and brands struck me as especially tedious, and even ludicrous, especially when the descriptions pop up in the midst of action scenes, as here: "I knelt, and grasping Michael by his Turnbull & Asser silk shirt, I began to shake him...." Elsewhere, when a corpse is discovered, the narrator is compelled to note his "Lobb footwear." And these are just the briefer examples; they often go on for a few lines.
The narrator's constant emphasis on clothing styles and brands struck me as especially tedious, and even ludicrous, especially when the descriptions pop up in the midst of action scenes, as here: "I knelt, and grasping Michael by his Turnbull & Asser silk shirt, I began to shake him...." Elsewhere, when a corpse is discovered, the narrator is compelled to note his "Lobb footwear." And these are just the briefer examples; they often go on for a few lines.
March 7, 2025
As much as it pains me to give a low rating to a Dorothy Dunnett book, I’ve given a low rating to a Dorothy Dunnett book. A 224-page book really does not have room for all the time wasted on descriptions of sailing, especially when there’s so little focus on the actual mystery at hand. This is my second Johnson Johnson book and so far I’m not at all impressed by this series. I’m so glad I have Thorfinn, Lymond, and Nicholas to remind me of Dunnett’s brilliance, because Johnson isn’t helping at all.
December 31, 2024
This is the story of Tina Rossi, the famous soprano, and her involvement with a scientist, Kenneth Holmes. It's also the story of her manager, Michael Twiss. How Tina ends up on Johnson's ship Dolly during a race in the Hebrides Islands and her manager tags along makes for a great story. A lot of action and twists and turns in this one. A really enjoyable read.
August 21, 2017
Much as I am a big fan of Dunnett's historical novels, all of which I have read, I didn't like this mystery story. It was replete with her elegant language but the narrator was easily suspicious and the plot simply silly and confusing.
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