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Miss Seeton #8
Miss Seeton à la barre
Retired art teacher Miss Seeton steps in where Scotland Yard stumbles. Armed with only her sketch-pad and umbrella, she is every inch an eccentric spinster and at every turn the most lovable and unlikely master of detection. In Miss Seeton at the Helm, she is off to the Mediterranean on a whirlwind cruise - bound for disaster. The passengers include London's greatest art dealers, whose bitter dispute over a questionable antique leads to scandalous accusations . . . and murder! Stormy waters indeed, for a curious crime-solver like Miss Seeton
222 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
75 people are currently reading
125 people want to read
About the author
Hampton Charles
5 books8 followersHampton Charles is a pseudonym of Roy Peter Martin who is an English author who has written under the pseudonyms James Melville and Hampton Charles.
Martin read philosophy at Birkbeck College and served in the Royal Air Force before a career in education. As James Melville he has written a series of detective novels set in Japan featuring Superintendent Otani and a historical novel The Imperial Way about the February 26 Incident. He also wrote three of the "Miss Seeton" novels under the pseudonym Hampton Charles.
Series:
* Miss Seeton
Martin read philosophy at Birkbeck College and served in the Royal Air Force before a career in education. As James Melville he has written a series of detective novels set in Japan featuring Superintendent Otani and a historical novel The Imperial Way about the February 26 Incident. He also wrote three of the "Miss Seeton" novels under the pseudonym Hampton Charles.
Series:
* Miss Seeton
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
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March 7, 2017The last of the contribution by this particular author to the series, thankfully. Although the plot is a little more enjoyable this time around, the characterisation is wildly out of sync with the originals. Even more of a problem is that the author seemingly forgot elements included in the beginning of the book, not to mention flat out contradicting events of previous books (to say Miss Seeton isn't known outside Britain after her highly public European tour in Miss Seeton Sings!).
Hopefully the third author in the series is better able to capture some of the charm, and bring back the characterisation of the original author's five books.
Hopefully the third author in the series is better able to capture some of the charm, and bring back the characterisation of the original author's five books.
September 6, 2007
I really love Miss Seeton, so when I found this one I snatched it up, since it is hard to find. But what a disappointment. It really seemed like the author just took all the previous characters and sort of pushed them into situations to see what happened. Miss Seeton and Lady Colveden are still recognizable, but Sir George is a buffoon, nothing like he is in previous books.
The plot isn't very strong. The descriptions of Miss Seeton's drawings, which are, after all, key to the whole book, are not very detailed and don't really even resemble her previous drawings.
Then there's the shipboard romance between Delpnick and Mel Forby. Where did that come from? It doesn't belong at all. There's never been a hint of that in previous books.
In my opinion, Heron Carvic was really the best writer of this series. As the creator, he really knew the characters best. Hamilton Crane (Sarah J. Mason) does an excellent job of making the stories timely without losing the flavor of the period in which they are set. Her characterization is right on, too. But Hampton Charles, whoever he is, never really seemed to understand the series. Just a disappointment. Diehard Seeton fans will still want a copy of this one, but everyone else might as well forget it.
The plot isn't very strong. The descriptions of Miss Seeton's drawings, which are, after all, key to the whole book, are not very detailed and don't really even resemble her previous drawings.
Then there's the shipboard romance between Delpnick and Mel Forby. Where did that come from? It doesn't belong at all. There's never been a hint of that in previous books.
In my opinion, Heron Carvic was really the best writer of this series. As the creator, he really knew the characters best. Hamilton Crane (Sarah J. Mason) does an excellent job of making the stories timely without losing the flavor of the period in which they are set. Her characterization is right on, too. But Hampton Charles, whoever he is, never really seemed to understand the series. Just a disappointment. Diehard Seeton fans will still want a copy of this one, but everyone else might as well forget it.
June 2, 2023
Eighth in the not-Heron-Carvic series about Miss Seeton and said to be revolving around Miss Seeton. This story may start in England but it quickly switches to a cruise in the Greek islands in 1972. It’s been at least a year since
Miss Seeton, By Appointment
, 6.
My Take
Yeah, well, this will be my last Miss Seeton story. I can’t take it. Charles is screwing with the characters. He has them doing things they’d never do and Miss Seeton is even less involved than ever. I hate this. And I am so missing the original Miss Seeton . . . sigh . . . I miss the original Sir George as well. He was much more intelligent in the previous five and one does wonder how someone who takes his magisterial duties so seriously and is such “a shrewd old boy” can be depicted as such a dumb cluck.
It does sound like Sir Wormelow and Miss Seeton had a lovely time at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition. She’ll go on to thoroughly enjoy the arts on view during her cruise too. It is such a treat for her! Especially when Szabo and Tump, honorary members of the Plummergen gang, come along as well.
It’s a twisty tale with the personal lives of the lecturers and passengers intertwined. Charles does paint a scummy picture of Witley, although MissEss paints him as Cupid, hmmm . . .
It’s an incestuous cruise what with so many of the passengers and/or lecturers knowing each other . . . having been involved with each other. Add in that bit of “mob” flavor with one of the characters threatened with his own demise if he doesn’t cause another’s death and it goes from campy to creepy.
It seems that Sir George is not the only character who did well in the war. There’s a wee bit of impressive back history on The Oracle as well. Hmm, I wonder if that’s where he picked up that nickname?
Charles does play up the relationship Mel has with Miss Seeton as well as her cooperation with Delphick and Scotland Yard. It’s a friendship that influences how Delphick accepts Mel’s help. That "cooperation" gets help from Captain Papagiannis as well with his romantic perspective.
The blackmail scheme and the demands did not make sense. Charles keeps tossing these odd non sequiturs out there and expects them to make sense. The affair. The blackmail. The weird payment demanded by a character that is totally out of left field. Blodwen allowing Witley to treat her like a doormat and suddenly, very suddenly getting over it?? The unexpected suicide. The sudden ability of the cops to arrest the primary bad guy? What held them up before?
It is a character-driven story — and Charles is using third person global subjective point-of-view, as we’re getting perspectives from a number of characters. And it’s the characters who pack in the action in this meandering story that has so ticked me off.
The Story
Lucky Miss Seeton is thrilled to be "awarded" a luxury cruise from Venice to the Greek islands, for her services as official artist to Scotland Yard. But also on the good ship Eurydice are her friends, Sir George and Meg, Lady Colvedon, who know all about Miss Seeton’s talent for tripping up wrongdoers. And by coincidence of course, there are a couple of well-known warring art experts.
This voyage is heading into stormy waters, but by the crook of her brolly MissEss untangles the truth and brings them all safely into harbor.
The Characters
Miss Emily Seeton, a retired art teacher, is also on retainer with Scotland Yard for her insightful caricatures of those around her. She’s also known, in the press, as the “Battling Brolly”. Martha Bloomer does for her and secretly works with Lady Colveden on Miss Seeton’s wardrobe.
Sir George (retired major general, Bt, DSO, and JP) and Meg, Lady Colveden, live in Plummergen, where Miss Seeton lives in her inherited cottage. Nigel is their son but doesn’t appear.
The Reverend Arthur Treeves is the vicar in Plummergen. Mr Meredith lives at Eventide Home and likes to play chess. Mr Jessyp, the headmaster of the Plummergen primary school, likes theatrics and is a leading light in the Brettenden Amateur Dramatic Society (B.A.D.S.), a.k.a. the Baddies.
Mel Forby, a.k.a. Amelita Forby, the former fashion reporter, is the star reporter at the Daily Negative and a friend of Miss Seeton’s. She’s also become the paper’s Art and Saleroom Correspondent. Thrudd Brunner is a free-lance foreign correspondent ( Miss Seeton Sings , 4) who is in a relationship with Mel.
The Eurydice is . . .
. . . a cruise ship run by Heron Halycon Holidays with guest lecturers. Mungo Macallister, whose Scottish accent comes out when he’s stressed, is the captain. The gay Marty Hussingtree is one of the stewards — he’s resting from the theater.
Passengers include Sir Wormelow “Wonky” Tump, who is the custodian of the Queen’s Collection of Objets de Vertu ( Miss Seeton, By Appointment , 6). We met Ferencz Szabo, a.k.a. Frank Taylor, a dealer in rare antiques and objets d’art, in the same story and the two men became good friends with Sir George along with Cedric Benbow, the photographer from Miss Seeton, By Appointment . Carlo Crivelli is a wealthy Italian collector. The gorgeous Dr Dorcas Bookbinder specializes in the history of art with a special reference to the Venetian School. She and Miss Seeton are thrilled with each other’s interests. They’re both also into yoga. Juliana Popjoy, an antiques dealer in Bath, is with the sexy Dickie Nash, a professor at Cambridge specializing in Byzantine history who’s addicted to gambling. Mr and Mrs Giles Golightly — she knows a lot about the voyages of Ulysses. The “Sophocles” passenger disapproves of poor grammar.
Lecturers include Professor Adrian Witley, the obnoxious chap who specializes in archeology and is on a television show Ask Me Another . Ashley Browden, Bishop of Bromwich, used to lecture in classics at Cambridge. Dr Blodwen Griffiths is a coin expert and university lecturer.
Scotland Yard
Chief Superintendent “the Oracle” Delphick pushes for Miss Seeton’s trip. Sergeant Bob Ranger is still Delphick’s partner and off on his honeymoon with Anne Knight, Dr Knight’s daughter. Sir Hubert Everleigh is the assistant commissioner (crime) and Delphick’s boss. Inspector Madison is with the art fraud investigation unit.
Athens
Harold Withers is the second secretary in the consular department. Captain Zenophon Papagiannis is the Greek police officer assigned to the murder investigation.
The Duchess of Windsor is recently widowed. In a shocking development, Reginald Maulding resigned as Home Secretary in 1972.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a light blue sky with a few clouds above a deep purplish blue of the Eurydice steaming from left to right. The water is an odd gradient of colonial blue to a softer green, although a veil of blue covers the “Seeton” in the title. At the very top is the series info in purple. Her shoulder next to the ship’s prow, Miss Seeton is a silhouette in a pinkish red in a battle stance, holding her umbrella which rings a life preserver. Two icons appear behind her: a pinkish red bust and an orange bottle upended over a glass. At the very bottom is a Venetian gondola. The title is a’slant and crosses Miss Seeton’s ankles in various shades of yellow with the author’s name below that in a more orangey yellow.
The title is merely relating that Miss Seeton at the Helm is indeed on the ship, but she's not central to the story. Not in my opinion.
My Take
Yeah, well, this will be my last Miss Seeton story. I can’t take it. Charles is screwing with the characters. He has them doing things they’d never do and Miss Seeton is even less involved than ever. I hate this. And I am so missing the original Miss Seeton . . . sigh . . . I miss the original Sir George as well. He was much more intelligent in the previous five and one does wonder how someone who takes his magisterial duties so seriously and is such “a shrewd old boy” can be depicted as such a dumb cluck.
It does sound like Sir Wormelow and Miss Seeton had a lovely time at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition. She’ll go on to thoroughly enjoy the arts on view during her cruise too. It is such a treat for her! Especially when Szabo and Tump, honorary members of the Plummergen gang, come along as well.
It’s a twisty tale with the personal lives of the lecturers and passengers intertwined. Charles does paint a scummy picture of Witley, although MissEss paints him as Cupid, hmmm . . .
It’s an incestuous cruise what with so many of the passengers and/or lecturers knowing each other . . . having been involved with each other. Add in that bit of “mob” flavor with one of the characters threatened with his own demise if he doesn’t cause another’s death and it goes from campy to creepy.
It seems that Sir George is not the only character who did well in the war. There’s a wee bit of impressive back history on The Oracle as well. Hmm, I wonder if that’s where he picked up that nickname?
Charles does play up the relationship Mel has with Miss Seeton as well as her cooperation with Delphick and Scotland Yard. It’s a friendship that influences how Delphick accepts Mel’s help. That "cooperation" gets help from Captain Papagiannis as well with his romantic perspective.
The blackmail scheme and the demands did not make sense. Charles keeps tossing these odd non sequiturs out there and expects them to make sense. The affair. The blackmail. The weird payment demanded by a character that is totally out of left field. Blodwen allowing Witley to treat her like a doormat and suddenly, very suddenly getting over it?? The unexpected suicide. The sudden ability of the cops to arrest the primary bad guy? What held them up before?
It is a character-driven story — and Charles is using third person global subjective point-of-view, as we’re getting perspectives from a number of characters. And it’s the characters who pack in the action in this meandering story that has so ticked me off.
The Story
Lucky Miss Seeton is thrilled to be "awarded" a luxury cruise from Venice to the Greek islands, for her services as official artist to Scotland Yard. But also on the good ship Eurydice are her friends, Sir George and Meg, Lady Colvedon, who know all about Miss Seeton’s talent for tripping up wrongdoers. And by coincidence of course, there are a couple of well-known warring art experts.
This voyage is heading into stormy waters, but by the crook of her brolly MissEss untangles the truth and brings them all safely into harbor.
The Characters
Miss Emily Seeton, a retired art teacher, is also on retainer with Scotland Yard for her insightful caricatures of those around her. She’s also known, in the press, as the “Battling Brolly”. Martha Bloomer does for her and secretly works with Lady Colveden on Miss Seeton’s wardrobe.
Sir George (retired major general, Bt, DSO, and JP) and Meg, Lady Colveden, live in Plummergen, where Miss Seeton lives in her inherited cottage. Nigel is their son but doesn’t appear.
The Reverend Arthur Treeves is the vicar in Plummergen. Mr Meredith lives at Eventide Home and likes to play chess. Mr Jessyp, the headmaster of the Plummergen primary school, likes theatrics and is a leading light in the Brettenden Amateur Dramatic Society (B.A.D.S.), a.k.a. the Baddies.
Mel Forby, a.k.a. Amelita Forby, the former fashion reporter, is the star reporter at the Daily Negative and a friend of Miss Seeton’s. She’s also become the paper’s Art and Saleroom Correspondent. Thrudd Brunner is a free-lance foreign correspondent ( Miss Seeton Sings , 4) who is in a relationship with Mel.
The Eurydice is . . .
. . . a cruise ship run by Heron Halycon Holidays with guest lecturers. Mungo Macallister, whose Scottish accent comes out when he’s stressed, is the captain. The gay Marty Hussingtree is one of the stewards — he’s resting from the theater.
Passengers include Sir Wormelow “Wonky” Tump, who is the custodian of the Queen’s Collection of Objets de Vertu ( Miss Seeton, By Appointment , 6). We met Ferencz Szabo, a.k.a. Frank Taylor, a dealer in rare antiques and objets d’art, in the same story and the two men became good friends with Sir George along with Cedric Benbow, the photographer from Miss Seeton, By Appointment . Carlo Crivelli is a wealthy Italian collector. The gorgeous Dr Dorcas Bookbinder specializes in the history of art with a special reference to the Venetian School. She and Miss Seeton are thrilled with each other’s interests. They’re both also into yoga. Juliana Popjoy, an antiques dealer in Bath, is with the sexy Dickie Nash, a professor at Cambridge specializing in Byzantine history who’s addicted to gambling. Mr and Mrs Giles Golightly — she knows a lot about the voyages of Ulysses. The “Sophocles” passenger disapproves of poor grammar.
Lecturers include Professor Adrian Witley, the obnoxious chap who specializes in archeology and is on a television show Ask Me Another . Ashley Browden, Bishop of Bromwich, used to lecture in classics at Cambridge. Dr Blodwen Griffiths is a coin expert and university lecturer.
Scotland Yard
Chief Superintendent “the Oracle” Delphick pushes for Miss Seeton’s trip. Sergeant Bob Ranger is still Delphick’s partner and off on his honeymoon with Anne Knight, Dr Knight’s daughter. Sir Hubert Everleigh is the assistant commissioner (crime) and Delphick’s boss. Inspector Madison is with the art fraud investigation unit.
Athens
Harold Withers is the second secretary in the consular department. Captain Zenophon Papagiannis is the Greek police officer assigned to the murder investigation.
The Duchess of Windsor is recently widowed. In a shocking development, Reginald Maulding resigned as Home Secretary in 1972.
The Cover and Title
The cover has a light blue sky with a few clouds above a deep purplish blue of the Eurydice steaming from left to right. The water is an odd gradient of colonial blue to a softer green, although a veil of blue covers the “Seeton” in the title. At the very top is the series info in purple. Her shoulder next to the ship’s prow, Miss Seeton is a silhouette in a pinkish red in a battle stance, holding her umbrella which rings a life preserver. Two icons appear behind her: a pinkish red bust and an orange bottle upended over a glass. At the very bottom is a Venetian gondola. The title is a’slant and crosses Miss Seeton’s ankles in various shades of yellow with the author’s name below that in a more orangey yellow.
The title is merely relating that Miss Seeton at the Helm is indeed on the ship, but she's not central to the story. Not in my opinion.
February 25, 2020
Worst of the series! I’d give it negative stars if I could. I enjoyed the books by the original creator- but this author has taken the likable and funny characters and made them unlikable or at best neutral, humorless, and unethical. Yuck! I was going to stop reading entirely, but since another author took over the series after this disaster, I may give the next book a try. Recommend just skipping the two books by this author
September 3, 2018
2.5, actually. Too many characters behaving wildly out of character, especially Sir George Colvedeen, and too many scenes with that rank imposter, and not nearly enough Miss Emily D. Seeton.
November 14, 2017
When Heron Carvic, the creator of the Miss Seeton series, died in 1980 his publishers and estate hired two other authors to continue the series, both under pseudonyms with the initials "H. C." Roy Peter Martin, writing as Hampton Charles, published all 3 of his in 1990, of which this is the last. It is also the worst. Martin and his editors apparently didn't bother to take the time to read the books by Mr. Carvic, because the relationships and actions of the characters are completely out of whack with Carvic's books. Lord and Lady Cloveden, and Inspector Delphick are grotesquely unrecognizable, and even the more minor characters seem to have gotten horribly mixed up. Any fans of the series can skip this one. It's worth neither the time nor the money. However, if you can get a free copy somewhere and haven't read any of the other books, you might enjoy it. Basically it's about faked antiques, as well as faked characters. Fans of the Miss Seeton series should save their money for anything else and move on to the next books in the series by Sarah J Mason, writing as Hamilton Crane.
May 13, 2020
I did NOT LIKE what the author did with the characters of The Oracle and Mel Forby in this book. It was a bit sordid and unexpectedly out of character especially with Delphick and even with Mel... she was made into a swinging bohemian. Whereas before, in the first 5 books, there was always an atmosphere of spontaneity and humor... something clean and wholesome... though murder may not be humorous but death is always a Reality... and ever the pragmatists some people like to treat it as what it is... just like the first 5 books written by the original author. The next writer did put his own spin and IT did show, in contrast. It was still funny but it had more Malice in it. Hussingtree was smilingly accommodating yet duplicitous, Crivelli was menacing and threatening, Witley was a coward hiding behind his academic achievements which he callously betrayed for greed... etc. But somehow I lost my grasp of the story so that the crime side did not resonate as well as before. As Miss Seeton would say, "Oh dear, such a muddle... Bother."
October 13, 2020
A book full of conversations and quirky characters. I enjoyed getting to know everyone before the murder, which made it more mysterious. I don’t, however, understand how Miss Seeton had much to do with it, though. She seemed like a side character. I was thrown off by the sexual inuendo in this book, but this is the first book in the series that I have read. It is a similar writing style to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. I won’t look for anymore books in this series on purpose, but if they cross my path at a thrift store I may pick them up.
September 18, 2017
La Miss Seeton d'Heron Carvic (l'auteur originel) me manque cruellement. Où est la délicieuse fantaisie d'une angleterre charmante et excentrique ? Hampton Charles est un brave homme, mais sa Miss Seeton est plus vulgaire de jour en jour...
I miss Heron Carvic's Miss Seeton. She was insane in a "Monthy Python" sense, you could just hear her rambling about swallows ! I'm glad that Hampton Charles didn't let the legend die, but it's getting campiest everyday...
I miss Heron Carvic's Miss Seeton. She was insane in a "Monthy Python" sense, you could just hear her rambling about swallows ! I'm glad that Hampton Charles didn't let the legend die, but it's getting campiest everyday...
September 18, 2017
La Miss Seeton d'Heron Carvic (l'auteur originel) me manque cruellement. Où est la délicieuse fantaisie d'une angleterre charmante et excentrique ? Hampton Charles est un brave homme, mais sa Miss Seeton est plus vulgaire de jour en jour...
I miss Heron Carvic's Miss Seeton. She was insane in a "Monthy Python" sense, you could just hear her rambling about swallows ! I'm glad that Hampton Charles didn't let the legend die, but it's getting campiest everyday...
I miss Heron Carvic's Miss Seeton. She was insane in a "Monthy Python" sense, you could just hear her rambling about swallows ! I'm glad that Hampton Charles didn't let the legend die, but it's getting campiest everyday...
October 11, 2017
Not the Miss S I know and love
Hampton Charles has ruined Miss Seeton for me. While the story was decent, adding an extramarital affair for a respectful character made me really dislike this book.
Miss Seeton stories don't need to have blatant sex strewn about. The stories were charming before Hampton Charles took over the writing.
Hampton Charles has ruined Miss Seeton for me. While the story was decent, adding an extramarital affair for a respectful character made me really dislike this book.
Miss Seeton stories don't need to have blatant sex strewn about. The stories were charming before Hampton Charles took over the writing.
January 21, 2021
Quite delightful. Not to be taken seriously but full of fun and just the book to cheer up a reader who is feeling low.
It's satirical but the characters are such fun. The murder victim is definitely not a nice man. Others are questionable.
There is a scene at the beginning of the book which is likely to have any reader laughing aloud, so be warned.
It's satirical but the characters are such fun. The murder victim is definitely not a nice man. Others are questionable.
There is a scene at the beginning of the book which is likely to have any reader laughing aloud, so be warned.
August 27, 2017
Some amazing acts
Another fun & murder mystery for Miss Seeton to solve with her uncanny sketches! Also an amazing developments with Mel Forby. Then there's Inspector Delphick, he does something totally out of character!
Another fun & murder mystery for Miss Seeton to solve with her uncanny sketches! Also an amazing developments with Mel Forby. Then there's Inspector Delphick, he does something totally out of character!
March 2, 2022
Easy to read in one sitting. Plot was ok. Characters not as fleshed out as in previous books in the series and was surprised that Delphick had an affair with Mel Formby - this was out of character. Not of the same standard as previous Miss Seeton books.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2022
Endearing
Greece is a trip that would be a dream for many, but with Emily Seeton on board it could take a bad turn! Thank goodness she is able to help sort out the nastiness even if she doesn't necessarily try to do so. These characters are ever endearing.
Greece is a trip that would be a dream for many, but with Emily Seeton on board it could take a bad turn! Thank goodness she is able to help sort out the nastiness even if she doesn't necessarily try to do so. These characters are ever endearing.
June 17, 2017
too quick on the wrap up for this one and I didn't like all the choices made with th ed characters - didn't seem to fit what was already known about them from previous books in the series.
July 11, 2017
Miss Seeton is always good value for an afternoon or evening of escaping into the bosom of post WWII English village life.
October 23, 2017
Another smashing outing with Miss Seeton!
June 24, 2020
Delightful read
Charming as usual, I thoroughly enjoyed romping through the Aegean with the Plumerton gang and the creative mind of Hampton Charles
Charming as usual, I thoroughly enjoyed romping through the Aegean with the Plumerton gang and the creative mind of Hampton Charles
August 2, 2020
Unhappy with this one
Very disappointed A fling with Mel and Oracle is not in keeping with the theme of the series!! Detracts from his usual calm and reassuring role.
Very disappointed A fling with Mel and Oracle is not in keeping with the theme of the series!! Detracts from his usual calm and reassuring role.
March 10, 2021
I love both the original and the new author of these books. Hampton Charles has kept the characters true to form,
December 8, 2021
2.5 stars.
February 23, 2022
One word = jolly
September 10, 2024
Great fun and very well written
October 21, 2016
Title: Miss Seeton at the Helm - Miss Seeton Mystery Book 8
Author: Heron Carvic (Ghost Writer - Hampton Charles)
Published: 7-28-2016
Publisher: Farrago
Pages: 217
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Women Sleuths; Amateur Sleuths; Cozy Mystery
ISBN: 13-978-0993576362
ASIN: B01HQWWE4O
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley And Farrago in
My Rating: 4 Stars
I received and ARC copy from NetGalley and Farrago in exchange for my honest review
.
When lovable Miss Seeton is "awarded" a luxury cruise trip to Venice and the Greek Isles she packs up her sketch book and brolly and sails away. Unfortunately death is also on board the Eurydice. Read as the renowned Miss Seeton uses her unusual talents to bring a murderer to justice.
Miss Seeton and her friends return once again in this fast paced book. A bit darker than the original 4 books written by Heron Carvic, but no less captivating. There are a few spots that seem a bit forced, but as a whole I found the characters well developed and and memorable. The plot was intriguing and unusual. My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQWWE4O/...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
Author: Heron Carvic (Ghost Writer - Hampton Charles)
Published: 7-28-2016
Publisher: Farrago
Pages: 217
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Women Sleuths; Amateur Sleuths; Cozy Mystery
ISBN: 13-978-0993576362
ASIN: B01HQWWE4O
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley And Farrago in
My Rating: 4 Stars
I received and ARC copy from NetGalley and Farrago in exchange for my honest review
.
When lovable Miss Seeton is "awarded" a luxury cruise trip to Venice and the Greek Isles she packs up her sketch book and brolly and sails away. Unfortunately death is also on board the Eurydice. Read as the renowned Miss Seeton uses her unusual talents to bring a murderer to justice.
Miss Seeton and her friends return once again in this fast paced book. A bit darker than the original 4 books written by Heron Carvic, but no less captivating. There are a few spots that seem a bit forced, but as a whole I found the characters well developed and and memorable. The plot was intriguing and unusual. My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQWWE4O/...
Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/miss-...
GoodReads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...
The Reading Room link: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.ph...
July 14, 2016
I would like to thank Netgalley and Farrago for an advance copy of Miss Seeton At The Helm, the seventh novel in the series and the second written by Mr Charles.
Through various machinations Sir George Colveden gets Ms Seeton a ticket for his 25th wedding anniversary to the Greek Islands. He feels that her "eye" will be invaluable in the hunt for Professor Witney's antique smuggling contacts.
I really didn't enjoy this novel in comparison with the previous ones in the series. There is too much sex, not loads but any kind seems out of place around the innocent Miss Seeton and her way of life. Sir George is portrayed as a blustering buffoon with the occasional bit of nous which is totally at odds with the smart operator he has been. Miss Seeton and her drawings do not have the same prominence and her antics which form the heart of Mr Carvic's writing seem secondary to a rather mundane plot. My big gripe however is historical accuracy. Mr Charles clearly states at the beginning of the novel that it is 1972 so why are the homosexuals in the novel worried about prosecution when the act was repealed in 1967?
I thought long and hard about my star rating. As I said I didn't enjoy it and didn't find it funny so that's obviously a 2 star rating but I'm comparing it to its wonderful 5 star predecessors so I've tried to be objective about it as a standalone and come up with 3 stars - competent but not outstanding.
Through various machinations Sir George Colveden gets Ms Seeton a ticket for his 25th wedding anniversary to the Greek Islands. He feels that her "eye" will be invaluable in the hunt for Professor Witney's antique smuggling contacts.
I really didn't enjoy this novel in comparison with the previous ones in the series. There is too much sex, not loads but any kind seems out of place around the innocent Miss Seeton and her way of life. Sir George is portrayed as a blustering buffoon with the occasional bit of nous which is totally at odds with the smart operator he has been. Miss Seeton and her drawings do not have the same prominence and her antics which form the heart of Mr Carvic's writing seem secondary to a rather mundane plot. My big gripe however is historical accuracy. Mr Charles clearly states at the beginning of the novel that it is 1972 so why are the homosexuals in the novel worried about prosecution when the act was repealed in 1967?
I thought long and hard about my star rating. As I said I didn't enjoy it and didn't find it funny so that's obviously a 2 star rating but I'm comparing it to its wonderful 5 star predecessors so I've tried to be objective about it as a standalone and come up with 3 stars - competent but not outstanding.
July 16, 2016
This time Miss Seeton is all at sea. She has been “awarded' an expensive cruise from Scotland Yard. The award was requested by Sir George Colvedon. Sir George believes there could be a problem. A friend of his is joining the cruise because he wants to keep an eye on an art critic who is believed to be a fraud as well as a crook.
The action is fast moving. The characters are well done, each of them are complete human beings. I was disappointed that Sir George has changed from the genuine country squire he has always been into someone who seems to be some sort of bloated comedy form.
And sex in its various aspects has become much more important in the action and the plot. The sex between Chief Inspector Delphick and Mel Forby, a reporter, was something that seemed to be right out of the Twilight Zone. I am not against sex. I simply do not think this series needs to add sex to make it entertaining.
The art world and the world of luxury cruises cross paths in a manner that is common today. Luxury cruises can draw people with money. People with money can draw con men who want to separate those people from their money.
I am a fan of Miss Seeton. I am not a big fan of the direction which the series seems to be going.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in the hope that I would write a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
The action is fast moving. The characters are well done, each of them are complete human beings. I was disappointed that Sir George has changed from the genuine country squire he has always been into someone who seems to be some sort of bloated comedy form.
And sex in its various aspects has become much more important in the action and the plot. The sex between Chief Inspector Delphick and Mel Forby, a reporter, was something that seemed to be right out of the Twilight Zone. I am not against sex. I simply do not think this series needs to add sex to make it entertaining.
The art world and the world of luxury cruises cross paths in a manner that is common today. Luxury cruises can draw people with money. People with money can draw con men who want to separate those people from their money.
I am a fan of Miss Seeton. I am not a big fan of the direction which the series seems to be going.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in the hope that I would write a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
October 15, 2024
🍷
What the hell, 4 stars and a glass of wine! I’m influenced, no doubt, by having finished before this the 2nd of the Inspector Wexford series; that series is dour anyway, and A New Lease Of Death was a palpable stinker to boot, so lightening the mood with Miss Seeton was the perfect tonic and this outing was terrific! This 8th in the series is also the last by Hampton Charles, who took over after original author Heron Carvic passed away having written just five; I’ve a sneaky suspicion that Charles (actually James Melville, author of the estimable Superintendent Otani series) had a three book deal but found Miss Seeton too confining/farcical and chose not the continue - the other 16 after this were written by Sarah J. Mason under the soubriquet Hamilton Crane.)
For whatever reason(s), Charles threw over the traces here, setting the book on a Mediterranean cruise ship - with all the recurring main characters aboard! - and allowing Chief Superintendent Delphic as well as intrepid reporter Amelita Forby to join the festivities mid-cruise after murder most foul is uncovered. Why, they even canoodle a bit, behavior decidedly not on in the previous books. Charles going out with a “bang,” one presumes!
Be all that as it may, I found this to be the perfect book at the perfect time and I can only hope that the rest of the series stays this enjoyable.
What the hell, 4 stars and a glass of wine! I’m influenced, no doubt, by having finished before this the 2nd of the Inspector Wexford series; that series is dour anyway, and A New Lease Of Death was a palpable stinker to boot, so lightening the mood with Miss Seeton was the perfect tonic and this outing was terrific! This 8th in the series is also the last by Hampton Charles, who took over after original author Heron Carvic passed away having written just five; I’ve a sneaky suspicion that Charles (actually James Melville, author of the estimable Superintendent Otani series) had a three book deal but found Miss Seeton too confining/farcical and chose not the continue - the other 16 after this were written by Sarah J. Mason under the soubriquet Hamilton Crane.)
For whatever reason(s), Charles threw over the traces here, setting the book on a Mediterranean cruise ship - with all the recurring main characters aboard! - and allowing Chief Superintendent Delphic as well as intrepid reporter Amelita Forby to join the festivities mid-cruise after murder most foul is uncovered. Why, they even canoodle a bit, behavior decidedly not on in the previous books. Charles going out with a “bang,” one presumes!
Be all that as it may, I found this to be the perfect book at the perfect time and I can only hope that the rest of the series stays this enjoyable.
September 16, 2016
An ARC honest review for Farrago Books via NetGalley.
Miss Seeton is joining Sir George and Lady Colveden and friends on a cruise, taking in the sights of Venice and the Greek islands, with guest speakers on antiquities...one speaker is Sir Wormelow Tump, friend of Miss Seeton and the Colveden's.
Another is the TV personality Adrian Witley, who is in a legal row with Ferencz Szabo/Frank Taylor over the authenticated bust of Homer, which Witley says is genuine and Szabo says is fake.
After a couple of accidents happening to Szabo/Taylor, which Miss Seeton's trusted brolly helps to prevent.
Adrian Witley is found beaten to death in his cabin and someone attacks Miss Seeton and her drawings are stolen.
Sir George and Miss Seeton call for the help of Chief Superintendent Delphick to come to their aid in the Greek islands.
With brolly and drawings can Miss Seeton help find the culprit?
Another fun Miss Seeton mystery to keep you entertained.
Love this series and I'm very glad to get the opportunity to revisit with Heron Carvics fun characters.
If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have made, visit my blog at www.finalchapterreadersgroup.wordpres... like, comment and follow.
Miss Seeton is joining Sir George and Lady Colveden and friends on a cruise, taking in the sights of Venice and the Greek islands, with guest speakers on antiquities...one speaker is Sir Wormelow Tump, friend of Miss Seeton and the Colveden's.
Another is the TV personality Adrian Witley, who is in a legal row with Ferencz Szabo/Frank Taylor over the authenticated bust of Homer, which Witley says is genuine and Szabo says is fake.
After a couple of accidents happening to Szabo/Taylor, which Miss Seeton's trusted brolly helps to prevent.
Adrian Witley is found beaten to death in his cabin and someone attacks Miss Seeton and her drawings are stolen.
Sir George and Miss Seeton call for the help of Chief Superintendent Delphick to come to their aid in the Greek islands.
With brolly and drawings can Miss Seeton help find the culprit?
Another fun Miss Seeton mystery to keep you entertained.
Love this series and I'm very glad to get the opportunity to revisit with Heron Carvics fun characters.
If you like the review and would like to read reviews on other books I have made, visit my blog at www.finalchapterreadersgroup.wordpres... like, comment and follow.
July 31, 2016
This is a great book; this is the seventh book in the A Miss Seeton Mystery series written by Hampton Charles. This book can be read as a standalone, but once you read this one you will want to go back and read the other books in this series. Lucky Miss Seeton is thrilled to be 'awarded' a luxury cruise from Venice to the Greek islands, for her services as official artist to Scotland Yard. But also on the good ship Eurydice are her friends, Sir George and Lady Emily Colvedon, who know all about Miss S’s talent for tripping up wrongdoers. And by coincidence of course, there are a couple of well-known warring art experts, one of whom soon ends up dead. This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. This book will keep you reading long into the night. If you are looking for a great book, then you need to read this book. I am looking forward to reading the next book by this great author.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
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