What do you think?
Rate this book
Hilary Tamar #2
The Shortest Way to Hades
Inheritance becomes deadly in this gripping literary puzzle—the second installment of the Hilary Tamar mysteries that began with Thus Was Adonis Murdered .
Die first, pay later.
It seemed the perfect way to avoid three million in taxes on a five-million-pound change the trust arrangement. Everyone in the family agreed to support the heiress, the ravishing raven-haired Camilla Galloway, in her court petition—except dreary Cousin Deirdre, who suddenly demanded a small fortune for her signature.
Then Deirdre had a terrible accident. That was when the young London barristers handling the trust—Cantrip, Selena, Timothy, Ragwort, and Julia—summoned their Oxford friend Professor Hilary Tamar to Lincoln’s Inn. Julia thinks it’s murder. Hilary demurs. Why didn’t the heiress die? But when the accidents escalate and they learn of the naked lunch at Uncle Rupert’s, Hilary the Scholar embarks on the most perilous quest of the truth.
Die first, pay later.
It seemed the perfect way to avoid three million in taxes on a five-million-pound change the trust arrangement. Everyone in the family agreed to support the heiress, the ravishing raven-haired Camilla Galloway, in her court petition—except dreary Cousin Deirdre, who suddenly demanded a small fortune for her signature.
Then Deirdre had a terrible accident. That was when the young London barristers handling the trust—Cantrip, Selena, Timothy, Ragwort, and Julia—summoned their Oxford friend Professor Hilary Tamar to Lincoln’s Inn. Julia thinks it’s murder. Hilary demurs. Why didn’t the heiress die? But when the accidents escalate and they learn of the naked lunch at Uncle Rupert’s, Hilary the Scholar embarks on the most perilous quest of the truth.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 29, 1984
116 people are currently reading
1792 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Caudwell
10 books133 followersSarah Cockburn (1939-2000) wrote under the pen-name Sarah Caudwell. She was a mystery writer. The four books of her "Hilary Tamar" series are her only novels other than The Perfect Murder which she co-wrote with several other novelists, but she also wrote several short crime stories. She was the half-sister of Alexander Cockburn.
Series:
* Hilary Tamar Mystery
Series:
* Hilary Tamar Mystery
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
Read
November 3, 2024Second instalment in this delightful series about a ridiculous pack of lawyers solving a murder. Very old fashioned Golden Age vibe while being radically queer and messing about with gender expectations. I wish there were a dozen of these: straight into the Favourites collection.
May 18, 2011
Proper British lawyers + orgies = win! I love these ladies like they were my legal sisters. My sisters-in-law, if you would. Bah dum tsss. Thank you folks, I’m here all week. Anyway, they are so wonderful. Instead of hilarious Shakespeare jokes, like the first book had, this book has some impressive Homer references. I wouldn’t really say they’re Homer jokes, but it’s possible I’m missing some of the hilarity, not being the Homer scholar that I wish I was. It’s more like Homer wit. Like the first in the series, this is just a perfect book. No complaints that I can remember. Again, I can’t give it five stars, but this is a really, really, really high four stars.
You can read this one as a stand-alone. You will not know as much as you should about Julia’s clumsiness or passion for beautiful profiles, but I think you’d still be able to catch up. Likewise, you will not have a background in the particulars of the rest of this Scooby gang, but I’m sure you’d figure them out really quickly. The stories only build on each other slightly. And, if Homer’s more your man than Shakespeare, this one would be perfect for you!
Funny note about these books: the women lawyers are called by their first names and the men are called by their last names. I get this. We all have to call each other Mr. This or Ms. That in our first year in law school, so some people I still call by their last names. I wouldn’t say I tend to do this more with girls or guys, but I bet it was more natural, back in the dark ages of the 1980s, to call women by their first names because if they married, they would change last names. It is difficult to start calling someone a new name when you’re used to an old one.
Law is a difficult field for women, though, imo. I was talking to one of my women professors last week, and she told me that when she graduated, I believe in the 1970s, she was first in her class, editor of the law review, and passed the bar with the highest score, but she couldn’t get a job. That totally sucks. Even now, I think law is pretty entrenched in some insidious hierarchical ideas that the rest of society doesn’t necessarily buy into. So, there’s also the option that women were called by their first names as an unconscious disrespect. That would be sad. It’s not distracting in the book, though, because these ladies are seriously amazing. I really love them.
Seriously. A lot of people should read these books. Especially people on goodreads.com. These books are, like made for us. If there were LOL Cats in 1985, there would be LOL Cat references in these books, I’m pretty sure. Classical literature and comedy . . . AND! Even tragedy! And sweet political commentary, but in a funny way – not heavy handed. Come on, people! Why are you not reading these books more?! I know there aren’t faeries or vampires in them . . . but maybe there are!!! You don’t know! And there are hilarious stories that are mysterious, but have a point in the end. I am such a fangirl for Sarah Caudwell. If I’m ever a lawyer, I want to be just like her.
You can read this one as a stand-alone. You will not know as much as you should about Julia’s clumsiness or passion for beautiful profiles, but I think you’d still be able to catch up. Likewise, you will not have a background in the particulars of the rest of this Scooby gang, but I’m sure you’d figure them out really quickly. The stories only build on each other slightly. And, if Homer’s more your man than Shakespeare, this one would be perfect for you!
Funny note about these books: the women lawyers are called by their first names and the men are called by their last names. I get this. We all have to call each other Mr. This or Ms. That in our first year in law school, so some people I still call by their last names. I wouldn’t say I tend to do this more with girls or guys, but I bet it was more natural, back in the dark ages of the 1980s, to call women by their first names because if they married, they would change last names. It is difficult to start calling someone a new name when you’re used to an old one.
Law is a difficult field for women, though, imo. I was talking to one of my women professors last week, and she told me that when she graduated, I believe in the 1970s, she was first in her class, editor of the law review, and passed the bar with the highest score, but she couldn’t get a job. That totally sucks. Even now, I think law is pretty entrenched in some insidious hierarchical ideas that the rest of society doesn’t necessarily buy into. So, there’s also the option that women were called by their first names as an unconscious disrespect. That would be sad. It’s not distracting in the book, though, because these ladies are seriously amazing. I really love them.
Seriously. A lot of people should read these books. Especially people on goodreads.com. These books are, like made for us. If there were LOL Cats in 1985, there would be LOL Cat references in these books, I’m pretty sure. Classical literature and comedy . . . AND! Even tragedy! And sweet political commentary, but in a funny way – not heavy handed. Come on, people! Why are you not reading these books more?! I know there aren’t faeries or vampires in them . . . but maybe there are!!! You don’t know! And there are hilarious stories that are mysterious, but have a point in the end. I am such a fangirl for Sarah Caudwell. If I’m ever a lawyer, I want to be just like her.
September 21, 2021
Witty and entertaining, like a Rumpole story written by Nancy Mitford!
May 30, 2019
Although I’ve enjoyed all the Hilary Tamar novels, this one is definitely my favourite. It has the same wit, glamour, and gaggle of endearing barristers as the others, plus additional naughtiness and scenes in beautiful Corfu. Most importantly, Selena takes a major role and she is my favourite character. A true kindred spirit, as became clear when she and Julia found themselves eating pot-laced fudge at an orgy:
Her asperity is truly admirable:
I also loved Selena’s letters to Julia from her holiday, during which she sailed magnificently, deflected a marriage proposal from her smitten crew, and foiled several attempts on her life. Another excellent role model is Hilary, whose refusal to do any marking is an inspiration to all in academia:
However this principled stand proved to have an additional drawback:
In short, the whole novel was a hilarious and charming delight. I greatly approve of the importance Caudwell accords to describing what everyone is wearing - it’s always very stylish. The repartee between the barristers was invariably excellent. I am shocked and disappointed that the BBC does not appear to have made a sumptuous miniseries from these novels. There are beautiful young things and murders, what more could possibly be required? Not that I especially care about the murders, the important thing is the witty byplay. Should the BBC choose to remedy this lack, to stay true to the books all main characters must be portrayed as very good-looking and very bisexual.
"You will be interested to hear, Hilary, that it had a most remarkable effect - even on Selena after a very modest quantity. She cast off all conventional restraints and devoted herself without shame to the pleasure of the moment.”
I asked for the particulars of this uncharacteristic conduct.
“She took from her handbag a paperback edition of Pride and Prejudice and sat on the sofa reading it, declining all offers of conversation. I have never known you, Selena, so indifferent to the demands of social obligation.”
Her asperity is truly admirable:
"Vashti’s?” said Ragwort with austere disapproval. “Vashti’s has a most unsavoury reputation. I have heard it spoken of as a place frequented by females of unnatural propensity, seeking companions in a disgraceful manner.”
“I have heard it spoken of,” said Selena, “as an agreeable little establishment where single women may enjoy one another’s company in relaxed and convivial surroundings. Still, we’re clearly thinking of the same place.”
I also loved Selena’s letters to Julia from her holiday, during which she sailed magnificently, deflected a marriage proposal from her smitten crew, and foiled several attempts on her life. Another excellent role model is Hilary, whose refusal to do any marking is an inspiration to all in academia:
The suggestion had been made by some of my colleagues that I should participate in the marking of the summer examinations which in Oxford we refer to as Schools. Much as I was honoured by the proposal, I had felt obliged to decline: who am I to sit judgement on the young? Moreover, the marking of examination of scripts is among the most tedious occupations. I had accordingly explained that the demands of scholarship - that is to say, of my researches into the concept of causa in the early Common Law - precluded any other commitment of my time and energies.
The effect of this, I now discovered, was to make life in Oxford quite impossible during the first weeks of the summer vacation.
However this principled stand proved to have an additional drawback:
"I’m really very sorry about this, Professor Tamar,” said [spoiler], holding me by the shoulder and the knife against my throat.
By declining the duties of examiner I had hoped to avoid this sort of treatment on the part of the young. I now saw that I had, on the contrary, deprived myself of the specialised experience required to deal with such contingencies.
In short, the whole novel was a hilarious and charming delight. I greatly approve of the importance Caudwell accords to describing what everyone is wearing - it’s always very stylish. The repartee between the barristers was invariably excellent. I am shocked and disappointed that the BBC does not appear to have made a sumptuous miniseries from these novels. There are beautiful young things and murders, what more could possibly be required? Not that I especially care about the murders, the important thing is the witty byplay. Should the BBC choose to remedy this lack, to stay true to the books all main characters must be portrayed as very good-looking and very bisexual.
May 9, 2018
The second in the Hilary Tamar series. What a shame the author's untimely death means that there are only four to enjoy. Very erudite, witty and a delightful read.
February 4, 2022
I adored this, the second in the Hilary Tamar mysteries, featuring our plucky academic and her legal friends, Desmond Ragwort, Michael Cantrip, Timothy Shepherd, Selena Jardine and the hapless Julia. Our story starts when Timothy, a former student of Hilary, invites her to London to discuss a murder. The Last Will and Testament of Sir James Remington Fiske left the bulk of his estate to grand-daughter, Camilla, so why was it her cousin - the less attractive, and rather sly, Deirdre, the one who fell from the roof while watching the Boat Race?
Keen to avoid the summer marking undergraduates work, and all too aware of the resentment of her Oxford colleagues, Hilary is happy to spend her time becoming investigating the possible murder and the complexities of Sir James descendants. These involve Camilla's ne'er do well father, Rupert, a famous poet, some rather laconic twins and the beautiful Leonides. This is a fun mystery, with lots of humour and an involved plot, which will see our heroes in danger before all is clear. I look forward to reading on in this series and love the characters and sense of Eighties London, which I recall fondly (this was published in 1984).
Keen to avoid the summer marking undergraduates work, and all too aware of the resentment of her Oxford colleagues, Hilary is happy to spend her time becoming investigating the possible murder and the complexities of Sir James descendants. These involve Camilla's ne'er do well father, Rupert, a famous poet, some rather laconic twins and the beautiful Leonides. This is a fun mystery, with lots of humour and an involved plot, which will see our heroes in danger before all is clear. I look forward to reading on in this series and love the characters and sense of Eighties London, which I recall fondly (this was published in 1984).
October 8, 2018
Absolutely delightful read.
Written in a somehow ornate style, humorous and witty, the book gives an impression of being old-timey, which goes together with wonderfully modern portrayal of characters.
There's the narrator - nosy Oxford professor Hilary Tamar, whose gender is never disclosed, who loves free drinks, mocks Cambridge students and professors, and gets to solve another murder.
Then there's the clumsy, naive and good-natured Julia, who gets quite easily enchanted by any young beautiful man coming her way, and tries more or less successfully to seduce him.
"...Julia's strategy for dealing with real life, on those rare occasions when she came across it, was to keep very quiet and hope it would go away..."
The big part of the narrative in this book is told by the cool-headed and driven Selena, who tries to enjoy herself on holidays sailing through stormy waters, but is instead put into situation to tactfully avoid marriage proposal and possible death.
"He frequently interrupted his artistic activities, however, to urge me to take my clothes off and enjoy myself - this made it very difficult to concentrate on Pride and Prejudice. Isn't it curious how intolerant some people are of other people's pleasures? Was I pestering Rupert to put his clothes on and read Jane Austen? No, I wasn't."
"I have sometimes suggested, I think, that when your fancy is taken by a young man of slender figure and pleasing profile you should not disclose at too early a stage the true nature of your interest. Young men, I seem to remember saying, like to be thought of as people, not as mere physical objects: you should therefore begin by seeming to admire their fine souls and splendid intellects and showing a warm interest in their hopes, dreams and aspirations.
<...>
I am now obliged to mention a slight pitfall in the approach I have recommended: the young man might actually tell you about his hopes, dreams and aspirations."
Such a shame there's only 4 Hilary Tamar mysteries. Now I have to come up with some kind of personal reward system to wait to read the other two.
Written in a somehow ornate style, humorous and witty, the book gives an impression of being old-timey, which goes together with wonderfully modern portrayal of characters.
There's the narrator - nosy Oxford professor Hilary Tamar, whose gender is never disclosed, who loves free drinks, mocks Cambridge students and professors, and gets to solve another murder.
Then there's the clumsy, naive and good-natured Julia, who gets quite easily enchanted by any young beautiful man coming her way, and tries more or less successfully to seduce him.
"...Julia's strategy for dealing with real life, on those rare occasions when she came across it, was to keep very quiet and hope it would go away..."
The big part of the narrative in this book is told by the cool-headed and driven Selena, who tries to enjoy herself on holidays sailing through stormy waters, but is instead put into situation to tactfully avoid marriage proposal and possible death.
"He frequently interrupted his artistic activities, however, to urge me to take my clothes off and enjoy myself - this made it very difficult to concentrate on Pride and Prejudice. Isn't it curious how intolerant some people are of other people's pleasures? Was I pestering Rupert to put his clothes on and read Jane Austen? No, I wasn't."
"I have sometimes suggested, I think, that when your fancy is taken by a young man of slender figure and pleasing profile you should not disclose at too early a stage the true nature of your interest. Young men, I seem to remember saying, like to be thought of as people, not as mere physical objects: you should therefore begin by seeming to admire their fine souls and splendid intellects and showing a warm interest in their hopes, dreams and aspirations.
<...>
I am now obliged to mention a slight pitfall in the approach I have recommended: the young man might actually tell you about his hopes, dreams and aspirations."
Such a shame there's only 4 Hilary Tamar mysteries. Now I have to come up with some kind of personal reward system to wait to read the other two.
January 7, 2014
Oxford don Hilary Tamar is summoned by former students -- all barristers in offices in Lincoln’s Inn, 63 New Square -- to investigate the case of the drowning death of the woman who stood in the way of her beautiful cousin, Camilla Galloway, saving £3 million on a £5 million estate. Julia, one of Tamar’s former students, thinks her client, whiny Cousin Deidre, was murdered; however, Tamar is loath to agree. However, when more and more mishaps pile up, Tamar reconsiders and flies out to the Greek island of Corfu, where the drowning took place.
Readers who enjoy sly humor, satire, cleverly plotted cozies and erudite takes on Greek mythology and the leisure class will find much to love in Sarah Caudwell’s second book featuring Hilary Tamar, who serves as the hilariously snobbish narrator, one who condescends to solicitors, tax inspectors, accountants and Cambridge graduates, like Michael Cantrip, the token Cambridge graduate in the firm. (All of the Oxford graduates pityingly treat Cantrip like a slow-witted child.) The ironic tone Tamar brings to the novel absolutely elevates The Shortest Way to Hades to above even some of Edmund Crispin’s fare, which can become entirely too slapstick. Caudwell always keeps the antics funny and unexpected but never crosses over to silliness.
Sadly, Caudwell, herself a barrister, penned only four of these gems before succumbing to cancer in 2000. Right-wing darling Robert Bork absolutely loved the series, but don't let that put you off: All four novels all priceless.
Readers who enjoy sly humor, satire, cleverly plotted cozies and erudite takes on Greek mythology and the leisure class will find much to love in Sarah Caudwell’s second book featuring Hilary Tamar, who serves as the hilariously snobbish narrator, one who condescends to solicitors, tax inspectors, accountants and Cambridge graduates, like Michael Cantrip, the token Cambridge graduate in the firm. (All of the Oxford graduates pityingly treat Cantrip like a slow-witted child.) The ironic tone Tamar brings to the novel absolutely elevates The Shortest Way to Hades to above even some of Edmund Crispin’s fare, which can become entirely too slapstick. Caudwell always keeps the antics funny and unexpected but never crosses over to silliness.
Sadly, Caudwell, herself a barrister, penned only four of these gems before succumbing to cancer in 2000. Right-wing darling Robert Bork absolutely loved the series, but don't let that put you off: All four novels all priceless.
May 3, 2022
I absolutely loved The Shortest Way To Hades. I thought the first in the series, Thus Was Adonis Murdered, was excellent; this is even better.
The book is again narrated by Hilary Tamar, a long-established Oxford Professor of the History Of Law, whose gender we are never told. This time, s/he and his/her young barrister friends become involved in the possibly suspicious death of a member of a family embroiled in a complex legal matter to do with inheritance. It’s very nicely done, with scholarly clues fairly laid but well hidden, and a very engaging narrative. Don’t look for gritty realism here, but it all hangs together well, with a gratifying sprinkling of red herrings and, of course, a neat resolution.
Frankly, though, the plot is secondary here. It is Hilary’s narrative voice and the interactions of the other characters which make the book so entertaining and so very funny. I laughed out loud regularly at the use of language, which I think is quite brilliant. As a tiny example, “...the conversation turned, as it so often does among the Chancery Bar, to the imperfections of their administrative and clerical arrangements. The tyranny of their Clerk Henry and the incompetence of the temporary typist were recalled in lingering detail and with copious anecdote.” If you find that amusing, you’ll love the book; if you don’t, you won’t.
I did, and found the whole thing immensely enjoyable. Very warmly recommended.
The book is again narrated by Hilary Tamar, a long-established Oxford Professor of the History Of Law, whose gender we are never told. This time, s/he and his/her young barrister friends become involved in the possibly suspicious death of a member of a family embroiled in a complex legal matter to do with inheritance. It’s very nicely done, with scholarly clues fairly laid but well hidden, and a very engaging narrative. Don’t look for gritty realism here, but it all hangs together well, with a gratifying sprinkling of red herrings and, of course, a neat resolution.
Frankly, though, the plot is secondary here. It is Hilary’s narrative voice and the interactions of the other characters which make the book so entertaining and so very funny. I laughed out loud regularly at the use of language, which I think is quite brilliant. As a tiny example, “...the conversation turned, as it so often does among the Chancery Bar, to the imperfections of their administrative and clerical arrangements. The tyranny of their Clerk Henry and the incompetence of the temporary typist were recalled in lingering detail and with copious anecdote.” If you find that amusing, you’ll love the book; if you don’t, you won’t.
I did, and found the whole thing immensely enjoyable. Very warmly recommended.
June 16, 2007
The funniest moment was drugged Selena letting go of all inhibitions and reading her Jane Austen in the middle of an orgy. And this struck a chord: "There are days in which Julia does not open letters. She is overcome, as I understand it, by a sort of superstitious dread, in which she is persuaded that letters bode her no good: they will be from the Gas Board, and demand money; or from the Inland Revenue, and demand accounts; or from some much value friend, and demand an answer. If a letter arrives on such a day as this, she does not open it but puts it carefully away, to be dealt with when she feels stronger. After that, I supposed, it is never seen again."
November 29, 2019
This was as delicious as the first installment, but had a bit more action thrown in - I liked that, too. I'm resigned to being unable to make this series last, but at least it has all the features of highly rereadable stuff.
June 17, 2022
Someone has gone and murdered the wrong cousin!
Or at least, if someone was going to be murdered, wouldn't you expect it to be the heiress of a five-million-pound estate? Why kill off the insignificant cousin?
That's the question plaguing Professor Hilary Tamar, an eccentric legal historian who regularly pops over from Oxford to get a free meal and puzzle the mysteries of life with his five former students.
This book caught me by surprise. It was genuinely funny. The legal elements and literary references added to the plot and weren't dumbed down. And while most of the book felt like loosely connected plot points with loads of snappy zingers to keep you reading, the ending somehow ties it all together.
I need more!
Or at least, if someone was going to be murdered, wouldn't you expect it to be the heiress of a five-million-pound estate? Why kill off the insignificant cousin?
That's the question plaguing Professor Hilary Tamar, an eccentric legal historian who regularly pops over from Oxford to get a free meal and puzzle the mysteries of life with his five former students.
This book caught me by surprise. It was genuinely funny. The legal elements and literary references added to the plot and weren't dumbed down. And while most of the book felt like loosely connected plot points with loads of snappy zingers to keep you reading, the ending somehow ties it all together.
I need more!
October 13, 2011
One side-note before I begin: I either didn't realize when I bought it or had quite forgotten that this book qualifies for my loosely-defined sub-genre of academic mysteries. How delightful to have that surprise in store when I settled down to read!
What a fun, witty, twisty little mystery! It's all about an inheritance worth five million pounds and someone who thinks that's five million good reasons to commit a murder. You have dear old Sir James who had six children and who came up with an nifty, intricate trust that makes it rather difficult to inherit without paying up some rather hefty inheritance taxes. So, the family gets together and with the aid of Cantrip, Selena, Timothy, Julia, and Ragwort--a somewhat irreverent group of London barristers--they come up with a way to break the trust, hurdle all the legal obstacles, and arrange for the beautiful Camilla, heiress-in-waiting, to scoop most of the pot without the worry of those irritating little death duties. Everybody's happy until we suddenly realize that dreary old Deidre has reached the age of majority and can now upset the applecart. But Deidre doesn't want much...just an extra 80,000 or so. A bit of wrangling ensues and then everybody's happy again.
Until Deidre has a most unfortunate fall from a balcony. No one wants a scandal so rather than allow it to be brought in as suicide, it is declared "death by misadventure." Julia is none too sure. She thinks it's murder and gets the barrister team to bring in Professor Hilary Tamar to help investigate. After hearing the facts, Hilary isn't sold on the murder theory. The Oxford don points out that if murder had been done, then the wrong girl died--the heiress should have been murdered. A brief investigation would seem to prove Hilary right, but then a series of mysterious "accidents" happen to or in the vicinity of the remaining family members and Hilary begins to doubt the conclusion. It all ends with a rather exciting confrontation at the Citadel at Corfu.
There is much witty banter among the barristers and a lovely little orgy scene in which "special" fudge mixed with champagne causes Selena to read Jane Austen aloud and Julia to explain tax law to all and sundry, never mind that the all and sundry have much more diverse activities in mind. It is entertaining to see how much detection can occur around a table littered with drinks at the Corkscrew. And it is of great interest that the reader is never really told if Hilary Tamar is the Oxford don male or the Oxford don female. No real clues to gender are ever given. Until John at Pretty Sinister Books pointed that out to me and I began really sitting up and taking notice, I assumed (since Hilary is usually a girl's name in the US) that Tamar was female. But, then, it is true that Hilary has often been a boy's name in Britain. The case has been made that Tamar is a woman because "she" is referred to as "dear Hilary." Pretty much throughout the book, the female barristers and legal-types are referred to by their first names (Julia, Selena, and....Hilary) and the male barristers by their last names (Cantrip, Ragwort...and Tancred, for the family). But then there's that pesky Timothy to throw things off balance and occasionally Julia is known by her last name--Larwood. So, how's a detective-minded reader to decide? It all makes for bonus puzzle to try to figure out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dry British wit and subtle humor. There are also several very apt descriptions of the academic life and mind. Very appealing, fun, and interesting. Oh, and one other humorous side-note: all throughout the book, I always wanted to call Cantrip--Catnip. Always. Four stars.
What a fun, witty, twisty little mystery! It's all about an inheritance worth five million pounds and someone who thinks that's five million good reasons to commit a murder. You have dear old Sir James who had six children and who came up with an nifty, intricate trust that makes it rather difficult to inherit without paying up some rather hefty inheritance taxes. So, the family gets together and with the aid of Cantrip, Selena, Timothy, Julia, and Ragwort--a somewhat irreverent group of London barristers--they come up with a way to break the trust, hurdle all the legal obstacles, and arrange for the beautiful Camilla, heiress-in-waiting, to scoop most of the pot without the worry of those irritating little death duties. Everybody's happy until we suddenly realize that dreary old Deidre has reached the age of majority and can now upset the applecart. But Deidre doesn't want much...just an extra 80,000 or so. A bit of wrangling ensues and then everybody's happy again.
Until Deidre has a most unfortunate fall from a balcony. No one wants a scandal so rather than allow it to be brought in as suicide, it is declared "death by misadventure." Julia is none too sure. She thinks it's murder and gets the barrister team to bring in Professor Hilary Tamar to help investigate. After hearing the facts, Hilary isn't sold on the murder theory. The Oxford don points out that if murder had been done, then the wrong girl died--the heiress should have been murdered. A brief investigation would seem to prove Hilary right, but then a series of mysterious "accidents" happen to or in the vicinity of the remaining family members and Hilary begins to doubt the conclusion. It all ends with a rather exciting confrontation at the Citadel at Corfu.
There is much witty banter among the barristers and a lovely little orgy scene in which "special" fudge mixed with champagne causes Selena to read Jane Austen aloud and Julia to explain tax law to all and sundry, never mind that the all and sundry have much more diverse activities in mind. It is entertaining to see how much detection can occur around a table littered with drinks at the Corkscrew. And it is of great interest that the reader is never really told if Hilary Tamar is the Oxford don male or the Oxford don female. No real clues to gender are ever given. Until John at Pretty Sinister Books pointed that out to me and I began really sitting up and taking notice, I assumed (since Hilary is usually a girl's name in the US) that Tamar was female. But, then, it is true that Hilary has often been a boy's name in Britain. The case has been made that Tamar is a woman because "she" is referred to as "dear Hilary." Pretty much throughout the book, the female barristers and legal-types are referred to by their first names (Julia, Selena, and....Hilary) and the male barristers by their last names (Cantrip, Ragwort...and Tancred, for the family). But then there's that pesky Timothy to throw things off balance and occasionally Julia is known by her last name--Larwood. So, how's a detective-minded reader to decide? It all makes for bonus puzzle to try to figure out.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dry British wit and subtle humor. There are also several very apt descriptions of the academic life and mind. Very appealing, fun, and interesting. Oh, and one other humorous side-note: all throughout the book, I always wanted to call Cantrip--Catnip. Always. Four stars.
Read
May 1, 2022"I am an historian--my profession largely consists of speaking ill of the dead."Another clever mystery, but oh gosh, there was an extended cricket scene. The sport of cricket is utterly incomprehensible to me, and I'm surprised I didn't throw the book out amid the lengthier passages detailing bowls and overs and runs. (I think the author went on to make fun of the inclusion of the excessive cricket descriptions, but I couldn't summon up a sense of humor about that. Cricket! One of the worst things to try to read, I swear.)
On the bright side, however, the mystery was nicely plotted, and whatever misdirections and mistaken assumptions there were all seemed reasonable misdirections to take and assumptions to make. There was a moment I was facepalming at Hilary rather foolishly going somewhere private with one of the main suspects, but there wasn't much ridiculous recklessness otherwise.
While the book didn't tickle my funny bone quite as much as the first one, it was still a delightful read. The Greek and Homeric nerdiness was fun, and if you like tax law, there's lot of nerdiness there, too! And the Julia-and-Selena-unintentionally-attend-an-orgy scene was pretty marvelous (and important for the plot, to boot!). After ingesting some mood-altering substances, the upright and cool-headed Selena got in touch with her wild side by plopping down on the sofa to read some Jane Austen. This master of propriety even got tetchy with her host. Quoth Selena: "He frequently interrupted his artistic activities, however, to urge me to take my clothes off and enjoy myself--this made it very difficult for me to concentrate on Pride and Prejudice. Isn't it curious how intolerant some people are of other people's pleasures? Was I pestering Rupert to put his clothes on and read Jane Austen? No, I wasn't."
November 24, 2022
November 2022
I bought a paperback copy of this to reread, and I did in fact reference the family tree diagram many times. The best scene is Selena and Julia inadvertently attending a drug-fueled orgy:
"You will be interested to hear, Hilary, that it had a most remarkable effect—even on Selena after a very modest quantity. She cast off all conventional restraints and devoted herself without shame to the pleasure of the moment."
I asked for the particulars of this uncharacteristic conduct.
"She took from her handbag a paperback edition of Pride and Prejudice and sat on the sofa reading it, declining all offers of conversation."
--
May 2013
You can't go wrong with a mystery that starts out with a family tree diagram in the front of the book. (Although, reading on a Kindle makes it a lot harder to reference said diagram.) The Shortest Way to Hades continues the Hilary Tamar series with more dry humor, cool European travel, and a classic legal plotline involving heiresses and crazy entails.
I bought a paperback copy of this to reread, and I did in fact reference the family tree diagram many times. The best scene is Selena and Julia inadvertently attending a drug-fueled orgy:
"You will be interested to hear, Hilary, that it had a most remarkable effect—even on Selena after a very modest quantity. She cast off all conventional restraints and devoted herself without shame to the pleasure of the moment."
I asked for the particulars of this uncharacteristic conduct.
"She took from her handbag a paperback edition of Pride and Prejudice and sat on the sofa reading it, declining all offers of conversation."
--
May 2013
You can't go wrong with a mystery that starts out with a family tree diagram in the front of the book. (Although, reading on a Kindle makes it a lot harder to reference said diagram.) The Shortest Way to Hades continues the Hilary Tamar series with more dry humor, cool European travel, and a classic legal plotline involving heiresses and crazy entails.
May 1, 2017
There aren't enough whodunnits about dirty, sexy tax law, let alone haplography. Fortunately this one is good enough to count several times over and is frequently laugh-out-loud funny. I have such affection for Hilary Tamar's narrative voice, first featured in Thus Was Adonis Murdered, and continued to enjoy the professor's piercing lack of self-awareness and serene scorn for all things Cantabrigian or North American.
I particularly liked the scene in which barristers Selena and Julia accidentally attend an orgy.
I particularly liked the scene in which barristers Selena and Julia accidentally attend an orgy.
She also offered them some fudge, which she described as being ‘something rather special’.(Selena, after eating some of the North American fudge, gets really wild and breaks out her handbag copy of Pride and Prejudice. My soul sister).
‘I thought she meant,’ said Julia, ‘that it was homemade.’
‘No doubt it was,’ said Selena. ‘It also had – how shall I put it? – a decidedly North American flavour.’
July 23, 2007
I'm not usually a big murder-mystery reader, but Caudwell's are irresistible and I only wish she'd written more of them. The plots are tangled in a satisfying way, and in this case the story was bound up with arcane aspects of British inheritance law and Greek translation. At the same time, the characters are loopy and the events are farcical, with an utterly British humor about everything.
June 2, 2013
Discovered this writer, in real life a lawyer, tax adviser, crossword adept and chronic pipe smoker, purely by chance. A fun mix of John Mortimer, Agatha Christie and P.G. Wodehouse. Addictive, but sadly there are only four in the series...
March 22, 2023
Really fun comedy of manners.
July 30, 2023
A client of one of the barristers at New Square has died accidentally, or did she? Professor Hilary Tamar investigates once again, and must travel to Greece where danger awaits.
Book Review: Sarah Caudwell's The Shortest Way to Hades, the second in her Hilary Tamar series, is another cleverly written mystery, blending humor, law, heirs, London, friendship, cricket, Greece, wills, and much, much more. If you enjoyed Caudwell's first book (Thus was Adonis Murdered) you can't help but enjoy this, it's more of the same and just as good. First, there is Caudwell's wonderful writing, which seemed to flow a touch more easily in this than the first book: "A town, one can hardly deny it, in every sense provincial; but with the faded, rather sluttish elegance of a provincial beauty who a long time ago spent a season in the capital." There is also the continuing friendship between Julia and Selena in The Shortest Way to Hades, which warms the cockles of my heart. Here, Selena sails the Greek coast and an overconfident Professor Tamar ("I am a scholar, ... Few mysteries are impenetrable to the trained mind.") travels there to investigate the mystery. Again, some of the story is told by letters from abroad, but not quite so much as in Adonis. There is a little less focus on all the barristers, but more on Selena in this one. Typically, I unhaul books as I read them (I want all my books to be my TBR), but the four books in the Hilary Tamar series are such treasures (and perhaps hard to find) that I'm going to keep them. Well, enough said. If this sounds like your cup of tea, go read Thus was Adonis Murdered. Then, if you liked Adonis, you're sure to relish The Shortest Way to Hades, enjoy! Reissued this year (2023) by Bantam. [5★]
Book Review: Sarah Caudwell's The Shortest Way to Hades, the second in her Hilary Tamar series, is another cleverly written mystery, blending humor, law, heirs, London, friendship, cricket, Greece, wills, and much, much more. If you enjoyed Caudwell's first book (Thus was Adonis Murdered) you can't help but enjoy this, it's more of the same and just as good. First, there is Caudwell's wonderful writing, which seemed to flow a touch more easily in this than the first book: "A town, one can hardly deny it, in every sense provincial; but with the faded, rather sluttish elegance of a provincial beauty who a long time ago spent a season in the capital." There is also the continuing friendship between Julia and Selena in The Shortest Way to Hades, which warms the cockles of my heart. Here, Selena sails the Greek coast and an overconfident Professor Tamar ("I am a scholar, ... Few mysteries are impenetrable to the trained mind.") travels there to investigate the mystery. Again, some of the story is told by letters from abroad, but not quite so much as in Adonis. There is a little less focus on all the barristers, but more on Selena in this one. Typically, I unhaul books as I read them (I want all my books to be my TBR), but the four books in the Hilary Tamar series are such treasures (and perhaps hard to find) that I'm going to keep them. Well, enough said. If this sounds like your cup of tea, go read Thus was Adonis Murdered. Then, if you liked Adonis, you're sure to relish The Shortest Way to Hades, enjoy! Reissued this year (2023) by Bantam. [5★]
September 16, 2017
The Shortest Way to Hades is the second of Sarah Caudwell's Hilary Tamar novels, and is very similar to the first; Hilary, Professor of Legal History at Oxford, is called in by the junior members of the barristers' chambers at 62 New Square to investigate the death of a young woman who was recently involved in a variation of trusts case in which all of them represented various parties, and which they feel was suspicious. Like the first novel, it's entertaining and contains some lovely comic scenes; I particularly enjoyed the account of how Selena, on finding herself present at an orgy, decides that her preferred pleasure is in fact reading the copy of Pride and Prejudice she happened to have in her bag (a woman after my own heart!), and, having an Oxford background, I also very much liked Hilary's justification for not taking part in examining, which was an absolutely pitch-perfect example of the Oxford don's refusal to carry out a disagreeable task couched as a favour to absolutely everyone else. Meanwhile, the mystery was well enough plotted that I didn't come anywhere close to suspecting the real murderer until the final reveal, which is all you can really ask of a mystery, after all.
I think I enjoyed Thus Was Adonis Murdered more, but I'm not sure whether that's because the second book is so similar that I knew exactly what I was going to be getting and there wasn't the pleasure of discovering something new, or if I simply wasn't quite in the right mood for it; I certainly think it's just as good a book.
I think I enjoyed Thus Was Adonis Murdered more, but I'm not sure whether that's because the second book is so similar that I knew exactly what I was going to be getting and there wasn't the pleasure of discovering something new, or if I simply wasn't quite in the right mood for it; I certainly think it's just as good a book.
December 3, 2012
Another hilarious and well-crafted mystery novel from Sarah Caudwell! As with "Thus Was Adonis Murdered," we have an element of the travelogue (this time amidst the lush Greek islands) and the satirical pomposity of Professor Tamar (our gender-ambiguous Oxford Don and our armchair detective) and the smart, sassy, sardonic group of young barristers he associates with bantering amusingly throughout the unfolding of the mystery. This time, it involves a very large and glamorous bunch of heirs vying for their soon-to-be-late grandmother's multi-million-pound fortune. The odd thing is, the heiress isn't the one who is murdered--it's her sad, sulky cousin Deidre (known as "Dreary" to her glamorous cousins). The thing is, Deidre reached out to one of the barristers shortly before her death and the gang engages Professor Tamar to try to figure out if there was any foul play involved.
With more satirical and inverted sexual shenanigans and more beautiful and possibly homicidal young men running about to incite the passionate courtship of the lady barristers, this is another fun and recommended read.
This entire series is especially recommend to fujoshi and BL/yaoi fans!
With more satirical and inverted sexual shenanigans and more beautiful and possibly homicidal young men running about to incite the passionate courtship of the lady barristers, this is another fun and recommended read.
This entire series is especially recommend to fujoshi and BL/yaoi fans!
September 27, 2014
I'm hooked on Sarah Caudwell's Hilary Tamar series. At first I thought the cast of characters were hopelessly silly, but I have fallen for them. A loose group of attorneys and professors who all seem less mature than college students keep stumbling into murders in England and abroad. The coincidences are improbably and the liberties they take with their work schedules are excessive, but I have fallen for them and look forward to the rest of the series.
Oh yes, this one is about estate law. Of course someone dies in a way that could only implicate a small number of people. Who benefits from this death? The complexities of English inheritance law matter a lot to this extended family.
Oh yes, this one is about estate law. Of course someone dies in a way that could only implicate a small number of people. Who benefits from this death? The complexities of English inheritance law matter a lot to this extended family.
January 31, 2017
Camilla has it all--she's beautiful, clever, and an heiress. Then why, Oxford don Hilary Tamar wonders, is she not the person in her family who dies suddenly? Hilary's friend Julia is afraid that the person who did die was murdered, but Hilary proves to her that it's impossible. But then second thoughts set in, and he begins to worry about two more friends who are sailing the Ionian sea, and who may fall into a trap set for someone else. Literate and incredibly amusing.
December 20, 2011
The recurring characters in this series are all young adult barristers in a British law practice. They each have their unique charms. The narrator is an older law tutor of indeterminate gender, which adds to the witty humor and wholesome innuendo throughout the stories.
These four books are irresistable. As I said elsewhere, I wish Ms. Caudwell had managed to write a few more before she left us before her time.
These four books are irresistable. As I said elsewhere, I wish Ms. Caudwell had managed to write a few more before she left us before her time.
October 11, 2017
3.5-ish, not sure if I'll ultimately round up or down. The only marks against it were that it was a bit hard to follow the family business, at least in audio form, and that there were fewer epistolary delights than the previous two Tamar novels I've read.
March 6, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2020
Cleverly done and I found the conclusion riveting. The only flaw was that there were too many characters.
May 15, 2020
Hmmm. I'm not completely sure what to make of this book. It's not really a style that I fell in love with, and while being a murder mystery, there isn't actually a lot of sleuthing going on. Most of the book is taken up with our narrator having lunch with people who have been involved with action that might be relevant, reading letters and occasionally being in the right place at the right time to see or hear something relevant.
The first chapter is one hell of a slog to get through - all the legal jargon completely put me off and it was only that this was the only reading material I had on me that I kept going. It did get better though and I did get into the story eventually.
It was funny in places and I found it easier to read by seeing everything in it as a gentle piss-take of everything else. The characters were a little hard to get separated, but did eventually take on characteristics of their own and some of what they came out with was pure genius.
So, overall, an ok read that I did get through, although there were no real twists or surprises to make it seem worth the effort. Mildly entertaining, but I wouldn't rush out to get anything else by this author.
The first chapter is one hell of a slog to get through - all the legal jargon completely put me off and it was only that this was the only reading material I had on me that I kept going. It did get better though and I did get into the story eventually.
It was funny in places and I found it easier to read by seeing everything in it as a gentle piss-take of everything else. The characters were a little hard to get separated, but did eventually take on characteristics of their own and some of what they came out with was pure genius.
So, overall, an ok read that I did get through, although there were no real twists or surprises to make it seem worth the effort. Mildly entertaining, but I wouldn't rush out to get anything else by this author.
October 22, 2019
2 1/2 stars. I didn't like this as much as many other people did. Maybe I'm just missing something. I thought the lengthy reading of the trust in the beginning was boring and just read over it quickly, which means I might have lost out on an important clue. Because I thought the the technicalities which were the reasons for the motive were glossed over quickly in the end. The lawyers didn't catch it so spell it out for me.
Also, the quotes and analysis of Homer became a bit tiresome. I've read Homer but this just didn't add anything to the story that I could see. A few quote would have been fine, but it was too much.
The friendship between the lawyers and the professor was entertaining. I liked the chemistry. This series just isn't for me.
Also, the quotes and analysis of Homer became a bit tiresome. I've read Homer but this just didn't add anything to the story that I could see. A few quote would have been fine, but it was too much.
The friendship between the lawyers and the professor was entertaining. I liked the chemistry. This series just isn't for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews