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The Penguin book of Victorian Villainies
FRAUD, MURDER, POLITICAL INTRIGUE AND HORROR IN FOUR STORIES OF VICTORIAN VILLAINY.
The Great Tontine, considered to be Hawley Smart's best book, concerns the unforeseen dangers of trying to make money in a lottery. Arthur Griffiths made a special study of the French police, and his sardonic amusement over their methods is evident in the classic train thriller The Rome Express. In the Fog, Richard Harding Davis's ingeniously plotted novel, is one of the very best accounts of foggy Victorian London. Haunted by figures of strange horror, Richard Marsh's The Beetle shed fascinating sidelights on forgotten aspects of the Victorian age.
All in all, a splendid selection of works rescued from dusty oblivion - a rare treat!
The Great Tontine, considered to be Hawley Smart's best book, concerns the unforeseen dangers of trying to make money in a lottery. Arthur Griffiths made a special study of the French police, and his sardonic amusement over their methods is evident in the classic train thriller The Rome Express. In the Fog, Richard Harding Davis's ingeniously plotted novel, is one of the very best accounts of foggy Victorian London. Haunted by figures of strange horror, Richard Marsh's The Beetle shed fascinating sidelights on forgotten aspects of the Victorian age.
All in all, a splendid selection of works rescued from dusty oblivion - a rare treat!
715 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1901
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 4, 2020
I would rate the four novels as so;
The Great Tontine- An interesting idea and not without its merits, but ultimately too slow and boring. 2 stars.
The Roma Express- A must read for fans of inspector Maigret in that it makes the French authorities seem utterly ridiculous which is the opposite of Maigret. Intriguing enough with a nice twist. 3 stars.
The Fog- Nice, clean story with some suspense and several layers. 4 stars.
The Beetle- A must read. Great story arc, creepy as hell and surprisingly witty. I loved it. 5 stars.
The Great Tontine- An interesting idea and not without its merits, but ultimately too slow and boring. 2 stars.
The Roma Express- A must read for fans of inspector Maigret in that it makes the French authorities seem utterly ridiculous which is the opposite of Maigret. Intriguing enough with a nice twist. 3 stars.
The Fog- Nice, clean story with some suspense and several layers. 4 stars.
The Beetle- A must read. Great story arc, creepy as hell and surprisingly witty. I loved it. 5 stars.
March 31, 2025
They write funny but they don't really know how to finish things or keep it interesting till they're out of pages
June 29, 2015
Enjoyable tales, two of which were romances disguised as villanies. In the Fog proved to be my favorite. The Victorians have an excellent ability to meander, especially in romances. Extremely low body count between the four stories - one Lee Child or Robert Ludlum story would surpass the four books collected here. We used to be richer in terms of interesting vices than we are now.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews