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A Robert Forsythe Mystery #1
A Death for Adonis
Barrister Robert Forsythe investigates a 25 year-old murder accompanied by his ever faithfull secretary Miss Sanderson.
Sculptor Sebastian Calvert is believed to have killed his beautiful young lover, David Mersey and has been locked in an asylum ever since. But did he really kill the man he loved?
Sculptor Sebastian Calvert is believed to have killed his beautiful young lover, David Mersey and has been locked in an asylum ever since. But did he really kill the man he loved?
149 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 3, 2022
All I know is that the emotion in that piece of stone is as pure as any emotion that the human beings you were mentioning are capable of. That’s why it will outlive our lives, our time. Long after Mersey’s death is forgotten, Sebastian Calvert’s love will immortalize his Adonis.
March 12, 2023
I read this back in the 80s and was hoping I wouldn't remember the murderer. I didn't remember one single, solitary thing which is a whole other disturbing issue.
Anyhoo, Forsythe is a semi-disgraced, retired barrister. He's still fairly young so the law has lost a force to be reckoned with. His grey haired assistant is snappy, loves a cocktail and is a perfect Girl Friday. Giroux channels Agatha Christie as the amateur sleuth contacts all those involved in a twenty-five year old murder that happened in 1944. The convicted murderer's daughter asks Forsythe to find out if her father was actually guilty as she is on love, but is afraid she may have inherited his homicidal or his mental weakness or both. The plot is straight out Christie's Five Little Pigs.
The victim was a beautiful boy toy model and found in the artist's arms having been eviscerated. Classic English house party character include the so called murder's maiden sister, a troubled young female cousin, his evil woman seductress wife, her doting cousin/companion, an angry young soldier in lust with the seductress and writing bad poetry, the murderer's best friend who's also in love with the evil wife. Lightning keg ready to blow.
I like/love these kind of armchair mysteries although it's less armchair as Forsythe has to track down the witnesses.
Alert: this was written in the 70s or 80s and the views regarding homosexuality were very, very different from today. Surprisingly no one in the book is overtly hostile or awful regarding the characters, but the terminology and the POV will startling to some.
Anyhoo, Forsythe is a semi-disgraced, retired barrister. He's still fairly young so the law has lost a force to be reckoned with. His grey haired assistant is snappy, loves a cocktail and is a perfect Girl Friday. Giroux channels Agatha Christie as the amateur sleuth contacts all those involved in a twenty-five year old murder that happened in 1944. The convicted murderer's daughter asks Forsythe to find out if her father was actually guilty as she is on love, but is afraid she may have inherited his homicidal or his mental weakness or both. The plot is straight out Christie's Five Little Pigs.
The victim was a beautiful boy toy model and found in the artist's arms having been eviscerated. Classic English house party character include the so called murder's maiden sister, a troubled young female cousin, his evil woman seductress wife, her doting cousin/companion, an angry young soldier in lust with the seductress and writing bad poetry, the murderer's best friend who's also in love with the evil wife. Lightning keg ready to blow.
I like/love these kind of armchair mysteries although it's less armchair as Forsythe has to track down the witnesses.
Alert: this was written in the 70s or 80s and the views regarding homosexuality were very, very different from today. Surprisingly no one in the book is overtly hostile or awful regarding the characters, but the terminology and the POV will startling to some.
November 12, 2009
Rarely do you come upon a mystery series first novel that is as good as this one. In many ways, this book was flawlessly executed and I read this in one sitting because it was good enough that I did not want to put it down.
The story hinges on a brutal murder that had occurred in 1944. Well-known artist Sebastian Calvert was found in his studio holding the dismembered corpse of the mode for his statue of Adonis, David Mersey. It snapped his brain and sent him into a mental hospital, although he was tried and convicted of the murder. Now, 25 years later, Calvert's daughter Elizabeth (who did not grow up with him, living with an uncle instead), comes to Robert (Robby) Forsyth, to persuade him to look into the case and see if there's any way possible Calvert wasn't guilty, because she doesn't want her father's shadow following her into a new relationship. Robby, who used to be an up-and-coming barrister in London until a scandal forced him into a life of seclusion, and his faithful friend and secretary Sandy dive into the case. They discover that perhaps there's more to the story than what's on the surface.
The writing is excellent; the story will keep you glued, and truly this was an incredible mystery. In parts it reminded me of the writing of Barbara Vine (whose works I admire), and I plan to continue the series. Robby's character isn't as well fleshed out as it could have been, but this is just a first novel, so I'll expect more as the series progresses. Highly recommended, especially to readers who enjoy a good, old-fashioned murder mystery in the British country house setting.
The story hinges on a brutal murder that had occurred in 1944. Well-known artist Sebastian Calvert was found in his studio holding the dismembered corpse of the mode for his statue of Adonis, David Mersey. It snapped his brain and sent him into a mental hospital, although he was tried and convicted of the murder. Now, 25 years later, Calvert's daughter Elizabeth (who did not grow up with him, living with an uncle instead), comes to Robert (Robby) Forsyth, to persuade him to look into the case and see if there's any way possible Calvert wasn't guilty, because she doesn't want her father's shadow following her into a new relationship. Robby, who used to be an up-and-coming barrister in London until a scandal forced him into a life of seclusion, and his faithful friend and secretary Sandy dive into the case. They discover that perhaps there's more to the story than what's on the surface.
The writing is excellent; the story will keep you glued, and truly this was an incredible mystery. In parts it reminded me of the writing of Barbara Vine (whose works I admire), and I plan to continue the series. Robby's character isn't as well fleshed out as it could have been, but this is just a first novel, so I'll expect more as the series progresses. Highly recommended, especially to readers who enjoy a good, old-fashioned murder mystery in the British country house setting.
October 3, 2014
I recently re-read this mystery and decided to upgrade my rating.
I'd previously read it more than 20 years ago after buying it in a gay book shop in New York. I'm guessing that my previous rating was based, at least in part on the hero's being hetero.
While there's nothing wrong with that, it's NOT what I would have expected having gotten the novel where I did. Sure, the victim is a gorgeous man who's supposedly been murdered by his rich gay lover, but at the time I was looking for heroes whose sexual preferences more closely matched my own.
On second reading, this was a good English country house mystery with all the requisite elements and even a few surprises thrown in but its connection with gay literature is strictly tangential.
Still, if you're a mystery buff, at just under 150 pages it's a good quick read. There are at least 8 books in this series (of which this is the first) and I may try another though mysteries aren't really my favorite reads.
I'd previously read it more than 20 years ago after buying it in a gay book shop in New York. I'm guessing that my previous rating was based, at least in part on the hero's being hetero.
While there's nothing wrong with that, it's NOT what I would have expected having gotten the novel where I did. Sure, the victim is a gorgeous man who's supposedly been murdered by his rich gay lover, but at the time I was looking for heroes whose sexual preferences more closely matched my own.
On second reading, this was a good English country house mystery with all the requisite elements and even a few surprises thrown in but its connection with gay literature is strictly tangential.
Still, if you're a mystery buff, at just under 150 pages it's a good quick read. There are at least 8 books in this series (of which this is the first) and I may try another though mysteries aren't really my favorite reads.
May 30, 2008
A leading artist, Sabastian Calvert, is tried and convicted for the brutal murder of his male model and lover, David Mercy.
Fifteen years later, Calvert's daughter Elizabeth reopens the case to prove her father's innocence by hiring Robert Forsyth to gather together the original players who ALL had a motive for murder, including lust,pride, and revenge.
This was a fairly entertaining "Shelock Holmes" type mystery; good, engaging whodunit.
Fifteen years later, Calvert's daughter Elizabeth reopens the case to prove her father's innocence by hiring Robert Forsyth to gather together the original players who ALL had a motive for murder, including lust,pride, and revenge.
This was a fairly entertaining "Shelock Holmes" type mystery; good, engaging whodunit.
September 12, 2023
I liked the writing, but this was from that interesting era where you were allowed to say "lesbian" but only in the same tone as Shaggy says "ghost". Eek! It's a L-L-LESBIAN!
March 20, 2014
Robert Forsythe, disgraced barrister living in seclusion on his family's estate, is approached by Elizabeth Pennell to prove her father's innocence of a horrific crime committed some 25 years earlier. The story is full of living, breathing characters. I adore Robert Forsythe and his trusty sidekick, the estimable Miss Abigail "Sandy" Sanderston. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great read!
December 26, 2018
A quite readable classic type English country house mystery with a bit of a twist. This was the first book in a series and I very much enjoyed the two lead characters and overall found the book well written.
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March 9, 2011The first Robert Forsythe mystery. The language seems a bit dated but other then that it moves along at a nice pace. The reveal was kinda of a let down. All the clues layed out but still...
November 9, 2013
marginal at best, a predictable, fast read
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews