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Strathgallant
Lady Strathgallant is determined that her granddaughter, Perdita Sinclair, should marry one of the elderly woman's nephews in order to maintain control of the family estate
316 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
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About the author
Laura Black
65 books11 followersLaura Black was a pseudonym used by Roger Erskine Longrigg, Domini Taylor. Other pseudonym's used were Frank Parrish and Ivor Drummond.
Born in Scotland in 1929, Roger Longrigg worked initially in advertising, which provided the inspiration for his first novel, A High Pitched Buzz first published in 1953. His love of writing saw him delve into many genre's using pen names of Laura Black, Rosalind Erskine, Megan Barker, Iver Drummond and Domini Taylor. The Black books show his prowess at historical fiction, with a dash of romance, set against striking Scottish backgrounds. Longrigg died on February 26th 2000, aged 70
Born in Scotland in 1929, Roger Longrigg worked initially in advertising, which provided the inspiration for his first novel, A High Pitched Buzz first published in 1953. His love of writing saw him delve into many genre's using pen names of Laura Black, Rosalind Erskine, Megan Barker, Iver Drummond and Domini Taylor. The Black books show his prowess at historical fiction, with a dash of romance, set against striking Scottish backgrounds. Longrigg died on February 26th 2000, aged 70
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 12, 2020
My experience with this book can be summed up in a single sentence: Omg, who the hell cares?? Literally nothing happens** until the final quarter, by which point I was grasping for the finish line & didn't GAF one way or the other. I just wanted it to be over. (Full disclosure: I dropped my bookmark & accidentally skipped a chunk in the middle, but lacked the impetus to turn back & see what was missed -- I figured the universe was sending me a message to move on. :P)
This is my second Laura Black & I didn't like it any better than the first. I have one left, but will give serious consideration as to whether it should go directly to the donate bag. Black's writing style really irks me -- it's wordy, awkward (i.e. jumps around between scenes whenever the characters shut up long enough to end a conversation), & takes for-ev-er to get to anything suspenseful.
**Unless you count Perdita having endless conversations with multiple suitors & falling for them all in turn, + purposeless twaddle about local crofters with hugely annoying phonetic dialogue.
This is my second Laura Black & I didn't like it any better than the first. I have one left, but will give serious consideration as to whether it should go directly to the donate bag. Black's writing style really irks me -- it's wordy, awkward (i.e. jumps around between scenes whenever the characters shut up long enough to end a conversation), & takes for-ev-er to get to anything suspenseful.
**Unless you count Perdita having endless conversations with multiple suitors & falling for them all in turn, + purposeless twaddle about local crofters with hugely annoying phonetic dialogue.
July 22, 2018
I didn't really like this book. It is kind of a cross between a romance and a mystery. As a result I didn't feel that it did either genre justice.
The first half of the book is all about Perdita who has been promised her great aunt's fortune if she marries one of four potential suitors who are cousins of hers. One suitor refuses to attend but sends a proxy who turns out to be her Aunt's grandson. Then we watch as she slowly flirts her way through the potential suitors.
Then there is a crime and they try to uncover the mystery. Once the mystery is revealed Perdita choses her man.
It just wasn't to my liking and I found the story did not keep my attention. It was also quite long so it was hard for me to keep going when I didn't really care if Perdita got a husband.
The first half of the book is all about Perdita who has been promised her great aunt's fortune if she marries one of four potential suitors who are cousins of hers. One suitor refuses to attend but sends a proxy who turns out to be her Aunt's grandson. Then we watch as she slowly flirts her way through the potential suitors.
Then there is a crime and they try to uncover the mystery. Once the mystery is revealed Perdita choses her man.
It just wasn't to my liking and I found the story did not keep my attention. It was also quite long so it was hard for me to keep going when I didn't really care if Perdita got a husband.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 16, 2011
So I've read that the author of this book, Roger Lingrigg (the person behind Laura Black, among countless others), would alter his writing style to suit the type of novel he was writing. I must say that he portrays a female writer very well, and quite realistically.
Unfortunately, though, I found it very difficult to get into the novel. The narrative itself was very jarring and the plot moved quite slowly. Maybe it was meant to be like Wuthering Heights, but it was fell flat. It also had not enough wuthering.
Unfortunately, though, I found it very difficult to get into the novel. The narrative itself was very jarring and the plot moved quite slowly. Maybe it was meant to be like Wuthering Heights, but it was fell flat. It also had not enough wuthering.
December 8, 2018
Exactly the kind of wild ride I want from a bodice ripper.
November 24, 2023
May actually be better. Been awhile. No clear memory. But kept my copy.
August 18, 2020
Very fun, goofy and melodramatic . This is exactly the sort of stuff I like to read.
Basically the novel starts out with the heroine, Perdita (adopted granddaughter of a Countess) being an idiot, as she apparently always is. She blurts out the whereabouts of a poacher, sentenced to two years in... prison? I don't know, all the slang was a bit tough for me to work out. . . for stealing two salmon from the Countess' waters. And of course the police are sent out after the man much to Perdita's dismay. So she then takes a horse and lets out couple more and almost breaks her neck frantically making her way to the poachers' cottage to warn his family. And this is what sparks the epic strangeness that is the plot.
Basically the Countess decides to set an ultimatum. Perdita can only inherit the estate (which she never knew she was supposed to inherit to begin with) if she marries that year one of four --later five-- suitable candidates, all her childhood friends and apparently related to the Countess in some way that I've already forgotten. And she, the Countess, plans to cover this all up with the occasion of Perdita's eighteenth birthday and official "coming out".
Perdita's attracted to all of them!
But that doesn't sit well with these guys, not at all. Before you know it, we've lies, murder, kidnapping, even more murder and a lot of jumping up and down and imitating animals since the heroine has the mental age of a five year old.
But the whole things amazing, it plays out like a soap opera. The first few pages bored me a tad but I am SO HAPPY I forced myself to stick with it and read on. It's all so much ridiculous fun, and the heroine herself is just such so silly and absolutely everyone falls in love with her but turns out they all just want her money. And just wow.
The point is, if you like humour, scooby doo infected murder-mystery, stupid MCs who are supposed to be stupid, and gothicy goodness READ. THIS.
Basically the novel starts out with the heroine, Perdita (adopted granddaughter of a Countess) being an idiot, as she apparently always is. She blurts out the whereabouts of a poacher, sentenced to two years in... prison? I don't know, all the slang was a bit tough for me to work out. . . for stealing two salmon from the Countess' waters. And of course the police are sent out after the man much to Perdita's dismay. So she then takes a horse and lets out couple more and almost breaks her neck frantically making her way to the poachers' cottage to warn his family. And this is what sparks the epic strangeness that is the plot.
Basically the Countess decides to set an ultimatum. Perdita can only inherit the estate (which she never knew she was supposed to inherit to begin with) if she marries that year one of four --later five-- suitable candidates, all her childhood friends and apparently related to the Countess in some way that I've already forgotten. And she, the Countess, plans to cover this all up with the occasion of Perdita's eighteenth birthday and official "coming out".
Perdita's attracted to all of them!
But that doesn't sit well with these guys, not at all. Before you know it, we've lies, murder, kidnapping, even more murder and a lot of jumping up and down and imitating animals since the heroine has the mental age of a five year old.
But the whole things amazing, it plays out like a soap opera. The first few pages bored me a tad but I am SO HAPPY I forced myself to stick with it and read on. It's all so much ridiculous fun, and the heroine herself is just such so silly and absolutely everyone falls in love with her but turns out they all just want her money. And just wow.
The point is, if you like humour, scooby doo infected murder-mystery, stupid MCs who are supposed to be stupid, and gothicy goodness READ. THIS.
July 13, 2024
While the mystery is a bit muddled, this is a delightfully funny book, with exciting action sequences and a heroine who -- though she is an abysmal detective -- proves very resourceful in a pinch. My favorite character was the bombastic yet loving Countess, followed by her hapless attendant, Miss Carmichael, whose meekness conceals surprising depths.
December 8, 2014
Not my usual read,this book probably classes as historical romance,but it is dashed more than that,with dashing suitors,pernicious old dears,salty language,and a plot melded throughout,definitely a Sunday afternoon read.
It did contain innuendo,violence and an attempted ravishing
It did contain innuendo,violence and an attempted ravishing
January 23, 2017
Ignore the sappy Mills and Boone style cover, Laura Black (aka Roger Longrigg) is a master at hiding storylines.
Very enjoyable Victorian set Nancy Drew type novel. (Trust me, its better than it sounds).
Very enjoyable Victorian set Nancy Drew type novel. (Trust me, its better than it sounds).
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews