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Dido Kent #2
A Gentleman of Fortune
With all the charm of a Georgette Heyer novel, the sequel to Bellfield Hall finds Miss Dido Kent vacationing at the home of her cousin. When a neighbor passes away quite suddenly, Dido feels she is ideally placed to observe the reaction of the community, but her suitor, Mr. William Lomax, feels otherwise. As Dido presses on, she learns more about the dirty dealings among the upper classes of Surrey than even she could have imagined. Anna Dean has crafted a delightful historical mystery series; the next best thing to reading Jane Austen.
335 pages, Hardcover
First published May 11, 2009
33 people are currently reading
627 people want to read
About the author
Anna Dean
8 books153 followersAnna Dean was born in Cumberland (now part of Cumbria) in England in 1956. She moved to the Midlands as a child but as she grew older she became determined to return to the Lake District and, after a few years living in Wales, she moved back to Cumbria in 1984. She lives near Ambleside with her husband.
Dean has worked as an assistant to a psychologist; she has worked for the National Trust; she has taught Creative Writing and worked for the Wordsworth Trust at Grasmere in the Lake District; and she has an MA in Creative Writing.
"Anna Dean" is a pen name adopted for the Dido Kent series of historical crime novels set in the Regency period – the time of Jane Austen.Under her ‘real name’, Marian Veevers, she published an historical novel, 'Bloodlines' in 1996.
Dean has worked as an assistant to a psychologist; she has worked for the National Trust; she has taught Creative Writing and worked for the Wordsworth Trust at Grasmere in the Lake District; and she has an MA in Creative Writing.
"Anna Dean" is a pen name adopted for the Dido Kent series of historical crime novels set in the Regency period – the time of Jane Austen.Under her ‘real name’, Marian Veevers, she published an historical novel, 'Bloodlines' in 1996.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
December 9, 2020
Sometimes you pick up a book on a whim and strike gold. This was one such book.
I picked it up from a street vendor because the cover had a delightedly old-world feel to it - and the contents did not disappoint. Set in the Regency England of Jane Austen, this is an adventure of Miss Dido Kent, a spinster amateur sleuth (though still not past her prime, at 35). She is very much an Austen-esque heroine, with her dry humour and quick mind; with enough of Miss Jane Marple's powers of observation and knowledge of human nature thrown in. And to cap it all, she's something of a feminist too (for her era).
In this story, the second of the series, the wealthy and cranky Mrs. Lansdale has died suddenly - and her nephew, the handsome and charming Mr. Lansdale, is suspected to have done away with her. This rumour is created and actively circulated by Mrs. Midgely, who seems to hate the young man with no apparent reason. This is extremely distressing to Flora, Dido's cousin, who is a great friend of Lansdale - so she must jump in to prove his innocence.
As Dido starts probing, however, the case gets murkier and murkier and more and more mysteries start popping up. There is Mrs. Lansdale's dog which has been killed for apparently no reason; there is the gentleman caller at her residence on the night of her death, whom only her neighbour Miss Prentice seem to have seen; a group mysterious burglars who don't steal anything, but leave a valuable necklace behind; and there are a lot of people who seem to be hiding a lot of things...
Miss Dido starts sleuthing in the approved English "cosy mystery" fashion - no adventure or violence, just observation and conversation - and succeeds in solving the mystery to everyone's satisfaction: even though the end result is not as rounded as one would like it to be.
***
This is not a whodunit in the Dame Agatha mould, with the rabbit pulled out of the hat in the last chapter. The mystery unravels slowly, bit by bit. But it is a very satisfying puzzle and extremely plausible. And the tale is compellingly told.
What is fascinating is the fact that the law had a lot more teeth in that bygone era, and punishments were severe even for the mildest offences (even theft can lead to transportation to the penal colonies or hanging). Moreover, it was very easy to arrest and convict someone, so even the mildest of scandals was deadly. But sometimes, even the gallows was preferable to a scandalous truth, which meant a living death, especially for those in the higher echelons of society. So the detective has to effectively juggle all these aspects to bring about a happy ending - which Dido does.
Another plus point of the novel is characterisation. In true Austen style, each character is drawn with loving details, with equal part sympathy and cynical humour. And Dido is extremely lovable, especially when she tells off the overbearing William Lomax, who is besotted with her yet wants to dominate her in his capacity as "the man".
I will be reading the other books in the series too.
I picked it up from a street vendor because the cover had a delightedly old-world feel to it - and the contents did not disappoint. Set in the Regency England of Jane Austen, this is an adventure of Miss Dido Kent, a spinster amateur sleuth (though still not past her prime, at 35). She is very much an Austen-esque heroine, with her dry humour and quick mind; with enough of Miss Jane Marple's powers of observation and knowledge of human nature thrown in. And to cap it all, she's something of a feminist too (for her era).
In this story, the second of the series, the wealthy and cranky Mrs. Lansdale has died suddenly - and her nephew, the handsome and charming Mr. Lansdale, is suspected to have done away with her. This rumour is created and actively circulated by Mrs. Midgely, who seems to hate the young man with no apparent reason. This is extremely distressing to Flora, Dido's cousin, who is a great friend of Lansdale - so she must jump in to prove his innocence.
As Dido starts probing, however, the case gets murkier and murkier and more and more mysteries start popping up. There is Mrs. Lansdale's dog which has been killed for apparently no reason; there is the gentleman caller at her residence on the night of her death, whom only her neighbour Miss Prentice seem to have seen; a group mysterious burglars who don't steal anything, but leave a valuable necklace behind; and there are a lot of people who seem to be hiding a lot of things...
Miss Dido starts sleuthing in the approved English "cosy mystery" fashion - no adventure or violence, just observation and conversation - and succeeds in solving the mystery to everyone's satisfaction: even though the end result is not as rounded as one would like it to be.
***
This is not a whodunit in the Dame Agatha mould, with the rabbit pulled out of the hat in the last chapter. The mystery unravels slowly, bit by bit. But it is a very satisfying puzzle and extremely plausible. And the tale is compellingly told.
What is fascinating is the fact that the law had a lot more teeth in that bygone era, and punishments were severe even for the mildest offences (even theft can lead to transportation to the penal colonies or hanging). Moreover, it was very easy to arrest and convict someone, so even the mildest of scandals was deadly. But sometimes, even the gallows was preferable to a scandalous truth, which meant a living death, especially for those in the higher echelons of society. So the detective has to effectively juggle all these aspects to bring about a happy ending - which Dido does.
Another plus point of the novel is characterisation. In true Austen style, each character is drawn with loving details, with equal part sympathy and cynical humour. And Dido is extremely lovable, especially when she tells off the overbearing William Lomax, who is besotted with her yet wants to dominate her in his capacity as "the man".
I will be reading the other books in the series too.
November 3, 2014
The book opened with Miss Dido Kent writing a letter to her sister, in her usual droll style, and I absolutely loved it! I am a huge fan of dry wit and subtle innuendo, and Miss Kent had that in spades.
But somewhere along the way, Miss Kent got very annoying and started to come across as a smug, know-it-all busybody. There is nothing so unappealing as a woman who considers herself to be much more clever and intelligent than anyone around her… and flaunts it in everyone’s face.
Other reviewers have likened the author’s writing style to Jane Austen, and I concur. I very much enjoyed the authentic period language in this novel, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to rescue the excruciatingly slow pacing. While reading a book that I am really enjoying, I usually can’t wait to get back to it to see what is going to happen next. For this novel, much of the time the answer was “nothing”, and I became less and less interested in the story.
I also had a big problem with the “romance” between Mr. Lomax and Miss Kent. It was completely dissatisfying. Several times I wanted to slap Miss Kent… or at least give her a good shake! I think she was guilty of “cutting off her nose just to spite her face”.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Jane Austen would have been very gratified by this story. For myself, I felt that Miss Dean borrowed much too heavily from Miss Austen’s ‘Emma’ for my liking. I only wish she had borrowed her pacing too.
But somewhere along the way, Miss Kent got very annoying and started to come across as a smug, know-it-all busybody. There is nothing so unappealing as a woman who considers herself to be much more clever and intelligent than anyone around her… and flaunts it in everyone’s face.
Other reviewers have likened the author’s writing style to Jane Austen, and I concur. I very much enjoyed the authentic period language in this novel, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to rescue the excruciatingly slow pacing. While reading a book that I am really enjoying, I usually can’t wait to get back to it to see what is going to happen next. For this novel, much of the time the answer was “nothing”, and I became less and less interested in the story.
I also had a big problem with the “romance” between Mr. Lomax and Miss Kent. It was completely dissatisfying. Several times I wanted to slap Miss Kent… or at least give her a good shake! I think she was guilty of “cutting off her nose just to spite her face”.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Jane Austen would have been very gratified by this story. For myself, I felt that Miss Dean borrowed much too heavily from Miss Austen’s ‘Emma’ for my liking. I only wish she had borrowed her pacing too.
August 21, 2023
2,0 Sterne
Die älteste SuB-Leiche meines Stapels, stolze sechs Jahre stand dieses Buch ungelesen im Regal, am Ende sogar ganz hinten in dritter Reihe. Ehrlich gesagt, da hätte es auch noch ein paar Jahre stehen können, denn ein Nicht-Lesen wäre kein Verlust.
Ich habe den ersten Band der Serie nicht gelesen, vielleicht hätte ich sonst eine andere Sicht auf die Personen gehabt. So war mir die Hauptperson Dido, ihre Liebe zu Mr. Lomax und alle anderen Personen zu blass und nichtssagend. Man erfährt sage und schreibe NICHTS über die Hauptperson, bis auf dass sie 35 Jahre alt, unverheiratet und verliebt in Mr. Lomax ist. NICHTS! Warum sie und Mr. Lomax sich lieben und sie ihm trotzdem einen Korb gibt, keine Ahnung! Wurde mir beim Lesen leider nicht klar. Alle anderen Personen sind genauso eigenschaftslose Schatten, ohne Gefühls- und Seelenleben. Und das ständige alle Leute nach den Kategorien Schön/gute Manieren = guter Mensch, normal/traurig aussehend/arm = böser Mensch gewertete werden, macht mich schlicht rasend.
Über die Handlung des Buches gibt es auch nichts zu sagen, es passiert: NICHTS! Die Hauptperson denkt nach, und denkt nach, und denkt nach. Macht einen Spaziergang, denkt nach, redet mit jemanden, denkt nach... es ist sterbenslangweilig.
Wie gesagt, vielleicht hätte ich eine andere Sicht auf das Buch, wenn die Personen und ihr Leben im ersten Band gut dargestellt werden. Ansonsten kann man sich die Lektüre auch sparen. Leider habe ich noch den Nachfolgeband im Regal, der bekommt noch eine Chance.
Die älteste SuB-Leiche meines Stapels, stolze sechs Jahre stand dieses Buch ungelesen im Regal, am Ende sogar ganz hinten in dritter Reihe. Ehrlich gesagt, da hätte es auch noch ein paar Jahre stehen können, denn ein Nicht-Lesen wäre kein Verlust.
Ich habe den ersten Band der Serie nicht gelesen, vielleicht hätte ich sonst eine andere Sicht auf die Personen gehabt. So war mir die Hauptperson Dido, ihre Liebe zu Mr. Lomax und alle anderen Personen zu blass und nichtssagend. Man erfährt sage und schreibe NICHTS über die Hauptperson, bis auf dass sie 35 Jahre alt, unverheiratet und verliebt in Mr. Lomax ist. NICHTS! Warum sie und Mr. Lomax sich lieben und sie ihm trotzdem einen Korb gibt, keine Ahnung! Wurde mir beim Lesen leider nicht klar. Alle anderen Personen sind genauso eigenschaftslose Schatten, ohne Gefühls- und Seelenleben. Und das ständige alle Leute nach den Kategorien Schön/gute Manieren = guter Mensch, normal/traurig aussehend/arm = böser Mensch gewertete werden, macht mich schlicht rasend.
Über die Handlung des Buches gibt es auch nichts zu sagen, es passiert: NICHTS! Die Hauptperson denkt nach, und denkt nach, und denkt nach. Macht einen Spaziergang, denkt nach, redet mit jemanden, denkt nach... es ist sterbenslangweilig.
Wie gesagt, vielleicht hätte ich eine andere Sicht auf das Buch, wenn die Personen und ihr Leben im ersten Band gut dargestellt werden. Ansonsten kann man sich die Lektüre auch sparen. Leider habe ich noch den Nachfolgeband im Regal, der bekommt noch eine Chance.
September 14, 2019
Those books are more 31/2 ⭐️than 4 but they make for a pleasant and easy reading. Just what I need at the moment
June 4, 2009
A GENTLEMAN OF FORTUNE (Hist. Mys-Dido Kent-England-1806/Georgian) – VG
Dean, Anna – 2nd in series
Allison & Busby Limited, 2009, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780749007256
First Sentence: My Dear Eliza, The great Mrs. Lansdale is no more.
Miss Dido Kent is 35, without fortune and unmarried. Due to her situation, she finds herself ‘loaned’ out to various relatives to act in various unpaid roles. In this instance, she is on holiday at her cousin Flora’s home in Richmond and is becoming rather bored and until a neighbor dies. The wealthy elderly woman’s doctor announces she died from an overdose of a sleeping opiate. Immediate suspicion falls on the victim’s nephew who will inherit. Flora doesn’t believe it to be true and implores Miss Dido to find the truth.
The story’s opening causes one to lament the lost art of letterwriting. Ms. Dean employs letters from Miss Dido to her sister, Eliza, as the means by which we learn many of Miss Dido’s thoughts and investigative activities. Rather than possibly being boring, they are quite delightful.
Miss Dido is a wonderful character. She is a Georgian combination of Miss Marple and Sherlock Holmes, with few dead bodies than the former and much more approachable than the latter. She is smart, literate, highly observant and quite independent. I am happy to say Mr. Lomax, to whom we were introduced in the first book, also appears here.
The story is beautifully written. Ms. Dean paints a vivid picture of, at this time, a somewhat rural England town with its sights, sounds and smells. The people are ones about whom we care and I particularly like that even Miss Dido can come to the wrong conclusion.
The dialogue conveys the period. One of my favorite lines, not even said by Miss Dido, is the observation that “Mrs. Midgely…no longer has a soul…deduce[d:] from the fact…that she no longer reads any books at all….”
The plot is so well done with a very good mystery, with plenty of twists and turns along the leading us to an unexpected, and very satisfying, conclusion. I so enjoyed this book and only regret having to wait another year for the visit to one of Miss Dido’s relatives.
Dean, Anna – 2nd in series
Allison & Busby Limited, 2009, UK Hardcover – ISBN: 9780749007256
First Sentence: My Dear Eliza, The great Mrs. Lansdale is no more.
Miss Dido Kent is 35, without fortune and unmarried. Due to her situation, she finds herself ‘loaned’ out to various relatives to act in various unpaid roles. In this instance, she is on holiday at her cousin Flora’s home in Richmond and is becoming rather bored and until a neighbor dies. The wealthy elderly woman’s doctor announces she died from an overdose of a sleeping opiate. Immediate suspicion falls on the victim’s nephew who will inherit. Flora doesn’t believe it to be true and implores Miss Dido to find the truth.
The story’s opening causes one to lament the lost art of letterwriting. Ms. Dean employs letters from Miss Dido to her sister, Eliza, as the means by which we learn many of Miss Dido’s thoughts and investigative activities. Rather than possibly being boring, they are quite delightful.
Miss Dido is a wonderful character. She is a Georgian combination of Miss Marple and Sherlock Holmes, with few dead bodies than the former and much more approachable than the latter. She is smart, literate, highly observant and quite independent. I am happy to say Mr. Lomax, to whom we were introduced in the first book, also appears here.
The story is beautifully written. Ms. Dean paints a vivid picture of, at this time, a somewhat rural England town with its sights, sounds and smells. The people are ones about whom we care and I particularly like that even Miss Dido can come to the wrong conclusion.
The dialogue conveys the period. One of my favorite lines, not even said by Miss Dido, is the observation that “Mrs. Midgely…no longer has a soul…deduce[d:] from the fact…that she no longer reads any books at all….”
The plot is so well done with a very good mystery, with plenty of twists and turns along the leading us to an unexpected, and very satisfying, conclusion. I so enjoyed this book and only regret having to wait another year for the visit to one of Miss Dido’s relatives.
October 17, 2019
I didn’t find this story as engaging as #1 and the pace was certainly much slower. I shall nevertheless read Anna Dean’s next volume in the hope this was just a blip, since I enjoyed her style of writing very much.
March 4, 2013
Anna Dean captures the Georgian period and the Georgian language admirably in this mystery novel that features a Jane Austenish heroine.
A letter runs through the whole book, keeping the recipient up-to-date with happenings in the mystery that is developing; it is very much in the style of Jane's letters to Cassandra. And when we get to examine the mystery itself, it is has the feel of Mrs Gaskell's 'Cranford' but with much more intrigue - once again the feel for the period is well captured as the gossips pass around their thoughts on what they suspect has happened.
The action all takes place while Dido Kent is staying with her cousin Flora when a neighbour, Mrs Lansdale, dies. Is it a natural death or is fould play suspected? Rather like the best of Agatha Christie, if the latter, there are suspects galore but it is down to Dido to seek out the real culprit.
She identifies the nature of the crime with style and aplomb with some amusing moments and not a little romance along the way.
A letter runs through the whole book, keeping the recipient up-to-date with happenings in the mystery that is developing; it is very much in the style of Jane's letters to Cassandra. And when we get to examine the mystery itself, it is has the feel of Mrs Gaskell's 'Cranford' but with much more intrigue - once again the feel for the period is well captured as the gossips pass around their thoughts on what they suspect has happened.
The action all takes place while Dido Kent is staying with her cousin Flora when a neighbour, Mrs Lansdale, dies. Is it a natural death or is fould play suspected? Rather like the best of Agatha Christie, if the latter, there are suspects galore but it is down to Dido to seek out the real culprit.
She identifies the nature of the crime with style and aplomb with some amusing moments and not a little romance along the way.
June 15, 2019
The mystery was just so-so, but the 3 stars are for the tribute to Jane Austen's Emma. The fact that I didn't know about all the parallels at the beginning made it interesting to analyze and come to realize who was cast in the role of Knightley, Emma, Jane Fairfax, Frank Churchill, and his aunt. Also appreciated the very obvious send-offs of several scenes from Emma including the word game, the strawberry party, the riddles, and everything having to do with the Jane and Frank characters. I wouldn't be surprised if there were other parallels that I missed.
In some authors this all would have seemed like rank plagiarism or like they had no imagination of their own to draw on, but in Anna Dean it was more of a deliberate tribute, and for me it worked. To me it seems like she has a very true, comfortable voice for the Regency era, which is more than I can say for most modern authors attempting to ape Jane Austen.
In some authors this all would have seemed like rank plagiarism or like they had no imagination of their own to draw on, but in Anna Dean it was more of a deliberate tribute, and for me it worked. To me it seems like she has a very true, comfortable voice for the Regency era, which is more than I can say for most modern authors attempting to ape Jane Austen.
August 3, 2012
Miss Dido Kent is again visiting a relative, this time her cousin in Richmond. She has, as maiden aunts tended to do in the 19th century, been going from one relative to another helping out with new babies and ailing uncles and she has been asked to stay with Flora just to relax and enjoy herself.. . .
To read the rest of my review go to my blog at:
http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...
To read the rest of my review go to my blog at:
http://maryslibrary.typepad.com/my_we...
March 15, 2018
I liked the first book enough to give the second in the series a try, but this was just a boring disappointment. Also, the over-abundant use of exclamation points and emphasis to words was annoying. And why did so many characters repeat the first few words they said? Did all these people suffer from a severe case of stuttering? And the concept of using letters to convey large chunks of the story further slowed the pace. Far too much telling and not enough showing. I don't think I'll be reading any further adventures of Miss Dido Kent. Thankfully, the next installment of Dame Frevisse arrived in the mail today. I'm fairly certain it will prove far more enjoyable than this snooze fest.
July 29, 2021
So very heavy-handed. Abounds in forced quotations from Jane Austen - both her words and her plots - and ultimately crosses the line between homage and parody. Part of it is in the genre choice; I don't mind setting a mystery in Regency times, I could suspend some disbelief there; but if you rely on a specific atmosphere and class that Austen chose for her works, you just can't reconcile her sensibilities and proprieties with a murder investigation.
September 5, 2017
I adored the first book in this series (A Moment of Silence), which combines two of my great loves - the Regency era, and Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple-style amateur sleuth. So this one was a no-brainer. It isn’t quite as successful as the first book, but it’s still a delightfully enjoyable read. The writing is authentically Austen-esque, the mystery is intriguing and the sleuthing rattles along at a merry pace.
In fact, it’s almost too fast a pace. Our amateur detective, Miss Dido Kent, has only to poke her nose out of doors for her to bump into someone with information to impart, or else she overhears something of vital import, or she calls on someone and they obligingly tell her exactly what she wants to know. All this become increasingly implausible, frankly.
One aspect which bothered me somewhat was the numerous similarities to Jane Austen’s Emma. I suppose it’s done as an affectionate homage, but every time we had a strawberry-picking party or the characters start making anagrams with double meanings, I was knocked out of this book and straight into another book. And there’s one parallel that actually gives away a plot element, which felt all kinds of wrong to me (although there’s a twist at the end which partially ameliorates the situation).
This is not a conventional Regency romance, but there is a romantic story simmering beneath the murder, which was begun in the first book, and continues swimmingly here. It leads, in fact, to some interesting (and spirited!) discussions between Miss Kent and her paramour, he feeling that she should be guided by him and give up this nasty sleuthing business, and leave everything to the constables, and she feeling that such submissive behaviour would rip out her very soul. And really, the root of the problem is the nature of marriage in such a patriarchal society as Regency England, where women were very much expected to submit and not worry their pretty little heads with… well, anything very much outside the domestic sphere. I enjoyed this element of the book very much.
Another excellent read, beautifully written, with the murder mystery and romance threads nicely balanced. Very enjoyable and highly recommended. Five stars.
In fact, it’s almost too fast a pace. Our amateur detective, Miss Dido Kent, has only to poke her nose out of doors for her to bump into someone with information to impart, or else she overhears something of vital import, or she calls on someone and they obligingly tell her exactly what she wants to know. All this become increasingly implausible, frankly.
One aspect which bothered me somewhat was the numerous similarities to Jane Austen’s Emma. I suppose it’s done as an affectionate homage, but every time we had a strawberry-picking party or the characters start making anagrams with double meanings, I was knocked out of this book and straight into another book. And there’s one parallel that actually gives away a plot element, which felt all kinds of wrong to me (although there’s a twist at the end which partially ameliorates the situation).
This is not a conventional Regency romance, but there is a romantic story simmering beneath the murder, which was begun in the first book, and continues swimmingly here. It leads, in fact, to some interesting (and spirited!) discussions between Miss Kent and her paramour, he feeling that she should be guided by him and give up this nasty sleuthing business, and leave everything to the constables, and she feeling that such submissive behaviour would rip out her very soul. And really, the root of the problem is the nature of marriage in such a patriarchal society as Regency England, where women were very much expected to submit and not worry their pretty little heads with… well, anything very much outside the domestic sphere. I enjoyed this element of the book very much.
Another excellent read, beautifully written, with the murder mystery and romance threads nicely balanced. Very enjoyable and highly recommended. Five stars.
January 24, 2016
Herein Dido is staying with her cousin, Flora, in the village of Richmond. A neighbor, Mrs. Lansdale, has died suddenly, and there is a distressing rumor going about that the old woman's nephew hastened her end with a hefty dose of laudanum – and this rumor is particularly distressing to Flora, who is (rather inappropriately) fond of said nephew. Naturally, Dido embarks on an investigation into the case, which, as murder investigations often do, ends up unearthing more than one peripheral secret in the neighborhood.
I like Dido. I like her a great deal. As I believe I said in my review of the first book, she is well-drawn as a woman of her time who happens to be intelligent, clear-minded, and on the spot to do some useful detective work – without turning into Sherlock Holmes in crinolines. She is no master detective, nor is she a Miss Marple, calmly deducing the truth of a situation by drawing on all the psychopaths she has known. (And, seriously – how many psychopaths did that woman know? I've only known one (that I know of); she has one to fit every occasion.) Instead, she launches her investigations in order to help her family and the innocent accused, and also because she quite frankly enjoys the pursuit. Her methods are suited to her position: she asks questions. Lots of them. Of everyone.
And this comes to the attention of her Mr. Lomax. Well, he's not quite her Mr. Lomax; there is an unspoken sort of understanding between them, to which some words are applied in this book, but nothing can be cemented between them until he has paid off his son's very large debts – which will take some time. Still, Dido has waited this long for the right man to come along, and she is willing to wait a while longer. The only problem is that this right man strongly disapproves of her pastime of sleuthing. It isn't ladylike; moreover, it isn't safe: if a person has killed once, they may kill again if they find someone nosing about their doings. Will Dido allow her not-quite-betrothed's opinions to stop her from trying to prove a man's innocence?
Well, there wouldn't be a book if she did, would there?
I think my only problem with the story is the believability of this relationship between Dido and Mr. Lomax. He's lovely, yes. It's nice that his main objection to her investigations is concern for her reputation and safety, not her reputation or sensibilities as a lady. But he has a profligate son who spends money as if he actually had any, and who doesn't seem like the type to change his spots. Especially if pater is going to be good enough to pay off all those pesky creditors. I would expect his attitude to be along the lines of: Perfect – a clean slate. Thanks, Dad. There's a big card game tonight I can make if I leave now. Just because this one lot of debts is on its way to being discharged – an expenditure which Mr. Lomax Sr. can ill afford (and which won't allow him the extra costs of taking a new wife) – doesn't mean the behavior will stop. I keep being surprised that Dido is perfectly willing to put these considerations aside in considering the match. She has so much sense.
I like Dido. I like her a great deal. As I believe I said in my review of the first book, she is well-drawn as a woman of her time who happens to be intelligent, clear-minded, and on the spot to do some useful detective work – without turning into Sherlock Holmes in crinolines. She is no master detective, nor is she a Miss Marple, calmly deducing the truth of a situation by drawing on all the psychopaths she has known. (And, seriously – how many psychopaths did that woman know? I've only known one (that I know of); she has one to fit every occasion.) Instead, she launches her investigations in order to help her family and the innocent accused, and also because she quite frankly enjoys the pursuit. Her methods are suited to her position: she asks questions. Lots of them. Of everyone.
And this comes to the attention of her Mr. Lomax. Well, he's not quite her Mr. Lomax; there is an unspoken sort of understanding between them, to which some words are applied in this book, but nothing can be cemented between them until he has paid off his son's very large debts – which will take some time. Still, Dido has waited this long for the right man to come along, and she is willing to wait a while longer. The only problem is that this right man strongly disapproves of her pastime of sleuthing. It isn't ladylike; moreover, it isn't safe: if a person has killed once, they may kill again if they find someone nosing about their doings. Will Dido allow her not-quite-betrothed's opinions to stop her from trying to prove a man's innocence?
Well, there wouldn't be a book if she did, would there?
I think my only problem with the story is the believability of this relationship between Dido and Mr. Lomax. He's lovely, yes. It's nice that his main objection to her investigations is concern for her reputation and safety, not her reputation or sensibilities as a lady. But he has a profligate son who spends money as if he actually had any, and who doesn't seem like the type to change his spots. Especially if pater is going to be good enough to pay off all those pesky creditors. I would expect his attitude to be along the lines of: Perfect – a clean slate. Thanks, Dad. There's a big card game tonight I can make if I leave now. Just because this one lot of debts is on its way to being discharged – an expenditure which Mr. Lomax Sr. can ill afford (and which won't allow him the extra costs of taking a new wife) – doesn't mean the behavior will stop. I keep being surprised that Dido is perfectly willing to put these considerations aside in considering the match. She has so much sense.
July 30, 2014
While the take-off of Emma is a little too plain (the strawberry picking party, the alphabet game, the secret messages regarding a ), I enjoyed this installment of the Dido Kent mysteries as much as the first. Possibly even a little more, as Dido's character came into sharper focus, and the troubles between her and her would-be suitor came into sharper relief. There is no pandering to modern sensibilities in these stories;
Some of the attitudes might make us cringe, but it is perfectly reasonable for even the charming Mr Lomax to think of women as having lesser abilities than men, and he is, in fact, far more liberal in his appreciation of Dido's keen mind than many men of the era would have been. As for Dido herself, though she is "strong-minded," she too is a woman of her era, with all the prejudices and assumptions of the day. It is all too easy for writers to slide modern mindsets into their protagonists in an attempt to make them more sympathetic to their readers, and I have enormous respect for Anna Dean that she has not done so in this series.
Some of the attitudes might make us cringe, but it is perfectly reasonable for even the charming Mr Lomax to think of women as having lesser abilities than men, and he is, in fact, far more liberal in his appreciation of Dido's keen mind than many men of the era would have been. As for Dido herself, though she is "strong-minded," she too is a woman of her era, with all the prejudices and assumptions of the day. It is all too easy for writers to slide modern mindsets into their protagonists in an attempt to make them more sympathetic to their readers, and I have enormous respect for Anna Dean that she has not done so in this series.
June 11, 2013
This is a tough book to review. Objectively, I think it was of very good quality: a well written, smart and even insightful mystery. Subjectively, though, I just didn't enjoy reading it all that much.
Mysteries are usually 'unputdownable' for me. Even when they're not exactly of Christie-esque quality, I find myself compelled to discover 'whondunit' and how the puzzle pieces do (or don't!) ultimately fit together. In this case, though, I found myself putting the book down for long stretches of time and even having to push myself to finish it. Part of the comforting charm of cozies is their gentle pace, but as a couple of other reviews mentioned, this book is slow and sluggish even by 'cozy' standards. It feels like some of the scenes, and particularly the main character's letters to her sister, are a bit overwritten and longer than necessary. And, for whatever reason, the main character's not-yet-an-official-romance "romance" with Mr. Lomax falls utterly flat for me, so these scenes seem to drag.
The tremendous strength of this novel is how remarkably Austen-esque it is---the prose, some of the characterizations, and even the dry wit and clever insights. Interestingly, though, that strength can sometimes be a weakness: it sometimes feels like the author is more concerned with slavishly imitating Austen's style than moving along her own, original characters and storylines.
Overall, I think it's a worthwhile read for fans of Jane Austen and of gentle cozies, but you might want to skim certain sections to help it move along at a slightly more lively pace!
Mysteries are usually 'unputdownable' for me. Even when they're not exactly of Christie-esque quality, I find myself compelled to discover 'whondunit' and how the puzzle pieces do (or don't!) ultimately fit together. In this case, though, I found myself putting the book down for long stretches of time and even having to push myself to finish it. Part of the comforting charm of cozies is their gentle pace, but as a couple of other reviews mentioned, this book is slow and sluggish even by 'cozy' standards. It feels like some of the scenes, and particularly the main character's letters to her sister, are a bit overwritten and longer than necessary. And, for whatever reason, the main character's not-yet-an-official-romance "romance" with Mr. Lomax falls utterly flat for me, so these scenes seem to drag.
The tremendous strength of this novel is how remarkably Austen-esque it is---the prose, some of the characterizations, and even the dry wit and clever insights. Interestingly, though, that strength can sometimes be a weakness: it sometimes feels like the author is more concerned with slavishly imitating Austen's style than moving along her own, original characters and storylines.
Overall, I think it's a worthwhile read for fans of Jane Austen and of gentle cozies, but you might want to skim certain sections to help it move along at a slightly more lively pace!
March 14, 2012
A Gentleman of Fortune makes a very interesting contrast to Stephanie Barron's Austen mystery series. Dean's books are more gentle, less sensational, a bit less detailed about Regency life, but more in line with Austen's early themes. I enjoyed the moral components of the tale and enjoyed the solution immensely and found it in spirit with the style of the book. I cannot honestly agree with other reviewers that the style of writing is Austen's -- there is a serious lack of comedic description that appears in Austen's best works (although I might also praise Dean as less didactic than the Austen works I care for less --Mansfield Park springs to mind). I look forward very much to her next book.
January 13, 2020
This was a delightful read. Miss Dido Kent is an extremely curious woman, somewhat to her detriment, in 1806. She perseveres in asking questions regarding a suspicious death, despite the wishes of a man for whom she has feelings. Points out how repressive the era treated women, and while tremendous strides have been made, there's still much to be done in the 21st century. This is the second in a series of four, to date. I stumbled upon it, at the library, and was surprised to find that the Dallas Public Library does not have the first book in the system. I'd like to read the rest of the series, but start with the first book, so I'll have to look elsewhere.
January 11, 2016
Another fabulous addition to the Dido Kent series.
In this installment, we're treated to the same satirical wit of Miss Dido Kent that we got to enjoy in the first book, and get to follow her as she solves another murder. As mentioned in my review of the first book in the series, we get to see a little more of the romance (not so subtly) hinted at from the end of that book. And again, I felt truly immersed in the period.
All in all, a great second novel of a great series, and I will be looking forward to the third book (which I will be beginning shortly.)
In this installment, we're treated to the same satirical wit of Miss Dido Kent that we got to enjoy in the first book, and get to follow her as she solves another murder. As mentioned in my review of the first book in the series, we get to see a little more of the romance (not so subtly) hinted at from the end of that book. And again, I felt truly immersed in the period.
All in all, a great second novel of a great series, and I will be looking forward to the third book (which I will be beginning shortly.)
March 5, 2015
Ok, I've read the first two books in this series, and now know enough to be able to say that I will go no further.
Unlikeable main character, unlikeable love interest, secondary characters with little to no character development. No, thank you.
The author's writing style is really quite nice, and the mystery was intriguing (even if the solution left me feeling a little meh), but I can't get past the above mentioned issues to want to go further.
Unlikeable main character, unlikeable love interest, secondary characters with little to no character development. No, thank you.
The author's writing style is really quite nice, and the mystery was intriguing (even if the solution left me feeling a little meh), but I can't get past the above mentioned issues to want to go further.
March 1, 2010
Fun little Regency mystery -- very light and cozy -- but not worth the exorbitant price I paid for an import copy. Some repetition in character voices, though it could be argued that this was intentional re: conversational style of the era. Not terribly compelled to read other books featuring Dido Kent, but wouldn't be opposed to it as a beach read or similar.
September 4, 2018
It was a nice book. Think Jane Austen timeframe meets lady detective storyline.
I didn't guess the outcome of the case (but I usually don't) but the storyline pulled it along nicely.
The story is not necessarily a fast paced one but not too slow either.
I didn't guess the outcome of the case (but I usually don't) but the storyline pulled it along nicely.
The story is not necessarily a fast paced one but not too slow either.
April 27, 2016
I'm beginning to be fond on Miss Dido Kent. This tale was even better than the first. Lots of twists and turns!
.
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May 20, 2021
Having found this book in a book swap pile at a local farm shop, I think I was very lucky. I enjoyed the story and as much as the main character, Dido Kent was far too sure of herself, she still found time to blush at the right occasions.
Dido is visiting her cousin Flora to help unravel the mysterious death of a wealthy neighbour, in order to assist the nephew who inherits a fortune, from being the main suspect.
With so many deviations and tantalising mini plots that attempt at making us believe one person is guilty, then another, then back to the nephew and so on, it keeps us on our toes. It is well done and at one point, I even checked text from a previous chapter to make sure Miss Kent was right in her suppositions e.g. how she asked Miss Bevan about the quote, did she say in a letter or did she not?
Do not expect a gripping, 'must read the next chapter' type of book as this is a pleasantly paced story of a single woman working on her own with a lot of Regency / Georgian era decorum to consider but it is fun and enjoyable, even if the Lomax storyline is a little annoying; we all seem to need a 'will she, won't she' akin to so many TV series and films.
As for the Emma parallels as highlighted in many of the existing reviews, yes there were, but not to the detriment of the story, the author's approach or the enjoyment of it, as the Jane Fairfax character seems to have more pride and stronger morals in this version.
I will read Anna Dean's other novels now.
Dido is visiting her cousin Flora to help unravel the mysterious death of a wealthy neighbour, in order to assist the nephew who inherits a fortune, from being the main suspect.
With so many deviations and tantalising mini plots that attempt at making us believe one person is guilty, then another, then back to the nephew and so on, it keeps us on our toes. It is well done and at one point, I even checked text from a previous chapter to make sure Miss Kent was right in her suppositions e.g. how she asked Miss Bevan about the quote, did she say in a letter or did she not?
Do not expect a gripping, 'must read the next chapter' type of book as this is a pleasantly paced story of a single woman working on her own with a lot of Regency / Georgian era decorum to consider but it is fun and enjoyable, even if the Lomax storyline is a little annoying; we all seem to need a 'will she, won't she' akin to so many TV series and films.
As for the Emma parallels as highlighted in many of the existing reviews, yes there were, but not to the detriment of the story, the author's approach or the enjoyment of it, as the Jane Fairfax character seems to have more pride and stronger morals in this version.
I will read Anna Dean's other novels now.
August 15, 2017
Highly refreshing and a compelling un-put-down-able read! I disagree with most of the others who have given the author credit mostly for her imitation of Jane Austen in terms of language and the depiction of the period. I congratulate the author for:
* such an endearing clear-minded strongly determined, and clever and homely who-dun-it investigator as Dido Kent; she was like Miss Marple and much more;
*for the unthinkable solution to the main mystery in the book;
*for the innumerable small intrigues and suspicions which made the book such a delightful read;
*for being quite economic about details of the setting, dresses and appearance of people;
* for just being such an ingenious writer.
P.S. However, I do agree that Dido Kent really knows too much! She can compete with Sherlock Holmes in her predictions and assumptions because they all are proved to be true in the end! Some of the things might have been discovered with the help of direct evidence provided by other members of the community.
* such an endearing clear-minded strongly determined, and clever and homely who-dun-it investigator as Dido Kent; she was like Miss Marple and much more;
*for the unthinkable solution to the main mystery in the book;
*for the innumerable small intrigues and suspicions which made the book such a delightful read;
*for being quite economic about details of the setting, dresses and appearance of people;
* for just being such an ingenious writer.
P.S. However, I do agree that Dido Kent really knows too much! She can compete with Sherlock Holmes in her predictions and assumptions because they all are proved to be true in the end! Some of the things might have been discovered with the help of direct evidence provided by other members of the community.
December 31, 2020
If you want young, fresh faced heroines with and their suitors also young, handsome with muscular physiques (from expert horseriding, boxing at Gentleman Jacksons etc) with hearts thumping, unrequited love, longing glances and misunderstandings with a HEA then this series is not for you!
Like Ottilia Fan from Lady Fan series, Dido Kent is a spinster in her mid 30s, intelligent, observant and originally destined to be the maiden aunt/companion drifting from household to household. Dido has an inquisitveness which leads her into solving whatever mysteries that present themselves to her. Her possible love interest, William Lomax is NOT aristocracy but a widower trying to extricate himself from his wastrel son's reckless behaviour and financial woes.
The storylines concentrate on Dido's thought processes and problem solving techniques, bound within society's guidelines and her subsequent beliefs.
I have read the complete Dido Kent Mystery series and would say that this is a rather 'subtle' series. Some might say slightly boring, however it is sometimes more pleasant to read something that is slower and more though driven.
Like Ottilia Fan from Lady Fan series, Dido Kent is a spinster in her mid 30s, intelligent, observant and originally destined to be the maiden aunt/companion drifting from household to household. Dido has an inquisitveness which leads her into solving whatever mysteries that present themselves to her. Her possible love interest, William Lomax is NOT aristocracy but a widower trying to extricate himself from his wastrel son's reckless behaviour and financial woes.
The storylines concentrate on Dido's thought processes and problem solving techniques, bound within society's guidelines and her subsequent beliefs.
I have read the complete Dido Kent Mystery series and would say that this is a rather 'subtle' series. Some might say slightly boring, however it is sometimes more pleasant to read something that is slower and more though driven.
May 14, 2017
fairly lame detective... not likely to read this author again, but had to read something and all my favorite mystery authors had run out of producing more mysteries for me to read! So, what's a mystery addict supposed to do?
Not too sure about this author's logic regarding the murder 'weapon' - laudnum, in this case. The solution is that, unknown to the others, four people each gave her the dose she was usually accustomed to taking, and it killed her.
Yet, I understand from good medical authority, that a patient's daily dose of morphine would need to be increased many many times and injected all at once intravenously in order to tip a user over the edge and kill them. I do wonder if such a minimal overdose of laudanum administered over a number of hours would indeed kill the victim.
Not too sure about this author's logic regarding the murder 'weapon' - laudnum, in this case. The solution is that, unknown to the others, four people each gave her the dose she was usually accustomed to taking, and it killed her.
Yet, I understand from good medical authority, that a patient's daily dose of morphine would need to be increased many many times and injected all at once intravenously in order to tip a user over the edge and kill them. I do wonder if such a minimal overdose of laudanum administered over a number of hours would indeed kill the victim.
September 6, 2018
Reading a Dido Kent mystery is not a challenging task. It's a warm, enveloping world - not exactly cosy, because Dido is too sharp an observer, and her situation too awkward, for that, but a gentle, wry look at the realities of life.
Having read the first three, I'd say this is the weakest of the set. The mystery works - and is probably my favourite of all of them - but the tightly confined atmosphere didn't quite come off for me. What brings it alive is the relationship between Dido and Mr Lomax, which I found so tense that I had to skip to the end to read the resolution before going on with the book!
I love these. They're a wonderful comfort read, without having to turn off my brain.
Having read the first three, I'd say this is the weakest of the set. The mystery works - and is probably my favourite of all of them - but the tightly confined atmosphere didn't quite come off for me. What brings it alive is the relationship between Dido and Mr Lomax, which I found so tense that I had to skip to the end to read the resolution before going on with the book!
I love these. They're a wonderful comfort read, without having to turn off my brain.
September 20, 2020
"Richmond, 1806
"Miss Dido Kent has developed rather a taste for mysteries. When her holiday with her cousin Flora is disturbed by the suspicious death of a neighbor, Miss Dido is at the centre of an unusual investigation.
"All eyes have fallen on the late Mrs Lansdale's nephew 'for it has not passed without notice that he has lost a remarkably tyrannical relation and gained a very fine inheritance'. Miss Dido is intrigued by the rumours and at Flora's behest, starts a little investigation of her own ..."
~~back cover
This book seemed as though it was going to be very tediously minute in inching forward, learning a tiny clue here and then another tiny clue over there, with lots of chattering in between events. Rather in the Jane Austen style, but not quite up to Jane's mark.
"Miss Dido Kent has developed rather a taste for mysteries. When her holiday with her cousin Flora is disturbed by the suspicious death of a neighbor, Miss Dido is at the centre of an unusual investigation.
"All eyes have fallen on the late Mrs Lansdale's nephew 'for it has not passed without notice that he has lost a remarkably tyrannical relation and gained a very fine inheritance'. Miss Dido is intrigued by the rumours and at Flora's behest, starts a little investigation of her own ..."
~~back cover
This book seemed as though it was going to be very tediously minute in inching forward, learning a tiny clue here and then another tiny clue over there, with lots of chattering in between events. Rather in the Jane Austen style, but not quite up to Jane's mark.
October 19, 2022
This second installment of this series is quite similar to the first. Sometimes the second book is much better or worse than the debut, but in this case the second entry is pretty much a direct continuation (in both story and quality) of the first. Which is to say, it’s solid but not exceptional. Certain plot points borrow strongly from Jane Austen, particularly from Emma (secret engagement, disapproving matriarch). Once I noticed that, it made it easier to guess some aspects of the mystery. The potential romance between Dido and William Lomax was mildly interesting, though it seemed as if it should have been given a little more time to develop. Dido and William did not interact enough to really build a lot of tension or connection for me as the reader.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2023
35 yr old spinster Dido Kent visits her cousin and gets embroiled in a suspected murder of an elderly neighbor. The whodunit is well plotted with lots of leads that lead to dead ends, but of course Dido solves the mystery in the end. William Lomax, who met Dido in the first book this series, comes to assist her, but in my view simply tried to keep her from doing anything useful, and had the nerve at one point to suggest that she was too curious and interfering and to stop her questioning immediately. So a pox on Mr. Lomax. (It's hard to be patient with the way women were treated in Regency era.)
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