What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
This topic is about
The Blood Doctor
SOLVED: Adult Fiction
>
SOLVED. mystery set in London narrated by a peer whose seat in the House of Lords is inherited and who goes to the Upper House in at least one scene [s]
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Beata
(new)
Aug 29, 2014 10:44PM
A mystery set in London narrated by a peer whose seat in the House of Lords is inherited and who goes to the Upper House in at least one scene, offering the reader interesting descriptions of what it is like. The story takes place after 1990, when Britain voted against peers being entitled to pass their seat from one generation to another (collecting a salary for doing nothing in many cases). The narrator remarks on the new members of the House, typically those awarded a "life peerage" for their contributions to their country. PD James, Ruth Rendell, and Janet Neel have all been made life peers, and I believe one of them may have written this book but not have yet been able to verify it. I would guess Peter Dickinson, also, or someone like him. I'd be really grateful for help. Thanks!
reply
|
flag
Angels&Demons is something I can't erase! It's not relevant to this search!
Mod
Aside from that I have no ideas...
Mod
Good question! Alas, I have no idea. The outstanding feature of the book for me was the silky smooth narrator's voice, his diction, his generosity, his graceful lack of self-importance; somewhat Colin Firth in "Love, Actually".
One theme was aristocracy vs. meritocracy. But how it took shape in a particular plot has unfortunately departed my memory.
Thanks for considering this!
The Blood Doctor, by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine? The main character is a Life Peer, and there are some scenes in the House of Lords. The vote you mention goes through during the story's timeline, though, so it might not be what you're looking for.
Lobstergirl, how good of you to check all of PDJames. She was my best guess, and I haven't been able to shake the idea that she's the author. But the evidence when I checked was against it; it's very helpful that you confirm that. I hadn't thought of Eliz. George, so will check. Thank you!And thank you, Lorna, for proposing The Blood Doctor! I shall follow up immediately. Fingers crossed!
Mod
My thought was The Blood Doctor too. An excellent book!
I've checked description, etc. of The Blood Doctor, and the more I think about it, the more it feels right. I expect to have a copy in hand tomorrow and will let you know. Thank you both so much. Whether The Blood Doctor proves to be "it" or not, your willingness to help means a lot to me. Yay, teamwork! I'm so glad I reached out, and plan to pay it forward.Watch this space!
Ooo, I'm so glad I could help!And I have to confess that before I read it, as an American, I knew nothing about the House of Lords. And after reading it, I still knew nothing, except that sometimes a bell goes off. Are you British, Beata? If you are, can you, after you've read the book, tell me if a Brit finds it more enlightening?
I've been having technological troubles with either my machine or the site or both, so this has been delayed. Don't know if you saw my effort to post yesterday as promised, but never mind: I got hold of a copy of The Blood Doctor and it IS indeed the right book. I am thrilled and relieved and so grateful to you, Lorna, and to you, Lobstergirl as well, and Meg, who also recognized it from my meager description. Bless you all! This process we've been through together is miraculous, and you may get the impression that I'm deeply grateful....(I needed to locate this book for research). Lorna, you wondered if I were a Brit. Actually, no, I'm an American. But I have spent time with friends and family in England and appreciate much of their culture. I'll try and answer your question down the line, after I've finished the book, but I may not have any special insight. Right now I'd guess that just as we Americans grow up (in grade school, e.g.) with our government structure taken for granted--tho' we don't study it until the upper grades, it's in the air around us, on the news, discussed by family, etc--the same is true in
England. So a lot of cues in the book would be automatically familiar, particularly any of the ceremonial aspects of Parliament, such as a "starred question." And the whole hereditary aristocracy vs. meritocracy issue is important to them, so that Rendell's book, published about 3 years or so after the 1999 Act abolishing hereditary peerage, would have been a timely response to the public's concern. But that doesn't quite answer your question about the book itself. To be continued?
Many many thanks, again. What's the Name of That Book? is a gift.
Mod
