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persey's review
2.0
A pastiche of Wodehouse/Waugh/Christie/Greene, it's mildly amusing in spots but ultimately unsuccessful as spoof. The use of the passive voice for much of the narration makes it leaden rather than lightweight and sparkling.
tien's review
3.0
I love the monkey’s name: Percy Macacus Rhesus y Osterley - it’s two times longer than my name, so pretentious... *shake my head*
A classic whodunit novel set in an English country house filled with a movie star dripping in jewels, love affair, a murder, a maid who is not a maid, and a cheeky monkey.
By the synopsis, I thought Zarl is the main character / narrator but she’s not. The narrator (no name, unless I completely missed it!) is Zarl’s friend – the “maid”. Intelligent and observant in all sorts of circumstances, will her qualities assist her in solving this mystery?
It was an easy read though it was a little bit confusing at the beginning due to the language but once you got into it, it was a breeze. Near the end, I thought this would be one of those ‘un-solved’ mystery and then... I was stabbed – completely thoroughly stabbed in the back.
My favourite part:
“...I must have a monkey to keep me from doddering into a complete stodge.”
“A monkey would hasten that,” I contended. “You’ve seen those old women with poodles – can’t tell the women from the poodles – pathetic derelicts – ugh! A monkey would do that for you – only more so.”
A classic whodunit novel set in an English country house filled with a movie star dripping in jewels, love affair, a murder, a maid who is not a maid, and a cheeky monkey.
By the synopsis, I thought Zarl is the main character / narrator but she’s not. The narrator (no name, unless I completely missed it!) is Zarl’s friend – the “maid”. Intelligent and observant in all sorts of circumstances, will her qualities assist her in solving this mystery?
It was an easy read though it was a little bit confusing at the beginning due to the language but once you got into it, it was a breeze. Near the end, I thought this would be one of those ‘un-solved’ mystery and then... I was stabbed – completely thoroughly stabbed in the back.
My favourite part:
“...I must have a monkey to keep me from doddering into a complete stodge.”
“A monkey would hasten that,” I contended. “You’ve seen those old women with poodles – can’t tell the women from the poodles – pathetic derelicts – ugh! A monkey would do that for you – only more so.”
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