The Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries

This is a series, written by Gyles Brandreth, set against the exotic backdrop of London, Paris, America and the Vatican and evokes Oscar Wilde’s trademark wit and brilliance with huge flair, intertwining all the intrigue of the classic English murder mystery with a compelling portrait of one of the greatest characters of the Victorian age. I would call it historical faction as the diaries of Richard Sherard (Oscar Wilde’s biographer and grandson of William Wordsworth) have been shown to be a major source of information. “Lovers of historical mystery will relish this chilling Victorian tale based on real events and cloaked in authenticity” according to Gyles. 

I have read the first 4 of the 6 novels. (http://www.oscarwildemurdermysteries.com/b6_description.php provides shot synopsis of each book and also the alternative titles for the USA market for some of the books.)

1.      Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders

2.      Oscar Wilde and The Ring of Death

3.      Oscar Wilde and Dead Man’s Smile

4.      Oscar Wilde and the Nest of Vipers

5.      Oscar Wilde and the Vatican Murders

6.      Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol

The stories are well told and the element of mystery is extremely well handled. In fact for the 4 stories I have read the twist in the tale identifying the culprit at the end defiantly comes as a surprise. As the tale is told from the detailed information within the diaries all the facts have been laid out and still the plot is not easy to unravel. I have had such fun reading this and puzzling over the identity of the murderer and also the motive of murder. 

The other draw to the books is reading about personalities you have heard of, for example Sir Arthur Canon Doyle is a friend of Oscar and is around the time when he has just published his first Sherlock Homes book. He is a part of many of the tales and seems to pick ideas and events that he could later weave into this books. Indeed he is seen to be stating often that Oscar could be Sherlock and with Richard Sherard keeping a detailed written account of his daily life he was easily demonstrating the role of Watson. Arthur Canon Doyle is a practicing doctor and also a sculpture. There is a fascinating glimpse in this well-known personality. 

Bram Stoker is another name I recognised who is a friend, and well ‘into’ the existence of vampires while researching for his famous character Dracula. One of the stories runs around the theatre and gives us glimpses of the lives of Sarah Bernhardt and actor-manager Edmond La Grange. In another tale you see the lives of the Prince of Wales, his son, and other royalty such as Duke and Duchess of Albemarle. There is a look at the then understanding of and practice of psychiatry with hypnosis being the popular therapy for most mental illnesses and in particular hysteria of all kinds as well as medical research. There are other actors, painters, musicians that are dotted around the stories and most are, of course, familiar names. 

The final fascination of these stories is the description of life in those times which can be surprising considering the eventual straight-laced attitudes of the British people. The open use of drugs such as cocaine was normal and they were indeed sold over the counter and advised for healthier living. Having a wife did not stop men from having affairs. It seems that while this was happening in many of the marriages that it was a norm but not on display as such. All wink wink nudge nudge variety. While it was not legal to be a homosexual during these times, the stories tell of how clandestine groups and friendships existed all on the hush hush. There was also an accepted fact that ‘men will be men’ and so will form relationships with actresses, dancers, ‘ladies of disrepute’ and so on.  Thus the times, fashion and lives of people are described well in the stories. Gyles provides a good deal of detail with regards to the fashion of this period, which sometimes boggles the mind at the combinations of colours and fabrics. 

So besides a good mystery these books provide a look at the times, live of various well known figures and of course a lot about Oscar Wilde’s personality, his friends, his writings, his wife and sons. While there is no need to read them in any particular order as each one is a clear stand-alone story I am obsessed in reading according to the order of publication. I am on to my next book………Hope you enjoy them as well.

“Death in” series by JD Robb

JD Robb is the pseudonym for Nora Roberts. This is a detective / murder mystery series set in the late 2050s – early 2060s. I found it by chance in the local library. I was browsing for authors and books in the same genre. I had not heard of this series and the synopsis looked good so I borrowed the book. It was a while back and so I cannot remember that first one I read. I started buying the books as I saw them in the book shops. More recently I found the whole series as e-books and so I have actually read then right from the first one all over again in the correct sequence. You will wonder why I say that but this is a series which shows a progression in the lives of the characters of the book. I also chose to review the series; there are 44 books now; instead of book at a time for this reason.

First aspect that is worth looking at is the futuristic view of the world. There are fancy cars that fly. There is a mention and often referred to something called the Urban Wars which seems some kind of revolution to overthrow the oppressing inequality in the society. Most of the early books have some reference to it and some information about it with how it affected the lives of various characters. There seems to be a fairly divided society with the haves and the have-nots. There seems a lot of emphasis on body beautiful and many ways to ensure it and live longer with more ways to entertain and please self. There is the usual balance of the good and bad seen in any society.

The lead figure of this story is LT. Eve Dallas who leads the team of detectives investigating murders in New York City. We start the series with the murder of the granddaughter of a prominent figure in politics. This appears to be her first lead in a major crime investigation where she must be diplomatic with all the highly placed persons. The investigation brings her in contact with Roarke who is her chief suspect. He is an extremely rich business man who ‘owns half the known universe’. And so starts a romance and love story that sees their relationship developing throughout the series. Both characters are a foil for each other, with tragic pasts and reaching their present status through hard work and ingenuity, with parts being revealed and personalities explored as we read through the series.

Then, of course, we have the detective’s side kick / partner Delia Peabody, who she finds as a uniform at the crime scene, sees her potential and gets her transferred to her division. She hero worships Dallas and again her character develops both as a person and as a police detective. She is a mixture of her Free- Age upbringing and a city dweller with law enforcement. Now this being the future the technology is much more sophisticated and so of course there is an electronic division to help with the forensics. The head of it, Captain Feeney, is the old partner, mentor and father figure, of Dallas. As the life of the character gets woven Peabody’s love life brings in the smart and expert IT guy Detective Ian MacNab.

There are a team of good detectives we get to know well over the series, Commander Jack Whitney her immediate superior, a police psychologist and profiler Dr Mira (we also know her family eventually), the Medical Examiner Morris, APA Reo are the characters regularly seen.

The other players of the story are Lawrence Summerset who manages Roarke’s home, Mavis a friend of Dallas who she has stopped from carrying on a life of crime and who has a talent for singing which eventually gets to shine and she becomes a big star, and families of the main characters come and go as the story demands. It is not easy to try and encapsulate a series but I am attempting to do so in the hope that I can express the essence of continuity of the lives of people involved. The central theme is usually the murder, uncovering of conspiracy, serial killers in varying scenarios and yes it can get to feel well known after a while but the continuity of characters and their lives and the social structure formed by all these lives interweaving is fascinating. The quick reminder of past aspects maybe even from way back in the earlier books is vital in helping the reader to see it all as one big story and each book more or less chapter of that mega story. 

Some things can be seen as clichés for example many of the stories are woven around one or other of the ‘good’  guys being under suspicion of the murder and Dallas has to work hard and by the book to ensure that the real criminal is found and her ‘friends’ kept safe. Again this does not detract from the pleasure of reading as when there is such a focus on one of the characters the author takes the time to explore this character and his / her relationships with others in the story. The basis of any good story - the triumph of good over evil and the victory of justice to keep the public safe is the same cliché that works well in this genre. Yes the individual stories can be read a stand-alone and one-off reads but as I found the pleasure was in reading the series and in the order of the publications as this is what keeps me reading and waiting for the next book. The characters become familiar like friends with their predictable quirks, shortcomings and passions. So anyone wanting the familiar murder mystery in a police detective variety will find the reading of this series with that little twist an enjoyable expericne.

Caravan to Vaccares by Alistair MacLean

I have come to the end of the list of books by this author that I have reviewed. This was another book that I had not read in a long long time, though I have seen the film a few times after reading the book. It is right there with the other books by Alistair MacLean, in its plot intricacy and suspense.

The prologue sets the sinister tone to the novel. There is a young man being chased into the caves by knife welding men and murdered. The novel starts with the hero Neil Bowman dining with a young lady Cecile. Cecile’s friend Lila is dining at another table with Le Grand Duc, an impressive man in more ways than one.  They have watched the gypsy caravans coming and setting up camp on the grounds outside. Just then there is a disturbance in the camp and it appears that a young man has gone missing and his mother is crying. Some men have been sent by the leader to drive back on the route they have just travelled over. Indeed police is called when they return without finding the young man. However, the area that has not been searched in the caves and no one wants to go in there in the dark. It appears that there is a close relationship between the Duc and the gypsies, as he wanders over to find out what the matter is.

Neil also wanders over with Cecile trying to get details of the event. All he can ascertain is that there are a few ladies with the missing man’s mother and all look very worried and scared. Neil decides to go out later in the night to gather information. He does overhear the leader talking about some assignment but he is seen when trying to get to the caravan with the ladies in it. Three of the gypsies including the leader’s son chase Neil who tries to find refuge in the hotel. Then he races up into the hills with the men armed with knives and a gun. What will he discover in the caves in the hills which he is forced to run into? The way out of the caves is tricky and will he get out of there alive? It is a touch and go but he thwarts his pursuers and goes back to the hotel to collect Cecile and make his escape.

On the run but keeping with the groups of gypsies which include the leader and the caravan with the ladies in it, Neil attempts to find out what the gypsies are hiding. There is some sinister plot and to get to the bottom of it Neil and Cecile change their appearance and get closer to the various gypsies. What is one of the young ladies doing buying bandages and medicines? Where is the other young lady Tina? The Duc is following the gypsies but is he just a historian as he says or there is something ominous about his relationship with them?

Since Neil and Cecile are strangers and buy change of clothes from a local shop the gypsies find out and set a trap to catch them. They mingle with the crowds at the local bullfighting ring before going to the caravans again. Neil gets caught while trying to find out why 3 men are being kept prisoners in one of the caravans. His punishment is to fight a bull to death, one that has been specially prepared for the purpose of killing Neil. They hold on to Cecile to make sure he does not try and escape.

Will Neil survive the bull fight? What is the mystery of the prisoners? Is Duc directing the nefarious operations? The plot is good and it is not easy to guess what the heart of the mystery is, unlike most of the other novels. It is in the last few chapters that the whole picture emerges with the suspense being maintained right up to the last page.

This novel has the usual mix of mystery, suspense, and humour that Alistair MacLean is known for. A wonderful read at any time with the story slowly emerging page at a time.

The Mediterranean Caper by Clive Cussler

This is the second of Dirk Pitt series by this author. This is set in the Med as the name suggests and starts with an attack on the Brady Airfield on the island of Thasos. The attack is carried out by an old bi-wing plane with familiar black Maltese Cross markings of World War I Germany. The pilot shoots at all the ground aircrafts and at the control tower. The young sergeant sends out a mayday.

Dirk and Al were flying in at this time to join the National Underwater Marine Agency’s research boat, First Attempt, lying off the Thasos island. They came racing across to see what assistance they can provide. They are amazed to see the old albatross shooting at the Air field. Dirk had been called in to investigate the strange accidents taking place on the First Attempt, while they are looking for a rare species of fish. They force the attacking plane away but are hit themselves and have to land at the air base. This curious incident leads them to try and find out what is happening and how if at all is this connected to the woes of the First Attempt. 

Dirk meets a young lady on the beach and get invited to dinner at her uncle’s home, a rich, reclusive and influential man on the island. The place is like a well-guarded manor with strange and old furnishing. The uncle, Bruno von Till, is mysterious and not at all happy when he realises Dirk is a US Major. When the niece Teri comes, she also behaves oddly and looks scared. Dirk catches the undercurrents and palms a knife from the table. Von Till sends Teri away and succeeds in getting Dirk into a dark passage way and shuts the door. Where will this dark passage lead to? What is that strange noise he can hear in the passageway? Will he be able to save himself from this unknown peril? 

Dirk and Al get stuck in finding out what secret Von Till is hiding? It does not appear to be something ordinary as he has been trying to get the NUMA ship to move away from the particular area. He more or less admitted that as the purpose of attack on the Brady Airfield and later on the First Attempt. There is something hidden in the waters around there which he does not want discovered. How involved is his niece Teri in this? Why is Interpol keeping an eye on the comings and goings at the Manor? 

It is a fairly fast paced novel and describes in detail the surroundings, the planes and ship and of course marine biology. There are lot of tense situations faced by Dirk and Al and keeps one on the edge and reading to know the outcome. A real good thriller and a good plot line that keep you glued right to the end.

Echo Burning by Lee Child

This is the fifth book in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. I do like this author and this hero. As usual there is excellent detail that allows you to see the scene in your mind’s eye. You do feel that you are watching the story unfold. I enjoy that quality in writing and that I can use my imagination better as small details are filled in.

This time I felt that it is not immediately clear what the problem is. Yes, we do get to know right away that a young woman is trying to hire Reacher to kill her husband. She says, she has suffered regular domestic violence and is worried it will start again, when the husband comes out of prison. She is scared for herself and her daughter. But somehow there is this feeling created that this was not just the issue. There was something underlying and Reacher was not sure what it was.

However, he does agree to accompany her and do some causal labour to keep an eye on her and make sure she was ok. The family is strange, the mother in law and brother in law do not appear to like the woman and behave strangely. Indeed, the brother in law tries to get the ranch hands to chase Reacher away. But why is a group of people keeping a look out of the ranch and noting the comings and goings of everyone? There is a short scene fairly early on which describes a murder out on a lonely road. How does this link up with the main story? What or who are the assassins after?

Then the husband comes home and the same evening he is shot. The wife was found to be alone with him and it was of course her little gun that was the murder weapon. Reacher is not convinced that she has committed the murder, despite all evidence pointing towards her. He gets her a pro bono lawyer and tries to find the truth. Why does the woman suddenly change her story by admitting murder? The story gives a view into what life was like in these small places and about Mexican illegal immigrants. It is right towards the end that one gets an inkling of what is really happening. The end when it comes is pretty unexpected and fast.

I must say I dawdled over the book as the story was slow to develop or maybe it was my own lethargy but it is a good story. Maybe I had got used to having the main plot laid out early on and this influenced my slow read. But as usual this was a good novel and worth a read.