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| Plot Summary of Murder in the Pleasure Gardens |
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"
Berkley, May 2003, 22.95, 256 pp.
ISBN 042519051X
Most of society in Regency London thinks that Beau Brummell is a glorified dandy who cares for nothing but the cut and style of his clothes. He is a personal friend of the Prince Regent and is invited to all the parties the Ton gives. One day while dining at his club White's, he realizes it doesn't please his palate. He opens his own club Waitiers, which becomes an overnight hit, serving delectable food and allowing the clientele to indulge in gambling.
One night at the club, some men are playing cards when Lieutenant Nevill accuses Mr. Jacombe of cheating. Mr. Jacombe, a man with a high position in the government and known for his kindness and honor, is so angry he challenges the soldier to a duel. Before that can happen, Mr. Jacombe is murdered and witnesses place Lieutenant Nevill at the scene holding a gun. Beau, who knows the lieutenant, doesn't believe he is guilty and goes out of his way to prove it.
The hero of this regency mystery actually existed with his closest friends knowing he was intelligent so it should not surprise history buffs that Beau could have been a brilliant detective. As he examines the victim's life, he learns that the man was not a paragon of virtue but a vile predator who had many people wishing him dead. The who-done-it is fascinating and it is obvious that Rosemary Stevens does her research because MURDER IN THE PLEASURE GARDEN is an accurate vivid depiction of life in Regency England.
Harriet Klausner
"
Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of Murder in the Pleasure Gardens |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 30%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Very difficult--no foreshadowing/clues
Time/era of story:
- 19th century
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- life in that culture
Crime Thriller
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- unemployed
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Female
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- homemaker
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a little/some
Motive of antagonist
- revenge
How sensitive is this character?
- soggy whimpering jelly muffin
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 2
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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