Book Description
Lady Rose Summer's debut into high society is a complete disaster. Rose's father suspects her fianceacute; Sir Geoffrey Blandon to be nothing more than a first-degree blackguard and calls on Captain Harry Cathcart, the impoverished younger son of a baron, to investigate. After Harry brings forth evidence of Blandon's dishonorable intentions, a scandalous public breakup follows. To redeem her name, Rose attends the last-chance soireacute;e at Telby Castle for aristocratic women with dubious matrimonial prospects. But when a malicious guest is found dead under strange circumstances, Rose becomes far more intrigued with discovering the truth than with landing a suitor. From Telby Castle's whisper-filled corridors to country lanes with secrets at every turn, Harry and Rose must unravel a web of lies, rumors, and perilous plots as a clever murderer sets out to make Rose's disastrous season her last.
Customer Reviews:
a very entertaining period series...........2007-09-16
I wanted to add a few quick points since other reviewers have so succinctly covered the gist of the book.
This "mystery-lite" series, set in Edwardian England, while not the most enthralling, mystery wise, is above par in characterizations, fun dialog and giving the reader the ambiance of the period the stories take place in.
I read the first three books back to back: first-Snobbery With Violence, second-Hasty Death, and third-Sick of Shadows-and I do recommend the reader read the books in order so they can follow the flow of Rose, Harry and crews adventures and misadventures.
I am an avid reader of Miss Chesney's Regency Romances and I can honestly say that this series is just as entertaining. Chesney is well known for her intriguing bits of info about the period the book is set in and it is here as well. I learned so much about the social customs, beliefs, superstitions and slang of the period.
I would suggest this series of any fan of period fiction who is looking for something a bit lighter and more funny than say The Historian, LOL. There is enough mystery to satisfy your average mystery fan, though mystery purists may feel unfulfilled. There is a fun and sweet side story of Romance that continues throughout and read the series if for no other reason than Rose's Ladies maid and companion-the hilarious Daisy!
I hope Miss Chesney writes more in this charming series-5 stars.
Snobbery with Violence : A book for being read too.......2007-07-26
Davina Porter, as usual was outstanding; 5 plus stars. The story is a 3 star but I like it.
Very good.......2007-07-03
In the crowded field of mystery writers, Marian Chesney stands out. Her characters are consistently entertaining. The human flaws of our heroine are most satisfying, as is the mystery itself.
First in a series of comedy romantic murder mysteries.......2007-03-05
This is the first of a series of murder mysteries set in Britain in the first decade of the 20th century featuring Captain Harry Cathcart and Lady Rose Summer.
To date there are four books in the series, which are
Snobbery with Violence
Hasty Death
Sick of Shadows
Our Lady of Pain
The author writes romantic fiction, mostly humorous regency romances plus one or two set in the Edwardian period, under the name Marion Chesney; and also writes mystery/detective stories such as the Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth series under the name M.C. Beaton.
This Edwardian series is a something of a cross-over between the two - part romance and part murder mystery - and the books often have both names on the cover (usually something like "M.C. Beaton writing as Marion Chesney".)
Tha main characters in the first book are:
Captain Harry Cathcart, younger son of a Baron, has left the army after being injured in the Boer war. At the start of this book he carries out a service for Lady Rose's father, the Earl of Hadfield, for which he gains a reputation as a fixer, and eventually formally goes into business as the Edwardian equivalent of a Private Investigator
Lady Rose Summer, only daughter of the Earl and Countess of Hadfield - slightly notorious as having briefly been involved with suffragettes. Chafes at the fact that society will not allow her a useful role, and when she is present at a murder, Lady Rose uses her considerable intellect to help solve it.
Detective Superintendent Kerridge - a senior policeman of humble origins and carefully supressed radical views, reinforced by the fact that whenever he has to interview an aristocrat they always threaten to report him to the Prime Minister. Plays Inspector Slack to Lady Rose's Miss Marple.
Despite that comparison, this is not in the same league as Agatha Christie as a detective story, and neither is it in the same league as Jane Austen as a romance. However, it is an amusing and entertaining light read.
Bland whodunnit.......2006-11-08
Marian Chesney is known to me as a writer of Regency romances. This is her first Edwardian crime novel that I have read and it's based around Lady Rose, an Earl's daughter who is rather too `modern' for her family - she's a suffragette (at least some of the time), is well-read and knows her own mind.
Captain Harry Cathcart was wounded in the Boer War and has returned to London with little money, just his faithful manservant. He finds himself investigating for the upper classes (blackmail attempts, checking out prospective suitors) and through this meets Lady Rose - he discovers her suitor is trying to seduce her without marriage. He does a number of small jobs for Rose's father which brings him to the notice of Detective Superintendent Alfred Kerridge.
Rose is invited to a house party with just her maid, Daisy (a former actress) and whilst at the house party they realise something is wrong. An apparent suicide by one of the lady guests is questionable, there is a missing maid and a lot of the other single women guests seem to have something to hide. Rose finds herself the target of practical jokes by some of the single men. When Harry Cathcart arrives at the request of her father she's initially still annoyed with him for interfering in her life previously but soon she starts to work with him and between them they uncover the plot and the murderer, with the help of Kerridge.
In some ways this book reads like a children's book. Marian Chesney's writing style is very plain, her characterisation almost non-existent (her characters seem to be only differentiated by their actions, not really by their thoughts or words or natures) and it was an amazingly untaxing-read. However the subject matter often wasn't for children - there's a theme of men with syphilis seducing virgins in order to heal themselves. The class divide is a significant part of the plot but all the characters behave woodenly within their classes - for example, most of the aristocrats have double-barrelled names and assume that nothing but themselves matter. Equally, every lower class person has a colossal chip on their shoulder. Perhaps this was true then but I somehow doubt it.
The resolution of the book isn't as neat as you might expect for this kind of novel but none of the rest of the book was much of a surprise. It hasn't inspired me to read any of her other detective novels as this one just wasn't special enough.
Average customer rating:
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Snobbery With Violence: Crime Stories and Their Audiences
Colin Watson
Manufacturer: Mysterious Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 History of Books
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20th Century
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ASIN: 0892969342 |
Average customer rating:
- Watson turns his jaundicedeye to nonfiction.
- An undiscovered masterpiece
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Snobbery with violence: Crime stories and their audience
Colin Watson
Manufacturer: Eyre and Spottiswoode
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
History of Books
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British
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ASIN: 0413284204 |
Customer Reviews:
Watson turns his jaundicedeye to nonfiction........2005-09-30
Colin Watson, Snobbery with Violence: Crime Stories and Their Audience (Eyre and Spotswood, 1971)
I was expecting a survey with this book (rather like Moorcock's lovely Wizardry and Wild Romance), but got something altogether different: a critical assessment. Watson, a writer a notable crime fiction himself, looks over the state of things in relative detail from the turn of the century up to the emergence of James Bond (whose creator he calls "hopelessly derivative," then goes on to show examples from many other authors he covered earlier in the book). While there's a bit of a bibliographic feel to the narrative-- fans of crime fiction will certainly see a new name or two to hunt down in one's library's stacks-- Watson is more concerned with the morals and values to be found in both the fiction and the authors writing it, and what those morals and values said about the changing of British society in the twentieth century. It's interesting stuff to be sure, but something of a vertical-market piece. Those who think they'll find it interesting most certainly will. *** ½
An undiscovered masterpiece.......2005-09-22
Undiscovered because although published in 1971 it is now out of print. A masterpiece because not only does it fulfil the Author's aim as cited in his Introduction,but unwittingly he has given something more. He uses the history of Crime fiction from inception to 1965 (about 100 years) to provide a contemporary reflection of the conventional attitudes & beliefs of ordinary members of the Public. In short it is a work of Social History. But more than this it is as Social History a brilliant exposition of the mores of aparticular strata of English Society in the 2 decades between WW1 & WW2. This strata was the English Lower Middle Class living in the suburbs of the great conurbations.Colin Watson himself belonged to this strata in his formative years & delineates this both positively & unconsciously when writing of other periods. Aside from the Social Historian the style & wit of the survey can be enjoyed by any reader of discernment
Average customer rating:
- Sure she has a sense of humor, but a real GIRLFRIEND might present with some better advice
- Loved it!
- A Must Read!
- Hilarious, encouraging, and informative
- Depends on your mood. Better during the 1st trimester.
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The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy
Vicki Iovine
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 141652472X |
Amazon.com
Beginning with the "10 Greatest Lies About Pregnancy" (number 10: Lamaze works), and ending with postpartum dementia, Vicki Iovine's Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy has fast become the laywoman's mouthpiece for the American pregnancy experience. Iovine is irreverent, sassy, and incredibly reassuring as she exposes the "truths" of pregnancy and childbirth, from sex to cellulite to cesareans. Iovine birthed four kids in six years, none of them twins, which certainly qualifies her as an expert. The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy does reveal Iovine's particular cultural biases (pregnant or not, most of us don't have record-producer husbands, hang out with supermodels, or wear size-four pants) and philosophical beliefs (she's not a particularly strong proponent of natural childbirth or nursing), but, taken with a grain or two of salt, she provides many hilarious moments, acres of advice, and honest reassurance readers will find nowhere else. --Ericka Lutz
Book Description
Your Girlfriends, of course -- at least, the ones who've been through the exhilaration and exhaustion, the agony and ecstasy of pregnancy. Four-time delivery room veteran Vicki Iovine, "the Carrie Bradshaw of pregnancy" (Wall Street Journal), talks to you the way only a best friend can -- in the book that will go the whole nine months for every mother-to-be. Now, in this newly revised and updated edition, get the lowdown on all those little things that are too strange or embarrassing to ask, practical tips, and hilarious takes on everything pregnant.
What Really Happens to Your Body -- from morning sickness and gas to eating everything in sight -- and what it's like to go from being a babe to having one.
The Many Moods of Pregnancy -- why you're so irritable/distracted/ tired/light-headed (or at least more than usual).
Plus, the latest scoop on . . .
Staying Stylish -- You may be pregnant, but you can still be the fashionista you've always been (or at least you don't have to look like a walking beach ball) -- wearing the hippest designers and proudly showing off your bump.
Pregnancy Is Down to a Science -- from in vitro fertilization to scheduled C-section, the latest technology provides so many options, alternatives, and tests, it can all be downright confusing.
. . . and much more! For a reassuring voice or just a few good belly laughs, turn to this straight-talking guide on what to really expect when you're expecting.
Customer Reviews:
Sure she has a sense of humor, but a real GIRLFRIEND might present with some better advice.......2007-10-07
This book is full of biased anecdotes from a woman who, sure, has a blunt and sometimes refreshing sense of humor, but could do some of us Girlfriends a huge favor by not leading us down a road sure to be full of possibly dangerous interventions. I believe that us Mommy's should make informed decisions about how we care for ourselves in pregnancy and childbirth. If you want to feel better about your cellulite, and unsympathetic husband, Ms. Iovine is a good girlfriend, the kind that can make you feel better about it by saying "you're not the only one" and help out with a blow-it-off attitude and sarcastic humor. Do not however be swayed without your own research from confirming and practicing (or at least getting an educated and empowering birth team and trying) an unmedicated childbirth. For the sake of your own health and your new baby's, put away your Size 4 attitude, and realize that when you commit to pregnancy (and certainly 4 for that matter) it takes work, education and confidence in yourself... a few great girlfriends certainly help, for sure, but rely on the ones who know when to give you the facts and the ones who know when to lie to you to boost your self-confidence. They both certainly have their place and time, but Ms. Iovine has clearly shown which kind she is. For a good education, please do not rely on this book. For a few laughs... maybe.
Loved it!.......2007-10-07
Very funny and informative. I recommend for all moms-to-be. It will teach you while you laugh.
A Must Read!.......2007-10-05
A friend of mine purchased this book for me when I became pregnant and I can honestly say that it is by far my "go-to" pregnancy guide. Vicki's advice is honest, irreverant and hilarious! I think many other books out there on the market put unnecessary pressure on new moms-to-be to be perfect. This book reminds you that you are a human being, and it's okay to not be perfect when you're pregnant. For once in your life you should relax and focus on caring for that baby inside you (and to keep your sense of humor too!) Some of the other reviews state that this book tells you to eat whatever you want and not exercise for 9 months, but that's not the case. I think they are misreading the message. The message is to stop trying to be a "superwoman" when you are pregnant and to just be healthy and take care of yourself. In our skinny obsessed culture, it's refreshing to hear that it's okay to eat and to not devote your life to the gym when you're pregnant for pete's sake! You have the rest of your life to run on that treadmill, so I say (and I'm sure Vicki would agree) - take a walk, eat a cookie and feel beautiful!
Hilarious, encouraging, and informative.......2007-10-04
This is a great book! A friend gave it to me during my first pregnancy and I loved it! Now I'm in my second pregnancy 5 years later and I'm reading it again! I had a ton of books the first round and this time I threw them all out except this one and Your Pregnancy: Week by Week. These are the only two books any pregnant woman needs to get her through pregnancy.
Depends on your mood. Better during the 1st trimester........2007-10-01
Depending on your mood, you're either going to like or hate this book.
During the first trimester of my pregnancy, while I was feeling horrible, completely sick, still "scared" and getting used to the idea, etc, this book was a blessing!
It's sarcastic, down to earth, no frills/ rainbows /flowers, straight to the point approach was exactly what I need.
Plus it was the only source that described some of the simptoms I was feeling, giving me some reassurance that it was normal and I was not the only pregnant woman in the whole world who didn't JUST feel morning sickness and nausea, but a whole bunch of other nasty things that made me sick.
But now that I'm feeling fine, happy, balanced, excited, this book no longers matches my mood.
To me, its mission was accomplished, and now it's time to move on.
If you're the kind of person who is very sensitive, doesn't take jokes well, is very natural-organic-type (believing in drug free labor) and if you are completely enchanted, happy and thrilled about being pregnant and everything that goes with it, you'll not like this book.
Customer Reviews:
Angry book written by angry woman.......2007-03-22
This book was an angry rant about everything to do with pregnancy. Coverage was not especially good. I loved What to Expect When You Are Expecting; that had much better coverage of info and was written in a much nicer manner.
Pregnancy Daily Diary.......2007-01-10
This item was pretty useless. (At least to me) Not much information included, simply a few lines provided for you to make notes on the progress of your pregnancy. There are many other Pregnancy Journals out there that offer a lot more information (In the form of a book but with space to make notes of your own as you move through your pregnancy.) I would recommend one of those types over this book.
Why?.......2006-05-18
Why oh why are we intrusting ourselves and our children to such an uneducated, opiniated author?
Great fun to read.......2006-01-24
I gifted these to my friends and my sister. They all loved it. It's not really INformative as much as consoling, reassuring and a great laugh, especially when you need it. It even has hints for the new dad-to-be. There is some place to scribble your own opinions. It's nice that its not so much space that you wouldn't be intimidated into filling the space. Also, its great fun to read it again. I would also love to have one.
Sad, but True View of the American Way of Birth.......2006-01-05
The Girlfriends' Guides as well as the "What to Expect.." books are nothing more than a reflection of the current childbirth culture in America. Just watch shows like TLC's "A Baby Story" to see this in action. Unfortunately, childbirth has become a consumer-driven industry and American women don't want to feel any pain, don't want to get messy and want to be able schedule their births. This book simply reflects this prevailing attitude.
For a more holistic, spiritual and empowering view, I recommend reading Ina May Gaskin's Guide to Childbirth, Jeannine Parvati Baker's "Prenatal Yoga and Natural Childbirth" and/or "The Power of Pleasurable Childbirth" by Laurie A. Morgan.
Product Description
3-book set
Product Description
4 book set
Product Description
4-book set
Book Description
Indoor grilling is fast becoming a preferred year-round cooking technique in homes and restaurants. This attractively priced hardcover cookbook, illustrated with mouth-watering, full-color photographs, makes a perfect companion to the appliance that's taken American kitchens by storm with its streamlined design and ability to produce delectable grilled food with minimal fat. Why stick with plain grilled chicken when there's a complete guide to preparing delicious, versatile recipes using any type of indoor electric or stovetop grills?
Customer Reviews:
Great fo when grilling outdoors is not possible........2007-01-22
I just did not find any of these recipes interesting to me. They require too much time, to much preperasion, too many ingredients that I do not stock, and the portions are more then I am willing to eat by myself. But for a family or couple in an apartment, I think it gives some good ideas for nice meals.
Im a Beginner in grilling.......2006-02-18
This book is easy to read and recipes are great, and you
can change the recipes to match what you like example
use ketsup no ill use tomato paste ..
easy to clean and as stated its a healthy way to eat
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