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The Attenbury Emeralds
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Review
'Sayers's fans won't be disappointed, and newcomers are in for a treat' (Laura Wilson, Guardian 20100910)
'Sayers would not have recognised that it wasn't her own work.' (Marcel Berlins, The Times )
'A great deal of fun.' (Natasha Cooper TLS )
'An absolute treat: civilised, intelligent and spellbinding. . .' (Barry Forshaw, Daily Express )
'A pitch-perfect Golden Age mystery; not a pastiche but a gem of a period puzzle that belongs on the shelf beside the Wimsey originals.' (Christopher Fowler, Financial Times )
'An enjoyable and clever concoction . . . a good puzzle . . . skilled portrait of the austere postwar world.' (Jessica Mann, Literary Review )
'Paton Walsh's book conjurs up a sense of time and place wonderfully well and deals with more than just the central story, giving us a clear picture of life after the war, how the lives of the characters have been affected by it, and also showing subtly and powerfully the relationship between master and servant . . . A crime puzzle with deeper layers which makes for an entertaining and satisfying read.' (Historical Novels Review )
'Sayers would not have recognised that it wasn't her own work.' (Marcel Berlins, The Times )
'A great deal of fun.' (Natasha Cooper TLS )
'An absolute treat: civilised, intelligent and spellbinding. . .' (Barry Forshaw, Daily Express )
'A pitch-perfect Golden Age mystery; not a pastiche but a gem of a period puzzle that belongs on the shelf beside the Wimsey originals.' (Christopher Fowler, Financial Times )
'An enjoyable and clever concoction . . . a good puzzle . . . skilled portrait of the austere postwar world.' (Jessica Mann, Literary Review )
'Paton Walsh's book conjurs up a sense of time and place wonderfully well and deals with more than just the central story, giving us a clear picture of life after the war, how the lives of the characters have been affected by it, and also showing subtly and powerfully the relationship between master and servant . . . A crime puzzle with deeper layers which makes for an entertaining and satisfying read.' (Historical Novels Review )
Product Description
It was 1921 when Lord Peter Wimsey first encountered the Attenbury emeralds. The recovery of the magnificent gem in Lord Attenbury's most dazzling heirloom made headlines - and launched a shell-shocked young aristocrat on his career as a detective.
Now it is 1951: a happily married Lord Peter has just shared the secrets of that mystery with his wife, the detective novelist Harriet Vane. Then the new young Lord Attenbury - grandson of Lord Peter's first client - seeks his help again, this time to prove who owns the gigantic emerald that Wimsey last saw in 1921.
It will be the most intricate and challenging mystery he has ever faced . . .
Since the publication of A Presumption of Death, which was set in 1941 in the wartime English countryside, readers have been eagerly asking for this story - a wholly original and utterly engrossing new detective adventure. (20101015)
Now it is 1951: a happily married Lord Peter has just shared the secrets of that mystery with his wife, the detective novelist Harriet Vane. Then the new young Lord Attenbury - grandson of Lord Peter's first client - seeks his help again, this time to prove who owns the gigantic emerald that Wimsey last saw in 1921.
It will be the most intricate and challenging mystery he has ever faced . . .
Since the publication of A Presumption of Death, which was set in 1941 in the wartime English countryside, readers have been eagerly asking for this story - a wholly original and utterly engrossing new detective adventure. (20101015)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed Thrones, Dominations and although I found 'A Presumption of Death' not quite up to the same standard I was looking forward to this book. However it is nowhere up to the original Dorothy L Sayers standard. The first third is hard going, and has an artificial, forced air. The style of writing a 3-way conversation is clumsy (although I can see why it appealed to the author) and the Wimseys / Bunter have been crystallised in their 1930s characters - I'm sure Peter and Harriet would have moved on and their relationship evolved after the war and nearly 20 years of marriage. Unlike in the original Sayers' writings, these characters fail to come across as 'real' people; to DLS, Peter was a real person and she had obviously known a Bunter, but their relationship is stilted in this book. The plot is just about works, but there are several errors and internal inconsistencies. For example, it is clear in 'Whose Body' that Peter has known Charles Parker for some time: "the feeling of Parker's old trench coat beneath your fingers was comforting. You had felt it in worse places" certainly suggests that Peter had been with Parker during the war and did not first meet him in 1921. There are also inconsistencies about who had the emerald out of the bank and for how long. Finally there is a throwaway line towards the end about the original (Tudor) Wimsey jewels - I kept waiting for them to appear again but the author appears to have lost her own thread at that point (or they were cut out in a re-write) - a pity as they are an intruiging possible thread). The final third of the book is much better and there are flashes of the real Peter and the story is stronger. I rather hope that this is the final Peter Wimsey novel and that the character created by Dorothy L Sayers doesn't become further diluted.
38 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have longed for years to know the story of the Attenbury Emeralds (or, as Sayers aficionados will know, possibly diamonds). Jill Paton Walsh's latest offering is therefore one which I warmly welcomed - and with that confidence which very few "continuations" of famous works can inspire; her previous efforts ("Thrones Dominations" and "A Presumption of Death") were all but note perfect (except that pesky suggestion that Charles Parker doesn't like detective fiction!!).
As for this book, even without the structural help which she had for both the previous books (the former was partly mapped out by Sayers, and the latter had some hints by way of wartime articles to build on) I can joyfully report that this is well up to standard. We learn the back story of the Emeralds (at last) and it is a great story, even if it doesnt quite match up to the hints in the original books. Meanwhile a new mystery about one of the emeralds presents itself to be solved alongside a heartwarming depiction of Peter and Harriet's domestic felicity. Also of interest is the vivid snapshot of postwar conditions - the continued reminders of the bombing, with no-one having money to rebuild, and the lingering presence of rationing.
The Lit Rev referred to the book as a "pastiche" which seems to me to be thoroughly unfair. "Pastiche" suggests a technical but soulless job, and possibly one imbued with a degree of sarcasm. Paton Walsh's Sayer books are certainly not that. What she has succeeded in doing is writing an excellent homage to Sayers, which I cannot imagine will bring anything other than joy to all Sayers fans. In some ways however I feel she transcends the homage and improves on Sayers. Sayers wanted Peter and Harriet to be happy, but her metier was actually writing about the troubled side of life - even in getting to Busman's Honeymoon and the vignette in "Tallboys" there is a sense of her struggling with depictions of happiness. This (as well as the excuse of staging Busman's Honeymoon) may well account for her "stalling" in the writing of "Thrones, Dominations". Paton Walsh makes Sayers' dreams, and those of all fans of Peter and Harriet come true - and in thoroughly convincing and satisfying style - we owe her a debt!
However - a note of caution - I strongly suspect that this may be the last Paton Walsh/Sayers. Without ruining the plot, let me just warn you that the end has a sense of completeness about it - so enjoy what may well be the last Sayers you will ever read!
As for this book, even without the structural help which she had for both the previous books (the former was partly mapped out by Sayers, and the latter had some hints by way of wartime articles to build on) I can joyfully report that this is well up to standard. We learn the back story of the Emeralds (at last) and it is a great story, even if it doesnt quite match up to the hints in the original books. Meanwhile a new mystery about one of the emeralds presents itself to be solved alongside a heartwarming depiction of Peter and Harriet's domestic felicity. Also of interest is the vivid snapshot of postwar conditions - the continued reminders of the bombing, with no-one having money to rebuild, and the lingering presence of rationing.
The Lit Rev referred to the book as a "pastiche" which seems to me to be thoroughly unfair. "Pastiche" suggests a technical but soulless job, and possibly one imbued with a degree of sarcasm. Paton Walsh's Sayer books are certainly not that. What she has succeeded in doing is writing an excellent homage to Sayers, which I cannot imagine will bring anything other than joy to all Sayers fans. In some ways however I feel she transcends the homage and improves on Sayers. Sayers wanted Peter and Harriet to be happy, but her metier was actually writing about the troubled side of life - even in getting to Busman's Honeymoon and the vignette in "Tallboys" there is a sense of her struggling with depictions of happiness. This (as well as the excuse of staging Busman's Honeymoon) may well account for her "stalling" in the writing of "Thrones, Dominations". Paton Walsh makes Sayers' dreams, and those of all fans of Peter and Harriet come true - and in thoroughly convincing and satisfying style - we owe her a debt!
However - a note of caution - I strongly suspect that this may be the last Paton Walsh/Sayers. Without ruining the plot, let me just warn you that the end has a sense of completeness about it - so enjoy what may well be the last Sayers you will ever read!
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I simply don't understand the - admitterly few - critical reviews of this book. If you have read and enjoyed the original Wimsey (and Vane) novels you'll certainly enjoy this. The pacing is the same, the characters are - nearly all - the same, the lack of blood and guts is the same, and the updating is well done. Apart from a couple of neologisms (nobody was "into" anything in that way in 1951) it slips down as smoothly as a pint of warm beer on a hot afternoon. But you won't find rotting corpses, bloody violence, gang warfare or the Mafia . . . . . . . thank goodness.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Audio Book
I have listened to all of these 3 New Follow up Lord Peter books many times and can only say Thank You. Read more
Published 3 months ago by CookeyUK1947
the attenbury emeralds
this book came in good time - I have bought it for a christmas present so will not know anything about the story until after christmas. Read more
Published 5 months ago by E. A. Irwin
Not worthy of the Sayer's name.
This book came as a disappointment. I have enjoyed the two Dorothy L. Sayers books that Jill Walsh had finish, and so I was looking forward to another of a similar standard. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Ms. S. Holland
Glittering but with flaws
The third outing for Paton Walsh's resurrected Wimsey shows her touch to be deft and strong as in the preceding books. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Sardonicus
An excellent story told in the voice of Sayers
I am a big Dorothy L Sayers fan so took this book on reluctantly. I am very glad that I did read it because Walsh has captured the Sayers style brilliantly, and in a very... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Miss K. Fletcher
I can't bear it
Early on in this book (in the copy I read it was p.15) Lord Peter says "A bear of very little brain" this is of course one of the ever-present literary quotes in LPW books, a... Read more
Published 8 months ago by Rampaging Hippogriff
The Attenbury disappointment
How eagerly I sat down to read the Attenbury Emeralds! I had, for years, wondered about Lord Peter's first case- the Attenbury diamonds - and this promised to be be a real... Read more
Published 9 months ago by MC
Happy nostalgia
What a joy to meet Peter and Harriet, Bunter and Mrs again. Plot - a bit weak - but the portrayal of the characters, older, and living in a post-war world with all the changes... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rachel Irvine
Like reading a long undiscovered sayers
A superb job of capturing the great Dorothy l.'s style. I can't fault her characterisations either-the main cast are depicted very faithfully. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Rojrojroj
Looking back to the golden age
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and Jill Paton Walsh convincingly writes about Peter and Harriet as the parents of teenage children coping with the changed circumstances... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Bloomsbury
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