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Painting the Darkness
 
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Painting the Darkness (Paperback)

by Robert Goddard (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
Price: £5.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Painting the Darkness + Take No Farewell + In Pale Battalions
Price For All Three: £17.97

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Product details

  • Paperback: 608 pages
  • Publisher: Corgi Books; New edition edition (25 May 1990)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0552132829
  • ISBN-13: 978-0552132824
  • Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 10.6 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 40,897 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #9 in  Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Authors, A-Z > G > Goddard, Robert

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Product Description

Review
"I was hooked by this atmospheric historical mystery"
-Sarah Broadhurst, "Today"
"It has all the ingredients of a first-class melodrama...engaging and satisfying"
-"The Times"
"It explodes into action so that the reader is hooked by the time he reaches the third page...he is a superb storyteller"
-"Sunday Independent"

Product Description
The arrival of a stranger in William Trenchard's life threatens to destroy all he holds most dear. The stranger claims to be Sir James Davenall, who was once engaged to Trenchard's wife, who supposedly committed suicide years before and his return reveals dark secrets about the Davenall family.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Painting the Darkness
64% buy the item featured on this page:
Painting the Darkness 4.6 out of 5 stars (8)
£5.99
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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (6)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Victorian melodrama of a thriller, 2 Oct 2005
By Budge Burgess (Kilmarnock, Scotland) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)   
Robert Goddard's take on the Martin Guerre theme of the ghost of the past returning to try to re-establish his identity, and be haunted by the present. It is the late Victorian era and we find a sophisticated English gentleman resurrecting himself from a supposed grave to become embroiled in emotional, legal, and violent contests as he endeavours to re-establish his name, claim the title and riches which are his due, and win back the woman he loved ... now married to another.

Goddard has built a reputation on his ability to weave mysteries and thrillers out of the passage of time - his stories reach back into the histories of his characters, explore the histories of nations, and create a depth and sophistication in storytelling which few can emulate. In 'Painting the Darkness', allusions to real events and the inclusion of real historical figures serve only to throw into relief the lack of verifiable history which James Norton can offer to prove his identity, and the refusal of his family and world to accept as valid the history he does provide.

This is a fairly lengthy novel, nearly 600 pages, and the first chapter is just a little slow. Goddard simulates the language of upper class, Victorian England - restrained, formal, refined; as you get into its rhythm and style, you become absorbed in the story, but those first few pages take you through a learning curve in the metre and formality of the language, and can be a little off-putting. Persevere, for this is a finely crafted tale, with Goddard's usual menu of red herrings, spiced and sauced, and served with many a twist.

Goddard is a very fine writer and an outstanding storyteller. 'Painting the Darkness' is no breakneck thriller - it moves at elegant pace, subtle as the swish of satin, graceful as a ballgown's passage across the floor, with just the hint of a well-turned ankle. Highly entertaining, with a convincing sense of place and time, it will keep you guessing to the end.

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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A cracking read, 30 Oct 2001
An excellent, atmospheric tale. It has all the layers, twists and turns that make Mr Goddard so readable. I thoroughly recommend it.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars extraordinary, 22 April 2006
By Didier (Ghent, Belgium) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
What a superb storyteller Robert Goddard is! From the very first pages the book grips you, and you find yourself wanting to know ever more...

The story doesn't move at breakneck speed, but Goddard times his story expertly, and you cannot help but find yourself wondering whether Norton is who he claims to be. Believe you me, Goddard will keep you guessing until the very end.

I should mention the prose too: the dialogues are absolutely first-rate, and the way Goddard can describe people and places, and conjure up an atmosphere is quite uncanny.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
This was one of the best audio books i have ever listened to the reader was excellent and the story had loads of thrills. Read more
Published 17 months ago by mrs waters

5.0 out of 5 stars Painting a fine story
I hesitated about reading this book,, I've loved many of Goddard's other books but was concerned that this would be a bit historical for me as its set in the 1800s. Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2006 by Binka

3.0 out of 5 stars An engaging melodrama
In the first day of October 1882, William Trenchard, co-owner of the Trenchard & Leavis retailing chain, is still a happy man in his marital status with his wife Constance Sumner... Read more
Published on 27 Jun 2006 by Philippe Horak

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely stunning -- a gripping, thrilling read.
Quite possibly the finest mystery I've ever read. Listening to the tape version in my car, I nearly ran off the road when the story pulled its big punch ... Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2004

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent, sweeping and intensely moving
Bravo Robert Goddard!!! What a magnificent novel you have written. One of the very best novels I have ever read. Read more
Published on 19 Mar 1999

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