The Lighthearted Quest

Julia Probyn #1

by Ann Bridge

When Julia undertook to find her cousin, Colin Munro, last heard of sailing a yacht off the north coast of Africa, the quest seemed lighthearted enough. But, before she had finished, she was involved with Moorish antique dealers, a Belgian woman archaeologist, Purcell, the enigmatic barkeeper, and American airman, the saurian Mr. St. John, and numerous other characters charming or sinister. Julia's search takes her a cargo-boart to Casablanca, and thence to Tangier, Fez and Marrakech. Her 'dumb-blonde' beauty, camouflaging a lively intelligence, gets her through unexpected difficulties and dangers. Colin is found, and the mysterious reason for his disappearance at last revealed...The first in a series of eight Julia Probyn novels, "The Lighthearted Quest" displays a blend of humour and adventure which transports us to exotic places and introduces us to entertaining people, but also throws a good deal of light on the explosive political issues that French Morocco encountered in the 50s.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Africa, Morocco, Classics, Travel, Historical Mystery

317 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1956

About the author

Mid twentieth-century novelist [real name, Mary Anne O'Malley] who began by exploiting the milieu of the British Foreign Office community in Peking, China, where she lived for two years with her diplomat husband. Her novels combine courtship plots with vividly-realised settings and demure social satire.

She went on to write novels which take as the background of their protagonists' emotional lives a serious investigation of modern historical developments (such as the leap by which Turkey progressed from a feudal-style government to become a modern republic in which women enjoyed equality of rights and equality of opportunity).

Ann Bridge also wrote thrillers centred on a female amateur detective, travel books, and family memoirs.

Reviews

[Always Pouting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julia is an English journalist whose cousin asks her to go look for her other cousin Colin Munro so that he can come back and look after the estate. Colin is importing oranges and bananas over seas and hasn't written to his family in months leaving his mother worried and his sister looking after the estate and taking a leave from her high paying advertisement job. Julia heads out to north Africa to search for Colin, getting tangled up in the web leading to Colin and his mysterious absence. While the book and the writing were really good, the book dragged on a lot. I think it would have been much more enjoyable without all the constant descriptions, as interesting as they were. A lot of the political backdrop of the story didn't have baring on Julia's search for Colin at all, and neither did a lot of the things she got up to on her search for him. Also at the end when she does find Colin, the book continues on and it felt dragged out and the happy ending seemed some what convenient and kind of left the whole search pointless in the end.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this author VERY much. If you haven't tried her books, you must! I think it is even worth trying this, a mystery and the start of a series, two things which aren't usually my cup of tea. I have not been disappointed. All of her books I have given four stars!

This is the first in a series of eight novels starring an amateur female detective, Julia Probyn by name. She’s pretty and ever so smart. Her dazzling appearance is somewhat misleading—it might be said to be a disguise for her astute and knowledgeable mind. Her deliberate, calm and serene comportment and speech is her trademark. You come to love it.

We are served a mix of humor, adventure, mystery and politics. We visit Morocco in the years after the Second World War. Casablanca, Tangiers, Fez and Marrakech cone alive to us through the author’s words. The Moroccans and the foreigners, the hotels, lodgings and villas, the cuisine and the traditions and customs are meticulously and vividly depicted by means of scent, touch and color. We see the exotic and the picturesque. The characters are “out of the ordinary”—smugglers, spies, secret service agents, camel drivers, bar owners, ninety-year-old dames who know everything about what has and is going on. They are entertaining, each in their own way. The book is jolly good FUN, and while we enjoy ourselves, we are given a peep hole into the tumultuous political arena that played out in French Morocco during the 1950s.

I finish here with one short quote. It describes a view at the outskirts of Tangiers. Savor the prose:

“The air struck cool and sweet on her face as she came out into it. The night was full of stars. The sea was gently conversing with the rocks at the feet of the cliffs. Away to one side, Tangiers threw up a diffused golden glow set here and there with strings of brilliant lights.”

The narrator of all the Julia Probyn books is Elizabeth Jasicki. Her narration is very, very good! Her intonation for Julia is absolutely delicious. She has a slow, calm, serene drawl that fits the amateur detective to a T! Her French is good too. Jasicki’s intonations enhance our appreciation of the novel’s wide cast of characters. Four stars for the narration.

*********************

*Enchanter's Nightshade 4 stars
*The Dark Moment 4 stars
*A Place To Stand: A Novel 4 stars
*The Tightening String 4 stars
*Illyrian Spring 3 stars
*Peking Picnic TBR

*Julia Probyn Series:
1. The Lighthearted Quest 4 stars
2.The Portuguese Escape TBR
3.The Numbered Account TBR
4,The Dangerous Islands TBR
5.Emergency In The Pyrenees TBR
6.The Episode at Toledo TBR
7.The Malady in Madeira TBR
8.Julia in Ireland TBR

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The bigotry in this was jaw-dropping and pervasive even allowing latitude for its times. Worst in its way was the espousal of benevolent colonialism, to the point of denigrating the American who favored self-determination as naive and ignorant. The best aspect was the local descriptions of a world past, but in addition to the forementioned flaws the plot was silly and the protagonist a Mary Sue.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apropos of nothing, I read this right in the middle of sort-of-accidentally watching a Spanish language series on Netflix called "The Time in Between", and some of the coincidental echoes, especially in the setting, were a lot of fun.

There was no forward to this book (or if there was, I missed it) to indicate that it was, in fact, not written in the 21st century, but in 1969. (This has happened a few times lately.) I started to twig to it pretty quickly, based on a scattering of clues; the style almost couldn't be a product of more recent years. It's very specific to British novels of the time – see also Mary Stewart, D.E. Stevenson, etc. And if the sheer style didn't give it away, now and then causal tossed-off phrases like "that bunch of pansies" and "the Gyppos" made it pretty clear. So while I enjoyed the writing (except for the pre-PC moments, always surprisingly difficult to stomach), I was a little disoriented for a while. (Let that be your warning if you don't feel like having to cope with it.)

Oh – Americans aren't exactly Ms. Bridge's favorite group, either, if some of the descriptions are anything to go by. Harrumph.

I love the premise. After a sudden death in the family, a family is left without anyone to run an estate. That is, there is someone (a woman! Isn't it amazing?) but she has her own plans for her life (a career! Will wonders never cease?); she is willing to handle things for a time, but the only solution seems to be for someone to go find the family's heir, who sailed off with some friends a while back and hasn't been seen since. So a clever cousin is called in (another woman!!) and recruited to go look for him, armed with very few clues (but, happily, lots of spending money).

Julia is the young woman who is called upon to go hunt down the missing heir, and she embarks on her 'lighthearted quest" with a confident insouciance most of us can only dream of. Wander Europe with no solid idea where one man might be located? No problem. Make a temporary life in Tangier? No problem.

I'm really surprised, and sad, that I'd never heard of Ann Bridge before. I have been a huge Mary Stewart (no relation) fan for decades, along with Barbara Michaels and D.E. Stevenson and Elizabeth Cadell and so on – this series (because, I find, this book is the beginning of a series) would have been a terrific addition to that shelf. There's an intrepid young lady, exotic locales, vibrant background characters, sneaky and resourceful enemies, a dollop of romance, and a dash of archaeology – oh, and a glancing reference or two at Golden Age mystery – it's almost perfect. I would have loved it back in the day.

And I enjoyed it in the here and now. The writing – do I want to say it sparkles? Sure, why not – the writing sparkles. The story canters along happily to a suspenseful climax and a satisfying conclusion, and inspires a chuckle or two along the way ("storks have a capacity for looking disgusted almost equal to that of camels"). It sent me off down various eBay rabbitholes looking for trunks and other décor like that described in the book ("Moorish stuff—you know, antiques, leather goods and brass and so on.") "Why do you go hooshing off to find him in this completely wild-cat way?" – I want to start using "hooshing". And "The same to you, with knobs on!"
And one exchange proved that the more things change the more they stay the same:
"Has it ever struck you how apocalyptic the world is, today?"
"Yes, often," said Julia.

Me too.

Some notes which might be helpful to other American readers my age or younger:
"Le agradeço mucho su amabildad" is, in Spanish, "I really appreciate your kindness".
"the Old Lady of Thread-needle Street" is the Bank of England (I don't know why – I haven't investigated the story yet)
Tiens! Les petites feuilles – French: Look! Small leaves
Aucunément – French: nothing
Sabe todo – Spanish: (He/she) knows everything
Ah, méfiez-vous de cet homme-là – French: Ah, beware of this man!

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the title implies, this is a fizzy, delightful little missing-person mystery. When her childhood friend Colin cuts off all contact with his family while out of the country, Julia Probyn is drafted to find him. Using her occupation as a journalist as a cover, Julia soon sets sail for Morocco. Upon her arrival, she's surprised and frustrated to find that none of the people who would be expected to know his whereabouts are willing to tell her anything -- his bank and the consulate included. However, she's able to use her charm and tenacity to unearth clues that take her from Casablanca, to Tangier, Fez, and eventually Marrakesh -- where she briefly spots him before an explosion almost puts a permanent end to her search.

The mystery was engaging, the pacing was good, and the characters were charming -- and not just the human characters; the on-location descriptions were vivid enough that Morocco itself seemed a character in the story. Really, I found this so enjoyable I'm longing to visit Morocco myself.

One caution, however: the way Julia views people of various races and cultures and the benefits of colonialization is in keeping with the thinking of another time period. It's not malicious -- not at all! -- but it is a little disconcerting. It wasn't a constant presence in the story and I found it fairly easy to ignore, but I know different people have different tolerances for such things.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A note on the title – most cover images and librarything/goodreads details for this novel have it listed as The Lighthearted Quest – but the kindle edition is entitled A Lighthearted Quest.
This is the third Ann Bridge novel I have read, having previously enjoyed her possibly more well-known novels Illyrian Spring and Peking Picnic I leapt at buying the first three or four Julia Probyn novels when they were being offered very cheaply on kindle recently. A Lighthearted Quest is the first of the Julia Probyn series. Julia Probyn is an attractive upper class journalist who does a little bit of sleuthing. Judging by this first book – Julia is more an unraveller of puzzles than an unmasker of serial murderers. I didn’t think this novel was as good as the other two novels – although there is a lot to be enjoyed in it. Those who like a fast paced mystery with lots of unexpected twists will be disappointed – this is definitely not that kind of novel.
Ann Bridge was a writer who used her extensive knowledge of the world and foreign policies that she gained by being married to a diplomat. Like Illyrian Spring and Peking Picnic, A Lighthearted Quest shines a light on ex-pat communities abroad. A Lighthearted Quest is mainly set in the French administered Morocco of the 1950’s.
Julia Probyn’s childhood playmate and cousin Colin Munro has disappeared, last heard of in Morocco and believed to be still there, somewhere. Julia is asked by his mother and sister to use her cover as a journalist to track him down and press him to return home, where he is needed to run the family’s Scottish estate. Julia gets passage aboard a small cargo boat and aboard meets the first of a host of memorable characters.
Once in Morocco Julia is amazed to find how reluctant to speak about Colin and his activities people seem to be. Julia is taken under the wing of the elderly eccentric Lady Tracey who arranges for her to work as a secretary to a Belgian female archaeologist. Julia soon has the ear of Purcell a mysterious barkeeper in Tangier, and soon catches the eye of an American airman. As she begins to unravel rumours of Colin’s activities, even catching a glimpse of him on a roof top – Julia finds herself attempting to get information from Moorish antique dealers in Fez. Julia uses her dumb blonde looks to great effect, charming her way through several sticky situations all while using her sharp intelligence to try and figure out what exactly Colin is doing, and why it might be quite so secret.
“Tangier from the sea presents a far more agreeable aspect than Casablanca. A line of ochre coloured cliffs stretches away towards Cape Spartel on the right, in the centre a mass of white, indubitably Moorish houses of the Kasbah climbs steeply up a hill; to the left the modern town slopes, also agreeably white and clean, down to the bay and harbour, and beyond to the east rises the Djebel el Mousa, Hercules’ African pillar – so much more pillar like than its European opposite number, Gibraltar, which from Tangier is barely discernible in the distance, vaguely resembling a lion crouching very low indeed.”
It is Ann Bridge’s familiar sense of place that is so very good – and which distinguishes this from other mystery adventure type novels of this period. The descriptions of the region are lovely, and Ann Bridge exposes the political issues in Morocco at this time. There are - maybe unsurprisingly - a few non-pc racial references, but they are of their time and I think should be left there. Although this wasn’t as good as the other two Ann Bridge novels I have read – I will definitely be reading the other Julia Probyn novels I have on my Kindle.

[Idril Celebrindal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a weird reading experience. The story and story-telling are fine—nothing exceptional but good enough that the reader doesn't notice them (which, to be fair, is quite good). In general it's a pretty typical "plucky young English girl on an adventure around the Empire" book, which, if that isn't a genre, should be.

However, this is the most colonialist, classist, casually racist book I have ever encountered. I'm going to type out nearly a full page at the end of this review, because I burst out laughing when I read it; it is amazingly awful. I mean, it's the same sort of thing lots of other British writers seemed to be thinking at the time, but Bridge just goes for it; why hint, I guess. It's not even that she dislikes the peoples native to North Africa; she just is convinced that they're too stupid to do without some oversight, and is sure her reader will agree with her.

So the 3 stars is too high, and might seem odd, but the experience of reading this book was fascinating (easy for me to say as a white woman, I know). The baseline assumptions of the world that went into writing this are wildly different and yet startlingly the same: the main character casually and legally gets a job in Morocco ferrying ancient corpses for an archaeologist (??!?), while a terrorist, called by that name, detonates a bomb in a public place to kill civilians (depressingly ordinary today).

And I know not every 20-something in the 1950s was a living Charon, but Julia has opportunities all over the world as a result of her social class and the colonial system. She travels to an unfamiliar, foreign place with ease and the institutional expectation that her cultural ideas of the proper way of doing things will supersede any other. And yet she's legally prohibited from bringing more than small amount of her own money out of the UK. It felt more foreign than many fantasy novels I've read.

I do want to give Bridge credit for Julia: Julia genuinely is brave and capable, there's no love story shoehorned in, and no one ever rescues her, more than can be said of the other aforementioned plucky young girls. Despite her entrenchment in her contemporary culture, I feel like Bridge knew she was defying something: Julia is injured at one point, and every character except Julia worries that it will permanently mar her looks; Julia never does, and even thinks the comments are odd at one point.

This book gave me much more food for thought than I expected or than I think it intended, so it gets some stars for that.

All right, here's the page:
[J]ust the same what business had the god-damned French there, sitting on top of them and making money out of them? Julia, startled by this attitude, mentioned the hospitals in Casablanca as one instance of something the French had done for Morocco—it was, so far, the only thing she knew of that tremendous work. Oh well, maybe, Mr. Keller replied; he hadn’t seen the hospitals, he didn’t know. But he was against imperialism and colonialism, any place.

“Why?” Julia asked. “The French have done at least one good thing, which you’ve never managed to learn about in all this time—don’t tell me the Arabs would organise hospitals on their own; they never have anywhere. What harm have they done to the Moors?”

He couldn’t answer her. It was just this vague emotional feeling, supported by incuriosity and ignorance, with no more solid basis than an inherited mass-memory of one instance of a Colonial dispensation gone wrong, gone sour; but issuing in a mass-attitude which presented a blank wall to facts. Julia was startled and rather horrified—she had met several Americans, but all of a much more sophisticated type than the airman: either too well educated to be at the mercy of these primitive concepts, or too wise to give them expression.

Yeah, Julia's not the only one who was startled and rather horrified. That foolish, unsophisticated, ignorant believer in human rights.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

a pleasant adventure, marred considerably though by being "of its time" ie racist and imperialist.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is entertaining. Originally published in the mid 1950s, so very much of its time. I had been warned of the author's snobbery, but didn't find that too grating: the apologies for colonialism, though, are quite something. The setting is mainly Morocco, which in fact gained its independence in 1956, the year this book first appeared, but the book was obviously written a little before that although unrest is hinted at. The author was married to a British diplomat and much of the Foreign Office background and attitudes of the time are apparent, although the colonial power in this case was France. It is quite light-hearted, despite the potential danger of the mission of the chief character, Julia, which is to find a missing cousin who has gone to great lengths not to be found, apparently with official connivance. Julia is a splendid character, brave and resourceful, and because she looks like a "dumb blonde" can slip under the radar having not been taken seriously (very typical of the 1950s and still true to some extent today). The background - the journey to Morocco, and the episodes in Tangier, Casablanca and Fez - is very interesting and presumably informed by the author's personal experience in her diplomatic life, or at least through her contacts in it. So, you won't enjoy this if you are offended by colonialism to the extent of not being able to enter into the spirit of the story without necessarily agreeing with the author and Julia on the subject, but it should be pointed out too that there is one character who puts the argument against quite forcefully. There is a happy ending - of course!

[Louise Culmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Julia Probyn is beautiful, rich, doesn’t need to work but is a journalist because it amuses her. She is asked to go to Morocco to look for her missing cousin Colin, and of course she agrees. She charms everyone on the ship and most of the people she meets in Morocco. She drifts about looking for her cousin in a leisurely fashion, while we are given very detailed descriptions of places, architecture, etc, so much that a lot of it seems more like a guidebook than a novel. And she has a strong partiality for French rule in Morocco and is very disparaging of those who want independence - this is rather futile as Morocco gained independence the same year this book was published. I didn’t really warm to Julia and I found her story a bit dull - to be honest I had hoped for something a bit more exciting, like Mary Stewart’s gripping romantic suspensers. There isn’t much of romance or suspense in this book. But I will probably read another one to see if they get any more interesting.

[Nicki Southwell · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the start of this book, I thought, how quintessentially British.

Set in the 1950s, journalist Julia Probyn sets sail for North Africa to find cousin Colin. He is needed home in England to run the family estate in what Julia calls “her very favourite place in the world”.

The storyline drifts a bit and some of the detail is unnecessary. The main character is somewhat flimsy.

However, I did find the context very racist. I almost never give below 4 stars, but for this book, and the reasons stated, I give it 2.

I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are all my own and completely unbiased. My thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity.

[Dgordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plucky British women looking for adventure travels to Morocco to find her missing cousin, where all the usual characters and mystery unfolds. A very sort of standard British mystery but was disturbed me the most was the pretty blatant racism and anti-semitism, that became a big nono for me.

[S.P. Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Lighthearted Quest" was published in 1956, but its world seems centuries away. The book is wonderful, escapist fun about an intrepid upper-class young lady amateur sleuth - on the search for her missing cousin in North Africa.

I love reading books from this era for the language - some of the expressions are priceless, and I must remember to use the word "clottish" at some point. The scenery of Casablanca, Tangier and Fez is wonderfully evoked, and gave me wanderlust in the direction of Morocco.

The book is of its time, and I found the social commentary fascinating. I work in advertising, and I was most amused by Edina's career in advertising, with her salary soon to be going up to an astronomical two thousand pounds a year: "Oh, I'm in advertising - the new high-powered sort. In its phoney way it's really very interesting, and now that we're beginning to get into T.V. it's going to be more interesting still." Needless to say, the likes of Edina would not be terribly welcome in today's advertising agencies with their "brand activism" and social purpose campaigning.

There are some splendid characters in the book, not least of all Julia, the not-so-dumb-blonde, who is both brave and cool, self-sufficient in her "serene vagueness". And who could forget the nonagenarian Lady Tracy's approach to puzzles: "I think we might have a glass of sherry to assist us in studying this problem"? Cheers!

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lighthearted Quest is part travel guide book, part political exposé, all adventure story. The ‘cosy’ mystery here will propel you through the pages. It’s exciting, well told, enjoyable, and masks a quite remarkable exploration of Morocco in the mid-20th century, as well giving a glimpse into the privileged lives of the British aristocracy at the time.
The book is full of references to, and information about, such things as the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of England and her children to Gibraltar in 1954; British post offices in Morocco; conflicting international interests (British, French, Spanish, German, American, Russian, Jewish, Arab, and Berber); Edith Warton, Charles de Foucauld; the system of letters of introduction used by posh British travellers; the £100 limit on currency to be taken out of Britain at the time; tax laws; tit for tat assassinations - the list goes on and on.
It also reflects attitudes prevalent at the time. Expect people who annoyingly can’t carry their own luggage and are confident that they will everywhere be received with the respect and in the luxury to which they, as superior beings, are evidently entitled. By her own admission Julia is ‘an impenitent imperialist, who is a convinced believer in the colonial system for backward races’. However, her views, the product of her milieu, are challenged by actual experience.

[Kathryn West · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. The first thing to say for anyone reading this, it was written a long time ago, in a very different time. The British Empire was still a thing, not a long distant memory. This means some of the inherent colonial and imperial beliefs that were the norm at one point, are part of the authors consciousness and therefore this aspect of the book does not translate well into 2017. If one is able to move past that and recognise it for the time it was, the rest of the book is a quaint tale of a plucky young heroine, solving the mystery of a missing chum. Julia is a very independent woman, quite emancipated for the time, no simpering damsel in distress here! I can imagine that in the 1970's this was quite a novel take on the whole mystery/crime/spy thriller. I'm not sure I would buy these but I might certainly borrow them from the library - they are no worse for example than some Agatha Christie that also have the taint of Britain's days of assuming colonisation into our ways was for the benefit of all...

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lighthearted mystery novel following the disappearance of a young man. Julia, the young man’s cousin, is the heroine of the novel and travels to Africa in her search.

Overall there is not a lot of character development or growth. The characters are somewhat two dimensional because the focus is really on the mystery. We follow Julia as she gathers evidence and follows the trail led by her cousin and his cohort. Julia’s quick wit and adventurous spirit keep the novel moving at a nice pace.

The historical aspects of this novel, specifically the political tension in Morocco, add a nice backdrop for this story. As Julia searches for her cousin a lot of the secrecy she encounters is wrapped up in the history of exporting minerals from Africa. It was interesting h3ring about the backdoors deals being made by governments and smugglers.

Overall a very easy and enjoyable read. I gave this book 3/5 because although it is enjoyable it’s very shallow and plain.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was first published in 1956, with this in mind, the world was a different place with varied views on things.

Julia Probyn's cousin has not communicated with any of his family for a while, now Julia needs to find him. He was last seen in Morocco, so she sets of in this direction, relying on her journalism career to be a good cover. Not looking for any danger she was not prepared for the secrets which enveloped this disappearance.

I enjoyed this book immensely, the humor and adventure that the author included played off each other just right. I was also thrilled with the opportunity to "visit" many of the exotic areas this book took me on.

Exciting and humorous, this book was an excellent choice.

I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book may be found at Amazon HERE!

[Dail Sams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julia Probyn is a charming heroine sent to Morocco to search for her missing cousin who is needed at home. Though quite beautiful and giving the appearance of being somewhat dim, Julia actually is well-educated, highly intelligent, and very intuitive, making quite an excellent amateur detective. Her skills are put to good use as she searches for her cousin Colin, making valuable friends along the way, and finally connecting with the mysterious Colin at the perfect time. The action was rather slow, but never boring, with interesting characters woven throughout. Post World War II middle East made for a fascinating background.

[Mh Weyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book wasn’t aS easy reading as many modern books because of its quaint grammar. But so much better written. And the book is a good look not only into life in Africa after right after WWII, but also a look into a more upright and wholesome time. I had to laugh when the main character comments, “Has it ever struck you how apocalyptic the world is today?” And this during the mid 1900s. If only they could see the world now!
I found the character descriptions quite interesting but did guess at the big plot-twist at the end shortly after being introduced to the idea early on in the book. And the unwinding of all mysteries happened in the last 20 pages of the book rather abruptly.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Published in 1956, so times have changed, but I enjoyed reading this story and learning about the situation and politics of the time. When Julia sets out for northern Africa to find her cousin Colin and try to convince him that he is needed at home, she really has no idea what she is getting into. Carefully feeling her way, casually asking questions — which frequently lead to more questions &mdash she becomes both fascinated and frustrated at times.

[Kathleen Robson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read overall. Quite interesting about a woman travelling alone around North Africa in the 1950's but some quite dodgy old fashioned views about the Moroccan people being able to govern themselves. A bit colonial in tone but interesting nevertheless. Quite a lot of adventure and spying going on based around this woman's search for her cousin who is required to take over the family estate.

[Gail Wylde · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review. I got into the book straight away but after about a third I found it became long winded and lost my attention a bit. The final third became a bit better. The one thing I did think as I was reading it is that it would be great as a TV show similar to say "Father Brown" - good old fashioned afternoon TV. I don't think I will read any more Anne Bridge but I would curl up with a hot chocolate and watch it on TV.

[Patricia Moren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful story, part old fashioned and part modern. Great range of characters and very entertaining writing style. Lots of intrigue and twists and turns which kept me engaged to the end. You could really feel the atmosphere and be part of the surroundings to the story. Great writing skills. Good conclusion which tied up all the ends. Excellent read.

[Ginny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the causally racist and classist colonial arrogance of the main character cringe worthy. There are some very good descriptions of the different cities and landscape of northern Africa, but they are not integrated into the story in an effective way.

[Marie (UK) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a book in the mystery genre set late 50's early 60's with very much upper class characters. It was IMP all over the place and very difficult to read certainly not a series I would follow

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Ann Bridge, and I enjoyed it very much! I will definitely be reading more by this author. I'm quite happy with this new-to-me discovery. Bridge's descriptions of different locales are lovely; the reader gets a good sense of being in Casablanca, Tangier, and Fez at a particular point in time. The portrayal of the ex-pat culture (British-French-American) in Africa is intriguing and interesting from an historical standpoint, though I have no idea how realistic it is. The sleuth, Julia Probyn, is a nice straightforward character who avoids both the "elderly spinster who knits and gossips" and the "beautiful young firebrand who gets into more than she can deal with without Handsome Man" tropes.

If you crave tight suspense, fast-paced thrills, gore and violence, crime procedurals or a lot of details about the underworld, this book is not for you. If you enjoy leisurely comedies of manners, British country life, educated characters, and glimpses of the age when imperialism was starting to fade, you may well enjoy this book.

This novel will probably appeal to those who enjoy Patricia Wentworth (Miss Silver), Angela Thirkell, Nancy Mitford, Margery Allingham, and similar works.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered Ann Bridge through the Kindle Daily Deals. When I saw that her books were published by Bloomsbury Reader, I knew they would be good. Julia Probyn, the young journalist/amateur detective, is energetic and adventurous. In this first installment of the series, she takes off for northern Africa to find her cousin, who hasn't been heard from in 9 months. She visits several famous cities--Casablanca, Fez, and Tangier among them. Bridge has a strong gift for evoking sense of place. Her descriptions of the locations are superb. This book reminded me of the Mrs. Pollifax series, probably because of the exotic locations. This was a fun book, and I would read another if they appear on the Kindle Daily Deals again.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable, light read. Bridge's writing was very good and I liked her characters - particularly Julia, the main character, who travels from England to Morocco to help her family track down her missing cousin.

There was a little too much travel description in the book for me; I wanted to get back to watching Julia unravel the mystery. And parts of the book are quite dated by now, with some descriptions of "Arabs" and Jews that would be considered offensive today. Still, there was not enough of this to spoil the book for me, and I'll probably go on to read the next book in the series of Julia's adventures.

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first in a series of books in which Julia Probyn is the main character. Light, enjoyable story about a young woman searching for her cousin. The trail takes her from 1950's Britain to North Africa -- Morocco, in particular. Lots of fun characters -- some well-drawn, some much vaguer and one more than a little typecast! Along the way she displays a talent for getting information out of others and, almost more importantly, linking bits of knowledge together.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad I took a chance on this rather obscure series when it showed up on the Kindle Daily Deal. Julia Probyn is a delightful character. She travels to Morocco to find her cousin and ends up involved with a large cast of sometimes helpful and sometimes shady characters. The mystery had a nice depth to it and I loved the descriptions of 1950's Casablanca, Tangiers and Fez.

I picked up the first four or five books on sale so I'll be looking forward to more of Julia.