And Berry Came Too

Berry #6

by Dornford Yates

Eight stories in which we encounter ‘the hair-raising adventures and idiotic situations of the Pleydell family’ (Punch). Along with John Buchan and ‘Sapper’, Yates dominated the adventure book market of the inter-war years, and Berry is regarded as one of British comic writing’s finest creations, including Tom Sharpe amongst his fans. Read these and weep (with laughter).

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published December 1, 1945

About the author

Dornford Yates (real name Cecil William Mercer) was a popular British novelist.

Reviews

[Mitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've just read The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared, and I came back to change my rating on Dornford Yates, adding a star. His work is dated and not at all politically correct - maybe kinder to say it reflects the views and opinions of his time - but by comparison with Jonas Jonasson it romps along effortlessly, taking the reader with it. After the tiresome 100-year-old,a bit of Pleydell silliness might be just the ticket.

[Teresa Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This enjoyable tale of a close knit group and the situations they encounter when they determine to attend an estate sale (sound boring) but it soon turns into another adventure thwarting crooks and escaping incarceration for being too close to the fan when the mess hits it.

[5greenway · Rating 4 out of 5]

A faithful dog and a horde of crooks in Arcadia.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chronologically there's a long break between the previous full collection of comic Berry short stories, Jonah and Co. from 1922 and this from 1938 collection, although some of the Pleydell clan had appeared in the thriller novel Perishable Goods as well as the full length novel Adele and Co. in 1931. Still this is a back to basics Berry collection. According to Yates this collection is set between chap. one of Berry and Co. and the rest of that book. This means Boy hasn't yet taken up with Adele and can have another love interest in the form of one Perdita Boyte. The stories as ever are set in highly romanticised Neverneverland version of England, concern a bunch of rich layabout snobs who are all much more likeable than they should be, as is Yates prose.