Bertie And The Tinman

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales #1

by Peter Lovesey

It is 1886 and the greatest of all jockeys, Fed Archer, has put his gun to his head and shot himself. An inquest is arranged with indecent haste. His mind was unhinged by typhoid, say the jury, despite conflicting evidence.

The Prince is suspicious. He admired Archer. He knows the Turf better than anyone on that jury and he has personal experience of typhoid. When he learns that Archer’s last words were, “Are they coming?”
he decides on action. He will turn his unique talents to solving the mystery and tell us in his inimitable fashion how he does it.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Victorian, British Literature

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Peter Harmer Lovesey, also known by his pen name Peter Lear, was a British writer of historical and contemporary detective novels and short stories. His best-known series characters are Sergeant Cribb, a Victorian-era police detective based in London, and Peter Diamond, a modern-day police detective in Bath. He was also one of the world's leading track and field statisticians.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a lot of fun having the Prince of Wales attempting to be detective of worth after a jockey dies by his own hand. I was not familiar with the famous jockey Fred Archer known as Tinman and his success at Cambridgeshire races.
There is plenty of action as well as humour to be enjoyed.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Lovesey is best known for his Peter Diamond series, but I am delighted that this mystery novel has now been re-released. Bertie and the Tinman is the first of three novels featuring the future King Edward VII, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, as the hero. First published in 1987, this book is followed by Bertie and the Seven Bodies and Bertie And The Crime Of Passion.

Set in 1886, this novel begins with the Tinman, jockey Fred Archer, committing suicide. Bertie, the Prince of Wales, is a great admirer of Archer and turns detective when he has doubts about how and why the "greatest jockey ever" has killed himself. Archer was found to have committed suicde while in a state of temporary insanity induced by typhoid fever - Bertie himself almost died of typhoid and his father, Prince Albert, also contracted typhoid, so the Prince of Wales is more than aware of the symptons. Unconvinced, Bertie attends the inquest and then begins to ask questions that demand answers. Did Archer want to win races so much that he was prepared to bribe other jockeys to throw races? Was he having an affair with elderly racehorse owner Carrie Montrose? What part does the mysterious Squire play in events?

This is a charming portrait of Bertie, whose written account of the adventure is consigned to the Public Record Office for future readers to enjoy. Bertie's record of events take us from East End music halls to nervous meetings with "mama", as the Prince of Wales both attempts anonymity and bristles when not shown due respect. If you enjoy historical mysteries with unusual settings and the fun twist of a novel narrator, this will certainly be a book you will enjoy. It's a shame that there are only three novels in this delightful series, but they are a charming and delightful read.

[Janelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Prince Albert blusters about solving a mystery. A modest and enjoyable enough tale.

[Deanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little dissappointed in a book on the top 100 crime novels, Lovesey has written better than this. Bertie doesn't solve the crime so much as blunder into the correct answer, plus it's hard to believe he'd be able to run around the country without people in tow, though maybe the royal family could do that 125 years ago.
What is fun is the way that Bertie sees himself, handsome, young and of superior intellect, not the way in which the rest of the country seems to regard him.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as part of the three-book omnibus called Bertie.
The Prince of Wales, Bertie, is jaunting around the country seemingly without many cares or attendants, and resolves to find out whether the top jockey of the day shot himself. This jockey had ridden one of Bertie's horses to victory. Amusing scenes occur in the midst of tragedy and seriousness, such as when Bertie, dressed in black, is mistaken for a funeral home attendant. His manner is fussy and quite formal, as I suppose it would have been, and he enjoys his food.
For a story about racing I would have liked an actual race day to occur - we just get a remembered scene - and more time spent in stables or watching gallops. But we do realise that horses are a substantial industry and employer.
Best for those who enjoy historical crime with many references to the rich and famous.
I downloaded an e-ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: in 1886 the greatest of all jockeys, Fed Archer, shot himself. The Prince, who admired the jockey, decides on action.

[Crissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
A fun and enjoyable romp! Bertie, the Prince of Wales, the narrator was very funny and the book was very well-written, but the story was lacking a little depth.

[☕Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ratings:

Writing 4
Story line 3
Characters 3
Impact 3

Overall rating 3.25

[DeAnna Knippling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great historical research, great character...I wasn't so hot on the plot, which was serviceable but not inspired. It wasn't so much that I called the twist early (ehhh) but that the plot twist force some of the chapters to move very slowly, as in, "The fact that nothing much happened here is important, but...that meant that nothing much happened," happened several times. The excellently flawed Bertie made up for that, mostly.

[Gabi Coatsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a fun romp through Edwardian Britain. The plot was extremely far-fetched but the characters were entertaining. Fine for a wet afternoon…

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of like the main character, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (who would go on to become Edward VII), fondly known to his friends & family as Bertie. He has a very tongue-in-cheek way of sharing a story, and I give some kudos to Mr. Lovesey for using him as a fictional character.

The story is based on the real-life death of one Frederick Archer, probably the most famous & most successful jockey during the time of Queen Victoria up until his death at age 29. In real life, of course, the Prince of Wales wouldn't have been a detective sniffing at the truth of the matter, but in this book, it is Bertie himself who refuses to believe that Archer shot himself after a bout of typhoid (which the fictional coroner said made him of unsound mind) and gets involved in trying to figure out what happened.

If you read this book, you'll join Bertie from the music halls of London to the race track to his home in Sandringham with his wife and children. It's a fun way to spend a few hours and by golly, I have all of the other Bertie books & plan to go through them all. I think British mystery fans would like it, as would fans of mysteries set in the Victorian period. Fun stuff! Go read it.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in 1886, this frothy confection is the first in a sequence of murder mysteries featuring "Bertie" aka Prince Edward aka the future King Edward VII as an amateur sleuth. It's a fun conceit, and those looking for a quick and amusing period whodunnit could do a lot worse than this. The plot was inspired by, and revolves around, the mysterious suicide of a real-life star jockey of the era. The real life Prince took a great interest in horse racing, and so his fictional version seeks to investigate the suspicious death.

Soon enough, he's running around in disguise, popping down to the less reputable parts of London, and stirring up trouble. The real-life Prince was a bit of a playboy (albeit married with children), and so there's a fair amount of suggestive farcical twists built around that part of his biography. It's written first-person in a kind of bluff but insider's voice that sets a light tone for everything. As a mystery it's OK, the real pleasure comes from the comedic effect of a royal sleuth. All in all, reasonably fun, but not so much that I feel the need to read the rest of the "Bertie" stories.

[Shiela · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was okay. I really liked the historical aspect and the premise (the king in waiting bumbling around secretly sleuthing), but the story itself was just okay. I hate books on horse racing so I figure that probably had a lot to do with my overall enjoyment but I will give the second book in this series a try. I did find the characters quite hilarious, especially Bertie and his not so discreet indiscretions.

[Jane · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bertie is a pompous, self absorbed, oblivious narrator. He's a terrible detective because his ego is so large he can't really see past it to actually observe any clues let alone human nature / desires / personality strengths and weaknesses to imagine the psychology or motives of a murderer. He doesn't have enough empathy to consider any viewpoints beyond his own. With that as premise, how will he uncover anything interesting about the victim or potential suspects who's lives intersected with the victim's?
Basically: Bertie's a prat. With Bertie's voice as constant company, it made reading this beyond tedious - it accelerated hard into painful reading territory. I think it was meant to be humorous - a satirical sendup of Prince Albert. Either way I don't really want to spend any time with this person. I was expecting / hoping for a delightfully flawed lead a la Bertie Wooster who means well but always does the exact wrong thing in the exact wrong way at the exact wrong time to cause maximum chaos... and ensuing hilarity as Jeeves swoops in to clean up the messes. The trouble with this Bertie who isn't Wooster is that he has none of the endearing self deprecation or intelligence or social graces (that turn into faux pas) or willingness to put himself in awkward situations to help out desperate friends or relatives. There's nothing redeeming about this Bertie. What's more punishing is that he has no witty and eminently capable sidekick to keep him on track and/or clean up his messes.
Moreover, after reading several of Peter Lovesey's Peter Diamond mysteries and feeling meh about them, and enjoying Sargeant Cribb in Wobble to Death, a definite pattern is emerging. I don't like the way Lovesey writes women in general. In this installment it's particularly atrocious as narrated by Bertie, as Prince Albert fancied himself a ladies man for all his poppycock and portly preening about town. It's objectification at his finest as he ogles every lady who passes through his field of vision.
The third and final strike on this one was the tedious trips to the horse races and the lengthy descriptions thereof. I have been to Saratoga for the races and to my surprise I loved them! The energy of the crowd, the anticipation of the race, the odds, the betting, the lineage of each horse printed in the daily racing papers, the jockeys track records to consider, the crowds and people watching offering no end of amusement, and the HATS AND FANCY DRESS! But beyond it all the beauty of the horses in motion, doing what they naturally long to do with such grace and strength. There is much to entertain. It's all spoiled with Bertie in the stands. Paragraphs setting the scene shimmer with excitement only to be dimmed by long ramblings by Bertie. These later turn out to be introducing characters and backstory relevant to the plot but he's such a blowhard that it's easy to lose interest.
Shame as I was hoping these would be promising and engaging mysteries by a clever and subtle member of the royal family longing to serve a purpose incognito for once. I was planning to find and read the whole trio but one was more than I could take. Didn't make it to 100 pages. (Skimmed ahead to read the two chapters and the conclusion was just as disappointing as the beginning!)

[LeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable read. It is based on the real life and death of a well know British jockey, Fred Archer. However, the author Peter Lovesey, takes some liberties with the story between Archer's life and his death. The story is told by Bertie, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII. It is a "tongue in cheek" version of the life of the jockey. The book begins with Bertie telling the reader about Fred Archer and how he (Bertie) turned detective to prove that Archer did not commit suicide but was murdered instead. Bertie often goes incognito around London in order to conduct his investigations, using some of his servants and friends to help him. I wondered about the jockey's nickname, Tinman or Tin Man. I found this in Archer's Wikipedia page: "known for being miserly with money, hence the nickname "Tin Man". (? Helpful, not) Archer earned a lot of money as a very successful jockey, but also lost some due to his gambling addiction. I liked the off hand way that Bertie spoke to the "dear reader" all through the book. He begins by talking to the reader while "sitting in my study on the last day of 1886, addressing someone not yet born, but that is what I take you to be." He ends the story with "And now, my loyal companion through these pages, it is time to conclude my humble narrative and place it under lock and key. What did you think of my investigation?" "Stout work, Bertie! There; I said it for you."

[P · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read the synopsis of this on BookBub, I thought it sounded like a hoot. I mean, the Prince of Wales as an amateur sleuth? Afraid of nothing except his own mother, the queen? Right up my alley.

I was not wrong. This little book was a romp! How could it not be? The main character, Bertie, is Queen Victoria’s oldest son, who had quite the reputation before ascending to the throne as Edward VII. Bored as he waits for his turn to reign, and intrigued by the apparent suicide of England’s most famous jockey, Bertie becomes entangled in a complicated murder investigation. His self-perception and vanity, in contrast with what his countrymen and even his own mother think of him form, the basis of much of the
humor here.

The author writes in a style appropriate to the setting of the novel-Victorian England-and does an admirable job. The investigation is twisty-turny. It kept me guessing anyway.

All in all, an entertaining read. I think I’d like to read the others in the series.

[grundoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I read the first few Loveseys many years ago (not sure why I stopped... probably a combination of distraction by other newly-found authors and lack of sustained interest in the Victorian setting) and at some point must have also picked up this first of his next series, in which Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (future Edward VII), fancies himself a detective. If you can put up with the narcissism and callousness of a philandering aristocrat, it's really quite well done – told in first person, directly addressing the reader of a journal not to be opened for 100 years – loosely based on the real suicide of jockey Fred Archer. I mean, there are reasons he's won a Lifetime Achievement award. I'd certainly be interested in the other two of this playful little series, but unlikely to put much effort in seeking them out.

[Jameson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are enough competent-yet-meh mysteries like this one in the universe that they could fill all of my reading time till my dying day, but what a boring way to go.

If I’d read this one first, instead of Bertie and the Seven Bodies, I probably would not only have skipped the rest of the Bertie books I’d probably have skipped the rest of Lovesey’s output altogether. And that would be a shame. Because I loved Seven Bodies.

Not to say this book was without any redeeming qualities. Bertie’s humor shone through. Just not bright enough. I can’t help it but few topics bore me more than horse racing and this was all about that. If the next book is more like this one, well, I’ll always have Seven Bodies.

[GhostofMyrtle]

The first of three novels featuring Albert Edward, Prince of Wales and the future King Edward VII.

Based around a true historic event, the suicide of champion jockey Fred Archer in 1886, Lovesey has written an easy to read mystery book which doesn't fail to entertain it's readers.

The future king has written his experiences in looking into the case, locking it away for 100 years so that no one involved is alive when his story is revealed. If you like an easy to read mystery I would recommend this heartily.

The book ends with "a note from the editor" explaining what happened afterwards to several real life people who were included in the narrative.

[Chazzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

1886 and Albert Edward, AKA Prince of Wales is known as a playboy, sportsman, socially active in events for country and his mother, Her Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. When the most famous jockey, Fred Archer, nickname the Tinman, commits suicide, the Bertie adds detective to his resumé.

Being such a high profile person, investigation can be very difficult, especially if his mother got wind of it. From country manor houses to music halls, Bertie finds himself searching for answers and ending up in some extremely awkward situations. One which involves and exotic bird!

Written from his point of view, it is entertaining with humour and a good pace.

[Edie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, eldest son of Queen Victoria and heir to the throne, decides he wants to play detective when a jockey friend of his, actually the best jockey in England, commits suicide and the prince doesn't believe it was a suicide. With all his royal prerogatives, the prince goes blundering through the countryside demanding whatever he wants and endangering his life and the lives of those around him in his pursuit of a murderer as the bodies mount up. His wife appears to wear blinders about his affairs with other women. His mother, the Queen, seems mostly concerned with prolonging the time till he becomes King.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took a while to get into. Once I did I enjoyed it but this probably would be more interesting if I knew the historical background better, or if I really liked horse racing more.

This had a nice plot and some great surprises.

I learned a lot about the times and London at this time in history.

I may try another to see if the characters grow on me a bit more. I really did not relate at all to Bertie.

I borrowed a copy from the public library.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, understand, while the mystery itself was good, what I really liked was his writing in the style of Victorian England. It gave me a real sense of what life was like back then both for the wealthy (read royal) and the common folk. All in all, not the best mystery I've read, but a very enjoyable, quick read nonetheless. It definitely takes you to another time and place, and Bertie is a hoot!

[Harry Addington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Prince of Wales in the Victorian age becomes a detective to investigate a suicide he doesn’t believe is a suicide. The Tinman, the best jockey, has killed himself and he doesn’t believe it. He is a hilarious detective who is not afraid of much except his mother Queen Victoria.

Funny story.

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea, but I'm biased. Lovesey has done his research on Prince Albert and while some people may find the adolescent humor amusing, and I don't doubt from what I know of British society and Prince Albert himself, the character is accurate, I got thoroughly tired of Bertie and gave the whole thing up before I properly understood the mystery and its major clues.

[We Are All Mad Here · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded up.

I loved the two Peter Lovesey standalones that I read, and the Peter Diamond series has been mostly solid, but I think I'll give the rest of this Bertie, Prince of Wales series a pass for now. More horse racing than I'd have liked and a lot of missed opportunities, humor-wise.

[Elaine Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read and a good mystery

Plenty of opportunities to laugh as Bertie
very seriously pursues the various people he believed committed the murder. Good sense of life and England at that time, too.

[Linn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Prince of Wales investigates a suicide. The story wasn't predictable which was nice but the language at time was cumbersome as he uses many terms that are specifically British and appropriate for the time period.

[Bjipson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Peter Lovesey's mysteries, and this one was fun, too. Nothing here to change your life, but the Victorian/Edwardian language and expressions were fun, and the book was diverting. Just the kind of book I needed after reading a Holocaust book.