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Fatal Tears
The young Egyptologist Rupert Winfield has escaped his family
and career to become a tour guide on a Nile paddle steamer. The Great War is now a decade ago and well-heeled Europeans and Americans are once again flocking to Egypt to see the country’s famous monuments.
For Winfield, his assembled party seems at first to be the usual ragbag of the ignorant, the racist, and the feckless, but he soon discovers that some of the guests on board have rather more to them than meets the eye. Who exactly, he begins to wonder, is the mysterious Sebastian Printon, and
why do accidents keep happening whenever he is around? And
then there’s the handsome, war-wounded doctor, for whom
Winfield begins to feel more than just a passing interest – but even he, it seems, has his secrets.
and career to become a tour guide on a Nile paddle steamer. The Great War is now a decade ago and well-heeled Europeans and Americans are once again flocking to Egypt to see the country’s famous monuments.
For Winfield, his assembled party seems at first to be the usual ragbag of the ignorant, the racist, and the feckless, but he soon discovers that some of the guests on board have rather more to them than meets the eye. Who exactly, he begins to wonder, is the mysterious Sebastian Printon, and
why do accidents keep happening whenever he is around? And
then there’s the handsome, war-wounded doctor, for whom
Winfield begins to feel more than just a passing interest – but even he, it seems, has his secrets.
492 pages, Hardcover
First published June 27, 2013
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281 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 23, 2018
Another one of my first reads books.
I really had high hopes for this book, the beautiful heavy hardback book was just not as good as it seemed. I read it all, just incase it did improve, due to my interest in Egyptian history, travelling and culture, but no, it was not for me. The story was very long winded, follows a group of people on a river cruise with several stops along the way to visit temples, see caves and ancient ruins. The cruise is plagued by accidents and mishaps while they are closely being followed by the authorities. A very slow and dull cat and mouse story.
I really had high hopes for this book, the beautiful heavy hardback book was just not as good as it seemed. I read it all, just incase it did improve, due to my interest in Egyptian history, travelling and culture, but no, it was not for me. The story was very long winded, follows a group of people on a river cruise with several stops along the way to visit temples, see caves and ancient ruins. The cruise is plagued by accidents and mishaps while they are closely being followed by the authorities. A very slow and dull cat and mouse story.
May 30, 2017
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Set in post-World War I Egypt, the soon to be published Fatal Tears, the debut novel of Stuart Fifield, will keep readers gripped and amused throughout its 492 pages. With suppositious characters, historical details, mystery and danger, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Fatal Tears is a story that involves a profusion of characters who, unbeknownst to them, are all connected in some way, big or small. The main character is arguably Rupert Winfield, an Egyptologist who escaped his fate of becoming a teacher by fleeing to Egypt and working as a tour guide aboard a Nile paddle steamer. As usual, his latest tour group is made up of perplexing characters who, to the Egyptian crew, are completely bewildering. However, this trip is unlike any Rupert has led before.
From dogmatic Mrs Grassmere to a late arrival, the journey is foredoomed from the very beginning. Rupert is used to contrary tourists, but some of his latest group really test his patience. Most concerning is the shifty Sebastian Printon, an emotionless man whose silent disposition causes great curiosity. But, once a series of accidents including a twisted ankle, man overboard and an unfortunate death, fellow passenger, Dr Stephen Hopkins, begins to suspect foul play.
Although the subtitle The Journeys of Rupert Winfield suggests the focus will be on the tour guide, the main storyline does not truly involve him at all. Whilst Rupert develops a valued relationship with the gallant Hopkins, it is the doctor who is most involved with solving the mysterious happenings befalling the passengers on the boat.
Furthermore, the story picks up in other locations, feeding the reader with information, explaining the goings on that involve a certain individual aboard the steamer. Along with rising antagonism throughout Europe, covert diamond smuggling from Africa to Germany puts many innocent lives in danger.
Whilst the reader understands what is going on, Stephen Hopkins tries to encourage Rupert to observe the odd goings on and behaviours of the people in his care. Adopting a Sherlock Holmes-like manner, Hopkins accurately uncovers the truth, but there is little he can do to apprehend the culprit without putting everyone else in grave danger.
Flitting back and forth between character viewpoints can be a little confusing, but as the chain of events begins to knit together it is easy to keep up with the developing storyline. As well as the growing tension, Fatal Tears is full of humour, largely supplied by the oddly assorted bunch of tourists. The light-hearted discourse is a welcome contrast to the underlying suspense.
Although the narrative becomes wearisome at times, Fatal Tears is definitely a story worth reading. It has both entertainment and educational value and is written so well it would be a shame for Stuart Fifield’s work to remain unknown.
Set in post-World War I Egypt, the soon to be published Fatal Tears, the debut novel of Stuart Fifield, will keep readers gripped and amused throughout its 492 pages. With suppositious characters, historical details, mystery and danger, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Fatal Tears is a story that involves a profusion of characters who, unbeknownst to them, are all connected in some way, big or small. The main character is arguably Rupert Winfield, an Egyptologist who escaped his fate of becoming a teacher by fleeing to Egypt and working as a tour guide aboard a Nile paddle steamer. As usual, his latest tour group is made up of perplexing characters who, to the Egyptian crew, are completely bewildering. However, this trip is unlike any Rupert has led before.
From dogmatic Mrs Grassmere to a late arrival, the journey is foredoomed from the very beginning. Rupert is used to contrary tourists, but some of his latest group really test his patience. Most concerning is the shifty Sebastian Printon, an emotionless man whose silent disposition causes great curiosity. But, once a series of accidents including a twisted ankle, man overboard and an unfortunate death, fellow passenger, Dr Stephen Hopkins, begins to suspect foul play.
Although the subtitle The Journeys of Rupert Winfield suggests the focus will be on the tour guide, the main storyline does not truly involve him at all. Whilst Rupert develops a valued relationship with the gallant Hopkins, it is the doctor who is most involved with solving the mysterious happenings befalling the passengers on the boat.
Furthermore, the story picks up in other locations, feeding the reader with information, explaining the goings on that involve a certain individual aboard the steamer. Along with rising antagonism throughout Europe, covert diamond smuggling from Africa to Germany puts many innocent lives in danger.
Whilst the reader understands what is going on, Stephen Hopkins tries to encourage Rupert to observe the odd goings on and behaviours of the people in his care. Adopting a Sherlock Holmes-like manner, Hopkins accurately uncovers the truth, but there is little he can do to apprehend the culprit without putting everyone else in grave danger.
Flitting back and forth between character viewpoints can be a little confusing, but as the chain of events begins to knit together it is easy to keep up with the developing storyline. As well as the growing tension, Fatal Tears is full of humour, largely supplied by the oddly assorted bunch of tourists. The light-hearted discourse is a welcome contrast to the underlying suspense.
Although the narrative becomes wearisome at times, Fatal Tears is definitely a story worth reading. It has both entertainment and educational value and is written so well it would be a shame for Stuart Fifield’s work to remain unknown.
June 15, 2018
A well written book and although reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile, I found it just as enjoyable to read.
After the first World War, the Third Reich is smuggling diamonds from South West Africa to Germany in an effort to boost its funding. A group of tourists who are travelling on a paddle steamer up the Nile are unknowingly caught up in the smuggling ring. Mishaps and murders occur during the cruise however, the majority of the group are unaware of the danger believing all the incidents to be accidental.
The tourists traits and mannerisms made for some hilarious reading and the well researched historical and geographical element made the story especially interesting for me as I have also travelled up the Nile to Aswan Dam and visited some of the places mentioned.
Rupert Wingfield and Stephen Hopkin's relationship is also sensitively dealt with. All in all a very good read and highly recommended.
After the first World War, the Third Reich is smuggling diamonds from South West Africa to Germany in an effort to boost its funding. A group of tourists who are travelling on a paddle steamer up the Nile are unknowingly caught up in the smuggling ring. Mishaps and murders occur during the cruise however, the majority of the group are unaware of the danger believing all the incidents to be accidental.
The tourists traits and mannerisms made for some hilarious reading and the well researched historical and geographical element made the story especially interesting for me as I have also travelled up the Nile to Aswan Dam and visited some of the places mentioned.
Rupert Wingfield and Stephen Hopkin's relationship is also sensitively dealt with. All in all a very good read and highly recommended.
March 20, 2018
For the sake of transparency I received this in a Goodreads giveaway.
Touches of Agatha Christie, without her genius (might be a bit much to ask), but nice echoes none the less. There was something about the lack of neat answers, and the way the characters struggled that rather appealed to me. The mystery is given context, the characters have believable motivation, and the setting is very nicely done indeed. The romance between our lead character and the Dr - who has more to him than meets the eye - is deftly handled as well. All in all a rather enjoyable read, well worth some proper attention. Oh, and I liked who 'saves the day' (ish) as well!
Touches of Agatha Christie, without her genius (might be a bit much to ask), but nice echoes none the less. There was something about the lack of neat answers, and the way the characters struggled that rather appealed to me. The mystery is given context, the characters have believable motivation, and the setting is very nicely done indeed. The romance between our lead character and the Dr - who has more to him than meets the eye - is deftly handled as well. All in all a rather enjoyable read, well worth some proper attention. Oh, and I liked who 'saves the day' (ish) as well!
June 1, 2018
I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FROM GOODREADS. I ENJOYED THIS BOOK - I LOVE A GOOD MURDER AND I LOVE EGYPT!
August 28, 2017
It took me a little while to get into this book as historical fiction isn't always my first choice (despite having a history degree). However once I did, I enjoyed it.
I think that on the whole, it's well-written. The use of language feels appropriate for the era in which it is set. Stuart Fifield uses wonderfully descriptive language, painting images with his words - something that is important in a setting such as Egypt. Again, I enjoyed how the characters were written; even those I would have disliked as individuals, such as Mrs Grassmere. The way the budding romance between Rupert and Stephen was handled was appropriate for the era. It was a gentle building of something special between two intelligent, likeable individuals.
The mystery of the diamond smuggling was intriguing; even though you know who has the diamonds initially, you do get suspicious of other characters and what they may have to do with it, if anything. Trying to figure out what some people were up to was entertaining and kept me interested in the story.
I do think I was probably a lot more interested in Rupert's talks than most of the characters were. I loved the descriptions of Ancient Egypt and the remains we have been left with. The utter confusion that Mohammed and some of the other Egyptian characters had over the way Europeans behaved was great - and at the same time made me feel embarrassed as the same behaviours still happen today.
My only real criticism is that I felt the ending was rather sudden. The whole deal with Ruth and Jeremy felt like it just suddenly vanished. And how did Rupert come to decide to be in England? I'd have liked to have seen that. It felt as though there was a sudden leap forward in time, where everything else had been written in detail.
I won this as a Goodreads giveaway (thank you for the signed copy!) and I'm glad I did as it isn't something I would have bought for myself; I would have missed out. The fact that I won it makes no difference to my opinion.
I think that on the whole, it's well-written. The use of language feels appropriate for the era in which it is set. Stuart Fifield uses wonderfully descriptive language, painting images with his words - something that is important in a setting such as Egypt. Again, I enjoyed how the characters were written; even those I would have disliked as individuals, such as Mrs Grassmere. The way the budding romance between Rupert and Stephen was handled was appropriate for the era. It was a gentle building of something special between two intelligent, likeable individuals.
The mystery of the diamond smuggling was intriguing; even though you know who has the diamonds initially, you do get suspicious of other characters and what they may have to do with it, if anything. Trying to figure out what some people were up to was entertaining and kept me interested in the story.
I do think I was probably a lot more interested in Rupert's talks than most of the characters were. I loved the descriptions of Ancient Egypt and the remains we have been left with. The utter confusion that Mohammed and some of the other Egyptian characters had over the way Europeans behaved was great - and at the same time made me feel embarrassed as the same behaviours still happen today.
My only real criticism is that I felt the ending was rather sudden. The whole deal with Ruth and Jeremy felt like it just suddenly vanished. And how did Rupert come to decide to be in England? I'd have liked to have seen that. It felt as though there was a sudden leap forward in time, where everything else had been written in detail.
I won this as a Goodreads giveaway (thank you for the signed copy!) and I'm glad I did as it isn't something I would have bought for myself; I would have missed out. The fact that I won it makes no difference to my opinion.
February 20, 2017
This was an enjoyable read, the style and characters were really good as were the scenic and historical details.
August 8, 2021
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway a few years ago and felt it was time I actually read it.
If you like the style of Agatha Christie this would be a good book to try. The characters are very reminiscent of the oddball collection that appear in her stories and were fun to read. I also loved the descriptions of travelling down the Nile, visiting the temples and other sites along the way.
My only issue with this (and that's a 'me' issue, not the fault of the book) is that I wish there had been more mystery and that you found things out at the same time as the characters rather than having it all spelled out for you at the start. There's also a m/m relationship which was handled really well and I really appreciated.
Overall a really enjoyable read!
If you like the style of Agatha Christie this would be a good book to try. The characters are very reminiscent of the oddball collection that appear in her stories and were fun to read. I also loved the descriptions of travelling down the Nile, visiting the temples and other sites along the way.
My only issue with this (and that's a 'me' issue, not the fault of the book) is that I wish there had been more mystery and that you found things out at the same time as the characters rather than having it all spelled out for you at the start. There's also a m/m relationship which was handled really well and I really appreciated.
Overall a really enjoyable read!
February 3, 2017
I received this as a free book through Goodreads First Reads.
This book was a quite interesting read with a small amount of info on Egyptology and between wars secret intelligence, it was easy to imagine the Egyptian heat, dust and locals. The characters on the whole were believable but is was difficult to decide who was the main character, Rupert, Stephen or Ashdown as they all had equally important parts to play. Some of the side characters were obnoxious but all part of the story line.
On the whole an easy enjoyable read and it will be interesting to see how and which characters move on to the next book.
This book was a quite interesting read with a small amount of info on Egyptology and between wars secret intelligence, it was easy to imagine the Egyptian heat, dust and locals. The characters on the whole were believable but is was difficult to decide who was the main character, Rupert, Stephen or Ashdown as they all had equally important parts to play. Some of the side characters were obnoxious but all part of the story line.
On the whole an easy enjoyable read and it will be interesting to see how and which characters move on to the next book.
December 29, 2015
Thank you Goodreads for sending me this book. Wow! What a great book. I really loved reading this. The book starts after the first world war, with the Third Reich trying to bolster its financial efforts with diamond smuggling from Africa. I loved the parts of the novel set in Egypt. It was very atmospheric, and having visited this country, I could visualise all the tourist attractions described. The characters were believable and I found the book to be a real page turner. A definite 5 out of 5.
September 25, 2016
I love Goodreads Giveaways as it gives me a chance to read things I wouldn't normally pick, and this book probably falls into this category.
Wow! And unexpectedly I really enjoyed this! I loved the characters, the plot was fast paced and gripping. I could really visualise the scenes in the book and was sad when I reached the end of the book.
Loved this and hope to read future books in this series / from this author.
Thank you for the free copy I received from the author, in return for an honest review.
Wow! And unexpectedly I really enjoyed this! I loved the characters, the plot was fast paced and gripping. I could really visualise the scenes in the book and was sad when I reached the end of the book.
Loved this and hope to read future books in this series / from this author.
Thank you for the free copy I received from the author, in return for an honest review.
September 10, 2016
Having lived in South Africa and visited Egypt sailing up the Nile and viewing the ancient Kingdoms I enjoyed the settings of this book.A good mystery story with strong characters,unfolding in a relaxed manner holding the readers interest all the way through.I highly recommend 'Fatal Tears' and look forward to reading Stuart Fifield's other books.
November 5, 2016
Review to follow.
December 15, 2016
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It gave me an insight of an Egypt in the past. I shall look out for future novels from this author. Well done it was a great and different read.
April 25, 2017
Thank you to the author and Goodreads Giveaways for the signed copy.
I thought this quite an interesting mystery/adventure but felt that it was too long.I also found some of the Afro-European political history and Egyptian history/mythology overdone: the basic plot was really quite simple.
The relationship between Rupert and Stephen was gently and tastefully handled and the period feeling was definitely there.
A good read for those who enjoy adventure stories in an authentic setting. I will try the follow-up book to see how Rupert’s life develops
I thought this quite an interesting mystery/adventure but felt that it was too long.I also found some of the Afro-European political history and Egyptian history/mythology overdone: the basic plot was really quite simple.
The relationship between Rupert and Stephen was gently and tastefully handled and the period feeling was definitely there.
A good read for those who enjoy adventure stories in an authentic setting. I will try the follow-up book to see how Rupert’s life develops
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews