Death in Cyprus

by M.M. Kaye

Twenty-year-old Amanda Derrington is on an extended cruise with her uncle when she decides to make a short trip to the sun-washed island of Cyprus. But even before the ship arrives in the port, there is a suspicious death. Once the passengers reach the island, it soon becomes clear that the death was in fact an act of murder. What Amanda had meant to be a pleasant excursion quickly takes a turn for the worse in M. M. Kaye's Death in Cyprus , a classic novel of suspense and romance by one of our most celebrated writers.

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Romantic Suspense, Crime

271 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1956

About the author

M. M. Kaye (Mary Margaret) was born in India and spent her early childhood and much of her early-married life there. Her family ties with the country are strong: her grandfather, father, brother and husband all served the British Raj. After India's independence, her husband, Major-General Goff Hamilton of Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (the famous Indian Army regiment featured in The Far Pavilions), joined the British Army and for the next nineteen years M. M. Kaye followed the drum to Kenya, Zanzibar, Egypt, Cyprus and Germany.
M. M. Kaye won worldwide fame for The Far Pavilions, which became a worldwide best-seller on publication in 1978. This was followed by Shadow of the Moon and Trade Wind. She also wrote and illustrated The Ordinary Princess, a children's book and authored a dozen detective novels, including Death in Kashmir and Death in Zanzibar. Her autobiography has been published in three volumes, collectively entitled Share of Summer: The Sun in the Morning, Golden Afternoon, and Enchanted Evening. In March 2003, M. M. Kaye was awarded the Colonel James Tod International Award by the Maharana Mewar Foundation of Udaipur, Rajasthan, for her "contribution of permanent value reflecting the spirit and values of Mewar".

Reviews

[Bobby Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

M.M. Kaye wrote this most enjoyable mystery novel set in an enchanting Cyprus that Kaye realized was too good to last. Years later when memories of places like Kyrenia had begun to fade, she made the sun shine one last time on the Cyprus she had seen and experienced in this marvelous mystery-romance. Those who love the scope and beauty of Kaye's grander, heftier works will find much to love in this old-fashioned mystery and romance set in an exotic locale. M. M. Kaye made sure the sun would never truly set on exotic places such as Port Said, Fayid, Limassol, Nicosia and Kyrenia with Death in Cyprus.

Sunlit garden verandas, dinner tables overlooking a crystal sea of jade and emerald, and the breeze from silver-gray olive trees are described in such a manner you can almost see the former, and taste the latter like a fresh purple grape from the vineyards of Nicosia. The setting is ripe for romance and danger, and Kaye brings them together in Death in Cyprus, one of her finest mysteries. You will feel as though you have enjoyed a vacation fraught with excitement and adventure upon finishing this most charming and old-fashioned mystery.

Young and lovely twenty-year-old Amanda Derrington boards the S.S. Orantares. It is there she will meet the people who play an important part in her life in ways she could not have imagined. Before she leaves the ship for a stay in beautiful Cyprus a murder occurs which will reach the white-walled houses of Cyprus, shining bright against the sea. Only Amanda and Stephen Howard, a painter who carries a gun and may be more than he seems to be, know that it was murder, and not a suicide. Only the happenstance of a last minute cabin switch allowed Amanda to find the poison ending Julia Blaine's life. Amanda's knowledge of the crime will put her in danger as the killer is now aware of what Amanda knows.

The romance of Stephen and Amanda, or Amarantha as he calls her, is a very-old fashioned one born of danger and mystery. It is the kind of romance and mystery that recalls the best of Hitchcock's British films, and very much has that feel. Jealousy and romantic strife all come into play as just beneath the surface of smiles much is going on. Amanda is befriended by more than one person while having doubts about Stephen, and what his real purpose is in all this. A moonlight kiss will complicate matters, as will a second, unexpected murder. And an attempt will be made on Amanda's life while in Kyrenia which will nearly succeed.

There is a terrific ending filled with both adventure and romance. You will not guess the killer or the motive, although Kaye deftly gives us clues. The last few moments of Death in Cyprus are fraught with danger and excitement. Just when the reader believes all has been revealed, Kaye deftly changes everything.

A fine and vividly realized assortment of characters enliven Death in Cyprus almost as much as the exquisitely described exotic locales. Grand beauty and old-fashioned romance amidst an ever-growing danger do the rest, making this a memorable mystery romance rich and evocative of another time and place, and a different style of writing.

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

M.M. Kaye wrote six romantic suspense/murder mysteries back in the mid-20th century, all titled (or in some cases retitled) "Death in ___" and set in different exotic locations around the world. I binged on them all like so many potato chips. This time we're in beautiful scenic Cyprus, an island off the coast of Turkey and Syria with a large Greek population.



It's the 1950s, and 21 year old Amanda Derington is traveling on a ship to Cyprus for a vacation. She kindly exchanges cabins with the loud, whiny, miserable Mrs. Julia Blaine, who has a terror of the number 13 assigned to the cabin. Amanda nearly drinks a nice cold drink left in the cabin before realizing it had to have been left for Julia. Julia then comes to Amanda's cabin (to complain about her neglectful husband), drinks the drink and promptly falls dead. I guess the number 13 really was unlucky for her ...

It looks like suicide to everyone, except that Amanda and the mysterious and cynical Steven Howard, who appears in the night to help Amanda out, have some extra clues that make them realize it wasn't. But even after they disembark on Cyprus, the unknown murderer is following Amanda, presumably to tie up the loose end that she represents, in ways that involve hair-raising incidents (<-----intentional pun here, if you've read this book).


Historic Hilarion castle, where ... never mind!

I guessed the murderer in the other two Kaye mystery novels I read before this one, but Death in Cyprus fooled me completely. The clues were there; I just didn't put them all together.

This was an enjoyable, light and quick read, though nothing deep or profound. There's just a dash of romance, but it's nothing to write home about: it's the old-fashioned standard virginal ingenue and the steely-eyed alpha male who takes charge. Given the 1950s publication date I didn't mind it too much, though some readers might. I did want Amanda to be a little less helpless and a little more clued in, but I liked the main characters, in spite of their shortcomings.

A fun murder mystery, in a distinctly old-fashioned kind of way. It gives you a nice historic glimpse into Cyprus as it was in the 1950s.

[Jaline · Rating 4 out of 5]

M. M. Kaye’s descriptive writing always makes me feel like I have been there myself – and that I want to return!

Despite the fact that there are murders happening, and that somehow Amanda has gotten caught up in them, the enigmatic Steve Howard seems to always be on hand to muddy the waters and prevent Amanda from being hauled off to prison.

The group of characters around which this novel revolves is fairly large. At the same time, the characters are well drawn and uniquely themselves so it is easy to keep them sorted out. In this book, the author refrains from using the “God’s Eye View” so there is information that we are not privy to, and only three major characters and some minor ones have this information – and each person has their own reasons for not disclosing it to each other or discussing it.

This leads to a merry mental chase in an attempt to figure out who is murdering people and why. There is even one huge red herring that I doubt if anyone could see through until the very end when all things become crystal clear.

This novel is a great adventure (Cyprus!!), filled with interesting characters (many of them I would like to know better), and is so well written that I had a difficult time putting it down, even when I had to do other tasks.

There were two small details that I would have liked to see concluded that weren’t. It didn’t have a big impact on the bulk of the story, but it did nag me, which is the only reason I gave it 4.4 Stars instead of 5.

[Carol, She's so Novel ꧁꧂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me think - so much -of the old black & white postcards. I loved looking at them when foreign travel was just a dream for so many people.

I loved this book!

It was light,frothy and fun - for the most part. There is one scene that made me jump out of my chair!

A large caste of characters (including Miss Moon's house - the house just about seemed to breathe) and I had no problem telling them apart.

I did have to knock off a ★ for a couple of the characters behaving in ways that made zero sense and because Ms Kaye didn't play fair with the solution. I did guess the murderer - but logic and I aren't great friends.

Read with the Retro Reads Group. We are hoping to read Death in Berlin In February 2020. Come join us!

https://wordpress.com/view/carolshess...

[mark monday · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was pure pleasure from beginning to almost the end. M.M. Kaye drew on her own stay in Cyprus - including using the house she stayed in as the novel's central location - to paint a portrait of a certain place during a certain time, and the actual experience with the locale and the home made this a memorably immersive experience. But immersive in the lightest of ways! Death in Cyprus is a light, fizzy delight, full of fun dialogue and enjoyable characters (predominately the women, many of them larger-than-life creations) and atmosphere to die for, lol. I was so taken in by the details of this island that I often forgot to try and figure out the mystery - something that happens to the heroine herself. Kaye threads her story with a bit of melancholy, knowing that soon after the time when her story is set, the bubbling tensions surrounding the island would result in its unpleasant partition. But the melancholy never takes hold of the story, and so Death in Cyprus is overall a cheerful, charming experience. Funny to think that a story featuring two heartless murders is also a cozy, delightful story, but hey that's the genre for you.

SPOILER AHEAD, but I will try to keep it slight: Kaye's talents as a writer are not in question, but they became even more clear to me after learning who the murderer is. I had to go back and reread a section from the killer's perspective and was astounded. When unaware of the POV character's murderous nature, the section is straightforward: an interesting, psychologically astute scene featuring one character's emotional breakdown and another's guiltily disgusted response. When rereading it, knowing what is actually happening, the scene became stark and even rather horrific - I was literally reading why and how a person is killed, without knowing it. Amazing! END SPOILER

I'm sad to say that the last couple pages were a real turnoff and left an unpleasantly sour taste, enough of one for me to dock a star. I'm just not down with a guy's manipulative behavior being brushed off so casually, especially if his manipulation leads to danger for someone he supposedly cares for. It sorta sickened me. In Kaye's defense, she does include a couple lines to show that her heroine is equally repulsed. But then that is followed by our no-longer-charming hero pulling the disgusted heroine into his arms for a make-out session, 'cause I guess it doesn't really matter anymore since she's now safe and sound. Ugh, no.

Good book though, despite those last couple pages.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm detecting a distinct pattern in M.M. Kaye's novels:
1. Take an (orphaned) heroine somewhere between 20 and 24.
2. Make her very, very pretty.
3. Send her on vacation to an exotic location, or at least remove her from her usual sphere of friends and family so that she is surrounded by a limited number of native English speakers.
4. Cue a grisly murder with a limited number of suspects. (Usually mirroring the number of native English speakers.)
5. Insert a domineering Male in a position of authority to investigate. (He will fall in love with the heroine and lose perspective on the case occasionally, but otherwise prove infallible.)
6. Attach an insanely jealous wife or two.
7. Sprinkle in some decidedly non-PC worldviews and a few downright racist sentiments.
8. Add lovely, lush descriptions and settings that clearly come from personal experience and capture a dying era of British life overseas watching their empire fade.
9. Murder off at least one or two more people before the story ends.
10. Wrap everything up very rapidly, but especially the romance. That must wait till the very last page.
The end.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

***2017 Summer Lovin’ Reading List***

I love these older murder mystery/romance mash-ups written by writers like M.M. Kaye and Mary Stewart. Dating from the 1950s, they were written in an era where book heroines were more innocent (and worried about their reputations) and the social classes were more firmly entrenched.

I owned all the Kaye’s Death in … series at one point in my life and read them all multiple times. I wasn’t more than three pages into this one when I realized that I already knew who the murderer was, but I still enjoyed the reading process. The descriptions of Cyprus were beautiful and made me wish I could visit Villa Oleander and picnic in the Cyprean countryside. Kaye spent time in Cyprus as a British army wife, so no doubt was able to describe terrain that she was familiar with and obviously fond of.

Reading this now, as an older person, I realize how excruciating the effects of class are and how much personal income has become the new way to distinguish between classes (rather than whom one is related to). The characters in this novel often marry for money (George Norman and Alastair Blaine both depend on their wives’ money for their comfortable life style) and it was a foregone conclusion by their friends that it was a reasonable choice. Interestingly, it was men marrying for financial advantage, rather than the usual women in this case, perhaps Kaye pointing out that it’s a two way street.

This time around I also noticed how Persis, the American writer, is so very stereotypically American—she is loud, brash, demanding, and not the slightest bit retiring. Plus, she is attracted to British men for the same reason that many North American women are, that enticing accent. Still, she is a good friend to Amanda, our heroine, and courageous when required, so the impression is not at all negative.

An excellent nostalgia read, a great way to spend a lazy summer evening.

[Leslie Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda Derington is the 21 year old heroine at the heart of this mystery set in Kyrenia, Cyprus in the late 40s/early 50s. The beauty of this island and atmosphere in this mystery are amazing. M. M. Kaye (Mary Margaret Kaye) is probably best known for 'The Far Pavilions'. If anyone dismisses her mysteries; they are certainly missing out.
Amanda is on an extended cruise, and decides to detour and stay in Cyprus. While on the cruise she narrowly escapes death because she exchanges her cabin with the whiny, annoying Julia Blaine. This knowledge puts Amanda in danger and this suspense follows her to the beautiful villa that she stays in while there. Another murder at the villa and another narrow escape with death only add to the tension in this splendid locale.

[Algernon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little did I think when I decided on visiting the birthplace of Venus that all I should get handed in lieu of Love would be a coupla’ corpses. It’s time the boys at the Tourist Bureau rewrote that “Come to Sunny Cyprus!” stuff, and urged the prospective visitor to pack a gat and bring a lawyer with them.’

Miss Amanda Derington decides to declare her independence from her rich uncle and legal guardian by going alone on a trip to Cyprus, a dream destination ever since she had read a romantic poem in school. Her timing is not the best, with the island about to start a civil war as the English administrators are preparing their exit strategy. As her uncle remarks drily, there is a strange tendency among certain coloured races to take an actively unappreciative view of Empire builders.

I have known for years that the author is often singing praise to those same Empire builders, in particular from her epic novels set in the British Raj. One can fault her political views, but not her talent as a storyteller. I keep coming back to her stories, because M M Kaye can be relied upon to provide a good time, mixing romance, adventure and humour against an exotic backdrop. She applied to murder-romance recipe six times in the 1960s’ in a series of unrelated novels that send beautiful young girls to faraway places where they get mixed up in murder investigations and are usually rescued by tall, dark strangers with mysterious backgrounds. This one is the third.

Miss Amanda is accompanied on her cruise from Egypt to Cyprus by a colourful group of casual friends, mostly military men and their spouses, with the notable exception of a Mrs Persis Halliday, an American author on a world tour collecting material for Love in an Eastern setting. . Not everybody is charmed by the loud personality of the popular romance novelist.

‘Twaddle!’ said Mrs Blaine angrily, watching her go.
‘What is?’ inquired Amanda, startled.
‘Her books. Silly, sloppy, sentimental twaddle with a nasty, slimy streak of sex. I can’t think why anyone ever reads the stuff.’

I’m pretty sure the inclusion of Persis Hollyday is not only as a source of comic relief [more on that later]. It’s an open invitation from the author to relax and enjoy the ride! She knows she is selling us sentimental twaddle, but so what? A good escapist adventure can be therapeutic for a troubled mind, such as Mrs. Julia Blaine, the lady who is openly critical of love stories.

If she hadn’t anything to be angry about I believe she’d invent it. It’s a habit of mind.

For all her self-awareness of the kind of prose she writes, M M Kaye can be quite sharp in her observations of human nature and motivations. Maybe not quite up to the level of Agatha Christie, but a cut above the modern drivel that is sold as romance.

At any party, picnic, ball or social gathering where Alastair appeared to be enjoying himself, she would develop a headache or feel suddenly unwell, and ask to be taken home.
It became her way of demanding his attention and demonstrating her possession of him, and satisfied some hungry, jealous, grasping instinct in her that could not bear to see him entertained or interested by anything or anyone but herself.

Julia Blaine is a bitter woman, struggling with depression. She is also the first victim to die in the arms of our heroine Amanda, setting up the murder investigation part of the novel. There are no big surprises here, although the identity of the culprit was quite well masked with red herrings and smoke screens. Amanda is convinced the killer is somebody from the group of friends that gathered in picturesque Kyrenia, on the North coast of the island. Apparently, Amanda is also in immediate danger, as the only witness to the death of Julia Blaine.

‘To tell the truth, I find art an admirable excuse for avoiding work and loafing around in the sun.’

When the beautiful girl takes an instant dislike to the handsome stranger that hovers around the edges of her group, the wise reader knows something different is cooking, that that pesky boy Cupid is sharpening his arrows. Steven Howard claims to be a wandering painter and treats Amanda rather high-handedly when he is not quoting the poetry of Richard Lovelace in praise of her long hair. [To Amarantha]

Mr Howard also has the curious habit of showing up when least expected, usually when the damsel is in some sort of peril. All par for the course for a novel written a few years before the sexual revolution of the 60s’. You will not find the modern version of feminism in any of the M M Kaye novels. Her heroines tend towards the Romantic and Victorian morality, where a woman can be courageous and outspoken, but she still needs a strong hand to control her and she still views marriage as the ultimate goal of her existence. As witnessed is the way Amanda gives relationship advice to a husband whose wife ran away.

‘She sounds to me,’ said Amada candidly, ‘as if she needed a dozen with a good solid slipper. It’s a pity you didn’t try it.’

Coming in with the right expectations will prevent the reader from being disappointed in these old-fashioned attitudes. The novel is for me like a time-capsule, true to the standards of its social class and times. This holds true also for the Cyprus island offered to us here: a peaceful, sunny, spectacular place with a rich history and romantic ruins, unspoiled yet by war or mass tourism. For some Britons, like the old lady that plays host to Amanda, a place of self-imposed exile to be preferred over the clammy coldness of London. The small city of Kyrenia and the crusader castle of St Hilarion are the main haunts of Amanda and her group.

>>><<<>>><<<

In conclusion: I didn’t have high expectations from this. I just wanted to read something fluffy and fun as I close the 2020 list and to continue the duel at a distance with the very similar series written by Dorothy Dunnett. Mission accomplished! Three stars just about describes the experience: not bad, not exceptional, but ‘good’

My favorite passage has nothing to do with the murders, or with tourism, or with the budding love story. It’s the way the author uses her fictional author to describe what it means to be an author.

‘Persis – are we real to you? Or are we all just people acting out parts that give you ideas for stories?
‘Sometimes I do feel that way. As if I was on the other side of a sheet of plate glass, watching a puppet show and thinking “that’s interesting”. Sometimes the people I write about seem more real to me than a lot of people I meet, because I know them and I own them. It’s – I suppose it’s a little like being God.’

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this so much! I was clueless about the murderer until the second that person was revealed. It was fun to be so shocked. I thought the plotting was excellent and the characters were well drawn. Amanda was a good heroine — in over her head but brave. I really enjoyed her relationship with Steven Howard and how his character added to the mystery in several ways. The Cyprus setting is vivid as well. I could feel the baking heat and the white hot glare of the sun as I read. Miss Moon also deserves a special mention. She’s a delight! She seems like a character straight from Gerald Durrell’s family of eccentrics.

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently re-reading with the Retro Reads group. I haven't read this since it first came out 30+ years ago, so all I remember is that I liked it. Plot, characters, whodunnit--all vanished from my memory.
It will be like reading it for the first time.
Will update once I finish the book.

ETA 25 Nov 2019
I really enjoyed this one. Interesting characters, beautiful scenery. a romance, and a murder mystery. How much more can you ask for? Ms Kaye's prose was light and easy where it needed to be, with Amanda's growing dread whispering around the edges.
Our heroine, 21 year old Amanda Derington, was perhaps too willing to believe the best of her circle of friends and acquaintances, even while reluctantly acknowledging to herself that at least one of them was a killer. But which one? I guessed early on who the big baddie had to be, but I couldn't figure out why. The solution put forth at the end made sense, so I was satisfied.
My favorite character was Miss Moon, Amanda's charming hostess. Her house sounded wonderful. And I loved her color theory. She was thought to be eccentric and a bit dithery; perhaps she was. She was also a real sharp observer and she knew ever so much more than she let on.
The book was written in the early 1950s and it shows in some ways. (At least half the characters smoke). The romance is straight from Mills and Boon: young, innocent, somewhat naive heroine paired with a 30-something alpha hero who almost resents falling in love. Kisses only! (Though we are told that several different members of the supporting cast did a lot of bed hopping, the bedroom doors stayed firmly closed.)

MM Kaye's romantic suspense/mysteries were first published at about the same time as Mary Stewart's. IMO, Mary Stewart's were better; however, Kaye's are an enjoyable addition to the genre.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author does suspense REALLY well.
I enjoyed this story from start to finish.
I've read two M.M. Kaye books now, and it amuses me to see that her lead male characters are very alpha male, always telling the girl what's good for her, bossy, with a tenderness for the heroine barely concealed by a businesslike exterior, always doing the rescuing, etc. You get the idea. I personally don't mind it (I guess I'm a sucker for that soft heart under a gruff surface thing, and hey, if I were afraid of some deep murderous plot, I'd stick like a leech to somebody with a competent, take-charge personality) but it's definitely a product of its time and might now be seen as a bit over the top.
And the heroines tend to do a certain amount of huffing and getting offended by the alpha male, even though they secretly adore him. It's trope central, but I buy it hook, line and sinker in a good suspense novel like this!

[Susan in NC · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun intro to the work of MM Kaye - solid mystery, some really well-written scenes that ratcheted up the tension, some great characters and lovely descriptions of the beauty of Cyprus.

What I enjoyed: a smart young heroine, who yes, did some dumb things, but I’m willing to overlook because of inexperience and naïveté- she wasn’t the too dumb to live type heroine! I think the damsel in distress routine is somewhat expected in romantic suspense, which is what I would consider this story. I prefer a more traditional mystery, I think; this reminded me somewhat of the Vicky Bliss mysteries of Elizabeth Peters, which were romantic suspense, but with a healthy dose of humor - as if she was spoofing the very successful romantic suspense stories she wrote as Barbara Michaels.

I enjoyed much of this book, as there were several great characters- I loved the eccentric, wise, color-coded Miss Moon, and the wise-cracking, elegant American writer, Persis; but I could have cheerfully strangled the annoying, grasping Claire, and quickly tired of her precious little woman act! Several of the male characters seemed dated, not surprising given the era the book was written in, and rather two-dimensional, even the killer, who seemed rather obvious to me from rather early on, despite the clever red herrings Kaye threw in.

Overall, an enjoyable mystery from an author I’ve long wanted to try - thanks to the Retro Reads group for this fun buddy read! I still prefer traditional mysteries, or mysteries with more humor and less melodrama, but this was a fun read (and listen- I switched to the audiobook after reading the first few chapters).

[Dorcas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great murder whodunnit by M.M.Kaye! I find it close to impossible to guess the bad guys in her books, they're never predictable and always keep you guessing. In fact I have to force myself not to peek at the last chapter.

This book is set in Cyprus and it made a nice follow up after finishing the Moonspinners by Mary Stewart. The descriptions of Cyprus are real but not the focus of the book. Its a mystery and the author doesn't let us forget it or allow us to get sidetracked.

There are some similarities in each of these "death in..." books, (mainly in the female lead and a group of fellow Brits with one or two Americans or Canadians thrown in) however, the storylines themselves are very different. I cant really give a synopsis without giving away the story. But I think just about anyone who likes Agatha Christie and Mary Stewart would also enjoy these.

M.M.Kaye never disappoints. I'm glad I still have three more in the "Death in..." series!

CONTENT

SEX : None (though there are rumors of affairs)
LANGUAGE : Very mild, a few light cusses.
VIOLENCE : mild and not descriptive.
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS : None

MY RATING : PG

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating Clarification: 3.5 stars

M.M. Kaye's 6 book "Death in..." murder mystery series takes the reader to the island of Cyrus, circa late 1940's/early 1950's. Sheltered orphan Amanda Derington is eager to see the world, so when her straightlaced Uncle Oswin asks her to visit one of his far-flung business concerns, Amanda jumps at the chance. But she can't even set foot on the fabled island before death comes calling and reaps one of the passangers on board the S.S. Orantares, the ship Amanda booked passage from Egypt to Cyprus. Once on the island, Amanda quickly comes to discover that the beautiful island is full of deadly secrets, and a murderer who will stop at nothing to eliminate Amanda by any means necessary.

Once again, Kaye's evocative writing places the reader front and center in the middle of an exotic locale during a time period long gone. Kaye's author's note indicates that the fairly peaceful Cyprus of this novel was soon divided by the Greeks and Turks, and that the modern ravages of excessive tourism and commercialism has destroyed the simplicity and charm of this place. Luckily, the reader can still find it here within the pages of this novel.

[Ioana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wavering between 1 and 2 stars... Kaye writes so well, and the mood and settings she describes leave me breathless, and while the mystery-plot itself is decent, unfortunately her work suffers from extreme misogynistic tendencies that pretty much disintegrate all magic she weaves in other ways.

I really just wanted to walk up to the heroine (or to Kaye?), take a hold of her and shake her vigorously while admonishing her to get a hold of herself. I mean, the characterization was ridiculous: beautiful, innocent, lovely young girl is so naive that she walks into traps that endanger her life, only to be saved by mysterious dark stranger. Frequently hysterical, she clings to said stranger for all it's worth, and trusts others unthinkingly, not once considering critically that one of them is a murderer. Then, there is the focus on (superficial) "beauty" - I don't even know how many times a supple waist was mentioned, and of course at least one of the characters was deemed undesirable by any and all men because she was "thick" and middle-age and "plain". Ugh.

[Elinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic murder mystery, with a small cast of interesting characters in an exotic location. I found it impossible to guess the murderer, with so many motivated people to choose from. And there is a strong romantic element as well. This novel was written in the grand old tradition of both Mary Stewart and Agatha Christie. I had never read anything by this author -- now I can't wait to delve into the other murder mysteries in this series, plus the author's best-known work,The Far Pavilions.

[Andrea]

One of the weakest heroines of this series (exacerbated rather by the breathy young girl voice used by the audiobook narrator). Spends a lot of time being scared, and doesn't have a clue what's going on.

By contrast, there was a wonderful cynical romance novelist character called Persis, who I would have loved watching find a happy ending.

[Trin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I bought a coat at an estate sale and got some old paperbacks thrown in for free. I hoped this would be fun, as it's by an author people have been saying I should read for years. But, uh, oh dear. Hated this! An inept, silly woman bumbles around a couple of murders taking place on a cruise ship and in Cyprus, a location that remains sadly generic. She solves nothing, but is bossed around a lot by the type of man who says stuff like "stop your hysterics" and "you're cute when you're mad" and wrenches women by the arm. Wow. Stop being so sexy, guy.

I kind of liked the eccentric old Miss Moon and the brash American Persis, but I hated how Kaye writes about "unattractive" women, so this remains a bleh pass.

The coat's great, though.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

M.M. Kaye is best known for her wonderful book "The Far Pavilions, but I urge readers to give her Death in... mystery series a try. Kaye's gift is in the rich details of the exotic locations she writes about. In her forwards she tells the readers when she lived or visited there. Her Death in... mysteries are usually set when the British were still a strong presence in some of these places,

Twenty-one-year-old Amanda Derington has decided that she has been under the thumb of her strict, oppressive uncle for long enough. Against his advice and in spite of his irritation, while he is away checking up on his Derington companies, she decides to travel to Cyprus with a tour group. The group includes another uncle and aunt, a cynical romance novelist, a faux invalid and her doting husband, and an attractive young artist who doesn't seem very artistic at all. Because of the hilarity and noise on their side of the ship, Amanda is asked to exchange state rooms by the high strung Julia, and she agrees to do so. Later that same evening, Julia, in a highly agitated condition comes to Amanda's stateroom to talk to her, and after sipping some lemon water, dies suddenly and mysteriously. Amanda, horrified and frightened, runs to get help to the nearest stateroom, which is Steve's. After things calm down, Amanda finds a bottle of poison hidden under her pillow, terrified once again, she goes to Steve for help and he urges her not to reveal where she found it.

Amanda and the group arrive in Cyprus with the incident seemingly put firmly behind her. But her host, Glenn Barton, who manages one of her Uncle's branch companies, greets her and tells her that she can no longer stay with him and his wife, but not to worry, she will be staying with the charming and eccentric Miss Moon. Later Amanda finds out that Glenn's wife Anita, has left him and is now living with an artist, claiming that her husband is cheating on her with several women. After meeting and spending time with Glenn, Amanda finds this hard to believe and she also soon realizes that all is not what it seems to be with the people in her little group. During a sight seeing excursion, someone pushes her off a cliff and now she knows that her own life is in danger.Then another murder happens too close to home and Amanda knows she must try to find out who is behind the murders.

In Death in Cyprus, M.M. Kaye evokes a bygone time of faded British glamor, afternoon tea, expatriates, rugged Army officers, beautifully sunny days in exotic locales, and entertaining and witty dialog. Her descriptions are excellent, Kaye, like Mary Stewart, has a gift for settings. The clues she gives the reader are subtle and the solution surprising. Well worth the read.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marvelous atmosphere and suspense! While I started to suspect the culprit before the very end, there were enough twists to make it not completely obvious. So glad my friends recommended this read.

The relationship between the two main protagonists is a bit eye-rolling (Alpha males are SOOO last century), but it works for the tone of the book especially since their ‘romance’ is mostly a side plot.

[Ana Lopes Miura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite novel in the series. The writing is fantastic, truly evocative. God, I cast this as a film with myself in the lead and Jeremy Northam as my love interest, hahaha. Really exhilarating and fun!

[Suzannah Rowntree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review to follow!

[ShanDizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adventure!!! I loved the descriptions of EVERYTHING, including the clothes.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Death in Cyprus (1956) by M. M. Kaye, Amanda Deringting has been under the thumb of her rather Calvinistic and Victorian-minded uncle ever since her parents died when she was young. He believes in the pure life and that he (a bachelor) knew better how to raise a girl than her aunts. But when he takes Amanda on a trip so he can visit outlying posts of the Derington empire (branch offices in all sorts of outlandish places), she turns twenty-one and decides to kick over the traces and go her own way. Oswin Derington decides that a portion of the trip will be unsuitable for Amanda and orders her back to England. However, there are no suitable berths immediately available (and he is, for reasons known only to himself, opposed to young women flying) and he packs her off to the temporary care of one of his sisters in Fayid.

Amanda finds that she enjoys her aunt's company and the environs of Fayid and notifies her uncle that she will be staying for several months and then making a trip to Cyprus--a place she's always wanted to visit. He is, naturally, aghast at the idea of his niece wandering about unchaperoned and insists that she stay with the Bartons in Cyprus. Glennister (Glenn) Barton is the head of one of Deringtons' ventures, a wine business, on the island. This is to prove a rather fateful trip for Amanda.

On the boat over to Cyprus, she becomes acquainted with various passengers who all plan on visiting Cyprus as well. There is Major and Mrs. Blaine (Alistair and Julia), he the long-suffering husband of a jealous woman who believes every female who even looks at the major will try to seduce him and who uses various made-up ailments to demand his attention. There is Persis Halliday, an American romance novelist looking for romantic views and plot ideas as well as not being adverse to a bit of flirting and possible romance herself. There is George and Claire Norman, relations of Alistair's with Claire being the femme fatale type who must be the center of all male attention. There is Captain Toby Gates, who thinks he's in love with Amanda--the latest in a line of fallings in love. There are two artists: Lumley Potter and Steve Howard. Potter of the obviously put-on bohemian clothes and long-hair, who simply must have a spiritual connection with what he paints. And Howard, with the more prosaic and more typical British, but far more talented of the two.

Julia Blaine starts the journey off with a bout of hysterics. She has been assigned to cabin 13 and she simply can't bear to cross over in a cabin with an unlucky number. Amanda generously offer to switch cabins, but it still winds up being unlucky for poor Julia. Someone, who apparently had not heard about the switch, leaves a lemon water drink (Julia's favorite weight-loss tonic) and through an odd bit of coincidence, the woman winds up hysterical, bursts into Amanda's cabin babbling about how she can't take her husband's philandering any more, and drinks it while downing some aspirin to calm her nerves. Howard, who seems to have more going on than the average painter, convinces Amanda not to tell all she knows and a verdict of suicide is brought in. Amanda thinks the worst is over. Howard is sure it's only the beginning and that Amanda may be next on the killer's list. When Amanda winds up staying with Miss Moon instead of the Bartons and other deaths occur all around her, it begins to look like he is right.

Once again, Kaye has used her own experiences to inform her novel. In 1949, she and a friend spent a painting holiday in Cyprus, stayed in "an enchanting house in Kyrenia" which she uses in the story, and "the plot was practically handed to [her] on a plate by a series of curious incidents that occurred during [their] stay." The vivid portrayal of the places and experiences could only come from first-hand knowledge. Despite the suspenseful danger looming over our heroine, this is a very light mystery. We read about her brushes with death and her sense of forboding with a nod and wink, knowing that she's going to come through the danger even though all of her companions on the island may not be so lucky. And, knowing M. M. Kaye, we also know that any hints of romance will be completely fulfilled by the story's end. Kaye may employ a romantic suspense formula, but it's a comforting and satisfying formula when Kaye does it so well. And this time she managed to pull the wool over my eyes completely--or perhaps it's more accurate to say that she distracted me sufficiently to keep me from picking up a few vital clues. Highly enjoyable.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.

[Avid Series Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death in Cyprus by M.M. Kaye is the third book of the Death in... mystery series, set in post-WWII Cyprus (when the author lived there; the house in which the author lived is featured in the story).

Amanda is a young Englishwoman on an extended trip with her uncle to oversee his foreign business offices. She decides to take a holiday by herself on Cyprus. On the boat to Cyprus, Amanda travels with a group of people all headed to Cyprus for a change of scene. She swaps rooms with a fellow traveler, who dies overnight. An apparent suicide, but Amanda senses it was murder. She confides in a quiet, competent fellow traveler, Stephen. He proves to be her most trusted friend and ally during her stay in Cyprus, which is filled with surprises and secrets.

Resembles a classic Agatha Christie cozy mystery: all suspects were traveling together on the ship, their past relationships and buried secrets must be uncovered in order to identify the killer, and all is revealed in a show-and-tell denouement. The beautiful descriptions of the island make this a very enjoyable read, a gentle mystery enhanced with moments of suspense and light touch of romance.

[Jannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

25/04/18
As suspenseful and entertaining as before, though i hadn't forgotten the real culprit.

28/01/17
On the last few of rainy days I spent with the hubby in Barcelona, this was a good comfort addiction while the rain pouuuured outside and he was ill and I was tired and bored. Trust me to go in the wrong season. At least I got a decent read out of it. I think I even had a dream about it.
I'm starting to get the template for M. M. Kayes books now the beginning eith the girl unaccountably terrified, a recap of events and then subsequent murders peppered with a romance of one or both partners reluctant to admit their feelings until the absolute last second. Somehow it should get tiring but she writes so engagingly and each book has a different lush description of scenery and characters have a nice distinction in humor and personality (even if the heroine is usually of the "extraordinarily pretty with guts" type).
I almost guessed the killer. Nice one 4/5

[EJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me this is far and away the strongest of the Death In series, but I might be biased given I love stories set in Cyprus, the heroine used to remind me strongly of myself, and the hero and the detective in this are one and the same, which is an enormous weakness of mine.
Genuinely, though, all the characters in this are so much stronger than the previous novel, and the mystery itself had enough twists and turns that even a couple years later I only remembered who the murderer was 3/4 through the book. My only quibble with this one is the scene on the very last page, which as a feminist I resent, but I comfort myself with the illusion that off-screen negotiations took place at some point. Or possibly Amanda slapped Steve again. Both are good.

[Stephen Mettee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was hard to find a mystery set in Cyprus. This one has an ugly cover so I didn’t think it would be any good. 😉

I’m reading a detective store/thriller/mystery Set in each of the countries I’m visiting on this 8-country, 80-day trip.

Watch Facebook for a complete rundown of the ones I read. I know., I know, but you’ll just have to wait.

This is a cozy in the style of Agatha Christie. Not my cup of tea (pun intended) but every bit as good as the old gal. I read Death on the Nile in Egypt so I ought to know.

If you like cozies, read this. It kept me entertained. Buy it here as an ebook and support small businesses:
https://untethered.papertrell.com/id0...

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by a line from a poem, Amanda Derington decides to visit Cyprus. But when a fellow passenger dies in her cabin on the voyage there, her pleasant journey turns into a nightmare. It soon becomes clear that it was no accident, but rather, murder. And Amanda can't help but be swept up in the middle of it.

A delightful read. An Agatha Christie-like plot with great characterization and a splendid setting. Definitely recommended.