What do you think?
Rate this book
Joe Sandilands #11
A Spider in the Cup
At dawn one morning in 1933, an amateur dowsing team digging the banks of the Thames for precious metals unearths the body of a young woman with a missing toe and a priceless gold coin in her mouth. The case falls on Assistant Commissioner of Scotland Yard Joe Sandilands' turf, but he's been given another assignment—and a very high-profile one. London is hosting a historic global economic conference to try to solve the global Depression, and political tensions are running very high, as very influential participants are starting to take positions allied with or staunchly against the rapidly militarizing Germany. Sandilands' job is to protect and keep an eye on the visiting American senator Cornelius Kingstone, right-hand man to President Roosevelt, throughout the conference. When a strange set of coincidences link the river bank body to the senator, Joe realizes his assignment is much bigger than he'd thought, and that Senator Kingstone is caught up in a very dangerous game—one that might cost not just one but thousands of lives.
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
71 people are currently reading
957 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Cleverly
45 books230 followersBarbara Cleverly was born in the north of England and is a graduate of Durham University. A former teacher, she has spent her working life in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk; she now lives in Cambridge. She has one son and five step-children.
Her Joe Sandilands series of books set against the background of the British Raj was inspired by the contents of a battered old tin trunk that she found in her attic. Out of it spilled two centuries of memories of a family – especially a great uncle who spent a lot of time in India – whose exploits and achievements marched in time with the flowering of the British Empire.
Her Joe Sandilands series of books set against the background of the British Raj was inspired by the contents of a battered old tin trunk that she found in her attic. Out of it spilled two centuries of memories of a family – especially a great uncle who spent a lot of time in India – whose exploits and achievements marched in time with the flowering of the British Empire.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
February 3, 2018
A group of dowsers find a body in a canal. Meanwhile, Joe Sandilands has to protect an American politician.
I'm not sure whether this is some kind of spoof or not. It seems campy in places.
I'm not sure whether this is some kind of spoof or not. It seems campy in places.
August 31, 2013
Because I love London and the 1930s, I was thrilled to receive a free advanced copy of "Spider In The Cup" from Goodreads. But I was quickly disenchanted with the novel due mostly to the choppy writing that was actually unreadable. I couldn't figure out what was happening! There were pages and pages of nothing but talking where it seemed the author forgot to include any descriptions of the situation or the characters. As a result, no characters were emerging from the pages. The author had all the characters speaking in a dialect that seemed to be from a period far earlier than the 1930's, which was very difficult to read. There were also too many references to British culture and landmarks that didn't translate to an American audience. Please know I feel so bad giving this book a negative review when I was a recipient of the giveaway, but I do want to honestly review the book.
August 16, 2013
First of all, as I won this ARC, thanks to Goodreads and the Publisher, Soho Crime. I’m new to Goodreads and it was exciting to win. I look for books published by Soho, their fine international mysteries and period crime.
“Spider in the Cup” is first and foremost an espionage novel and anyone expecting a complexly plotted mystery will be disappointed. As a person who reads a great many historical mysteries I found much to like, but also several things that were disconcerting in Cleverly’s approach to the genre. I look for an historical challenge, something that will stimulate research and discussion of the period. Initially she provided it; the action is set during an actual economic summit in 1933 and the corpse – that of a young dancer discovered in the mud of the Thames- had a coin in her mouth from a famous treasure hoard. The problem is, her plotting quickly degenerated into “international conspiracy”. This is an irritating and lazy device for such a respected author. After dealing with her protagonist, Joe Sandilands, over the course of many books, he’s become a sketch rather than a fully motivated character. I wish more time had been spent exploring his psyche. I did though enjoy an appearance by his sister Lydia in clouds of Chanel and chiffon, and the family cat, Brutus (a cantankerous, elderly beast with bad teeth and a liking for saucers of ale). Though I will eagerly snap up the new J. Robert Janes, David Downing or James Benn World War II mysteries, I doubt I will read Cleverly again. There are much better things out there.
“Spider in the Cup” is first and foremost an espionage novel and anyone expecting a complexly plotted mystery will be disappointed. As a person who reads a great many historical mysteries I found much to like, but also several things that were disconcerting in Cleverly’s approach to the genre. I look for an historical challenge, something that will stimulate research and discussion of the period. Initially she provided it; the action is set during an actual economic summit in 1933 and the corpse – that of a young dancer discovered in the mud of the Thames- had a coin in her mouth from a famous treasure hoard. The problem is, her plotting quickly degenerated into “international conspiracy”. This is an irritating and lazy device for such a respected author. After dealing with her protagonist, Joe Sandilands, over the course of many books, he’s become a sketch rather than a fully motivated character. I wish more time had been spent exploring his psyche. I did though enjoy an appearance by his sister Lydia in clouds of Chanel and chiffon, and the family cat, Brutus (a cantankerous, elderly beast with bad teeth and a liking for saucers of ale). Though I will eagerly snap up the new J. Robert Janes, David Downing or James Benn World War II mysteries, I doubt I will read Cleverly again. There are much better things out there.
July 23, 2013
I received an ARC copy of this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. Review to follow.
I really liked the parts of the book that I was able to understand what was happening, and I really liked the cover. Other than that, I don't really know what to say. Most of the time I wasn't sure what was happening to really in enjoy the book. It was hard for me to finish it and not just quit. I hate to say that, because I don't like to give bad reviews. Like I said though, I REALLY liked the cover though.
I really liked the parts of the book that I was able to understand what was happening, and I really liked the cover. Other than that, I don't really know what to say. Most of the time I wasn't sure what was happening to really in enjoy the book. It was hard for me to finish it and not just quit. I hate to say that, because I don't like to give bad reviews. Like I said though, I REALLY liked the cover though.
September 14, 2013
This Joe Sandilands novel starts very slowly, and the reading does not flow well. Towards the middle of the book, the old Barbara Cleverly glimpses through the English mist. The story hints at the building German problem, as a few powerful men attempt to manipulate the world. Cleverly has spies and counter spies everywhere, and they seem wimpy. The action does not ring true to what is actually happening during this time. Cleverly does not utilize the writing that has made her popular.
February 1, 2023
Okay, I was thrilled at the beginning, this looked like a beautiful, old-school mystery. Sadly, it turned out to be an international conspiracy... AGAIN!
Add to that that it wasn't even a good one., and argh! I used to love this series, but now... Well, at least we had Lydia here, who I really liked.
Anyway, at least I'm done with this series ~sighs~
Add to that that it wasn't even a good one., and argh! I used to love this series, but now... Well, at least we had Lydia here, who I really liked.
Anyway, at least I'm done with this series ~sighs~
September 6, 2013
First Sentence: On a neglected reach of the Thames, a woman stood counting the chimes ringing out from Chelsea Old Church behind her.
The body of a young woman buried in the banks of the Thames is discovered. What attracted the dowsing rods this amateur group member’s attention, was the priceless gold coin in her mouth. That she is also missing a toe sends the case to the desk of Assistant Commissioner Joe Sandilands. Sandilands, however, is also task with protecting an important US Senator who is in London for an historic global economic conference. Senator Cornelius Kingstone’s own bodyguard from the F.B.I., used to report to Sandilands in the British Army. Protecting Kingstone, Joe learns there is much, much more at risk than one Senator’s life.
It is always painful to write a negative review for a book by an author whose previous works one has loved. Sadly, there is just no way around it, in this case.
Ms. Cleverly has such a wonderful ability to paint verbal pictures. “The amber glow of the gas mantles was beginning to fade to lemon as a brightening sky quenched them, offering her sensitive eyes a symphony in grey and gold worthy of Whistler.” I did, however, have a problem remembering when, exactly, the book is set. Although there is substantial, and interesting, historic information included, if your knowledge of the pre-WWII era isn’t strong, it’s not easy to grasp.
The characters are interesting and introduced very well although I was sorry to see those at the beginning of the story disappear so quickly, particularly Hermione Herbert, the head of the dowsers. She was smart, self-assured, quick-witted and observant. Another delightful character was Joe’s sister, Lydia, who was bright, capable and definitely not a wimp. For those who’ve not read previous books in the series, Cleverly provides details of the recurring characters backgrounds in a way that is informative yet not boring.
Cleverly does write very good dialogue sprinkled with wry humor… “Joe’s expression of slight boredom was enlivened by a flash of humor. “Thank God no one put a bomb in the surprise pudding. The wealth makers of the world would have been splattered all over London!” “Strawberries, crème de la crème and blue blood sauce,” Bacchus spoke grimly. “A real Eton Mess we’d have had to clear up!”
One of the things to be appreciated about Ms. Cleverly’s previous books was that they were, at their heart, really good mysteries. Sadly, that was completely lost in here. There was a mystery but, by far, the greater focus was on there being an international conspiracy and the book suffered greatly because of it. …“Republicans, Communists, Fascists, Daughters of the Revolution, Seventh Day Adventists…you name it. Hard to believe but a fully employed population earning a living wage with provision for good health, equal states for coloured folks and immigrants of all races, and equal rights for women come pretty low on the agenda of the wealthy and privileged.”
Although this book had many very good attributes, the overwhelming problem for me was at the end. I don’t know whether Ms. Cleverly has something going on in her life that prevented her from improving this book; or whether she changed or didn’t use an editor; or whether she or her researcher didn’t check the information but the entire premise on which the motive for the story was based takes the book from fiction to absolute alternative reality. We’re not talk a small thing that can be excused as creative license. For anyone who knows anything about the structure of the U.S. Government, we’re talking a major point of unalterable fact so egregious it could not be overlooked.
The “Spider in the Cup” came close to being a “wallbanger” for me. The only thing that saved it was that justice was brought home to the killer. Here is hoping Ms. Cleverly does much, much better with her next book.
A SPIDER IN THE CUP (Hist Mys-Assistant Commissioner Joe Sandilands-England-1933) – Poor
Cleverly, Barbara – 11th in series
Soho Press, 2013
The body of a young woman buried in the banks of the Thames is discovered. What attracted the dowsing rods this amateur group member’s attention, was the priceless gold coin in her mouth. That she is also missing a toe sends the case to the desk of Assistant Commissioner Joe Sandilands. Sandilands, however, is also task with protecting an important US Senator who is in London for an historic global economic conference. Senator Cornelius Kingstone’s own bodyguard from the F.B.I., used to report to Sandilands in the British Army. Protecting Kingstone, Joe learns there is much, much more at risk than one Senator’s life.
It is always painful to write a negative review for a book by an author whose previous works one has loved. Sadly, there is just no way around it, in this case.
Ms. Cleverly has such a wonderful ability to paint verbal pictures. “The amber glow of the gas mantles was beginning to fade to lemon as a brightening sky quenched them, offering her sensitive eyes a symphony in grey and gold worthy of Whistler.” I did, however, have a problem remembering when, exactly, the book is set. Although there is substantial, and interesting, historic information included, if your knowledge of the pre-WWII era isn’t strong, it’s not easy to grasp.
The characters are interesting and introduced very well although I was sorry to see those at the beginning of the story disappear so quickly, particularly Hermione Herbert, the head of the dowsers. She was smart, self-assured, quick-witted and observant. Another delightful character was Joe’s sister, Lydia, who was bright, capable and definitely not a wimp. For those who’ve not read previous books in the series, Cleverly provides details of the recurring characters backgrounds in a way that is informative yet not boring.
Cleverly does write very good dialogue sprinkled with wry humor… “Joe’s expression of slight boredom was enlivened by a flash of humor. “Thank God no one put a bomb in the surprise pudding. The wealth makers of the world would have been splattered all over London!” “Strawberries, crème de la crème and blue blood sauce,” Bacchus spoke grimly. “A real Eton Mess we’d have had to clear up!”
One of the things to be appreciated about Ms. Cleverly’s previous books was that they were, at their heart, really good mysteries. Sadly, that was completely lost in here. There was a mystery but, by far, the greater focus was on there being an international conspiracy and the book suffered greatly because of it. …“Republicans, Communists, Fascists, Daughters of the Revolution, Seventh Day Adventists…you name it. Hard to believe but a fully employed population earning a living wage with provision for good health, equal states for coloured folks and immigrants of all races, and equal rights for women come pretty low on the agenda of the wealthy and privileged.”
Although this book had many very good attributes, the overwhelming problem for me was at the end. I don’t know whether Ms. Cleverly has something going on in her life that prevented her from improving this book; or whether she changed or didn’t use an editor; or whether she or her researcher didn’t check the information but the entire premise on which the motive for the story was based takes the book from fiction to absolute alternative reality. We’re not talk a small thing that can be excused as creative license. For anyone who knows anything about the structure of the U.S. Government, we’re talking a major point of unalterable fact so egregious it could not be overlooked.
The “Spider in the Cup” came close to being a “wallbanger” for me. The only thing that saved it was that justice was brought home to the killer. Here is hoping Ms. Cleverly does much, much better with her next book.
A SPIDER IN THE CUP (Hist Mys-Assistant Commissioner Joe Sandilands-England-1933) – Poor
Cleverly, Barbara – 11th in series
Soho Press, 2013
January 13, 2019
We all have our favorite detectives. One of mine is Barbara Cleverly's Joe Sandilands, veteran of the Great War and pretty high up in Scotland Yard for his age. The first books are set immediately post-World War I with Joe being seconded to India for some project for the assistant viceroy. In The Last Kashmiri Rose he solves a series of seemingly unsolvable murders. I chose to read that first one because of the title. And now the series has gone on to the 1930s and is set in Europe and in the case of A Spider in the Cup in London.
These mysteries have been a solid 5 on a scale of 1-5, notable for clever (sic) plots, sometimes complex narrative style, skilled characterization, and the evocation of the 1920s and 30s in England, Europe, and India. And they aren't preachy. I hate to be preached to by mystery novels and TV shows.
And now comes A Spider in the Cup, which is not a mystery, really, but one of those international cabal stories that were popular for a time. The 39 Steps by John Buchan (1915) and The Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth (published in 1928,) come to mind.
Adept as this author is at detective stories she does not have the touch for this kind of intrigue. The cabal is after world power and they are using an American senator to get it. Joe is assigned as his bodyguard for an economic conference. The man is in love with a Russian dancer and she is running him ragged.
The title is a quote from The Winter's Tale.
There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink, depart,
And yet partake no venom, for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present
The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides,
With violent hefts. I have drunk,
and seen the spider.
In other words, what you don't know won't hurt you. It's a great quote from one of my favorite plays, and it makes a terrific title for a book about pre-Hitler espionage. But alas, this book is not up to Cleverly's standard. I can't even figure out what the spider represents in this murky story.
Read this series. It is extremely rewarding. But start at the beginning and when you come to this, the 11th novel starring Joe Sandilands, skip it.
These mysteries have been a solid 5 on a scale of 1-5, notable for clever (sic) plots, sometimes complex narrative style, skilled characterization, and the evocation of the 1920s and 30s in England, Europe, and India. And they aren't preachy. I hate to be preached to by mystery novels and TV shows.
And now comes A Spider in the Cup, which is not a mystery, really, but one of those international cabal stories that were popular for a time. The 39 Steps by John Buchan (1915) and The Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth (published in 1928,) come to mind.
Adept as this author is at detective stories she does not have the touch for this kind of intrigue. The cabal is after world power and they are using an American senator to get it. Joe is assigned as his bodyguard for an economic conference. The man is in love with a Russian dancer and she is running him ragged.
The title is a quote from The Winter's Tale.
There may be in the cup
A spider steep'd, and one may drink, depart,
And yet partake no venom, for his knowledge
Is not infected: but if one present
The abhorr'd ingredient to his eye, make known
How he hath drunk, he cracks his gorge, his sides,
With violent hefts. I have drunk,
and seen the spider.
In other words, what you don't know won't hurt you. It's a great quote from one of my favorite plays, and it makes a terrific title for a book about pre-Hitler espionage. But alas, this book is not up to Cleverly's standard. I can't even figure out what the spider represents in this murky story.
Read this series. It is extremely rewarding. But start at the beginning and when you come to this, the 11th novel starring Joe Sandilands, skip it.
November 7, 2014
Sometimes I think that Cleverly doesn't know whether to be a mystery writer or an historian.This particular book was not my favorite. Often her writing is hazy and unclear -- she leaves you to fill in blanks which can be pretty easy when you are reading a fairly lightweight mystery. But, this was full of espionage and plotting leading up to WWII and full of all the subtle plots to overthrow governments. That kind of writing needs to be much more precise and that is not her forte. Cleverly seems to believe that readers can "catch" her hints about matters that would best be explicit.
Her early books on India centered around a mystery work well. But, when she concentrates on the history of an event and, by the way, plugs in a mystery -- it just fails to be tightly written. As I was reading, I was aware of being bored by all the espionage which became tedious at best. And, the end left us wondering what she was going to do next with her protagonist -- but nothing was ever really, really clear.
Cleverly is no doubt a wonderful researcher to bring such rich background to her books. But, she lacks the ability to make that complex events clear to her readers. is it in the editing? I'm not sure.
Her early books on India centered around a mystery work well. But, when she concentrates on the history of an event and, by the way, plugs in a mystery -- it just fails to be tightly written. As I was reading, I was aware of being bored by all the espionage which became tedious at best. And, the end left us wondering what she was going to do next with her protagonist -- but nothing was ever really, really clear.
Cleverly is no doubt a wonderful researcher to bring such rich background to her books. But, she lacks the ability to make that complex events clear to her readers. is it in the editing? I'm not sure.
September 12, 2013
This was another case of picking up a book in the middle of a series and not realizing it until halfway through the book...
That being said, this was a different look at the political and economic scene leading up to WWII. A multi-nation convention to discuss the Depression is taking place in London, and representatives of everyone from Hitler to Roosevelt will be there. Joe Sandilands, Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard, is assigned to guard a particularly difficult target who is known as Roosevelt's "right hand man." Complicating matters are a (possibly) missing ballerina mistress, the body of a young girl found in the Thames by a dowsing society, and the bigwig's body guard, a former detective who worked under Sandilands at one time and was forced to flee under inauspicious conditions. Sandilands must work with this former colleague to protect the man who, he begins to believe, is key to the direction America takes in the war.
A very complicated book, with a lot of politicking. I think the thing I enjoyed most about it was the fascinating look at how Great Britain viewed the U.S. before WWII. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
That being said, this was a different look at the political and economic scene leading up to WWII. A multi-nation convention to discuss the Depression is taking place in London, and representatives of everyone from Hitler to Roosevelt will be there. Joe Sandilands, Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard, is assigned to guard a particularly difficult target who is known as Roosevelt's "right hand man." Complicating matters are a (possibly) missing ballerina mistress, the body of a young girl found in the Thames by a dowsing society, and the bigwig's body guard, a former detective who worked under Sandilands at one time and was forced to flee under inauspicious conditions. Sandilands must work with this former colleague to protect the man who, he begins to believe, is key to the direction America takes in the war.
A very complicated book, with a lot of politicking. I think the thing I enjoyed most about it was the fascinating look at how Great Britain viewed the U.S. before WWII. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
June 10, 2018
An almost did-not-finish
Another author capable of writing a decent mystery decides that a mere murder mystery is not enough, she must involve her sleuth in a plot to Take Over The World. This one was ridiculous on many levels.
I thought it was going to be clever when one of the characters - a Senator from Tennessee who despite his youth and incredibly poor judgment, is portrayed as being the true power and brains behind FDR's administration - went on and on about how FDR was a German sympathizer who was anti-British. Since this is about 100% wrong, I figured it was a sign that this character was not to be trusted. Alas, it was a sign that Ms. Cleverly needed to do a heck of a lot more research and would be well advised to stick to writing mysteries.
In addition to the crazy plot, many of the characters are flat (including Sandilands - he was much more interesting when he was in India!) and the dialogue execrable. As an example, dialogue between British-to-the core Sandilands and the Tennessee senator is so poorly written that I could not tell who was speaking half the time.
Another author capable of writing a decent mystery decides that a mere murder mystery is not enough, she must involve her sleuth in a plot to Take Over The World. This one was ridiculous on many levels.
I thought it was going to be clever when one of the characters - a Senator from Tennessee who despite his youth and incredibly poor judgment, is portrayed as being the true power and brains behind FDR's administration - went on and on about how FDR was a German sympathizer who was anti-British. Since this is about 100% wrong, I figured it was a sign that this character was not to be trusted. Alas, it was a sign that Ms. Cleverly needed to do a heck of a lot more research and would be well advised to stick to writing mysteries.
In addition to the crazy plot, many of the characters are flat (including Sandilands - he was much more interesting when he was in India!) and the dialogue execrable. As an example, dialogue between British-to-the core Sandilands and the Tennessee senator is so poorly written that I could not tell who was speaking half the time.
August 5, 2015
I think I may have OD'd on this series. It started off pretty well but the last few have been hard to get through. Joe Sandilands is supposed to be an intelligent man but he produces some of the sloppiest police work I've ever read. The dialog is maddening- it's full of "pip-pip" and "cheer-ho" stereotypical blather. Telephone calls are the worst. Only one side is given, so there is an overabundance of "What? You say you're coming in on the eleven o'clock train? And you want to meet at the Ritz? What's that? You broke your leg and need an ambulance? And you know the name of the murderer, too? Good show, old boy!" Boring, repetitive, and just too much, don't you know.
July 20, 2014
It took a long time for me to get into this mystery. For quite awhile, I was thinking that Cleverly had lost her touch, but then it picked up considerably and was so compelling I couldn't put it down. The tension and labyrinthine storyline were terrific and I'm glad I didn't bail out.
This book will only make sense if you have read the series.
This book will only make sense if you have read the series.
February 16, 2016
I always have trouble following a story that has a British accent, so that's why I'm giving this audiobook 3 stars instead of four. I believe reading the book would be better.
June 12, 2018
Another winner for Joe Sandilands! This time around we are in London, 1933, where an international economics conference is being held and in attendance is an American Senator with close ties to FDR. It is Joe's assignment to act as bodyguard to this man during the duration of the conference. In addition to Joe, the Senator has brought his own security in the person of Bill Armitage, an ex-pat Brit, now a naturalized American. Joe & Bill have a somewhat murky and unpleasant past of working together years ago.
To add drama to the situation, Cornelius Kingstone's (the Senator) girlfriend, a Prima Balllerina, is missing. And, sure enough, a young woman's body matching her description, turns up on the tidal shore of the Thames. Joe thinks there is a connection between his bodyguard duty and the apparent victim, so he joins forces with the local police in order to get firsthand information as quickly as possible regarding the girl's body and her death.
From there, it is typical Cleverly, taking us on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, quite literally, through the countryside of Surrey. It is while they are holed up with Joe's sister, Lydia, that Joe & Cornelius form a tight friendship whilst getting up to all kinds of life-threatening adventures amid world crises!
Because I like to keep score: 1 for me & 1 for the author! And this time, I was more than happy to let her fool me!
To add drama to the situation, Cornelius Kingstone's (the Senator) girlfriend, a Prima Balllerina, is missing. And, sure enough, a young woman's body matching her description, turns up on the tidal shore of the Thames. Joe thinks there is a connection between his bodyguard duty and the apparent victim, so he joins forces with the local police in order to get firsthand information as quickly as possible regarding the girl's body and her death.
From there, it is typical Cleverly, taking us on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, quite literally, through the countryside of Surrey. It is while they are holed up with Joe's sister, Lydia, that Joe & Cornelius form a tight friendship whilst getting up to all kinds of life-threatening adventures amid world crises!
Because I like to keep score: 1 for me & 1 for the author! And this time, I was more than happy to let her fool me!
March 27, 2024
A Spider in the Cup by Barbara Cleverly is the 11th book of the Joe Sandilands mystery series, set in June 1933 London. Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Joe Sandilands is tasked with keeping US Senator Cornelius Kingstone alive during the World Economic Conference. Kingstone has already brought along his own hand-picked bodyguard: Bill Armitage. Sandilands knows Armitage well; he was a Sergeant under Captain Sandilands in WWI.
The tale starts out with snappy, enjoyable dialogue; occasionally glimpses reappear, especially late in the story when Sandilands goes to his sister Lydia's country home. From the start, however, there is far too much empty talk-talk-talk about shady figures of international political power and total control. Kingstone many times admits he's a marked man, but will never, no matter how much danger he is in, reveal to Sandilands exactly who is after him.
Kingstone's love interest, ballerina Natalia, is missing from the start. Kidnapped? Just a lovers' spat? Kingstone will never 'come clean' with Sandilands. Talk-talk-talk is all he does. Makes you think 'aha, he's a Senator, this is pure filibuster'. On and on and on; skim-skim-skim. Over 20 years ago, conspiracy theory fiction filled the bestseller list - but we all grew tired of it. Why rekindle old tedious plots now?
Like many other GoodReads reviewers, I hesitate to continue with the series, after reading this book, and wish the series would return to India. Loved those first books!
The tale starts out with snappy, enjoyable dialogue; occasionally glimpses reappear, especially late in the story when Sandilands goes to his sister Lydia's country home. From the start, however, there is far too much empty talk-talk-talk about shady figures of international political power and total control. Kingstone many times admits he's a marked man, but will never, no matter how much danger he is in, reveal to Sandilands exactly who is after him.
Kingstone's love interest, ballerina Natalia, is missing from the start. Kidnapped? Just a lovers' spat? Kingstone will never 'come clean' with Sandilands. Talk-talk-talk is all he does. Makes you think 'aha, he's a Senator, this is pure filibuster'. On and on and on; skim-skim-skim. Over 20 years ago, conspiracy theory fiction filled the bestseller list - but we all grew tired of it. Why rekindle old tedious plots now?
Like many other GoodReads reviewers, I hesitate to continue with the series, after reading this book, and wish the series would return to India. Loved those first books!
September 23, 2023
When the body of a young woman is discovered at low tide by a group of dowsers, Scotland Yard's Joe Sandilands is torn from his assignment of shadowing an American diplomat with a complex romantic situation during some heady mid 1930s conferences. It's all quite ambitious and has the potential to be a gripping historic suspense novel, but sadly becomes ensnared in endless trivial pointless details that make this a tediously cumbersome dud. Did we really need to to spend several pages learning which fish are running on the estate?
There are also certain OBVIOUS clues that are overlooked until the final chapters which made me wonder just why Scotland Yard and MI 6 are always touted as paradigms of sleuthing.
Moreover, the relationships between characters are uneven and illogical at best: it's hard to imagine discovering that a loved one has been viciously murdered and then inquire as to the fare for lunch minutes later. I know the Brits are reknown for a stiff upper lip, but there have to be limits.
There are also certain OBVIOUS clues that are overlooked until the final chapters which made me wonder just why Scotland Yard and MI 6 are always touted as paradigms of sleuthing.
Moreover, the relationships between characters are uneven and illogical at best: it's hard to imagine discovering that a loved one has been viciously murdered and then inquire as to the fare for lunch minutes later. I know the Brits are reknown for a stiff upper lip, but there have to be limits.
November 7, 2020
1933 ~ There was an international economic conference set in London where the powers of the Western World would come together and sort out the present worldwide economic depression and Sandilands was to guard a popular and charismatic United States senator and his Russian prima ballerina fiancee. Joe's co~guard dog was Armitage, FBI and now US citizen, former jewel thief, former Police Inspector, murderer, and one~time Sergeant under Joe's command who escaped to America in The Bee's Kiss ~ Book 5. Senator Cornelius Kingstone's importance was his valued advisory capacity to President Franklin Roosevelt hence the concern for his safety... Sandilands also found a friend in him given that Kingstone was like Joe, he was for the people and not for personal gain. This one deals with envy, jealousy, thwarted ambition and treason that led to murder and betrayal... one "jealous Casca" to bring down two good men.
May 29, 2017
This was my first Barbara Cleverly novel; I stumbled upon her accidentally, and I am glad I did. I enjoyed the plot, her characters, the references to literature, and the history. I am finding that I like stories set between the two World Wars whether they are set in the United Kingdom or the United States. I also enjoyed seeing Cleverly portray the UK's opinion and observations of the US. I have seen the plaque in St. Paul's Cathedral placed for President Roosevelt by Churchill and the British, so I enjoyed this perspective. The plot and characters required me to pay attention and focus on the stories that entwine these characters. I didn't realize that I had stumbled upon a series, much less that I was in the middle of the series. I look forward to finding and reading this series from its beginning.
September 30, 2021
What at first seems to be some kind of treasure hunt turns into a narrative of spies, East-Enders, international intrigue, and a plot piggy-backing on the rise of Nazism and related historical events. But it is neither solid, historical fiction nor a Le Carre knockoff. Other Sandilands novels have him in India and those seem to be much better at engaging, creating ambience and compelling characters, and coming up with credible events, if only because the make-believe is more geographically and socio-culturally distant.
February 12, 2021
Another very entertaining mystery by Barbara Cleverly. It is the third Sandilands novel in the series that I have read and one of her latest. [The other two were at the beginning of the series.] Interestingly this story paralleled closely acts of the insurrection that have so recently damaged life here in the USA and served to reinforce the angst that the events of January 6th 2021 have left me with and the reawakening of concern about the fragility of any democracy.
March 31, 2022
London is hosting a worldwide economic conference to try to resolve the global depression. The year is 1933. Among other issues, Hitler has become the chancellor of Germany. A number of seemingly unresolved murders erupt. Cleverly's books always give a different view of the world from the eyes of Great Britain. It is also unusual to have stories set between the two world wars. Ergo, it does help to read the books in order. I recommend this book.
May 28, 2019
This storyline was really convoluted and for most of the time it didn’t even seem like the main characters knew what was going on. Rather hard to follow and in the end, the killer was exactly who was pointed out in the beginning.
May 26, 2021
My least favorite book of this series. I had to force myself to continue reading - parts of the book were interesting, but as others have noted it wasn’t a mystery nor was it espionage. The ending was satisfactory, but I felt that Ms Cleverly writing was not up to par for her.
August 18, 2021
I picked this one up from the discards pile at the Winona, Miss., library: "A Spider in the Cup" by Barbara Cleverly and found it to be quite satisfying! A new cop series for me, Joe Sandilands. Want to compare this series with some of Anne Perry's. Might do well.
September 24, 2021
3.5 stars. When Joe is tapped to protect an American senator at an economic summit in London, he never expects to become enmeshed in a very tangled web of politics. And then he must find a way out, while uncover just who is responsible.
December 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. Not my normal genre but I enjoyed the characters immensely as well as the political intrigue. Even considering looking for another book in the Joe Sandilands series.
April 1, 2019
Solid book in the series. Only have the final two books to go and am looking forward to them.
June 18, 2019
not my cup of tea. throwback adventure mystery. Richard Hannay-ish.
January 10, 2020
Plot a little over the top and the relationship between Joe and Dorcas has a definite ick factor.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews