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The Mysterious Affair of Giles
A shot! Someone’s fired a gun!
Post-war life in Giles and Kate St. Clair's manor of Tremontaine, just a couple hours from London, is normally quiet for assistant cook Ellie Stone. When young John St. Clair returns unexpectedly from his American college the same week his father's business partner Martin Trevayn is visiting to conclude a business deal, though, tensions run high. Giles St. Clair takes out some of his stress on Ellie's girlfriend Abby, a housemaid, and in a flare of anger, Ellie wishes the head of the family dead.
The feeling passes quickly, and is soon forgotten. Until the next day, when she hears the gunshot...
The Mysterious Affair of Giles is an Agatha Christie-styled murder-mystery and is best read with a cup of tea nearby.
Post-war life in Giles and Kate St. Clair's manor of Tremontaine, just a couple hours from London, is normally quiet for assistant cook Ellie Stone. When young John St. Clair returns unexpectedly from his American college the same week his father's business partner Martin Trevayn is visiting to conclude a business deal, though, tensions run high. Giles St. Clair takes out some of his stress on Ellie's girlfriend Abby, a housemaid, and in a flare of anger, Ellie wishes the head of the family dead.
The feeling passes quickly, and is soon forgotten. Until the next day, when she hears the gunshot...
The Mysterious Affair of Giles is an Agatha Christie-styled murder-mystery and is best read with a cup of tea nearby.
- GenresMystery
120 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2014
About the author
Kyell Gold
66 books676 followersHi there! I am a writer of gay furry fiction--but you probably know that if you've seen my book listing here. I live in California with my husband Kit, and when I'm not writing, we like to go out to eat and watch movies. We travel a lot, too, mostly around the West Coast, but occasionally to the midwest and east.
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
I blog at http://www.kyellgold.com/wpblog about upcoming travel plans, upcoming books and news, general writing principles, gay rights, and whatever else seems interesting. And I co-host a podcast, called "Unsheathed," where we talk about the craft of writing and the furry fandom, sometimes at the same time.
If you have a question about any of the books, check the FAQ on my website and then ask away! :)
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 29, 2019
While critical of Kyell in the past, and usually not a mystery reader, I was quite pleased and charmed with this story. It was a challenge to put this book down--as one with ADD, that's saying something--and with the novella so short, it made for two pleasant days.
Gold set out to write an English Manor murder mystery, ala Agatha Christie. As one who hadn't read those particular works, I can only guess that he mimiced the style, but for me it was a definite success. In fact I think that was in large part of what attracted me to it--the whole notion of servants with their own halls, how they shouldn't be seen, and other such mannerisms were foreign to me, and that on top of the characters themselves kept me reading well before the murder itself. Side characters (such as Miss Turner) were fun whenever in the scene, andI found myself liking Ellie the main character quite a bit. The interior art depicting her as downright cute didn't hurt matters. In addition, the very British manner of clever and understated wit was in place, and all together gave it all delightful experience.
The story did have its downsides. I won't go into minor issues, but there is one flaw I will point out: the character Abby and her effect on the story. She was so easily upset, so weak, so delicate a personality that a scene didn't go by where Ellie wasn't either comforting her or worrying aout her well being, Ellie comes off less as a lover and more as a caregiver. Bad thinsg happen to Abby, yes, but they had to happen to the shrinking violet. Ellie's unending comfort and concern, and the constant romance between the two, felt overwhelming and a definite drag.
This issue was not enough to douse my enjoyment of the book. If you enjoy a very English story, colorful characters, or a proper whodunit, give this a read. I know that I'll be looking into more English Manor books.
Gold set out to write an English Manor murder mystery, ala Agatha Christie. As one who hadn't read those particular works, I can only guess that he mimiced the style, but for me it was a definite success. In fact I think that was in large part of what attracted me to it--the whole notion of servants with their own halls, how they shouldn't be seen, and other such mannerisms were foreign to me, and that on top of the characters themselves kept me reading well before the murder itself. Side characters (such as Miss Turner) were fun whenever in the scene, andI found myself liking Ellie the main character quite a bit. The interior art depicting her as downright cute didn't hurt matters. In addition, the very British manner of clever and understated wit was in place, and all together gave it all delightful experience.
The story did have its downsides. I won't go into minor issues, but there is one flaw I will point out: the character Abby and her effect on the story. She was so easily upset, so weak, so delicate a personality that a scene didn't go by where Ellie wasn't either comforting her or worrying aout her well being, Ellie comes off less as a lover and more as a caregiver. Bad thinsg happen to Abby, yes, but they had to happen to the shrinking violet. Ellie's unending comfort and concern, and the constant romance between the two, felt overwhelming and a definite drag.
This issue was not enough to douse my enjoyment of the book. If you enjoy a very English story, colorful characters, or a proper whodunit, give this a read. I know that I'll be looking into more English Manor books.
Read
May 31, 2026i used to be pretty active in the furry fandom and although it's not a community i'm really involved with anymore, i can't just can't very well ignore my favorite furry author* writing what he described as an Agatha Christie-style mystery with a central lesbian romance, now can i?
honestly? this was fucking awesome. and because i'm dumb & gay i shed tears of relief over the main characters getting to be happy & gay together. i'm not sorry.
(*ok fine he was literally everyone's favorite furry author back when i was active in the fandom, to the extent that he literally had to stop accepting furry media award nominations so someone else could win)
honestly? this was fucking awesome. and because i'm dumb & gay i shed tears of relief over the main characters getting to be happy & gay together. i'm not sorry.
(*ok fine he was literally everyone's favorite furry author back when i was active in the fandom, to the extent that he literally had to stop accepting furry media award nominations so someone else could win)
April 10, 2014
What's not to like about a novel described by its author as a 'furry lesbian Agatha Christie'? The postwar English setting and large cast of characters is a departure for Gold, and a refreshing one. It's especially nice to see so many strong female characters.
May 30, 2017
An interesting story that stands out from the rest of Kyell's work.
The plot is simple enough, though the mystery is engaging throughout. Most of all, it's a fun read.
If I were to find real criticism about it, it was that the characters didn't always feel distinct of each other, and I did confuse a few of them at some points. Largely though, a thoroughly enjoyable whodunnit.
The plot is simple enough, though the mystery is engaging throughout. Most of all, it's a fun read.
If I were to find real criticism about it, it was that the characters didn't always feel distinct of each other, and I did confuse a few of them at some points. Largely though, a thoroughly enjoyable whodunnit.
March 8, 2020
The mystery was okay, the lesbianism was... Fine. But this was written by a guy, a talented guy, but a guy nonetheless, so it never felt that real to me.
Still, well written on the whole. The author truly has a knack for interesting, unique characters.
Still, well written on the whole. The author truly has a knack for interesting, unique characters.
June 18, 2022
A fun page turner with captivating characters and silly plot-twists that will stay with me for a while.
May 25, 2024
I'm surprised it took me so long to a.) hear about this book and b.) read it, as I cut my teeth on "by the fandom, for the fandom" fiction back in 2005 when I read Gold's Volle. Needless to say, I have now fixed my grievous error. I have Read, and I have Enjoyed.
The premise is simple: Ellie the otter is the assistant cook to a wealthy vulpine family, and the girlfriend of the household maid, Abby the rabbit. Mr. Giles -- the head of the house -- has a history of sexual misconduct and wishes to sell his family business, much to his wife's dismay. Before he can make a deal, however, he is killed, with Ellie being the only witness. Most assume the murderer was a burglar or Giles' mistress, however, Ellie is suspicious that it's someone from within the household. Together with the help of the other household servants, Ellie begins her own private investigation into the truth of who killed Giles and why.
One thing I really loved was how Gold captures the feel of a Victorian whodunnit. He cites the famous Agatha Christie as a major source of inspiration, and I'd say he's done a great job of using his inspiration well, as "Agatha Christie for furries" is exactly how I would describe this book. Between the historical accuracy of the characters' social fabric and the overall vibe of the book, it's clear Gold put great effort and love into his creation.
I also adored how he approached his lesbian characters. I am a lesbian, and an issue I have with the vast majority of "lesbian" long-form works in the fandom is that none of them are written by women and always seem to be geared towards a heterosexual male audience. The worst offenders always seem hung up on some kind of bizarre "dominance-submission" dichotomy that I rarely, if ever, encounter in healthy lesbian relationships in real life. It's a stereotype perpetrated by porn created by men, for men, and -- while I'm not opposed to such works existing -- it becomes tiresome when you are an actual lesbian seeking stories that feel like home, and all you have is weird porn. This novella is, blessedly, free of that. Like Indigo Rain (another lovely lesbian novella from FurPlanet's Cupcakes line) it approaches its characters as people in love, rather than as vehicles for the reader's fetishistic projection, and I truly must thank Gold from the bottom of my heart for how he approached Ellie and Abby's relationship. At times it also has a hurt-comfort feel (something to be somewhat expected due to the historical period in which this takes) so if that's your jam, definitely give this book a look!
My one big complaint, and why I can't give this a full 5 star, is that there are A LOT of characters to keep track of in such a short work. Due to its length, they aren't really given enough time to become as distinct as they should be, so they can be difficult to remember, which is detrimental to a story of this genre. The book does at least seem somewhat aware of this, as it includes a character glossary, however, I personally would have preferred more in-universe development than a list that I need to keep flipping back to each time I forget a character.
Overall, this is a solid, lovely Victorian whodunnit (no spoils, but the identity of the killer did take me by surprise!) that I highly recommend if you like F/F or historical furry fiction.
The premise is simple: Ellie the otter is the assistant cook to a wealthy vulpine family, and the girlfriend of the household maid, Abby the rabbit. Mr. Giles -- the head of the house -- has a history of sexual misconduct and wishes to sell his family business, much to his wife's dismay. Before he can make a deal, however, he is killed, with Ellie being the only witness. Most assume the murderer was a burglar or Giles' mistress, however, Ellie is suspicious that it's someone from within the household. Together with the help of the other household servants, Ellie begins her own private investigation into the truth of who killed Giles and why.
One thing I really loved was how Gold captures the feel of a Victorian whodunnit. He cites the famous Agatha Christie as a major source of inspiration, and I'd say he's done a great job of using his inspiration well, as "Agatha Christie for furries" is exactly how I would describe this book. Between the historical accuracy of the characters' social fabric and the overall vibe of the book, it's clear Gold put great effort and love into his creation.
I also adored how he approached his lesbian characters. I am a lesbian, and an issue I have with the vast majority of "lesbian" long-form works in the fandom is that none of them are written by women and always seem to be geared towards a heterosexual male audience. The worst offenders always seem hung up on some kind of bizarre "dominance-submission" dichotomy that I rarely, if ever, encounter in healthy lesbian relationships in real life. It's a stereotype perpetrated by porn created by men, for men, and -- while I'm not opposed to such works existing -- it becomes tiresome when you are an actual lesbian seeking stories that feel like home, and all you have is weird porn. This novella is, blessedly, free of that. Like Indigo Rain (another lovely lesbian novella from FurPlanet's Cupcakes line) it approaches its characters as people in love, rather than as vehicles for the reader's fetishistic projection, and I truly must thank Gold from the bottom of my heart for how he approached Ellie and Abby's relationship. At times it also has a hurt-comfort feel (something to be somewhat expected due to the historical period in which this takes) so if that's your jam, definitely give this book a look!
My one big complaint, and why I can't give this a full 5 star, is that there are A LOT of characters to keep track of in such a short work. Due to its length, they aren't really given enough time to become as distinct as they should be, so they can be difficult to remember, which is detrimental to a story of this genre. The book does at least seem somewhat aware of this, as it includes a character glossary, however, I personally would have preferred more in-universe development than a list that I need to keep flipping back to each time I forget a character.
Overall, this is a solid, lovely Victorian whodunnit (no spoils, but the identity of the killer did take me by surprise!) that I highly recommend if you like F/F or historical furry fiction.
February 27, 2016
A tad more difficult to read than Gold's other books, but a delight nonetheless.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews