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Samantha Duncan #1
Curse of Rasputin
In this debut novel, Daisy Thurbin introduces the reader to Samantha Duncan, retired Oxford Don, expert art historian and neophyte investigator. Samantha is part Miss Marple, part Lara Croft and all business in this fast paced mystery. This superbly crafted and researched page turner incorporates the mystique of Rasputin with the very topical search to restore the Imperial Romanov treasures to Mother Russia. The action moves between London, Moscow and St Petersburg as the intrepid Ms Duncan fights off villains with the help of her ex-priest brother-in-law and her much married American cousin. This is the first in what promises to be a terrific new mystery series with characters the reader will want to meet again and again.
- GenresMystery
128 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2014
15 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 8, 2018
I've hoovered up this whole series of 12 in a week or so on Kindle. Lovely British style cozy mysteries without a dead body in sight. The characters are worth spending time with and their lives interesting. Daisy Thurbin either knows, or has researched well, the antique art and conference world. Her stories are rather a travelogue as well.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed all in the series, some are better than others of course. Also, they would all be improved with professional editing and formatting. This did improve somewhat as the series progressed, but quote marks in the wrong place, uneven paragraph indenting, missing words and odd use of italics were an irritating and unnecessary distraction.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed all in the series, some are better than others of course. Also, they would all be improved with professional editing and formatting. This did improve somewhat as the series progressed, but quote marks in the wrong place, uneven paragraph indenting, missing words and odd use of italics were an irritating and unnecessary distraction.
December 20, 2015
An entertaining enough book for those times when you just want something light to read that doesn't entail engaging your brain. I do wonder why Rasputin makes it to the title when his appearance is epehemeral to say the least and curses are not mentioned, but it was nonetheless a pleasant way to while away an hour of so. Great lazy Sunday or aeroplane reading fodder.
July 2, 2020
I picked up this book because I've been learning Russian and thought a mystery set partly in Russia would be an interesting read, and it was free through Kindle Unlimited. Unfortunately, I have to give it 1 star, which I generally never do because I consider managing to finish writing a book an enormous accomplishment. But it's obvious that there was zero consideration for editing, copy-editing, formatting, or any of the general principles of mystery plots, in the making of this book. All this was pretty clear from the first few pages but I read it to the end to see if anything would improve, and it never did.
The sleuths don't sleuth. They go to the robbery victim (no murder here) and just ask the same questions again and again and get the same answers over and over. They never go to talk to the most obvious suspect, though that's fine because that suspect is only tangentially connected to the culprit, who is never on the radar, and is caught almost by chance. The writing is painfully stilted and tell-y rather than show-y throughout. Oh, and Rasputin doesn't come into the picture at all, the jewellery in question passed through his hands at some period in history, that's it. No "curse" involved. Ugh.
The sleuths don't sleuth. They go to the robbery victim (no murder here) and just ask the same questions again and again and get the same answers over and over. They never go to talk to the most obvious suspect, though that's fine because that suspect is only tangentially connected to the culprit, who is never on the radar, and is caught almost by chance. The writing is painfully stilted and tell-y rather than show-y throughout. Oh, and Rasputin doesn't come into the picture at all, the jewellery in question passed through his hands at some period in history, that's it. No "curse" involved. Ugh.
October 22, 2017
Great if you are off on a cultural trip to Russia
Plodding, much of the text could have been lifted from a guide book. Characters are lifeless cyphers. Plot very predictable
Plodding, much of the text could have been lifted from a guide book. Characters are lifeless cyphers. Plot very predictable
July 14, 2016
"Fast-paced" in the description is certainly a misnomer - most of the book is the description of the characters' everyday lives and trips. But I was aware of it through reading other Goodreads reviews and I don't usually mind that kind of thing - it can be soothing.
Since the characters make several trips to Russia and to my home city, I was interested in that. Nice to see that the author has heard about the Shuvalov palace, but for some reason she spells Pulkovo as "Pulkova" and believes that the Yeliseev store was once a home of a Russian princess (it was built specifically as the Yeliseev store - but I guess that's not exotic enough for English-language reader).
And, of course, the Russian phrases... if the author could not find a Russian to proof them for her, why not say "he said in Russian" instead of that mangle? I don't think even Google Translate mangles the language that badly.
By the way, it's strange that Samantha, a specialist in Eastern European - and specifically Russian - jewelry and art does not know Russian except a couple of bad phrases learned from audio lessons, and why she considers the Bronze Horseman a hard reading full of political innuendo. Russian history amd culture, especially the Saint Petersburg era, should be home ground for her... I suspect the author ran into understandable trouble of describing a specialist in a field she herself only read several articles about.
The way Russian museums seem to have tons of spare money to let Samantha and a guest to take five-star side trips is amusing, but let's chalk it for the fantasy aspect and the pleasure of writing - and reading - about the high life.
And finally, there seem to be errors even in English. The Yusonov name in the ending is especially confusing - first it's suddenly the name of the robber, which we see in Samantha's POV when she could not know it, and then it's used again when talking about one of the murderers of Rasputin - who is actually Yusupov; I guess the author remembered she had Rasputin in the title of the book and decided to mention his story at least in one phrase, but did the mangled 'Yusonov' get into an earlier scene by chance?
All in all, cute character, a bit pedestrian but competent style, a plot that starts moving only by the end and rather bad research.
Since the characters make several trips to Russia and to my home city, I was interested in that. Nice to see that the author has heard about the Shuvalov palace, but for some reason she spells Pulkovo as "Pulkova" and believes that the Yeliseev store was once a home of a Russian princess (it was built specifically as the Yeliseev store - but I guess that's not exotic enough for English-language reader).
And, of course, the Russian phrases... if the author could not find a Russian to proof them for her, why not say "he said in Russian" instead of that mangle? I don't think even Google Translate mangles the language that badly.
By the way, it's strange that Samantha, a specialist in Eastern European - and specifically Russian - jewelry and art does not know Russian except a couple of bad phrases learned from audio lessons, and why she considers the Bronze Horseman a hard reading full of political innuendo. Russian history amd culture, especially the Saint Petersburg era, should be home ground for her... I suspect the author ran into understandable trouble of describing a specialist in a field she herself only read several articles about.
The way Russian museums seem to have tons of spare money to let Samantha and a guest to take five-star side trips is amusing, but let's chalk it for the fantasy aspect and the pleasure of writing - and reading - about the high life.
And finally, there seem to be errors even in English. The Yusonov name in the ending is especially confusing - first it's suddenly the name of the robber, which we see in Samantha's POV when she could not know it, and then it's used again when talking about one of the murderers of Rasputin - who is actually Yusupov; I guess the author remembered she had Rasputin in the title of the book and decided to mention his story at least in one phrase, but did the mangled 'Yusonov' get into an earlier scene by chance?
All in all, cute character, a bit pedestrian but competent style, a plot that starts moving only by the end and rather bad research.
November 15, 2014
Tricked into reading a self-published book again. Boy, is it ever.
A mystery that's not really a mystery. Very little investigating, but a whole lot of stuff about Faberge eggs. I don't really know where Rasputin comes into this at all--the title is the whole reason I read the book.
The criminal isn't even a central part of the book, just shows up out of nowhere.
I guess the good thing about this book is that it didn't take long to read, so I wasn't wasting TOO much of my time.
A mystery that's not really a mystery. Very little investigating, but a whole lot of stuff about Faberge eggs. I don't really know where Rasputin comes into this at all--the title is the whole reason I read the book.
The criminal isn't even a central part of the book, just shows up out of nowhere.
I guess the good thing about this book is that it didn't take long to read, so I wasn't wasting TOO much of my time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2016
Samantha Duncan is a retired Oxford don whose talents as an expert art historian are utilized in a mystery that geographically links England and Russia. In this introduction to the cozy series, Samantha reminded me somewhat of a highly educated Miss Marple. An entertaining book for an enjoyable afternoon read.
March 7, 2015
Fun with an unlikely heroine
Good read. I liked Samantha Duncan. She was a believable and smart older woman. The descriptions of Russia were lovely and informative.
Good read. I liked Samantha Duncan. She was a believable and smart older woman. The descriptions of Russia were lovely and informative.
July 8, 2015
very English drawing room mystery.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews