Blotto, Twinks and the Heir to the Tsar

Blotto and Twinks #6

by Simon Brett

Tawcester Towers, the family seat of the Lyminster family, has suffered an unwelcome injection of distant cousins, so distant that they aren't even British! Count Igor and Count Lyudmilla Bashusky had to flee Russia after the Revolution and have spent the intervening years building up debts in the hotels of Europe's capitals and sponging off ever more exasperated (and distant) relatives.

The Bashusky's arrival at Tawcester Towers causes a stir, and it's up to Blotto and Twinks, that indefatigable duo, to provide a solution to get them back to Russia. Reversing the Russian Revolution and getting a Tsar back into St Petersburg's Winter Palace is just the sort of challenge the fiercely bright Twinks relishes, though her dim-witted brother Blotto shows less aptitude for the subtleties of international politics, despite his commendable bravery.

The siblings soon find themselves in Berlin to try and broker a meeting with the White Russian community, and swiftly become embroiled in a world of spies, counterspies, conspiracies and counter-conspiracies. Just when things seem to be looking up, little do Blotto and Twinks realise that their plans are being monitored by the spymaster Fyodor Vlachko, a former worker on the Bushusky's estate who has now risen to a senior post in the secret police of the newly-formed Soviet Union . . .

Genres: Mystery, Humor, Adventure, Fiction

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2015

About the author

Simon Brett, OBE, FRSL is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.

He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.

He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.

After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.

He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.

Reviews

[Lyd's Archive (7/'15 to 6/'18) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat enjoyable and a quick read, but with its realism levels, it would have done much better as a childrens' book. None of the characters seemed realistic, the jokes were redundant, and Russian stereotypes were everywhere. Perhaps some people enjoy reading books that satirize everything, but I found it a bit disrespectful to a sensitive historical event like the Russian revolution.

"But the Russian revolution is not the kind of subject that can be understood without a sense of its context. I mean, it'd be meaningless to someone who doesn't understand the difference between a Bolshevik and a Menshevik." He faced Blotto squarely. "What is the difference between a Bolshevik and a Menshevik?"

"Ah. No. They have the Russian Orthodox church."
"Do they, by Denzil?"
"Well, rather, they did. The new Communist regime wants to get rid of the Church altogether."
"Do they?... Don't the rats' tails have any respect for tradition?"

"So the Whites are our sort of people and the Reds are oikish spongeworms?"
"Yes, that pretty well covers the table"

Um, not so fast guys

Stepping into the ballroom gave the impression that the Bashusky family had been somehow reduplicated into hundreds of fascimiles. Men with drooping mustaches and drooping spirits stood about listlessly in patched dinner suits. The women's dresses too were darned echoes of an earlier era. Many young females gazed yearningly into the middle distance (presumably towards the unreachable Moscow). Young men sagged around... with the look of those contemplating suicide.

[Sarah Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read. Didn't really enjoy this. Read Wodehouse if you want upper class nonsense or any decent crime writer for a detective story. Won't be reading any more in the series.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is just a ton of fun. I always enjoy the exploits of Blotto and Twinks. The writing and goofy situations remind me of P.G. Wodehouse.

[Steven Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tawcester Towers, the family seat of the Lyminster family, has suffered an unwelcome injection of distant cousins, so distant that they aren't even British! Count Igor and Count Lyudmilla Bashusky had to flee Russia after the Revolution and have spent the intervening years building up debts in the hotels of Europe's capitals and sponging off ever more exasperated (and distant) relatives.

The Bashusky's arrival at Tawcester Towers causes a stir, and it's up to Blotto and Twinks, that indefatigable duo, to provide a solution to get them back to Russia. Reversing the Russian Revolution and getting a Tsar back into St Petersburg's Winter Palace is just the sort of challenge the fiercely bright Twinks relishes, though her dim-witted brother Blotto shows less aptitude for the subtleties of international politics, despite his commendable bravery.

The siblings soon find themselves in Berlin to try and broker a meeting with the White Russian community, and swiftly become embroiled in a world of spies, counterspies, conspiracies and counter-conspiracies. Just when things seem to be looking up, little do Blotto and Twinks realise that their plans are being monitored by the spymaster Fyodor Vlachko, a former worker on the Bushusky's estate who has now risen to a senior post in the secret police of the newly-formed Soviet Union . . . A very mick taking story out of the rich and the Russian.

[Lila · Rating 3 out of 5]

A farcical series published in the UK involving siblings: a very dense upper class twit (Blotto) and his impossibly bright sister (Twinks) who need to dispose of poor Russian relations who have camped out at the family estate and are cramping Mother's style. Very light and very silly.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book more than the first Blotto and Twinks book I read. Maybe because I expected it to be silly, and therefore was not disappointed.

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delight

[Ridge Multop · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and moderately enjoyable read. Too much fake 'upper crust' British stuff.

[Andy Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely spoffing!!

[Margaret Haigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light hearted romp with these two delightful characters, this time encompassing a White Russian plot to produce an unknown Romanov heir and defeat the Bolsheviks

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute escapism a la Wodehouse. Just what a stressed exec needs.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one I read, but I'll try another. This one had too many tickey-tockeys, Toad-in-the-holes, and hoopee-doopees!

[Becky Burt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silly fun to read!! Enjoy!

[R. R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book seemed to me like to books connected through Berlin. As much as I enjoyed the pre-Berlin part with all the excesses sometimes. The second part was a total cliche.
I hope other Blotto and Twinks books don't go down this road

[M Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like this series you'll love this one too. (Please read this series in order for best effect) The series is a PD Wodehouse-Lite. Not as good as PD (who is) but not to be sniffed at either if one is in need of a brain-lifter.

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

As in their earlier adventures, Heir to the Tsar sees Bertie Wooster-esque Blotto Lyminster, and his sister Twinks (sort of a female Peter Wimsey), on a manic trans-continental jaunt laced with international intrigue. This time around their mother, the dour dowager duchess, dispatches them on a mission to rid their home of some unwanted guests. As in their earlier adventures, Heir to the Tsar sees Bertie Wooster-esque Blotto, and his sister Twinks (sort of a female Peter Wimsey), on a manic trans-continental jaunt laced with international intrigue.
This time around their mother, the dour dowager duchess, dispatches them on a mission to rid their home of some unwanted guests. The Bashuskys are distant relatives fleeing the red uprising in Russia, who have inflicted themselves on the Lyminsters. Blotto, Twinks, Blotto’s cricket bat and their loyal but homicidal chauffer Corky pack the Bashuskys in the car in a bid to pass them off on another set of relations in Berlin. But once there, it appears that their task won’t be so simple.
Just as funny and fast-moving as its predecessors, Heir to the Tsar is weekend-length, checking in at only 200 pages. Don’t read it right after reading another in the series, all the jokes are the same. Don’t bother reading too closely, either, the plot is largely inconsequential, but read it all the same.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventures with Blotto and Twinks are pure creamy eclair!!!

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why does Brett go on writing these books? More to the point, why do I go on reading them? Each time I see one on the library shelf, I say, "Well, I'm not reading that!" But eventually, I pick it up...At any rate, scions of the English nobility very stupid Blotto and his brilliant sister Twinks want to get rid of some poor relation guests, which involves going to Berlin and then to post-Revolutionary Russia, where many people have agendas that are way, way beyond poor Blotto.

[Michael Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tongue in cheek series about a pair of relatives who get caught up in crimes and dastardly deeds in the years after WWI. Here they try to help distant cousins from Russia and all heck breaks loose. Not bad but not great.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable latest addition to this series.
Easily readable and good fun.

[Les Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all off Simon's books until this one. Last of this series; and last on my list of his books. Still got about. 6 to go, and this won't deter me. From reading them. Disappointing!!!

[Janine Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun but not a murder mystery

[Lisa Peyton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light, a bit daft, hilarious but totes ‘Larksissimo!’

[B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars