Um Crime Passional

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales #3

by Peter Lovesey, Catarina Rocha Lima (Translator)

Bertie (the future King Edward VII) has a princely appetite for tasty morsels of all kinds. With glorious food and glamorous women equally appealing, it's not surprising that he visits Paris every year, with a modest retinue of some 30 faithful servants. The year 1889, however, marks his most eventful trip. First, he is he introduced to the can-can - that deliciously vulgar new sensation in which he takes, of course, a purely scholarly interest. And second, a murder at a fashionable nightclub allows him to exercise his beloved sleuthing skills, poking the royal nose into showgirls' dressing rooms and all manner of backstage intrigues. With Sarah Bernhardt and Toulouse-Lautrec acting as a dual Dr. Watson, His Highness cannot fail to find a solution to the crime - though no bets as to whether it's the right one. Delightfully humorous . . . no one is more fun than Bertie - Associated Press Tongue-in-cheek satire and wry humor along with an intriguing, entertaining mystery - Booklist

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Crime, Historical, Fiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Peter Harmer Lovesey, also known by his pen name Peter Lear, was a British writer of historical and contemporary detective novels and short stories. His best-known series characters are Sergeant Cribb, a Victorian-era police detective based in London, and Peter Diamond, a modern-day police detective in Bath. He was also one of the world's leading track and field statisticians.

Reviews

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as part of the three-book omnibus called Bertie.
The Prince of Wales, Bertie, is jaunting around seemingly without many cares or attendants. This book is mainly set in Paris and introduces dancing girls, Toulouse Lautrec, and rather a lot of food and drink.
Best for those who enjoy historical crime with many references to the rich and famous.
I downloaded an e-ARC from Fresh Fiction. This is an unbiased review.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Bertie wasn't such an entitled, spoiled, mischievous, juvenile, greedy, sexual predator, you might actually like him and like this book.

[David Hallstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bertie and the Crime of Passion is the third and final installment in Peter Lovesey's series featuring the future Edward VII as an amateur detective.

Like its two predecessors, this book is well-plotted (it is, after all, Lovesey). The writing shows a gentler humor than the two earlier novels. And the characters are well-developed.

Bertie is this time joined by Sarah Bernhardt in his sleuthing. There are several letters between Bertie and his wife Alix, but none of the caustic comments in prior books regarding Queen Victoria. Bertie shows a stunning lack of self-awareness, one that is probably accurate for a future king.

But for all that the book has to offer it, the Bertie stories are my least favorite Lovesey series. The stories and crimes are not as engaging as in his other series. There are a lot of readers who love these books, so maybe it is just me. But I would recommend the Diamond series first and the Hen Mallin series second (Lovesey would do well to write more books about her), Cribb and then finally Bertie.

[Linda Gaines]

Bertie works with Sarah Bernhardt to find a murderer in Paris. He's still the carefree Prince who makes mistakes but finally tracks down the shooter. Lovesey creates humor and character for a quick read that I enjoy right now.

[Diana Lima · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mystery was good. I didn't suspect the killer till the end. That's what you look for in this kind of genre. Didn't enjoy the rest of it very much, rhough, no empathy for the detectives (Bertie or Sarah).

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bertie and his partner in crime investigation -- Sarah Bernhardt of course -- are determined to do a better job than the Paris Surite' of investigating the murder of a young man who is shot twice at the Moulin Rouge. Utterly hilarious and silly.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jolly good fun. I like how a few historical tidbits are thrown in for good measure.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bard. A little old fashioned, but a good read

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good mystery with fun plot twists.

[CAROL · Rating 1 out of 5]

stopped after 100 pages. bored me silly! Stupid tale of Prince of Wales supposedly solving a murder in Paris.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Prince of Wales is in Paris, more or less in the spring, and his wife is visiting her parents. What an opportunity! But before he can resume his pursuit of Sarah Bernhardt, he learns that there's been a mysterious death associated with a friend's family. Fancying himself as an amateur sleuth, the corpulent prince decides to investigate the death of Jules Agincourt's prospective son-in-law, with Bernhardt as his reluctant assistant.

[MaryLisa Gavenas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Prince of Wales and Sarah Bernhardt set forth to solve a murder committed during La Goulue's performance at the Moulin Rouge. First stop: interviewing possible witness Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Not everyone's cup of tea. Definitely, delightfully mine.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

light-hearted murder mystery, fin de siecle Paris, sleuthing done by the English heir apparent and a famous French actress of the time. lots of fun... looking forward to more "Bertie" books

[Jaimie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read, but I prefer his Sergeant Cribb mysteries.

[Stargazer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cora Pearl is only mentioned in passing one in a list of Bertie's former lovers.

[Michell Karnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book with Bertie the Prince of Wales as the detective.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just getting to know Peter Lovesey...I'll try another character of his rather than reading about "Bertie" again.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read. Easy on the mind.