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The Return of Raffles
The continuing exploits of that charming gentleman and thief — A. J. Raffles.
“Standing gazing down at me, an amused expression on his saturnine face, was A. J. Raffles, England’s finest cricketer and if the truth were known, her greatest amateur cracksman. But Raffles had been killed in the Boer War four years ago!” Or had he …?
Alive and well and totally unreformed, Raffles together with his trusted ally and partner in crime, Bunny Manders, takes up his favourite safe-cracking! But events bode ill for Raffles when he is caught by his long-time antagonist, Chief Inspector Mackenzie …
Raffles is blackmailed into using his ‘unusual’ talents for the government. His to procure certain incriminating letters written by an indiscreet monarch — to avert an international crisis.
Could this be the beginning of a new career for Raffles — this time working with the law?
The first of a new series of Raffles adventures from the bestselling pen of Peter Tremayne - author of Ravenmoon , and Angelus .
‘Nerve wracking entertainment. An engrossing thriller.’ – Irish Times
A classic puzzle.’ – Kirkus Reviews
‘cleverly plotted and beautifully written…’ – Independent.ie
‘the characters are most memorable. A very enjoyable read’ – Historical Novel Society
‘Splendidly exciting' – Fred Nolan, author of Brass Target
Peter Berresford Ellis is a historian, literary biographer and novelist who has published over 90 books and 95 short stories to date. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. He is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.
“Standing gazing down at me, an amused expression on his saturnine face, was A. J. Raffles, England’s finest cricketer and if the truth were known, her greatest amateur cracksman. But Raffles had been killed in the Boer War four years ago!” Or had he …?
Alive and well and totally unreformed, Raffles together with his trusted ally and partner in crime, Bunny Manders, takes up his favourite safe-cracking! But events bode ill for Raffles when he is caught by his long-time antagonist, Chief Inspector Mackenzie …
Raffles is blackmailed into using his ‘unusual’ talents for the government. His to procure certain incriminating letters written by an indiscreet monarch — to avert an international crisis.
Could this be the beginning of a new career for Raffles — this time working with the law?
The first of a new series of Raffles adventures from the bestselling pen of Peter Tremayne - author of Ravenmoon , and Angelus .
‘Nerve wracking entertainment. An engrossing thriller.’ – Irish Times
A classic puzzle.’ – Kirkus Reviews
‘cleverly plotted and beautifully written…’ – Independent.ie
‘the characters are most memorable. A very enjoyable read’ – Historical Novel Society
‘Splendidly exciting' – Fred Nolan, author of Brass Target
Peter Berresford Ellis is a historian, literary biographer and novelist who has published over 90 books and 95 short stories to date. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. He is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.
- GenresFiction
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1981
17 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Peter Tremayne
212 books469 followersPeter Berresford Ellis (born 10 March 1943) is a historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. As Peter Tremayne, he is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
June 24, 2017
I must admit I have not read the short story collections written by E. W. Hornung from 1899 and later, so I am unable to compare Peter Tremayne's handling of Raffles with the original.
This book is highly entertaining with its assortment of colorful characters, circumstances, settings and unlikely recruitment by the PM of a couple of burgling "gentlemen" to regain possession of letters the Germans are determined to capture.
This book is highly entertaining with its assortment of colorful characters, circumstances, settings and unlikely recruitment by the PM of a couple of burgling "gentlemen" to regain possession of letters the Germans are determined to capture.
March 15, 2012
Originally published on my blog here in September 1998.
Seventy years after E.W. Hornung killed off his famous upper-class burglar hero, Raffles, by involving him in the Boer War, Peter Tremayne resurrected him for a new series of stories. The idea is that Raffles used the fact that everyone thought him dead to create a new identity, free from the suspicion that surrounded his own name.
In the next few years, his accomplice and devoted friend Bunny Manders has married Alice Devenish, who met him and Raffles on one of their last adventures together, and has taken up a respectable lifestyle. Staying with his brother in law while Alice is in Paris, he comes downstairs in the night to disturb a burglar, who turns out to be Raffles. (This coincidence is one of the most contrived parts of the plot, but Tremayne had to get Bunny and Raffles back together, and Raffles would have been avoiding those who knew him in the past.
As they resume their friendship, Raffles once more tempts Bunny to take up a life of crime, only to find themselves caught red-handed by their old enemy, Chief Inspector Mackenzie. After an unpleasant night in custody, the pair are suddenly taken to see the Prime Minister, of all people. There, they are offered a pardon if they will aid the government to recover a packet of letters, hidden in the German Embassy and with contents that could plunge Europe into war. In other words, the two men are recruited as spies.
One of the major reasons for the success of Hornung's original stories has now been jettisoned by Tremayne: the shock of a hero who is both an amoral thief and a member of the upper classes (and a famous cricketer who played for England on many occasions). Of course, the shock of this is far less in the last quarter of the twentieth century than in the first, and the spy plot at least enables Tremayne to put the characters he has inherited in new situations; the lack of new ideas must have been a major motive for Hornung to kill Raffles off in the first place.
In most respects, though, Tremayne's writing is a major improvement on Hornung's. Indeed, the low quality of Hornung's work - there is perhaps the biggest discrepancy between his literary merit and the fame of his characters than with any other crime writer (with the possible exception of Agatha Christie) - is jokingly referred to by Raffles, who disapproves of Bunny's low taste in fiction. (These references are great fun for anyone who knows the originals at all well, and include mention of stupid mistakes that Hornung made like having a character jump out of a window of the Albany onto the roof of a carriage, when this would have been impossible from the side of the building on which he placed the window.)
By making Bunny grow up and lose some of his rather excessive admiration for the extremely selfish Raffles Tremayne makes the whole scenario more plausible. (Hornung was, I think, trying to imply a homosexual attraction he was unable to make explicit in popular fiction in the early years of this century.)
Seventy years after E.W. Hornung killed off his famous upper-class burglar hero, Raffles, by involving him in the Boer War, Peter Tremayne resurrected him for a new series of stories. The idea is that Raffles used the fact that everyone thought him dead to create a new identity, free from the suspicion that surrounded his own name.
In the next few years, his accomplice and devoted friend Bunny Manders has married Alice Devenish, who met him and Raffles on one of their last adventures together, and has taken up a respectable lifestyle. Staying with his brother in law while Alice is in Paris, he comes downstairs in the night to disturb a burglar, who turns out to be Raffles. (This coincidence is one of the most contrived parts of the plot, but Tremayne had to get Bunny and Raffles back together, and Raffles would have been avoiding those who knew him in the past.
As they resume their friendship, Raffles once more tempts Bunny to take up a life of crime, only to find themselves caught red-handed by their old enemy, Chief Inspector Mackenzie. After an unpleasant night in custody, the pair are suddenly taken to see the Prime Minister, of all people. There, they are offered a pardon if they will aid the government to recover a packet of letters, hidden in the German Embassy and with contents that could plunge Europe into war. In other words, the two men are recruited as spies.
One of the major reasons for the success of Hornung's original stories has now been jettisoned by Tremayne: the shock of a hero who is both an amoral thief and a member of the upper classes (and a famous cricketer who played for England on many occasions). Of course, the shock of this is far less in the last quarter of the twentieth century than in the first, and the spy plot at least enables Tremayne to put the characters he has inherited in new situations; the lack of new ideas must have been a major motive for Hornung to kill Raffles off in the first place.
In most respects, though, Tremayne's writing is a major improvement on Hornung's. Indeed, the low quality of Hornung's work - there is perhaps the biggest discrepancy between his literary merit and the fame of his characters than with any other crime writer (with the possible exception of Agatha Christie) - is jokingly referred to by Raffles, who disapproves of Bunny's low taste in fiction. (These references are great fun for anyone who knows the originals at all well, and include mention of stupid mistakes that Hornung made like having a character jump out of a window of the Albany onto the roof of a carriage, when this would have been impossible from the side of the building on which he placed the window.)
By making Bunny grow up and lose some of his rather excessive admiration for the extremely selfish Raffles Tremayne makes the whole scenario more plausible. (Hornung was, I think, trying to imply a homosexual attraction he was unable to make explicit in popular fiction in the early years of this century.)
May 30, 2017
English writer Hornung's creation (in the late 1800s) of psychologically complex gentleman thief A.J. Raffles has inspired so many books, television shows, films and stage plays, that it seems odd to have to explain to people who he is, but that seems to be the case because the idea of Raffles became bigger than the character and his stories. The idea of a charismatic, upper class criminal who is more enamored of the adrenaline charge and overcoming the challenges of his crimes than what he actually thieves, appeals to people.
Before I read this Raffles novel by a modern writer, I returned to the originals and read them from start to finish. While reading, I noted that Hornung tossed around the saying “Set a thief to catch a thief” often in his three collections of short stories and one novel, and it is that idea in particular that has inspired this pastiche Raffles novel (and the TV shows “To Catch a Theif” and “White Collar”). But to create the book, the author had to resurrect the gentleman thief from the grave where Hornung had put him, which he does believably enough.
Key to the original stories was the relationship between Raffles and his biographer-best friend-accomplice Henry (Bunny) Manders. Bunny explained in each collection (and novel) why he wrote the stories for the public to read, and that is the element I missed in the most in this book. Bunny never “spoke” to us about how he came to write this book, even if it is written in first-person like the original stories. We don't get much of his interesting 20/20 hindsight either. I would have loved more of that. And the author missed a beat by not having Raffles encounter Bunny at the beginning of this book by plan, not by chance, in one of Raffles' playful pranks.
Things missing in this book that I don't miss at all are the bigotry, anti-antisemitism, sexism and the rah-rah for the Englishman's dominion over half the world nonsense that marred the original works. The modern author even inserts some perspective on British colonialism, showing that theft of natural resources was behind it all. One thing missing from the new book that many readers won't miss are the Latin phases and classical allusions that spoke to the classically educated readers of Hornung's day. Another thing that will not be missed are the words that have since taken on different meanings, such as “fagging” and “ejaculated”.
The modern author works to bring the reader quickly up to speed on the history of Raffles and Bunny, and provides a few footnotes referencing the original stories. I was surprised when he even quoted a whole section of one story in which Raffles explained the appeal for him of both cricket and thieving. I noticed only two big divergences from the original works: Bunny should be lame from his Boer War injury, and Raffles should be not salt and pepper headed with black eyes, but totally gray with blue eyes.
Was this book entertaining? Yes, although I had the feeling I had read or seen it all before, either in the Raffles stories (one situation in particular that Bunny should have recognized too!), or in the black and white Sherlock Holmes films with the goofy Watson character. The author's study of the era peppers the book throughout, dropping details that Bunny probably would not have bothered to include, solely for the benefit of modern readers, and that was often interesting, but sometimes jarring.
Overall I'd say it was a fine effort, light reading, and diverting, although I didn't really like the jokes about the author Hornung that the author had Hornung's characters make; that felt like one step too far. I received a review copy; this is my honest review.
Before I read this Raffles novel by a modern writer, I returned to the originals and read them from start to finish. While reading, I noted that Hornung tossed around the saying “Set a thief to catch a thief” often in his three collections of short stories and one novel, and it is that idea in particular that has inspired this pastiche Raffles novel (and the TV shows “To Catch a Theif” and “White Collar”). But to create the book, the author had to resurrect the gentleman thief from the grave where Hornung had put him, which he does believably enough.
Key to the original stories was the relationship between Raffles and his biographer-best friend-accomplice Henry (Bunny) Manders. Bunny explained in each collection (and novel) why he wrote the stories for the public to read, and that is the element I missed in the most in this book. Bunny never “spoke” to us about how he came to write this book, even if it is written in first-person like the original stories. We don't get much of his interesting 20/20 hindsight either. I would have loved more of that. And the author missed a beat by not having Raffles encounter Bunny at the beginning of this book by plan, not by chance, in one of Raffles' playful pranks.
Things missing in this book that I don't miss at all are the bigotry, anti-antisemitism, sexism and the rah-rah for the Englishman's dominion over half the world nonsense that marred the original works. The modern author even inserts some perspective on British colonialism, showing that theft of natural resources was behind it all. One thing missing from the new book that many readers won't miss are the Latin phases and classical allusions that spoke to the classically educated readers of Hornung's day. Another thing that will not be missed are the words that have since taken on different meanings, such as “fagging” and “ejaculated”.
The modern author works to bring the reader quickly up to speed on the history of Raffles and Bunny, and provides a few footnotes referencing the original stories. I was surprised when he even quoted a whole section of one story in which Raffles explained the appeal for him of both cricket and thieving. I noticed only two big divergences from the original works: Bunny should be lame from his Boer War injury, and Raffles should be not salt and pepper headed with black eyes, but totally gray with blue eyes.
Was this book entertaining? Yes, although I had the feeling I had read or seen it all before, either in the Raffles stories (one situation in particular that Bunny should have recognized too!), or in the black and white Sherlock Holmes films with the goofy Watson character. The author's study of the era peppers the book throughout, dropping details that Bunny probably would not have bothered to include, solely for the benefit of modern readers, and that was often interesting, but sometimes jarring.
Overall I'd say it was a fine effort, light reading, and diverting, although I didn't really like the jokes about the author Hornung that the author had Hornung's characters make; that felt like one step too far. I received a review copy; this is my honest review.
May 31, 2017
Princess Fuzzypants here:
I do love historical novels that can transport you back to another time and place. Raffles does this in spades. Raffles is a rapscallion who is also a very bad influence on our protagonist. He is a famous "cracksman". He is doubly famous both on the cricket field and in the homes of the wealthy where their valuables are not safe, in a safe,
When our two heroes are caught red-pawed breaking into a safe, their nemesis, a gruff Scot from Scotland Yard, takes them to meet some very highly placed people who want to use their questionable gifts. Letters that cast aspersions on certain dignitaries have been stolen by German spies. Their release will embarrass Edward VII and cause a political scandal. They must find the letters and steal them back.
There is a merry chase all over London to the country and a weekend House Party. They are thwarted at every turn until Raffles finally clicks on the clues and discovers who is the leader of the gang of spies.
It is highly entertaining, amusing and enticing. It is the first of a new series and I for one will look forward to future adventures.
If you are a fan of Edwardian literature or just a cracking good mystery, check it out. I give it five purrs and two paws up.
I do love historical novels that can transport you back to another time and place. Raffles does this in spades. Raffles is a rapscallion who is also a very bad influence on our protagonist. He is a famous "cracksman". He is doubly famous both on the cricket field and in the homes of the wealthy where their valuables are not safe, in a safe,
When our two heroes are caught red-pawed breaking into a safe, their nemesis, a gruff Scot from Scotland Yard, takes them to meet some very highly placed people who want to use their questionable gifts. Letters that cast aspersions on certain dignitaries have been stolen by German spies. Their release will embarrass Edward VII and cause a political scandal. They must find the letters and steal them back.
There is a merry chase all over London to the country and a weekend House Party. They are thwarted at every turn until Raffles finally clicks on the clues and discovers who is the leader of the gang of spies.
It is highly entertaining, amusing and enticing. It is the first of a new series and I for one will look forward to future adventures.
If you are a fan of Edwardian literature or just a cracking good mystery, check it out. I give it five purrs and two paws up.
June 21, 2017
An adventure story for readers who like their espionage with country houses and cricket - while there's a bit of the modern here (in the form of some general fussing about with sexual intrigue at a weekend party but, honestly, it's not "sexy" in any way) this is plants its feet firmly in the sort of "Dash it, man! That's not quite English, is it?" style that you have to be in the mood for to enjoy, especially since Raffles and Bunny are aren't blazing any new trails for characterization. The actual spying plot is a serious MacGuffin - there's some business with stolen letters and Germans but that's not why any of us came to the party, honestly, so I didn't bother. As a whole I liked it, but then I like this sort of thing. A tentative recommend.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 17, 2017
I've read a few of the original Raffles stories, but I have to confess that I didn't really take to him. But reading this book was really great fun. For one thing Mr. Tremayne has written a story that has the feel of a real Golden Age Crime novel, nothing jars, nothing sounds to modern, a truly wonderful achievement. For another, although I still don't like Raffles as a person, the story was very well thought of and executed.
Got an ARC via netgalley.com.
Got an ARC via netgalley.com.
July 13, 2019
For King and Country 😀
A fun, fast-paced, quite implausible spy story - good to have Raffles back. And the original character traits of the two protagonists are all there. A great summer read - enjoy!
A fun, fast-paced, quite implausible spy story - good to have Raffles back. And the original character traits of the two protagonists are all there. A great summer read - enjoy!
June 6, 2017
I have read and enjoyed previous books by this Author but I found this book difficult to get into ...........
The storyline was slow paced and quite predictive .......not for me this time
The storyline was slow paced and quite predictive .......not for me this time
February 7, 2016
read SOMETIME in 2008
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews