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The Property of a Gentleman
A gothic romantic suspence novel.
350 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
148 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Catherine Gaskin
94 books71 followersCatherine Gaskin (2 April 1929 – 6 September 2009) historical fiction and romantic suspense.
She was born in Dundalk Bay, Louth, Ireland in 1929. When she was only three months old, her parents moved to Australia, settling in Coogee, a suburb of Sydney, where she grew up. Her first novel This Other Eden, was written when she was 15 and published two years later. After her second novel, With Every Year, was published, she moved to London. Three best-sellers followed: Dust in Sunlight (1950), All Else is Folly (1951), and Daughter of the House (1952). She completed her best known work, Sara Dane, on her 25th birthday in 1954, and it was published in 1955. It sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into a number of other languages, and was made into a television series in Australia in 1982. Other novels included A Falcon for the Queen (1972) and The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977).
Catherine Gaskin moved to Manhattan for ten years, after marrying an American. She then moved to the Virgin Islands, then in 1967 to Ireland, where she became an Irish citizen. She also lived on the Isle of Man. Her last novel was The Charmed Circle (1988). She then returned to Sydney, where she died in September 2009, aged 80, of ovarian cancer.
She was born in Dundalk Bay, Louth, Ireland in 1929. When she was only three months old, her parents moved to Australia, settling in Coogee, a suburb of Sydney, where she grew up. Her first novel This Other Eden, was written when she was 15 and published two years later. After her second novel, With Every Year, was published, she moved to London. Three best-sellers followed: Dust in Sunlight (1950), All Else is Folly (1951), and Daughter of the House (1952). She completed her best known work, Sara Dane, on her 25th birthday in 1954, and it was published in 1955. It sold more than 2 million copies, was translated into a number of other languages, and was made into a television series in Australia in 1982. Other novels included A Falcon for the Queen (1972) and The Summer of the Spanish Woman (1977).
Catherine Gaskin moved to Manhattan for ten years, after marrying an American. She then moved to the Virgin Islands, then in 1967 to Ireland, where she became an Irish citizen. She also lived on the Isle of Man. Her last novel was The Charmed Circle (1988). She then returned to Sydney, where she died in September 2009, aged 80, of ovarian cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 20, 2015
A week or so ago I was approached by the publisher "Great Stories With Heart " and asked if I would be interested in reading for review a new release in eformat of an old book by Catherine Gaskin. Catherine Gaskin? Never heard of her! But I looked up her books, read reviews and became very excited!
What is good to know, (and what I think is rather special about her work) is that each book revolves on a certain topic such as antiques, falconey, whiskey making, glass making etc and she builds a detailed story/character list around that subject.
In "the property of a gentleman " the story's focus is antiques; the main character, an antique appraiser.
In a nutshell, a young woman (who works for Hardy's antiques) loses her mother in a tragic plane crash in Switzerland. To give her a change in scenery so to speak, her mentor, an older man named Gerald, invites her to go with him to the Lake District to appraise the contents of an old Tudor manor which has been cut off from the public for most if its 400 years. The owner, the 13th earl, is a man who served time in prison for the manslaughter of his wife and child and who has very little interest in antiquities except for how much champaigne they will buy. He is accompanied by his Spanish mistress, the Condesa.
What should have been a three day trip is extended to several weeks when Gerald suffers a heart attack. Joanna is placed in "the Spanish woman's room " ~ a young bride who died under very mysterious circumstances several hundred years ago and who's body has never been found...
The author paints the Lake District beautifully and I especially liked the eight Irish wolfhounds who seem to rule the manor even more than the earl. There is a 200 carat diamond accompanied by a 'curse', hidden panels, many works of art, a pair of golden eagles nesting where no eagle has produced young for 200 years, and a love interest. So lots of interest here (and I'm really just scratching the surface) .
The writer takes her time to tell a story. I'm not saying its slow (or at least, I didn't find it so) but she takes her time to lay the groundwork and build the story layer by layer which adds richness and allows you to take in and savor the details.
So did I like it? I loved it! This wont be my last Gaskin by a long shot and I really appreciate the opportunity to read for review the new e copy. Lets hope her others are also rereleased in due course!
CONTENT :
SEX : One scene 'fade to black '
VIOLENCE : Mild
PROFANITY : Mild
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS : "phantom" wolfhound? Spanish ghost? The diamond's "curse "? These are left for the reader to believe or not.
DRUGS/DRINK: A LOT of smoking and A LOT of drinking
MY RATING : Strong PG or mild PG-13 (for sexual content)
What is good to know, (and what I think is rather special about her work) is that each book revolves on a certain topic such as antiques, falconey, whiskey making, glass making etc and she builds a detailed story/character list around that subject.
In "the property of a gentleman " the story's focus is antiques; the main character, an antique appraiser.
In a nutshell, a young woman (who works for Hardy's antiques) loses her mother in a tragic plane crash in Switzerland. To give her a change in scenery so to speak, her mentor, an older man named Gerald, invites her to go with him to the Lake District to appraise the contents of an old Tudor manor which has been cut off from the public for most if its 400 years. The owner, the 13th earl, is a man who served time in prison for the manslaughter of his wife and child and who has very little interest in antiquities except for how much champaigne they will buy. He is accompanied by his Spanish mistress, the Condesa.
What should have been a three day trip is extended to several weeks when Gerald suffers a heart attack. Joanna is placed in "the Spanish woman's room " ~ a young bride who died under very mysterious circumstances several hundred years ago and who's body has never been found...
The author paints the Lake District beautifully and I especially liked the eight Irish wolfhounds who seem to rule the manor even more than the earl. There is a 200 carat diamond accompanied by a 'curse', hidden panels, many works of art, a pair of golden eagles nesting where no eagle has produced young for 200 years, and a love interest. So lots of interest here (and I'm really just scratching the surface) .
The writer takes her time to tell a story. I'm not saying its slow (or at least, I didn't find it so) but she takes her time to lay the groundwork and build the story layer by layer which adds richness and allows you to take in and savor the details.
So did I like it? I loved it! This wont be my last Gaskin by a long shot and I really appreciate the opportunity to read for review the new e copy. Lets hope her others are also rereleased in due course!
CONTENT :
SEX : One scene 'fade to black '
VIOLENCE : Mild
PROFANITY : Mild
PARANORMAL ELEMENTS : "phantom" wolfhound? Spanish ghost? The diamond's "curse "? These are left for the reader to believe or not.
DRUGS/DRINK: A LOT of smoking and A LOT of drinking
MY RATING : Strong PG or mild PG-13 (for sexual content)
January 10, 2017
"There had been no thought of refusal when Gerald had suggested that I join him on this visit, seemingly casual, unbidden so far as I was concerned, to Thirlbeck, home of Robert Birkett, 18th Earl of Askew, where we might find treasures, or perhaps – in Gerald’s favourite phrases – a load of old rubbish."
That's really all you need to know about the plot - plucky heroine joins her older coworker at an art auction company to assess the goods inside a crumbling old house in the Lake District. There are plenty of twists and turns, creepy mists, narrow, dangerous paths, long-lost art treasures, a huge diamond that may or may not carry a curse, a ghost (or is there a ghost?), and oh those dogs, especially the ghosty one that pops up out of nowhere.
Plenty of fun, and since this is set in the 1970s, plenty of cigarettes. Mary Stewart fans should feel right at home.
My copy obtained via Kindle Unlimited.
That's really all you need to know about the plot - plucky heroine joins her older coworker at an art auction company to assess the goods inside a crumbling old house in the Lake District. There are plenty of twists and turns, creepy mists, narrow, dangerous paths, long-lost art treasures, a huge diamond that may or may not carry a curse, a ghost (or is there a ghost?), and oh those dogs, especially the ghosty one that pops up out of nowhere.
Plenty of fun, and since this is set in the 1970s, plenty of cigarettes. Mary Stewart fans should feel right at home.
My copy obtained via Kindle Unlimited.
August 10, 2016
Rating Clarification: 4.5 Stars
March 4, 2014
Mystery, suspense, a touch of romance, and an old family curse haunt the pages of this engrossing novel! I don’t know that I would call it entirely ‘gothic’ but if does have some gothic elements to it—the rambling house, a family in ruin, a ancient curse and some unexplained paranormal activity.
I loved her use of the setting. The Lake District is both enchanting….harsh and beautiful all at the same time. I thought the setting added a lot of atmosphere to the tale and gave it an almost damp or cool and haughty feel to it. Loved loved loved the setting for this novel.
I haven’t read anything by Gaskin before, nor have I really heard anything about her novels. I understand from other reviewers that her style is very unique and that each book works with a specific topic such as antiques, glass making, falconry etc. This book was clearly about antiques and more specifically, art work. I thought that was a unique and intriguing feature of this novel.
This novel was probably not considered ‘historical fiction’ even though it has some reference to the Tudor era and the 1940′s, it set in the 1960′s so more or less a modern novel. However it had a historic feel to it with all the references to the other eras.
My biggest issue in the novel was the lack of romance. I wasn’t expecting too much romance because I thought it was more about the family and the mysterious curse but then there were hints of a romance at the beginning.
So I was a little disappointed by that and therefore gave it 4 stars instead of 5. This novel fell more into the gothic suspense category for me rather than gothic romance.
Gaskin’s writing style reminded me of a cross between Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt, so if you are a fan of either of those authors I would think you would enjoy Gaskin’s novels.
See my full review here
I loved her use of the setting. The Lake District is both enchanting….harsh and beautiful all at the same time. I thought the setting added a lot of atmosphere to the tale and gave it an almost damp or cool and haughty feel to it. Loved loved loved the setting for this novel.
I haven’t read anything by Gaskin before, nor have I really heard anything about her novels. I understand from other reviewers that her style is very unique and that each book works with a specific topic such as antiques, glass making, falconry etc. This book was clearly about antiques and more specifically, art work. I thought that was a unique and intriguing feature of this novel.
This novel was probably not considered ‘historical fiction’ even though it has some reference to the Tudor era and the 1940′s, it set in the 1960′s so more or less a modern novel. However it had a historic feel to it with all the references to the other eras.
My biggest issue in the novel was the lack of romance. I wasn’t expecting too much romance because I thought it was more about the family and the mysterious curse but then there were hints of a romance at the beginning.
So I was a little disappointed by that and therefore gave it 4 stars instead of 5. This novel fell more into the gothic suspense category for me rather than gothic romance.
Gaskin’s writing style reminded me of a cross between Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt, so if you are a fan of either of those authors I would think you would enjoy Gaskin’s novels.
See my full review here
December 7, 2013
Catherine Gaskin first published this book in hardback in 1974 and now it is available for the first time as an ebook.
With a magnificent but gloomy ancestral home in need of repair; an elderly retainer by the name of Tolson, set in wild moor land on the edge of a national park in Cumbria; mix them together with a bit of mystery, intrigue and romance, and what do you get? The makings of a brilliant story.
The story centres around Thirlbeck, home of the Earls of Askew. The 18th Earl, Robert Birkett, has reluctantly returned, needing money and has asked his old school friend, Gerald, to visit with the purpose of valuing and selling off the art and antiquities. Gerald has worked for Hardy's, a large auction house in London for many years and mentors a young woman called Joanne. She accompanies him to Thirlbeck, acting as his assistant and driver. Her life is more interwoven with Thirlbeck than she ever imagined. The house and farmland now need vast amounts of investment to restore the estate to its former glory.
The characters are wonderful, especially Tolson, a strange man, just the sort of character you would expect to find in an old house such as this. Tolson has cared for the house for many years in the absence of the Earl and in many ways looks upon it as his home, with his own relatives employed on the estate.
This book, although of its time, is so well written. The descriptions of the characters, the house and the surrounding countryside are quite evocative. Gaskin describes everything in great detail, but that doesn't prevent the reader from using their imagination. I particularly like the pack of family pet dogs, interwoven in the story, who became almost mystical in their behavour. The story builds slowly and inexorably, with many twists and turns.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other Catherine Gaskin ebooks.
With a magnificent but gloomy ancestral home in need of repair; an elderly retainer by the name of Tolson, set in wild moor land on the edge of a national park in Cumbria; mix them together with a bit of mystery, intrigue and romance, and what do you get? The makings of a brilliant story.
The story centres around Thirlbeck, home of the Earls of Askew. The 18th Earl, Robert Birkett, has reluctantly returned, needing money and has asked his old school friend, Gerald, to visit with the purpose of valuing and selling off the art and antiquities. Gerald has worked for Hardy's, a large auction house in London for many years and mentors a young woman called Joanne. She accompanies him to Thirlbeck, acting as his assistant and driver. Her life is more interwoven with Thirlbeck than she ever imagined. The house and farmland now need vast amounts of investment to restore the estate to its former glory.
The characters are wonderful, especially Tolson, a strange man, just the sort of character you would expect to find in an old house such as this. Tolson has cared for the house for many years in the absence of the Earl and in many ways looks upon it as his home, with his own relatives employed on the estate.
This book, although of its time, is so well written. The descriptions of the characters, the house and the surrounding countryside are quite evocative. Gaskin describes everything in great detail, but that doesn't prevent the reader from using their imagination. I particularly like the pack of family pet dogs, interwoven in the story, who became almost mystical in their behavour. The story builds slowly and inexorably, with many twists and turns.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other Catherine Gaskin ebooks.
February 3, 2016
I don't think I have ever read a Catherine Gaskin book and it won't be my last. I love unlocking puzzles as this story goes between the inhabitants of Thirlbeck the stately home of the Earl of Askew and the past and present residents. Lots of legends and interesting treasures with a dark shadow from a few centuries ago.
March 3, 2014
I’ve a bit of a soft spot for modern Gothics, and so when I was offered a review copy of Catherine Gaskin‘s THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN, I took one look at the blurb and was sold.
The book was first published in 1974, so falls into the category of “past contemporary” stories that always intrigues me. Social norms and mores of a bygone era are captured unconsciously on the pages because the era is not at all historical to the author – it’s the present, and as a result, I feel as though I get this sneaky peek into what life really was like back then* (always allowing for any author biases and artistic licence, of course…). It’s the little things that add an extra dimension to the story for me – in PROPERTY, we have Jo, the heroine, smoking cigarettes with wild abandon (and in bed!) and all the characters appear to have cigarette cases of their own.
As for the story itself, you’re immediately plunged into the mystery that is Thirlbeck, this isolated manor with hidden art treasures in the middle of the Lake District. The brooding country house atmosphere of Thirlbeck contrasted nicely with Jo’s trips to the metropolis that was London, which certainly felt very real and had a genuinely British feel – which made a single throwaway reference to “soccer” all the more jarring and had me wondering whether I’d missed the fact Jo was American (she wasn’t). That aside, I did like Jo’s London, especially when we spent time at the art auction house where she worked (loosely modelled on Christie’s, according to the author’s note) . If you were wondering, the title of the book comes from that world, and I thoroughly enjoyed the related nuggets of information scattered throughout the book:
However, I have to say that I felt a bit let down by the romance subplot. Although the eventual romantic interest was telegraphed clearly to any romance reader, there was something lacking – I was left thinking it could have been more. But I loved Jo’s independence and the way she tackled life. There was a nice twist at the end, which I didn’t see coming at all (make of that what you will – I admit to being notoriously oblivious at times), and an ending that tied up loose ends rather nicely.
So a satisfying read overall – I’d never heard of Catherine Gaskin before this, but having looked her up, I can see she was a prolific writer, and I can only hope more of her backlist gets released in digital form.
************
*As an aside, I wonder what people will be saying about today’s contemporaries in fifty years’ time…
Review copy courtesy of the publisher.
A version originally published on my blog: http://bookdaze.wordpress.com/2014/02...
The book was first published in 1974, so falls into the category of “past contemporary” stories that always intrigues me. Social norms and mores of a bygone era are captured unconsciously on the pages because the era is not at all historical to the author – it’s the present, and as a result, I feel as though I get this sneaky peek into what life really was like back then* (always allowing for any author biases and artistic licence, of course…). It’s the little things that add an extra dimension to the story for me – in PROPERTY, we have Jo, the heroine, smoking cigarettes with wild abandon (and in bed!) and all the characters appear to have cigarette cases of their own.
As for the story itself, you’re immediately plunged into the mystery that is Thirlbeck, this isolated manor with hidden art treasures in the middle of the Lake District. The brooding country house atmosphere of Thirlbeck contrasted nicely with Jo’s trips to the metropolis that was London, which certainly felt very real and had a genuinely British feel – which made a single throwaway reference to “soccer” all the more jarring and had me wondering whether I’d missed the fact Jo was American (she wasn’t). That aside, I did like Jo’s London, especially when we spent time at the art auction house where she worked (loosely modelled on Christie’s, according to the author’s note) . If you were wondering, the title of the book comes from that world, and I thoroughly enjoyed the related nuggets of information scattered throughout the book:
There could be heartbreak behind the sale of some single item, or a whole collection, cloaked, the owner hoped, by the discretion of Hardy’s and under the obscure designation of “The Property of a Gentleman”, or some other kindly shield and salve for pride.
Catherine Gaskin. The Property of a Gentleman (Kindle Locations 216-217). Corazon Books.
However, I have to say that I felt a bit let down by the romance subplot. Although the eventual romantic interest was telegraphed clearly to any romance reader, there was something lacking – I was left thinking it could have been more. But I loved Jo’s independence and the way she tackled life. There was a nice twist at the end, which I didn’t see coming at all (make of that what you will – I admit to being notoriously oblivious at times), and an ending that tied up loose ends rather nicely.
So a satisfying read overall – I’d never heard of Catherine Gaskin before this, but having looked her up, I can see she was a prolific writer, and I can only hope more of her backlist gets released in digital form.
************
*As an aside, I wonder what people will be saying about today’s contemporaries in fifty years’ time…
Review copy courtesy of the publisher.
A version originally published on my blog: http://bookdaze.wordpress.com/2014/02...
March 6, 2016
Couldn't get into this. I gave up a quarter of the way through. Something I rarely do.
May 5, 2015
This is my favorite book by Catherine Gaskin and one I can read over and over again.
April 11, 2024
Compelling story
The setting, characters, and story line is full of intrigue. Just imagining the English lake district with a home full of forgotten treasures and secrets - great fun. Some may not enjoy the excessive dialogue - not much left to the imagination, but the story in fully fleshed out because of it. I enjoy entering another era of writing style. Some outdated notions about men and women, but historically accurate for the time. Strong female characters who are coming into their own strength during a period when that was more difficult. An entertaining read that I would recommend for relaxation.
The setting, characters, and story line is full of intrigue. Just imagining the English lake district with a home full of forgotten treasures and secrets - great fun. Some may not enjoy the excessive dialogue - not much left to the imagination, but the story in fully fleshed out because of it. I enjoy entering another era of writing style. Some outdated notions about men and women, but historically accurate for the time. Strong female characters who are coming into their own strength during a period when that was more difficult. An entertaining read that I would recommend for relaxation.
December 8, 2017
Ab und zu hole ich dieses Buch wieder einmal aus meinem Regal, wenn ich was zum "zwischen zwei Büchern" zu lesen brauche..
Und jedes Mal gefäält es mir komischerweise weniger. Joanas Unsicherheite und fast schon Untergebenheit gegenüber Gerald Stanton z.B. oder die schrecklich einnehmende Familie Tolson.
Vielleicht sollte ich es auch einfach mal auf Englisch lesen - es kann auch zum Teil an der Übersetzung liegen.
An sich ist es eine interessante Geschichte und englische Herrenhäuser sowieso immer ein Plus!
Und jedes Mal gefäält es mir komischerweise weniger. Joanas Unsicherheite und fast schon Untergebenheit gegenüber Gerald Stanton z.B. oder die schrecklich einnehmende Familie Tolson.
Vielleicht sollte ich es auch einfach mal auf Englisch lesen - es kann auch zum Teil an der Übersetzung liegen.
An sich ist es eine interessante Geschichte und englische Herrenhäuser sowieso immer ein Plus!
January 7, 2019
A pretty uneven read with a weak heroine and other not-believable characters, with more than a dash of the gothic to round things off. All of the above make for a dull read, but Gaskin is a good writer so there's that.
November 3, 2019
Great Read
This was a very good read. I enjoyed reading about a historic house filled with secrets. The author keeps the reader guessing. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and change.
This was a very good read. I enjoyed reading about a historic house filled with secrets. The author keeps the reader guessing. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and change.
December 21, 2019
Richly detailed
Strong character development and a complex story. Older style but worth the time. Classic English country style living transitioning to the realities of modern financial needs and demands.
Strong character development and a complex story. Older style but worth the time. Classic English country style living transitioning to the realities of modern financial needs and demands.
March 5, 2024
Outstanding Storytelling
As I read the story, I thought I figured out where it would end up. This has outstanding twists and turns. Excellent story. I cannot wait to read more from this author. It was not overly graphic. So many secrets, so many surprises.
As I read the story, I thought I figured out where it would end up. This has outstanding twists and turns. Excellent story. I cannot wait to read more from this author. It was not overly graphic. So many secrets, so many surprises.
June 15, 2017
Older book but still intriguing romantic suspense
July 22, 2017
Great Tale
Art, mystery, romance, scandal, family secrets, and a wonderful plot. This writer is awesome and looking forward to reading note!
Art, mystery, romance, scandal, family secrets, and a wonderful plot. This writer is awesome and looking forward to reading note!
June 28, 2018
I was trying to remember which historical novels I loved as a teenager, and saw this book and remembered it. I think I prefer C Gaskin to J Plaidy/V Holt.
July 6, 2018
A really good read
If you like historical fiction with a mystery mixed in, you'll want to read this book. Lots of surprises and I never guessed the end!
If you like historical fiction with a mystery mixed in, you'll want to read this book. Lots of surprises and I never guessed the end!
April 4, 2019
Breathtaking!
It took me a while to get into this book, then the mystery with the characters, the jewel and the painting took over. Good story.
It took me a while to get into this book, then the mystery with the characters, the jewel and the painting took over. Good story.
Read
July 5, 2019Current times London and Lake District mystery romance
March 4, 2020
The storyline slowly unraveled, but was very captivating.
February 22, 2021
* 3,5 Sterne
March 12, 2023
Very surprising plot. The story starts off as normal but ends very surprisingly. Starts a bit slowly, and the used vocabulary is quite hard.
March 21, 2025
This would make a good movie. A thrilling and mysterious yarn about 2 women, an independent gregarious mother and her accomplished daughter, and their connections, professional and familiar.
March 19, 2017
The story stays within you
I first read this book over 30 years ago and never forgot it. I have re-read it several times, and pleased that when I had the urge to read it again that I could do it on my kindle. A marvelous telling of an old English family's history and quest for normalcy and acceptance as well as love.
I first read this book over 30 years ago and never forgot it. I have re-read it several times, and pleased that when I had the urge to read it again that I could do it on my kindle. A marvelous telling of an old English family's history and quest for normalcy and acceptance as well as love.
August 2, 2016
Joanna Roswell works for an auction house ‘Hardy’s’. She’s in her late twenties and has become an expert in ceramics. Her mother Vanessa, is also in antiques and her father is an abstract painter who lives in Mexico. She hasn’t even met him until her mother dies in an airline crash, and even then they only have some short weeks together.
So she’s pretty fragile when her first job after she returns from leave is to go with Gerald, a retired Hardy’s director, to assess the home and contents of Robert Birkett, 18th Earl of Askew. The home is Thirlbeck in the Lakes District.
Unoccupied and filled with what could be junk or treasure, but Gerald and Jo will know it when they see it.
But the house and the area exert a pull on Joanna. A pull that she finds out may have also worked on her mother. Her mother left, will Joanna stay?
When Gerald has a heart attack they are all forced to extend their time at Thirlbeck.
***
Catherine Gaskin’s old books are being re-issued on Kindle.
I don’t know if it’s that I’ve probably read this before… parts seemed very familiar to me, but I just loved it.
This is an old world where people smoke all the time, of privileged English gentry who have manservants who have devoted 30 years of their life to looking after their employer and have panic attacks at the thought of them being alone or ill without them. A world of phone booths and the slower passage of news.
The house crammed negligently full of priceless antiques and works of art, the pack of hounds that follow her around, the mystery of the dead Spanish girl, the cursed diamond, the forged artworks, the ghost hound near the forest… oooh it’s all Gothic stuff but dragged into a slightly more modern age. Gerald says Robert Askew hasn’t visited the estate for longer than a week for nearly thirty years, since 1945, so it is 1974ish. (When the book was published.)
George Tolson is the estate manager, a jealous guard of the house and the items within, and the breeder of the enormous hounds that promptly abandon him for the Earl. Generations of Tolsons look after the house and the grounds.
The Earl is one of those negligent upper class men, who has inherited something he doesn’t really value. This is also a time of high estate taxes, and death duties when any number of stately homes were left un-repaired. You can see hundreds of them in the images on abandoned aesthetic pages. Over the years, the family have moved back from the Orient (with all their collectibles), married Dutch women with a dowry of paintings, and so on. The collection of rare snuff boxes is of note for him merely because he broke the display case playing cricket inside once.
He’s the aristocrat, the VC war hero, who tragically lost his wife and son in a car crash and went to prison for a year for negligent driving. Every instance of bad luck for the Earls has been blamed on the curse of the Spanish lady. Every attempt to steal the huge diamond necklace has ended in tragedy and death. So much so that he can’t even sell it to finance the estate. The estate that he strains to the max by refusing to live on and manage.
His most recent lover is a gorgeous Spanish woman, referred to as Condesa.
With out a child of his own, the heir to the estate is a local farmer, Nat Birkett. The house has impacted Nat’s life with a tragedy as well. He doesn’t want to be the next Earl but it’s not up to him.
Jo is more pro-active than Gothic heroines usually are. Even if sometimes that just means not answering the phone. Lol.
I did like the way more than a few tiny details became very relevant.
5 stars
So she’s pretty fragile when her first job after she returns from leave is to go with Gerald, a retired Hardy’s director, to assess the home and contents of Robert Birkett, 18th Earl of Askew. The home is Thirlbeck in the Lakes District.
Unoccupied and filled with what could be junk or treasure, but Gerald and Jo will know it when they see it.
But the house and the area exert a pull on Joanna. A pull that she finds out may have also worked on her mother. Her mother left, will Joanna stay?
When Gerald has a heart attack they are all forced to extend their time at Thirlbeck.
***
Catherine Gaskin’s old books are being re-issued on Kindle.
I don’t know if it’s that I’ve probably read this before… parts seemed very familiar to me, but I just loved it.
This is an old world where people smoke all the time, of privileged English gentry who have manservants who have devoted 30 years of their life to looking after their employer and have panic attacks at the thought of them being alone or ill without them. A world of phone booths and the slower passage of news.
Other people’s standards were higher than mine – and if they were old-fashioned standards, it did not make them invalid. (Kindle Locations 2501-2502).
The house crammed negligently full of priceless antiques and works of art, the pack of hounds that follow her around, the mystery of the dead Spanish girl, the cursed diamond, the forged artworks, the ghost hound near the forest… oooh it’s all Gothic stuff but dragged into a slightly more modern age. Gerald says Robert Askew hasn’t visited the estate for longer than a week for nearly thirty years, since 1945, so it is 1974ish. (When the book was published.)
George Tolson is the estate manager, a jealous guard of the house and the items within, and the breeder of the enormous hounds that promptly abandon him for the Earl. Generations of Tolsons look after the house and the grounds.
The Earl is one of those negligent upper class men, who has inherited something he doesn’t really value. This is also a time of high estate taxes, and death duties when any number of stately homes were left un-repaired. You can see hundreds of them in the images on abandoned aesthetic pages. Over the years, the family have moved back from the Orient (with all their collectibles), married Dutch women with a dowry of paintings, and so on. The collection of rare snuff boxes is of note for him merely because he broke the display case playing cricket inside once.
He’s the aristocrat, the VC war hero, who tragically lost his wife and son in a car crash and went to prison for a year for negligent driving. Every instance of bad luck for the Earls has been blamed on the curse of the Spanish lady. Every attempt to steal the huge diamond necklace has ended in tragedy and death. So much so that he can’t even sell it to finance the estate. The estate that he strains to the max by refusing to live on and manage.
His most recent lover is a gorgeous Spanish woman, referred to as Condesa.
With out a child of his own, the heir to the estate is a local farmer, Nat Birkett. The house has impacted Nat’s life with a tragedy as well. He doesn’t want to be the next Earl but it’s not up to him.
Jo is more pro-active than Gothic heroines usually are. Even if sometimes that just means not answering the phone. Lol.
I did like the way more than a few tiny details became very relevant.
5 stars
June 10, 2014
This is a nostalgic episode for me. I know it isn't high literature, but it is so representative of the era in which it was written, I just love it. The mystery is fun, but the little dip into the world of estate auction and hidden treasures of old family collections is great. It's worth a read for fun.
December 27, 2008
It's supposed to be "romantic Suspense" but I don't have a shelf for suspense. It's one I picked up as a teenager reading everything I could get my hands on. It was probably one I borrowed from my sister. Frankly, I can't remember a thing about it.
July 19, 2010
This book has a special place in my heart from when I borrowed it from my mom's collection when I was in my early teens. Golden eagles, Irish wolfhounds, classy auction house, haunted manor house in the lonely Lake district...it includes these and so much more.
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