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A Mathematical Mystery #1
The Truth about Archie and Pye
Something doesn't add up about Archie and Pye ...
After a disastrous day at work, disillusioned junior PR executive Tom Winscombe finds himself sharing a train carriage and a dodgy Merlot with George Burgess, biographer of the Vavasor twins, mathematicians Archimedes and Pythagoras, who both died in curious circumstances a decade ago.
Burgess himself will die tonight in an equally odd manner, leaving Tom with a locked case and a lot of unanswered questions.
Join Tom and a cast of disreputable and downright dangerous characters in this witty thriller set in a murky world of murder, mystery and complex equations, involving internet conspiracy theorists, hedge fund managers, the Belarusian mafia and a cat called µ.
Praise for Jonathan Pinnock:‘Lovely stuff.’ Ian Rankin
‘He makes funny and self-deprecating company.’ The Herald
‘Jonathan Pinnock writes compelling tales with a deliciously wicked glint in his eye.’ Ian Skillicorn, National Short Story Week
‘Jonathan Pinnock is Roald Dahl’s natural successor.’ Vanessa Gebbie
272 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2018
49 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
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Jonathan Pinnock
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 7, 2018
This was such a funny book! My mind keeps trying to go to similar books, and I know I've read some, but I can't remember any for the life of me right now. But once you start reading it, you'll know the kind I mean. It's fast, it's hilarious, it's got a ridiculously incompetent main character who is still quite likeable, despite being either a major dick, or just a big doofus - interchangeably (think of a main character from an urban fantasy, for example.) It's good evening entertainment, nothing short of watching a spy or con men movie, and it will deliver.
One more thing - little mathematical details are sprinkled all over the plot - but they're not as difficult as to go over your head, they are explained and they certainly set a nice tone to the story. If you've ever been a maths dork (like me!), this will be an added bonus.
Despite the mystery the main character is chasing in this book, there's still a hanging thread that remains after everything seems to be solved - which makes me happy because that means there's will be a part two. Can't wait to read it!
I thank Farrago and Prelude for the review copy in exchange to my honest opinion. This has not affected my review.
One more thing - little mathematical details are sprinkled all over the plot - but they're not as difficult as to go over your head, they are explained and they certainly set a nice tone to the story. If you've ever been a maths dork (like me!), this will be an added bonus.
Despite the mystery the main character is chasing in this book, there's still a hanging thread that remains after everything seems to be solved - which makes me happy because that means there's will be a part two. Can't wait to read it!
I thank Farrago and Prelude for the review copy in exchange to my honest opinion. This has not affected my review.
April 23, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this – it's a great fun mystery, very entertaining and witty.
October 7, 2018
I enjoyed The Truth About Archie And Pie. It’s a comic mystery which is actually funny and which has some genuine content to it as well.
Be warned, the plot is bonkers. Tom Winscome, a rather smug pillock in PR (who narrates the book) comes into possession of some mathematical manuscripts, and as his life then comes apart he finds himself in the middle of murder plots, possibly being threatened by the Belarusian mafia and so on while having to solve some mathematically-based mysteries to find out what is going on and save himself and his friends. Put like that, it sounds pretty terrible, but it’s well written, witty enough to make me laugh out loud several times, the maths elements are enjoyable and simply explained, and it has a plot which is just (just!) coherent enough to make a decent mystery.
Jonathan Pinnock has an easy, readable style with neatly-painted (if sometimes absurdly extreme) characters, like the vicar who “had a plummy, earnest voice that managed to sound sympathetic and judgemental at the same time,” and he gets Tom’s hopeless lack of self-awareness very well. I liked this little line after he has been a pain to his girlfriend who has left him a note saying that she has gone out with Samantha to discuss man problems: “Samantha’s boyfriend was an arse, so I wasn’t a bit surprised by this.” Tom does develop a little during the book, which is also a good aspect.
Pinnock also takes some neat, humorous swipes at a lot of modern idiocies, like
‘What if he’s got a gun?’
‘We’re in Hoxton, Tom. If anyone found a gun in Hoxton, they’d use it in some kind of post-ironic artwork.’
OK, it’s an easy target, but it’s nicely done and there’s plenty of enjoyable stuff in the same vein about internet behaviour, conspiracy theories, absurd corporate language and so on.
This isn’t a comedy classic for me; I couldn’t quite give it five stars because I felt it could do with a little tightening up in places, but it’s a very enjoyable read and I will be looking out for the sequel.
(My thanks to Farrago for an ARC via NetGalley.)
Be warned, the plot is bonkers. Tom Winscome, a rather smug pillock in PR (who narrates the book) comes into possession of some mathematical manuscripts, and as his life then comes apart he finds himself in the middle of murder plots, possibly being threatened by the Belarusian mafia and so on while having to solve some mathematically-based mysteries to find out what is going on and save himself and his friends. Put like that, it sounds pretty terrible, but it’s well written, witty enough to make me laugh out loud several times, the maths elements are enjoyable and simply explained, and it has a plot which is just (just!) coherent enough to make a decent mystery.
Jonathan Pinnock has an easy, readable style with neatly-painted (if sometimes absurdly extreme) characters, like the vicar who “had a plummy, earnest voice that managed to sound sympathetic and judgemental at the same time,” and he gets Tom’s hopeless lack of self-awareness very well. I liked this little line after he has been a pain to his girlfriend who has left him a note saying that she has gone out with Samantha to discuss man problems: “Samantha’s boyfriend was an arse, so I wasn’t a bit surprised by this.” Tom does develop a little during the book, which is also a good aspect.
Pinnock also takes some neat, humorous swipes at a lot of modern idiocies, like
‘What if he’s got a gun?’
‘We’re in Hoxton, Tom. If anyone found a gun in Hoxton, they’d use it in some kind of post-ironic artwork.’
OK, it’s an easy target, but it’s nicely done and there’s plenty of enjoyable stuff in the same vein about internet behaviour, conspiracy theories, absurd corporate language and so on.
This isn’t a comedy classic for me; I couldn’t quite give it five stars because I felt it could do with a little tightening up in places, but it’s a very enjoyable read and I will be looking out for the sequel.
(My thanks to Farrago for an ARC via NetGalley.)
March 8, 2019
In the end I wasn't that keen on this one. The mathematical element was relatively minor, and didn't really play much of a role in the plot. The humour was humorous ;) but not really quite my style. None of this is to say it's not worth reading: for light mystery with a bit of an academic twist, it's fine. Just not so much my type of thing.
April 5, 2019
You don’t need to take off your shoes and socks to keep up with the mathematics in this book; it is all a gentle adventure that entertains rather than rattles brains.
The plot is fun and quite bonkers. This however should not put anyone off as it is a helter skelter ride of pleasure rather than a terrifying encounter on the runaway train.
Trains do play a part in the story though and thrills do abound with quite a high body count and a few near misses.
Tom Winscombe is a bit of a loser. A PR guy who isn’t so much down on his luck but completely without an ounce of sense. He conspires to place himself at risk of losing his job while sitting on his hands to lose his flat and his girlfriend to boot.
Between these events he gains an unhealthy interest in a story he learns about on a train. Quite literally an author bumps into him, spilling his drink and strikes up a conversation fuelled by further alcohol in the buffet bar.
He becomes fascinated by this rambling account of George Burgess who is trying to write a biography of the Vavasor twins. Renowned mathematicians who died in unusual circumstances a decade previously. Burgess is to write the definitive account of their sad demise but for reasons best known to him takes a quite salacious perspective. His authorship is brought into question in an earlier telephone exchange with the Vavasor estate who pull the plug on his research and the commission to write the book on Archie and Pye.
George is still upset when he realises he needs to alight the train as they arrive at his station. In his haste he forgets his briefcase which Tom finds and takes with him to return to George the following day.
So begins the mayhem, danger and breakdown of Tom’s normal but mundane existence. Packed with sinister and mysterious characters this is a fine novel to help pass a few hours in what is a gentle but interesting crime thriller.
It Redefines Geeks and Nerds in the process and is a great journey to follow as Tom gains a backbone.
Not sidesplittingly funny but clever and full of humour provide a broad smile to the power of n.
The plot is fun and quite bonkers. This however should not put anyone off as it is a helter skelter ride of pleasure rather than a terrifying encounter on the runaway train.
Trains do play a part in the story though and thrills do abound with quite a high body count and a few near misses.
Tom Winscombe is a bit of a loser. A PR guy who isn’t so much down on his luck but completely without an ounce of sense. He conspires to place himself at risk of losing his job while sitting on his hands to lose his flat and his girlfriend to boot.
Between these events he gains an unhealthy interest in a story he learns about on a train. Quite literally an author bumps into him, spilling his drink and strikes up a conversation fuelled by further alcohol in the buffet bar.
He becomes fascinated by this rambling account of George Burgess who is trying to write a biography of the Vavasor twins. Renowned mathematicians who died in unusual circumstances a decade previously. Burgess is to write the definitive account of their sad demise but for reasons best known to him takes a quite salacious perspective. His authorship is brought into question in an earlier telephone exchange with the Vavasor estate who pull the plug on his research and the commission to write the book on Archie and Pye.
George is still upset when he realises he needs to alight the train as they arrive at his station. In his haste he forgets his briefcase which Tom finds and takes with him to return to George the following day.
So begins the mayhem, danger and breakdown of Tom’s normal but mundane existence. Packed with sinister and mysterious characters this is a fine novel to help pass a few hours in what is a gentle but interesting crime thriller.
It Redefines Geeks and Nerds in the process and is a great journey to follow as Tom gains a backbone.
Not sidesplittingly funny but clever and full of humour provide a broad smile to the power of n.
December 24, 2018
" ... revenge, served piping hot, on Wedgewood bone china with a silver service ..."
The storyline rumbles along like a proverbial train wreck - you want to look away but can't - as what begins as a paradox soon develops into a workable probability theory as events triangulate towards their inevitable conclusion.
Enough of the mathematical hypotheses - our disgruntle narrator Tom Winscombe finds himself drawn to the mysterious murders of the enigmatic Vavasor twins - Archimedes and Pythagorus, after a chance meeting on a train sets off the chain of events which are at times almost - dare I say it - Mr Beanish. Who is behind the mysterious deaths; who wants the mystery to remain just that, a mystery; how are the Belarusan mafia connected; what secrets does a locked briefcase hold - if only Tom could open it.
Escapism for the mathematical inclined ... is that an axiom I hear you ask??
The storyline rumbles along like a proverbial train wreck - you want to look away but can't - as what begins as a paradox soon develops into a workable probability theory as events triangulate towards their inevitable conclusion.
Enough of the mathematical hypotheses - our disgruntle narrator Tom Winscombe finds himself drawn to the mysterious murders of the enigmatic Vavasor twins - Archimedes and Pythagorus, after a chance meeting on a train sets off the chain of events which are at times almost - dare I say it - Mr Beanish. Who is behind the mysterious deaths; who wants the mystery to remain just that, a mystery; how are the Belarusan mafia connected; what secrets does a locked briefcase hold - if only Tom could open it.
Escapism for the mathematical inclined ... is that an axiom I hear you ask??
July 18, 2022
The best thing I can say about this hot mess is that the spelling and grammar are correct. Everything else was beyond ridiculous. The characters would not be believable if they were 14 years old. To pass them off as ‘adults’ is an insult to adults everywhere.
The plot—OMG the plot! It goes over here, then over there, then back around again. Twists and turns all over the place and not in a good way, more in a ‘I have no idea what I’m doing’ way.
The writing tries to be clever, but ends up only being annoying. Note to writer: When you reach the bottom of the metaphor hole, stop digging.
As a freakin’ cherry on top, there’s that scene where the protagonist’s partner calls to tell him he’s walking into a trap and the protagonist hangs up rather than listen and so walks into the trap.
Also, blender blades don’t disconnect themselves and go flying around the room because you hit the wrong button.
The plot—OMG the plot! It goes over here, then over there, then back around again. Twists and turns all over the place and not in a good way, more in a ‘I have no idea what I’m doing’ way.
The writing tries to be clever, but ends up only being annoying. Note to writer: When you reach the bottom of the metaphor hole, stop digging.
As a freakin’ cherry on top, there’s that scene where the protagonist’s partner calls to tell him he’s walking into a trap and the protagonist hangs up rather than listen and so walks into the trap.
Also, blender blades don’t disconnect themselves and go flying around the room because you hit the wrong button.
October 5, 2018
This book is very funny, paradoxal, entertaining and well written.
That means it's a very enjoyable read and I hope this is a series so there's going to be another instalment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Farrago and Netgalley for this ARC
That means it's a very enjoyable read and I hope this is a series so there's going to be another instalment.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Farrago and Netgalley for this ARC
October 8, 2018
When I saw this title, I expected the book to have in it math problems to solve much like the crossword puzzle mysteries and sudoku mysteries have puzzles to solve embeded in the text. The Truth about Archie and Pye is nothing like this. There are mathematical elements, but no one needs to know any math to read this book. That means it could be enjoyable for anyone, not just math nerds. I, however, found that a bit disappointing as I had hoped to work through more of the mystery myself with paper and pencil at hand.
Archie and Pye were identical twins that had died (one murdered, one suspected suicide) ten years earlier. Because they were mathematicians working on some of the unsolved problems, a mythology grew up about what they might have discovered. The remaining brother of the twins was quite protective of their papers but finally allowed an author to see them and write a book about them. George Burgess had a manuscript in his briefcase which he left on a train after talking to Tom (our protagonist) in a rather obscure way about his project. Tom picked it up and when going to return it, learned that George had been murdered. One death leads to another and Tom realizes he could also be in trouble. Things go from bad to worse in his life. He looses his job, his company car, the briefcase, he witnesses a kidnapping, his girl friend kicks him out of their apartment. No, it's a pretty bad week for old Tom. And somehow a Belarusian mafia is part of it all! Yep, pretty wild and certainly keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next.
The story was certainly creative and well written. There were times I had to laugh at the situations - some of which were completely absurd! Comments the characters made were funny. I enjoyed that part of the book immensely.
What bothered me, and the main reason for the 3 stars, was the language that was used, sadly, rather frequently. The author used the "f" word so many times there was no way to count the number of usages. That alone will keep me from reading a sequel.
The characters were well defined. I could imagine each one acting as described. I especially liked the Zumba instructor.
I will miss reading further adventures of Tom and Dorothy, but there are many books out there that are also entertaining that do not have the language problem and those are the ones I will chose to invest my time in.
Archie and Pye were identical twins that had died (one murdered, one suspected suicide) ten years earlier. Because they were mathematicians working on some of the unsolved problems, a mythology grew up about what they might have discovered. The remaining brother of the twins was quite protective of their papers but finally allowed an author to see them and write a book about them. George Burgess had a manuscript in his briefcase which he left on a train after talking to Tom (our protagonist) in a rather obscure way about his project. Tom picked it up and when going to return it, learned that George had been murdered. One death leads to another and Tom realizes he could also be in trouble. Things go from bad to worse in his life. He looses his job, his company car, the briefcase, he witnesses a kidnapping, his girl friend kicks him out of their apartment. No, it's a pretty bad week for old Tom. And somehow a Belarusian mafia is part of it all! Yep, pretty wild and certainly keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next.
The story was certainly creative and well written. There were times I had to laugh at the situations - some of which were completely absurd! Comments the characters made were funny. I enjoyed that part of the book immensely.
What bothered me, and the main reason for the 3 stars, was the language that was used, sadly, rather frequently. The author used the "f" word so many times there was no way to count the number of usages. That alone will keep me from reading a sequel.
The characters were well defined. I could imagine each one acting as described. I especially liked the Zumba instructor.
I will miss reading further adventures of Tom and Dorothy, but there are many books out there that are also entertaining that do not have the language problem and those are the ones I will chose to invest my time in.
November 11, 2018
*Book received via NetGalley for an honest review.
This book was so much fun to read! I'm not normally one for murder mysteries, they're just not my thing. But with a cast of likeable characters, a swirl of conspiracy theories, a lot of fun and several Gordion knot solutions, this book was a wonderful exception to the "no mysteries" rule.
Tom was immediately the kind of character you can relate to and empathize with. Even just his trying to get a quiet moment on the train and ultimately failing despite the multiple "quiet car" signs was all too familiar. You really get the sense of him as the underdog so it's very easy to cheer for him as he progresses through the story. And yes he does genuinely mess up a couple things (and maybe a few more) but the other characters are quick to call him out on it and he learns his lesson pretty quickly.
As is the nature of conspiracy theories, they make so little sense from the outside. Pinnock does a wonderful job of making the intertwined theories more and more comprehensible as Tom delves deeper into them. It gets to the point where the even some of the most seemingly random things actually make perfect sense.
And if you're worried there's too much math involved, don't worry. Pinnock does a great job of explaining what math there is and keeping it as simple as possible. Seriously, the figuring out of Burgess' combination was equal parts educational, fun and absurd. I loved that entire scene.
If you're looking for a funny mystery novel, if you're the type of person who thought The DaVinci Code would've been good if it hadn't taken itself so seriously, this is a wonderful book for you to pick up. Pinnock's characters, circumstances and humor are definite winners.
This book was so much fun to read! I'm not normally one for murder mysteries, they're just not my thing. But with a cast of likeable characters, a swirl of conspiracy theories, a lot of fun and several Gordion knot solutions, this book was a wonderful exception to the "no mysteries" rule.
Tom was immediately the kind of character you can relate to and empathize with. Even just his trying to get a quiet moment on the train and ultimately failing despite the multiple "quiet car" signs was all too familiar. You really get the sense of him as the underdog so it's very easy to cheer for him as he progresses through the story. And yes he does genuinely mess up a couple things (and maybe a few more) but the other characters are quick to call him out on it and he learns his lesson pretty quickly.
As is the nature of conspiracy theories, they make so little sense from the outside. Pinnock does a wonderful job of making the intertwined theories more and more comprehensible as Tom delves deeper into them. It gets to the point where the even some of the most seemingly random things actually make perfect sense.
And if you're worried there's too much math involved, don't worry. Pinnock does a great job of explaining what math there is and keeping it as simple as possible. Seriously, the figuring out of Burgess' combination was equal parts educational, fun and absurd. I loved that entire scene.
If you're looking for a funny mystery novel, if you're the type of person who thought The DaVinci Code would've been good if it hadn't taken itself so seriously, this is a wonderful book for you to pick up. Pinnock's characters, circumstances and humor are definite winners.
December 28, 2018
This is a strikingly good tale about twins, murder, betrayal, mathematical codes, financial survival and human nature in general that begins with PR man Tom Winscombe’s fateful train ride and his chance encounter with a bizarre author whose latest work examines the decade old deaths of twin mathematicians Archimedes (Archie) and Pythagoras (Pye) Vavasor.
The meeting is brief and when, on the following day, the author turns up dead our protagonist goes to the dead man’s home, becomes involved in an unusual situation and decides that something just doesn’t add up. With his PR career in the dumper, his girlfriend seeking greener pastures and having nothing better to do with his time, our amateur Sherlock decides to take a shot at murder investigation utilizing, among other things, internet forums inhabited by conspiracy theorists and the talents of an old college chum.
The cast of characters takes on intriguing nuances as Johnathan Pinnock satirizes situations while providing a tale with more than its share of suspense due in large part to additional murders and the appearance of the Belarus mafia. Challenging the reader’s notions about everything from mathematicians to computer geeks, Pinnock lifts a superficially superficial cast out of the trivial and endows them with some emotional complexity before ripping the rug out from under them.
The meeting is brief and when, on the following day, the author turns up dead our protagonist goes to the dead man’s home, becomes involved in an unusual situation and decides that something just doesn’t add up. With his PR career in the dumper, his girlfriend seeking greener pastures and having nothing better to do with his time, our amateur Sherlock decides to take a shot at murder investigation utilizing, among other things, internet forums inhabited by conspiracy theorists and the talents of an old college chum.
The cast of characters takes on intriguing nuances as Johnathan Pinnock satirizes situations while providing a tale with more than its share of suspense due in large part to additional murders and the appearance of the Belarus mafia. Challenging the reader’s notions about everything from mathematicians to computer geeks, Pinnock lifts a superficially superficial cast out of the trivial and endows them with some emotional complexity before ripping the rug out from under them.
October 10, 2018
After a chance encounter with eccentric author George Burgess on a train, Tom Winscombe learns that he has been murdered. Tom thinks that the murder must be linked to Burgess’s work on the mysterious mathematician twins Archimedes and Pythagoras Vavasor, who died some years ago in suspicious circumstances. Their deaths and their unfinished work are the subject of almost cultish speculation.
Tom decides to investigate Burgess’ murder, not least because he has time on his hands. He has just sabotaged his own career via an unfortunate outburst on social media and his girlfriend’s attention seems to be elsewhere.
What follows is a fun, entertaining caper which takes Tom through internet forums, catnapping, maths-themed mutilations and a burgeoning interest in Belarus.
I enjoyed the mathematical elements of the story, but don’t be put off if you find the idea daunting. Tom doesn’t know anything at the start so the reader learns as he does. And if you’re not up for equations, there are plenty of odd characters, fun set pieces and Tom’s unerring knack for walking into trouble.
*
I received a copy of The Truth about Archie and Pye from the publisher via Netgalley.
Tom decides to investigate Burgess’ murder, not least because he has time on his hands. He has just sabotaged his own career via an unfortunate outburst on social media and his girlfriend’s attention seems to be elsewhere.
What follows is a fun, entertaining caper which takes Tom through internet forums, catnapping, maths-themed mutilations and a burgeoning interest in Belarus.
I enjoyed the mathematical elements of the story, but don’t be put off if you find the idea daunting. Tom doesn’t know anything at the start so the reader learns as he does. And if you’re not up for equations, there are plenty of odd characters, fun set pieces and Tom’s unerring knack for walking into trouble.
*
I received a copy of The Truth about Archie and Pye from the publisher via Netgalley.
April 21, 2019
Tom is not a very nice guy(he is not a bad guy either) and his day, and possibly the next few weeks/his life are get very complicated just because he gets curious about the wrong thing. On the plus side, Tom's erratic behaviour gets funny for those who are reading from the safety of their homes and not in the crazy situations he find himself. As the title mentions, there is a bit of math involved but it is mostly to stress the importance of the life's work of a pair of twins who died a decade before our story begins. It starts off with a conversation between our leading protagonist and another man on a train and the whole thing goes on at a hectic pace involving conspiracies, mysterious men, online communities and a whole lot of other things. If I had not read the second book soon after this one, I would have rated it differently because at the ending of the book does not wrap up the story completely but just to the point that Tom can feel like his life is not in immediate danger.
I am not sure if the randomness of the conversations and pat dialogue delivery would be everyone's thing but within a few chapters you will know if you will like the book. It is different in terms of the storyline and the very realistic protagonists introduced to us. Some of the jokes/language did not completely appeal to me but given the bigger picture of the tale at large I could go past it (especially since the characters are introduced to being people who are more comfortable with such behaviour)
For review of the second book: https://superfluousreading.wordpress....
I am not sure if the randomness of the conversations and pat dialogue delivery would be everyone's thing but within a few chapters you will know if you will like the book. It is different in terms of the storyline and the very realistic protagonists introduced to us. Some of the jokes/language did not completely appeal to me but given the bigger picture of the tale at large I could go past it (especially since the characters are introduced to being people who are more comfortable with such behaviour)
For review of the second book: https://superfluousreading.wordpress....
May 18, 2020
This is a tough book to rate and even tougher to review.
When Tom finds himself accidentally in a possession of a briefcase containing the secrets of murdered mathematical geniuses, Archie and Pye, his life goes from meaningless and dull to manic. Tom gets sucked into a seedy underworld of mathematical conspiracies and intrigue. He's got to solve the problem of who killed Archie, Pye, and the briefcase's owner. I mean, he could just turn the briefcase over to the authorities – but then his life would go back to being uninteresting.
Was this book interesting? Most definitely.
Well written, researched, and edited? Hell, yes.
Compelling reading? Absolutely.
Likeable characters? [she screws up her face in thought] I suppose I quite liked Mo, the delivery driver from Tom's local Indian takeaway. The rest of them… Not so much. Tom is awful. But he's interestingly awful – and that's got to count for something, right? He's an absolute disaster of a human being.
I liked it. I've no idea why I liked it, but I did.
When Tom finds himself accidentally in a possession of a briefcase containing the secrets of murdered mathematical geniuses, Archie and Pye, his life goes from meaningless and dull to manic. Tom gets sucked into a seedy underworld of mathematical conspiracies and intrigue. He's got to solve the problem of who killed Archie, Pye, and the briefcase's owner. I mean, he could just turn the briefcase over to the authorities – but then his life would go back to being uninteresting.
Was this book interesting? Most definitely.
Well written, researched, and edited? Hell, yes.
Compelling reading? Absolutely.
Likeable characters? [she screws up her face in thought] I suppose I quite liked Mo, the delivery driver from Tom's local Indian takeaway. The rest of them… Not so much. Tom is awful. But he's interestingly awful – and that's got to count for something, right? He's an absolute disaster of a human being.
I liked it. I've no idea why I liked it, but I did.
October 5, 2018
A mathematical murder mystery that took me back to my student days of learning and understanding complex equations!! Disillusioned and just about to be sacked PR executive Tom Winscombe finds himself sat on the train next to a very strange character. George Burgess has been recruited as biographer of the famous mathematical twins Archimedes and Pythagoras Vavasor who both died in mysterious circumstances ten years ago. Then Burgess himself is murdered leaving Tom with a securely locked case and a whole load of problems. Inside a week Tom's life has been turned upside down as he is reluctantly thrown into a murky world of wonderful bizarre characters including a fair amount of input from the Belarusian mafia. Rumours and conspiracy theories abound in the Vavasorology forums and just in time he receives much needed help from an old school friend. m, p, e and i all add up to a wickedly clever story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Glad to see that further adventures are on the way!
October 5, 2018
A mathematical murder mystery that took me back to my student days of learning and understanding complex equations!! Disillusioned and just about to be sacked PR executive Tom Winscombe finds himself sat on the train next to a very strange character. George Burgess has been recruited as biographer of the famous mathematical twins Archimedes and Pythagoras Vavasor who both died in mysterious circumstances ten years ago. Then Burgess himself is murdered leaving Tom with a securely locked case and a whole load of problems. Inside a week Tom's life has been turned upside down as he is reluctantly thrown into a murky world of wonderful bizarre characters including a fair amount of input from the Belarusian mafia. Rumours and conspiracy theories abound in the Vavasorology forums and just in time he receives much needed help from an old school friend. m, p, e and i all add up to a wickedly clever story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Glad to see that further adventures are on the way!
October 18, 2018
Mathematical Mayhem
Take an ordinary bloke on the verge of a meltdown. Let's face it, it is questionable if he's even terribly likable. Nor is his girlfriend. Now, introduce him to madmen and spies and the Belarusian mafia. Throw in a heavy dose of irrational and transcendental mathematics, a few car chases, tracking devices, bombs, assorted horrendous puns and similar humor, and this thriller cum Holy Grail gradually comes to full-blown, screaming-but-funny, life. After a slightly tepid start I found myself electronically flipping pages ever faster to see what new mess had befallen Tom. Slowly he begins to solve the mysteries with the help of a woman from his past. Also, there is a lovable cat called µ.
Take an ordinary bloke on the verge of a meltdown. Let's face it, it is questionable if he's even terribly likable. Nor is his girlfriend. Now, introduce him to madmen and spies and the Belarusian mafia. Throw in a heavy dose of irrational and transcendental mathematics, a few car chases, tracking devices, bombs, assorted horrendous puns and similar humor, and this thriller cum Holy Grail gradually comes to full-blown, screaming-but-funny, life. After a slightly tepid start I found myself electronically flipping pages ever faster to see what new mess had befallen Tom. Slowly he begins to solve the mysteries with the help of a woman from his past. Also, there is a lovable cat called µ.
December 1, 2018
This is probably one of the funniest and unique mystery books I've read in a long time.
The mixture of mystery, mathematical concepts and humour is a perfect combination to get anyone, of any age, to enjoy this book. Even for children who are always saying that 'math is boring', this may give them a funny approach to it, albeit in a fictional and pretty incredible plot.
I'm very interested in reading the next book in this series.
Disclaimer: I was provided this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and all opinions are my own.
#TheTruthAboutArchieAndPye #NetGalley
The mixture of mystery, mathematical concepts and humour is a perfect combination to get anyone, of any age, to enjoy this book. Even for children who are always saying that 'math is boring', this may give them a funny approach to it, albeit in a fictional and pretty incredible plot.
I'm very interested in reading the next book in this series.
Disclaimer: I was provided this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, and all opinions are my own.
#TheTruthAboutArchieAndPye #NetGalley
October 20, 2018
It must be extremely challenging for aspiring mystery writers who are looking for a fresh approach to the genre-----but, there is no doubt that Jonathan Pinnock has found that "out of the box" approach to contemporary detective fiction.
A mathematical mystery is novel in itself and his guileless anti-hero is definitely not main-stream. I loved the concept of the book, and enjoy some humor with a mystery, but I had difficulty bonding with the protagonist in this book. Perhaps it is because we shared a career in the public relations field---I hated to think that anyone could be moderately successful and be that lame.
A mathematical mystery is novel in itself and his guileless anti-hero is definitely not main-stream. I loved the concept of the book, and enjoy some humor with a mystery, but I had difficulty bonding with the protagonist in this book. Perhaps it is because we shared a career in the public relations field---I hated to think that anyone could be moderately successful and be that lame.
April 5, 2020
This really was an unusual read but I enjoyed it. It was a murder mystery with a highly unusual mathematical twist. The collaboration was very well done and added considerable to my enjoyment of the novel. It was funny and quite comical at times which really added to my enjoyment. So many different subjects are encountered along the way including a serial killer, bombs, the mafia, even pets that really contributed to my fascination in this book. It's not your ordinary murder mystery but it certainly will draw you in and keep you entertained right up to the final page. It's a really fun read.
November 26, 2018
It took me a while to get into this book. I found the first quarter, or there abouts, which was mainly scene setting, quite slow and uninteresting, but once it got going it was a ripping yarn. The main protaganist, while never being over stuffed with ideas, does, with the help of a friend, manage to solve the mystery and stop the deaths. It was nice to see, at the end, that the story will continue.
Laugh out loud funny once it gets going.
Laugh out loud funny once it gets going.
October 12, 2018
Tom is a PR guy who's had a terrible day. On his way home, he meets a stranger on the train who has some crazy theories about a pair of deaths that took place a decade ago.
From that moment on, Tom's life will change for ever in ways noone could imagine.
I loved the story, the mystery and the math!
This story does not disappoint!
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book!
From that moment on, Tom's life will change for ever in ways noone could imagine.
I loved the story, the mystery and the math!
This story does not disappoint!
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC of this book!
October 30, 2018
I am totally in the minority here, and can't put my finger on why... I wanted to like this SO MUCH, but it just fell flat for me. I loved the premise and the opening bits were great (hence 3 instead of 2 stars) - quirky, snarky, unusual... I had very high hopes, particularly when I saw a number of reviews talk about how funny it was (I even wound up in a fascinating chat with another reviewer about the dearth of funny, non-rom-com stories). As a result of all of that, I was expecting Rob Dirckes' Tesla books; I found a rather odd, convoluted tale of murder, secrets, and mayhem that never quite hit the mark for me. There were some funny bits, but they were buried in what felt like an unnecessary meandering tale about the most hapless of characters - so hapless he wasn't funny (even slapstick funny) so much as depressing. I just couldn't find my way to feeling much of anything at all for Tom except irritation. The supporting cast had a lot of potential - crazy genius twins, a long-lost love interest, conspiracy theorists and Belarusian gangsters and impatient girlfriends - but ultimately wasn't enough to make this one a hit for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.
Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.
January 25, 2019
After a chance encounter with eccentric author George Burgess on a train, Tom Winscombe learns that he has been murdered. Tom thinks that the murder must be linked to Burgess’s work on the mysterious mathematician twins Archimedes and Pythagoras Vavasor, who died some years ago in suspicious circumstances. Their deaths and their unfinished work are the subject of almost cultish speculation.
May 9, 2020
I can't write reviews to save my life, but I wanted to note that I thought this was funny, and that there is a Belarussian mafia family in it named Gretzky, and now I have the Hockey Night in Canada theme in my head. Also, the main character is kind of a jerk, but both he and the text are aware of that and that makes all the difference. I'll check out the sequels at some point.
February 20, 2021
Just happened on this. I have a soft spot for novels about mathematicians (see, The Mathematician's Shiva), so I picked up this one. It is delightful! Lots of silly, mostly almost unbelievable adventures with some lovely, some cranky characters. I don't understand the math, but it is intriguing. I am carrying on with this series.
July 10, 2021
Worked out nicely
Put mathematics in your book and I'll get round to reading it. It's not always a winning formula but for me, this time, it was. I enjoyed the characters and the plot was bright and breezy. The maths was woven into the plot but wasn't too heavy and was usually explained in exposition. It wasn't high art but it was good fun
Put mathematics in your book and I'll get round to reading it. It's not always a winning formula but for me, this time, it was. I enjoyed the characters and the plot was bright and breezy. The maths was woven into the plot but wasn't too heavy and was usually explained in exposition. It wasn't high art but it was good fun
October 3, 2018
Very clever. Tom did not expect to find himself trying to solve the mystery of the death of George Burgess- who he's just met- much less the death of the Vavasor twins. For those who are mathphobes- don't worry- this is not intimidating and actually quite fun. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
November 29, 2018
I thought this was a great read. Who knew math could be so thrilling and entertaining! Even though there was a lot of math stuff, I didn't feel overwhelmed or dumb. Nice mystery and characters were fun!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2021
Silly escapism
If you're looking for a well written story based on a lot of complex maths, this probably won't be for you.
But if you're after a story with a load of ridiculous elements where only a small minority of the plot relates to any maths, you might like this.
If you're looking for a well written story based on a lot of complex maths, this probably won't be for you.
But if you're after a story with a load of ridiculous elements where only a small minority of the plot relates to any maths, you might like this.
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