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The Judas Kiss
Pippa Ewell had left behind the dark and forbidding Greystone Manor -- also the memories of Conrad, the handsome stranger who had swept her breathlessly into his arms and heart. But Pippa returned to find the truth behind her sister's mysterious death. And suddenly the fairy-tale kindgom glittered with evil and danger . . .
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
30 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
About the author
Victoria Holt
373 books1,379 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
Eleanor Alice Burford, Mrs. George Percival Hibbert was a British author of about 200 historical novels, most of them under the pen name Jean Plaidy which had sold 14 million copies by the time of her death. She chose to use various names because of the differences in subject matter between her books; the best-known, apart from Plaidy, are Victoria Holt (56 million) and Philippa Carr (3 million). Lesser known were the novels Hibbert published under her maiden name Eleanor Burford, or the pseudonyms of Elbur Ford, Kathleen Kellow and Ellalice Tate. Many of her readers under one penname never suspected her other identities.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
January 21, 2023
While as a teenager, I certainly was on a huge Victoria Holt kick for a while, even then, I was of course already more than well cognizant of just how decidedly and actually usually really horribly formulaic Holt's historical mysteries and romances for the most part tended to be. And yes, most of my teenaged reading reading pleasure with regard to Victoria Holt's fiction generally and actually tended to consist primarily of enjoying the author's lushly descriptive time and place settings and also bien sûr trying to figure out who the chief villains, who the main nasties of her stories were (which was generally easy enough and in fact often way too much so).
However, even though Victoria Holt might often if not even regularly get her historical time and place settings right enough for novels set in the United Kingdom (and especially in England), in my humble opinion, Victoria Holt far too much and far too often seems to get this quite massively wrong and also becomes textually strangely convoluted when she tries to pen stories set outside of the British Isles, since yes indeed, Holt's 1981 novel The Judas Kiss is sadly a really horribly shining example thereof. For the entire storyline of The Judas Kiss, it does tend to feel (and both now and also when I originally read the novel in 1983) as though I am in fact encountering a fairy tale set in a rather fictional Middle Ages and not really and truly a story taking place in 19th century Bavaria. And indeed the chief villains of The Judas Kiss (aside from them being so on the surface and obvious that I almost immediately was able to figure them out), they are all and sundry (and in my opinion) so über-vile and nasty, so stereotypically evil and conniving that not only was (and is) reading The Judas Kiss a total exercise in monotony, it also often felt (and continues to feel) as though Victoria Holt is writing The Judas Kiss with perhaps an inadvertent but still to and for me rather noticeable anti-German sentiment and attitude present.
Therefore, combined with the fact that even the main protagonist and first person narrator of The Judas Kiss, that Pippa Elwell is at best rather inconsistent and often really quite strangely thoughtless, while when I read The Judas Kiss as a teenager, I was still able to mildly enjoy Pippa as a character, today, upon rereading The Judas Kiss, I do simply and utterly find Pippa hugely annoying and totally frustrating and so much so that indeed, I can and will only consider The Judas Kiss with but one star (and to only recommend it with very serious reservations and to Victoria Holt completists).
However, even though Victoria Holt might often if not even regularly get her historical time and place settings right enough for novels set in the United Kingdom (and especially in England), in my humble opinion, Victoria Holt far too much and far too often seems to get this quite massively wrong and also becomes textually strangely convoluted when she tries to pen stories set outside of the British Isles, since yes indeed, Holt's 1981 novel The Judas Kiss is sadly a really horribly shining example thereof. For the entire storyline of The Judas Kiss, it does tend to feel (and both now and also when I originally read the novel in 1983) as though I am in fact encountering a fairy tale set in a rather fictional Middle Ages and not really and truly a story taking place in 19th century Bavaria. And indeed the chief villains of The Judas Kiss (aside from them being so on the surface and obvious that I almost immediately was able to figure them out), they are all and sundry (and in my opinion) so über-vile and nasty, so stereotypically evil and conniving that not only was (and is) reading The Judas Kiss a total exercise in monotony, it also often felt (and continues to feel) as though Victoria Holt is writing The Judas Kiss with perhaps an inadvertent but still to and for me rather noticeable anti-German sentiment and attitude present.
Therefore, combined with the fact that even the main protagonist and first person narrator of The Judas Kiss, that Pippa Elwell is at best rather inconsistent and often really quite strangely thoughtless, while when I read The Judas Kiss as a teenager, I was still able to mildly enjoy Pippa as a character, today, upon rereading The Judas Kiss, I do simply and utterly find Pippa hugely annoying and totally frustrating and so much so that indeed, I can and will only consider The Judas Kiss with but one star (and to only recommend it with very serious reservations and to Victoria Holt completists).
December 30, 2013
"I was seventeen years old before I discovered that my sister had been murdered.
Long story short (I hope). Pippa Ewell and her older sister are orphaned and leave their island home to come live with their parsimonious grandfather in England (grandma's pretty cool though). The grandfather wants to marry his nephew and heir to the oldest girl (I think her name was Francine, but the book is at home), but she has other ideas and runs off with a dashing nobleman, who is the heir-apparent of some tiny Bavarian principality or another. The marriage is kept a big secret, as is the child of the marriage (or was there a marriage and a child?).
Oh hell, it's too complicated to explain it all. Events happen in England that leave Pippa at leisure to travel to Bavaria and investigate her sister's death and locate the child that everyone swears never existed. Plus there's the lover she had in England that she thought was a servant of sorts to the royal family that turns out to be the new heir to the old Duke (or whatever he was).
Phew, I yield trying to recap this. It was a lot of fun, and a nice change of setting from most of Holt's books.
Long story short (I hope). Pippa Ewell and her older sister are orphaned and leave their island home to come live with their parsimonious grandfather in England (grandma's pretty cool though). The grandfather wants to marry his nephew and heir to the oldest girl (I think her name was Francine, but the book is at home), but she has other ideas and runs off with a dashing nobleman, who is the heir-apparent of some tiny Bavarian principality or another. The marriage is kept a big secret, as is the child of the marriage (or was there a marriage and a child?).
Oh hell, it's too complicated to explain it all. Events happen in England that leave Pippa at leisure to travel to Bavaria and investigate her sister's death and locate the child that everyone swears never existed. Plus there's the lover she had in England that she thought was a servant of sorts to the royal family that turns out to be the new heir to the old Duke (or whatever he was).
Phew, I yield trying to recap this. It was a lot of fun, and a nice change of setting from most of Holt's books.
August 3, 2024
I thought this was pretty awful. Two stars instead of one because I'm not so much of an asshole not to acknowledge this book was not written for the likes of me. Serves me right for choosing it.
Postscript
Actually, I am that much of an asshole. This book was Danielle Steele-level bad.
Postscript
Actually, I am that much of an asshole. This book was Danielle Steele-level bad.
September 12, 2013
Ok I cannot speak enough looovve for this book! The Judas Kiss was one of my first experiences reading romance as a young person. Victoria Holt has the ability to mix so much love and mystery together that you cannot put the book down and have to sometimes sleep with your bedroom light on!
The Judas Kiss is to this day truly a favourite of mine!
The book sweeps a tale of a young women Pippa who watches her sister run away with a handsome and wealthy man- she later learns that her sister has been murdered! Pippa desperate for answers travels to her sisters husbands home in search of her nephew. Love, Lies, Money and Mystery surround this book- GREAT READ PEOPLE!
The Judas Kiss is to this day truly a favourite of mine!
The book sweeps a tale of a young women Pippa who watches her sister run away with a handsome and wealthy man- she later learns that her sister has been murdered! Pippa desperate for answers travels to her sisters husbands home in search of her nephew. Love, Lies, Money and Mystery surround this book- GREAT READ PEOPLE!
March 1, 2009
My favorite book read when I was a teenager! Would love to read it again!
October 13, 2008
Victoria Holt not a new author she has written books for many years and this is the 2nd book I have read that she wrote. I enjoyed this story which begins with Phillipa (Pippa) Ewell finding a newspaper clipping and discovering her sister Francine was murdered. The story returns to the girls childhood and we learn they lived on their parents on an island after his father left his home when he pursued being an artist which was against his father's wishes. The girls parents died close together and since they had no where to go they were returned to their father's home Greysone Manor.[return][return]The grandfather welcomes the girls but has strict requirements for their upbringing as he did their father and his sister. Francine soon learns she is wed her cousin Arthur who is a man of the church and he will also inherit the home. Francine rants to Pippa she will never marry him she will leave first, she does not have long and a family that visits periodically shows up to open their home for a visit the girls decide to investigate the family who is German and they are discovered in the home. The girls are welcomed and invited to the a ball they will be hosting. The sisters begin to scheme on making a dress for Francine and getting her to the ball in secret. The plan works and Francine enjoys herself and meets a wonderful man who she decides to run away with to avoid marring her cousin.[return][return]Pippa receives a letter from Francine describing her quick marriage at a local church, and another letter detailing the birth of her son. Since her sister abandoned her duties at Greystone Manor Pippa learns her grandfather plans for her to marry Arthur now. Pippa has learned of her sister's death and decides she must also leave. Pippa is out walking the grounds when she discovers the neighbors will be visiting again soon and she meets Conrad who traveled ahead he sweeps he off her feet and he knows of her sisters murder she tells him of her marriage and child which Conrad explains that she could have never married nor was there a child.[return][return]With everything Pippa has recently discovered she makes plans to leave and discover the truth of what happened to her sister and her child The novel has great suspense and a wonderful story that keep me up reading.
August 13, 2018
Death, Love and Mystery in Bavaria!
A wonderful, intriguing Victorian mystery romance that pulls you in. I could not put this one down!
As a young girl, Pippa Ewell lived on an island with her sculptor father and sickly mother and her older and more beautiful sister, Francine, who she loved. When the sisters were still young, their father and mother died and they were sent to London to live with their stern grandfather in the forbidding Greystone Manor.
Their grandfather planned to marry Francine to his heir, a rather dour vicar related to the family. But she rebelled and married a baron from Bavaria in Germany who swept her away from England. Years later, Pippa discovers her sister has been murdered at the same time another mysterious Bavarian, Conrad, shows up and seduces her and asks her to become his mistress. Pippa refuses and he returns to his own country.
Pippa wants to learn the truth of Francine’s death and to find out what happened to her young son. When she inherits a small fortune from her grandmother, Pippa travels to Bavaria to discover what happened. As the young countess destined to marry the heir needs an English tutor, Pippa takes the job, hoping to learn more.
The mystery slowly unravels to reveal much and Holt gives the reader some unexpected twists. Even Pippa is shocked when she discovers just who Conrad is.
A wonderful, intriguing Victorian mystery romance that pulls you in. I could not put this one down!
As a young girl, Pippa Ewell lived on an island with her sculptor father and sickly mother and her older and more beautiful sister, Francine, who she loved. When the sisters were still young, their father and mother died and they were sent to London to live with their stern grandfather in the forbidding Greystone Manor.
Their grandfather planned to marry Francine to his heir, a rather dour vicar related to the family. But she rebelled and married a baron from Bavaria in Germany who swept her away from England. Years later, Pippa discovers her sister has been murdered at the same time another mysterious Bavarian, Conrad, shows up and seduces her and asks her to become his mistress. Pippa refuses and he returns to his own country.
Pippa wants to learn the truth of Francine’s death and to find out what happened to her young son. When she inherits a small fortune from her grandmother, Pippa travels to Bavaria to discover what happened. As the young countess destined to marry the heir needs an English tutor, Pippa takes the job, hoping to learn more.
The mystery slowly unravels to reveal much and Holt gives the reader some unexpected twists. Even Pippa is shocked when she discovers just who Conrad is.
May 10, 2017
Francine and Pippa are sisters who are thick-as-thieves. They are happy and loved by their parents. When their parents die, they are sent to live with their rich grandfather who rules his house with an iron fist. They find comfort in their wise and kind grandmother.
When Francine turns seventeen, her grandfather tells her that she is to marry her cousin Arthur, a man whom Francine and Pippa despise. Francine marries her lover, Rudolph, and runs away with him to his country where he is next in line to the throne. Francine and Rudolph are murdered and their infant disappears.
Pippa’s grandfather informs her that on her seventh birthday, she is to marry cousin Arthur. Pippa objects and the two erupt in argument. That night, Pippa’s grandfather dies in a fire and Pippa becomes a suspect. She is exonerated. Her grandmother dies leaving Pippa a large inheritance. She goes in search of her sister’s murderer and in search of her nephew. She gets a job as a governess to Freya, whom Rudolph was to marry. Another fire breaks out and Freya dies. Pippa is jailed.
The Judas Kiss is a good read.
March 4, 2025
Цього разу ми поринаємо у детективну історію, пов'язану з забороненим коханням та політичними інтригами у німецьких герцогствах 19 сторіччя. Доволі непогано, під кінець навіть трохи трилеру, але перша половина книги нуднувата
May 17, 2020
Una historia que te entretiene e intriga de principio a fin. Una donde se le rinde tributo a la hermandad a través de la incesante lucha de Philippa por descubrir y entender el porqué del asesinato de su hermana Francine.
Es hermoso como Pippa, sigue la voz de su intuición y agota todos sus recursos para a través de su travesía, averiguar todos los detalles y pormenores de la muerte de su hermana. Ella tiene la plena convicción de hacerle justicia a la memoria de su hermana.
Me conmovió de sobremanera la pasión que Pippa le inyectó a su objetivo de entender el porqué del deceso de su querida Francine. Un ejemplo de valentía y resiliencia que todos como hermanos o amigos deberíamos de perseguir, cuando de hacerle justicia a un ser querido se refiere.
Esta joya de novela, la leí por primera vez, hace años, con la hermosa compañía de mi abuela. Hoy, volver a sumergirme en sus páginas, trajo a mi memoria, cuánto lo disfrutamos con mi viejita y entendí el impacto que una buena novela, puede aportar a tu vida y al fortalecimiento de los lazos familiares de dos almas gemelas, como lo fuimos siempre.
Hoy, al terminar de leerla, (por segunda vez), me encuentro en un torbellino de sentimientos encontrados, al no poder evitar recordar a mi abuela, quien desde el 2017 se nos adelantó triunfalmente en el camino de la eternidad.
Gracias, Luchi Cosenza, por regalarme este libro que hoy más que nunca tendrá un valor sentimental muy especial para mí, porque viene de un detalle de ti, para recordar y enaltecer la memoria de mi hermosa e inolvidable Abuelita Yoya.
Es hermoso como Pippa, sigue la voz de su intuición y agota todos sus recursos para a través de su travesía, averiguar todos los detalles y pormenores de la muerte de su hermana. Ella tiene la plena convicción de hacerle justicia a la memoria de su hermana.
Me conmovió de sobremanera la pasión que Pippa le inyectó a su objetivo de entender el porqué del deceso de su querida Francine. Un ejemplo de valentía y resiliencia que todos como hermanos o amigos deberíamos de perseguir, cuando de hacerle justicia a un ser querido se refiere.
Esta joya de novela, la leí por primera vez, hace años, con la hermosa compañía de mi abuela. Hoy, volver a sumergirme en sus páginas, trajo a mi memoria, cuánto lo disfrutamos con mi viejita y entendí el impacto que una buena novela, puede aportar a tu vida y al fortalecimiento de los lazos familiares de dos almas gemelas, como lo fuimos siempre.
Hoy, al terminar de leerla, (por segunda vez), me encuentro en un torbellino de sentimientos encontrados, al no poder evitar recordar a mi abuela, quien desde el 2017 se nos adelantó triunfalmente en el camino de la eternidad.
Gracias, Luchi Cosenza, por regalarme este libro que hoy más que nunca tendrá un valor sentimental muy especial para mí, porque viene de un detalle de ti, para recordar y enaltecer la memoria de mi hermosa e inolvidable Abuelita Yoya.
April 7, 2009
I love Victoria Holt. Well, actually, I love Jean Plaidy, that's who Victoria Holt really is. She just wrote under the name Victoria Holt, and also under the name Philippa Carr.
And this is the one I've liked the best so far. The heroine's name is actually Philippa (Pippa, for short)and we begin her story on a small island in the Mediterranean somewhere off the coast of Italy. Her father is a sculptor, her mother his muse, and her sister Francine, her best friend. When their mother dies, followed shortly by their father, they return to England to live with their grandparents. Their grandfather rules Greystone Manor with a tyrant's fist, and Pippa and her sister try to please him, but come up short. When Francine falls in love and runs off with a neighbor visiting from the Germanic country Bruxenstein, Pippa is left alone with her grandfather's wrath.
Several years later Pippa learns the awful truth - her sister and her husband were murdered in a political plot in Bruxenstein, and Pippa travels to the country to find the child she insist exists, though no one believes her. Will she find the truth? Will she find love? Or will she find disaster? Or all three???
And this is the one I've liked the best so far. The heroine's name is actually Philippa (Pippa, for short)and we begin her story on a small island in the Mediterranean somewhere off the coast of Italy. Her father is a sculptor, her mother his muse, and her sister Francine, her best friend. When their mother dies, followed shortly by their father, they return to England to live with their grandparents. Their grandfather rules Greystone Manor with a tyrant's fist, and Pippa and her sister try to please him, but come up short. When Francine falls in love and runs off with a neighbor visiting from the Germanic country Bruxenstein, Pippa is left alone with her grandfather's wrath.
Several years later Pippa learns the awful truth - her sister and her husband were murdered in a political plot in Bruxenstein, and Pippa travels to the country to find the child she insist exists, though no one believes her. Will she find the truth? Will she find love? Or will she find disaster? Or all three???
September 20, 2011
This book was a fun/interesting idea and had adventure and romance. Everything that it seems I would love. My gripe comes in the fact that I could not really respect the heroine of the story. She has a loyalty for her sister that is admirable and goes off in search of her sisters murderer. But once she begins her affair with the mysterious Conrad, she lost her appeal to me as the heroine. She confesses throughout the novel of her guilty conscience and her knowledge that she had become a "loose woman". I hate that throughout the novel, LOVE is used as an excuse for infidelity and adultery. And then everything ends so nice and tidily and the reward for this bad behavior is of course happily ever after. Ughhh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2016
Aunque de verdad esperaba que terminara en un drama de campeonato, la verdad es que me conmovió toda la historia. Aunque algunas cosas no pasaron como yo creí, y mis esperanzas en cuanto a Francine desaparecieron en ciertas formas, también creo que las últimas páginas fueron algo apresuradas: como si tuviera la urgencia por terminar. O tal vez era yo que me estaba bebiendo el libro como felix felicis por el tipo de final que tuvo, de una u otra forma, me hizo sentir feliz: Fue un libro del que me botaron la costumbre por las novelas de finales trágicos.
Yo tengo dos finales: uno con Ayres being miserable
Y el final de la autora, con todo saliendo... "así".
No sé. Me encantó, aunque es muy "novela rosa que leería mi abuela"
Yo tengo dos finales: uno con Ayres being miserable
Y el final de la autora, con todo saliendo... "así".
No sé. Me encantó, aunque es muy "novela rosa que leería mi abuela"
October 13, 2012
Me ha sorprendido bastante, pensaba que sería bastante más malillo. Aquí los malos son malos malosos y los buenos más buenos que el pan, pero se lee con facilidad y se disfruta leyéndolo.
Read
July 1, 2008One of my all-time favorite VH books!
January 15, 2023
"El beso de Judas"
Victoria Holt
Pippa y su hermana Francine perdieron a sus padres siendo muy jóvenes por lo que se vieron en la necesidad de aceptar el sustento que les ofreció su abuelo paterno un hombre duro y muy adinerado con una gran propiedad en Inglaterra. Los planes del abuelo eran típicos en esa época, de casar a una de sus nietas con uno de sus primos para así seguir con la dinastía. Sin embargo los planes de Francine eran otros. El amor como en las otras historias que he leído de Holt entra de forma que arrasa con cualquier convencionalismo de época. Así Francine se va a otro país con el amor de su vida, promete regresar por su hermana Pippa pero después de alguna correspondencia ya no sabe nada de ella por 5 años. Por cuestiones del destino Pippa se entera de que han asesinado a su hermana Francine y esta noticia la entristece mucho. Pippa está convencida de que hay algo oculto en la muerte de su hermana, de una forma u otra tiene que saber qué fue lo que pasó. Las oportunidades y el amor hacen que la vida de Pippa cambie tanto que se arriesgará a llegar al fondo de lo que en realidad pasó con su hermana, hasta donde la llevará su sed de verdad?
4/2023
4⭐️
Victoria Holt
Pippa y su hermana Francine perdieron a sus padres siendo muy jóvenes por lo que se vieron en la necesidad de aceptar el sustento que les ofreció su abuelo paterno un hombre duro y muy adinerado con una gran propiedad en Inglaterra. Los planes del abuelo eran típicos en esa época, de casar a una de sus nietas con uno de sus primos para así seguir con la dinastía. Sin embargo los planes de Francine eran otros. El amor como en las otras historias que he leído de Holt entra de forma que arrasa con cualquier convencionalismo de época. Así Francine se va a otro país con el amor de su vida, promete regresar por su hermana Pippa pero después de alguna correspondencia ya no sabe nada de ella por 5 años. Por cuestiones del destino Pippa se entera de que han asesinado a su hermana Francine y esta noticia la entristece mucho. Pippa está convencida de que hay algo oculto en la muerte de su hermana, de una forma u otra tiene que saber qué fue lo que pasó. Las oportunidades y el amor hacen que la vida de Pippa cambie tanto que se arriesgará a llegar al fondo de lo que en realidad pasó con su hermana, hasta donde la llevará su sed de verdad?
4/2023
4⭐️
May 19, 2010
[These notes were made in 1984:]. Standard junk fare. Has more of a plot than the Rosemary Rogers variety, and considerably less sex. But the characters are artificial and made of cardboard, and the solution to the moral dilemma of the book - when is adultery not adultery? - sidestepped by the coincidences of the solved mystery. The juxtaposition of settings - island paradise of childhood vs. "Greystone" of repressive, domestic England vs. romantic Bruxenstein (Germanic, complete with labyrinthine forests and suicidal precipices) - is interesting, but not developed in any dramatic sort of way. Chief weakness of the story is perhaps the first-person narration - although it is the easiest way to build suspense and mystery, the heroine seems curiously remote and we don't get enough emotion (described, yes; depicted, no) at horrific events like the murder of her sister. A pleasant enough little costumer, enough to while away a couple of lazy hours, but shallow. Rather heavily influenced by Jane Eyre, I should think. Pippa (as in Browning) Ewell; Francine Ewell, Conrad (alias Sigmund) - the Teutonic lover; Freya (the girlish countess); Cousin Arthur; Tatiana (the villainess). Plot revolves around the succession of power in Bruxenstein, depending on the validity of the marriage of, and existence of heir from, Francine and her husband Rudolph (both murdered).
August 17, 2017
“The Judas Kiss” intrigued me from the beginning with its great hook of an opening line:
“I was seventeen years old before I discovered that my sister had been murdered.”
The usual amount of suspense you expect from a Holt novel is in evidence, but while many of her other books have predictable outcomes for certain themes and characters, this one has very few. Pleased to state that I was surprised by some revelations, while other matters that I thought were obvious turned out to be red herrings.
Okay, some things were predictable, but in the most part, the author succeeds in shrouding events in mystery, and surprising the reader – this one, at least – with the way these mysteries are resolved.
The plot is varied and winding, with changes of setting and mood. The main character, Pippa, is determined to prove that her murdered sister was married to an important foreign noble, and that he was not his mistress as all assumed. Pippa also means to discover the couple’s child, which nobody believes to have existed. This drive and determination keeps the story moving forward with no lulls.
The characters are well-developed. Pippa makes a good heroine and I liked her. Also liked her unfortunate sister and their friend Daisy.
Countess Freya was my favourite character. She lives in something of a dream world, which made her endearing and funny.
“I was seventeen years old before I discovered that my sister had been murdered.”
The usual amount of suspense you expect from a Holt novel is in evidence, but while many of her other books have predictable outcomes for certain themes and characters, this one has very few. Pleased to state that I was surprised by some revelations, while other matters that I thought were obvious turned out to be red herrings.
Okay, some things were predictable, but in the most part, the author succeeds in shrouding events in mystery, and surprising the reader – this one, at least – with the way these mysteries are resolved.
The plot is varied and winding, with changes of setting and mood. The main character, Pippa, is determined to prove that her murdered sister was married to an important foreign noble, and that he was not his mistress as all assumed. Pippa also means to discover the couple’s child, which nobody believes to have existed. This drive and determination keeps the story moving forward with no lulls.
The characters are well-developed. Pippa makes a good heroine and I liked her. Also liked her unfortunate sister and their friend Daisy.
Countess Freya was my favourite character. She lives in something of a dream world, which made her endearing and funny.
December 19, 2009
There was this beautiful house for hunters in the middle of the wood, which I used to see while driving in the car. My father would tell us stories about when and how it was built and what would hunters do on weekends, and I would daydream in a different way (killing animals was excluded :).
This house was far away from the road, and I’ve never seen it up close but my imagination was wild as a beast. I was around 12, 13 when I read Judas kiss, and I placed the plot around and inside that grand and spectacular hunter mansion.
This was the first gothic romance that I've read. And every time now when I think of it I have a strong feeling of nostalgia. There was some kind of brutality and brilliance in it that I loved, and I completely lost myself within the words, but most all, I remember as it was yesterday, how I used to mentally hide myself inside that spectacular forest of Bavaria. This book was so beautifully green.
It sounds odd and a bit koo koo, but I really adored this book.
This house was far away from the road, and I’ve never seen it up close but my imagination was wild as a beast. I was around 12, 13 when I read Judas kiss, and I placed the plot around and inside that grand and spectacular hunter mansion.
This was the first gothic romance that I've read. And every time now when I think of it I have a strong feeling of nostalgia. There was some kind of brutality and brilliance in it that I loved, and I completely lost myself within the words, but most all, I remember as it was yesterday, how I used to mentally hide myself inside that spectacular forest of Bavaria. This book was so beautifully green.
It sounds odd and a bit koo koo, but I really adored this book.
July 4, 2010
Classic Victoria Holt, with intrigue, dukes and duchesses, servants and friends all just a little more than meets the eye.
In "The Judas Kiss," Philippa Ewell's older sister Francine is murdered at the Grand Duke's hunting lodge in Bavaria -- along with the Grand Duke. Philippa has letters proving that the two were married and had a child, but other members of the Bavarian royal family say otherwise.
Unexpected circumstances allow Philippa to investigate for herself, and she is drawn into the political intrigue, scheming and mysteries despite herself.
A fun "beach read" novel.
In "The Judas Kiss," Philippa Ewell's older sister Francine is murdered at the Grand Duke's hunting lodge in Bavaria -- along with the Grand Duke. Philippa has letters proving that the two were married and had a child, but other members of the Bavarian royal family say otherwise.
Unexpected circumstances allow Philippa to investigate for herself, and she is drawn into the political intrigue, scheming and mysteries despite herself.
A fun "beach read" novel.
April 3, 2016
Books written by Victoria Holt are so cheesy, but sometimes that's exactly what you need. I've read a loooot of her books when I was 14/15 years old..that was the last time I've read them. I absolutely loved them at the time. I'm thinking of reading one of her books just for the old times sake! =)
March 16, 2021
Leí este libro cuando era joven, me pareció la mejor novela romántica que he leído hasta entonces, entretenidísima y preciosa. Para quién busque romanticismo encontrará en ella una de sus mejores novelas.
December 29, 2021
I used to love Victoria Holt, and have read many of them. It has been a few decades now, and I’m glad I went back to revisit this author. The Judas Kiss, like most of her other books, is romantic suspense with a dash of gothic.
May 13, 2017
Mais uma leitura antiga mas que recordo como um bonito romance cheio de mistério!
Nesta fase da minha vida, lia muito menos do que agora, mas já adorava! :)
Nesta fase da minha vida, lia muito menos do que agora, mas já adorava! :)
August 19, 2024
Несподівано КСД виплюнуло одразу шість (!) романів Вікторії Голт в українському перекладі — і я, звісно ж, мала прочитати бодай один. Вікторія Голт — популярна авторка готичних романів минулого століття: зловісні маєтки, небезпечні таємниці, вродливі аристократи і фатальне кохання. Ідеальний трешачок 🤌 А що ще треба звичайній людині?
"Поцілунок Юди" оповідає про двох сестер, які осиротіли і їх забрав до себе владний релігійний дід. Старша сестра мала вийти заміж за їхнього кузена, щоб зберегти маєток і землі в родині, однак тікає з титулованим юнаком, який приїхав до сусіднього будинку. Після кількох років молодша сестра Піппа дізнається, що її сестру та її чоловіка вбили. От тільки в газеті кажуть, що вони були неодружені. Як таке можливо? І куди ділася дитина, про яку вона їй писала? Піппа подасться далеко за кордон, щоб дізнатися правду.
Вікторія Голт пише захопливо й кінематографічно. Описані картинки уявляються яскраво: від теплого острова зі скульптурною майстернею до тиранічного богоподібного діда у маєтку-в'язниці. Одразу нас накручують й закидають у вир тривоги: що сталося? хто намагається приховати правду про весілля? де дитина? чи вдасться Піппі вийти неушкодженою з цієї пригоди? Якби це був трилер, я б іще поставила під сумнів правдивість слів Піппи, адже і дід помер за загадкових обставин.
▪️Авторка чудово розуміє, що якісну драму створює не лише гострота подій, а й моральний вибір. Зрештою виявляється, що заголовок книжки — "Поцілунок Юди" — стосується саме вибору Піппи: чи вчинить вона по совісті, опираючись спокусі, чи обере зрадливий неетичний шлях. І те, що читач може пережити вагання разом із нею, і робить цей текст таким насиченим.
З мінусів можна і треба назвати основну любовну лінію. Ну, нехай Франсін втекла з першим-ліпшим, це можна обґрунтувати сюжетною потребою. Але цей Конрад — це суцільний червоний прапор і токсик. Якщо зважати, що самій Піппі заледве 18 років, то й поготів. Його вмовляння виглядають просто огидними.
Оскільки це КСД, то кілька слів про переклад. Переклад Володимира Горбатька, в якого перекладацький портфель доволі великий, деякі з його робіт я читала і відчутних нарікань не мала. І тут текст теж нормальний, процес читання приємний. Єдине, за що я зачепилась, що художнє редагування могло б бути все ж кращим: повикидати зайві англійські "це" та інші граматичні кальки, які часом прослизають; якщо приглядатися, місцями накульгує узгодження в реченні — якісь такі дрібні моменти.
Також звірила перші сторінки з оригіналом, і в мене було одне питаннячко, чому "Distance enchants the view Francine used to say" переклали як "На відстані краєвид видається кращим, казала Франсін". Там у переносному значенні, щось на кшталт на відстані спогад видається райдужнішим, ніж це було в реальності. Який краєвид? 🫠 (Не хочу думати, як це адаптувати нормально). Недогледіли щось.
Одним словом, "Поцілунок Юди" отримує від мене тверде 3/5.
"Поцілунок Юди" оповідає про двох сестер, які осиротіли і їх забрав до себе владний релігійний дід. Старша сестра мала вийти заміж за їхнього кузена, щоб зберегти маєток і землі в родині, однак тікає з титулованим юнаком, який приїхав до сусіднього будинку. Після кількох років молодша сестра Піппа дізнається, що її сестру та її чоловіка вбили. От тільки в газеті кажуть, що вони були неодружені. Як таке можливо? І куди ділася дитина, про яку вона їй писала? Піппа подасться далеко за кордон, щоб дізнатися правду.
Вікторія Голт пише захопливо й кінематографічно. Описані картинки уявляються яскраво: від теплого острова зі скульптурною майстернею до тиранічного богоподібного діда у маєтку-в'язниці. Одразу нас накручують й закидають у вир тривоги: що сталося? хто намагається приховати правду про весілля? де дитина? чи вдасться Піппі вийти неушкодженою з цієї пригоди? Якби це був трилер, я б іще поставила під сумнів правдивість слів Піппи, адже і дід помер за загадкових обставин.
▪️Авторка чудово розуміє, що якісну драму створює не лише гострота подій, а й моральний вибір. Зрештою виявляється, що заголовок книжки — "Поцілунок Юди" — стосується саме вибору Піппи: чи вчинить вона по совісті, опираючись спокусі, чи обере зрадливий неетичний шлях. І те, що читач може пережити вагання разом із нею, і робить цей текст таким насиченим.
З мінусів можна і треба назвати основну любовну лінію. Ну, нехай Франсін втекла з першим-ліпшим, це можна обґрунтувати сюжетною потребою. Але цей Конрад — це суцільний червоний прапор і токсик. Якщо зважати, що самій Піппі заледве 18 років, то й поготів. Його вмовляння виглядають просто огидними.
Оскільки це КСД, то кілька слів про переклад. Переклад Володимира Горбатька, в якого перекладацький портфель доволі великий, деякі з його робіт я читала і відчутних нарікань не мала. І тут текст теж нормальний, процес читання приємний. Єдине, за що я зачепилась, що художнє редагування могло б бути все ж кращим: повикидати зайві англійські "це" та інші граматичні кальки, які часом прослизають; якщо приглядатися, місцями накульгує узгодження в реченні — якісь такі дрібні моменти.
Також звірила перші сторінки з оригіналом, і в мене було одне питаннячко, чому "Distance enchants the view Francine used to say" переклали як "На відстані краєвид видається кращим, казала Франсін". Там у переносному значенні, щось на кшталт на відстані спогад видається райдужнішим, ніж це було в реальності. Який краєвид? 🫠 (Не хочу думати, як це адаптувати нормально). Недогледіли щось.
Одним словом, "Поцілунок Юди" отримує від мене тверде 3/5.
June 17, 2022
My least favorite Victoria Holt novel so far! The setting was cool, but I prefer her "clean" gothic romances. This one was published in 1981, and I believe that was around the time the author's popularity/gothic romances were waning in favor of "bodice rippers".
The story starts off as all Holt novels start off - recapping the childhood of our heroine before her harrowing adventure begins. Phillipa (Pippa) and her older sister Francine grow up on a Mediterranean island with their loving parents; the dad is a sculptor who is estranged from his strict father. Of course the parents die and the grandfather sends for the girls, who go live in his manor, Graystone, in England. The grandfather is horrible and controlling (Holt sprinkles in many witty insults about the grandfather which I found surprising and delightful); Francine falls in love with some guy she meets next door who is Bavarian nobility and runs away with him. Pippa receives two or three letters from Francine, but the letters stop and five years later Pippa finds out her sister and lover? husband? (there's some question on this which is part of the mystery Pippa must solve) were murdered in a hunting lodge in the Bavarian Forest.
Pippa meets her own Bavarian (she thinks he's a servant of some sort but of course he is actually the heir-apparent for one of the Bavarian principalities), falls madly in love with him after approximately two encounters, and actually has sex with him (or becomes a fallen woman in her words)!!!! A first in any Victoria Holt book I've read. He goes back to Bavaria, and eventually Pippa also makes her way there to solve the mystery of who murdered her sister.
The story starts off as all Holt novels start off - recapping the childhood of our heroine before her harrowing adventure begins. Phillipa (Pippa) and her older sister Francine grow up on a Mediterranean island with their loving parents; the dad is a sculptor who is estranged from his strict father. Of course the parents die and the grandfather sends for the girls, who go live in his manor, Graystone, in England. The grandfather is horrible and controlling (Holt sprinkles in many witty insults about the grandfather which I found surprising and delightful); Francine falls in love with some guy she meets next door who is Bavarian nobility and runs away with him. Pippa receives two or three letters from Francine, but the letters stop and five years later Pippa finds out her sister and lover? husband? (there's some question on this which is part of the mystery Pippa must solve) were murdered in a hunting lodge in the Bavarian Forest.
Pippa meets her own Bavarian (she thinks he's a servant of some sort but of course he is actually the heir-apparent for one of the Bavarian principalities), falls madly in love with him after approximately two encounters, and actually has sex with him (or becomes a fallen woman in her words)!!!! A first in any Victoria Holt book I've read. He goes back to Bavaria, and eventually Pippa also makes her way there to solve the mystery of who murdered her sister.
January 13, 2023
La historia comienza con Pippa, una joven de 15 años que acaba descubre que su hermana mayor fue asesinada, así comienza a contarnos un poco de su vida.
Francine y Pippa son hijas de un pintor y una hermosa, pero enfermiza mujer, su madre fallece lamentablemente y con ella se lleva las ganas de vida de su padre, dejando a las dos chicas huérfanas, antes de morir su padre les conto que pertenecía a una familia de alcurnia pero que al no querer seguir las ordenes de su padre huyo junto a su madre y fue desheredado, les cuenta que su abuelo era un tirano y mantenía la vida en su casa muy triste.
Para la suerte de las huérfanas su abuelo decide hacerse cargo de ellas, aquí conocen a su estricto abuelo, su triste tía y su amable abuela, después de unos días llega el pomposo primo, a quien su abuelo a criado y amoldado a su gusto.
Francine nota el interese del abuelo de casarla con su primo y su vena rebelde la lleva a llevarle la contraria, un día en un paseo llegan a una casa donde se enteran que un conde ira de visita, este queda visiblemente interesado en Francine a tal punto que se escapan.
El Conde pertenece a un lugar donde hay muchas intrigas lo que lleva a Pippa y Francine a comunicarse muy poco, hasta que un día Pippa se entera por medio de un recorte viejo que su querida hermana fue asesinada junto con el conde, lo que la lleva decidir buscar quienes fueron los culpables y a saber que paso con el hijo de su hermana.
Este libro se me hizo muy fácil de leer, muy entretenido y con diversas tramas que al final si se contestan y que varias ya me las esperaba.
Francine y Pippa son hijas de un pintor y una hermosa, pero enfermiza mujer, su madre fallece lamentablemente y con ella se lleva las ganas de vida de su padre, dejando a las dos chicas huérfanas, antes de morir su padre les conto que pertenecía a una familia de alcurnia pero que al no querer seguir las ordenes de su padre huyo junto a su madre y fue desheredado, les cuenta que su abuelo era un tirano y mantenía la vida en su casa muy triste.
Para la suerte de las huérfanas su abuelo decide hacerse cargo de ellas, aquí conocen a su estricto abuelo, su triste tía y su amable abuela, después de unos días llega el pomposo primo, a quien su abuelo a criado y amoldado a su gusto.
Francine nota el interese del abuelo de casarla con su primo y su vena rebelde la lleva a llevarle la contraria, un día en un paseo llegan a una casa donde se enteran que un conde ira de visita, este queda visiblemente interesado en Francine a tal punto que se escapan.
El Conde pertenece a un lugar donde hay muchas intrigas lo que lleva a Pippa y Francine a comunicarse muy poco, hasta que un día Pippa se entera por medio de un recorte viejo que su querida hermana fue asesinada junto con el conde, lo que la lleva decidir buscar quienes fueron los culpables y a saber que paso con el hijo de su hermana.
Este libro se me hizo muy fácil de leer, muy entretenido y con diversas tramas que al final si se contestan y que varias ya me las esperaba.
December 31, 2021
I first read this book in middle school and had fond memories of it (truth be told I am pretty sure I read it multiple times in middle school and high school) and hadn't thought of it in years. I had a serious Victoria Holt phase in those years and of all the Victoria Holt heroines, Pippa is my favorite name. I have always thought it was super cute. In the fall of 2020, I had a random thought "if you get a dog name her Pippa" and I remembered Pippa Ewell. Then in July of 2021, I got my Goldendoodle and named her Pippa. Which got me thinking about this book again so I went on Amazon and bought it.
It has been long enough that I didn't fully remember all of the plot twists, so it was nice to read again and discover some of the plot points again. Overall I still enjoyed it as much as I did as a teen. One thing that bothered me was that the hero "seduced" the heroine even after she protested and told him she needed to leave. This bothers me a lot more as an adult than it did when I was 15, especially as I have learned more about consent and that any reluctance should be seen as a hard no and all pursuit should stop. That made the whole story less enjoyable for me.
I still liked the overall suspense and intrigue that is signature Victoria Holt. Pippa is a compelling heroine and I'm not sorry I bought the book.
It has been long enough that I didn't fully remember all of the plot twists, so it was nice to read again and discover some of the plot points again. Overall I still enjoyed it as much as I did as a teen. One thing that bothered me was that the hero "seduced" the heroine even after she protested and told him she needed to leave. This bothers me a lot more as an adult than it did when I was 15, especially as I have learned more about consent and that any reluctance should be seen as a hard no and all pursuit should stop. That made the whole story less enjoyable for me.
I still liked the overall suspense and intrigue that is signature Victoria Holt. Pippa is a compelling heroine and I'm not sorry I bought the book.
November 10, 2022
Un libro que escogí de inmediato por el nombre de su autora. La verdad, a pesar de que me encantan las novelas románticas y ya había leído otro libro de Victoria Holt que me gustó mucho, este me pareció que me quedó debiendo algo. Los diálogos eran un poco fofos para mí gusto y en ocasiones repetían preguntas que ya habían hecho con anterioridad como para darle al lector un motivo para estar aún más seguro de lo que ya se había dicho una y otra vez... En fin, no fue algo que me agradara mucho. Por ello van 3 estrellas y puedo decir que lo terminé con cierto ánimo de pasar a la siguiente lectura. Me quedo con lo que haya leído antes de ella.
March 16, 2019
1800s - Bavaria & England. (Pippa). Pippa & Francine are orphaned & go to live with strict estranged grandfather. GF wants Francine to marry religious nephew but Francine refuses & runs away with Bavarian Nobleman, getting married/having child. Francine dies & Pippa searches for the child & to prove the marriage was legitimate. She falls in love with Conrad who turns out to be the next Bavarian heir. He helps Pippa find her nephew & catch the killer of her GF. They find the child, prove the marriage is real who is now the heir which enables Pippa & Conrad to marry.
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