Blotto, Twinks and the Intimate Revue

Blotto and Twinks #8

by Simon Brett

A quick trip to the capital goes horribly wrong when Blotto and Twinks get accidentally involved in London's criminal underworld...

It starts innocently enough at the intimate review 'absolutely everyone is talking about', Light and Frothy , where its glamorous start, Frou Frou Gavotte, has rather taken the fancy of Blotto's school friend Giles 'Whiffler' Trumpington. But while Blotto and Whiffler wait for the star outside the theatre to take her to dinner, Whiffler is seized and manhandled into the back of a cab which then drives off into the night... Leaving Blotto with the problem of how to rescue his kidnapped schoolmate.

Naturally, he enlists Twinks's help and the two of them encounter actors, singers, impresarios, revue writers, cockney showgirls and Scotland Yard's finest - and white slave traders, who succeed in abducting Twinks - leaving it up to Blotto and his trusty chauffeur, Corky Froggett, to rescue her before she's shipped off to foreign parts forever...


Praise for Simon Brett

'A new Simon Brett is an event for mystery fans' P. D. James

'Murder most enjoyable.' Colin Dexter

'One of British crime's most assured craftsmen . . . Crime writing just like in the good old days, and perfect entertainment.' Guardian

Genres: Mystery

208 pages, Paperback

Published February 4, 2020

About the author

Simon Brett is a prolific British writer of whodunnits.

He is the son of a Chartered Surveyor and was educated at Dulwich College and Wadham College, Oxford, where he got a first class honours degree in English.

He then joined the BBC as a trainee and worked for BBC Radio and London Weekend Television, where his work included 'Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Frank Muir Goes Into ...'.

After his spells with the media he began devoting most of his time to writing from the late 1970s and is well known for his various series of crime novels.

He is married with three children and lives in Burpham, near Arundel, West Sussex, England. He is the current president of the Detection Club.

Reviews

[Lauksme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Narrated by: Simon Brett
This was funny

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blotto and his friend go see Light and Frothy a new popular show and his friend falls for the star of the show. After his friend is kidnapped, Blotto and his brilliant sister Twinks start investigating and Twinks goes undercover. Multiple twists and a lot of laughs, this is a very satisfying read.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I see that I missed a number of these, and that's all right; I generally don't like them much. But this one actually has a plot, however foggy, and has a tad less of the characters' snobbery. The rather dim but athletic Blotto and his sister Twinks, perfect in every way, are threatened with marriage by their mother the Dowager, who wants to repair the family plumbing and needs an infusion of cash. Blotto's chum is enamored of a young lady at the Intimate Revue, and Blotto himself finds a likely looking filly there--for fun, not for marriage, don't you know. Unfortunately, they run afoul of the master criminal there and--you don't really want details, do you? I was rather charmed by the wittiest man in London, who coins aphorisms by using famous lines and ruining them with his poor phrasing, however.

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

2019 bk 171. A blast from the past - almost 100 years now into the past. This is the first of the Blotto and Twinks books that I have encountered. Yes, encountered is the word. This sibling duo enjoys life as young things in England, that is until a) their mother demands that they both must marry because of the plumbing at their ancestral home and b) One of Blotto's Eaton friends is abducted in front of their eyes. This was an easy and fun read. Blotto is not blessed with the smartest brain on the planet, but luckily he has sis, Twinks, who can out-think and puzzle them all, at his side. Fun characters - I'll be looking for more of these.

[C.A. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, I really did. I love the period and there is some great satire in here on the British upper classes. However, I found Blotto and Twinks insufferable. Clearly not my cup of tea.

[Alan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating 2.5

I read the first 4 in this series when they were first published as I had enjoyed the Paris mysteries and a number of SB’s other books, and generally found them a bit hard going tbh.
Spotting this title in the library thought I could give the series another go. Admittedly in the mean time I hadn’t enjoyed the last couple of Paris mysteries either but why not.
The books are a mash up of 1920’s bright young things characters + golden age thriller + PG Wodehouse drones club nicknames/language + humour = all exaggerated to an extreme degree and really really trying to hard.
The tickety tock language became grating, the thriller element was okay if a bit uninvolved really despite the (spoiler but here) ultimate aim of the bad but being a left wing coup removing all of the aristocracy, the secondary plots of abducted friend and arranged marriages didn’t interest me that much either tbh.
Perhaps if some element had been toned down or removed entirely I might have enjoyed the novel more, the writing was easy to follow and the main characters were well drawn - but for me the whole didn’t gel at all.
Normally if my score is 2.5 then I round up to a 3 on goodreads as that is generally an entertaining novel, in this case I had to down grade to a 2 as overall I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I had hoped and would have trouble recommending it, unless the reader has read the others in the series and really enjoyed them.

[Steven Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick trip to the capital goes horribly wrong when Blotto and Twinks get accidentally involved in London's criminal underworld . . .

It starts innocently enough at the intimate review 'absolutely everyone is talking about', Light and Frothy, where its glamorous star, Frou Frou Gavotte, has rather taken the fancy of Blotto's school friend Giles 'Whiffler' Trumpington. But while Blotto and Whiffler wait for the star outside the theatre to take her to dinner, Whiffler is seized and manhandled into the back of a cab which then drives off into the night . . . Leaving Blotto with the problem of how to rescue his kidnapped schoolmate.

Naturally, he enlists Twinks's help and the two of them encounter actors, singers, impresarios, revue writers, cockney showgirls and Scotland Yard's finest - and white slave traders, who succeed in abducting Twinks - leaving it up to Blotto and his trusty chauffeur, Corky Froggett, to rescue her before she's shipped off to foreign parts forever . . .

[Nicholas George · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again we're in a new caper with the Lyminster siblings, making their way through tawdry theatrical productions in London's West End and carrying on their usual banter dripping with bon mots like "Twinks, me old cough lozenge" and "Tough Gorgonzola, old fishcake." It's very amusing but it also wears thin quickly. Fortunately, author Brett knows this and keeps these books brief, although not quite brief enough. Most of it is a loving lambasting of British aristocracy, and we can never have too much of that.

[Bill Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite Jeeves and Wooster, but close enough to enjoy a hearty laugh. I stumbled on this book while re-shelving at the library. Once again a book chose me, and as usual, those are the books I enjoy the most. The writing was so much fun, the predicament so unique, I look forward to grabbing another in the series.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first Blotto and Twinks mystery, but not my first Simon Brett. I was disappointed. I thought it tried too hard to be both acerbic and cute. There was too much Jeeves and Wooster and not enough Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. I'll stick to Brett's other series.

[Alison Vicary · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual this series is just such fun to read. I have read them all in order and although the situations remain the same the stories are all different and how many times can two people escape the impending doom of a forced marriage. Fantastic series hopefully many more to come.

[Les Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite Blotto, Twinks book but my concentration wasn’t wholly on it as my grand daughter is in hospital. So to be fair to the book I will read it again when she is home and better. Sorry this is not a proper review. Same excuse.

[R. R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are willing to accept the tremendous amount of stupidity and silliness as part of the plot then you will enjoy the humor of Blotto and Twinks. And don't forget how much sarcasm there is of the British classes and societies

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give that pony a rosette! This series is just all creamy eclair. Spoffing!

[Gretchen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always these books are fun, clever diversions.

[Katrenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jolly fun.

[GothChickVibing · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved all the funny expressions but the end sucked.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love these stories.
The speech of the characters in the books is so entertaining!!

[Claudia Majetich · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say, me old pancake turner? As always, splendissimo.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot is thin and the cutsie upper crust jargon became annoying in short order. Other than that, it was an OK diversion while looking for something better to read.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Blotto and Twinks

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never read Simon Brett before. The name of the revue was Light & Frothy. Sort of sums up the book. Quick read, quite funny. Will read more as they had loads in the library.

[Andy Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Larkisimo as Twinks would say!!

[Bob Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Generally, an excellent author and really like his other series. This one is OK but is not his best.

[Margaret Haigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books, a joyful homage to P G Wodehouse and Agatha Christie, and so funny

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes you come across a book that is trying way too hard. This one is so chocked full of what is and what is trying to be upper class, Bright Young Things, 1920s British slang and nicknames that it was too ridiculous and at times, too much to figure out what the characters actually were trying to say.