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Hand in Glove
In her seaside cottage, Beatrix Abberley bravely confronts an intruder moments before her life is brutally taken. The crime stuns the elderly spinster’s family—especially Beatrix’s niece, Charlotte Ladram. But Charlotte has little time to mourn the loss of her beloved aunt and little patience when police quickly arrest a man Charlotte believes is innocent. For Charlotte, a harrowing quest for answers begins—one that will take her into the shadows of the past…and into the life and secrets of the dead woman’s brother, famed poet and casualty of the Spanish Civil War, Tristram Abberley.
Now, amid shattering revelations about her family, and in the aftermath of a second savage crime, Charlotte finds herself at the center of a widening storm. And for Charlotte, something extraordinary is beginning to happen. As fifty years of secrets begin to unravel, shy, cautious Charlotte is coming alive in the shadow of a mystery—uncovering a shocking tale of wartime greed and treachery, and a vendetta of violence seemingly without end….
Now, amid shattering revelations about her family, and in the aftermath of a second savage crime, Charlotte finds herself at the center of a widening storm. And for Charlotte, something extraordinary is beginning to happen. As fifty years of secrets begin to unravel, shy, cautious Charlotte is coming alive in the shadow of a mystery—uncovering a shocking tale of wartime greed and treachery, and a vendetta of violence seemingly without end….
435 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
162 people are currently reading
565 people want to read
About the author
Robert Goddard
111 books874 followersIn a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
April 26, 2017
Definitely of one Goddard's best books. In fact, it's the best I've read so far (out of 8) but I do have to read some of his old ones yet.
It's what one expects (an old mystery wreaking havoc on the present-day lives of some innocent-looking people, lots of lies and secrets uncovered in the processes, some murders, a bit of catharsis and redemption in the end) and some more.
Fewer plot twists than the usual Goddard book (which is a good thing, actually!) and a pleasant surprise in that instead of the standard damaged-in-some-way-but-fundamentally-good male protagonist we got here two - a male and a female (and less damaged than usual...).
Perhaps the reason Goddard's books (well, most of them) are so engrossing is that they are about crime and mysteries all right, but they are also about families and how messed up they can be.
It's what one expects (an old mystery wreaking havoc on the present-day lives of some innocent-looking people, lots of lies and secrets uncovered in the processes, some murders, a bit of catharsis and redemption in the end) and some more.
Fewer plot twists than the usual Goddard book (which is a good thing, actually!) and a pleasant surprise in that instead of the standard damaged-in-some-way-but-fundamentally-good male protagonist we got here two - a male and a female (and less damaged than usual...).
Perhaps the reason Goddard's books (well, most of them) are so engrossing is that they are about crime and mysteries all right, but they are also about families and how messed up they can be.
November 28, 2021
Another solid Robert Goddard book. I have noted in previous reviews of his novels that they seem complex but ultimately, when it comes down to it, the plot is fairly simple. It is about the journey and he certainly takes us on one here. Maybe not so many twists as others but still a winding road to the conclusion.
The historical event in this one is the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939 between the left-leaning Republicans and the Nationalists led by Franco. A poet, Tristram Aberley, goes out to fight for the Republicans. He is your typical middle-class Englishman that believes he is fighting for and helping the working class. These kinds of people always make me laugh. They would probably run a mile if they actually met a working-class person. I digress. Tristram dies out in Spain but there are secrets left behind. Secrets that his sister, Beatrix knows all about. She has items that people want but why and to what end? The book is actually set-in modern-day England, well 1987 at least, and the Spanish Civil war is the backdrop.
The book feels like it is in two halves because, unlike his other works, we find out a lot by the midway point and then the book takes a turn as events spiral. I don’t think I can be anymore cryptic in this review. I don’t want to give anything away.
I do have a gripe though and that is a lot of the characters are not particularly likeable but that is on purpose as they are selfish with few morals. I did like the two main female characters. The sister Beatrix and the lead protagonist, Catherine, but the others do not have many redeeming qualities.
If you are a Goddard fan then you have probably read this. If not, you should add to your list.
The historical event in this one is the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939 between the left-leaning Republicans and the Nationalists led by Franco. A poet, Tristram Aberley, goes out to fight for the Republicans. He is your typical middle-class Englishman that believes he is fighting for and helping the working class. These kinds of people always make me laugh. They would probably run a mile if they actually met a working-class person. I digress. Tristram dies out in Spain but there are secrets left behind. Secrets that his sister, Beatrix knows all about. She has items that people want but why and to what end? The book is actually set-in modern-day England, well 1987 at least, and the Spanish Civil war is the backdrop.
The book feels like it is in two halves because, unlike his other works, we find out a lot by the midway point and then the book takes a turn as events spiral. I don’t think I can be anymore cryptic in this review. I don’t want to give anything away.
I do have a gripe though and that is a lot of the characters are not particularly likeable but that is on purpose as they are selfish with few morals. I did like the two main female characters. The sister Beatrix and the lead protagonist, Catherine, but the others do not have many redeeming qualities.
If you are a Goddard fan then you have probably read this. If not, you should add to your list.
February 10, 2023
4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Quote: Opeens merkte ze in de spiegel een beweging vlak achter zich. Toen ze goed keek, zag ze een man vlak bij haar schouder staan, die in de winkel keek.-
Quote: " Ik zeg liever niets tot ik het zeker weet. Maar als ik gelijk heb, is er misschien een manier om Frank Griffith op het spoor te komen."-
Een oude spinster wordt vermoordt in haar woning. Haar nicht Charlotte begrijpt er niets van. Ze krijgt niet echt de kans om het te bevatten om dat het mysterie van de dood van haar tante steeds meer vragen oproept en ze zelf het verhaal, het mysterie en de Spaanse burgeroorlog wordt ingesleept.
Weinig vrije tijd maakte dat het wat lang duurde voordat ik het boek uit had maar nu heb ik de slotpagina's gelezen en ik had deze clue/ einde niet zien aankomen.
De laatste keer dat ik dit boek las, dus voor deze keer, was ik verdwaald in de verhaallijnen. Misschien heeft het er langer over doen om het te lezen het verhaal en de kruislings lopende lijnen tussen de verschillende verhalen en personages duidelijker gemaakt. Ik heb er toch van genoten.
Quote: Opeens merkte ze in de spiegel een beweging vlak achter zich. Toen ze goed keek, zag ze een man vlak bij haar schouder staan, die in de winkel keek.-
Quote: " Ik zeg liever niets tot ik het zeker weet. Maar als ik gelijk heb, is er misschien een manier om Frank Griffith op het spoor te komen."-
Een oude spinster wordt vermoordt in haar woning. Haar nicht Charlotte begrijpt er niets van. Ze krijgt niet echt de kans om het te bevatten om dat het mysterie van de dood van haar tante steeds meer vragen oproept en ze zelf het verhaal, het mysterie en de Spaanse burgeroorlog wordt ingesleept.
Weinig vrije tijd maakte dat het wat lang duurde voordat ik het boek uit had maar nu heb ik de slotpagina's gelezen en ik had deze clue/ einde niet zien aankomen.
De laatste keer dat ik dit boek las, dus voor deze keer, was ik verdwaald in de verhaallijnen. Misschien heeft het er langer over doen om het te lezen het verhaal en de kruislings lopende lijnen tussen de verschillende verhalen en personages duidelijker gemaakt. Ik heb er toch van genoten.
July 31, 2019
Hand in Glove is slightly different from all the Goddard mysteries I have read. There are two protagonists and one of them is female. Generally in a Goddard novel you can expect the narrator to be male and often middle-aged. Occasionally the story unfolds in the first person but mostly the third and we get to know the main character pretty well by the end of the novel.
There’s Harry Barnett in Into the Blue, Out of the Sun and Never Go Back. There’s David Umber (a bit younger than is usual) in Sight Unseen, Nicholas Paleologus in Days Without Number, Robyn Timariot (one of my favourite Goddard protagonists) in Borrowed Time, Jonathan Kellaway in the impeccably paced Fault Line and the list goes on. It is of course a winning formulae.
But in Hand in Glove the narrative is ingeniously split between Charlotte Ladram and Derek Fairfax - both sides of the fence as it were:
When Beatrix Abberley the elderly sister of a famous English poet of the 1930s is murdered in her seaside cottage the Abberley family is stunned, especially her niece Charlotte Ladram. Arrested for her murder is Colin Fairfax, Derek Fairfax’s brother.
There is of course tension between the two protagonists as the story unfolds and interesting locations as well - Cheltenham, New York, Paris and rural Wales. I for one found that the dual narrators worked really well and would love to see Goddard employ this technique again or even a sole female narrator. Charlotte Ladram was a convincing character and I enjoyed how she changed and developed during the course of the novel. An enjoyable read.
There’s Harry Barnett in Into the Blue, Out of the Sun and Never Go Back. There’s David Umber (a bit younger than is usual) in Sight Unseen, Nicholas Paleologus in Days Without Number, Robyn Timariot (one of my favourite Goddard protagonists) in Borrowed Time, Jonathan Kellaway in the impeccably paced Fault Line and the list goes on. It is of course a winning formulae.
But in Hand in Glove the narrative is ingeniously split between Charlotte Ladram and Derek Fairfax - both sides of the fence as it were:
When Beatrix Abberley the elderly sister of a famous English poet of the 1930s is murdered in her seaside cottage the Abberley family is stunned, especially her niece Charlotte Ladram. Arrested for her murder is Colin Fairfax, Derek Fairfax’s brother.
There is of course tension between the two protagonists as the story unfolds and interesting locations as well - Cheltenham, New York, Paris and rural Wales. I for one found that the dual narrators worked really well and would love to see Goddard employ this technique again or even a sole female narrator. Charlotte Ladram was a convincing character and I enjoyed how she changed and developed during the course of the novel. An enjoyable read.
November 8, 2011
I'm a big fan of Robert Goddard and think he's one of the most under-rated writers ever. I enjoyed this book, but not as much as his other books.
December 1, 2021
J'ai apprécié l'ambiance, les révélations successives et l'aperçu historique sur la guerre d'Espagne pendant les années 30. L'aspect romance m'a paru un peu artificiel, peut-être parce que les personnages eux-mêmes étaient un peu fades et superficiels, à part Ursula et Maurice qui m'ont été paradoxalement plus sympathiques que les "gentils" de l'histoire, dont l'évolution était peu convaincante.
May 6, 2014
More of a 3.5. Not quite as good as the other Goddard I've read, but I feel it's still a notch or two above contemporary mysteries. The story begins with the cold-blooded murder of the sister, Beatrix, of a famous poet, Tristram Abberley. At first it is thought Beatrix has been killed for robbery but there's a darker motive. The antique dealer Colin Fairfax, is framed for the crime. The locales stretch from Wales to southern England to France to Spain. Letters from Tristram to Beatrix during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and memories of some of the former combatants connect with the action decades later. A mystery surrounds the authorship of the poems, especially the posthumous poems in a collection: Spanish Lines. What big secret is hidden in the letters besides Tristram's possible motive for writing them? The brother of the accused, Derek, tries desperately to prove Colin's innocence. Derek joins forces with Charlotte, goddaughter of the murder victim. Bequeathed Beatrix's cottage, Charlotte begins to discover secrets and lies of her extended family. Derek and Charlotte are drawn into a maelstrom of lies upon lies, duplicity, terror, and a kidnapping.
This novel was very well plotted and written. Just when you think you know what's coming, something completely unexpected happens. This occurs over and over. The novel was exciting all through; I felt nothing was boring. The showdown with the kidnappers of Charlotte's niece in Spain was chilling. The novel was as much a thriller as a mystery. It was absolutely gripping reading.
This novel was very well plotted and written. Just when you think you know what's coming, something completely unexpected happens. This occurs over and over. The novel was exciting all through; I felt nothing was boring. The showdown with the kidnappers of Charlotte's niece in Spain was chilling. The novel was as much a thriller as a mystery. It was absolutely gripping reading.
August 3, 2015
Review: Hand in Glove by Robert Goddard Published by: Bantam Press (12th November 1992)
ISBN: 978-0593029251
Synopsis:
When Beatrix Abberley, sister of an English poet who died fighting for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, is murdered, it appears that burglary was the motive. But Beatrix has been a keeper of secrets and, as her god-daughter, Charlotte, investigates, she discovers that Beatrix has been hiding many dangerous things…
My Review:
This is one of those books that has been languishing on my TBR shelf for far too long, so I thought I'd take a break from all the newer books and read an oldie. This has taken me an absolute age to read, something that's never a good sign. Unfortunately, for me it wasn't an oldie but goodie and I was really disappointed with it as it seemed to promise much more.
The characters are, on the whole, interesting and well formed, the story an interesting and intriguing one and there were a couple of twists. It just seemed far too lengthy. By the time the conclusion was nearing completion, I no longer cared about it and felt I should've quit a long while back.
ISBN: 978-0593029251
Synopsis:
When Beatrix Abberley, sister of an English poet who died fighting for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War, is murdered, it appears that burglary was the motive. But Beatrix has been a keeper of secrets and, as her god-daughter, Charlotte, investigates, she discovers that Beatrix has been hiding many dangerous things…
My Review:
This is one of those books that has been languishing on my TBR shelf for far too long, so I thought I'd take a break from all the newer books and read an oldie. This has taken me an absolute age to read, something that's never a good sign. Unfortunately, for me it wasn't an oldie but goodie and I was really disappointed with it as it seemed to promise much more.
The characters are, on the whole, interesting and well formed, the story an interesting and intriguing one and there were a couple of twists. It just seemed far too lengthy. By the time the conclusion was nearing completion, I no longer cared about it and felt I should've quit a long while back.
June 20, 2011
Hooray! A new mystery writer to read. Well-written and with a nice twist. Not part of a series, but I'm looking forward to reading his other novels.
October 23, 2021
Long ago I read ‘In Pale Battalions’ and enjoyed it. On that basis I bought the audiobook ‘Le Monde des Abberley’ which is, obviously, the french translation of ‘Hand in Glove’. If this were the first book by this author that I had read, I would never have even considered buying another, as it is based on the premise that an intelligent woman, who wanted certain correspondence from her brother to be destroyed, would pack it off to someone else, asking them to destroy it without reading it themselves. Instead of burning said correspondence herself.
Added to this improbable scenario is a cast of unappealing characters I find it hard to like or sympathise with. God-daughter Charlotte is unconvincing - for the most part she is just plain stupid, except for the occasions when the reader is expected to believe she is temporarily clever before returning to her normal state of stupidity. Maurice is dislikeable, but he is obviously a baddie, and Derek, the brother of the framed scapegoat, is a bumbling stammering idiot.
Nothing in the plot comes as a surprise, Goddard drops too many hints for that, until all of a sudden, just when I’m desperately hoping the book is nearly finished, he reveals that there is another secret.
At present I have struggled to make it to chapter 57, groaning aloud as Charlie does something stupid AGAIN, and Goddard explains AGAIN why she is doing it. (He has to explain it, really, because it is so unconvincing. The problem is that the explanation doesn’t help make it believable.)
I will probably stick it out to the end, only because I have parted with good money and I have made it this far. But I am suffering through it, and maybe I should just bin it!!
Added to this improbable scenario is a cast of unappealing characters I find it hard to like or sympathise with. God-daughter Charlotte is unconvincing - for the most part she is just plain stupid, except for the occasions when the reader is expected to believe she is temporarily clever before returning to her normal state of stupidity. Maurice is dislikeable, but he is obviously a baddie, and Derek, the brother of the framed scapegoat, is a bumbling stammering idiot.
Nothing in the plot comes as a surprise, Goddard drops too many hints for that, until all of a sudden, just when I’m desperately hoping the book is nearly finished, he reveals that there is another secret.
At present I have struggled to make it to chapter 57, groaning aloud as Charlie does something stupid AGAIN, and Goddard explains AGAIN why she is doing it. (He has to explain it, really, because it is so unconvincing. The problem is that the explanation doesn’t help make it believable.)
I will probably stick it out to the end, only because I have parted with good money and I have made it this far. But I am suffering through it, and maybe I should just bin it!!
June 15, 2012
I'm on this quest to read all of Robert Goddard's books, in chronological order. Now I'm up to Hand in Glove. This one is a little different from most of the others I've read so far in that there are two protagonists, one male and one female, and while they are not really failures in life (Goddard's main characters often are), they have to raise their games to deal with the situation in this book.
In his typical way, Goddard peels each layer of the plot and takes his time doing it. Meanwhile, you are absorbed in the plot, and puzzling over what might have happened. You don't find out until quite late in the book and there's a twist in the last two pages.
A good page-turner and puzzler. Now I'm on to the next one in order...
In his typical way, Goddard peels each layer of the plot and takes his time doing it. Meanwhile, you are absorbed in the plot, and puzzling over what might have happened. You don't find out until quite late in the book and there's a twist in the last two pages.
A good page-turner and puzzler. Now I'm on to the next one in order...
March 6, 2021
Are we nearly there yet?
This novel had good characterization, excellent historical research and an intriguing plot. BUT, it screams out for a ruthless editor who will cut to the quick.
In addition, Mr. Goddard's vocabulary can at times infuriate; "...autumnal refulgence...", ..."an hotel...", ..."traduced...", "...susurrious...".
I did enjoy it but couldn't resist skimming several pages in order to get to the point.
Verdict, good, but flabby, but some could say that about me.
This novel had good characterization, excellent historical research and an intriguing plot. BUT, it screams out for a ruthless editor who will cut to the quick.
In addition, Mr. Goddard's vocabulary can at times infuriate; "...autumnal refulgence...", ..."an hotel...", ..."traduced...", "...susurrious...".
I did enjoy it but couldn't resist skimming several pages in order to get to the point.
Verdict, good, but flabby, but some could say that about me.
September 13, 2016
A mystery like one of those layered Russian dolls hinging back to the Spanish civil war.
October 27, 2020
Je précise que J'ai déjà rencontré Goddard lors de la lecture de Heather "Mallender à disparu" en 2015 que j'avais beaucoup aimé à l'époque 4/5. Je viens donc de finir ce roman qui après un début timide mais prometteur n'a pas tenu ces promesses.
Le style de l'auteur est cependant, je dois avouer, facile, agréable et pas compliqué.
Mais l'intrigue bien amenée s'essouffle vite et perd de son intérêt. Malheureusement je n'ai pas été transportée et le dénouement à été plutôt moyen. Je pense que mon plaisir de lecture a rencontré un problème de taille : les personnages. Je les ai trouvé pas assez fouillés, trop "faciles", sans saveur ou sans surprise et trop gentils. J'ai l'impression qu'ils se justifient constamment. Je suis restée " à côté " de ma lecture et n'ai pas pris part à l'histoire.
Je sais que beaucoup de personnes ont aimé, alors faites vous votre propre idée ! Ce sera donc un retour mitigé que je vous fais mais il est tout de même prévu que je relise Goddard 😀
Le style de l'auteur est cependant, je dois avouer, facile, agréable et pas compliqué.
Mais l'intrigue bien amenée s'essouffle vite et perd de son intérêt. Malheureusement je n'ai pas été transportée et le dénouement à été plutôt moyen. Je pense que mon plaisir de lecture a rencontré un problème de taille : les personnages. Je les ai trouvé pas assez fouillés, trop "faciles", sans saveur ou sans surprise et trop gentils. J'ai l'impression qu'ils se justifient constamment. Je suis restée " à côté " de ma lecture et n'ai pas pris part à l'histoire.
Je sais que beaucoup de personnes ont aimé, alors faites vous votre propre idée ! Ce sera donc un retour mitigé que je vous fais mais il est tout de même prévu que je relise Goddard 😀
March 22, 2022
Voilà un roman que je ne suis pas mécontente d'avoir terminé.
Je ne connaissais pas Robert Goddard et le résumé m'intriguait. Je l'ai donc pris en audio (chez Audible) et je l'ai trouvé un peu compliqué. Le lecteur (Olivier Chauvel) a bien fait le job car il y a beaucoup de personnages qu'il incarne très bien. Mais le texte, tres long, m'a souvent laissée songeuse.
Ne connaissant pas l'auteur, je ne sais pas si ce roman à tiroirs, avec des allers-retours entre passé et présent + des secrets de famille + des références politico-historiques (Franco, la guerre d'Espagne), est une habitude chez lui ou non, mais parfois il m'a juste perdue.
Bref, une lecture pas désagréable mais dont j'aurai peine à me souvenir.
Je ne connaissais pas Robert Goddard et le résumé m'intriguait. Je l'ai donc pris en audio (chez Audible) et je l'ai trouvé un peu compliqué. Le lecteur (Olivier Chauvel) a bien fait le job car il y a beaucoup de personnages qu'il incarne très bien. Mais le texte, tres long, m'a souvent laissée songeuse.
Ne connaissant pas l'auteur, je ne sais pas si ce roman à tiroirs, avec des allers-retours entre passé et présent + des secrets de famille + des références politico-historiques (Franco, la guerre d'Espagne), est une habitude chez lui ou non, mais parfois il m'a juste perdue.
Bref, une lecture pas désagréable mais dont j'aurai peine à me souvenir.
February 8, 2021
What a delight to discover mystery writer, Robert Goddard. Goddard, a British writer, definitely takes his readers on an adventure. The story veers in many directions, but never in the direction the reader is expecting. "Hand in Glove" is a prime example of this. Charlotte Ladram, a wealthy young woman, has just found out that her godmother Beatrix Abberley has been murdered. No clear reason is evident for the murder, but Charlotte inherits her godmother's house. Charlotte clearing out the house discovers a family secret that might have played a part in her godmother's death. Goddard weaves a well thought out mystery that is full of twists and turns. These twists and turns can be somewhat convoluted, but still well worth the read.
January 4, 2019
This has been a pleasant read. It is first a good thriller, it has a plot that unrolls with many twists and turns. In addition, it is the story of long-awaited revenge. The characters are all very likeable.
The final twist coming at the end!
I recommend the book to anyone who wants to spend a few hours reading by the fireplace with a cuppa, engrossed in the story.
The final twist coming at the end!
I recommend the book to anyone who wants to spend a few hours reading by the fireplace with a cuppa, engrossed in the story.
December 18, 2021
je ne pensais pas que je parviendrai à lire à nouveau !
January 9, 2022
Excellent
December 30, 2021
Encore un très bon Goddard. Tous les ingrédients que j'aime chez cet auteur sont rassemblés : atmosphère délicieusement british, personnages complexes, fouillés et mystérieux, une période historique en toile de fond d'une intrigue contemporaine.
L'action commence dans l'Angleterre de la fin des années 1990 par le meurtre de Béatrix Abberley, une vieille femme indépendante vivant seule dans son cottage. Sa nièce par alliance, Charlotte va peu à peu se trouver à enquêter pour savoir qui est le véritable responsable de la mort de sa tante. Ce faisant, elle va devoir se plonger dans l'histoire familiale, marquée par une célébrité de la famille, Tristram Abberley, le frère de la victime et poète célèbre décédé lors de la guerre d'Espagne en 1938.
L'action commence dans l'Angleterre de la fin des années 1990 par le meurtre de Béatrix Abberley, une vieille femme indépendante vivant seule dans son cottage. Sa nièce par alliance, Charlotte va peu à peu se trouver à enquêter pour savoir qui est le véritable responsable de la mort de sa tante. Ce faisant, elle va devoir se plonger dans l'histoire familiale, marquée par une célébrité de la famille, Tristram Abberley, le frère de la victime et poète célèbre décédé lors de la guerre d'Espagne en 1938.
January 25, 2022
We are in familiar Robert Goddard territory here as our upper middle class protagonists are threatened by events from the past, events that occurred during the Spanish Civil War.
Initially the plot about the poet felt very weak, but as the twists and turns gathered pace it became far more involving. None of the characters were very endearing - Charlotte was particularly insipid and mostly seemed to be there to ask a lot of questions.
Despite that, I was drawn in to the Spanish Civil War plotline, and the mysterious letters. Sadly the ending felt rather weak and unresolved.
I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was excellent, with a believable range of accents (even a decent stab at Welsh). He probably took this to a 3.5* listen.
Initially the plot about the poet felt very weak, but as the twists and turns gathered pace it became far more involving. None of the characters were very endearing - Charlotte was particularly insipid and mostly seemed to be there to ask a lot of questions.
Despite that, I was drawn in to the Spanish Civil War plotline, and the mysterious letters. Sadly the ending felt rather weak and unresolved.
I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was excellent, with a believable range of accents (even a decent stab at Welsh). He probably took this to a 3.5* listen.
March 9, 2021
Ok story about the Spanish Civil war and a long dead poet, the problem was I've never read a book with the characters speaking in so many unfinished sentences. Constantly it was a bit..., "Yes but if you...", which I find at times irritating and very..... If you see what I mean ? I'm not aware that's how people speak, it's the same in films when a character says "Shall we..." "We can but do you think...." Apart from that annoyance the story was ok if a bit far fetched and ....
June 8, 2021
We follow the long and eventful enquiry into the assassination of an old English lady by her niece. The victim was the sister of a well-known poet who died in Spain while volunteering for the republicans during the Spanish civil war. It is a very good plot and the occasion to give some insight into Spanish events. The author writes very well. Unfortunately, he is a bit longwinded and the book would benefit from being shorter.
October 7, 2012
To recap the book as a murder of an old lady set in England kinda seems not worthy of the twists and turns of this book.
I appreciated the book almost on a deeper level ... what one would do to fight for justice. That seems deep - we'll go with that.
I appreciated the book almost on a deeper level ... what one would do to fight for justice. That seems deep - we'll go with that.
February 24, 2016
mystery. This was kind of slow. It took 50 pages before I was hooked, but I wanted to give it a chance. Strangely, I'd guessed the location of the map very early on in the book, so finding out that I was right after 400+ pages was kind of a let down.
May 14, 2017
Another excellent page-turner from Robert Goddard! This was a most absorbing read, which began as an intriguing puzzle with roots in the Spanish Civil War and ultimately developed into action adventure very much in the present. Charlotte Ladram is a likeable spinster whose world has always been safe and protected. The murder of Beatrix Abberley, her stepbrother’s elderly aunt, shatters her quiet life. Soon she finds herself untangling a literary mystery which some want exposed and some desperately want to keep secret. When a shady antique dealer is arrested for the murder, Charlotte is thrown into the company of Derek Fairfax, the man’s brother, and although both have different motives for uncovering the truth, Charlotte and Derek team up to solve the mystery.
The progression of the plot from literary mystery to action adventure actually mimics the progression of the two main characters, quiet-living people who are observers of life rather than participants; yet, through being forced to deal with the crises precipitated by their more venturesome family members, they find themselves forced to act in ways they never would have anticipated and in doing so, find happiness in their own lives.
Being a person who likes to see progression in plays and books, I love Goddard’s novels, because he is so much the master of complex plots. His stories twist and turn in all directions, yet the writing is always so clear and well-constructed that there is never any danger of losing the thread. The descriptions of the various settings are vivid, whether in the English or Welsh countryside, the urban jungle of Manhattan or an isolated part of Spain. Well worth a read!
The progression of the plot from literary mystery to action adventure actually mimics the progression of the two main characters, quiet-living people who are observers of life rather than participants; yet, through being forced to deal with the crises precipitated by their more venturesome family members, they find themselves forced to act in ways they never would have anticipated and in doing so, find happiness in their own lives.
Being a person who likes to see progression in plays and books, I love Goddard’s novels, because he is so much the master of complex plots. His stories twist and turn in all directions, yet the writing is always so clear and well-constructed that there is never any danger of losing the thread. The descriptions of the various settings are vivid, whether in the English or Welsh countryside, the urban jungle of Manhattan or an isolated part of Spain. Well worth a read!
June 24, 2022
Charlie is a shy lonely woman whose life is her family, her brother Maurice in particular. She greatly admired her prickly and utterly resourceful octogenarian aunt Beatrix and the legend of her admired uncle poet Tristram, who died in the Spanish Civil war. His poems were sent to Beatrix and the royalties were many tens of thousands of pounds p.a. (must be nearly a million today – very hard to believe for poetry!). Beatrix is found murdered, and her collection of valuable Tunbridge Ware is found in antique shop owned by Colin Fairfax. He is arrested for the murder – but it was a set up. Who then? And why really? Beatrix had 4 separate parcels sent to different people on her death. Tracing them and what did they contained drives the long and complicated plot into which Charlotte is drawn against her will, and her personality. So is Derek Fairfax, who is convinced his obnoxious brother Colin is innocent. The two lines of enquiry converge. Each seems to be getting resolved, when a new thread unravels involving at first mysterious kidnapping but is of course intimately connected, and so on to the thrilling near end. The actual end is irritating: Goddard is playing games surely. That apart, the characters are well drawn, both Charlie and Derek developing, doing things seemingly out of character. In fact, nothing from the beginning is as it seems. It is a long story but doesn’t pall: Goddard is a skillful writer although this is not his best (to my mind that is Take no Farewell).
August 10, 2025
Robert Goddard delivers a gripping tale combining suspense and intricate plotting. However, there is a lot going on to follow with the read divided into two plots.
The book starts in modern day with the murder of Beatrix Abberley, a woman with closely guarded secrets involving her poet brother, Tristram, who perished in the Spanish Civil War.
A tapestry of motivations drew many English intellectuals and working-class individuals to take up arms in Spain in the late 1930s. The Spanish Civil War became emblematic of the clash between fascism and democracy and for an idealist like Tristram even with his wife due to give birth to their first child he felt compelled to join the cause. Consequent years see his works become much sought after and his son, as an adult able to create further wealth for the family including Beatrix. However, Beatrix held onto her secret and letters for which became the catalyst for her death.
A man is arrested for Beatrix's death but with some persuasion by the suspect's brother, Derek, Beatrix's niece, Charlotte comes to believe that the attempted theft, murder was a set-up and begins to pursue the truth which unearths a labyrinth of deception. The author creates an emotional undercurrent between Charlotte and Derek, whose brother languishes in prison until almost the end.
The real murderer is revealed but for all the book's exciting events, this revelation was rather ordinary.
The book starts in modern day with the murder of Beatrix Abberley, a woman with closely guarded secrets involving her poet brother, Tristram, who perished in the Spanish Civil War.
A tapestry of motivations drew many English intellectuals and working-class individuals to take up arms in Spain in the late 1930s. The Spanish Civil War became emblematic of the clash between fascism and democracy and for an idealist like Tristram even with his wife due to give birth to their first child he felt compelled to join the cause. Consequent years see his works become much sought after and his son, as an adult able to create further wealth for the family including Beatrix. However, Beatrix held onto her secret and letters for which became the catalyst for her death.
A man is arrested for Beatrix's death but with some persuasion by the suspect's brother, Derek, Beatrix's niece, Charlotte comes to believe that the attempted theft, murder was a set-up and begins to pursue the truth which unearths a labyrinth of deception. The author creates an emotional undercurrent between Charlotte and Derek, whose brother languishes in prison until almost the end.
The real murderer is revealed but for all the book's exciting events, this revelation was rather ordinary.
July 25, 2021
1928. Beatrix Abberley is caretaker to her father and governess to her younger brother, Tristram, who shows promise as a poet. Sportsman, idler, intellectual poseur, spendthrift, communist, homosexual, womanizer, traveler, wastrel, husband, father, soldier, poet are used to describe him ten years later, when Tristram is dead, a casualty of the Spanish Civil War, in which he volunteered to fight on the Republican side. Forty-odd years after that, Beatrice is dead, supposedly at the hand of an antiques dealer who came ‘round to evaluate her Tunbridge Ware. Not believable, decides her niece, Charlotte Ladram. Through Beatrix's generosity, substantial royalties on Tristram’s poetry, published posthumously, have supported Charlotte. Now, Maurice, Tristram’s son, is heir to the whole heap. Is there a motive for murder there? Or are the clues to Beatrix's murder hidden in the batch of letters Tristram sent to her from the war zone? Were the letters the reason for the break-in and murder of Beatrix? Might Tristram’s companion in war, Frank Griffith, with whom he fought, along with a Spaniard by the name of Vicente Ortiz, know? Griffith survived. Did Ortiz? And what can they tell Charlotte about why a quest for the letters might have been the reason for Beatrix’s murder?
October 8, 2020
Le Monde des Abberley, le nouveau polar de Robert Goddard vient de paraître. Est-il vraiment nécessaire d’en dire plus ?
Peut-être que oui, quand même, ne serait-ce que pour les lecteurs qui ne le connaissent pas encore 😉
.
Goddard est, à ce jour, l’un des meilleurs auteurs britanniques de polars.
Et avec Le Monde des Abberley, il nous en propose de nouveau un d’excellente facture.
.
Beatrix Abberley, vieille dame apparemment sans histoires, est retrouvée assassinée chez elle un matin par sa femme de ménage.
Rapidement, sa nièce, Charlotte, son neveu, Maurice, et la Police se rendent compte que ses Tunbridge Ware (objets en marqueterie de valeur) ont été également dérobés.
Aussi lorsque les bibelots en question sont retrouvés chez Fairfaix, un antiquaire connu de la Police pour d’autres faits, sa culpabilité ne semble pas faire de doute.
Mais la vérité est-elle réellement aussi simple que ça ?
Le frère de Fairfaix, lui, décide de croire en son innocence, et se rapproche de la famille, afin de leur faire afin de tenter de découvrir la vérité.
La victime était-elle réellement la femme simple que l’on pense ?
Si oui, pourquoi sa meilleure amie réagit-elle de cette façon ?
Et, surtout, qu’est-ce qui se cache derrière toutes ces histoires familiales dont on a abreuvé Charlotte durant son enfance ?
.
La nouvelle intrigue de Robert Goddard se situe cette fois dans les années 80, et, si j’ai personnellement une préférence pour ses intrigues se situant plus loin dans le temps, il parvient une fois de plus à recréer une atmosphère toute en finesse et sans fausse note.
.
Avec ce gros pavé de près de 650, il prend son temps, comme il sait si bien le faire, pour installer son histoire et ses différents personnages.
Il excelle décidément dans le rôle de guide des méandres familiaux et des sombres secrets filiaux.
.
Comme toujours avec cet auteur, on ressort de cette intrigue avec une sorte de nostalgie, qui nous maintiendrait bien quelques centaines de pages supplémentaires.
.
C’est bien tourné, fin, intelligent et prenant.
Bref, un très bon polar britannique.
.
À découvrir, ainsi que tous ses autres titres.
Peut-être que oui, quand même, ne serait-ce que pour les lecteurs qui ne le connaissent pas encore 😉
.
Goddard est, à ce jour, l’un des meilleurs auteurs britanniques de polars.
Et avec Le Monde des Abberley, il nous en propose de nouveau un d’excellente facture.
.
Beatrix Abberley, vieille dame apparemment sans histoires, est retrouvée assassinée chez elle un matin par sa femme de ménage.
Rapidement, sa nièce, Charlotte, son neveu, Maurice, et la Police se rendent compte que ses Tunbridge Ware (objets en marqueterie de valeur) ont été également dérobés.
Aussi lorsque les bibelots en question sont retrouvés chez Fairfaix, un antiquaire connu de la Police pour d’autres faits, sa culpabilité ne semble pas faire de doute.
Mais la vérité est-elle réellement aussi simple que ça ?
Le frère de Fairfaix, lui, décide de croire en son innocence, et se rapproche de la famille, afin de leur faire afin de tenter de découvrir la vérité.
La victime était-elle réellement la femme simple que l’on pense ?
Si oui, pourquoi sa meilleure amie réagit-elle de cette façon ?
Et, surtout, qu’est-ce qui se cache derrière toutes ces histoires familiales dont on a abreuvé Charlotte durant son enfance ?
.
La nouvelle intrigue de Robert Goddard se situe cette fois dans les années 80, et, si j’ai personnellement une préférence pour ses intrigues se situant plus loin dans le temps, il parvient une fois de plus à recréer une atmosphère toute en finesse et sans fausse note.
.
Avec ce gros pavé de près de 650, il prend son temps, comme il sait si bien le faire, pour installer son histoire et ses différents personnages.
Il excelle décidément dans le rôle de guide des méandres familiaux et des sombres secrets filiaux.
.
Comme toujours avec cet auteur, on ressort de cette intrigue avec une sorte de nostalgie, qui nous maintiendrait bien quelques centaines de pages supplémentaires.
.
C’est bien tourné, fin, intelligent et prenant.
Bref, un très bon polar britannique.
.
À découvrir, ainsi que tous ses autres titres.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews