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Rutshire Chronicles #6
Score!
Sir Robert Rannaldini, the most successful but detested conductor in the world, had two ambitions: to seduce his ravishing nineteen-year-old stepdaughter Tabitha Campbell-Black, and to put his mark on musical history by making the definitive film of Verdi's darkest opera, Don Carlos.
As Rannaldini, Tristan, his charismatic French director, a volatile cast and bolshy French crew gather at Rannaldini's haunted abbey for filming, it is inevitable that violent feuds, abandoned bonking, temperamental screaming, and devious plotting will ensue. But although everyone wished Rannaldini dead, no one actually thought the Maestro would be murdered. Or that after the dreadful deed some very bizarre things would continue to occur.
SCORE! is Jilly Cooper's most thrilling novel to date.
As Rannaldini, Tristan, his charismatic French director, a volatile cast and bolshy French crew gather at Rannaldini's haunted abbey for filming, it is inevitable that violent feuds, abandoned bonking, temperamental screaming, and devious plotting will ensue. But although everyone wished Rannaldini dead, no one actually thought the Maestro would be murdered. Or that after the dreadful deed some very bizarre things would continue to occur.
SCORE! is Jilly Cooper's most thrilling novel to date.
801 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1998
241 people are currently reading
1292 people want to read
About the author
Jilly Cooper
91 books852 followersDame Jilly Cooper, OBE (born February 21, 1937) was an English author. She started her career as a journalist and wrote numerous works of non-fiction before writing several romance novels, the first of which appeared in 1975. She was most famous for writing the six blockbuster novels the Rutshire Chronicles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
March 10, 2011
I love Jilly Cooper. Her books are just glorious, full of the most joyful prose and splendid similies (and I love anything that's written using the words glorious, splendid and joyful). Her characters are entertaining, compelling and so real, despite for the most part being horrendous charactatures and stereotypes, and weave in and out throughout her 'Rutshire Chronicles' series, either stepping forward to take their turn in the limelight or dropping in like old friends or to reveal their redeemed ways.
Rannaldini makes his tyrannical debut in The Man Who Made Husband's Jealous, fully reveals his devious, villinous nature in Apassionata and finally gets his comeuppance in Score!. He's such a great character that killing him off is still a shock, despite it being the entire premise of the book.
This has all the hallmarks of Cooper's other boooks; the family rivalries, hidden secrets and lots of saucyness. And it is a proper murder mystery, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end (and you'll keep turning pages just to see who survives!).
Rannaldini makes his tyrannical debut in The Man Who Made Husband's Jealous, fully reveals his devious, villinous nature in Apassionata and finally gets his comeuppance in Score!. He's such a great character that killing him off is still a shock, despite it being the entire premise of the book.
This has all the hallmarks of Cooper's other boooks; the family rivalries, hidden secrets and lots of saucyness. And it is a proper murder mystery, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing right to the end (and you'll keep turning pages just to see who survives!).
February 22, 2025
Famous conductor Ranaldini (a man so ostentatiously wicked he might as well be wearing a hat with 'Villain' on it) is making a film of Verdi's opera 'Don Carlos', with his godson Tristan as director. Ranaldini is soon joyously trying to make everyone hate him, and succceeding. Soon all cast members and film crew are busy having affairs with each other, falling in love, out of love etc. Tabitha Campbell Black manages to be in love with four different men in succession in the course of the book, before they've even finished making the film. Halfway through the book someone is murdered (no prizes for guessing who), and a mass of detectives descend on the film set, adding further confusion to the already overloaded cast of characters. Somewhat unnecessary too, since the identity of the murderer is fairly obvious. As is the explanation for the other 'mystery' that of Tristan’s parentage.
This book has far too many characters, and very few who are at all likeable. Characters from earlier books have their personalities changed with no convicning explanation. Helen, who was quite a nice person, if a bit uptight, in Riders, has by the time we get to Score , been transformed into an egotistical monster with no interest in anyone other than herself. Rupert Campbell Black is still a faithful and devoted husband to the angelic Taggy (I have always found that a bit hard to believe). . Isa Lovell remains an enigma, with no satisfactory explanation given as to his motives for doing anything. As for Lucy, she is so dull i simply can't believe in anyone falling in love with her. This book makes 'Riders' look like 'War and peace' by comparison.
This book has far too many characters, and very few who are at all likeable. Characters from earlier books have their personalities changed with no convicning explanation. Helen, who was quite a nice person, if a bit uptight, in Riders, has by the time we get to Score , been transformed into an egotistical monster with no interest in anyone other than herself. Rupert Campbell Black is still a faithful and devoted husband to the angelic Taggy (I have always found that a bit hard to believe). . Isa Lovell remains an enigma, with no satisfactory explanation given as to his motives for doing anything. As for Lucy, she is so dull i simply can't believe in anyone falling in love with her. This book makes 'Riders' look like 'War and peace' by comparison.
March 10, 2019
This is seriously the most boring, convoluted book I have ever tried to read! It is the first and last Jilly Cooper I will ever read.
The story is totally unbelievable and childish with ridiculous character names, there are so many characters and I didn’t care about any of them, in fact if they’d all been murdered I would have cheered!
The story is totally unbelievable and childish with ridiculous character names, there are so many characters and I didn’t care about any of them, in fact if they’d all been murdered I would have cheered!
February 8, 2025
Maybe a 3.5*
It's a Jilly Cooper. DOes what it says on the tin . It's fun, a romp, full of familiar people falling in and out of enternal love with each other in the space of months, this time on a film set. Unusually, this one turns into a whodunit about halfway through. Don't go expecting an Agatha Christie or Jeffrey Deaver level detective story, but it is an easy read with, as always, everything coming right in the end. Perfect for when you need an easy read.
It's a Jilly Cooper. DOes what it says on the tin . It's fun, a romp, full of familiar people falling in and out of enternal love with each other in the space of months, this time on a film set. Unusually, this one turns into a whodunit about halfway through. Don't go expecting an Agatha Christie or Jeffrey Deaver level detective story, but it is an easy read with, as always, everything coming right in the end. Perfect for when you need an easy read.
Read
August 8, 2011My first Jilly Cooper i ever read. I adored it, and it is probably my favourite of all her works. A murder mystery revolving the making of an Opera movie. It's bloody fantastic.
February 18, 2022
If it wasn't for my thumping great crush on Hermione and Flora I would be in danger of giving this 1 star! I absolutely loved the early books in the Rutshire Chronicles but they seem to be getting worse as they go on.
Score! is a story of two halves. The opening revolves around the filming of Don Carlos and drags on forever with too many annoying characters such as Granville, Griselda, Serena, etc etc etc who add nothing at all. The second half, following the murder of Rannaldini, is more of a whodunnit which adds a bit of impetus to the story but again goes on way too long.
It felt a bit like the end of a era with some of these characters. I'm reading the series for the first time and wondering if I will see Hermione and Flora again. Sad times if not.
Score! is a story of two halves. The opening revolves around the filming of Don Carlos and drags on forever with too many annoying characters such as Granville, Griselda, Serena, etc etc etc who add nothing at all. The second half, following the murder of Rannaldini, is more of a whodunnit which adds a bit of impetus to the story but again goes on way too long.
It felt a bit like the end of a era with some of these characters. I'm reading the series for the first time and wondering if I will see Hermione and Flora again. Sad times if not.
July 4, 2013
A very enjoyable book, if a little over the top. For once involving murder and mystery as opposed to a usual Jilly Cooper bonk-buster. But in spite of the many characters still easily followed and a complex and interesting story.
August 21, 2015
As ever, a very entertaining read from one of my favourite all time authors. The characters never cease to invoke emotional responses, whilst the storyline manages to hold onto some twists and turns. Another great book from a great author, who never takes herself too seriously.
April 9, 2013
Tristan, a young French director shows up to film a movie version of Don Carlos (the opera) but the usual sleeping around/backstabbing cast hijinks take a break when there is an actual murder.
There is a love story that is late but welcome (Tristan/Lucy), a pairing I never thought would be cool but ended up awesome (Tabitha/Wolf) and it's always great to revisit the Campbell-Blacks but there is a lot that is wrooooooong. OK, not as much of a dud as Apassionata, but some of the plot developments break even my suspension of disbelief (Tabitha's whole storyline, , the whole Rannaldini storyline is just sickening (a lot more than anything in Wicked, which the reviewers were up in arms about), and once again, opera in novels is boring.
There is a love story that is late but welcome (Tristan/Lucy), a pairing I never thought would be cool but ended up awesome (Tabitha/Wolf) and it's always great to revisit the Campbell-Blacks but there is a lot that is wrooooooong. OK, not as much of a dud as Apassionata, but some of the plot developments break even my suspension of disbelief (Tabitha's whole storyline, , the whole Rannaldini storyline is just sickening (a lot more than anything in Wicked, which the reviewers were up in arms about), and once again, opera in novels is boring.
July 3, 2013
I think this is one of the best Jilly Cooper books - a murder mystery surrounded by her usual mix of beautiful people, unfaithful lovers and gorgeous settings.
Tristan de le Montiguy is in the process of filming the opera, Don Carlos. His father's great friend, Roberto Rannaldini, is directing the music and causing mayhem, as the cast and crew gather at Valhalla to sing and act. Rannaldini has plans to seduce his step-daughter, Tabitha Campbell-Black, but not before he has ruined her life by setting up a marriage with Isa Lovell - two things that he knows will anger his rival, Rupert Campbell-Black. When Tristan falls for Tabby too, Rannaldini tells him an awful secret. At the same time, he devastates the crew and cast, revealing things said in private, outing secrets and setting up lovers, caught in the act. When he is murdered and his watch tower burnt to the ground, there is no end of potential suspects, most people glad that he has gone. As more murders follow and strange things begin to happen on set, it is up to Tristan, Lucy the make-up artist and Gablecross the detective to put the pieces together.
This is such a good read. It starts off as the normal romp through Rutshire life and ends up as a tense thriller. The revelation of the actual killer is still a surprise on the second reading and the ending is brilliant. Well worth reading again and again.
Tristan de le Montiguy is in the process of filming the opera, Don Carlos. His father's great friend, Roberto Rannaldini, is directing the music and causing mayhem, as the cast and crew gather at Valhalla to sing and act. Rannaldini has plans to seduce his step-daughter, Tabitha Campbell-Black, but not before he has ruined her life by setting up a marriage with Isa Lovell - two things that he knows will anger his rival, Rupert Campbell-Black. When Tristan falls for Tabby too, Rannaldini tells him an awful secret. At the same time, he devastates the crew and cast, revealing things said in private, outing secrets and setting up lovers, caught in the act. When he is murdered and his watch tower burnt to the ground, there is no end of potential suspects, most people glad that he has gone. As more murders follow and strange things begin to happen on set, it is up to Tristan, Lucy the make-up artist and Gablecross the detective to put the pieces together.
This is such a good read. It starts off as the normal romp through Rutshire life and ends up as a tense thriller. The revelation of the actual killer is still a surprise on the second reading and the ending is brilliant. Well worth reading again and again.
March 28, 2022
Score - The Rutshire chronicles - 4 star
Another hilarious Rompfest From Jilly Cooper! set in the 90's where everyone acts like dogs on heat in Upper class England, This Book had the characters trying to Make a film while blindly helping the worst detectives imaginable solve a whodunit murder!
🎼 Horses, Opera, Singers and High class heretics!
🎼 A perverted Maestro that gets his Comeuppance
🎼 RCB in all his Glory (Although i wish he was in it a bit more)
🎼 A Romantic French director, a Make-up artist in unrequited love, A Stepfathers Lust, A son forgotten, A heartbreaking showjumper, a Closet broken Open and a variety of voyers!!!!
You Ideally need to read Books 1 - Now to fully appreciate this novel but it could be read as a standalone, this it the First Jilly cooper novel i didn't 5 star as i felt parts dragged... but i still loved it and the characters are just as outrageous as ever.
August 25, 2007
“What is the French for arsenic and strychnine?” murmured Granny, who was pointedly ignoring both of them.
“Arsenic and strychnine,” said Oscar, walking up to slot Gauloise into him jade cigarette holder. “Malevolence is universal.”
The book was long, 789 pages, which is good for a novel. I like long books, because I read so quickly (all though, lately I haven’t been reading as much). But there were SO MANY characters. In fact, at the beginning of her books, Cooper does a character list. In this, there is 82 characters listed. Honestly. No book needs to many people in it. It makes it so that you don’t actually like or care about any of them because it’s skipping around so often.
Also, a murder mystery, the victim didn’t get killed until over halfway through the book. So for some 450 pages, there was just a mass of people doing fuck knows what because I couldn’t be asked to actually follow because I didn’t care.
The end was decent, made me want to read instead of keep putting it down as I had been.
“Arsenic and strychnine,” said Oscar, walking up to slot Gauloise into him jade cigarette holder. “Malevolence is universal.”
The book was long, 789 pages, which is good for a novel. I like long books, because I read so quickly (all though, lately I haven’t been reading as much). But there were SO MANY characters. In fact, at the beginning of her books, Cooper does a character list. In this, there is 82 characters listed. Honestly. No book needs to many people in it. It makes it so that you don’t actually like or care about any of them because it’s skipping around so often.
Also, a murder mystery, the victim didn’t get killed until over halfway through the book. So for some 450 pages, there was just a mass of people doing fuck knows what because I couldn’t be asked to actually follow because I didn’t care.
The end was decent, made me want to read instead of keep putting it down as I had been.
December 19, 2015
If you enjoy broad satire, have a bit of a clue about the British class system and are open to novels that lead you on goose trails with hijinks and shenanigans all the way to a neatly and delightful ending, you can't do better than Jilly Cooper. Her books are, to use the English expression, "a lark ", filled with high comedy, pretentious snobs, salt of the earth types, love stories, romps, successes and rightful devastation of the villains in the plot. The plot, however, is always so serpentine that the reader is usually kept guessing until the end. Farcical fun!
November 10, 2011
To be honest during the first couple of hundres pages it was usual he likes her, she bitches about her, she is a spoilt brat, etc, whilst Cooper introduces us to all the characters, but then once you are just starting to get to know them or at least think you are, it isnt just the usual Jilly Cooper everyone romping around with each other but it turns into a whodunnit as well. I really enjoyed reading this. It was a good couple of weeks light entertainment for me.
June 7, 2011
I read this ages ago. But the power of the people, their goodness and naughtiness stayed with me. I really want to re-read the entire series again. Cooper really does bring a certain type of England vividly to life.
June 4, 2012
Jilly Cooper and a murder mystery- what more could you possibly want?
July 3, 2024
This novel seemed to drag so much in parts and I guess we are all a bit tired of the escapades of the Rutshire set. I picked this book up previously on 2005, referenced by the fact that I had used a train ticket as a bookmark. Clearly then put aside, I decided I needed to read it or pass it on.
Having read it, my thoughts are that is neither a typical Jilly Cooper or a thriller, but a long-winded compilation.
there is nothing wrong with the story other than it’s length and it is really quite clever in how all the pieces fit together.
Not up to my memories of its predecessors but still good.
Having read it, my thoughts are that is neither a typical Jilly Cooper or a thriller, but a long-winded compilation.
there is nothing wrong with the story other than it’s length and it is really quite clever in how all the pieces fit together.
Not up to my memories of its predecessors but still good.
November 7, 2025
JC’s first (& last?) whodunnit of the Rutshire Chronicles, and it didn’t disappoint! There are some of our usual characters involved - I like this thread throughout each of the books. What I love about the writing style is that after putting it down (if you don’t want to do a long haul reading session) it’s really easy to pick back up again. And for any speed-readers these are all chunky books, so you can really get engrossed in the story.
August 25, 2012
I read this as part of my Jilly Cooper phase. I am not sure if I would have liked it more if I had not read Riders, Rivals and Polo before this one. I just didn't get involved with the characters the way I had in the other books. I do believe that Riders etc are the best 3 books she's written and the others I have read of hers are always benchmarked against these. There weren't stand out characters like Rupert C-B but the book was an ok read.
December 19, 2015
I just couldn't get into this one, after over 100 pages I'm sadly DNFing. I will try Wicked and Jump, may skip over Pandora entirely as it doesn't really sound like it fits in with the Rutshire books anyways.
December 30, 2020
Love her books,but this is probably my least favourite of them. While the murder mystery part of the plot worked well, it took away too much from the things I read her for.
Rereading, I like it much better.
Rereading, I like it much better.
Read
August 26, 2009My first and probably last Jilly Cooper novel.What a crazy,weird,offbeat and yet entertaining book!!
May 14, 2011
My first book from Jill Cooper and not a huge fan after reading Score!. I thought it was about 200 pages too long but quite entertaining!
May 14, 2011
A slightly darker fic than the rest but just as enjoyable. The intrigue in this one was nail biting.
July 20, 2011
Another murder mystery, but made fun because of the interesting characters. Not a "can't put down" book though.
April 22, 2012
I'm not particularly fond of some of the content of Jilly Cooper's novels but she writes a good story.
June 10, 2012
My favourite Jilly Cooper book of all time. A very sexy posh romp indeed, but as with many a Jolly Super book always be prepared to go back to the characters page and refresh your memory.
February 7, 2013
Brilliant!! JillyCooper has a go at a murder-mystery and succeeds
August 6, 2013
Predictable and too long for the content - certainly no masterpiece.
October 1, 2013
Not the best Cooper book. The murder mystery felt very forced and none of the characters in this one were particularly likeable. Always good to see Rupert Campbell-Black, obviously!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews