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Anty Boisjoly Mysteries #3
The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine
The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine is another mystifying, manor house stumper for Wodehousian bon-vivant and problem-solver Anty Boisjoly, when his clubmate asks him to determine who died first after a duel is fought in a locked room. The untold riches of the Tenpenny Tontine are in the balance, but the stakes only get higher when Anty determines that, duel or not, this was a case of murder.
Kindle Edition
Published November 30, 2021
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About the author
P.J. Fitzsimmons
13 books282 followersI’m a freelance ghost for mainstream genres but when I’m my own man I write strictly for the laughs. I dream of an alternative reality in which PG Wodehouse wrote locked room mysteries, and in which I’m PG Wodehouse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
June 24, 2024
Anty Boisjoly is at it again. A pair of eccentric uncles had duel, and with no survivors, the estate is in shambles. Can he help a fellow clubman out? It only takes a few minutes of questioning before he realizes that two shots were heard, making the coroner’s verdict of duel death by misadventure a somewhat disturbing declaration (apparently, the alliteration is contagious).
“‘Did he go suddenly?’ Having exhausted the humanitarian angle, I pursued the only avenue remaining between gentlemen and made small-talk of tragedy.
‘Oh, I suppose, as these things go,’ said Lager, studying the rich, red and mahogany Juniper salon through his whisky glass. ‘Looks as though the bullet penetrated his heart, so I expect he had little time for reflection.'”
For those non-sommelier amongst us, a ‘Bois Joly’ is a type of wine and one of those little details that is supposed to cue you in that the author is going to be having some fun. This is book three in the series, and feels a bit more uneven than book one or eight, my previous incursions in to the Anty world. The language is very stylized, a bit of a side-eye toward the gentlemen’s life of leisure: clubs, drinking, and a leisurely attitude towards work:
“‘You don’t know the Brickstock family brokerage? It’s one of the richest in the City.’
‘Have they any holdings in hospitality or horse racing?’ I asked.
‘No, of course not.’
‘Then I’m unlikely to have heard of them,’ I confessed. ‘I maintain a very focused portfolio.'”
It’s enjoyable, certainly, but something about it feels more forced, working hard to strike that balance between the commentary of the social absurdity and the complicated detecting. This one has an antagonistic housecleaner and an equally aggressive Scotts Terrier appearing during the investigation, providing ongoing hilarity with their reactions. There were a few too many characters for me to keep straight without a great deal of differentiation between a number of old, eccentric men and a number of young, lackadaisical ones. The mystery of the duel quickly expands to some adjacent mysteries and it becomes a bit much to keep track of. There’s a missing tontine, another death, another near miss, and overall, a high level of confusion.
Still, I thought it a fun diversion and not at all a waste of time, so I’ll be looking for more in the series, particularly the later ones.
“‘Then how did they both come to be found dead behind a securely barricaded door?’
‘Can’t help thinking it’s something to do with smoke,’ I said. ‘And possibly mirrors. This is the mystery aspect of the locked-room mystery, Inspector.'”
“‘Did he go suddenly?’ Having exhausted the humanitarian angle, I pursued the only avenue remaining between gentlemen and made small-talk of tragedy.
‘Oh, I suppose, as these things go,’ said Lager, studying the rich, red and mahogany Juniper salon through his whisky glass. ‘Looks as though the bullet penetrated his heart, so I expect he had little time for reflection.'”
For those non-sommelier amongst us, a ‘Bois Joly’ is a type of wine and one of those little details that is supposed to cue you in that the author is going to be having some fun. This is book three in the series, and feels a bit more uneven than book one or eight, my previous incursions in to the Anty world. The language is very stylized, a bit of a side-eye toward the gentlemen’s life of leisure: clubs, drinking, and a leisurely attitude towards work:
“‘You don’t know the Brickstock family brokerage? It’s one of the richest in the City.’
‘Have they any holdings in hospitality or horse racing?’ I asked.
‘No, of course not.’
‘Then I’m unlikely to have heard of them,’ I confessed. ‘I maintain a very focused portfolio.'”
It’s enjoyable, certainly, but something about it feels more forced, working hard to strike that balance between the commentary of the social absurdity and the complicated detecting. This one has an antagonistic housecleaner and an equally aggressive Scotts Terrier appearing during the investigation, providing ongoing hilarity with their reactions. There were a few too many characters for me to keep straight without a great deal of differentiation between a number of old, eccentric men and a number of young, lackadaisical ones. The mystery of the duel quickly expands to some adjacent mysteries and it becomes a bit much to keep track of. There’s a missing tontine, another death, another near miss, and overall, a high level of confusion.
Still, I thought it a fun diversion and not at all a waste of time, so I’ll be looking for more in the series, particularly the later ones.
“‘Then how did they both come to be found dead behind a securely barricaded door?’
‘Can’t help thinking it’s something to do with smoke,’ I said. ‘And possibly mirrors. This is the mystery aspect of the locked-room mystery, Inspector.'”
May 7, 2022
Love this author, love this series. Though people are being killed somewhat frequently, the assembly of characters and incidents keep on entertaining me on many levels.
I look forward to more - the sooner the better. Scotland Yard's Ivor again pairs with Anty with Anty doing all of the heavy crime solving including locked room murders.
High Tea at Claridge's has never been portrayed more hilariously.
Kindle Unlimited
I look forward to more - the sooner the better. Scotland Yard's Ivor again pairs with Anty with Anty doing all of the heavy crime solving including locked room murders.
High Tea at Claridge's has never been portrayed more hilariously.
Kindle Unlimited
April 28, 2023
This continues to be a fun, twisty mystery series. I like the odd and unexpected historical elements the author often includes, like the smugglers' village in Essex with its hidden harbor.
February 14, 2025
This is a great series if you like British humor. The author seems to like locked-room mysteries, as we have another one here for Anty Boisjoly to figure out. This one is probably the most complex so far, with a lot going on.
In this story, two relatives who hate each other share a large family home because neither wants the other to have sole use of it. They decide to have a duel, and apparently shoot each other in the heart, both dying instantly, in a locked room. But two shots were heard several seconds apart, which is a bit strange. Anty is called upon to determine who died first, because there is a large inheritance that depends on it. And of course, he does eventually figure it all out.
In this story, two relatives who hate each other share a large family home because neither wants the other to have sole use of it. They decide to have a duel, and apparently shoot each other in the heart, both dying instantly, in a locked room. But two shots were heard several seconds apart, which is a bit strange. Anty is called upon to determine who died first, because there is a large inheritance that depends on it. And of course, he does eventually figure it all out.
December 30, 2021
Where's the next one? I'm so ready!!!!
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear..... what can I say? If you love Brit wit that doesn't know when to stop, these books are for you. Snark, sarcasm or cerebral silliness in nearly every line. More, please. I'd like... Oh, i don't know..... 147 of these, lined up, ready to read and giggle myself silly.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear..... what can I say? If you love Brit wit that doesn't know when to stop, these books are for you. Snark, sarcasm or cerebral silliness in nearly every line. More, please. I'd like... Oh, i don't know..... 147 of these, lined up, ready to read and giggle myself silly.
December 6, 2021
Anty Boisjolis is on the case again with another locked room mystery for another friend. He's surprised when his clubmate Tristan "Lager" Tenpenny asks him to solve the mystery of which of Lager's great uncles died in a duel first. At stake is a fortune, set up as a tontine by an earlier generation and invested to yield riches untold. The last surviving member of the generation can pass the lot on to his heir and that means either Lager or his cousin Victoria "don't call me Vicks" will inherit. Vicks's other choice is to marry industrial millionaire Kimberly Brickstock, which she'd rather not do except as a last resort. When Anty inspects the scene of the crime and the lazy coroner can't see what Anty sees, he calls for Inspector Wittersham of Scotland Yard to come for this is no simple case of an illegal duel but an actual muder case! The situation puzzles Anty and thena second locked room murder occurs and his thoughts become more muddled. How on earth could someone commit murder in a locked room and get away?
This is one complicated mystery. I completely missed the clues again! I only figured out one about the dog but it was a half-formed joke in my mind and not an actual A-HA! moment. I was awake REALLY REALLY late skimming the end of this novel to find out what happened. I had intended to put it down just when the second murder is discovered. That narrowed the field a lot but still, the entire reveal boggles my mind. I don't know how Anty put it all together. This story is more akin to the first book in tone and plot. I preferred the second one because of the charming village, quirky cow and more laugh out loud comedy. This book starts off a little slow in the beginning and I took a break and probably could have left it there and not been bothered but I did pick it up again. I had to go back and reread the reveal because it's not one that can be skimmed over.
Anty is very droll. He SOUNDS like a P.G. Wodehouse character but he has a sharp mind that surpasses even my clever brain. Anty acts very silly and stupid, causing people to underestimate him. Even the murderer underestimated Anty. Ispector Wittersham thinks Anty could "meddle for England" but who is the one who has solved three of Ivo's murder cases hmm? Anty's insider knowledge of Society and the way it works and the idle old money men who spend their days at their clubs. This is not a crime by thieves or drunks in the slums. I think Ivo would be more comfortable and find it easier to solve that kind of crime. He's a fish out of water when it comes to solving old money murders. Anty is helped along by his old family retainer, Vickers, the butler. Vickers is about 102 and often gets confused but he lives in the past, which in this instance, is a huge boon to Anty's investigation. Vickers is not a Jeeves type butler. Anty relies on Vickers for service mostly out of affection and family feeling but doesn't need Vickers to help him out of trouble the way Bertie Wooster needs Jeeves. Vickers is more devoted to the family and very sweet.
Lager Tenpenny is a bit thick. He wants and needs his uncle's money which is understandable. Lager doesn't understand murder investigations take a lot of time and work. He expects Anty to come in, look around and then make a pronouncement. This is real life, Lager, not fiction! (LOL) Anty is not Sherlock Holmes! Lager is also not very nice to his cousin and doesn't understand the problems penniless women face in his world. In this 1930s high society world, a woman without means can't just go out and get a job. She's expected to marry any old idiot with money that asks her. In the words of P.G. Wodehouse, Vicks is hard boiled. She has little patience for her cousin and Anty's mindless banter and doesn't trust Anty because he appears so dim. Vicks is in a tough spot. She has one persistant suitor, Kimberly Brickstock, of the Georgette Heyer wrong suitor variety. Kim is dumb as a brick, persistent, doesn't know when he's not wanted and posessive. He also seems a bit petty. He's the only one who wants to talk to the inspector. What does he know? Does he actually know anything? I think he does but Anty dismisses him for being annoying. In fact, I think the clues point to Kim as a murderer!
Anty is bowled over by Quiesence "Quip" Keats, parish clerk of Gutter Folly where Uncle Ratcliffe grew up. Quip is very nice. She's wise enough not to fall for Anty's charm and stays on track. She's devoted to her grandmother and the other elderly people with dementia. Quip hasn't had an easy life with her father being a very INEPT smuggler and in jail or away smuggling most of her life. She's become a little cynical and jaded about him but she does love her village and the people in it and wants to help it. I love how everyone is named after a romantic poet! The randy vicar had a sense of humor and a love of literature. Anty beings to suspect Quip had a motive for murder. Surely not! I don't suspect her at all. She was nowhere near London at the time and I don't see her killing anyone with just the HOPE she would get the money.
Uncle Ratcliffe was a dull old stick. He never went anywhere or did anything fun. Apparently he hoarded money in the tontine and that was it. He was always feuding with his cousin Hadley who was a lovable rogue. I did NOT approve of some of Hadley's antics but he sounds like he was a lot of fun. I'd be embarassed to have a relative like that but secretly adore him. Vicks doesn't seem like she was close to him. By the time Lager and Vicks came along, the two cousins were elderly and always sniping at each other. Their fighting culminated in a duel but which one shot first?
The coroner, Babbage, neither wants the job nor wants to do his job. He doesn't put in any effort whatsoever. I know he could have figured out the time of death and other things if he was a medical professional but because of some bizarre rule, he's just a civillian and a brainless one at that. Anty acts silly and stupid but Babbage is REALLY stupid. He's always cranky and acting offended because he has to do his job! Miss Belsize, the maid, is another lazy member of the working class. She does a minimum of work with a minimum of effort and is a kleptomaniac or perhaps feels the need to steal from her employers because she thinks they deserve it. She's cranky and has everyone dancing to her tune. She looks through keyholes and claims to see a lot of things which I highly doubt is possible. Listen, yes, see no. She also claims she didn't come to investigate after hearing the gunshots. DID she actually hear the shots? I think she's lying about something or she really is the least curious, concerned person on the planet. Chauncy "Chancy" Proctor, the Tenpenny family solicitor, is also a brainless idiot. He's been blackballed from the Juniper Club for something his father or grandfather did long ago and his career isn't shaping up to be any better. He's about to muck things up for this family, I can tell. They needed a new soliticor long ago!
For once my favorite character was NOT the Scotts terrier with multiple names. Who was his special person? They had a sick sense of humor calling him after the devil or is that just Lager and Vicks? No one understands the little fellow. They need to understand one thing and one thing only: It's "Lucifer's" world and they're just lving in it. Beezulbub must graciously allow the humans to live in HIS house or enter HIS yard. They haven't figured out a little food goes a long way! It has to be the RIGHT bribe, of course. Satan barks all the time and nips too. No one likes him and everyone is mean to him. I decided I wanted one character to be the murderer when they lashed out to kick the poor pup. If Anty had known more about terriers he probably could have solved the mystery. He does quip that the terrier might be the killer. That was my idea! If dinner isn't served on time and his commands not obeyed, the human ends up dead.
This is a good novel, just not exactly my cup of tea. I could read it again when I'm in a different frame of mind and love it, or the other way around. I liked it but I didn't love it.
This is one complicated mystery. I completely missed the clues again! I only figured out one about the dog but it was a half-formed joke in my mind and not an actual A-HA! moment. I was awake REALLY REALLY late skimming the end of this novel to find out what happened. I had intended to put it down just when the second murder is discovered. That narrowed the field a lot but still, the entire reveal boggles my mind. I don't know how Anty put it all together. This story is more akin to the first book in tone and plot. I preferred the second one because of the charming village, quirky cow and more laugh out loud comedy. This book starts off a little slow in the beginning and I took a break and probably could have left it there and not been bothered but I did pick it up again. I had to go back and reread the reveal because it's not one that can be skimmed over.
Anty is very droll. He SOUNDS like a P.G. Wodehouse character but he has a sharp mind that surpasses even my clever brain. Anty acts very silly and stupid, causing people to underestimate him. Even the murderer underestimated Anty. Ispector Wittersham thinks Anty could "meddle for England" but who is the one who has solved three of Ivo's murder cases hmm? Anty's insider knowledge of Society and the way it works and the idle old money men who spend their days at their clubs. This is not a crime by thieves or drunks in the slums. I think Ivo would be more comfortable and find it easier to solve that kind of crime. He's a fish out of water when it comes to solving old money murders. Anty is helped along by his old family retainer, Vickers, the butler. Vickers is about 102 and often gets confused but he lives in the past, which in this instance, is a huge boon to Anty's investigation. Vickers is not a Jeeves type butler. Anty relies on Vickers for service mostly out of affection and family feeling but doesn't need Vickers to help him out of trouble the way Bertie Wooster needs Jeeves. Vickers is more devoted to the family and very sweet.
Lager Tenpenny is a bit thick. He wants and needs his uncle's money which is understandable. Lager doesn't understand murder investigations take a lot of time and work. He expects Anty to come in, look around and then make a pronouncement. This is real life, Lager, not fiction! (LOL) Anty is not Sherlock Holmes! Lager is also not very nice to his cousin and doesn't understand the problems penniless women face in his world. In this 1930s high society world, a woman without means can't just go out and get a job. She's expected to marry any old idiot with money that asks her. In the words of P.G. Wodehouse, Vicks is hard boiled. She has little patience for her cousin and Anty's mindless banter and doesn't trust Anty because he appears so dim. Vicks is in a tough spot. She has one persistant suitor, Kimberly Brickstock, of the Georgette Heyer wrong suitor variety. Kim is dumb as a brick, persistent, doesn't know when he's not wanted and posessive. He also seems a bit petty. He's the only one who wants to talk to the inspector. What does he know? Does he actually know anything? I think he does but Anty dismisses him for being annoying. In fact, I think the clues point to Kim as a murderer!
Anty is bowled over by Quiesence "Quip" Keats, parish clerk of Gutter Folly where Uncle Ratcliffe grew up. Quip is very nice. She's wise enough not to fall for Anty's charm and stays on track. She's devoted to her grandmother and the other elderly people with dementia. Quip hasn't had an easy life with her father being a very INEPT smuggler and in jail or away smuggling most of her life. She's become a little cynical and jaded about him but she does love her village and the people in it and wants to help it. I love how everyone is named after a romantic poet! The randy vicar had a sense of humor and a love of literature. Anty beings to suspect Quip had a motive for murder. Surely not! I don't suspect her at all. She was nowhere near London at the time and I don't see her killing anyone with just the HOPE she would get the money.
Uncle Ratcliffe was a dull old stick. He never went anywhere or did anything fun. Apparently he hoarded money in the tontine and that was it. He was always feuding with his cousin Hadley who was a lovable rogue. I did NOT approve of some of Hadley's antics but he sounds like he was a lot of fun. I'd be embarassed to have a relative like that but secretly adore him. Vicks doesn't seem like she was close to him. By the time Lager and Vicks came along, the two cousins were elderly and always sniping at each other. Their fighting culminated in a duel but which one shot first?
The coroner, Babbage, neither wants the job nor wants to do his job. He doesn't put in any effort whatsoever. I know he could have figured out the time of death and other things if he was a medical professional but because of some bizarre rule, he's just a civillian and a brainless one at that. Anty acts silly and stupid but Babbage is REALLY stupid. He's always cranky and acting offended because he has to do his job! Miss Belsize, the maid, is another lazy member of the working class. She does a minimum of work with a minimum of effort and is a kleptomaniac or perhaps feels the need to steal from her employers because she thinks they deserve it. She's cranky and has everyone dancing to her tune. She looks through keyholes and claims to see a lot of things which I highly doubt is possible. Listen, yes, see no. She also claims she didn't come to investigate after hearing the gunshots. DID she actually hear the shots? I think she's lying about something or she really is the least curious, concerned person on the planet. Chauncy "Chancy" Proctor, the Tenpenny family solicitor, is also a brainless idiot. He's been blackballed from the Juniper Club for something his father or grandfather did long ago and his career isn't shaping up to be any better. He's about to muck things up for this family, I can tell. They needed a new soliticor long ago!
For once my favorite character was NOT the Scotts terrier with multiple names. Who was his special person? They had a sick sense of humor calling him after the devil or is that just Lager and Vicks? No one understands the little fellow. They need to understand one thing and one thing only: It's "Lucifer's" world and they're just lving in it. Beezulbub must graciously allow the humans to live in HIS house or enter HIS yard. They haven't figured out a little food goes a long way! It has to be the RIGHT bribe, of course. Satan barks all the time and nips too. No one likes him and everyone is mean to him. I decided I wanted one character to be the murderer when they lashed out to kick the poor pup. If Anty had known more about terriers he probably could have solved the mystery. He does quip that the terrier might be the killer. That was my idea! If dinner isn't served on time and his commands not obeyed, the human ends up dead.
This is a good novel, just not exactly my cup of tea. I could read it again when I'm in a different frame of mind and love it, or the other way around. I liked it but I didn't love it.
December 2, 2021
Step aside, Wodehouse
After waiting anxiously and breathlessly for this latest Anty Boisjoly book, I finished it so quickly, I find myself again waiting anxiously and breathlessly for the next.
You can read this as a stand-alone, or, if you're smart, read the two prior missives.
These books are witty, sarcastic and darn good mysteries. I find myself laughing out loud at Anty's alliterative remarks and devilishly clever solutions.
I, personally, enjoy Fitzsimmons' more than Wodehouse, but if you like that genre, reward yourself with these.
After waiting anxiously and breathlessly for this latest Anty Boisjoly book, I finished it so quickly, I find myself again waiting anxiously and breathlessly for the next.
You can read this as a stand-alone, or, if you're smart, read the two prior missives.
These books are witty, sarcastic and darn good mysteries. I find myself laughing out loud at Anty's alliterative remarks and devilishly clever solutions.
I, personally, enjoy Fitzsimmons' more than Wodehouse, but if you like that genre, reward yourself with these.
December 26, 2024
Light and fun with a Wodehousian flair. It seems that reading an Anty Boisjoly mystery has become a Christmastime tradition for me—third year in a row!
June 12, 2022
Surprisingly entertaining. I wouldn't believe it before I read it. The characters are so absurd, and at the same time, so witty that I laughed many times while reading. I'd say that it's not so much a crime detective story, but an exercise in writing and entertain.
December 13, 2021
Having read and adored the first two Anty Boisjoly mysteries, I eagerly jumped at the chance to review this third installment in the series. It was okay, but it didn't grab me the way the other two did. I've always found the voice to be superb; Anty is quite snarky, and on the first two books, I found myself laughing out loud several times per page. In this one, though, that voice was rather muted. Anty's speech came across as simply affected without that droll quality that captured me in the previous volumes.
The plot also seemed to drag a bit more in this one. The first half of the book didn't offer much that captured my interest, and it wasn't until about 2/3 through that I found myself thinking "Okay, *there* we go." The final twist was fun, I think, but it was so complicated to follow that I am still not sure I quite understand it.
That said, the locked room mystery was well set up, and I am still glad I read the book. I think perhaps I would have loved the book if my expectations hadn't been so high. It was a very good mystery; it just wasn't a great Anty Boisjoly mystery. I'll still be back for more should there be a fourth in the series!
*I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The plot also seemed to drag a bit more in this one. The first half of the book didn't offer much that captured my interest, and it wasn't until about 2/3 through that I found myself thinking "Okay, *there* we go." The final twist was fun, I think, but it was so complicated to follow that I am still not sure I quite understand it.
That said, the locked room mystery was well set up, and I am still glad I read the book. I think perhaps I would have loved the book if my expectations hadn't been so high. It was a very good mystery; it just wasn't a great Anty Boisjoly mystery. I'll still be back for more should there be a fourth in the series!
*I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 19, 2023
I did it! I figured it out despite being certain I had to be wrong. The ONLY thing that kept this from being a five-star read is my inability to suspend disbelief in one small area. Because that small area turns out to be HUGE in context. But otherwise... absolutely delightful read.
I have to say that my so-called "issues" with Anty in the first book are pretty much gone. I think he's come into himself now and we get to see who he is in subtext, which is the best way to see.
The mystery was clever, and I will be rereading (on Kindle this time) to see if perhaps I discover I'm wrong about that one issue. If I am, I'll change my star rating.
All in all, Anty Boisjoly is fast becoming a great companion to my 1920s fiction. If Bertie Wooster had Jeeves' brains, he might have been an Antony.
I have to say that my so-called "issues" with Anty in the first book are pretty much gone. I think he's come into himself now and we get to see who he is in subtext, which is the best way to see.
The mystery was clever, and I will be rereading (on Kindle this time) to see if perhaps I discover I'm wrong about that one issue. If I am, I'll change my star rating.
All in all, Anty Boisjoly is fast becoming a great companion to my 1920s fiction. If Bertie Wooster had Jeeves' brains, he might have been an Antony.
August 14, 2022
I am continuing to enjoy this series of mysteries with a P.G. Wodehouse style detective who is called in by various friends to solve mysteries. This one is another locked room mystery which appears to have a pair of cousins killing each other in a duel. But of course it's never that simple. I like the personality of Anty and the twists and turns of the plots.
May 29, 2024
Folks, read this series. The narrator, Anthony (or Anty as his friends and enemies call him) is an absolutely charming narrator. His dry humor absolutely makes these books.
This novel presents not one, but two locked room murders for Anthony to solve. It also tests his loyalties. Loved it.
This novel presents not one, but two locked room murders for Anthony to solve. It also tests his loyalties. Loved it.
October 9, 2023
Always fun! I love the writing, the dialog so sharp and quick witted
February 20, 2025
…Both men died instantly, but the shots were heard several seconds apart.”
“There was a third party.”
“There was, indeed, a third party,” I agreed.
”The problem that presents, however, is predicated on another noteworthy fact of the affair — the duel was fought behind securely locked doors.”
“A phenomenon which has become your rather dubious speciality,” said Vickers.
“There was a third party.”
“There was, indeed, a third party,” I agreed.
”The problem that presents, however, is predicated on another noteworthy fact of the affair — the duel was fought behind securely locked doors.”
“A phenomenon which has become your rather dubious speciality,” said Vickers.
September 27, 2023
Although I was unable to even come close to solving this, and honestly the explanation of the murder left me somewhat confused despite several re-readings (why was the dog so important, again??) this was an entertaining read and Anty is much more brilliant and perceptive here than in previous books.
The tone is still the same, quite jovial and interesting, and the characters often zany or colorful enough, but this one is a bit better than the previous book.
The tone is still the same, quite jovial and interesting, and the characters often zany or colorful enough, but this one is a bit better than the previous book.
July 19, 2022
Very unique writing style. If a seven letter word works as well as a four, go with the larger. I must admit, it took me a bit to get used to the verbosity and the somewhat arcane turn of phrase, but once I realized that it was all part of the experience, it became a “rolicking good time”. I read all four in the series in one weekend, and really enjoyed them.
December 13, 2021
This is the third book I have read and they are absolutely brilliant and funny. Cannot wait for
number 4.
number 4.
December 6, 2021
A very good locked door (actually two locked doors) mystery. Very witty, without the "jargon" of "what ho" and "quite" being overdone. The clues are not obscure and although I didn't get it until the reveal, I didn't feel like the resolution came out of left field. This series improves every novel. Really looking forward to the next one.
February 25, 2024
The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine -Fitzsimmons
Audio performance by Tim Bruce
4 stars
Punny, very punny.
Quite frankly, I did not pay much attention to the convoluted murder plot, the mistaken identities of the real and fraudulent bastard heirs, or the financial details of the eponymous tontine.
The story is a parody, pure entertainment. I just sat back to enjoy Anty’s unique approach to detection from the viewing of the victims to the final denouement. “What ho, wary gallery of likely suspects!”
An added bonus of this book were the alliterative or rhyming chapter titles. Starting with 'The Dual Duel Dilemma', they all rated at least one giggle.
Audio performance by Tim Bruce
4 stars
Punny, very punny.
Quite frankly, I did not pay much attention to the convoluted murder plot, the mistaken identities of the real and fraudulent bastard heirs, or the financial details of the eponymous tontine.
The story is a parody, pure entertainment. I just sat back to enjoy Anty’s unique approach to detection from the viewing of the victims to the final denouement. “What ho, wary gallery of likely suspects!”
An added bonus of this book were the alliterative or rhyming chapter titles. Starting with 'The Dual Duel Dilemma', they all rated at least one giggle.
November 21, 2024
“what is your area of expertise, exactly?” “Oh, you know, mixology, theatre criticism, the Charleston and, when I’m in my cups, the Shimmy. Sort of a generalist, really, of London ladology.”
Anty can shimmy!
Anty can shimmy!
October 11, 2023
This is a series I really enjoy. It is sort of Dorothy Sayers comedy with good locked room mysteries. It is the 3rd book in the series and is part of Kindle Unlimited.
June 1, 2024
52 Books, 2024 Edition: locked room mystery
Another fun outing with Anty. Loved the dog.
Another fun outing with Anty. Loved the dog.
May 15, 2025
If you got this far I don't need to tell you that this book continues the series from the previous 2 and is pretty much identical in terms of its main character, writing style, etc. Thus, this is less a "review" and more just my thoughts on the book's events and such so that I'll remember later.
So this book is set in London, Anty's stomping grounds, and it's another locked-room mystery! Anty's buddy Lager (not his real name), a fellow member of the Juniper Club, calls him in to investigate the death of his uncle in a duel... the other duelist died as well, but the grieving(?) relatives need to know who died FIRST in order to resolve a thorny inheritance issue. As with the previous books there's all sorts of nonsense, plot twists, etc and of course, Inspector Wittersham. After the events of the previous 2 books, he has apparently given in (with reluctance) to Anty's presence at murder scenes, and he barely even argues when Anty invites himself along on the investigation.
Once again, there is a fun animal character... in the previous 2 books, we met a goat and an oddly-shaped cow... this time, it's an avenging Welsh Terrier with a grudge against authority figures. Animals seem have a natural affinity for Anty, which I think is because he treats them with respect.
This case kept making me think of a video game series I enjoy called Ace Attorney. In these games, you play as a young criminal defense lawyer named Phoenix Wright, in an alternate reality (and in Japan) where apparently, lawyers can just wander the murder scene, picking up evidence and interrogating people and chatting with the cops, and it's all admissible in court. Despite the large number of other crimes one might need defending for, Phoenix's clients are ALWAYS accused of murder, and his client ALWAYS looks ridiculously guilty, and in order to prove their innocence he HAS to find the real killer or his client will be condemned. This is very similar to Anty's situation... in all the books, the police always suspect someone close to him (not without cause), and he's forced to prove their innocence by figuring out what actually happened.
Like Anty, Phoenix BELIEVES in his clients, and in their innocence. No matter how guilty they may appear to the police, which is always VERY. Generally the situation is something like the person being caught by the cops standing over the body, covered in blood, holding the murder weapon. This looks bad, as you might imagine. However, they say they didn't do it, and Phoenix believes them. Of course they don't know what DID happen that led to them being framed for murder, so figuring out the truth by investigating the scene, finding key pieces of evidence, and listening to witness testimonies is basically the point of the games.
So this book is set in London, Anty's stomping grounds, and it's another locked-room mystery! Anty's buddy Lager (not his real name), a fellow member of the Juniper Club, calls him in to investigate the death of his uncle in a duel... the other duelist died as well, but the grieving(?) relatives need to know who died FIRST in order to resolve a thorny inheritance issue. As with the previous books there's all sorts of nonsense, plot twists, etc and of course, Inspector Wittersham. After the events of the previous 2 books, he has apparently given in (with reluctance) to Anty's presence at murder scenes, and he barely even argues when Anty invites himself along on the investigation.
Once again, there is a fun animal character... in the previous 2 books, we met a goat and an oddly-shaped cow... this time, it's an avenging Welsh Terrier with a grudge against authority figures. Animals seem have a natural affinity for Anty, which I think is because he treats them with respect.
This case kept making me think of a video game series I enjoy called Ace Attorney. In these games, you play as a young criminal defense lawyer named Phoenix Wright, in an alternate reality (and in Japan) where apparently, lawyers can just wander the murder scene, picking up evidence and interrogating people and chatting with the cops, and it's all admissible in court. Despite the large number of other crimes one might need defending for, Phoenix's clients are ALWAYS accused of murder, and his client ALWAYS looks ridiculously guilty, and in order to prove their innocence he HAS to find the real killer or his client will be condemned. This is very similar to Anty's situation... in all the books, the police always suspect someone close to him (not without cause), and he's forced to prove their innocence by figuring out what actually happened.
Like Anty, Phoenix BELIEVES in his clients, and in their innocence. No matter how guilty they may appear to the police, which is always VERY. Generally the situation is something like the person being caught by the cops standing over the body, covered in blood, holding the murder weapon. This looks bad, as you might imagine. However, they say they didn't do it, and Phoenix believes them. Of course they don't know what DID happen that led to them being framed for murder, so figuring out the truth by investigating the scene, finding key pieces of evidence, and listening to witness testimonies is basically the point of the games.
March 26, 2024
This series baffles me. It is ostensibly a murder mystery series with a gentleman detective, a la Lord Peter Whimsey, and yet the clues are so obscure that there is no way for the reader to actually solve the mystery besides guessing. It doesn't play fair with the reader, which diminishes the reader's enjoyment of the series.
In this installment, Anty is encouraged by his friend and fellow club member, Lager Tenpenny, to investigate the locked room mystery of the death of both of his uncles via a duel. The problem is that if they don't know who died first then they can't determine who inherits the ancient tontine, which sounds sort of like a trust fund, and if they can't determine the rightful heir, it will all go to the crown. It is obvious from the start that the two men didn't shoot each other since both were shot through the heart and the gun shots were heard several seconds apart. So a third party was involved. Next, Anty goes on some wild goose chase tracking down birth certificates and other documents in far flung places to make sure that the uncles were indeed Tenpenny's. This was very confusing but apparently one of them, I'm not sure which one, was living for a while under a different name but was legitimized by his father as a Tenpenny when he turned 21. And while he was living under the other name, I think, he fathered a child, maybe? Somehow this is important in the big reveal but I am unclear as to the specifics. And there is also the matter of the missing tontine, which had been taken away from the lawyer's office years ago and hidden in the house with the secret hiding spot revealed by solving a riddle. There is much unsuccessful searching for a while. Anyway, when the fiancé of Lager's cousin ends up dead Anty knows that he has to act fast before there is another death. Lager is the true killer. Only one uncle was dead when they all came into the room after the "duel" which was staged by the two men. The one who was still alive was killed by Lager when the others went for help. He killed him by stabbing him through the heart but I am very unclear as to what injury he had initially to make everyone think that he was dead. Where was the gunshot wound from the duel? And how did a coroner not know that his heart was stabbed and not shot? It was all very confusing. With the tontine found by Anty, he reveals that neither Lager nor his cousin were the rightful heirs but instead this women from the far flung place where Anty went searching for documents, which revealed that one of the uncles had a daughter. I listened to the book so I know that I missed some details but I don't think that this series is for me. It is too difficult to follow along on audio.
In this installment, Anty is encouraged by his friend and fellow club member, Lager Tenpenny, to investigate the locked room mystery of the death of both of his uncles via a duel. The problem is that if they don't know who died first then they can't determine who inherits the ancient tontine, which sounds sort of like a trust fund, and if they can't determine the rightful heir, it will all go to the crown. It is obvious from the start that the two men didn't shoot each other since both were shot through the heart and the gun shots were heard several seconds apart. So a third party was involved. Next, Anty goes on some wild goose chase tracking down birth certificates and other documents in far flung places to make sure that the uncles were indeed Tenpenny's. This was very confusing but apparently one of them, I'm not sure which one, was living for a while under a different name but was legitimized by his father as a Tenpenny when he turned 21. And while he was living under the other name, I think, he fathered a child, maybe? Somehow this is important in the big reveal but I am unclear as to the specifics. And there is also the matter of the missing tontine, which had been taken away from the lawyer's office years ago and hidden in the house with the secret hiding spot revealed by solving a riddle. There is much unsuccessful searching for a while. Anyway, when the fiancé of Lager's cousin ends up dead Anty knows that he has to act fast before there is another death. Lager is the true killer. Only one uncle was dead when they all came into the room after the "duel" which was staged by the two men. The one who was still alive was killed by Lager when the others went for help. He killed him by stabbing him through the heart but I am very unclear as to what injury he had initially to make everyone think that he was dead. Where was the gunshot wound from the duel? And how did a coroner not know that his heart was stabbed and not shot? It was all very confusing. With the tontine found by Anty, he reveals that neither Lager nor his cousin were the rightful heirs but instead this women from the far flung place where Anty went searching for documents, which revealed that one of the uncles had a daughter. I listened to the book so I know that I missed some details but I don't think that this series is for me. It is too difficult to follow along on audio.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2024
I enjoyed this very much and feel like the best summation I can give is "Oh Anty, you scamp, you've done it again!"
But while it was another enjoyable Boisjoly outing, and Anty was ever his charming self, of the first three in the series I enjoyed this least. Mind you, I still enjoyed it very much and it probably was really 3.5 stars...but I felt like I should undershoot the rating because 4 felt like too much.
Where Canterfell Codicil introduced us to Anty's world nicely and Ghost of Christmas Morning built upon the charm and humor at every turn....Tenpenny sometimes felt like much-of-a-muchness, as it were.
The exposition seemed to go on forever and Anty seemed to go around in circles covering the same ground at Wedge Hedge Square with its quirky denizens more than once. Scenes seemed repetitive early on and didn't advance the plot fast enough...and then it all came to the end with an overly twisty conclusion.
Honestly.......I got the gist, but it was too much.
So, I started to feel a wee bit like Ivor, wishing Anty would just get to the point...but overall, this book was still buoyed by banter and the Boisjoly charm and, after a brief diversion to read another genre, I will undoubtedly be back for the fourth installment in the not too distant future....
PS. This page count is incorrect - my copy had 272 pages, and even putting the ISBN of my copy into Goodreads it still only said 208....but nope, definitely MUCH longer!!
But while it was another enjoyable Boisjoly outing, and Anty was ever his charming self, of the first three in the series I enjoyed this least. Mind you, I still enjoyed it very much and it probably was really 3.5 stars...but I felt like I should undershoot the rating because 4 felt like too much.
Where Canterfell Codicil introduced us to Anty's world nicely and Ghost of Christmas Morning built upon the charm and humor at every turn....Tenpenny sometimes felt like much-of-a-muchness, as it were.
The exposition seemed to go on forever and Anty seemed to go around in circles covering the same ground at Wedge Hedge Square with its quirky denizens more than once. Scenes seemed repetitive early on and didn't advance the plot fast enough...and then it all came to the end with an overly twisty conclusion.
Honestly.......I got the gist, but it was too much.
So, I started to feel a wee bit like Ivor, wishing Anty would just get to the point...but overall, this book was still buoyed by banter and the Boisjoly charm and, after a brief diversion to read another genre, I will undoubtedly be back for the fourth installment in the not too distant future....
PS. This page count is incorrect - my copy had 272 pages, and even putting the ISBN of my copy into Goodreads it still only said 208....but nope, definitely MUCH longer!!
March 25, 2022
A delightfully sarcastic and witty locked room mystery! This is my second book by this author and I have thoroughly enjoyed them both.
When a duel has killed both parties, Anty (Anthony) Boisjoly (pronounced boo-juhlay) can't resist. He is told this story by a friend over cocktails just hours after the event. After a quick lesson about the legacy and family history of the deceased persons, and the definition of a tontine which is a ridiculous inheritance scheme that is left to a final remaining heir, Anty is recruited to find out which man died first and thus where the inheritance should go. Once he starts digging, Anty quickly discovers the duel was not as it seemed and deeper in, another murder occurs making this much messier than a simple inheritance squabble.
These stories are simply delightful! I love the banter that happens throughout as Anty is a bit Sherlock-Holmsian in his observations, but so much more friendly in his snide comments! He is quick-witted and hilarious in his quips. I would go crazy in the presence of an actual person like this, however! He also likes to hear himself pronounce his intellect, and thus says in 50 words what could be succinctly said in 12! Humor is intrinsically tied to intellect, so I enjoyed all the repartee.
I will keep PJ Fitzsimmons on my Auto-Read Authors list for fun, witty who-dun-it reads! Thank you to the publishers, the author, and BookSirens for this digital copy that I received for free. All my opinions are my own and given entirely voluntarily.
When a duel has killed both parties, Anty (Anthony) Boisjoly (pronounced boo-juhlay) can't resist. He is told this story by a friend over cocktails just hours after the event. After a quick lesson about the legacy and family history of the deceased persons, and the definition of a tontine which is a ridiculous inheritance scheme that is left to a final remaining heir, Anty is recruited to find out which man died first and thus where the inheritance should go. Once he starts digging, Anty quickly discovers the duel was not as it seemed and deeper in, another murder occurs making this much messier than a simple inheritance squabble.
These stories are simply delightful! I love the banter that happens throughout as Anty is a bit Sherlock-Holmsian in his observations, but so much more friendly in his snide comments! He is quick-witted and hilarious in his quips. I would go crazy in the presence of an actual person like this, however! He also likes to hear himself pronounce his intellect, and thus says in 50 words what could be succinctly said in 12! Humor is intrinsically tied to intellect, so I enjoyed all the repartee.
I will keep PJ Fitzsimmons on my Auto-Read Authors list for fun, witty who-dun-it reads! Thank you to the publishers, the author, and BookSirens for this digital copy that I received for free. All my opinions are my own and given entirely voluntarily.
September 2, 2025
A locked room, a double death, a tontine. It starts out so well.
This would've been the best in the series so far, but for a couple of major flaws that spoiled it for me, one early on, the other at the end.
Early on, there's racism so gauche and so unmotivated, I can't imagine any reason the author put it in there. If you want to show that an Englishman has a raunchy reputation, there are lots of ways to do that. The way Fitzsimmons chose to do that, was with a story about the Englishman having gone to Papua New Guinea and been worshiped as a god because of some dumb little thing he did, and then the "chief" honors him with a big banquet and a night with his daughters, plural, with the plural underscored. It's all so stupid and trite and woo woo, and even if it much later turns out to have been a lie, it's a stupid racist sexist lie that I didn't need to read.
Later, near the end, it's more of a technical problem. The plot winds up with just too many people with too many identities and too many bastards turning out to be the children of people I'd already forgotten, so I'm saying, "But wait now, who is actually whose child? Who are either of those people?!" So I think it would've been more fun if kept simpler.
One star policy for egregious slurs.
This would've been the best in the series so far, but for a couple of major flaws that spoiled it for me, one early on, the other at the end.
Early on, there's racism so gauche and so unmotivated, I can't imagine any reason the author put it in there. If you want to show that an Englishman has a raunchy reputation, there are lots of ways to do that. The way Fitzsimmons chose to do that, was with a story about the Englishman having gone to Papua New Guinea and been worshiped as a god because of some dumb little thing he did, and then the "chief" honors him with a big banquet and a night with his daughters, plural, with the plural underscored. It's all so stupid and trite and woo woo, and even if it much later turns out to have been a lie, it's a stupid racist sexist lie that I didn't need to read.
Later, near the end, it's more of a technical problem. The plot winds up with just too many people with too many identities and too many bastards turning out to be the children of people I'd already forgotten, so I'm saying, "But wait now, who is actually whose child? Who are either of those people?!" So I think it would've been more fun if kept simpler.
One star policy for egregious slurs.
July 14, 2023
Humorous and well-crafted twisty plot, with a surfeit of badinage*
As promised, the plot of this entry in the Anty Boisjoly series is even more twisty and convoluted than those of the first two.
They are mostly enjoyable, with clever, sarcastic dialog among the characters, who, surprisingly, all talk like they swallowed a dictionary laced with too much iron-y, or whichever element it is that causes everyone to sound like Wodehouse.
The cuteness factor in the narration of The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine actually overwhelmed me with its cloyingness so frequently that I often had to stop and read something else for a break, hence the "surfeit of badinage*" evaluation--
But it was still enough of a puzzler I had to return to find out how it came out, as if I were a Scots terrier and there was ground lamb inside it.
For extra fun, read aloud, to your cat if necessary, using voices (so happy that I made the housekeeper/cook/maid-of-all-trades of Wedge Hedge Square, she of the witty *badinage, a baritone; and the Chancy lawyer a falsetto)
So, yes, I am off to read the next, eventually, though I might pray the cuteness factor gets a slight down-toning.
As promised, the plot of this entry in the Anty Boisjoly series is even more twisty and convoluted than those of the first two.
They are mostly enjoyable, with clever, sarcastic dialog among the characters, who, surprisingly, all talk like they swallowed a dictionary laced with too much iron-y, or whichever element it is that causes everyone to sound like Wodehouse.
The cuteness factor in the narration of The Tale of the Tenpenny Tontine actually overwhelmed me with its cloyingness so frequently that I often had to stop and read something else for a break, hence the "surfeit of badinage*" evaluation--
But it was still enough of a puzzler I had to return to find out how it came out, as if I were a Scots terrier and there was ground lamb inside it.
For extra fun, read aloud, to your cat if necessary, using voices (so happy that I made the housekeeper/cook/maid-of-all-trades of Wedge Hedge Square, she of the witty *badinage, a baritone; and the Chancy lawyer a falsetto)
So, yes, I am off to read the next, eventually, though I might pray the cuteness factor gets a slight down-toning.
June 16, 2025
In the third installment of the Anty Boisjoly mysteries, our Wodehousian Wonder-sleuth has to put his mind to the task of solving the bizarre question of who died first in a locked-room duel. Sadly, for Anty, the mystery heats up even further when he discovers that there was actually a murder committed rather than the two dueling deaths originally thought.
Ivor Wittersham, the detective who is incredibly unwilling to have Anty thrust upon him, returns again, acting in fun tandem with Mr Boisjoly. And, much like the previous two books Anty comes across an animal that proves to be a wonderful little aid and character in his own right. The animal companion in this book comes in the form a very dour Scottish Terrier named Lucifer.
Much like the previous two books, Anty happens upon the murder by request and plunges himself into the thick of the investigation, much to the disdain of Detective Wittersham. If you enjoyed the old-time language and setting from either of the two previous books, this one will hit all the right notes for you. It's filled with a decent mix of characters and lots of hijinks and absent-mindedness on Anty's part.
Ivor Wittersham, the detective who is incredibly unwilling to have Anty thrust upon him, returns again, acting in fun tandem with Mr Boisjoly. And, much like the previous two books Anty comes across an animal that proves to be a wonderful little aid and character in his own right. The animal companion in this book comes in the form a very dour Scottish Terrier named Lucifer.
Much like the previous two books, Anty happens upon the murder by request and plunges himself into the thick of the investigation, much to the disdain of Detective Wittersham. If you enjoyed the old-time language and setting from either of the two previous books, this one will hit all the right notes for you. It's filled with a decent mix of characters and lots of hijinks and absent-mindedness on Anty's part.
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