Death and the Black Pyramid

John Rawlings #13

by Deryn Lake

A John Rawlings Georgian mystery.

Apothecary John Rawlings has been summoned to Devon by Elizabeth di Lorenzi, his beautiful but unpredictable mistress. Leaving his daughter Rose in the good care of her grandfather, Rawlings sets off for Exeter on-board the stagecoach. His fellow passengers are a motley crew, and include a talkative German lady, Cuthbert Simms, a dance-master, and Jack Beef, the so-called Black Pyramid, a bare-knuckle fighter.

Before the journey's end a man has been found brutally murderedat the Half Moon Inn, and Rawlings is drawn into a complex and dangerous intrigue.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Fiction

204 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2009

About the author

Deryn Lake is a well-known historical novelist who joined the popular ranks of historical detective writers with her gripping John Rawlings Mysteries, Death in the Dark Walk, Death at the Devil's Tavern, Death on the Romney Marsh, Death in the Peerless Pool and Death at Apothecaries' Hall.

Deryn also writes popular historical romances including the acclaimed The King's Women, Sutton Place and Pour the Dark Wine.

Deryn Lake lives near Hastings, East Sussex

Reviews

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad that this wasn't the first in the John Rawlings series that I have read for if it had been, I might not be prepared to read another. That is not to say that it is not entertaining and the period setting, Georgian London is excellent, and Rawlings himself, an apothecary, is an engaging character but the plot of 'Death and the Black Pyramid' wandered along, sometimes bewilderingly and the denouement was somewhat bizarre; even Rawlings says near the end that he doesn't know what is going on.

The love interest of Rawlings was a sub-plot that kept one's interest but Rawlings' daughter by his first marriage, a six-year old, was too precocious for words; one would have thought she was 26 the way she spoke and addressed her father! And the blind beak, Sir John Fielding, who is Rawlings' mentor, appears only fleetingly when Rawlings goes to see him for some much needed advice.

The tale flits from London to Exeter to Lewes and the death takes place at the Half Moon Inn, a stopping-off point for the stagecoach that is taking a disparate group of people, seemingly unknown to one another, to the West Country. And the Black Pyramid is a bare knuckle fighter named Jack Beef who makes himself known in a forcible way on the journey. He features throughout the novel thereafter, either contesting boxing bouts or just appearing at odd moments when unexpected.

While it was a nice easy read, I was disappointed that it did not match up to previous titles.

[Virginia Tican · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is synonymous to Agatha Christie's "Death on the Orient Express" and a tribute (in my own opinion) to the author's ability to lead the discerning reader first to the paranoid actions of the victim that he knew the boxer called "The Black Pyramid" in the past and that he feels threatened and then in Chapter 12 when Rawlings went to Lewes and learned about the death of a most beloved girl named Helen who was shot in front of her brother through the heart by their grandfather and guardian and that he disappeared after the deed.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

#13 in the 34 year old London Apothecary John Rawlings who is a widower raising his 6 year old daughter Rose as a single parent mystery series.

Early 1766 and opens with John Rawlings being summoned to Devon by Elizabeth di Lorenzi, his beautiful but unpredictable mistress who he hasn't seen for a few months. Leaving his daughter Rose in the good care of her grandfather, Rawlings sets off on-board a stagecoach filled with a motley crew of passengers including a talkative German lady, Cuthbert Simms, a dance-master, and Jack Beef, the so-called Black Pyramid, a bare-knuckle fighter along a few others. At Rawlings' final stop, one of the passengers has been found brutally murdered in the inn they were overnighting drawing him into a complex and dangerous intrigue that is a riff on an Agatha Christie classic.

The 18th Century historical setting is weak so the story is just another murder mystery. The mystery is good with the focus upon the inter-relations of the main characters and the supporting ones for this story.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. I felt the mystery struggled a bit. It reminded me of a certain famous Agatha Christie so it was somewhat easy to guess who was responsible. I did enjoy John's struggle with his mistress and trying to reconcile two different personalities and two preferences for areas of living. She is not going to give in to him because it is the expected thing to do.

[Gabriela Galescu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant, easy read. I am not an expert, but I thought the historical part was quite accurate. Unfortunately characters are quite flat: pretty, charming people are always pretty and charming (and we are told so in so many words), the venerable Sir Gabriel is always venerable and wise and so on. The 5 year old Rose is quite hard to take, she acts and speaks like a modern day 12 year old.

[Kurry Swigert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I guess if you are going to copy an idea, copying from one of the best, Agatha Christie, is a good way to go. There were a few too many happenings in this book, things that seemed a tad out of character, for my comfort. None at the “jump the shark” level, but still, things that made you go: “Huh?”.

[J Y · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rewrite of an Agatha Christie plot.

[Rita · Rating 1 out of 5]

didn't finish

[marian dunne · Rating 1 out of 5]

After the first of numerous ‘coincidences’ , it became blindingly obvious who committed
the murder.
Poor Agatha Christie, hope she didn’t mind!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Perhaps because I missed the books preceding this one? Almost didn't finish it. A slow start, and much seemed obvious.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Rawlings is summoned by Elizbteh di Lorenzi to Devon. On arrival one of the coach passengers is discovered brutely murdered . John feels obliged to investigate.
Unfortunately it was easy to determine the murder, but overall an enjoyable enough historical mystery.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read most of these - found no.5 first and then started at the beginning because I enjoyed them so much. Although some of the writing can be a bit repetitive (presumably for those who haven't read previous ones) I like the period details - medicine/ herbs and old London and can never work out 'who did it'. Sadly there are only to be 2 more written - 1 has already been published. This particular novel is not the best in the series but quite enjoyable.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book and its characters held my interest but somehow not enough to want to read any others in the series.

[the_bookshelf_explorer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captures the era / not the best in the series

[Margareth8537 · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Rawlings fits better into Georgian London than the English countryside, but still an engaging romp