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Last Nocturne: A Mystery
What could make a successful, happily married man take a gun and shoot himself? What made a young artist on the brink of fame throw himself to his death?
These are the questions facing Chief Inspector Lamb and his assistant, Detective Sergeant Cogan. Neither victim left a note behind to explain what drove him to take his own life, and it appears that nothing untoward had occurred in the weeks preceding their deaths. Having briefly met both victims, Lamb struggles to connect the impression he gained of the men with their final actions, and his close attention pays off when a postmortem reveals some surprising results.
With one case now looking like a suspicious death, Lamb looks for links between the two men. All paths seem to lead to the enigmatic figure of Mrs. Isobel Amberley and a mysterious event that took place one winter’s night in Vienna.
Beautifully written and highly evocative of the bustling streets of London and Vienna in the early twentieth century, Last Nocturne is an intriguingly complex mystery of passion and the devastating repercussions of a single action.
These are the questions facing Chief Inspector Lamb and his assistant, Detective Sergeant Cogan. Neither victim left a note behind to explain what drove him to take his own life, and it appears that nothing untoward had occurred in the weeks preceding their deaths. Having briefly met both victims, Lamb struggles to connect the impression he gained of the men with their final actions, and his close attention pays off when a postmortem reveals some surprising results.
With one case now looking like a suspicious death, Lamb looks for links between the two men. All paths seem to lead to the enigmatic figure of Mrs. Isobel Amberley and a mysterious event that took place one winter’s night in Vienna.
Beautifully written and highly evocative of the bustling streets of London and Vienna in the early twentieth century, Last Nocturne is an intriguingly complex mystery of passion and the devastating repercussions of a single action.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2008
9 people are currently reading
85 people want to read
About the author
Marjorie Eccles
53 books45 followersAka Judith Bordill, Jennifer Hyde
Marjorie Eccles has written several romantic and crime novels, which have been published both in the UK and in the US. Many of her book shave been translated and serialised around the world. She has one grown up son and now lives in Hertfordshire
Marjorie Eccles has written several romantic and crime novels, which have been published both in the UK and in the US. Many of her book shave been translated and serialised around the world. She has one grown up son and now lives in Hertfordshire
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 17, 2010
I always think of these books as Jane Austen meets Crime Fiction. Which is probably somewhere between extremely unfair and absolutely acceptable depending on your own particular point of view. LAST NOCTURNE is from author Marjorie Eccles - who is best known in these parts for the Gil Mayo series, which was made into a short TV series that became quite a favourite.
Whilst Grace Thurley's decision to break off her engagement to a rather pompous local man secretly pleases her mother, moving to London to take up the position of paid companion and secretary to Dulcie Martagon is regarded slightly more sceptically. Dulcie has been recently widowed, when her art gallery owning husband Eliot seemingly committed suicide. Whilst there's nothing immediately suspicious about the death of Martagon, why a supposedly contended, slightly conventional man would have taken such extreme action makes no sense to anybody. What makes even less sense is the suspected suicide of an up and coming young artist, whose only connection to Martagon seems to be the exhibition of his paintings in Martagon's gallery. As Inspector Lamb digs it seems that young Theo Benton's death isn't so easily written off as suicide. Meanwhile a connection to Vienna and the mysterious widow of independent means Isobel Amberly indicates that all was not as it seemed in Eliot Martagon's life, regardless of what his widow may think.
Set in 1909 this is a very classically styled tale with a lot of traditional elements. The son, Guy Martagon has to fall for the quietly competent paid companion Grace, although the romance doesn't get going until much later in the book. The young daughter of the household has to be a little bit of a tear-away at some stage. Dulcie Martagon has to be just a little bit not quite right for her station in life and poor Eliot has to be, well poor Eliot I guess. There are some twists from the expected though, and the reader is taken into the life of Eliot, in particular, his time in Vienna as well as that of Louise Amberly. The police investigation into the deaths runs alongside the various family machinations until all is revealed.
There's just a little touch of spice, although nothing risky or questionable for readers who prefer things on the slightly more chaste side, but overall the book has quite a feeling of the time and society in which it is set. Having said that, this is not my preferred sort of reading fare, and I will confess I struggled enormously with the predictability of much of the ancillary story lines - the romance and the high and mighty attitude of Dulcie come to mind immediately. But that's very much a personal reaction and I suspect that readers who are not adverse to a little romance will find the intrigue around Eliot's life extremely satisfying. Add to that a little feeling of the tensions and difficulties of Vienna in that period of history and this could be just the book for fans of this sort of historical crime fiction.
Whilst Grace Thurley's decision to break off her engagement to a rather pompous local man secretly pleases her mother, moving to London to take up the position of paid companion and secretary to Dulcie Martagon is regarded slightly more sceptically. Dulcie has been recently widowed, when her art gallery owning husband Eliot seemingly committed suicide. Whilst there's nothing immediately suspicious about the death of Martagon, why a supposedly contended, slightly conventional man would have taken such extreme action makes no sense to anybody. What makes even less sense is the suspected suicide of an up and coming young artist, whose only connection to Martagon seems to be the exhibition of his paintings in Martagon's gallery. As Inspector Lamb digs it seems that young Theo Benton's death isn't so easily written off as suicide. Meanwhile a connection to Vienna and the mysterious widow of independent means Isobel Amberly indicates that all was not as it seemed in Eliot Martagon's life, regardless of what his widow may think.
Set in 1909 this is a very classically styled tale with a lot of traditional elements. The son, Guy Martagon has to fall for the quietly competent paid companion Grace, although the romance doesn't get going until much later in the book. The young daughter of the household has to be a little bit of a tear-away at some stage. Dulcie Martagon has to be just a little bit not quite right for her station in life and poor Eliot has to be, well poor Eliot I guess. There are some twists from the expected though, and the reader is taken into the life of Eliot, in particular, his time in Vienna as well as that of Louise Amberly. The police investigation into the deaths runs alongside the various family machinations until all is revealed.
There's just a little touch of spice, although nothing risky or questionable for readers who prefer things on the slightly more chaste side, but overall the book has quite a feeling of the time and society in which it is set. Having said that, this is not my preferred sort of reading fare, and I will confess I struggled enormously with the predictability of much of the ancillary story lines - the romance and the high and mighty attitude of Dulcie come to mind immediately. But that's very much a personal reaction and I suspect that readers who are not adverse to a little romance will find the intrigue around Eliot's life extremely satisfying. Add to that a little feeling of the tensions and difficulties of Vienna in that period of history and this could be just the book for fans of this sort of historical crime fiction.
August 18, 2019
I just always enjoy Eccles and her long multi-character yarns...
January 22, 2021
This book I persevered with. It was good in places but lacked any real engagement.
October 10, 2022
A good solid mystery, well plotted out with a varied and somewhat sympathetic set of characters.
September 3, 2008
LAST NOCTURNE (Police Proc- CI Lamb, England/Vienna, Edwardian) – G+
Eccles, Marjorie – standalone
Allison & Busby, Ltd., UK Hardcover, 2008 – ISBN: 9780749080792
First Sentence: The child wakes in panic and sits bolt upright up in bed, clutching the cotton stuff of her nightgown to her chest.
Art gallery owner Eliot Martagon seemed to be content with his life. Theo Benton is an up-and-coming artist, some of whose paintings are displayed in Martagon’s gallery. Each man apparently commits suicide but neither leaves a note.
The circumstances, and the results of one autopsy, raise enough questions in the mind of Chief Inspector Lamb to investigate the reasons for these acts. The common person, in the investigation, seems to be Mrs. Isobel Amberley and event which took place in Vienna.
There was a lot in this book that didn’t feel historically accurate to me. Not so much the basic history, but the social considerations seemed off. Still in all, it was a good story.
I did like the characters, particularly Isobel, and was intrigued by the way in which the story unfolded. It took me awhile to get into the story and figure out the link between the various characters. The form is certainly not that of a traditional police procedural. Once the pieces started coming together, I was captivated and didn’t stop reading until the end.
It was a better-than-good read, but, not having written this immediately after reading the book, I did find it hard to remember. I don’t see myself reading more of her work
Eccles, Marjorie – standalone
Allison & Busby, Ltd., UK Hardcover, 2008 – ISBN: 9780749080792
First Sentence: The child wakes in panic and sits bolt upright up in bed, clutching the cotton stuff of her nightgown to her chest.
Art gallery owner Eliot Martagon seemed to be content with his life. Theo Benton is an up-and-coming artist, some of whose paintings are displayed in Martagon’s gallery. Each man apparently commits suicide but neither leaves a note.
The circumstances, and the results of one autopsy, raise enough questions in the mind of Chief Inspector Lamb to investigate the reasons for these acts. The common person, in the investigation, seems to be Mrs. Isobel Amberley and event which took place in Vienna.
There was a lot in this book that didn’t feel historically accurate to me. Not so much the basic history, but the social considerations seemed off. Still in all, it was a good story.
I did like the characters, particularly Isobel, and was intrigued by the way in which the story unfolded. It took me awhile to get into the story and figure out the link between the various characters. The form is certainly not that of a traditional police procedural. Once the pieces started coming together, I was captivated and didn’t stop reading until the end.
It was a better-than-good read, but, not having written this immediately after reading the book, I did find it hard to remember. I don’t see myself reading more of her work
January 1, 2014
This book, released in 2008 by the Minotaur imprint of St. Martin's book, might be an older mystery, but thankfully it was given to me by a friend when she cleaned house and I'm very glad I got to read this. With a prologue that made me think of Mary Higgins Clark, and the carefully built patches (reminiscent of Lee Child's method)that eventually are tied together with a common thread to make a fascinating quilt, this was not a carefree read, but one that reintroduced me to the wonder of taking my time to read, savor, contemplate, and participate in the solving of the puzzle.
As an editor and author usually on deadline, it's a challenge for me to read a book for pure enjoyment - or to relax and savor the writing, the characters and the story just because I can. I'm so blessed that my friend thought to bequeath this very interesting novel to me. I recommend Last Nocturne to anyone who really enjoys a slow burning mystery that educates and entertains, as well as touches your heart. I can't express my delight with this story enough. I'm heading to the library tomorrow to find more!
As an editor and author usually on deadline, it's a challenge for me to read a book for pure enjoyment - or to relax and savor the writing, the characters and the story just because I can. I'm so blessed that my friend thought to bequeath this very interesting novel to me. I recommend Last Nocturne to anyone who really enjoys a slow burning mystery that educates and entertains, as well as touches your heart. I can't express my delight with this story enough. I'm heading to the library tomorrow to find more!
June 22, 2011
Mystery set from 1887 - 1909 with most of the action taking place in the last couple of years. The story moves back and forth between London and Vienna and involves the interaction of several characters. It starts as a couple of stories which blend together as the novel progresses. The mystery involves an event in Vienna and the deaths of two men in London.
It started a bit slow for me and the moving around between different characters and jumping between London and Vienna were off putting to me. However, the story became much more interesting to me about 75% of the way through as the climax approached.
It started a bit slow for me and the moving around between different characters and jumping between London and Vienna were off putting to me. However, the story became much more interesting to me about 75% of the way through as the climax approached.
December 14, 2010
This is the 2nd book by this author I've read, mostly because I love her descriptive style of writing; but like the other title, I find her a bit long-winded. The jumps between characters, countries,a dn even decades as a mechanism to flesh out backstory and fill in clues is too much for me- I read to relax! Another reviewer described this as Jane Austen meets crime fiction- I think it's a prefect summary. Great historical writing, interesting mystery, just about 3 chapters overwritten.
March 10, 2010
while i liked it mostly, i can't say i loved it. the story was very intricate, taking place in the past and the present and in two different countries with many, many characters. at times, i felt bogged down. sometimes there seemed to be too many details and it dragged. i'll consider trying another of her books. she has good critical acclaim, so another chance seems appropriate.
June 8, 2010
There seems no connection between the unexplained suicide of a respectable art dealer and that of an impecunious artist. As Chief Inspector Lamb threads his way through the high and low points of Edwardian London, he finds all links lead back to a mysterious woman and child who have left Vienna for England after a strange death, shrouded in mystery.
March 15, 2013
The mystery itself is interesting but there were too many "main" characters. I enjoy this in a book if each character is well developed and adds an interesting perspective. But in this case it felt like we were switching around too much without significant investment in character development. It led to an overall feeling of disjointedness.
September 22, 2014
The story is set in the early 1900's in England, with side trips to the past in Vienna. Slowly, very much so, the story evolves. Starting with 2 apparent, unconnected suicides, friends, family and a policeman discover what really happened in Vienna, and how involved the two deaths.
Second read of this, and it was difficult to get through.
Second read of this, and it was difficult to get through.
June 13, 2015
A British detective procedural with LOTS of atmosphere. Set in pre-world war I London and Vienna, Marjorie Eccles produces a mystery where the new trends in art and the new roles for women play a prominent role. I think I enjoyed this most for the manner in which the tempestuous trends in the early 20th century art world play into the mystery. If it's about the art world...I will read it!
November 3, 2010
At the turn of the last century, Chief Inspector Lamb has his hands full with the apparent suicides of two successful, happy men. The truth lies in occurences in Vienna several years ago, but several of the key players are muddying the waters.
December 28, 2010
A good Edwardian mystery. Eccles takes her time, as would the people of that time, in setting out her characters, and the plot. A good twisted plot, with lots of red herrings. Who would have thought that the eminent banker Julian Manning, would have been capable of such cold, dastardly deeds?
November 24, 2012
It felt more like a historical contemporary story than a mystery especially with long interludes taking place years before the murders but are the root of it. I liked it well enough but wasn't overwhelmed by it either.
February 27, 2010
This is the third book I've read by Eccles. They are all good romantic suspense set in the past. In this one the world of art in London and Vienna and frustrated unrequited love.
March 13, 2010
This was an interesting mystery. I really liked four of the characters. The others, not as much.
July 20, 2010
Richly detailed, mystery upon mystery
July 2, 2010
I am almost finished. Pretty good story, if I could just stay awake long enough at night to finish it!
December 14, 2010
Entertaining mystery. Not the best book I've ever read, but a quick and easy read that kept me entertained. Good light reading.
March 15, 2017
VG mystery set in turn of 20th century in London and Vienna.
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July 15, 2012Good mystery, enjoy her writing.
July 4, 2010
Nice 1900-turn-of-century mystery. Easy read.
September 25, 2010
Last Nocturne is a well written book. Exciting mystery that kept the reader going to the very end.
June 18, 2015
A shame. All the ingredients for a really juicy novel, but rendered dry.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews