Found Wanting

by Robert Goddard

In the summer of 1909, an unassuming English bobby crossed paths with Russian royalty. Now, a century later, the secret entrusted to him is about to be revealed.
 
Richard Eusden is on his way to work in London one unremarkable winter morning when he is intercepted by his ex-wife, who asks him to ferry an old attaché case to their friend Marty Hewitson in Brussels. Richard expects to be back in London within the day, but in Belgium, Marty is nowhere to be found. Instead, Richard comes face-to-face with a ruthless kidnapper and his outrageous demand: the attaché case in exchange for Marty’s life.

The desperate attempt to save his old friend sets Richard off on a race across Germany and then north, first to Copenhagen, then to Helsinki. Whatever the contents of the case, they link a Danish tycoon and his family’s dark secret to the deaths of several innocent people. And now that secret is beginning to tug at the threads of a larger mystery—one involving the fate of the Grand Duchess Anastasia, last of the Romanovs.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Historical Fiction

368 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

In a writing career spanning more than twenty years, Robert Goddard's novels have been described in many different ways - mystery, thriller, crime, even historical romance. He is the master of the plot twist, a compelling and engrossing storyteller and one of the best known advocates for the traditional virtues of pace, plot and narrative drive.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

A conspiracy thriller set round the trope of an 'ordinary man', in this case a civil servant, being thrust into a world of intrigue, murder and mayhem as different parties look to find the truth about whether or not a widely reported claim of the escape of the Grand Duchess Anastasia from the murder of Tsar Nicolas II and his family. It's an OK read, but I feel the whole conspiracy around the Tsar and his family could have been presented in a more digestible and interesting format than it was done here. All the facts stated in this book are established facts about the murder, and missing bodies, of the Tsar and his family. All in all, I have to say that for me this book was found wanting :-) 5 out of 12, Two Star read.

2022 read

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover - 🦋🦋🦋
Ik weet niet wat ik heb met de Romanov familie. En bovenal de geschiedenis van Anastasia. Met mysterie rond haar wel of niet overleven van de moord op de laatste tsaar en zijn familie. Anastasia betovert mij iedere keer weer. En iedere keer weeg ik de voor en tegens weer af. Heeft ze wel of niet overleefd? Dit verhaal wordt gepresenteerd als een mysterie-thriller. Zoals altijd is het plot en de spanningsboog goed uitgewerkt door deze auteur. Ik kon zeker genieten van deze kijk op de geschiedenis. 🌹🌹🌹

[Thomas Stroemquist · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is competently written and in parts in unmistakable absorbing Goddard style. The only fast-paced part of it, though, is the rate of addition of characters, most having absolutely no impact on the outcome. I realized this quite early on and pushed through the book - to be honest, much for the reason I couldn't stand putting a third Goddard on the DNF. He and I obviously need some time apart though and the last ones in my bookshelf will have to wait. All in all an ok read.

[Eric_W · Rating 2 out of 5]

Goddard's book --at least those I've read -- have common theme: a rather ordinary man is thrust into a vast conspiracy through no fault of his own and must figure a way out. In this case, British civil servant Richard Eusden is asked by his ex-wife, Gemma, to meet someone in a train station on the continent and collect a briefcase. He is then to take the briefcase to Marty, his ex-wife's current husband, and a former friend of Richard's. Gemma then sort of disappears from the story, but she is replaced by a cast of thousands. I won't even begin to sort out the plot for you because I can't. Seems everyone is somehow involved with the Tsar and fingerprints and about two-thirds of the way through I kept wondering whatever was motivating Richard who could (and should) have bailed many times.

The plot was formidable and rather predictable, but as an audiobook it held my interest, perhaps because the shower was nice and warm. I like Goddard but suspect this is not one of his better books.

[Georg · Rating 1 out of 5]

What can make you read a Goddard between two books from the Millenium series? There is only one reason: You are for vacation in Valletta/Malta, and there is only one bad, dirty and crowded bookshop (called “Agenda” on Republik Triq, [keep in mind: Whenever you go to Malta, provide yourself with books on the Valletta Airport!!]) with all kind of useless books but no Swedish crime novels. Bad luck.

I found "Found Wanting" wanting. In the beginning I was somehow relieved that the story is at least set in Denmark and Sweden, but all the same it could not substitute Mikael and The Girl. The language is bad. The characters are lame. The plot is complicated and twisted, but in the end you are not interested in the poor solving of the boring riddles. Even the bad guys are really dumb. You can always take a gun from the murderer because they all are too stupid to hold a gun. The only (half-way) interesting person dies on page 80 (in a church), all Germans (and Danes) are criminal, Helsinki is cold and it always rains in Cologne. You found this review wanting? Read the book and compare, but, please, don’t spend money on it.

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Eusden and Marty Hewitson were lifelong friends from childhood, though they had not spent much time together recently. They were such good friends that Gemma was the ex-wife of both of them. OK, so that's not exactly germane to the events, but I thought it an interesting piece to flesh out the story. Anyway, it was Monica who convinced Richard to deliver the briefcase to Marty. The briefcase had belonged to Marty's grandfather and probably contained secrets that very rich people might be willing to spend a LOT of cash to know its contents. Besides, Marty was dying of a brain tumor. Monica didn't want to see him and so the task of delivering the briefcase fell to Richard, whether he wanted the job or not.

This is a thriller. One can expect this delivery to not go according to plan. And it didn't. It was oh so far from what Richard thought was the plan. It was hard to know which were the bad guys. We could be certain Richard and Marty were the good guys, but how many gangs were tipped as to this delivery and how many thought stealing it would be in their interest?

Again, this is a thriller. When I finished the last page I thought it would make a good movie. Lots and lots of action. Bad things happen to Richard along the way, even as soon as he arrives in Brussels and for the next 250 pages as well.

I will make no apology for liking Robert Goddard and I intend to keep reading him. I think his writing style is above average for the genre. These are thrillers (did I say that?) so one should not expect fully fleshed characterizations but neither are they entirely flat. His plots are good. I'm not sure this is actually 4-stars worth, but that's what you get.

[Debbie Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Found Wanting, like Hand in Glove, there are two protagonists and a mystery of course. “Richard Eusden is on his way to work in London one unremarkable winter morning when he is intercepted by his ex-wife Gemma. She has sad news of their old friend, Marty Hewitson. Marty is dying but needs a favour done for him at once.”
Eusden has to deliver a suitcase to him in Brussels. The suitcase used to belong to Marty’s long dead grandfather who was a teller of tall tales. Or was he?
The attraction for me in this book is the storyline connected with Anastasia. I have always been intrigued by her story and that of her sister and the imposter Anna Anderson.
Marty and Richard are childhood friends who grew up on the Isle of Wight. It appears that one of the stories Marty’s grandfather, Clem, told was of the Russian royal family visiting Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1909 and saving the two eldest daughters from a gun-wielding assassin. On his way to Brussels Richard begins to wonder exactly what is in the suitcase.
Goddard is a master at twists, turns and shootouts but in this book he is also very astute at dealing with the troubled relationship of Richard and Marty and the beautiful Gemma who both men are in love with. Initially Gemma married Marty but when Marty’s drug habit become worse she left him for Richard only to later return to Marty. Whilst Marty was on remand for a second drug related offence he skipped the country and Richard lost the bail money he put up.
Now in an endeavour to help Marty, Richard is forced to give the suitcase to an unsavoury character in exchange for an address in Hamburg where Richard finds his friend tied up and severely dehydrated. When it seems Marty, despite being very sick, is determined to get the suitcase back, Richard decides to help him. And then the reader is off on a wild ride through various locations in Scandinavia and one particularly thrilling car and motorbike chase.
“The flight response kicked in belatedly for Eusden. It was only now that he turned and ran. As he did so he separated himself from the stationary shadows on the quay. To flee was also to become visible. He heard a shout from behind him, in a language that was neither Danish nor English. The motorbike engine revved, then roared. They were coming after him. At best a witness, at worst a confederate of the men they had just killed, he could not be allowed to escape.” A thrilling and enjoyable read.

[Arpan Sircar · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ever read a book and at one point you start to wonder, "What the fuck am I reading?" Suffice to say this book did, for me.

The summary on the back cover of the book promises "a breathless race against time". Lol no. At best, this book is a leisurely stroll down the perimeter of a lake as the sun sets slowly down the horizon on a morbidly hot summer evening.

That's what this book is. It's simply boring. I have no idea why I continued reading this after Chapter 15.

[Carol Kerry-Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first Goddard I've read for a while, and he didn't disapoint me. In Found Wanting, Richard Eusden is asked by his ex-wife Gemma to do a favour for an old friend Marty Hewitson (also an ex of Gemma's) who is living in Amsterdam and is dying of a brain tumour. The favour is to take an old attache case belonging to Marty's grandfather Clem to him in Brussels - the attache case is a family heirloom and what is inside it a link to Clem's past.

Arriving in Brussels, Eusden is met, not by Marty, but by Werner Straub who claims to be a friend acting on behalf of Marty. He explains that there is something in the case that is worth money to the right people and that he and Marty are arranging to sell this so that Marty can get the right treatment for his tumour. However, being a Goddard novel this is a lot more convoluted that just a straight forward hand over of an old attache case. It leads Eudsen on a trip round Northern Europen, from Brussells to Copenhagen to Hamburg, Copenhagen and finally to Helskini.

What is the secret held in the attache case, what relationship does it have to the visit of the Tsar Nicholas to Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1909, to the woman who claimed to be Anastasia the daughter of the Tsar who claimed she survived the massacre of the Russian Royal family, to Tolvar Aksden a Danish business man, who will do anything (including murder) to protect his family secret.

A good one from Goddard, that kept the twists and turns in the book coming right until the end of the novel.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

The good things about this book were the mystery - it's all historically accurate according to the author's note and I really enjoy that kind of thing. The bad thing was the protagonist. He's presented as a civil servant doing the same job for decades and suddenly he's making decisions that keep him in danger without a strong reason. He seems the sort of person to see all the cloak and dagger stuff as nonsense and yet we're expected to believe that he stays involved when the mystery has little to do with him personally and there is no significant gain to be had by staying involved. I didn't buy it and got a little irritated with the book.

[Adva · Rating 2 out of 5]

Generally speaking, it is a pretty good suspense book: it is good paced, interesting places, seems well researched, intriguing conundrum (based on a real life mystery the western world seemed quite obsessed about in various points in time), well written.

However, I was not pulled in - I did not get that 'can't-put-the-book-down' or the 'I-must-continue-reading-every-chance-I-get' feeling. It's why it took me about four months to read the book - I just forgot about it every time I put it down.

It may have been partly due to the fact that I, myself, have been curious about the Romanov's story and read about it a few months prior to purchasing the book. Problem was, in the last few years there was an advancement in the mystery, after a burial place have been discovered with bones of the two missing bodies of the Romanov's. I was left to wonder when the book was written in relation to that discovery - terrified it was written beforehand, I didn't really check it out (couldn't remember when the grave was found, and refused to look it up).
I hated the fact that the ending may have been marred for me, and I think it had something to do with me not really connecting to the book.

Of course, when I got to the end and this whole thing was referenced, I liked the book better.

Even if I disregard my personal conflict with the book, I still think the book was missing an emotional link for me that prevented me from really enjoying it. It was tepid for me.

I do like to point out, that my experience with suspense books is minimal, at best. It is not usually the genres I read, though I do like to enjoy it once in a while. Maybe enthusiasts for the genre will be able to appreciate the book more.

[J. Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

My latest read by Robert Goddard, and I enjoyed it immensely. It took all of two days, it's another genuine page-turner.
This one if focused largely in Scandinavia, concerned with the mystery surrounding the woman who identified herself as Anastasia, the last of the Romanovs (that is, if she survived the massacre of her family, which has always been in doubt).
For the first time, though, I had a bit of trouble keeping all the suspects and accessories in mind all the time, I found myself asking, "Now, which one was he? Oh, he's dead now anyway, I guess it doesn't matter" ... until it did matter. The book contained the requisite number of twists and turns, with a rather large body count.
I'm recommending this to my Danish neighbor, he'll enjoy it, I think.

[Nancy Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes we can be so blinded by desire or want that we miss the obvious right in front of our face.

Richard Eusden goes to work every day in his little civil servant job, content with his quiet, yet confidential life. All is good until he gets paid a visit from an ex-girlfriend (Gemma), a girlfriend who later up and married then divorced Richard's best friend, Marty. Marty is apparently dying of an inoperable brain tumor and is in desperate need of a favor. It's a favor that requires someone to go to Denmark and deliver an attaché case that belonged to Marty's grandfather -- a case that could hold world-shattering news. Gemma got the first call, but after much negotiating, Richard volunteers to become the patsy or changeling -- and then the chase begins.

The story is anchored around one of the world's greatest tragedies - the assassination of the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and the Romanov family and the unsolved mystery around the death or survival of his youngest daughter, Anastasia.

To say this story was without action, adventure and travels all across Europe, would be an understatement. Unless you are fluent in Russian, the list of places and family names incorporated in this story can become a bit daunting as well. No one was who they seemed, no one could be trusted and there was nowhere to hide. At times there was so much going on that I was just couldn't keep everyone and everything straight. (Thus the 3 stars.) It was an interesting enough plot but, for once, I think I could have followed it better on screen than on paper.

What once was lost is found. But then what was found is once again lost, only to be stolen and hidden again. The chase was never ending and could only be tolerated with a side dose of Dramamine. It was an exhausting ride but suffice it to say that I was glad I finished the story. All I can say is that if you start it, you have to finish it. If you try to figure out the mystery on your own -- you will be Found Wanting.

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover
Ik weet niet wat ik heb met de Romanov familie. En bovenal met Anastasia.
Het mysterie rond haar wel of niet overleven van de moord op de laatste tsaar en zijn familie
Anastatia betovert mij iedere keer weer. En iedere keer weeg ik de voors en tegens van haar mogelijke overleven van het bloedbad weer af. Heeft ze wel of niet overleefd?
Dit verhaal wordt geboekt als een mystery-thriller. Zoals altijd is het plot en de spannings-boog goed uitgewerkt door deze auteur. Ik kon zeker genieten van deze kijk op de geschiedenis.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Robert Goddard's novels in the past and this one started off well. Richard Eusden's ex wife, Gemma, asks him to deliver an ancient attache case to her ex husband and Richard's boyhood friend, Marty. It seems Marty is dying of a brain tumor in Brussels, where he's been living after skipping the country to avoid a drugs charge. He's most anxious to retrieve his grandfather's case. Through some series of events that I cannot now remember, though I just finished the book, the case must first be retrieved from Bernie, a friend Marty made in prison. The case is locked and cannot be opened: Marty has the keys, again for reasons I forget.

Eusden reluctantly agrees to ferry the attache case to Amsterdam, expecting to return to England that same evening. He is not met in Amsterdam by Marty but by a mysterious man named Straub, who has forced Marty to give him the attache case keys. He shows Eusden a photo on his phone of Marty bound and gagged in a vacant apartment somewhere in Amsterdam. He will only give Richard the address in exchange for the case.Naturally, Richard gives him the case.

The rescue of Marty goes smoothly. I expected there to follow a pursuit of Straub to retrieve the attache case and it's mysteriously valuable contents. That is what happened but in such a convoluted way, racing around Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Finland and God knows where else with characters added willy-nilly at every turn.

The plot goes on its complicated way, all about finger prints, the last Russian Csar's family, possibly surviving members, possibly not, Marty's late grandfather's life, and on and on. The denouement was anti-climatic and by the time it came, I was worn out from trying to keep up with all the various plot twists so I didn't care much. Not Goddard's best book, I'm afraid and certainly not one I would recommend to anyone I know.

[The Honest Book Reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Robert Goddard book is something I'll usually love reading. I've read a lot of his books, and plan to read those I've already read one last time to clear space on the shelves. He's usually a four or five star read. This time I felt a bit let down. Found Wanting is not up to the standard I've come to enjoy from Goddard.

A lot of Goddard novels are based around an ordinary person thrown into a conspiracy or mystery after agreeing to help somebody, most often an old friend or relation. This, I think, is the second I've seen where the protagonist is asked for help by an ex-wife. So, the bare bones of the story weren't that original, but I was intrigued by the historic angle of the story - that being the assassination of the last Russian royal family and the questions around the survival of Anastasia. Things like this always interest me and I started this book fully expecting a lot of suspense, interesting locations, and a bit of history. I got two out of the three. While I think Goddard tried to inject suspense into this novel, the pacing and the depiction of the protagonist let it down. There a moments where the novel could have changed into high gear, but it kept crawling along. Maybe the character could have been written differently, I don't know, but something was lacking.

I'd recommend this for die-hard Goddard fans, but he has so many other great books that I'd suggest people read those instead. Read this only if the Russian royal family interests you.

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

PROTAGONIST: Richard Eusden
RATING: 2.5
WHY: Richard Eusden agrees to take a briefcase to an old friend. The case contains documents relating to the question of whether Anna Anderson and Anastasia are the same person. The case is a hot potato, which is stolen several times throughout the book. The plot was rather pedestrian and implausible. There are a few sections which go into mind-numbing detail of the history of the Romanov family and of Finland. In addition, Goddard uses some irritating stylistic devices. Word of mouth for Robert Goddard paints him as a fine author. Thus, I was quite surprised and disappointed to find this book not to my liking.

[Under Milkwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found Wanting was certainly a 'good read' but I felt that it promised more than it actually delivered.
While the underlying theme was compelling, in addition to the unusual Scandinavian locations, the actual history of Czar Nicholas II's daughter, Anastasia and her possible survival tends to complicate the narrative in the end. And I have to say, the central character Marty was a total tosser. An unscrupulous drug runner who just happened to be dying of a terminal disease - despite Goddard pulling the heartstrings it was difficult to care whether he lived or died. Maybe I'm being unfair but...

[Andy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gave up after a third of the way through. Far too many names mentioned,one after another after another,most of whom are meaningless. It didn't start well when the main character's ex goes looking for him in her car and happens upon him on a busy street in London,what are the chances of that! He then agrees..unbelievably..to his ex's demand to drop everything, to take a case abroad to a friend he hasn't seen in years. Why?? It makes no sense at all. I've found all the other Goddard books excellent and was surprised at just how awful this one was.

[Anil Dhingra · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really convoluted story with so many characters being introduced throughout right till the end.
The only thing I liked is the alleged controversy about the family of the last czar of Russia and a woman claiming to be Anastasia who had escaped the Massacre. This is a fact.
However the book itself is poorly written, difficult to maintain interest.
I now see from the reviews here that many left it midway.
Avoidable.

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really could not get into this book at all. It had a slow, depressing start, and seemed very dull and predictable. I made it about halfway through chapter 3 before abandoning ship. Maybe it could appeal to someone with a lot of time on their hands or has no desire for a fresh or exciting plotline.

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

A spy thriller with so many red herrings that it became tiresome to keep up. The plot revolved the mystery of Russian Princess Anastasia - did she really survive the family's assassination? And what about the Tsar's riches? Unfortunately, but the time the story unwound, I was no longer enthralled.

[Chrissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was so very confusing. It could have been great, but too many characters, too many plot lines, and too many twists made for a very disjointed read. I know the history of Finland and the history of the Romanovs, but some how the author managed to confuse the hell out of me. I still don't know what happened at the end, so....

[Vijayakumar Belur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though the story gets you reading, the style being easy, the characters are too many and are introduced randomly. In the end the characters simply float through the chapters and you are confused what with Dane and Russian names to know what is happening. Ultimately you are left no wiser than what you were in the first page.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

OK read, interesting story, but all those swedish, danish , finnish names just don't stick.I just got confused by the end who was who and why ..

[Karen wadey · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring just don't bother!!

[Lisa Sansone · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read two books by this author, and I guess he's just not the writer for me. Nothing against the guy - it's just that, for my tastes, his books are way overwritten.

[Louise Coventry · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an average thriller. I got a bit lost trying to remember who was who as they were not your usual names.
Think I read this in the wrong frame of mind and could have enjoyed it better.

[Audrey Driscoll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters and plot twists. The main character is fairly colourless; I kept reading only in order to get to the big revelation, but it wasn't that big.

[Richard Massey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. Plot was far too convoluted.