Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders (Oscar Wilde Mysteries 1)
7 journalers for this copy...
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From Amazon: London, 1889. Oscar Wilde, celebrated poet, wit, playwright and raconteur is the literary sensation of his age. All Europe lies at his feet. Yet when he chances across the naked corpse of sixteen-year-old Billy Wood, posed by candlelight in a dark, stifling attic room, he cannot ignore the brutal murder. With the help of fellow author Arthur Conan Doyle he sets out to solve the crime – but it is Wilde’s unparalleled access to all degrees of late Victorian life, from society drawing rooms and the bohemian demi-monde to the underclass, that will prove the decisive factor in their investigation of what turns out to be a series of brutal killings.
The Oscar Wilde Murders is a gripping detective story of corruption and intrigue, of Wilde’s growing success, of the breakdown of his marriage, and of his fatal friendship with Aidan Fraser, Inspector at Scotland Yard... Set against the exotic background of fin-de-siecle London, Paris, Oxford and Edinburgh, Gyles Brandreth recreates Oscar Wilde’s trademark sardonic wit with huge flair, intertwining all the intrigue of the classic English murder mystery with a compelling portrait of one of the greatest characters of the Victorian age.
The Oscar Wilde Murders is a gripping detective story of corruption and intrigue, of Wilde’s growing success, of the breakdown of his marriage, and of his fatal friendship with Aidan Fraser, Inspector at Scotland Yard... Set against the exotic background of fin-de-siecle London, Paris, Oxford and Edinburgh, Gyles Brandreth recreates Oscar Wilde’s trademark sardonic wit with huge flair, intertwining all the intrigue of the classic English murder mystery with a compelling portrait of one of the greatest characters of the Victorian age.
Wishing you a Spooktacular Halloween! x
Journal Entry 4 by SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Thursday, October 21, 2010
Journal Entry 5 by SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Saturday, December 4, 2010
Thanks again for sending me this!
I really enjoyed this "Victorian murder mystery" - I like the style, the story's gripping and amusing. One can recognize a number of Oscar Wilde quotations and, of course, there are a lot of references to other writers etc..
I'll surely read other Oscar Wilde mysteries, too.
I really enjoyed this "Victorian murder mystery" - I like the style, the story's gripping and amusing. One can recognize a number of Oscar Wilde quotations and, of course, there are a lot of references to other writers etc..
I'll surely read other Oscar Wilde mysteries, too.
Journal Entry 6 by SerendipityN at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Released 12 yrs ago (2/7/2012 UTC) at Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany
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Travels as a wishlist surprise to yorkshire-lass. Enjoy!
Thank you! I'm really looking forward to reading this, it may take me a little while to get to it as Mt TBR is huge, but I will read as soon as I can and then pass it on.
This jumped to the top of my TBR pile quicker than I thought it would as I've promised it to someone.
A very enjoyable read, I will be adding the next in the series to my wishlist.
A very enjoyable read, I will be adding the next in the series to my wishlist.
This is on its way to kirakko as part of the Wishlist Tag Game - Parallel Thread, hope you enjoy it.
How time flies when you are reading books... Nearly nine years gone, but the hour has come! I've read two other books of this series, but obviously in wrong order as here Oscar is just getting to Arthur Conan Doyle. This is actually the first of the series.
Pic:"They were seated close together, side by side, like the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, at a long linen-covered table, the debris of breakfast all about them." I knew I had the perfect photo for this, taken in Cecil Court, London, in 2017.
Pic:"They were seated close together, side by side, like the Mad Hatter and the March Hare, at a long linen-covered table, the debris of breakfast all about them." I knew I had the perfect photo for this, taken in Cecil Court, London, in 2017.
I so know what Robert meant by saying he knew - from a lifetime's experience - the train of questions which would be prompted by the mention of his Wordsworth connection. Luckily in a smaller scale, but still. Kids do not have to learn poems by heart at school anymore, but elderly people did ("Kaksi vanhaa, vanhaa varista...").
Lady Windemere's Fan - I've seen the play in London's Vaudeville Theatre in 2018 with Absolutely Fabulous Edwina as Lady Windermere - and she could actually act! I was never quite sure watching Patsy and Eddie falling around in Ab-Fab.
I had to smile reading how Oscar spoke Latin to his son who was not yet three. My brother's godmother's first husband was 40 years her senior and a Latinist. He had just retired when they had their little daughter, so he would look after her when her mother was at work. When she returned in the evening the girl would be coming out of bath in her robe, saluting her by holding one hand high and saying in a grave voice:
"Ave, Imperator, morituri de salutant!" Her father had been amusing himself speaking Latin to her during the day...
I had to smile reading how Oscar spoke Latin to his son who was not yet three. My brother's godmother's first husband was 40 years her senior and a Latinist. He had just retired when they had their little daughter, so he would look after her when her mother was at work. When she returned in the evening the girl would be coming out of bath in her robe, saluting her by holding one hand high and saying in a grave voice:
"Ave, Imperator, morituri de salutant!" Her father had been amusing himself speaking Latin to her during the day...
I've been to Broadstairs on my first interrail-trip in 1984. It seemed a quiet seaside-resort, can't remember seeing the Dickens's House there. I have visited the Dickens's London house in 2019.
I'm taking part of the Finnish Helmet 2021-challenge with this book as there is a bunch of friends here; Oscar Wilde, his "Watson" Robert Sherard and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Pic: This plate is from Dickens' London house.
Edit: 9th June 2021: Looked through old photo albums, I've been to the Dickens House in Broadstairs!! I had no recollection of it.
I'm taking part of the Finnish Helmet 2021-challenge with this book as there is a bunch of friends here; Oscar Wilde, his "Watson" Robert Sherard and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Pic: This plate is from Dickens' London house.
Edit: 9th June 2021: Looked through old photo albums, I've been to the Dickens House in Broadstairs!! I had no recollection of it.
Nothing much changes in 130 odd years - according to Wikipedia Prince Eddy (Albert Victor) had been suspected of being involved with the Cleveland Street male brothel and the current Prince Edward is being suspected of having sex with minors.
Oscar says: "We all need masks, do we not?" 😉 Was he able to see the future?
Here is a pic of Conan Doyle's Alma mater; the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh (also part of the literary tour), where doctor Bell taught.
Oscar says: "We all need masks, do we not?" 😉 Was he able to see the future?
Here is a pic of Conan Doyle's Alma mater; the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh (also part of the literary tour), where doctor Bell taught.
The Volvo Man, who gives me advice on how to better look after my precious Volvo (his words), adviced me to drive at least once a week a bit longer trip so that the battery charges properly when it is this cold. So, as I am going to see a critically ill patient today (we do not work on Saturdays, but sometimes there are exceptions to the rule) I could continue to Kerava and surprise Annelis. Otherwise I should do some house-cleaning, so I do not even have to take a vote...
Besides it is my 11th bookiversary today, of course I should drive around and hand-deliver books...
Pic: View from the doorstep of Annelis.
Besides it is my 11th bookiversary today, of course I should drive around and hand-deliver books...
Pic: View from the doorstep of Annelis.
Kirjakko, thank you for the book I did not even wish for. I just finished a book two hours ago and now I can start reading this one. I also happen to have another book of this series also given to me by Kirjakko..
Mostly I enjoyed reading the book, but some parts I found annoying. I would not like Oscar Wilde be my friend in spite of his literary merits. He seems to treat his friends oddly even unkindly. And still they adore him. I wouldn't. Near the end I started to suspect I knew the murderer. This does not happen often!
I saw a statue of Oscar Wilde in Tartu, Estonia. There he sits on the same bench with Estonian writer Eduard Vilde.
I saw a statue of Oscar Wilde in Tartu, Estonia. There he sits on the same bench with Estonian writer Eduard Vilde.
R-pussiin eli R-pakettiin kirja vihdoinkin pääsee.
Happy Reading, Soozreader!
Happy Reading, Soozreader!
Journal Entry 23 by Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Tuesday, April 20, 2021
Thank you very much for this book!
Journal Entry 24 by Soozreader at Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala / Norra Karelen Finland on Tuesday, December 14, 2021
Now it makes sense why I didn’t have this part on my wishlist as I found an unregistered copy from my shelves. So this one gets to go to the AVL shelf to wait for a new reader.
Journal Entry 25 by Soozreader at By mail / post / courier, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Released 1 yr ago (3/30/2022 UTC) at By mail / post / courier, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Virkkeen mitalla XV. This is the book you chose by its first sentence. Happy reading!
Journal Entry 26 by PyryJere at a fellow bookcrosser, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases on Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Thank you. This looks really interesting.