Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 2011 April #1
Oscar Wilde is back in rare form in this clever and intricate mystery that brings 1890s London vibrantly to life. Wilde and his posseâArthur Conan Doyle and Bram Stoker, among othersâare introduced at a royal reception hosted by the lovely Duchess of Albemarle; alas, the Duchess dies unexpectedly later that night, two tiny puncture wounds in her neck. Vampires were all the rage back then, and Stoker's character helps provide the background information so that this makes perfectly good sense. In Brandreth's fourth series entry (after Oscar Wilde and the Dead's Man Smile), he writes in an engaging tell-all style that sheds a bright light on the sexual and social mores of the period. VERDICT Great stuff for readers who love juicy historical tidbits and are intrigued by real writers acting as amateur sleuths. The multiple points of view propel the plot forward at a lively pace, never bogging down with information dumps. Perhaps your Matthew Pearl readers have started on this series?
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