Pricing
Paperback $16.95
More books by Peter Lovesey
Description
Peter Diamond, British detective extraordinaire, must dig deep into Bath history to ferret out the secrets of one of its most famous (and scandalous) icons: Richard “Beau” Nash, who might be the victim of a centuries old murder.
Bath, England: A wrecking crew is demolishing a row of townhouses in order to build a g...
Peter Diamond, British detective extraordinaire, must dig deep into Bath history to ferret out the secrets of one of its most famous (and scandalous) icons: Richard “Beau” Nash, who might be the victim of a centuries old murder.
Bath, England: A wrecking crew is demolishing a row of townhouses in order to build a grocery store when they uncover a skeleton in one of the attics. The dead man is wearing authentic 1760s garb and on the floor next to it is a white tricorn hat—the ostentatious signature accessory of Beau Nash, one of Bath’s most famous historical men-about-town, a fashion icon and incurable rake who, some say, ended up in a pauper’s grave. Or did the Beau actually end up in a townhouse attic? The Beau Nash Society will be all in a tizzy when the truth is revealed to them.
Chief Inspector Peter Diamond, who has been assigned to identify the remains, begins to fantasize about turning Nash scholarship on its ear. But one of his constables is stubbornly insisting the corpse can’t be Nash’s—the non-believer threatens to spoil Diamond’s favorite theory, especially when he offers some pretty irrefutable evidence. Is Diamond on a historical goose chase? Should he actually be investigating a much more modern murder?
Media
“[An] impeccably constructed mystery featuring the unpredictable but ever-entertaining Detective Superintendent Peter Diamond . . . A classic whodunit.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“Lively, surprise-filled . . . Peter Lovesey is himself a master of historical mysteries.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“Lovesey moves from one dexterously nested puzzle to the next with all the confidence of a magician who knows the audience won't see through his deceptions no matter how slowly he unveils them.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
“The plot is one of Lovesey’s cleverest, and the book is full of his trademark wry humor.”
—Publishers Weekly
“One of the best entries in a long-running series, this exceptional police procedural is packed with imperfect and engaging characters, sophisticated plotting, and abundantly detailed historical tidbits.”
—Library Journal, Starred Review
“A rich and satisfying feast of eccentric and sometimes sweet, sometimes dangerous, quintessential British figures.”
—Kingdom Books
“Lovesey's signature understated humor, often historical and at times hysterical, finds its way onto pretty much every page.”
—BookPage
“Diamond, with his mordant humor as armor, is, as always, razor-sharp, erudite and thoroughly engaging.”
—Open Letters Monthly
“The plotting is deft and very intricate without being overdone, and the characters perform beautifully . . . a sheer delight to read.”
—Kittling Books
“For Anglophiles who like to leaven their whodunits with laughter, it’s hard to imagine a more pleasurable way to read away the long hours of a quiet, wintry night.”
—Richmond Times-Dispatch
“The book, I am happy to say, is as tightly plotted and absorbing as the best of Lovesey’s long-running series”
—Adam Woog, The Seattle Times
“Witty, stylish and a bit of a rogue—that's what people said about Richard Nash, known as the Beau, the notorious dandy who transformed the English city of Bath into 'the 18th century equivalent of Vegas.' The same might be said of Peter Lovesey, whose elegant mysteries pay tribute to the past glories of this beautiful city.”
—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review
“If you like real history turned into crime clues, this is your book ... This is a great puzzle plot that will keep you guessing. Just what Lovesey does best.”
—The Globe & Mail
“An intricate and multi-layered puzzle . . . Diamond's dry wit and perspicacity adds welcome levity to the story.”
—Shelf Awareness
“An intricate and multi-layered puzzle . . . Diamond's dry wit and perspicacity adds welcome levity to the story.”
—Shelf Awareness
“Highly readable . . . Mr. Lovesey moves from a hilarious launching of the plot to a delectable collection of vivid characters and an avalanche of clues.”