Picture of author.

Para outros autores com o nome Julia Stuart, ver a página de desambiguação.

4+ Works 1,637 Membros 187 Críticas 1 Favorited

About the Author

Julia Stuart is a journalist. She grew up in the West Midlands in England. She studied French and Spanish, and lived in France and Spain teaching English. Stuart studied journalism at college and worked on regional newspapers for six years. She then became a staff features writer. In 2007, she mostrar mais relocated to Bahrain with her husband who is also a journalist. (Bowker Author Biography) mostrar menos
Image credit: uploaded from wikimedia commons, picture by Sarah Gawler

Obras por Julia Stuart

The Pigeon Pie Mystery (2012) 286 exemplares
The Matchmaker of Périgord (2008) 278 exemplares
The Last Pearl Fisher of Scotland (2016) 27 exemplares

Associated Works

Etiquetado

Conhecimento Comum

Data de nascimento
20th century
Sexo
female
Nacionalidade
UK
Locais de residência
London, England, UK
France
Spain
Bahrain
Egypt
Educação
University of East Anglia
Ocupações
journalist
novelist

Membros

Críticas

 
Assinalado
CatieBet | 31 outras críticas | Aug 1, 2022 |
Didn't really enjoy this one all that much. I did end up caring a little bit about Balthazar Jones, who lives in the tower of London, and I hoped he would make up with his wife. Most of the people in this book seemed depressed and plagued by odd and dismal circumstances, but it does turn out better for most of them in the end. But I wouldn't recommend it.
 
Assinalado
debs4jc | 119 outras críticas | Jul 1, 2022 |
Stuart manages many storylines in this whimsical novel with none of the characters fading into insignificance. Outside visiting hours the Tower of London is a self-contained community with its own doctor, chapel and even a pub, The Rack and Ruin, where the Beefeaters socialize and play Monopoly. When the Palace decides to move a large menagerie of exotic animals gifted to the Queen from their current home at London Zoo to the Tower, Beefeater Balthazar Jones is given the job of taking care of them. It's a move that doesn't sit well with the Ravenmaster who worries about the effect on the ravens traditionally kept at the Tower, but is more likely worried that they will somehow reveal his philandering.

Balthazar and his wife, Hebe, are still mourning the loss of their beloved son and this new distraction for her husband is too much for Hebe who packs up and leaves. The story moves back and forward from the Tower of London to the London Underground Lost Property Office where Hebe works, matching the often bizarre finds with owners. The Tower's chaplain, Reverend Septimus Drew, a bachelor, though not by choice, writes steamy romances under the pseudonym Vivienne Ventress (that gave me a laugh out loud moment) and falls in love with the barmaid, Ruby Dore.

Throughout the book the Tower's history becomes a major theme providing fascinating details. Stuart has performed a magical feat with this captivating book, making the characters simultaneously funny, sad, and lovable in a story that is lighthearted yet serious. I loved every moment.
… (mais)
1 vote
Assinalado
VivienneR | 119 outras críticas | Feb 23, 2022 |
I bought this book purely on a whim while on holiday, based on the cover and the title, while trapped in a small used book store. I say 'trapped' because a terrific thunderstorm was raging outside, keeping me and the owner in the shop until well after her normal closing hours. Had I not needed to linger until the threat of leaving this earth as a human lightning rod had passed, I'd have probably not bought this book (I'd passed it over on my initial perusals).

Points to the thunderstorm; this was a charmingly eccentric Victorian age mystery with an Indian princess MC, who is forced to accept a Grace and Favour abode in Hampton Court Palace, after her deposed-Maharaja father passes away in less than illustrious circumstances. Soon after settling in, her lady's maid falls under suspicion of murder, after another Grace and Favor resident drops dead after eating her pigeon pie.

What follows is a colourful, wryly humorous, if a little over-long, mystery. The characters are all odd, eccentric and chock full of secrets; some of them rather shocking. There's a lot of situational humor, and levity based on misunderstandings. Not a single character is dull, but the story never quite goes over the top. My only complaint is that, even though I enjoyed the whole story, it was longer than it needed to be. The fluff was clever and interesting, but it was still fluff. The ending though, was clever as hell and delightfully unexpected.

I read this for Halloween Book Bingo's Country House Mystery. I was worried at the outset whether it would qualify, but the entire mystery and investigation takes place within palace grounds and involves only the residents and the servants.
… (mais)
½
 
Assinalado
murderbydeath | 31 outras críticas | Feb 8, 2022 |

Listas

You May Also Like

Associated Authors

Estatísticas

Obras
4
Also by
1
Membros
1,637
Popularidade
#15,692
Avaliação
½ 3.7
Críticas
187
ISBN
59
Línguas
6
Marcado como favorito
1

Tabelas & Gráficos