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Gentlemen Formerly Dressed
Gentlemen Formerly Dressed
by Sulari Gentill
Price: $15.95 ()
Published: June 05, 2018
Rating: 0.0/ 5 (0 votes cast)
From the Publisher: There's an Evelyn Waugh-meets-Agatha Christie feel
about this series. Handsome, wry, and witty despite his impeccable
manners, and the dedicated black sheep of his conservative, wealthyAustralian family, Rowland Sinclair prefers to leave managing the immensefamily fortune and politics to his elder brother, Wil, while pursuing a lifeas a gentleman artist. A life in company of boho housemates Clyde, a
fellow painter; Milton, a plagiarising poet; and Edna, the beautiful,
emancipated sculptress who is both his muse and the (unacknowledged)love of his life. Having barely escaped 1933 Germany while reluctantlypursuing an off-the-books mission in Munich, the usually stoic Rowlyremains horrified and deeply troubled by the changes that have come
about under the Nazi government. The country which he knew in his early
twenties as the centre of modern art and culture, is now, under Hitler,oppressed and sanitised. Tortured by the SA for the degeneracy of his ownpaintings, he bears both physical and emotional scars. For the first time
he is moved to take a stance politically, to try and sway the political
thought of the time. A friend of the Left and son of the Right, Rowlanddoesn't really know what he is doing, or what should be done, but he isconsumed with a notion that something should be done. Plus he needs torecuperate. And so Rowly and his friends make for England rather than
returning to Sydney. In London, in the superlative luxury of Claridge's, they
feel safe. Then Viscount Pierrepont is discovered in his club, impaled by asword. Pierrepont is sporting a frilly negligée and makeup - so, a sexcrime? Too embarrassing. And too bizarre a death for this aginggentleman, and him newly wed. His murder, and the suspicion falling on
his young niece, quickly plunge the Australians into a queer world of
British aristocracy, Fascist Blackshirts, illicit love, scandal, and spiesranging from London and its suburbs to Bletchley Park and Oxford, andinevitably drawing in Wil Sinclair as well as players like H.G. Wells and
Winston Churchill. It's a world where gentlemen are not always what they
are dressed up to be.
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|Rate/Review Add To Bookshelf
Get This Book
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you can get this book.Share This Book
About The Author
Sulari Gentill
After setting out to study astrophysics,
graduating in law and then abandoning her
legal career to write books, Sulari now growsFrench black truffles on her farm in thefoothills of the Snowy Mountains of NSW.Sulari is author of The Rowland Sinclair
Mystery series, historical crime fiction novels
(eight in total) set in the 1930s. Sulari's ADecline in Prophets (the second book in theseries) was the winner of the Davitt Awardfor Best Adult Crime Fiction 2012. She was
also shortlisted for Best First Book (A Few
Right Thinking Men) for the CommonwealthWriters' Prize 2011. Paving the New Roadwas shortlisted for another Davitt in 2013.
Release Info
List Price: $15.95 ()
Published: June 05, 2018
Personalize / Add More Choices
What We Say
This light mystery is right up my alley, from the time period (between the wars) to the setting of London to the slightly
bohemian Aussies slumming it in among British aristocrats when they stumble upon a murder. Even the cover appeals."Gentlemen Formerly Dressed" is the fifth in a series starring Rowland Sinclair. Rowland's brother is in politics and generallydisapproving of his little brother's adventures. No surprise: our amateur sleuth is swimming in money, quite a talented artist
and his friends are Communists and sculptors and jolly good fun. They apparently dash about the globe getting into trouble.
This book begins with them arriving in London after Rowland was attacked, had his arm broken and was nearly killed byNazis. He's determined to make someone in the British government listen to his warnings about this Hitler fellow, but no onecares what an artist and an Aussie thinks about anything. To top off his failure to raise an alarm, one meeting begins withRowland stumbling upon the body of a blue-blooded nobleman wearing a woman's nightie and impaled with a sword. It's all
very scandalous and hush hush, but since an innocent young woman may be convicted of the crime just to keep things tidy,
Rowland and his friends spring into action. Soon they're tussling with British fascists, getting private tours of MadameTussaud's, politely turning down same-sex proposals from royalty and sharing opinions with everyone from Evelyn Waugh (abore) to H.G. Wells (quite a jolly chap) to Salvation Army volunteers (boring, but nice). All of this SHOULD be delightful.
But it isn't. The details feel forced (like the author's pointed explanations of what this or that title means), the characters
aren't nearly as amusing as they want to be (the biggest running gag involves the quoting of poetry) and since I didn't readbooks 1 through 4 I have no clue as to why our hero's interest in his marvelous friend Edna (who clearly fancies him) shouldbe such a non-starter. (They love each other but it's not meant to be. For some reason.) And the mystery is banal, with theusual red herrings and an uninteresting reveal of the real villain(s). I shan't make their acquaintance again any time soon. --
Michael Giltz
What Others Say
"The murder case...is just an entrée into what Gentill does so well: serve up intensely realized period details
and reminders of the intersections of crime, art, society, and politics." (Connie Fletcher Booklist) "The pleasure
of this novel lies...in observing Rowland at dinner with Evelyn Waugh, trading insights with H.G. Wells, and
setting Winston Churchill straight on the evils of nationalism. Fans of upper-class sleuths will be in theirelement." (Publishers Weekly) "The combination of famous historical figures, detailed descriptions of a troublingtime, and plenty of action makes for a tale as rousing as it is relevant." (Kirkus Reviews review of Paving the NewRoad) "This book has it all: intrigue among the British aristocracy, the Nazi threat and a dashing Australian hero.I didn't want it to end!" (Rhys Bowen, author of the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness and Molly Murphymysteries, and the #1 Kindle bestseller, In Farleigh Field) "Rowland's determined attempts to open British eyes tothe gathering storm combine mystery, rousing adventure, and chance meetings with eminent figures fromChurchill to Evelyn Waugh." (Kirkus Reviews)
What You Say
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Home
Top Picks: All Books
Gentlemen Formerly Dressed
Gentlemen Formerly Dressed
by Sulari Gentill
Price: $15.95 ()
Published: June 05, 2018
Rating: 0.0/ 5 (0 votes cast)
From the Publisher: There's an Evelyn Waugh-meets-Agatha Christie feel
about this series. Handsome, wry, and witty despite his impeccable
manners, and the dedicated black sheep of his conservative, wealthyAustralian family, Rowland Sinclair prefers to leave managing the immensefamily fortune and politics to his elder brother, Wil, while pursuing a lifeas a gentleman artist. A life in company of boho housemates Clyde, a
fellow painter; Milton, a plagiarising poet; and Edna, the beautiful,
emancipated sculptress who is both his muse and the (unacknowledged)love of his life. Having barely escaped 1933 Germany while reluctantlypursuing an off-the-books mission in Munich, the usually stoic Rowlyremains horrified and deeply troubled by the changes that have come
about under the Nazi government. The country which he knew in his early
twenties as the centre of modern art and culture, is now, under Hitler,oppressed and sanitised. Tortured by the SA for the degeneracy of his ownpaintings, he bears both physical and emotional scars. For the first time
he is moved to take a stance politically, to try and sway the political
thought of the time. A friend of the Left and son of the Right, Rowlanddoesn't really know what he is doing, or what should be done, but he isconsumed with a notion that something should be done. Plus he needs torecuperate. And so Rowly and his friends make for England rather than
returning to Sydney. In London, in the superlative luxury of Claridge's, they
feel safe. Then Viscount Pierrepont is discovered in his club, impaled by asword. Pierrepont is sporting a frilly negligée and makeup - so, a sexcrime? Too embarrassing. And too bizarre a death for this aginggentleman, and him newly wed. His murder, and the suspicion falling on
his young niece, quickly plunge the Australians into a queer world of
British aristocracy, Fascist Blackshirts, illicit love, scandal, and spiesranging from London and its suburbs to Bletchley Park and Oxford, andinevitably drawing in Wil Sinclair as well as players like H.G. Wells and
Winston Churchill. It's a world where gentlemen are not always what they
are dressed up to be.
Rate This Book
Add To Wishlist
|Rate/Review Add To Bookshelf
Get This Book
Go to your preferred retailer, click to choose a format and you' ll be taken directly to their site where
you can get this book.Share This Book
About The Author
Sulari Gentill
After setting out to study astrophysics,
graduating in law and then abandoning her
legal career to write books, Sulari now growsFrench black truffles on her farm in thefoothills of the Snowy Mountains of NSW.Sulari is author of The Rowland Sinclair
Mystery series, historical crime fiction novels
(eight in total) set in the 1930s. Sulari's ADecline in Prophets (the second book in theseries) was the winner of the Davitt Awardfor Best Adult Crime Fiction 2012. She was
also shortlisted for Best First Book (A Few
Right Thinking Men) for the CommonwealthWriters' Prize 2011. Paving the New Roadwas shortlisted for another Davitt in 2013.
Release Info
List Price: $15.95 ()
Published: June 05, 2018
Personalize / Add More Choices
What We Say
This light mystery is right up my alley, from the time period (between the wars) to the setting of London to the slightly
bohemian Aussies slumming it in among British aristocrats when they stumble upon a murder. Even the cover appeals."Gentlemen Formerly Dressed" is the fifth in a series starring Rowland Sinclair. Rowland's brother is in politics and generallydisapproving of his little brother's adventures. No surprise: our amateur sleuth is swimming in money, quite a talented artist
and his friends are Communists and sculptors and jolly good fun. They apparently dash about the globe getting into trouble.
This book begins with them arriving in London after Rowland was attacked, had his arm broken and was nearly killed byNazis. He's determined to make someone in the British government listen to his warnings about this Hitler fellow, but no onecares what an artist and an Aussie thinks about anything. To top off his failure to raise an alarm, one meeting begins withRowland stumbling upon the body of a blue-blooded nobleman wearing a woman's nightie and impaled with a sword. It's all
very scandalous and hush hush, but since an innocent young woman may be convicted of the crime just to keep things tidy,
Rowland and his friends spring into action. Soon they're tussling with British fascists, getting private tours of MadameTussaud's, politely turning down same-sex proposals from royalty and sharing opinions with everyone from Evelyn Waugh (abore) to H.G. Wells (quite a jolly chap) to Salvation Army volunteers (boring, but nice). All of this SHOULD be delightful.
But it isn't. The details feel forced (like the author's pointed explanations of what this or that title means), the characters
aren't nearly as amusing as they want to be (the biggest running gag involves the quoting of poetry) and since I didn't readbooks 1 through 4 I have no clue as to why our hero's interest in his marvelous friend Edna (who clearly fancies him) shouldbe such a non-starter. (They love each other but it's not meant to be. For some reason.) And the mystery is banal, with theusual red herrings and an uninteresting reveal of the real villain(s). I shan't make their acquaintance again any time soon. --
Michael Giltz
What Others Say
"The murder case...is just an entrée into what Gentill does so well: serve up intensely realized period details
and reminders of the intersections of crime, art, society, and politics." (Connie Fletcher Booklist) "The pleasure
of this novel lies...in observing Rowland at dinner with Evelyn Waugh, trading insights with H.G. Wells, and
setting Winston Churchill straight on the evils of nationalism. Fans of upper-class sleuths will be in theirelement." (Publishers Weekly) "The combination of famous historical figures, detailed descriptions of a troublingtime, and plenty of action makes for a tale as rousing as it is relevant." (Kirkus Reviews review of Paving the NewRoad) "This book has it all: intrigue among the British aristocracy, the Nazi threat and a dashing Australian hero.I didn't want it to end!" (Rhys Bowen, author of the New York Times bestselling Royal Spyness and Molly Murphymysteries, and the #1 Kindle bestseller, In Farleigh Field) "Rowland's determined attempts to open British eyes tothe gathering storm combine mystery, rousing adventure, and chance meetings with eminent figures fromChurchill to Evelyn Waugh." (Kirkus Reviews)
What You Say
Filter by
No Reviews Found .....
about us |faq|advertise |privacy policy |newsletter |contact us ©2018, BookBuddha LLc. All Rights Reserved.