Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Crimeline (2000), Mass Market Paperback, 336 pages
Description
From bestseller to death-dealer London's Plumtree Press has a world-class bestseller of a novel. And the sequel is earmarked to get this old family firm out of the red. But its anonymous author, known to Plumtree only as "Arthur," has apparently vanished, leaving the crucial last five chapters undelivered. Alex already knows they reveal the identity of the characters who smuggled British children to America during World War II. But, of course, this is fiction. So when a lead critic previews the book as a nonfiction exposé, Alex is shocked. Even more so when the critic is murdered...and Alex finds himself the target of a ruthless hunt for the manuscript and bizarre attempts on his life. Ducking newshounds, government officials, and the sniping of jealous publishers, Alex knows only one thing: If he can't find Arthur and untangle the truth, his next season's list may be a posthumous one.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member cbl_tn
Things are looking up for Alex Plumtree and his London publishing firm, Plumtree Press, as the author of the firm's best-selling novel has almost completed its sequel. Plumtree Press has received all but the last five chapters from the author, known only as “Arthur”, who uses only couriers and
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faxes to communicate with the publishing company. Uncharacteristically, “Arthur” has missed a delivery deadline. New information suggests that the novels, about children kidnapped and sold during the World War II evacuation of London, are actually factual. If the story is true, the person(s) responsible for the kidnappings will go to great lengths to prevent the publication of the book. Alex is caught up in danger and intrigue as he tries to protect his firm and its mysterious author. You might not want to pick this one up for bedtime reading, as the fast-paced action will keep your adrenaline flowing! Show Less
LibraryThing member gwendolenau
This mystery, set mostly in England, with a side excursion to Nantucket, had an intriguing premise: a publisher whose old family firm is on the rocks receives an anonymous manuscript which becomes a surprise fiction bestseller. In the process of publishing the sequel, a mounting series of events
Unfortunately, all of the fairly large cast of characters felt flat to me and none of them ever jumped off the page enough for me to care what was happening to them, including, and especially, the first person narrator. Instead, they all felt like ciphers being moved around by the author in furtherance of the complicated plot. I read to the end but I don’t think I’ll be seeking out any of the other mysteries in this series.
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convince him that the plot is not fiction after all but rather describes a real-life crime, and that there are persons unknown prepared to stop at nothing to prevent the publication of the denouement, which will reveal the actual perpetrator. Unfortunately, all of the fairly large cast of characters felt flat to me and none of them ever jumped off the page enough for me to care what was happening to them, including, and especially, the first person narrator. Instead, they all felt like ciphers being moved around by the author in furtherance of the complicated plot. I read to the end but I don’t think I’ll be seeking out any of the other mysteries in this series.
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LibraryThing member picardyrose
The first in an entertaining series about a publisher in London who gets caught up in various intrigues related to books. "Unsolicited" is my favorite because when the story begins, he has no more derring-do than you and I. Lucky thing nobody's after us.
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
Patchy mystery about a publisher whose life is threatened when his bestselling author is kidnapped to prevent a tell-all sequel being printed. I only bought this book for the publishing angle, but even so, the plot is a disappointment - in theory, an intriguing premise (British evacuees sold to
The main failing for me is the 'hero', Alex Plumtree, because the detective figure in a mystery series should always be more interesting that the plot, just in case, as happened here, the 'whodunit' falls short. I just didn't care for Alex, and his first person narrative was flat without a 'distinctive' voice of his own (Stout's Archie Goodwin has ruined me for life). Also, Alex's perving on the 'love of his life', a goddess called Sarah (I hate being told - repeatedly - that female characters are intelligent, like that's something out of the ordinary), was at best pathetic, and worst, creepy. He watches her chest straining against her blouse when she takes her jacket off, wishes he was the phone cord when it touches her, and observes that 'the muscles of her back were well defined, but the creamy expanse of skin was spectacularly feminine'! No wonder she held him at bay for so long! Also, the ridiculously 'quaint' names - Plumtree, Romney Marsh - would be more fitting in a Christie-esque cosy, not a pseudo-Hollywood action mystery, where the bespectacled hero suddenly decides to exit a lift by the overhead escape hatch a la Bruce Willis (has anybody actually ever done that?) Nostalgic England, where time has stood still since war was declared in 1939, or 1990s America - make your mind up, Miss Kaewert! (And on a nitpicking level, the editing is fairly lax. Alex is described as being a tall man, and then his shorter companion 'looks over his shoulder' - not to mention the Mini he drives around easily and without complaint later on in the story, after complaining that his Golf wasn't made for tall men!)
Far too simplistic for me. I prefer characters with a bit of depth, better research, and a darker tone. I didn't believe in Alex, or the London he inhabits. Let's hope he gets to marry Sarah in the next instalment, and decides to move Stateside permanently.
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American 'foster' parents during the second world war), but badly executed. Aside from the usual rash of fortuitous coincidences (a map on an inflight magazine pointing out a mystery location, etc.), I just didn't care. The missing children plot is underdeveloped; picked up in secret letters and journals, forgotten, and then used as a vague device for one of the characters. The 'evil genius' behind the whole scheme (who even gets to deliver a 'there's no harm in telling you now' exposition of his motives) is fairly obvious, various loose ends are left untied, and the rest is explained rather than revealed, for those readers hanging on until the bitter end. The main failing for me is the 'hero', Alex Plumtree, because the detective figure in a mystery series should always be more interesting that the plot, just in case, as happened here, the 'whodunit' falls short. I just didn't care for Alex, and his first person narrative was flat without a 'distinctive' voice of his own (Stout's Archie Goodwin has ruined me for life). Also, Alex's perving on the 'love of his life', a goddess called Sarah (I hate being told - repeatedly - that female characters are intelligent, like that's something out of the ordinary), was at best pathetic, and worst, creepy. He watches her chest straining against her blouse when she takes her jacket off, wishes he was the phone cord when it touches her, and observes that 'the muscles of her back were well defined, but the creamy expanse of skin was spectacularly feminine'! No wonder she held him at bay for so long! Also, the ridiculously 'quaint' names - Plumtree, Romney Marsh - would be more fitting in a Christie-esque cosy, not a pseudo-Hollywood action mystery, where the bespectacled hero suddenly decides to exit a lift by the overhead escape hatch a la Bruce Willis (has anybody actually ever done that?) Nostalgic England, where time has stood still since war was declared in 1939, or 1990s America - make your mind up, Miss Kaewert! (And on a nitpicking level, the editing is fairly lax. Alex is described as being a tall man, and then his shorter companion 'looks over his shoulder' - not to mention the Mini he drives around easily and without complaint later on in the story, after complaining that his Golf wasn't made for tall men!)
Far too simplistic for me. I prefer characters with a bit of depth, better research, and a darker tone. I didn't believe in Alex, or the London he inhabits. Let's hope he gets to marry Sarah in the next instalment, and decides to move Stateside permanently.
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LibraryThing member grundlecat
This publishing mystery was enjoyable even on a re-read. The "Big Brother is Watching You" feeling lent some plausibility to otherwise unlikely coincidences. Overall good plot, action and so on. Alex Plumtree is an interesting character and the describptions of his friends and co-workers are
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excellent. Lisette, his secretary, is particularly colorful. This is a solid, enjoyable series. Show Less
LibraryThing member thornton37814
This mystery involves Alex Plumtree who owns a publishing firm in London and a manuscript by an author using the pseudonym Arthur that is about to reveal a World War II era crime. Although the plot lent itself to promise, its delivery was disappointing. The end result was more like an amateur
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sleuth engaged in espionage than an exploration of the actual crime and gathering results. The action seemed to center on Alex's attempts to foil and go after his pursuers. I would have preferred an investigation into the crimes revealed by the manuscripts. Disappointing! Show Less
LibraryThing member Condorena
This story has an interesting premise and likable characters, but you only get to know them superficially. Maybe some will reappear in future books.
LibraryThing member leslie.98
An exciting mystery set in the world of publishing & bibliophilia
Language
Original publication date
1994
Physical description
336 p.; 6.91 inches
ISBN
0553582097 / 9780553582093
Local notes
Booklover's Mysteries
DDC/MDS
| Fic Mystery Kaewert |