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rockislandadultreads · 9 months

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Read-Alike Friday: The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters

The Swift and the Harrier by Minette Walters

Dorset, 1642. When bloody civil war breaks out between the king and Parliament, families and communities across England are riven by different allegiances. A rare few choose neutrality. One such is Jayne Swift, a Dorset physician from a Royalist family, who offers her services to both sides in the conflict. Through her dedication to treating the sick and wounded, regardless of belief, Jayne becomes a witness to the brutality of war and the devastation it wreaks. Yet her recurring companion at every event is a man she should despise because he embraces civil war as the means to an end. She knows him as William Harrier, but is ignorant about every other aspect of his life. His past is a mystery and his future uncertain. The Swift and the Harrier is a sweeping tale of adventure and loss, sacrifice and love, with a unique and unforgettable heroine at its heart.

Essex Dogs by Dan Jones

July 1346. Ten men land on the beaches of Normandy. They call themselves the Essex Dogs: an unruly platoon of archers and men-at-arms led by a battle-scarred captain whose best days are behind him. The fight for the throne of the largest kingdom in Western Europe has begun.

Heading ever deeper into enemy territory toward Crécy, this band of brothers knows they are off to fight a battle that will forge nations, and shape the very fabric of human lives. But first they must survive a bloody war in which rules are abandoned and chivalry itself is slaughtered.

Rooted in historical accuracy and told through an unforgettable cast, Essex Dogs delivers the stark reality of medieval war on the ground - and shines a light on the fighters and ordinary people caught in the storm.

This is the first volume in the "Essex Dogs" series.

Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris

'From what is it they flee?'

He took a while to reply. By the time he spoke the men had gone inside. He said quietly, “They killed the King.”

1660 England. General Edward Whalley and his son-in law Colonel William Goffe board a ship bound for the New World. They are on the run, wanted for the murder of King Charles I—a brazen execution that marked the culmination of the English Civil War, in which parliamentarians successfully battled royalists for control.

But now, ten years after Charles’ beheading, the royalists have returned to power. Under the provisions of the Act of Oblivion, the fifty-nine men who signed the king’s death warrant and participated in his execution have been found guilty in absentia of high treason. Some of the Roundheads, including Oliver Cromwell, are already dead. Others have been captured, hung, drawn, and quartered. A few are imprisoned for life. But two have escaped to America by boat.

In London, Richard Nayler, secretary of the regicide committee of the Privy Council, is charged with bringing the traitors to justice and he will stop at nothing to find them. A substantial bounty hangs over their heads for their capture—dead or alive...

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

"There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . ."

But Nella's world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist--an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .

Johannes' gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand--and fear--the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?

This is the first volume of the "Miniaturist" series.

#historical fiction #fiction books #reading recommendations #readers advisory #library books #reading recs #book recommendations #book recs #tbrpile #tbr #to read #booklr #book tumblr #book blog #library blog

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thebookhoard · 6 months

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Title: The Miniaturist

Author: Jessie Burton

Pages: 448

"On an autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman knocks at the door of a grand house in the wealthiest quarter of Amsterdam. She has come from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt, but instead, she is met by his sharp-tongued sister, Marin. Only later does Johannes appear and present her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. It is to be furnished by an elusive miniaturist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in unexpected ways . . .

Nella is at first mystified by the closed world of the Brandt household, but as she uncovers its secrets, she realizes the escalating dangers that await them all. Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?"

Another book I've picked up because of my book club. I remember that I gave it a 6/10.

The Miniaturist (not only the title, but also a character in the book) tells an interesting story, but I feel like there's more potential to it than used. Because for being the one giving the book its title, they don't show up too often. Be as it is, I remember that I liked the other three characters (Nella, Johannes, and Marin) well enough. I did guess their secret, though.

There's a sequel called "The House of Fortune" and also a show about "The Miniaturist" although I've neither read the second part nor seen the show.

3 of the quotes I've written down:

"Starling, she thinks, if you believe that building is the safer spot, then I am not the one to set you free."

"'I wish that knife had found your heart.' 'I hide it well.'"

"Sometimes it's hard to love a person you know too well."

#the miniaturist #jessie burton #book hoarder #book lover #book recommendations #book review #thebookhoard #book blog #books and literature #literature #spoiler free #lgbt books

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mediaevalmusereads · 1 year

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The Miniaturist. By Jessie Burton. Ecco, 2014.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: historical fiction

Part of a Series? Yes, Miniaturist #1

Summary: On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office--leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.

***Full review below.***

Content Warnings: references to slavery, racism (including the N word), homophobia (including bury your gays), sexual content, animal death, childbirth

Overview: I was in the mood for historical fiction, and this book caught my eye. I haven't read a lot of books about 17th century Amsterdam, and the premise was eerie enough to intrigue me. A potentially spooky dollhouse? Sign me up! Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me in a number of ways. Not only did the narrative structure feel off, but I got the feeling that the author didn't quite know what they wanted this book to be. A commentary on the patriarchy? A struggle against religious oppression? A subtle supernatural tale? I wasn't quite sure, so it felt like it was trying to do too much yet nothing at all. For those reasons, this book only gets 3 stars from me.

Moreover, I felt like the choice to narrate the story in the present tense had the tendency to keep characters at arm's length. While the sentences flowed well and I never felt lost or confused, I also felt like I was struggling to connect with the characters, and I think that might be because of the style.

Writing: Burton's prose is quick and engaging without feeling too rushed. It genrally balances showing and telling well, and there are some evocative images that make the world feel rich and inviting. I particularly liked the desciptions of the canals, the smells of the house, and the small details such as dog hair being embedded in the carpet.

However, I do think Burton made some choices that didn't quite resonate with me. For one, she repeats some images or phrases or ideas to the point of irritation; for example, we're reminded multiple times that the servants in Amsterdam are more open and bold than the ones in the country, and we're told over and over again that Nell, our protagonist, longs for physical intimacy and (eventually) a child. While all well and good, I think Burton missed opportunities to show rather than tell in many instances. There was no sense of longing or angst, and I wish I was invited to feel those emotions along with our characters (rather than being informed of them).

Plot: The plot of this book follows Nella Oortman, an 18 year old girl from the country as she attempts to adjust to married life in Amsterdam. Nella has married a wealthy merchant named Johannes Brandt, in part to help pay her family's debts. When she arrives at his house in Amsterdam, however, she finds that her husband is distant, and her sister-in-law is intent on keeping control over the house herself. You see, the Brandts are in the middle of negotiating the sale of a warehouse full of sugar, provided by the Meermans (who own a plantation in Surinam). For some unknown reason, Johannes is failing to sell the sugar, putting the family's finances in peril. All this is made more complicated when Johannes buys Nella an expensive, cabinet-sized replica of their house as a wedding gift. Wanting to exert some agency over her own "house," Nella orders a set of miniatures from a local craftsman, but when they show up more detailed and more "prophetic" than anticipated, Nella decides to get to the bottom of it.

Overall, I thought this plot was a little meandering and somewhat off-pace. While some of the individual threads were intriguing, I didn't feel like they came together to form a complete tapestry. Instead, I felt like the novel was trying to juggle too many things, yet all the while, the pace felt slow because there were many scenes in which the suspense was frustratingly obscure or eclipsed by more mundane events or descriptions.

I also didn't quite feel like Burton herself knew what she wanted the book to be about, and as a result, it felt like there were a few shallow attempts at a message. At one point, it seemed like Burton was trying to craft a feminist message about how a woman could be more than a wife and mother, but at another point, it seemed like she was more interested in religious persecution. Turn around again and there was a tepid exploration of race and racism, and later, a message about how society imprisons people (like women and lgbt+ folks) and makes them act in desperate ways.

All these threads could have been tied together more strongly, I think, if more emphasis was put on the cabinet house and the miniatures. As it stands, the mystery of the miniaturist feels like an afterthought until maybe 50% of the way through the book, and with all the eerie coincidences that happen with the minis and Nella's life, I think Burton could have made it much more central. The best aspects of the miniaturist plotline were moments when Nella would notice something odd about her minis and then try to figure out what it meant. If the foreshadowing of the minis had been the main driver of the narrative, I think a lot of the plot would have come together in a much more suspenseful way.

TL;DR: The Miniaturist is a novel with an intriguing setting and an exciting premise, offering an eerie dollhouse at the center of an almost gothic tale. But while there are a lot of things that Burton does right (like creating a mystery, injecting the supernatural, etc), I ultimately found that the individual threats of the plot didn't come together in a satisfying way, and the lack of a strong overall message left me wanting.

Characters: Nella, our protagonist, is fairly sympathetic in that she is thrust into womanhood and not given much agency, but that sympathy can get a little grating. Part of Nella's arc seemed to involve finding the courage to dictate her own life, and while I enjoyed that aspect, I do wish it had been developed at a more steady pace. As it stands, Nella seems to wander about somewhat aimlessly until maybe halfway or so through the book (maybe later), and then she starts to take matters into her own hands. I wish the narrative had interrogated her own beliefs a bit harder, especially her views on womanhood, agency, and morality.

Johannes, Nella's husband, is somewhat likeable in that he's kind and hardworking, yet he could be careless to the point of frustration. He's also too forgiving of people who betray him, and his arc left me a little disappointed. If his end had meant something - like a point about how society tears down people who are different to preserve its own power - then I might have felt a little more satisfied, but after finishing the book, I just felt empty.

Marin, Johannes's sister, is a bit more interesting in that she wields power without being married, thereby challenging some of Nella's beliefs about womanhood. I wish Burton had explored their dynamic a little more, especially since Marin's arc involved a lot of outward piety yet hidden secrets; I couldn't quite tell if Marin was supposed to be hypocritical or if she was in some way covering for her family, and given her end, I wish Burton had crafted a stronger message.

Cornelia, the maid, was perhaps my favorite as she was fiercely loyal, kindhearted, and unafraid to stand for what she thought was right. I liked that she was willing to go toe to toe with people who disrespected her friend, a black servant named Otto, and that she was hellbent on saving children from orphanages, when she could.

Perhaps the biggest disappointments were the characters of Otto and the Miniaturist. Otto is a black man working as Johannes's servant, and while he is not a slave, Amsterdam is clearly unaccepting of him. Given his importance in the way the plot comes together, I wish Otto had more of a developed character arc, and I would have loved to see more of his perspective, perhaps tying it in to the idea of society being oppressive and how people need to write their own stories.

The Miniaturist, too, was something of a ghostly spectre, and once their identity was revealed, the enthusiasm for their arc kind of dried up. I think I would have enjoyed their character more if we never found out who they were or what their background was, as the almost supernatural elements of the novel were spookier without that knowledge.

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roxsannel · 7 months

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The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton.

Nella Oortman is a young woman who is entering a new chapter of her life, she is travelling to Amsterdam to live with her husband Johannes Brandt, but when she arrives, she isn't given the warm welcome she expects, his sister, Marin is an extremely pious woman and although the house is rich in furnishings, there is a lack of warmth. The rest of Amsterdam is similarly pious, yet obsessed with gold and wealth and learning to navigate this new world is something that Nella is not looking forward to and not having a friendly face to help her is taxing.

As a routine of Johannes staying a distance from Nella, always ensconced in his study, or out on business develops, Nella is surprised when he gives her a wedding gift, a miniature replica of her new home, it is beautiful, yet empty of feeling, so when she is given permission and funds to fill it, she doesn't hesitate to contact a Miniaturist with some requests. She is also getting to know the household a bit more, as well as those dwelling within it, however, things are not as they seem and the dynamics between the Brandts and their friends and acquaintances are another whole new world for Nella to navigate and learn how to handle.

A few weeks later, the first package from the Miniaturist arrives and Nella is amazed by the quality of their work, however, when further packages arrive which were not requested, Nella is a little unnerved, but she is determined to get to the bottom of why these packages were sent, so she steels herself to visit them, however, this is a futile escapade as the Miniaturist is the most elusive of people, so she instead goes to visit Johannes and discovers something else entirely when she does.

Nella is shocked, but it is the reactions of the rest of the household that unnerve her more, but how will she deal with this newfound knowledge and how will it affect her future as Mrs Brandt? This is a story full of secrets, revelations, truths, lies and everything in between, which will keep you guessing throughout and on the edge of your seat, as you both learn about seventeenth century Amsterdam, its dynamics, as well as the consequence of a strictly reserved way of life and what happens when these restrictions slip.

#journey of a lifetime #chronic illness #invisible illness #cvid #common variable immunodeficiency #zebra #zebra strong #fibromyalgia #spoonie #spoonie life #spoonie reads

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fuzzysparrow · 8 months

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Who wrote the 2014 novel 'The Miniaturist'?

In 2014, Jessie Burton published her debut novel that transported readers to the enchanting world of 17th-century Amsterdam. 'The Miniaturist' quickly became a bestseller and was adapted into a two-part television series in 2017.

Born in 1982 in London, Jessie Burton initially pursued a career in acting, studying at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Despite her love for the stage, she felt a persistent longing to write. Her breakthrough moment came when she decided to enroll in a six-month novel-writing course at the Faber Academy. It was during this time that she began crafting the intricate plot and characters that would eventually become 'The Miniaturist'. The novel tells the story of Nella Oortman, a young bride who receives a mysterious dollhouse replica of her own home, setting off a chain of events that unravel secrets and mysteries within her new household.

'The Miniaturist' was inspired by a real-life dollhouse that Burton encountered while visiting the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The dollhouse, created by Petronella Oortman in the 17th century, served as the foundation for Burton's imaginative tale. The author was captivated by the idea of a dollhouse as a metaphor for control and manipulation.

Following the success of 'The Miniaturist', Burton went on to write more novels: 'The Muse' in 2016, 'The Confession' in 2019, and 'The House of Fortune' in 2022. She has also written a couple of books for children.

#Trivia #The Miniaturist

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con-libros · 1 year

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La casa de la miniaturas: pequeñas piezas, grandes secretos

La casa de las miniaturas - Jessie Burton

calificación: 5 /5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

detalles: Libro digital

sinopsis: Un día de otoño de 1686, una joven de dieciocho años llama a la puerta de una casa señorial en el barrio más acomodado de Ámsterdam. Nella Oortman se ha trasladado del campo a la ciudad para convivir con su marido, Johannes Brandt, un hombre maduro y distinguido comerciante que habita en la mansión en compañía de su hermana soltera y rodeado de fieles servidores. Como regalo de boda, Johannes obsequia a su flamante esposa un objeto muy de moda entre la gente pudiente de la época: una réplica de su propia casa en miniatura, que Nella deberá poblar con las figuras creadas por una desconocida miniaturista que ha encontrado por azar. Sin embargo, poco a poco, el amable pasatiempo se irá transformando en la clave de una serie de inquietantes revelaciones que conducirán a Nella a desenmascarar los secretos más oscuros de los actuales moradores de la casa —incluido su marido—, arrojando luz sobre los peligros que amenazan la supervivencia de su nueva familia.

La quieres leer? cierra esto y ve a buscarla o mándame un mensaje para pasártela en formato digital gratuitamente 👍 Ya la leíste o no la vas a leer y te interesa la opinión? adelante

Opinión y chisme: 👇👇👇

Es la primera vez que leo este libro y sin embargo, sentí la experiencia como una relectura porque ya me sabia los giros y las revelaciones importantes gracias a la serie (’la casa de las miniaturas' del 2017 con Anya Taylor-Joy), de todos modos, me emociono muchísimo recordar y notar algunas señales sutiles que no me había percatado.

Tiene un inicio algo lento pero muy misterioso, y poco a poco se vuelve caótico, los personajes me fueron sorprendiendo con su desarrollo mientras me iba percatando de lo que en realidad estaba sucediendo, la primera impresión que tenia de cada personaje gracias a la serie, cambio muchísimo al terminar el libro.

El ritmo de la historia poco a poco se acelera, como dije, pasa de lento a caótico con cada revelación, y del misterio pasa a un drama muy tenso y problemático, sucedieron tantas cosas que por momentos debía hacer pausas para asimilar algunos capítulos, porque en serio, todo se va sintiendo como una avalancha de escándalos y peligros, uno tras otro.

Lo que si es indiscutible es que el final queda muy corto para tremenda trama, no digo que sea malo pero me pareció muy meh, creo que el final en la serie lo manejaron de mejor forma.

De todos modos, la prosa de la autora es preciosa, es elegante y sutil, transmite muy bien el aura fantástica y enigmática en ese escenario histórico de Ámsterdam del siglo 17.

Le doy 5☆, lo disfrute muchísimo, la trama tiene todo lo que me encanta en las novelas históricas, además que los capítulos fueron cortitos, lo ame y definitivamente va a mi lista de novelas históricas preferidas💕.

Solo se lo puedo recomendar a quienes amaron ‘Hamnlet’ de Maggie O'Farrell o a quienes les guste los dramas históricos con un toque fantástico, vale la pena 😙👌.

#reseña #5 stars

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garysnetherlandslitblog · 2 years

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10 Interesting Dutch Novels

1. ‘The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 Years Old’ by Peter de Smet

He lives in an assisted living facility and considers himself by far the coolest of his fellow pensioners. That is, until the love of his life, Eefje, moves into the nursing home and wins Hendrik’s heart with her sense of humour.Hendrik and friends set up an Old-But-Not-Dead club to organise excursions. Other diversions in Hendrik’s life include choosing a mobility scooter and mulling over euthanasia.The book is hilarious and a nice way to learn about how the Netherlands deals with the elderly — if that’s something you know nothing about.(dutchreviews)

2. ‘The Thousand Autumns of Jakob de Zoet’ by David Mitchell

The year is 1799, the place Dejima in Nagasaki Harbor, the Japanese Empire’s single port and sole window onto the world, designed to keep the West at bay. To this place of devious merchants, deceitful interpreters, and costly courtesans comes Jacob de Zoet, a devout young clerk who has five years in the East to earn a fortune of sufficient size to win the hand of his wealthy fiancée back in Holland. But Jacob’s original intentions are eclipsed after a chance encounter with Orito Aibagawa, the disfigured midwife to the city’s powerful magistrate. The borders between propriety, profit, and pleasure blur until Jacob finds his vision clouded, one rash promise made and then fatefully broken—the consequences of which will extend beyond Jacob’s worst imaginings.(amazon.com)

3.Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

With precisely 35 canvases to his credit, the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer represents one of the great enigmas of 17th-century art. The meager facts of his biography have been gleaned from a handful of legal documents. Yet Vermeer's extraordinary paintings of domestic life, with their subtle play of light and texture, have come to define the Dutch golden age. His portrait of the anonymous Girl with a Pearl Earring has exerted a particular fascination for centuries—and it is this magnetic painting that lies at the heart of Tracy Chevalier's second novel of the same title.

Girl with a Pearl Earring centers on Vermeer's prosperous Delft household during the 1660s. When Griet, the novel's quietly perceptive heroine, is hired as a servant, turmoil follows. First, the 16-year-old narrator becomes increasingly intimate with her master. Then Vermeer employs her as his assistant—and ultimately has Griet sit for him as a model.(goodreads)

4.The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton

On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office—leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . .(wanderlustingK)

5.The Dinner by Herman Koch

It’s a summer’s evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the polite scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse — the banality of work, the triviality of the holidays. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened….(wanderlustingzK)

6.Lucia's Eyes by Arthur Japin

Lucia works as a servant girl in Italy and is engaged to be married. But after the pox disfigures her face, she flees in shame without telling her lover. Years later, as a reknowned Amsterdam courtesan who never goes out without her veil, Lucia is at the theater when she recognizes her long-lost fiancé, Giacomo Casanova; and she cannot resist the opportunity to encounter him again. Based on a woman who appeared briefly in Casanova’s legendary diaries, Lucia emerges as a brilliant woman who becomes every bit his match. In Lucia’s Eyes is an elegant and moving story of love denied and transformed.(wanderlustingK/amazon.com)

7.Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach

In 1630s Amsterdam, tulipomania has seized the populace. Everywhere men are seduced by the fantastic exotic flower. But for wealthy merchant Cornelis Sandvoort, it is his young and beautiful wife, Sophia, who stirs his soul. She is the prize he desires, the woman he hopes will bring him the joy that not even his considerable fortune can buy.Cornelis yearns for an heir, but so far he and Sophia have failed to produce one. In a bid for immortality, he commissions a portrait of them both by the talented young painter Jan van Loos. But as Van Loos begins to capture Sophia's likeness on canvas, a slow passion begins to burn between the beautiful young wife and the talented artist.As the portrait unfolds, so a slow dance is begun among the household's inhabitants. Ambitions, desires, and dreams breed a grand deception--and as the lies multiply, events move toward a thrilling and tragic climax.In this richly imagined international bestseller, Deborah Moggach has created the rarest of novels--a lush, lyrical work of fiction that is also compulsively readable. Seldom has a novel so vividly evoked a time, a place, and a passion.(goodreads/wanderlustingK)

8.The Evenings by Gerard Reve

Twenty-three-year-old Frits - office worker, daydreamer, teller of inappropriate jokes - finds life absurd and inexplicable. He lives with his parents, who drive him mad. He has terrible, disturbing dreams of death and destruction. Sometimes he talks to a toy rabbit.This is the story of ten evenings in Frits's life at the end of December, as he drinks, smokes, sees friends, aimlessly wanders the gloomy city street and tries to make sense of the minutes, hours and days that stretch before him.Darkly funny and mesmerising, The Evenings takes the tiny, quotidian triumphs and heartbreaks of our everyday lives and turns them into a work of brilliant wit and profound beauty.(wanderlusting/amazon.com)

9.The fault in our stars by John Green

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.Based in Amsterdam.(wanderlustingK/Goodreads)

10.The Good Thief's Guide to Amsterdam by Chris Ewan

Charlie Howard travels the globe writing suspense novels for a living, about an intrepid burglar named Faulks. To supplement his income---and to keep his hand in---Charlie also has a small side business: stealing for a very discreet clientele on commission.When a mysterious American offers to pay Charlie 20,000 euros if he steals two small monkey figurines to match the one he already has, Charlie is suspicious; he doesn't know how the American found him, and the job seems too good to be true. And, of course, it is. Although the burglary goes off without a hitch, when he goes to deliver the monkeys he finds that the American has been beaten to near-death, and that the third figurine is missing.Back in London, his long-suffering literary agent, Victoria (who is naive enough to believe he actually looks like his jacket photo), tries to talk him through the plot problems in both his latest manuscript and his real life---but Charlie soon finds himself caught up in a caper reminiscent of a Cary Grant movie, involving safe-deposit boxes, menacing characters, and, of course, a beautiful damsel in distress.(wanderlustingK/goodreads)

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