May 9, 2013

Oscar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol by Gyles Brandreth


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Title: Ocar Wilde and the Murders at Reading Gaol by Gyles Brandreth
Publication date: May 14, 2013; Touchstone
Genre: historical mystery
"I'm a friend of the man who invented Sherlock Holmes," I said with some dignity. "Have you heard of Sherlock Holmes?"(p. 57)
In this next excerpt, an imprisoned Oscar talks with the prison surgeon, Dr. Maurice, and we learn a little about Oscar Wilde's friendship with Arthur Conan Doyle, the writer.
"... And you, I've been led to believe, are Conan Doyle's model for Holmes's older brother - the brilliant but indolent Mycroft Holmes." (ch. 6)
Book description:  In this new installment in the engaging mystery series—currently in development as a BBC television series—the incomparable playwright, novelist, raconteur, and now ex-convict Oscar Wilde faces his most fiendishly puzzling case yet.

It is 1897, France. Oscar Wilde has fled the country after his release from Reading Gaol. Tonight he is sharing a drink and the story of his cruel imprisonment with a mysterious stranger. Oscar has endured a harsh regime: the treadmill, solitary confinement, censored letters, no writing materials. Yet even in the midst of such deprivation, his astonishing detective powers remain undiminished—and when first a brutal warder and then the prison chaplain are found murdered, who else should the Governor turn to for help other than Reading Gaol’s most celebrated inmate? (goodreads)

This is the fifth in the Oscar Wilde mysteries.
Thanks to Touchstone for a review copy of this book.

11 comments:

  1. Very interesting to base a mystery on Oscar Wilde as a detective. I wonder what Brandreth's inspiration for this was. This does sound like a fun books even though the prison stuff sounds harrowing.

    I am reminded that I really need to get around to reading Wilde himself.

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  2. This is a fun mystery series, Brian. And I do need to get to reading some of Wilde too.

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  3. Sounds really good, Harvee...I need to read it sometime.

    Thanks for visiting my blog.

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  4. Sounds like a fun and different read.

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  5. I'm officially interested in this book.
    New follower via GFC
    my 56
    http://kimberlysnovelnotes.blogspot.com/2013/05/friday-56-30-feature-friday-29.html

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  6. This would be fun! I've read some Wilde, but it's been many years!

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  7. This sounds like an interesting read.

    Have a great weekend!

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  8. Sounds interesting what they are doing to Oscar Wilde's character in this series.

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  9. I haven't come across this series before - sounds like fun!

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  10. Oscar Wilde = detective sounds a little weird to me. But if you liked it, hey, it's all good! :)

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  11. I've not heard of this book or series, but it is intriguing. Wilde and Doyle both interest me. I may have to check this out. Thanks for the quote.

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