Tempt Not the Stars

by Julius Falconer

Overview

The Hon. Mr and Mrs Bede Lambton, of Abberton Hall in Worcestershire, persuade their nephew Gregory to enter a competition run by the Syrian Ministry of Tourism. Gregory, a student in the archaeology department of Bristol University, produces a paper called 'The Syrian Sapphire', but it is a housemate of his, Sheena Morrison, who submits it in her own name and under a changed title, 'The Star of Syria'. The day after being told that her entry has won, Sheena is murdered. There appears to be nothing in Sheena's life or in the competition entry to justify such savage action. Inspector Wickfield and Sergeant Hewitt find themselves baffled by a seemingly motiveless murder. Had the killer mistaken his victim? Was the murder a burglary that had gone wrong? Had the recent theft in New York of the fabulous sapphire known as the Star of India anything to do with the case? You are invited to accompany Inspector Stan Wickfield and Sergeant Hewitt on their grim journey of discovery into the motivation of an astute and determined killer. You will be given every item of information accessible to the investigating team: are you clever enough to read the runes?

Julius Falconer's erudite and sophisticated stories are a byword for urbane and stylish entertainment. In this case you have the added benefit of learning the basics of Syriac, if you so desire!

Book reviews online: Published Bestsellers @ www.publishedbestsellers.com

Product Details

BN ID:	2940149369867
Publisher:	Pneuma Springs Publishing
Publication date:	07/30/2010
Series:	Julius Falconer Series , #9
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	186
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Warwickshire-born Julius Falconer, educated in Leicestershire, Birmingham and Italy, is a former translator and a retired teacher, who has taught at schools in Cornwall and Scotland.
He now divides his time between a cottage in central France and the house in Yorkshire which he shares with his daughter and her husband. He was widowed in 2000.
As well as some booklets and several dozen papers in professional journals, he is the author of twelve murder mysteries featuring the diffident and cultured Inspector Wickfield. Because the stories are set in Worcestershire, he has featured in the Worcester News, on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcester and in the online Newsletter for the Worcestershire tourist board.
His hobbies include music, gardening, walking and reading.

Editorial Reviews

"...the author Julius Falconer – himself a fountain of knowledge – spurts out amazing stories which keep his reader spellbound. And like a meandering river finding its way through uneven landscapes, the chronicler appears to ramble through intricately woven cases without overlooking even the tinniest detail. Quite often he is able to show that a tiny speck of information which the un-initiated investigator would happily have discarded turns out to be the key to unravelling a case."

Samuel Aina

I daresay that the Falconer style, for reasons that are beyond me, is not to everyone's taste, but at least his writing:
* is clear and unambiguous
* is grammatically, syntactically and orthographically correct in every detail
* has (I like to think) a certain elegance
* evinces an old-world charm too often lacking in today's writing
* springs no surprises (no sex, profanities or violence)
* in short, provides good, wholesome, family entertainment!

Margaret -