Blotto, swanky but dim second son of the Tawcester dynasty
and his bright and beautiful sister Twinks are off with
their dowager Duchess mum for a long country weekend house
party at Snitterings. As predicted by the title, a duchess
dies. Normally this would have been just another prime
opportunity for Twinks to show her detectival acumen but it
becomes a bit more urgent when their own doughty chauffeur
is the man accused of the crime. Further investigation leads
the duo into the seedy realm of commoner Communism and a
threat to their well-bred way of life.
I have been a long-time fan of Simon Brett's work,
especially his Fethering series so I was excited to receive
the second in one of his newer series for review, BLOTTO,
TWINKS AND THE DEAD DOWAGER DUCHESS (preceded by Blotto,
Twinks and the Ex-King's Daughter). The Blotto books are
set in the short period between World Wars I and II, as
perceived through the eyes of caricatures of upper crust
British society. Rather than wincing away from the class-
stratified aspects of British society of the time Brett
applies a wickedly sarcastic brush to his work. Broadly
biting humor oozes from every page, and I found myself
disliking every character introduced, yet unable to break
myself free until I discovered where the tale was leading. I
would have to say I prefer the Fethering series (I have not
yet read his other works) but recommend the Blotto and
Twinks books to anyone who enjoys both the period and
blatant humor. If you are a true Anglophile you may find
this a sticky bun to swallow. Although some reviews have
likened the Blotto and Twinks series to P. G. Wodehouse's
Jeeves and Wooster books, I see only a vague British
humorous mystery connection. There is little of Wodehouse's
subtlety to be found in Blotto's and Twink's adventures, but
without Brett's choice of brash and broadly drawn humor for
this series Blotto and Twinks would lose a great deal of
their charm.
Hurrah for the return of that intrepid duo: Blotto
(handsome, honorable, not the sharpest knife in the drawer),
and his sister Twinks (just a bit brainier than a girl
should be)! As this is the 1920s, they are of course
attending a weekend house party, where - how astonishing! -
a murder is announced. One of the guests has the gall to
accuse Corky, the siblings' family chauffeur, so Blotto and
Twinks have no choice but to find the real murderer and
clear Corky's good name. And also, you know, keep Corky from
hanging and so on. Their sleuthing will take them to an
opium den, a crumbling Scottish castle, and - most
thrillingly - the headquarters of the evil League of the
Crimson Hand
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