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Robert Barnard

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Death and the Chaste Apprentice Kindle Edition

by Robert Barnard (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

3.9 119 ratings

Book 1 of 8: Charlie Peace

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At the Ketterick Arts Festival no one relishes the dubious art of innuendo more than Des Capper, a font of dubious gossip and unwanted advice. To the horror of the actors and singers performing at the Festival, Des has been promoted to landlord of the Saracen’s Head, the Elizabethan inn that is at the Festival’s heart. And when Des toddles off to meet his maker, courtesy of someone’s helpful shove, only his wretched wife can summon up a tear. Readers, meanwhile, will have trouble containing their snickers at the wickedly witty characterizations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Irreverently humorous, inventive Barnard ( At Death's Door ) captivates readers with his latest effort, this one enhanced by the ambience of the Saracen's Head outside London where performers have gathered since medieval days to re-create, fittingly, Elizabethan entertainments. Under the new management of Des Capper, a "loathsome know-all," the inn becomes a crime scene when he is murdered and all present, save one, had cause to kill the bounder. The exception is Capper's meek wife, in plain sight when the deed was done, concludes Inspector Dundy as he investigates with help from smart, appealing detective Charlie Peace. Charlie finds clues in Capper's hidden notes suggesting blackmail threats to the play's "chaste apprentice," a Russian soprano; to the agent of an angelic, East-Indian countertenor and others. At the decisive moment, Peace and Dundy realize the cap-a-pie and readers will exult in the kicker that ends this seductive story. Mystery Guild selection.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Robert Barnard (1936-2013) was awarded the Malice Domestic Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Nero Wolfe Award, as well as the Agatha and Macavity awards. An eight-time Edgar nominee, he was a member of Britain's distinguished Detection Club, and, in May 2003, he received the Cartier Diamond Dagger Award for lifetime achievement in mystery writing.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00B0XJ0Y8
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scribner; 1st American ed edition (April 2, 2013)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 2, 2013
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3100 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 185 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #444,392 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #395 in British & Irish Humor & Satire
- #2,454 in International Mystery & Crime (Kindle Store)
- #2,584 in General Humorous Fiction

Customer Reviews:
3.9 119 ratings

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3.9 out of 5

119 global ratings

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Patto

Suspects abound

Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024

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The Chaste Apprentice is an obscure play put on at a Festival that features Elizabethan and Jacobean revivals. There is also an opera at the festival, an obscure one too. The festival has an enthusiastic following among locals and culture vultures.

The setting is a grand old hotel where the performances take place and includes rooms for the performers, producers, directors, conductors etc.

When the hotel manager is murdered, there is general rejoicing. Des Capper was an obnoxious busybody, a snoop, and a know-it-all — a fountain of unwanted advice. He made enemies at every turn, and Police Superintendent Dundy finds himself with a plethora of suspects. Dundy is broadminded — not racist, misogynistic, or homophobic — but he can’t stand arty types. And the performers are very arty indeed.

Charlie Peace gets involved in the investigation, mostly because he happens to be on the spot. I really like Charlie, a young Black policeman who always has bright ideas.

Anyway, I’m with Dundy — I’m not that fond of mysteries with arty types either. But this book is well plotted, and has nice touches of irony and humor, a gripping investigation, and a twisty solution to the crime.

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fran

Quirky British Whodunit

Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2016

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Lovely little British whodunit centering around a theatrical group, an opera company and a quirky village hotel. There's all the elements to keep the reader's interest, including an odious inn keeper, infidelities aplenty, a lovely Russian soprano and … a young Indian singer with a stunningly beautiful voice. Hummmm. Just the setting to discover a body with a knife sticking out of his back. This is the first novel in which detective Charlie Peace appears.
Note: It helps to know something about Shakespearean plays and opera.

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2013

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When I bought this novel I thought it would be a historical mystery involving an Elizabethan theater troupe. I should have read the book description more carefully. Still, I do like a good murder mystery so I did read it with a hope of enjoyment. Although written in 1989 it has the feel of a 1930's drawing room mystery. There are references to sex, adultery and homosexuality that place it in the modern genre but no detailed descriptions of the acts. Many of the characters lacked depth. They certainly could have been fleshed out more than was possible in this 176 page book. There was a minor subplot involving a Russian opera singer but that was barely skimmed over. There was some amusing dialogue, or should I say amusing one liners? The book was just too short to expand on the dialogue, subplot and characterizations.

A man is murdered at a hotel where a festival of Elizabethan entertainments is taking place. There were things leading up to that to peak the reader's interest but then the rest of the story is mostly the investigators questioning suspect after suspect. There is little else until the author finally decides to end the story by having the murderer up and confess. There is no proof to tie the murderer to the death only conjecture. A rather bland ending.

One person found this helpful

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Anastasia McPherson

Very British Theatrical Mystery

Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2013

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For lovers of the British mystery, Robert Barnard, along with Felony and Mayhem Press and their brilliant series of both reprints and originals are sure bets. Barnard is a nonpareil example of the witty British mystery at its best. Unlike some of the British mysteries that are darker and more disturbing in tone, Barnard walks the fine line between balancing good writing and character development with humor. The plot, as always concerns a murder, but there is nothing here that readers will find disturbing...the state and discovery of the corpse is briefly described, but then the narrative returns immediately to the pecadillos and personalities of the accused, the investigating and the bystanders.

Death and the Chaste Apprentice centers on a theatrical company performing a fictional Jacobean Play in an Elizabethan theater and hotel that hosts a yearly theater festival. The London suburb also boasts an opera festival that takes place at the same time. The hotel is full of actors, singers and their various hangers on both business and other. However, this charming venue has been cursed with new management and the management comes in the form of a venal, didactic Australian who annoys, spies upon and blackmails the entire company in turn.

Thus does his murder come about, or so the reader is led to believe. Death and the Chaste Apprentice has numerous sub-plots as many of the troupe harbors various secrets that they wish to keep private. In the winding Elizabethan architectural mishmash or corridors, dark corners, stairs and servants passages, guests are often lost on the way to their own rooms, so sorting out who was where and when and why provides just enough of the action as do the many secrets and motives of the characters.

By no means a favorite or a classic, this is a solid offering from a dependable author and is a great way to while away an afternoon for fans of the quintessential British comedic mystery.

4 people found this helpful

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Shelley D

Delightful!

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2020

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Harvard's writing is, as usual, scintillating, and the setting (an arts festival in a quaint English village) and characters (theatrical and operatic, in every sense) make this novel a particular delight.

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Gloria Corella

Aburrido

Reviewed in Spain on October 9, 2023

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Bastante aburrido

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Dr. Norman White

Old type mystery

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2013

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Rated 4 stars. Rather long winded. Novel labelled Charlie Peace who seems a minor character. It could be me but I found it difficult to separate the opera, the concert and the play and their venue and timing. Characterisation is a bit stereotypical but I enjoyed it.

Steve Maloney

Consistently good

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 12, 2014

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This is more a general comment about Robert Barnard's mysteries, so I suppose it applies to this particular novel.

I mourn his passing, having read most of his work and enjoyed it thoroughly, and it is sad that we will never get a new one. So, with the advent of Kindle, and being able to pick up his gems for a pound or two, I am starting again.

These are erudite, clever (and fair) mysteries set in various backgrounds, all of which Mr Barnard seems equally at home with. Witty with a great sense of fun, and with memorable characters, his books could not be more highly recommended.

Some people may be put off by the setting of this particular novel; an Elizabethan/Jacobean theatre festival. Please don't let this deter you from reading this book. This is an easy read that is completely accessible, most of the action centres around a pub anyway, and the detail is fascinating. If you buy this and don't want to immediately get another of Mr Barnard's books, I'll give you your money back.

Obviously I won't do that, but please try it anyway.

2 people found this helpful

Damaskcat

Death and the Chaste Apprentice

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2014

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An arts festival in an outer suburb of London attracts a lot of visitors especially because some of the events are held in a very old coaching inn on an open stage in the courtyard. The Saracen's Head is a popular inn though it has recently acquired a new landlord who is less than popular and who is murdered during the performance of the play about the chaste apprentice of the title.

Full of eccentric characters and jokes about the theatre and opera, this is an entertaining crime novel. I must admit I was left wondering until half way through the book just precisely who Charlie Peace is but he is finally revealed as a Metropolitan police CID detective who happened to be in the audience and who offers his service to help find the murderer.

I enjoyed this book sufficiently to want to read the next one and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime with a theatrical or arts background.

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Death and the Chaste Apprentice Kindle Edition

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