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IMBA Bestseller!
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 Berkley Prime Crime ISBN 0-425-17948-6 (HC) ISBN 0-425-18441-2 (PB) |
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After receiving a series of death threats by post, the Prince of Wales feels that some time spent away from London will calm his frazzled nerves. So he escapes to Brighton — where Beau Brummell joins him as a guest. With guards posted at every door, the atmosphere is tense — especially under the scrutiny of Sir Simon. Hired by the Prince as his personal "food-taster," the odious baronet is a poor substitute for the polite company of London society that Beau is used to.
Some refinement appears in the form of a new blend of snuff prepared by Beau's good friend Petersham. Sir Simon insists on sampling it before the Prince — only to keel over dead. Now, Beau's friend is supected of trying to assassinate the Prince. In order to clear Petersham's name, Beau will have to turn his quizzing glass on the crime . . .Click here to read an excerpt from The Tainted Snuff Box
"In her second Beau Brummell mystery, Stevens keeps to the high standard she set in Death on a Silver Tray (2000).
It's the autumn of 1805, and the Prince of Wales, frightened by threatening letters, has moved with his entourage to Brighton to escape the unknown menace. There, during a walk on the beach, his friend Beau Brummell discovers the body of a young lady, whose identity he's moved to discover. Before he can make much progress, Sir Simon, an obnoxious parvenu who has ingratiated himself as the prince's food taster, samples a new blend of snuff belonging to Lord Petersham at a dinner party--with fatal results. Believing he was the intended victim, Prinny orders Beau to find out who put the poisoned snuff in Lord Petersham's box. Petersham himself is a suspect, and it will take the intervention of Brummell and his pet, Chakkri, "the only Siamese cat in England," to clear the lord's name. In the end, the chivalrous Beau risks social ruin to bring the real murderer to justice.
Stevens, with several Regency romances to her credit, shows that her familiarity with the era has not bred contempt. Her mastery of the language and knowledge of the conventions and morals of the British aristocracy allow her story to ring true. With a cast of enjoyable characters both real and fictional, and a string of red herrings, hidden motives and plot twists as intricate as a well-tied cravat, this story will delight both historical mystery and Regency fans."Publishers Weekly
April 16, 2001
"Stevens keeps the plot well focused, the pacing on target and the characters realistic in The Tainted Snuff Box, her second Beau Brummell mystery. The author smoothly integrates the superficiality of the court with a darker undertone, making The Tainted Snuff Box work as a historical novel and a window on contemporary society."
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
"A delight from start to finish."
Jane Detinger,
Senior Editor, Mystery Guild
"Ms. Stevens is a rising star in the historical mystery field with her Georgian series featuring George "Beau" Brummell. Her stories vividly portray authentic English settings in a delightful and entertaining way."
MysteryBooks, Washington, D.C.
"Stevens has surpassed her flair for a well-drawn who-done-it regency mystery. Avid historical fiction readers will want to read and devour this superb page-turning novel."
Murder On Miami Beach Bookstore, Miami
"What makes this story so enjoyable are the author's characterizations and her effective use of the setting. Stevens knows the era of which she writes intimately and this knowledge enriches her tale."
The Mystery Reader
"Rosemary Stevens provides more than just a cleverly drawn who-done-it, she gifts her fans with a powerful period piece wrapped inside a strong mystery."
Harriet Klausner
"The Prince of Wales, AKA Prinny, is in a tither. He believes someone is trying to kill him and wants his good friend george "Beau" Brummell to come and help him, so Beau and his Siamese cat Chakkri go off for a royal visit.
To insure his safety, Prinny has hired the obnoxious Sir Simon to be the royal taster. Beyond Sir Simon's nastiness, the house party is uneventful, but that soon changes when Lord Petersham offers Prinny some of his new blend of snuff. Sir Simon, as royal taster, takes the first sniff--and promptly drops dead. Prinny is panicked and the police are called in. Much against Bow Street's wishes, Beau decides to use his connections to investigate and soon finds his own dandified self falling under suspicion.
Rosemary Stevens brings the essence of the Regency era, as well as the personality of Beau Brummell, to sparkling life in The Tainted Snuff Box. This is a delightful story with a well-plotted puzzle. Readers will be charmed by this tale of mores and murder."4 1/2 stars TOP PICK!
Toby Bromberg, Romantic Times, May 2001