Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance: A Mystery

I bought this book without having read a single review of it. As a life long admirer of Oscar Wilde, the concept naturally appealed to me. Who could resist the idea of the bon vivant Wilde sleuthing his way through Victorian London with none other than Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle and Wordsworth descendant and poet Robert Sherard as his partners in crime? I found this a delightful and rewarding read from the first page to the last. Wilde's famous witticisms are ever present but woven so effortlessly into the context of the story, that never once does the reader feel that the author was merely using it as a device by which to impress nor does he rely exclusively on the bon mots to fashion the larger than life person that was Oscar Wilde; he delivers a person that is miraculously uncontrived, yet simultaneously complex and complete. Not an easy thing to achieve when your protagonist is none other than one of the giants of English literature and one revered and remembered as much for his personality and droll observations as he was for his plays, novels and fairy tales. Brandreth's knowledge of all things Victorian is faultless. God knows I've read many a good Victorian murder mystery in my time, but never one that seems so alive yet so blessedly free of clichés and stereotypes; the story simply wouldn't have at benefited from filler or stock characters. Everyone and everything serves it purpose and with great economy, I might add. To me, the conclusion was very satisfying; it was logical without being obvious, free of far fetched ideas. If you're a lover of either Oscar Wilde or a solid Victorian murder mystery, I can pretty much guarantee that you will relish every finely rendered page. I look forward to reading Brandreth's other Oscar Wilde novels

Oscar Wilde and a Death of No Importance (2008) introduces an unusually observant amateur sleuth: Oscar Wilde, poet, wit, and playwright. When Wilde discovers the murdered body of a beautiful young man, he enlists his friends Robert Sherard, great-grandson of Wordsworth, and Arthur Conan Doyle, who has just published his first Sherlock Holmes story, to help him examine the scene of the crime. However, the body has vanished, the room has been cleaned, and the police seem uninterested in pursuing the case, so Wilde and Sherard begin their own investigation. Elegant dialogue and rich atmospheric details of Victorian England, plus a mesmerizing detective who can out-Sherlock Holmes himself! (APA: Oscar Wilde and the Candlelight Murders) http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/B_Authors/Brandreth_Gyles.html

The most fun I have had reading a little book in a long time. I loved Agatha Christie books and Sherlock Holmes so the setting in Victorian London was just perfect for me. Plus Oscar Wilde's wit was unmatchable. I can't wait for the next book. I usually don't buy books but I may end up buying this series. I like this even more than Sarah Caudwell's books.

In 1889 literary phenomena Oscar Wilde rushes to 23 Crowley St. in London to keep an appointment and is let into the home by an anonymous woman. Upstairs he finds the beautiful male prostitute Billy Wood lying naked on a Persian carpet surrounded by candles, his throat cut from ear to ear. The next day he tells Arthur Conan Doyle about it; when they return to the scene of the crime, they find place void of blood except for a few drops on the wall and no body. Doyle refers him to Scotland Yard Inspector Aidan Fraser who doesn't seem to have much interest in the case as there is no body or evidence. A package arrives at Oscar's home containing Billy's severed head. He believes Fraser will be interested in the case now but to make sure justice is done, the author conducts his own investigation and finds a plethora of suspect ranging from Billy's jealous step-father to a jealous lover. Oscar is determined to find out who the killer is. Gyles Brandreth is a wonderful storyteller who creates a clever mystery while also providing a glimpse into literary late Victorian England. Oscar Wilde makes a great Sherlock Holmes and his sexual proclivities are implied for instance the club he belongs to is filled with sodomite members. This tale is told in the first person by Wilde's good and logical friend another writer Robert Sherard adding to the sense of a literary journey into the late nineteen century. Harriet Klausner