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After narrowly escaping the terror of Nazi Germany, Rowland Sinclair and his companions land in London, believing they are safe.
But they are wrong.
A bizarre murder plunges the hapless Australians into a queer world of British aristocracy, Fascist Blackshirts, illicit love, scandal, and spies.
A world where gentlemen are not always what they are dressed up to be
Award-wining author Sulari Gentill set out to study astrophysics, graduated in law, and then abandoned her legal career to write books instead of contracts.
Born in Sri Lanka, Sulari learned to speak English in Zambia, grew up in Brisbane and now lives in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains of NSW where, with her historian husband, she grows French black truffles, cares for a variety of animals and raises two wild colonial boys.
Sulari also paints, but only well enough to know she should write, preferably in her pyjamas.
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Gentlemen Formerly Dressed is the fifth book in the Rowland Sinclair series by award-winning Australian author, Sulari Gentill. Following a narrow escape from Nazis in Munich and gendarmes in Paris, gentleman artist Rowland Sinclair surprises his artistic friends by not wanting to get on the next ship home to Australia.
Rowly feels strongly that he must let someone in Her Majesty’s government know about what he saw whilst in Germany. But even with the help of his influential brother, Wilfred, and Australia’s High Commissioner, this proves both less that simple and frustratingly unproductive, as advisors to the PM repeatedly dismiss his concerns.
What he saw in Germany, in addition to his broken arm, bodily disfigurement and other injuries, has had a detrimental effect on Rowly’s wellbeing. Nor is being limited, in polite company (because of the plaster cast on his arm), to consuming consommé, helping his mood. Fellow artist, Clive Watson-Jones recognises in him what would now be diagnosed as PTSD; his solution is straightforward and a lot more effective than Horlicks.
During their stay in London, Rowly and his friends find themselves involved, much to Wil’s irritation, a number of awkward or dangerous situations, the first being the discovery of a very dead peer of the realm in an exclusive London Club. Trying to prove the innocence of a certain young lady whilst encumbered with a plaster cast takes much of Rowly’s energy.
Nevertheless, he still manages to attract a royal proposition by proxy, go for an unscheduled dip into the Thames, and be kidnapped. His paintings are stolen, a bundle of threatening letters is received, he gets caught in a police raid, incites a brawl, is beaten up more than once and is passionately kissed in public, twice.
Gentill delivers plenty of interesting historical detail, giving several famous (and infamous) figures cameos (and some, significant roles), and includes, among the twists and red herrings: Madame Tussaud’s Waxworks, eugenics, cross-dressers, mannequin limbs as weapons, and the Salvation Army.
Quotes from press articles of the time that preface the chapters cleverly serve the purpose of providing information connected to the text that follows. As always, Gentill perfectly captures the era. Once again, an outstanding dose of historical crime fiction. Readers who enjoy it will be pleased to know they can look forward to a further five (at least) instalments of this award-winning, addictive series, beginning with A Murder Unmentioned.
I just love this series. Sulari Gentill manages to weave fact and fiction together seamlessly in a ripping yarn which depicts the turbulent thirties and the build up to the Second World War.
The chief protagonist Rolland Sinclair has made it back to London and becomes embroiled in the murder of a peer of the realm and helps to expose the true villain of the piece. He is helped by his friends and the wife of ex PM Stanley Bruce and meets other historical characters along the way.
With parallels to the rise of the right wing element today it shows that we never really learn from our mistakes.
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