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.

Book Summary

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