Damsel in Distress

A review I wrote in February 2020:

Damsel in Distress by Carola Dunn (4.5 stars)

My parents and I all enjoy an easy cosy crime read so we share a lot of books. My mum described
this Daisy Dalrymple mystery as ‘a charming Famous Five for adults’ and having read it, I can’t
fault her description. We’ve read quite a few in this series but this one is Famous Five through and
through.

Set in 1920s upper class England, Daisy’s pal, the Honourable Phil Petrie becomes infatuated
with the daughter of an American millionaire. Just as the new romance starts to blossom Phil’s
beloved “glow-worm” is snatched from under his nose by ransom-demanding kidnappers chasing
her father’s fortune. As Mr Arbuckle frees up funds for the ransom, Philip show more enlists Daisy’s help to try
and find sweet Gloria in the Worcestershire countryside near to Daisy and Phil’s family estates.

A modern young woman, Daisy works in London writing feature articles for a fashionable
magazine, sharing a flat with a girlfriend and has formed a special friendship with a widowed
Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard, Alec Fletcher. Strictly forbidden to contact the police by the
American millionaire, Daisy tries to resist the urge to call on Alec’s expertise….

Good fun, highly recommended. Some in the series are better than others but we all really
enjoyed this one! You don’t have to read them in any order. Personal relationships develop
throughout the series but if you don’t mind mixing that up then read them in any order. show less

Damsel in Distress
2 Stars

When the American heiress he has taken a shine to is kidnapped, Philip Petrie enlists Daisy's help to get her back. The only snag is that she cannot inform Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher.

Oh no! This was awful.

To begin with, the pacing is excruciatingly slow with far too much description of nonsensical detail. The interactions and dialogue between the members of Daisy's snobby "set" are annoying, and the supposed period vocabulary (right-ho!, silly chump, poor prune, etc...) is ridiculous.

The kidnapping plot has potential but the identity of the American co-conspiritor is laughably obvious at the start, and the idea that a bunch of spoiled, elitist aristocrats would participate in a search for an unknown show more American woman is completely unrealistic.

The only enjoyable moments are those between Daisy and Alec, and these are few and far between.

Finally, Mia Chariamonte's narration is dreadful. I hope the next book is better. show less

The author does a good job of bringing the 1920s to life. The plot is good in parts, though at times it drags a little.

Characters are believable and there’s some good humour throughout.

So not a classic but worth checking out.

cosy-mystery, family-dynamics, friendship, abduction, amateur-sleuth, law-enforcement, situational-humor, verbal-humor, humour, England*****

If you're looking for a simple cosy mystery, you might not like this series, but if you like to laugh your way through the sleuthing and enjoy a bit of a spoof, you'll love it.
This story highlight Phillip, Daisy's cousin and very old friend. He has met the perfect girl for him but she is an American and winds up being abducted because her father is a very wealthy man. The kidnappers give the usual cautions, the father is a mess, Phillip is beyond himself but does ask Daisy for help. Daisy brings other friends into it and it all goes cuckoo. Loved it!
I feel that the narrator would have been wonderful show more in old time radio or vaudeville. show less

Daisy has a male friend, Phillip Petrie, who keeps asking for her hand is smitten by a young American lady and when she's kidnapped he enlists Daisy's help in recovering her. It's an interesting book, particularly in the ways relationships move on. As most of the adventures happen around Daisy and Philip's homes there's an opportunity to introduce Alex Fletcher to her mother which adds to the stress.

To be honest I hadn't thought of the twist in the plot and actually thought that it could be a scam, then again I'm quite cynical.

This is #5 in the series (there are currently 22!) and the first one I've read. I came across it at a used book store, and picked it up for a light summer read. It was entertaining and well-written, even though towards the middle the author introduced a few too many new characters to easily keep track of. What kicked this book up a notch was the depiction of the manners and mores of the English gentry of the 1920's - anyone who enjoys Downton Abbey will feel familiar with the way this lifestyle is portrayed.

Philip Petri has fallen in love with the daughter of an American millionaire. Unfortunately she's kidnapped and Philip calls on Daisy to help him find his love. In amongst the mayhem, Daisy's and Alec's relationship takes a giant leap forward. This is another entertaining instalment in the series, which manages to combine grim historical detail as characters remember aspects of WWI in what is essentially a light entertaining series.