On This Page
Description
Ruth Russell, an astronomer working at the Maurice Frazer Observatory, is enjoying herself in Rome - that is, until her lover, Charles Digham, a fashion photographer and writer of obituary verses, has his camera stolen. The thief ends up as a headless corpse in the zoo park tolleta. Johnson Johnson, enigmatic portrait painter, spy and sleuth, is in Rome to paint a portrait of the Pope and is therefore on hand to investigate in one of Dunnett's usual thrilling and convoluted plots that grips show more the reader from cover to cover. There is something far more deadly at stake than just the secrets of a couture house ... show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
2020 reread: 3.5*
Despite having read this book a couple of times before, I couldn't remember who was trustworthy (other than Johnson Johnson himself, of course). A good exemplar of the 'innocent person caught up in espionage plot' type book (which I like).
Also known as [b:Dolly and the Starry Bird|1332646|Dolly and the Starry Bird (Johnson Johnson, #4)|Dorothy Dunnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1244125804l/1332646._SY75_.jpg|1322178]. Good suspense/mystery tale and the main character Johnson Johnson is fun, but not the same caliber of writing as Dunnett's historical fiction.
Despite having read this book a couple of times before, I couldn't remember who was trustworthy (other than Johnson Johnson himself, of course). A good exemplar of the 'innocent person caught up in espionage plot' type book (which I like).
Also known as [b:Dolly and the Starry Bird|1332646|Dolly and the Starry Bird (Johnson Johnson, #4)|Dorothy Dunnett|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1244125804l/1332646._SY75_.jpg|1322178]. Good suspense/mystery tale and the main character Johnson Johnson is fun, but not the same caliber of writing as Dunnett's historical fiction.
Finishing off my re-read with one of the weaker books in the series - quite honestly didn't care about Ruth or her boyfriend Charles at all. Nice to voyeuristically revisit Ischia, Sicily and Capri though.
This series, while well written, does seem dated in attitude, and you never care about the detached Johnson, or any of the others (with the exception of Rita Geddes) the way you cared about amost every character in the Lymond saga.
This series, while well written, does seem dated in attitude, and you never care about the detached Johnson, or any of the others (with the exception of Rita Geddes) the way you cared about amost every character in the Lymond saga.
2020 reread: upgrading my rating from 3 to 3.5*
Despite having read this book a couple of times before, I couldn't remember who was trustworthy (other than Johnson Johnson himself, of course). A good exemplar of the 'innocent person caught up in espionage plot' type book (which I like).
---------
Also known as [Dolly and the Starry Bird]. Good suspense/mystery tale and the main character Johnson Johnson is fun, but not the same caliber of writing as Dunnett's historical fiction.
Despite having read this book a couple of times before, I couldn't remember who was trustworthy (other than Johnson Johnson himself, of course). A good exemplar of the 'innocent person caught up in espionage plot' type book (which I like).
---------
Also known as [Dolly and the Starry Bird]. Good suspense/mystery tale and the main character Johnson Johnson is fun, but not the same caliber of writing as Dunnett's historical fiction.
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
35+ Works 18,065 Members
Dorothy Dunnett was born on August 25, 1923 in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. She attended Gillespie's High School for Girls. After graduation she attended Edinburgh College of Art, and transferred, upon her marriage, to Glasgow School of Art. From 1940-1955, she worked for the Civil Service as a press officer. Her first novel, The Game of Kings, show more was published in the United States in 1961 and in the United Kingdom the year after. During her lifetime, she wrote over 20 books including King Hereafter, the six-part Lymond Chronicles, and the eight-part House of Niccolo series. She was also a professional portrait painter and exhibited at the Royal Scottish Academy. In 1992 she was awarded the Office of the British Empire for services to literature. She died from cancer on November 9, 2001 at the age of 78. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Series
Common Knowledge
- Alternate titles
- Dolly and the Starry Bird; Murder in Focus; Roman Nights
- Original publication date
- 1973
- People/Characters
- Johnson Johnson; Ruth Russell; Charles Digham; Maurice Frazer; Diana Minicucci
- Important places
- Naples, Campania, Italy; Capri, Campania, Italy; Rome, Italy
- First words
- I have nothing, even yet, against bifocal glasses.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 175
- Popularity
- 186,598
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.58)
- Languages
- English, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 11
- ASINs
- 5
