Death and the Cyprian Society
Arabella Beaumont, a celebrated courtesan in Regency London and an erstwhile sleuth, needs funds to renovate and open her “Cyprian Society,” a club for courtesans modeled on the famous gentleman’s club “White’s.” Her foolish friend, Constance Worthington, owes her sufficient monies, but Constance finds herself blackmailed after an indiscreet alliance with a handsome footman, and therefore she cannot repay Arabella. Arabella takes on the task of investigating, as she needs her money from Constance. Miss Beaumont’s madcap investigations lead from employment as shop girl in Madame de Zhenay’s “Palais de Beautay” to the subterranean tunnels beneath the city of London, as her investigation moves from simple blackmail to murder.
The author’s irreverent and topsy-turvy view of Regency society will surprise readers of traditional Regency novels, and may not be to everyone’s taste. However Christie writes well, and the frivolous story moves along at a rapid clip. A broad cast of characters, many of whom apparently appeared in Arabella’s two previous adventures, dart in and out of the story. Christie’s names are full of double entendres such as Lady Ribbonhat and Mr. Savory-Pratt, and Arabella’s own mansion is named “Lustings.” At times that brush felt somewhat too broad, and I found the names irritating rather than diverting. Third in a series, the book functions well enough as a stand-alone read, and the solution of the mystery leaves Arabella ready to continue her investigations in the future, as certain ongoing plot threads remain unresolved. Readers who don’t take their historical fiction too seriously, and like a light read, may find this book just the thing.
