The Famous Flower of Serving Men [Hardcover]

Deborah Grabien (Author)

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Product Details

Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books; First Edition edition (Oct 14 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312333870
ISBN-13: 978-0312333874
Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14.7 x 2.5 cm
Shipping Weight: 318 g
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #716,228 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

More ghost story than crime caper, Grabien's second novel to mix historical sleuthing and old English ballads makes good use of its source material. As in The Weaver and the Factory Maid (2003), theater producer Penny Wintercraft-Hawkes and her boyfriend, Ringan Laine, a folklorist and restorer of period buildings, combine their separate passions with a not always welcome affinity for legendary ghosts. The unexpected inheritance of an abandoned London theater from a practically unknown aunt allows Penny to give her company the luxury of a home base. The aunt not only left her the theater but thoughtfully supplied funds to restore it. Unfortunately, the theater is home to an active and vindictive female ghost, whose presence is forcefully announced even before Ringan can begin renovations. In order to lay the ghost to rest, the well-matched Penny and Ringan must discover who she is and what happened to her. Effective storytelling gives the ghost's manifestations a gloss of credibility, while Grabien's grasp of theater, folklore and history provides a feast of enjoyment.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Penelope Wintercraft-Hawkes is thrilled when she learns she has inherited the Bellefield Theatre from a barely remembered aunt. She will now have a permanent home for her touring company, the Tamburlaine Players. She asks her longtime boyfriend, folklorist and house restorer Ringan Laine, to head the necessary restoration. To their dismay, they find that the theater is haunted by a vengeful spirit who employs burning smells, flashing lights, and even more violent measures to discourage the workers. Thanks to the previous haunting of Ringan's cottage (see The Weaver and the Factory Maid [BKL O 1 03]), Penny has no trouble accepting the idea of a ghost, and, with the help of two researchers, promptly delves into the theater's past to learn who the spectral presence is and what can be done to placate it. Interesting period details from the late 1300s to the early 1400s, likable characters, and an absorbing plot distinguish this fast-paced mix of mystery and ghost story. Verses of a folk song head each chapter and are woven into the story. Sue O'Brien
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Inside This Book (Learn More)

First Sentence
Penelope Wintercraft-Hawkes, fumbling for her latchkey, heard the shrilling of her telephone from the other side of her front door and swore under her breath. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com ^(beta)

Amazon.com: 4.8 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous ghost story, Oct 27 2004

By Harriet Klausner - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: The Famous Flower of Serving Men (Hardcover)

Theater producer of the traveling troupe The Tamborlaine Players Penelope Wintercraft-Hawkes and folklorist and building restorer Ringan Laine never expected to deal with ghosts again after the exorcism of the latter's home. Penny is ecstatic when she learns she inherited Bellefield, a theatre on Hawthorne Walk in London. She hires Ringan to restore the place as she plans to put on the play Iphagenia.

However, from the moment that Penny sets foot in her new theatre she hears voices and sees visions of a woman on fire asking for a priest. The angry ghost hurt Ringan and indirectly caused the death of an art restorer. Until they can get rid of the ghost they cannot restore the place nor rehearse the upcoming production. With each passing day, the ghost grows stronger intending touse Penny as the means to leave Hawthorne Walk.

Deborah Grabien has written a fabulous ghost story in which the seemingly mean-spirited ghost will elicit fan empathy. The protagonists are likable and complex while brave enough to try to banish the ghost. Historical tidbits from the reigns of Richard II and the Regent John of Gaunt provide an authentic anchor to an enjoyable paranormal tale. Readers who enjoyed THE FAMOUS FLOWER OF SERVING MEN will want to obtain the first novel starring Penny and Ringan, THE WEAVER AND THE FACTORY MAID.

Harriet Klausner

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spooked into nightmares!, Oct 26 2004

By J. Simkin - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: The Famous Flower of Serving Men (Hardcover)

I really loved Grabien's first book in this series, The Weaver and the Factory Maid, and this one was even better! Really scary, but not in the traditional "horror" way, I stayed up reading it, unable to put it down and had a nightmare the second I was down for the night. Spooky and vivid, it made me want to buy some Old English Folk Music. Can't wait for the third book in the series!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a lot to offer a mystery fan..., Oct 26 2004

By E. Jahneke - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: The Famous Flower of Serving Men (Hardcover)

A witty and chilling follow-up to Grabien's excellent "Weaver and The Factory Maid" this book will be of special interest to mystery fans bored of the current serial-killer glut within the genre, looking for more of an homage to mysteries of the type written by Marsh and Christie, with a paranormal twist. Should be especially enjoyed by people who know a lot about English history and folk music, which, I hate to confess, is not I, but I was able to follow the story well, and learn things too.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 9 reviews 4.8 out of 5 stars