Laughs, action and Edwardian murder mystery.... (The Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss)

Member Name: burtybookworm

Product:	The Vesuvius Club - Mark Gatiss
Date:	28/12/08 (240 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lively characters, superb writing, thoroughly entertaining read

Disadvantages: none

About a month ago I read a review on here that made me want to go out and buy that particular book immediately. That book was "The Vesuvius Club" by Mark Gatiss. When I picked up this book in the book shop, even the endorsement on the front from Stephen Fry made me want to read it immediately: "The most delicious, depraved, inventive, macabre and hilarious literary debut I can think of...More, I want more!"

About the Author & The Story
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"The Vesuvius Club" is the first in the series of books on the main character, Lucifer Box. Mark Gatiss the author, although new to the novel writing business, is not a total unknown in show business. Fans of the show "The League of Gentleman" will know him and not only has he acted in this show, but he has dabbled in screenwriting, and (according to Wikipedia) is one of only three people to have both written for and acted in "Doctor Who".

So, on to Lucifer Box and his wonderfully absurd story. Lucifer, to most of the Edwardian society in which this story is set, is a painter, albeit one who loves men and women alike ("I am not adverse to a pretty face and a pretty rump, whether they be man's or woman's") but his secret life sees him as a secret agent, an assassin - much like James Bond, he is hired to kill for HMG - minus the fancy gadgets but plus much more wit, naughtiness and intelligence!

This brings us to his latest assignment. Box is told of the murder of a member of the diplomatic service, a gentleman called Jocelyn Poop. The plot is thickened dramatically when two prominent scientists die shortly afterwards which leads Box and his boss to connect the dots. Before Box is dispatched to Naples to get to the bottom of the mystery, things become more complicated when he falls in "lust" with a beautiful Dutch woman called Bella Pok and when his friend Christopher Miracle is arrested for the murder of one of his students, Mrs Midsomer Knight. It soon becomes apparent that Mrs Midsomer Knight bears a close connection to murder mystery at hand, and Lucifer Box is determined to get to the bottom of it. With the help of Charlie, a servant in the home of one of the scientists in Naples, he plans to clear his friends name and solve the mystery of Poops death. Things get much more complicated along the way - coach chases through a misty graveyard in the dead of night in London, strange poisonous and deadly creatures being posted to Lucifer mean that someone is out to get him too.


My Thoughts
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Set in Edwardian England and Naples, Lucifer tells his story directly with the reader, sharing jokes and confiding in us as if the reader were a friend. His voice has such dry wit and confidence it is hard not to be drawn to him.

Nearly always cheerful (or at least retaining his brilliant humour!) Lucifer Box is well liked by both the underworld and high society and always ready with a quick put down or a clever piece of flattery, he confidently tells his readers that one day - even if it is after his death - he will be well known.

Lucifer is extremely loveable, going from one extreme to the next - from assassin to loveable rogue and gentleman that you are never bored of his tales of debauchery. He seems so ahead of his time, accepting of all the people he comes across (almost!). Even his vanity in his own appearance just made me smile!

Equally, the other characters in this story just leapt off the page for me. Along with their colourful and unforgettable names (Miracle, Pok, Poop, Jackpot, Punch...how can you forget names like this?!) these characters are as lively as Lucifer himself. I particularly liked Charlie Jackpot, he made a great sidekick to Lucifer, where Lucifer is sharp and cutting, Charlie is softer but just as smart in many ways. The sexual tension also added much to the story, and I look forward to seeing their adventures in the next books.

As you can imagine from what I have said already, Gatiss' writing is just perfect. He strikes the perfect tone for Edwardian England, extremely decadent, witty (just what I expected from such a writer and actor) a spark of the absurd in the story and extremely funny and entertaining. The personal touches of Lucifer speaking to the reader just really tipped it for me. I could hardly put it down.

The story IS completely ridiculous - think bizarre Hollywood action movie where the villain is set to blow up the world with some ridiculous plan and you might have an idea - but it's hard to knock it for that. The characters and writing is so enjoyable that the ridiculous plot (which, by the way, I am not sure I completely followed for half of the story) doesn't really seem to matter. I had such confidence in Lucifer's character that it was just exciting reading and a couple of times I found myself laughing out loud.

I have read a couple of reviews which mention the comparisons between Dorian Grey, James Bond and Oscar Wilde and I agree completely -mingling all of the above and the outcome would be Lucifer Box.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I gave it to my dad to read over Christmas and despite his reservations I caught him smirking at some of it. This is a fairly short read from what I am used to (240 pages) but thoroughly enjoyable - nothing was dragged out but also there was nothing missing or cut short. Most importantly, I am out to by the next instalment and find out what situations Mr Box gets himself in to next!

Summary: Out to get the next book in the series!