Oranges and Lemons

Bryant & May, Book 17

By: Christopher Fowler

Narrated by: Tim Goodman

One Sunday morning, the outspoken speaker of the House of Commons steps out of his front door only to be crushed under a mountain of citrus fruit. Bizarre accident or something more sinister? The government needs to know because here's a man whose knowledge of parliament’s biggest secret could put the future of the government at stake.

It should be the perfect case for Bryant and May and the Peculiar Crimes Unit, but unfortunately one detective is in hospital, the other is missing and the staff have all been dismissed. It seems the PCU is no more. But events escalate: a series of brutal crimes seemingly linked to an old English folk-song threatens the very foundation of London society, and suddenly the PCU is offered a reprieve and is back in (temporary) business!

And if the two elderly detectives, ‘old men in a woke world’, do manage to set aside their differences and discover why some of London’s most influential figures are under life-threatening attack, they might not just save the unit but also prevent the entire city from descending into chaos....

©2020 Christopher Fowler (P)2020 W F Howes

Critic reviews

"The most consistently brilliant, entertaining and educational voice in contemporary British crime fiction." (Cathi Unsworth, author of That Old Black Magic)

Memorable

These books always make me laugh out loud and I am so grateful there is somebody who can write something so funny and so poignant at the same time. It is also great to see Raymond Land take center stage For a few moments as he has always been an important character

Love Love Loved it!

This series has been such a bright spot in my life!
As with the preceding books, I laughed from cover to cove - despite the underlying tragedy of guest characters. Fowler, mostly through Arthur Bryant and Raymond Land, is a comedic genius of a clever, informative and subtle sort.
So sad to have finished the book. Now I have to wait another year before the next. I will read many other books this year, but rest assured none will be as entertaining.

Great story

one cannot go wrong with a Bryant and May book! lovely job by the narrator.

Absolutely wonderful

Always a pleasure to listen to Bryant & May. Christopher Fowler, you have done it again...

listened twice!

And I could listen to a third time. This is one of the best in the series. Fowler was at his best. The language, too, is part of the ride. Plots & personalities interweave unexpectedly, yes...suprises...& the character development is fabulous; wonderful historic & geographic elements sweep you along like a Greek chorus. You can even follow them along by Google maps.
Tim Goodman is SO good at the narration it is...acting each character clearly. Overall too, one could listen to his voice (and voices) all day long.
By the end of the last book things were uneasy about the partings occuring between them all. Here we be reassured that The Pecular Crimes Unit, Bryant & May, et al, still have a rabbit up their sleeves. Yay!

Only B&M to make my cry

I have read all of these books but in this one Fowler covertly takes on what has been going on in the world, the ugliness and inequity, and writes an excellent story about it. As usual I had no idea who the villain was, and it is the speech by this so called villain that made me cry because (this sounds heavy handed and prescriptive but it was not) the world had made them so. Fowler actually has a new young character who is an interesting counterpart to Bryant (though don't let May go anywhere please). The usual rollicking mythology, London love, and labyrinthine plot but there was something extra here that reflects the world right now and also felt quite sorrowful.

The Bryant and May series is a virtual gold mine!

Tim Goodman Is a superb narrator , and has become the voice of Bryant & May!

Great listen

One of the best Bryant and May novels! As always...perfect narration by Tim Goodman.

As usual a great story.

Hope this isn't the last of the series, it would be like losing old friends.

Another fun adventure with the PCU.

Loved it! I always enjoy the quirky crew at PCU. Glad to see a bit of romance tucked into the story this time around.