Briefs Encountered

Amazon Official Brief (sorry had to throw that in)

Noel Coward meets Julian Clary in this dark and wickedly funny ghost story!

Goodreads Blurb
Whoever said the afterlife would be easy?
Noel Coward is the toast of twenties society..... A brilliant playwright, composer and entertainer whose witty songs and pithy lines don't quite tell the full story. Goldenhurst, his house in Kent, England, provides a place where he can be himself and more importantly where he can be with his lover, Jack, without fear of arrest or judgement....
But their romantic idyll is ruined, first by the arrival of Noel's demanding relatives and then a mysterious death...

Many years later, film star and Coward fan Richard Stent buys the house from it's current owner. But Richard has problems of his own. Goldenhurst is supposed to be a respite from all is worries but this is a house with a very rich and not always pleasant history and more than one thing is about to go bump in the night...
A haunting tale of love, obsession and a house full of spirits, not all of them blithe...

MY REVIEW

Enjoyable little romp around a cottage in England, with two main protagonists, Noel (Coward) and Richard.  It was easy enough to imagine Noel’s voice and mannerisms in my head when reading his sections of the story but It took a little while to get Julian Clary’s voice out of my head when reading Richard’s sections, not helped by Julian’s name on every other page.  Once I had a well known 50ish Gay (but not camp) Holywood actor in my head I was able to push Julian aside. 

That being said I really did enjoy the premise of the story set over two time periods and revolving around the lives and loves of the two successful thespians and a house with a character all of it’s own.  Not to mention Julian popping in now and then sending himself up as only he can.  Oh and a few ghosts.     

As you would expect from Julian it is full of double entendres. Although there is sexual activity it isn’t overly explicit and romance features strongly.  Julian has produced a clever little ‘play’ in and around the central character (the house), this could easily translate to the stage in Noel Coward tradition.  The action really heats up towards the end with a few unexpected (to this reader) twists and turns.  I found it humorous and full of wit and would recommend this as a light entertaining read.  I would certainly read more of his work.