Gentlemen Formerly Dressed

By Sulari Gentill

A Rowland Sinclair Novel

After narrowly escaping Nazi terror, Rowland Sinclair and his companions land in London, believing they are safe.

But they are wrong.

A bizarre murder plunges the hapless Australians into a queer world of British aristocracy, fascist Blackshirts, illicit love, scandal and spies.

A world where gentlemen are not always what they are dressed up to be.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pantera Press
• Release date: Nov 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781921997310

Sulari Gentill

Sulari Gentill is the award-winning author of The Rowland Sinclair Mystery series, historical crime fiction novels set in the 1930s. She won the 2012 Davitt Award for Best Adult Crime Fiction and has been shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. After setting out to study astrophysics, graduating in law, and then abandoning her legal career to write books, she now grows French black truffles on her farm in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.

Reviews for Gentlemen Formerly Dressed

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

murder, Nazis, Black-Shirts, historical-fiction, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture-----Aussies in England 1933 after a rough time in Germany because they are artisans despite having wealthy connections in England. It's the time of the League of Nations, isolationism, and denial of the encroaching evil that is the Nazis and fascism. Amidst this backdrop, this group of talented friends finds themselves embroiled in a murder investigation, the peculiarities of the British aristocracy, meeting with some interesting historical personages, and toting around the wax head of a peer decommissioned from Mme Toussaud's. To top it off, the leader of this not always merry band is plagued by PTSD relating to the beating/broken right arm/swastika burned into his chest with cigarettes by the Nazis. Elaborate and well detailed, this excellent mystery is as convoluted as we could hope for! The publisher's blurb gives hints and there is no need for spoilers here. I requested and received a free review copy courtesy of NetGalley. Thank you!

[quibee · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The fifth book in the Rowland Sinclair series where the well-to-do artist and his friends have just escaped from Nazi Germany to prewar England.
Rowland's brother happens to be visiting for an economic conference and wants him to return to Australia, but before Rowland goes back, he wants to try and alert government people to the dangers presented by the Germany.
In the meantime, he becomes involved in looking into the murder of an important Briton who is discovered in a very embarrassing scenario, annoys the British Fascists and gets involved with a group of very peculiar Brits.
As usual, Rowland behaves in very foolish way a number of times and puts himself into danger quite unnecessarily.

[fliss88_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Never having read any books by this author before, I didn't know what to expect. This is not my usual genre, but was given to me by a friend. I must say that I think I will now go and look out the other titles in the Rowland Sinclair series. He reminded me a little of Lord Peter Wimsey, a character in Dorothy L. Sayers books. Rowland Sinclair is Australian, the time is the 1930's in the lead up to WW11, and everyone is here, from the Prince of Wales, Winston Churchill, Oswald Mosley, H.G. Wells even Wallis Simpson and Unity Mitford get a mention.

[vesper1931 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rowland Sinclair and his friends have managed to escape from Germany. But they are still not safe. Because of their experiences they feel a need to inform the authorities, so an initial meeting is arranged. Life becomes more complicated when they discover a body.
Sometimes I think Rowland is just a bit naive, but it was an enjoyable read. A mystery mixed in with the history of 1933.
A NetGalley Book