Gentlemen Formerly Dressed

By Sulari Gentill

A fascinating historical mystery by Sulari Gentill, author of #1 LibraryReads pick The Woman in the Library

"This book has it all: intrigue among the British aristocracy, the Nazi threat and a dashing Australian hero. I didn't want it to end!" —Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author

Handsome, wry, and witty despite his impeccable manners, and the dedicated black sheep of his conservative, wealthy Australian family, Rowland Sinclair prefers to leave managing the immense family fortune and politics to his elder brother, Wil, while pursuing a life as a gentleman artist. A life in company of boho housemates Clyde, a fellow painter; Milton, a plagiarising poet; and Edna, the beautiful, emancipated sculptress who is both his muse and the (unacknowledged) love of his life.

Having barely escaped 1933 Germany while reluctantly pursuing an off-the-books mission in Munich, the usually stoic Rowly remains horrified and deeply troubled by the changes that have come about under the Nazi government. For the first time he is moved to take a stance politically, to try and sway the political thought of the time. A friend of the Left and son of the Right, Rowland doesn't really know what he is doing, or what should be done, but he is consumed with a notion that something should be done. Plus he needs to recuperate.

And so Rowly and his friends make for England, where a British aristocrat is soon found murdered in his club, dressed in a negligée impaled by a sword. It's too bizarre a death for a gentleman. His murder, and the suspicion falling on his young niece, quickly plunge the Australians into a world of trouble.

Featuring the dark underbelly of the, British aristocracy, fascists, illicit love, scandal, and spies, as well as players like H.G. Wells and Winston Churchill, this Rowland Sinclair WWII Mystery will appeal to fans of Rhys Bowen, Kerry Greenwood, and Jacqueline Winspear. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sourcebooks
• Release date: Jun 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781464206962

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!

[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.

[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.