“ [A] thoroughly entertaining and wonderfully witty historical mystery set in the richly detailed, occasionally bawdy world of Georgian England.” —Booklist. Her characters are delightful - each one feels immediately familiar. But then the 7th book came out ("An Echo in the Bone") and everybody was saying that you had to ha. Of course, in this case, I simply had to at least try to read these books to be sufficiently prepared for future series installments. [2] Hand of Devils reached #24 on The New York Times Hardcover Fiction Best-Seller List. "[6], A Trail of Fire (Four Outlander Tales) is a collection of Outlander short works released in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand in late 2012 and expected to be released in the United States and Canada in early 2014. As he waits for his next posting, Lord John Grey, a Major in His Majesty’s 47th Regiment, learns of the death of a Sergeant well known to him. Recently I saw Gabaldon at a sci-fi convention, and to get in the mood for it, I dug out this book, which I had snagged at a library discard sale for a buck or so. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Lord John and the Private Matter - (Lord John Grey) by Diana Gabaldon (Paperback) $15.59. Gerald asks Grey to meet him in secret that night, hinting at intrigue, but he is later killed in front of Grey and Quarry before he can divulge the reason for the meeting. Grey slouched comfortably on a bench in the tavern's deserted snug, restoring himself with a second pint of stout. But her writing is incredibly heavy-handed and in desperate need of a qualified editor. Will I be able to read (and understand) this book without having read Outlander first? —Booklist. I was discouraged not only by the average Goodreads rating of 3.35, but by the sheer memory of THE homosexual encounter in "Outlander." ratings. [3][23][25], The novella Lord John and the Plague of Zombies was first published in the 2011 Ace Books urban fantasy anthology Down These Strange Streets, edited by George R.R. And without further thought or hesitation had said, 'God help me, I am in love with you.”, “In defense of King, country, and family, he would unhesitatingly have sacrificed his virtue to Nessie, had that been required. --Booklist "Packed with vivid description and detail. I read this book a couple years back and enjoyed stepping into the world of Lord John and his Georgian London. Lord John and the Private Matter Page 21 “Well, then, d’ye want Lord John to go back there and rummage the place?” Quarry asked, impatient. I just couldn't get behind a gay lead, didn't understand the appeal or potential of this character. Specifications. [22], In 1761, Lord John is sent to Jamaica in command of a battalion to put down a slave rebellion and soon finds himself investigating a mystery involving snakes, spiders and zombies. [32] He said, "It's in the back of our minds as a potential thing, but right now our minds are pretty firmly set on just delivering the second season. Chapter 1 When First We Practice to Deceive London, June 1757 The Society for the Appreciation of the English Beefsteak, a Gentlemen’s Club It was the sort of thing one hopes momentarily that one has not really seen—because life would be so much more convenient if one hadn’t. Praise for Lord John and the Private Matter "[A] thoroughly entertaining and wonderfully witty historical mystery set in the richly detailed, occasionally bawdy world of Georgian England. The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 368 pages and is available in Mass Market Paperback format. So I picked it up even though I have, like, negative interest in reading the Outlander series that this is connected to (it's really long! About Lord John and the Private Matter. I read on Diana Gabaldon's web page that the Lord John series may be read in any order and separate from the Outlander books. She has earned three degrees: a B.S. Lord John and the Private Matter. [27] It was later collected in Seven Stones to Stand or Fall (2017). Returned from Scottish exile in 1757, Lord John pursues a traitor--a business complicated by a family affair of the utmost delicacy, and by his own memories of the Jacobite Rising ... and of James Fraser. -- Booklist "Packed with vivid description and detail. Praise for Lord John and the Private Matter "[A] thoroughly entertaining and wonderfully witty historical mystery set in the richly detailed, occasionally bawdy world of Georgian England." Help us improve this page. - for English-language books here in Japan, and because I am so desperate for reading material, I will now read pretty much anything I can find that looks vaguely interesting, especially if it's cheap. As he waits for his next posting, Lord John Grey, a Major in His Majesty’s 47th Regiment, learns of the death of a Sergeant ... Read More Catherine. [3][26] In April 2013, it became available as a standalone e-book titled A Plague of Zombies, and was later included in A Trail of Fire, an Outlander collection released in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand in late 2012 and expected to be released in the United States and Canada in early 2014. A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty’s Army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking. [1][3][10][18] As Haunted Soldier is a direct follow-up to her novel Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Gabaldon pushed the publication of the Hand of Devils collection until after the novel's release. Very disappointing I have loved the Outlander series and was looking forward to the Lord John series. After reading the first 3 books in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series (Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, and Voyager), this first book in the Lord John Grey series really did not meet my expectations. He's also a gay man, in a time when to be homosexual was a capital offense, and Lord John has more than most to lose by discovery. On a clear morning in mid-June, Lord John Grey emerges from London’s Beefsteak Club, his mind in turmoil. The first edition of the novel was published in 2003, and was written by Diana Gabaldon. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. [20][21] It was later collected in Seven Stones to Stand or Fall (2017). A nobleman and a high-ranking officer in His Majesty’s Army, Grey has just witnessed something shocking. And yet, when his hostess had introduced them and left, he found himself still holding the hand he had kissed, looking into soft brown eyes that drowned his soul. [1][3] They can be generally categorized as historical mysteries, and the three novels are shorter and focus on fewer plot threads than the main Outlander books. The plot of the story is interesting - Lord John Grey, by order of the Crown, is investigating the murder of a member of his regiment thought to be a traitor - a spy for the French. . About this item. This short novel is quite different from the Outlander books. It was just okay - if it's any indication as to what is to be expected of the other books in the series, I won't be running to the library for the next book. [30], Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, Past Poisons: An Ellis Peters Memorial Anthology of Historical Crime, Legends II: New Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy, "Top 10 Crushworthy LGBT Characters in Sci-Fi/Fantasy", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_John_series&oldid=985627065#Lord_John_and_the_Private_Matter_(2003), Literature by Hispanic and Latino American women, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, "Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade", This page was last edited on 27 October 2020, at 00:32. But cart it away someone did." What shall we do, for God’s sake?” On a clear morning in mid-June, Lord John Grey emerges from London’s Beefsteak Club, his mind in turmoil. The alarm had been raised promptly, of course, and a search instigated, but Calais was a medieval warren of a place, and nothing had been found. "Lord John and the Private Matter" is not an action yarn. [2] She said: Lord John Grey is an important character in the Outlander series, but he isn't onstage all the time. Lord John is in a difficult spot. Grey is an active soldier, living the good life, as Great Britain fends off France on three continents. "[25], The character of Lord John Grey has been called "one of the most complex and interesting" of the hundreds of characters in Gabaldon's Outlander novels. NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Diana Gabaldon weaves a dazzling tale of history, intrigue, and suspense in this first novel featuring one of her most popular characters from the Outlander saga: Lord John Grey. Just finished Lord John and the Private Matter which was very good. I have nearly finished the 2nd and I … The plot of the story is interesting - Lord John Grey, by order of the Crown, is investigating the murder of a member of his regiment thought to be a traitor - a. The year is 1757. Diana Jean Gabaldon Watkins grew up in Flagstaff, Arizona and is of Mexican-American and English descent. Number of Pages: 336. I seem to enjoy this book more each time I read it! Lord John is in a difficult spot. "[4], The novella Lord John and the Hellfire Club was originally published in the 1998 British anthology Past Poisons: An Ellis Peters Memorial Anthology of Historical Crime (edited by Maxim Jakubowski),[3][8] as well as by Bantam Dell as Lord John and the Hell-Fire Club in a "Complimentary Collector's Special Edition" the same year. Buy Lord John and the Private Matter Unabridged Audiobook by Diana Gabaldon (ISBN: 9781407477022) from Amazon's Book Store. So I hope you will enjoy this trip through the darker side of London life in the company of Scottish whores, … Please login to your account first; Need help? I thought I'd be able to 'wing' it; I was wrong. [1][2][11] Private Matter reached #8 on The New York Times Hardcover Fiction Best-Seller List. "[7] Robert Silverberg wrote of the character, "A gay man in a time when that particular predilection could get one hanged, Lord John is a man accustomed to keeping secrets. [1][3][10][18] Gabaldon pushed the publication of the collection until after the release of her novel Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade, since the action of Haunted Soldier picks up where Brotherhood of the Blade ends. Lord John and the Private Matter is the first novel in the Lord John Grey series by popular American author, Diana Gabaldon. Lord John and the Private Matter (Lord John Grey #1) The year is 1757. He's what I call a 'mushroom'—one of those unplanned people who pops up out of nowhere and walks off with any scene he's in—and he talks to me easily (and wittily). this is the order as indicated by the author: Yes. Nearing the end of my Outlander journey I realised, as I started An Echo in The Bone (#7) that there were things (and characters) alluded to within the first chapter that I was completely in the dark about. Here is the first of a captivating new trilogy featuring Lord John Grey, one of the most fascinating and engaging characters to emerge from Diana Gabaldon's bestselling Outlander saga. That first Lord John story became Lord John and the Hellfire Club (1998); it was well-received and Gabaldon decided that she would write more Grey-centric tales in her spare time. Diana Gabaldon is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular Outlander novels—Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes (for which she won a Quill Award and the Corine International Book Prize), An Echo in the Bone, and Written in My Own Heart’s Blood—as well as a collection of Outlander fiction, Seven Stones to … Read Lord John and the Private Matter. See all 6 questions about Lord John and the Private Matter…, Books that will distract you while waiting for the next outlander installment, Lord John and The Private Matter (LJG #1), Lord John and the Private Matter - Gabaldon - 3 stars, Krissy & Angie - Lord John and the Private Matter, The"Lord John and the Private matter" review by Susan Lussier, Jennifer C. & Vi - Lord John and the Private Matter. . I simply didn't feel like going through the same pain and suffering again. "[5] In 2007, Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade debuted at #1,[16] and the Hand of Devils collection reached #24 on The New York Times Hardcover Fiction Best-Seller List. [22], In 1762, Lord John is set to step down as temporary military governor of Jamaica when he learns that his mother is in Havana, Cuba, where the British Navy is headed to lay siege. Q&A. Refresh and try again. Lord John and the Private Matter After finishing the eight current Outlander books, Diana Gabaldon has become my favorite author. . Lord John and the Private Matter Page 21 “Well, then, d’ye want Lord John to go back there and rummage the place?” Quarry asked, impatient. I simply didn't feel like going through the same pain and suffering again. At this reminder of her delicate condition, Francine desisted, though she went on huffing beneath her hat brim, much in the manner of a bull who has chased intruders out of a field and means to see that they stay chased. [19], Gabaldon's third full-length Lord John novel, the 560-page The Scottish Prisoner, was published by Delacorte Press on November 29, 2011. I'd actually give this closer to 2.5 stars if I could. I love Lord John. Will Lord John Grey discover the answers before it's too late? Start by marking “Lord John and the Private Matter (Lord John Grey, #1)” as Want to Read: Error rating book. . Lord John and the Private Matter Page 1 . NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Diana Gabaldon weaves a dazzling tale of history, intrigue, and suspense in this first novel featuring one of her most popular characters from the Outlander saga: Lord John Grey. Welcome back. Gabaldon introduced Grey in the second Outlander novel Dragonfly in Amber (1992) as a sixteen-year-old English soldier who chances upon Jamie and Claire Fraser on the eve of the Battle of Prestonpans. and I kind of hate time travel!). [12] Publishers Weekly said of the novel, "Grey is a competent and likable sleuth, and Gabaldon's prose is crisply elegant. I'd actually give this closer to 2.5 stars if I could. Starting with the 1998 novella Lord John and the Hellfire Club, the Lord John spin-off … He departs to rescue her, accompanied by his valet, Tom Byrd, the ex-zombie Rodrigo, and Rodrigo's wife, Azeel. The epic, multivolume Outlander saga is the starting point for a brilliant new series that begins with the novel Lord John and the Private Matter. With more than 10 million copies in print worldwide, New York Times best-selling author Diana Gabaldons Outlander series is a global phenomenon. Lord John Grey himself has been called one of Gabaldon's "most complex and interesting" Outlander characters. [22], Lord John and the Hand of Devils is a 2007 Delacorte Press collection of the first three Lord John novellas: the previously published Lord John and the Hellfire Club (1998) and Lord John and the Succubus (2003), and the new tale Lord John and the Haunted Soldier, exclusive to this volume. While I'm still a fan of the character Lord John Grey, the absence of the lovable and magnificent Jamie and Claire highlights all of the weaknesses in Gabaldon's writing. Lord John and the Private Matter (Lord John Grey #1) The year is 1757. Lord John and the Private Matter, starring one of the most popular Outlander characters, captures all the adventure and magic of the series while delivering a fresh tale that is utterly captivating. [4] Publishers Weekly notes Grey to be "a competent and likable sleuth"[5] and a " soldier-hero with secrets of his own. Secretly homosexual "in a time when that particular predilection could get one hanged," the character has been called "one of the most complex and interesting" of the hundreds of characters in Gabaldon's Outlander novels. Free download or read online Lord John and the Private Matter pdf (ePUB) book. LORD JOHN AND THE PRIVATE MATTER is the first (accidental) novel in the Lord John Grey series, and the book responsible for there being a series about Lord John in the first place.