Description
Fifty-something librarian Shona is a proud former pupil of the Marcia Blaine School for Girls, but has a deep loathing for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which she thinks gives her alma mater a bad name. Impeccably educated and an accomplished martial artist, linguist and musician, Shona is personally selected by Marcia Blaine herself to travel back in time for an important mission in fin-de-siecle France. But Shona finds this mission very confusing. Why, for example, have so many people been torn to death by wild animals, what are Maman and the mayor up to, and is the reclusive aristocrat really suffering from toothache? It's a race against time to solve the mystery. It is also a very tall order - but as Shona is wont to remind herself: Never underestimate a librarian!
Quirky, comic cosy crime: a time-travelling altruist must solve a mystery in fin-de-siecle Paris; A book series inspired by The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - and now with its own prize recognition, cult following and a string of hugely popular author appearances; Second in a series that is being compared with the greats of surreal humour - Wodehouse, the Marx Brothers, Blackadder et al.
About the Author
Olga Wojtas is an unconventional - and very witty - writer of postmodern crime fiction whose surrealist humour has been compared to the likes of PG Wodehouse, Jasper Fforde and the Marx Brothers. Her debut novel, Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar, has been published in the UK and US to great critical acclaim - being longlisted for the inaugural Comedy Women in Print Prize 2019, shortlisted for a CrimeFest Award, and named as one of the best mysteries and thrillers of the year by Kirkus. A journalist for more than 30 years, Olga was Scottish editor of the Times Higher Education Supplement before she began adding creative writing to her portfolio. She won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in 2015 and has had numerous short stories and several novellas published. Olga's second novel, Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Vampire Menace, was published in 2020. She lives in Edinburgh, where she once attended James Gillespie's High School - the model for Marcia Blaine School for Girls, which appears in Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, the novel that inspired the Miss Blaine's Prefect series.
Reviews
Comedy Women in Print prize 2020: LONGLISTED; "Audacious ... witty and fun." Alastair Mabbott, Herald; "Effortlessly blends together a number of genres ... Smart, funny and all-round good company, wherever Shona goes, readers will eagerly follow." Rhona Shennan, Scotsman; "Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Vampire Menace is a marvellous romp through history, myth, and legend, and delights by playing with all of these ... often impish and wry ... rip-roaring, genuinely thrilling, and laugh-out-loud funny." Alistair Braidwood, Scots Whay Hae; "The plot is engaging and keeps you turning the page ... it is the journey itself that is the reward. Highly recommended." Undiscovered Scotland; "I couldn't wait to be reunited with this character. I utterly love her company. So funny, so brisk, and above all, so well educated! More, more, more, please." Lynne Truss; "Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Vampire Menace is so clever, hugely enjoyable and absolutely hilarious." Portobello Book Blog; "The genius of Olga Wojtas' writing is that she is able to combine fact and fiction to delightful effect. Wojtas wears her erudition very lightly and uses it to charm and delight the reader in a whole host of laugh out loud moments ... Folklore, legends and historical figures are all used to fabulous effect in a magnificent time-travelling oeuvre that delights and entertains ... the sheer brio and delicacy of her writing is a real joy to read. It's warm, original, funny and irredeemably Scottish without losing its wider appeal." Live and Deadly; "Witty and enjoyable ... well-paced [with] relentless adventure ... original, unique." Jane Hunt Writer blog; "A thoroughly enjoyable romp." York Press: Book of the Week Praise for Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar: Crimefest Last Laugh Prize 2019, SHORTLISTED; Comedy Women in Print Prize 2019, LONGLISTED; a Kirkus top 10 title of 2018; "A delightful addition to the ranks of comic crime." Laura Wilson, Guardian (Pick of the Month); "Jane Austen stylings and Stella Gibbons satirical wit." Scotsman; "Like being trapped inside a Marx Brothers' film." David Robinson; "The creme de la creme of crime fiction debuts." Al Guthrie (author & agent); "Absolutely delightful ... perfect for fans of Jasper Fforde." Library Journal (starred review); "Marvellous... [a] laugh-out-loud farce." Publishers Weekly (starred review); "Anna Karenina written by P.G. Wodehouse." Linda Cracknell
Awards
Long-listed for Comedy Women in Print Prize 2020.
Book Information
ISBN 9781912235506
Author Olga Wojtas
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Contraband
Publisher Saraband
Quirky, comic cosy crime: a time-travelling altruist must solve a mystery in fin-de-siecle Paris; A book series inspired by The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - and now with its own prize recognition, cult following and a string of hugely popular author appearances; Second in a series that is being compared with the greats of surreal humour - Wodehouse, the Marx Brothers, Blackadder et al.
About the Author
Olga Wojtas is an unconventional - and very witty - writer of postmodern crime fiction whose surrealist humour has been compared to the likes of PG Wodehouse, Jasper Fforde and the Marx Brothers. Her debut novel, Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar, has been published in the UK and US to great critical acclaim - being longlisted for the inaugural Comedy Women in Print Prize 2019, shortlisted for a CrimeFest Award, and named as one of the best mysteries and thrillers of the year by Kirkus. A journalist for more than 30 years, Olga was Scottish editor of the Times Higher Education Supplement before she began adding creative writing to her portfolio. She won a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award in 2015 and has had numerous short stories and several novellas published. Olga's second novel, Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Vampire Menace, was published in 2020. She lives in Edinburgh, where she once attended James Gillespie's High School - the model for Marcia Blaine School for Girls, which appears in Muriel Spark's The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, the novel that inspired the Miss Blaine's Prefect series.
Reviews
Comedy Women in Print prize 2020: LONGLISTED; "Audacious ... witty and fun." Alastair Mabbott, Herald; "Effortlessly blends together a number of genres ... Smart, funny and all-round good company, wherever Shona goes, readers will eagerly follow." Rhona Shennan, Scotsman; "Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Vampire Menace is a marvellous romp through history, myth, and legend, and delights by playing with all of these ... often impish and wry ... rip-roaring, genuinely thrilling, and laugh-out-loud funny." Alistair Braidwood, Scots Whay Hae; "The plot is engaging and keeps you turning the page ... it is the journey itself that is the reward. Highly recommended." Undiscovered Scotland; "I couldn't wait to be reunited with this character. I utterly love her company. So funny, so brisk, and above all, so well educated! More, more, more, please." Lynne Truss; "Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Vampire Menace is so clever, hugely enjoyable and absolutely hilarious." Portobello Book Blog; "The genius of Olga Wojtas' writing is that she is able to combine fact and fiction to delightful effect. Wojtas wears her erudition very lightly and uses it to charm and delight the reader in a whole host of laugh out loud moments ... Folklore, legends and historical figures are all used to fabulous effect in a magnificent time-travelling oeuvre that delights and entertains ... the sheer brio and delicacy of her writing is a real joy to read. It's warm, original, funny and irredeemably Scottish without losing its wider appeal." Live and Deadly; "Witty and enjoyable ... well-paced [with] relentless adventure ... original, unique." Jane Hunt Writer blog; "A thoroughly enjoyable romp." York Press: Book of the Week Praise for Miss Blaine's Prefect and the Golden Samovar: Crimefest Last Laugh Prize 2019, SHORTLISTED; Comedy Women in Print Prize 2019, LONGLISTED; a Kirkus top 10 title of 2018; "A delightful addition to the ranks of comic crime." Laura Wilson, Guardian (Pick of the Month); "Jane Austen stylings and Stella Gibbons satirical wit." Scotsman; "Like being trapped inside a Marx Brothers' film." David Robinson; "The creme de la creme of crime fiction debuts." Al Guthrie (author & agent); "Absolutely delightful ... perfect for fans of Jasper Fforde." Library Journal (starred review); "Marvellous... [a] laugh-out-loud farce." Publishers Weekly (starred review); "Anna Karenina written by P.G. Wodehouse." Linda Cracknell
Awards
Long-listed for Comedy Women in Print Prize 2020.
Book Information
ISBN 9781912235506
Author Olga Wojtas
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Contraband
Publisher Saraband
