A review by haf59
Hell! Said the Duchess: A Bedtime Story by Michael Arlen

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Published between the first and second world wars, this is essentially a satirical social comedy with a demonic serial killer and Scotland Yard in pursuit as the extremely loose narrative thread binding together the wisps of humor and archly rendered spoofs of high society, literary detectives, and the Lost Generation. It's a very odd book, which works in some ways and nearly works in others, but is very uneven and probably not for more modern tastes, generally. It ends up being fairly flimsy overall.