The Richmond Diary

by Peter Rawlinson

When aesthete and society snob Francis Richmond died, he believed that no one would ever remember him. But he left behind him a diary, and when his heir, a young out- of-work actor, comes across it, he takes it to the newspapers. Digby Price, owner of News Universal, wants revenge. He wants to destroy the Minister for Defence Procurement, Richard Tancred - and Richmond's diary tells of Tancred's involvement with a millionaire industrialist. Price...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312275536
• ISBN13: 9780312275532
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Excellent mystery

Elderly and gay Francis Richmond utilizes his connections to the social and political English aristocracy to attend all the parties and galas of the rich and famous. Francis uses these events to gather gossip to record in his diary. When he dies, his boy toy inherits this titillating piece of scandal mongering. He sells the diary to Digby Price, owner of a London paper. In one diary entry Francis claims is to have observed the Minister of Defense Procurement Richard Tancred in secret meetings with defense contractor Oscar Sleaven. Digby has a score to settle with Tancred and exposes the Minister's corruption in his paper. Tancred resigns from government service and sues Digby for libel, taking their squabble into the courtroom, a place where lies are the norm. This British legal procedural is strong on characterizations yet contains an enigmatic plot that leaves the reader wondering what is going on. THE RICHMOND DIARY exemplifies to the audience an astute look into the British judicial system. Peter Rawlinson establishes himself as more than just a credible legal thriller author. He proves he belongs with the sub-genre's elite.Harriet Klausner