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| Death in Cyprus: A Novel | 
 enlarge | Author: M. M. Kaye
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
Buy New: $3.83
You Save: $11.12 (74%)
New (33) Used (18) from $3.44
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 492587
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.7
ISBN: 0312263090
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780312263096
ASIN: 0312263090
Publication Date: February 10, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New, unread, publisher over-stock copies. Ships out by NEXT Business Day. We have shipped TWO MILLION+ Amazon orders to-date. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee!
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Product Description
Twenty-year-old Amanda Derrington is on an extended cruise with her uncle when she decides to make a short trip to the sun-washed island of Cyprus. But even before the ship arrives in the port, there is a suspicious death. Once the passengers reach the island, it soon becomes clear that the death was in fact an act of murder. What Amanda had meant to be a pleasant excursion quickly takes a turn for the worse in this classic novel of suspense and romance by one of our most celebrated writers.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3 more reviews...
Danger and Moonlight October 29, 2005
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
M. M. Kaye wrote this most enjoyable mystery novel set in an enchanting Cyprus that Kaye realized was too good to last. Years later when memories of places like Kyrenia had begun to fade, she made the sun shine bright one last time on the Cyprus she had seen and experienced with this marvelous adventure and romance touched with danger. Those who love the scope and beauty of Kaye's grand "The Far Pavillions," Trade Wind," and "Shadow of the Moon" will find much to love in the atmosphere created by the author in this old-fashioned mystery romance set in an exotic locale. Places like Port Said, Fayid, Limassol, Nicosia and Kyrenia are alive and filled with beauty and adventure once again, just as they were when Kaye saw them. M. M. Kaye made sure the sun would never truly set on the exotic place she knew with "Death in Cyprus."
Sunlit garden verandas and dinner tables overlooking a crystal sea of jade and emerald, and the breeze from silver-grey olive trees are described in such a manner you can almost taste them like a fresh purple grape from the vineyards of Nicosia. The setting is ripe for romance, but danger as well, and Kaye brought together both in one of her finest mysteries. While "Death in Zanzibar" will always hold a special place for me as it was the first of Kaye's mysteries I read, it must be said that "Death in Cyprus" is one of her most exciting mystery novels and is a perfect blend of adventure, romance and mystery. You will feel as though you too have enjoyed a vacation fraught with excitement and adventure upon finishing this most charming and old-fashioned style of mystery we will not bear witness to ever again.
Young and lovely twenty-year-old Amanda Derrington will board the S.S. Orantares and meet a group of people who will play an important part in her life in ways she could not have imagined. Before she leaves the ship for a stay in beautiful Cyprus a murder will occur that will reach the white-walled houses of Cyprus, shining bright against the sea. Only Amanda and Stephen Howard, a painter who carries a gun and may be more than he seems to be, know that it was murder, and not a suicide. Only the happenstance of a last minute cabin switch allowed Amanda to find the poison ending Julia Blaine's life. Amanda's knowledge of the crime will put her in danger as the killer is now aware of what Amanda knows.
The romance of Stephen and Amanda, or Amarantha as he calls her, is a very-old fashioned one born of danger and mystery. It is the kind of romance and mystery that recalls the best of Hitchcock's British films, and very much has that feel. Jealousy and romantic strife all come into play as just beneath the surface of smiles much is going on. Amanda will befriend more than one person while having doubts about Stephen and what his real purpose is in all this. A moonlight kiss will complicate matters, as will a second, and unexpected murder. And an attempt will be made on Amanda's life while in Kyrenia which will nearly succeed.
There is a terrific ending filled with both adventure and romance. You will not guess the killer or the motive, although the clues are there. The last few moments will be fraught with danger and excitement, and just when you believe all has been revealed, the true insanity of the real murderer will change what you though you knew. A fine and vivid assortment of characters enliven the story almost as much as the exotic locale. Grand beauty and old-fashioned romance amidst an ever-growing danger do the rest, making this a memorable mystery romance that outshines everyone else who wrote in this genre.
This particular mystery and romance novel was born in 1949 when M. M. Kaye and her husband were staying in Egypt because his regiment was assigned there. A painting holiday in Cyprus she and a friend took would sow all the seeds for "Death in Cyprus." The house described in Kyrenia is the actual one Kaye and her friend stayed in while there. A series of curious incidents witnessed by Kaye on her stay gave birth to the novel she would not have the opportunity to write for another five years.
Originally published in 1956 under the title "Death Walked in Cyprus," Kaye would make revisions that enhanced the story and made it even better. "Death in Cyprus" is a wonderful adventure for all those who like their mysteries on the old-fashioned side, shaded with beauty and touched with romance. You will find none better than "Death in Cyprus" and I highly recommend you take this vacation with M. M. Kaye and rediscover how a good mystery can refresh your soul. Enjoy.
Better than Agatha, and that's an incredible compliment! July 4, 2005
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
30 years ago I improved my knowledge of English reading more than 43 novels by Agatha Christie. Not only was I a fan of mysteries, I loved and still do the light touch of Miss Christie, her lovable characters from Hercule Poirot to Miss Marple. It is therefore a great, great compliment when I say that M.M. Kaye is better than Christie. Why? She is more detailed, there is greater local color, the characters are better developed. I am thrilled to have found someone as wonderful as M.M. Kaye - this is the first novel I read of hers-- and cannot wait to read more. I recommend this book to all mystery lovers, to all Agatha Christie lovers. Flying colors!
Sweeps you off your Feet September 10, 2004
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Death in Cyprus was captivating. I'll admit, it has a slow beginning, but once the story gets going in Cyprus you can't put the book down. The unlikely hero and witty, romantic dialogue gives the book a very lovable angle that will make you pick it up again and again. The suprise ending is very much of a suprise and (unless your Sherlock Holmes,) you won't even recognise some of the clues until the end. Death in Cyprus is not the best of M.M. Kaye's mysteries, but it's a romantic thriller that will sweep you off your feet.
 Good "British Empire" mysteru June 30, 2002
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
If M.M. Kaye had written more books like her "Death" series, she might have had a place almost as exalted as that of Agatha Christie. Best known for "The Far Pavilions," Kaye also wrote other stories set in the exotic locations that she had visited in the past. Though it may be politically incorrect to reminisce for times when the British were a strong presence around the world, it's hard not to wish oneself into one of these exotic mysteries.Twenty-one-year-old Amanda Derington is newly freed from her strict, oppressive uncle, and is travelling to Cyprus with a tour group that includes her uncle and aunt, a cynical romance novelist, a faux invalid and her doting husband, and an oddly attractive young artist. But after her aunt Julia enters a state of jealous hysteria and then dies mysteriously, Amanda finds a bottle of poison in her room. The artist, Steve, urges her not to reveal where she found it. Amanda comes to Cyprus, with the incident seemingly behind her. But her host, the kindly Glenn Barton, has to relocate her to the eccentric Miss Moon's. His wife Anita has left him and is now living with an artist, claiming that her husband is cheating on her with several women. And as Amanda tries to find out who killed Julia, she finds that more murders may be in store -- including her own. As always, M.M. Kaye evokes a bygone time of muted glamor, rugged Army officers, lots of flowers and atmospheric settings in exotic locales. Descriptions are good, not too flowery but help to bring images to mind. The dialogue is sprightly and realistic, very different for each person, and often hiding subtle clues as to the person's inner thoughts. Her characterizations are multilayered; characters like Anita Barton are not as simple as they seem, and may not be fully explained until the last pages. Amanda is much like Kaye's other mystery heroines -- young, pretty, bright, observant, brave, a little naive, and essentially kindhearted. Love interest Steve is attractively insolent and brainy, while the mild-mannered Glenn Barton hides unusual secrets; his wife Anita also hides secrets, behind a facade of alcohol and scandal. Monica Ford, Glenn's secretary, inspires either indifference or pity, depending on the part of the book one is reading. Miss Moon is the truly unique character, an effervescent old lady who dresses on opulent clothing and jewelry according to the day of the week. For a bit of nostalgic escapism, open "Death in Cyprus" and enjoy the exotic places and mind-bending mysteries. Then read the rest of the series, which is every bit as good as this book.
THE BEST! July 5, 2001
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
I have read lots of mystery stories, and I must say, this is the one that I can read over and over again. The setting is gorgeous - you can almost feel the sun on your face and the sand at your feet, and you almost feel like visting Cyprus, the beautiful land of Kyrenia, icosia, Huilarion, the Abbey of Belapais, the palace where Queen Berengaria waited for Richards ships. The tone used used is hilarious and the conversations and the hero as well as the heroine and enchanting. It is a must read!!
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