Gentlemen and Players: A Novel

Brief Description: < b>A New York Times Bestseller< /b>< P>For generations, privileged young men have attended St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys to be groomed for success. But this year the wind of unwelcome change is blowing. Harboring dark ties to the school's past, a young teacher has arrived with one terrible goal . . . Review Quotes: "Harris pulls it all off . . . Book groups of the world, watch out."--The GuardianReview Quotes: "Far darker than Chocolat author Harris's previous books, this canny page-turner comes with a satisfying twist."--Mail on SundayReview Quotes: "[A] gripping psychological thriller. . . . [Harris] cleverly keeps the reader guessing till the very last chapter.--ExpressReview Quotes: "Fun with a neat twist ... it's a bit like A. J. Wentworth squaring up to the talented Mr. Ripley."--The IndependentReview Quotes: "[A] tense, perspective-shifting narrative ... [A] page-turning climax that ... avoids the easy out of a tidy ending."--Tampa TribuneReview Quotes: "A strong psychological mystery." -- Times Educational SupplementReview Quotes: "Very good indeed."--Bookseller (London) Review Quotes: "[An] enjoyable mystery romp." -- Sunday Times (London) Review Quotes: "A literary gobstopper with an aniseed heart." -- IndependentReview Quotes: "Very good indeed." -- Bookseller (London) Review Quotes: "Perfect escapist reading for deep winter." -- Hartford CourantReview Quotes: "[A] masterful literary thriller." -- Fort Myers (Fla.) News-PressReview Quotes: "With GENTLEMEN & PLAYERS Harris has tapped an unsuspected talent for writing sophisticated, absorbing suspense."--Daily NewsReview Quotes: "One of those rare books that grips and holds you . . . [B]oth socially important and vastly entertaining."--Chicago TribuneReview Quotes: "[A] disturbing yet strangely rewarding morality tale . . . Not every chess game ends with a checkmate."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) Review Quotes: "A strong psychological mystery."--Times Educational SupplementReview Quotes: "Don't start this one late in the evening, unless you plan to stay up all night. It's that gripping."--Seattle TimesReview Quotes: "Riveting . . . The checkmate is a bold stroke -- so audacious as to send readers, including this one, backtracking."--Houston ChronicleReview Quotes: "[A] masterful literary thriller."--Fort Myers (Fla.) News-PressReview Quotes: "Irresistible . . . Constantly surprising and wickedly fun."--Washington Post Book WorldReview Quotes: "Best of all is a dazzling climactic twist . . . . its last move is a winner."--New York Times Book ReviewReview Quotes: A literary gobstopper with an aniseed heart. --IndependentReview Quotes: A strong psychological mystery. --Times Educational SupplementReview Quotes: [A] gripping psychological thriller. . . . [Harris] cleverly keeps the reader guessing till the very last chapter.--ExpressReview Quotes: Don t start this one late in the evening, unless you plan to stay up all night. It s that gripping. --Seattle TimesReview Quotes: A cunning, high-brow cat-and-mouse tale ... [W]ill keep even the sharpest readers off-guard. --Florida Times-UnionReview Quotes: Perfect escapist reading for deep winter. --Hartford CourantReview Quotes: [A] clever story of obsession and revenge . . . .[Harris] has scored another success. --Daily Telegraph (London) Review Quotes: [A] tense, perspective-shifting narrative ... [A] page-turning climax that ... avoids the easy out of a tidy ending. --Tampa TribuneReview Quotes: Very good indeed. --Bookseller (London) Review Quotes: Riveting . . . The checkmate is a bold stroke -- so audacious as to send readers, including this one, backtracking. --Houston ChronicleReview Quotes: The gold standard for this year s best mystery...[GENTLEMEN AND PLAYERS] left me breathless...a delightful read. --Salon.comReview Quotes: [An] enjoyable mystery romp. --Sunday Times (London) Review Quotes: [A] masterful literary thriller. --Fort Myers (Fla.) News-PressReview Quotes: Harris pulls it all off . . . Book groups of the world, watch out. --The GuardianReview Quotes: A complex, well-crafted murder mystery, with its author s trademark blend of wit, wisdom and magic. --Time Out LondonReview Quotes: Far darker than Chocolat author Harris s previous books, this canny page-turner comes with a satisfying twist. --Mail on SundayReview Quotes: Irresistible . . . Constantly surprising and wickedly fun. --Washington Post Book WorldReview Quotes: With GENTLEMEN & PLAYERS Harris has tapped an unsuspected talent for writing sophisticated, absorbing suspense. --Daily NewsReview Quotes: One of those rare books that grips and holds you . . . [B]oth socially important and vastly entertaining. --Chicago TribuneReview Quotes: Fun with a neat twist ... it s a bit like A. J. Wentworth squaring up to the talented Mr. Ripley. --The IndependentReview Quotes: [A] disturbing yet strangely rewarding morality tale . . . Not every chess game ends with a checkmate. --Publishers Weekly (starred review) Review Quotes: [Harris] turns to the literary thriller, with stunning results . . . This is one hypnotic page-turner. --Booklist (starred review) Review Quotes: Best of all is a dazzling climactic twist . . . . its last move is a winner. --New York Times Book ReviewReview Quotes: "[A] clever story of obsession and revenge . . . .[Harris] has scored another success."--Daily Telegraph (London) Review Quotes: "A complex, well-crafted murder mystery, with its author's trademark blend of wit, wisdom and magic."--Time Out LondonReview Quotes: "A literary gobstopper with an aniseed heart."--IndependentReview Quotes: "Perfect escapist reading for deep winter."--Hartford CourantReview Quotes: "[Harris] turns to the literary thriller, with stunning results . . . This is one hypnotic page-turner."--Booklist (starred review) Review Quotes: "[An] enjoyable mystery romp."--Sunday Times (London) Review Quotes: "A cunning, high-brow cat-and-mouse tale ... [W]ill keep even the sharpest readers off-guard."--Florida Times-UnionReview Quotes: "The gold standard for this year's best mystery...[GENTLEMEN AND PLAYERS] left me breathless...a delightful read."--Salon.comMarc Notes: Includes P. S.: insights, interviews & more. Publisher Marketing: For generations, privileged young men have attended St. Oswald's Grammar School for Boys, groomed for success by the likes of Roy Straitley, the eccentric Classics teacher who has been a fixture there for more than thirty years. This year, however, the wind of unwelcome change is blowing, and Straitley is finally, reluctantly, contemplating retirement. As the new term gets under way, a number of incidents befall students and faculty alike, beginning as small annoyances but soon escalating in both number and consequence. St. Oswald's is unraveling, and only Straitley stands in the way of its ruin. But he faces a formidable opponent with a bitter grudge and a master strategy that has been meticulously planned to the final, deadly move. Review Citations:

Booksense '76 January 2006 01/01/2006 pg. 1 (EAN 9780786285518, Hardcover)

Library Journal 03/15/2007 pg. 103 (EAN 9780792739036, Compact Disc) - *Starred Review

Kliatt 07/01/2006 pg. 46 (EAN 9780061123283, Compact Disc)

Publishers Weekly 03/06/2006 pg. 66 (EAN 9780061123283, Compact Disc) - *Starred Review

Library Journal Prepub Alert 09/15/2005 pg. 48 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover)

School Library Journal 06/01/2006 pg. 192 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover)

Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2005 pg. 1101 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover)

Wilson Fiction Catalog 01/01/2007 pg. 41 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover)

Wilson Fiction Catalog 01/01/2010 pg. 326 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover)

Wilson Fiction Catalog 01/01/2014 pg. 403 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover)

Shelf Awareness 01/01/0001 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover)

Booklist 11/15/2005 pg. 26 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Library Journal 12/01/2005 pg. 112 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Publishers Weekly 10/31/2005 pg. 31 (EAN 9780060559144, Hardcover) - *Starred Review

Contributor Bio:  Harris, Joanne Joanne Harris is the author of seven previous novels--Chocolat, Blackberry Wine, Five Quarters of the Orange, Coastliners, Holy Fools, Sleep, Pale Sister, and Gentlemen & Players; a short story collection, Jigs & Reels; and two cookbook/memoirs, My French Kitchen and The French Market. Half French and half British, she lives in England.