Three things came to me unexpectedly after putting down this book: first, I never expected that the writer of CHOCOLAT could produce a deeply atmospheric and suspenseful novel as this; second, the clever twist at the end took me by surprise that I almost grappled my wits close together; and third, I loved this book.


GENTLEMEN & PLAYERS is terrific, unput-downable, irresistible, and will keep you at the edge of your seat till the final page. I had never read a suspense/thriller novel for quite some time now (deeply immersed in fantasy), and when I first flipped this one, I knew I was in for a hell of a ride.


Joanne Harris tells this tale about St. Oswald’s Grammar School for Boys, an elite institution that trained students with magnetic gravitas for generations; rules were strict, conduct was severe, and the grounds were intimidating for the outsiders. Roy Straitley, a sixty-something Classics teacher, notices a different breeze blowing his way this new term, as five new teachers were hired to continue the tradition of excellence. It was still the start of the year and mysterious things already started befalling within the school premises, but they were too small to notice like the lost pen, lost mugs, and lesson plan gone astray. Until small things became great; scandals emerging, boys’ reputation being incriminated, faculty suspended, and the missing of a student named Knight. All of these threatened the very foundation of St. Oswald’s which remain sturdy and unflappable for ages. Little does the school know that there’s an adversary secretly moving inside its corridors, waiting for the pieces to fall, pawns to move, before making the final masterstroke that will ruin the school to its very core.


This tale of redemption and revenge is terrific. Harris, with her ability to write dark comedy, intense atmosphere, suspenseful passages and inimitable voice, is no wonder an engaging storyteller, rooting her experience as a former Grammar School for Boys teacher. It seemed as though she definitely knew her acquaintance with the bureaucracy of grammar schools, resulting in a believable narrative power. She also put a knuckle-knawingly tense climax that will keep you rooted to your spot and finally, when the adversary is revealed, a flashback will shoot into your head like rockets.


What made GENTLEMEN & PLAYERS uncommon is that the story is told by three narrators; one, the aging but composed Straitley; second, the obsessive new teacher that lurks within the pages, in an almost diabolical way; and last, the 14-year old flashback of a child whose hatred of St. Oswald’s will reverberate in the future, innocence lost and childhood days disturbed. Joanne Harris pulls this style brilliantly and made it work properly, shifting from present to past.


This is one of the best psychological thrillers I have ever read in my entire 19-year old life, so pardon me for being prejudiced but I definitely did not regret I knew Joanne Harris earlier than I expected. It’s a proof, her straightforward, no-nonsense, cutting-edge writing style breaks the ice, and I can’t wait to open another book from her. GENTLEMEN & PLAYERS is a mystery/crime/thriller classic.



RATING: A