Perishable Goods

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Perishable Goods
Perishable Goods H&S dustjacket.jpg
1929 H&S dustjacket
Author Dornford Yates
SeriesChandos books
GenreNovel
Publisher Hodder and Stoughton [1]
Publication date
1928 [1]
Media typePrint
Pages310 [1]
Preceded by Blind Corner  
Followed by Blood Royal  

Perishable Goods is a 1928 novel by the English author Dornford Yates (Cecil William Mercer), the second in his Chandos thriller series and a sequel to Blind Corner . The story features the recurrent characters Richard Chandos (narrator), Jonathan Mansel and George Hanbury, with their respective servants Bell, Carson and Rowley.

Contents

Plot

While on holiday at Poganec in Carinthia with Berry, Daphne and Boy (from the Berry books), Adèle is kidnapped by the villain 'Rose' Noble (in revenge for his defeat in Blind Corner) and is held captive at the Castle of Gath near Lass. A ransom is demanded. She is rescued by Chandos, Mansel, Hanbury and their servants.

Background

According to Mercer's biographer, AJ Smithers, the author took inspiration from Anthony Hope: "Perishable Goods is The Prisoner of Zenda , with variations." [2] The author himself, commenting in 1958 through his character Boy Pleydell, acknowledged resemblances between his work and that of Hope, but mentioned specifically not this novel but the next two, Blood Royal and Fire Below . [3]

The book was such a success that the author concentrated on Chandos in the years to come, reducing his work on light romantic material. [4]

Critical reception

Perishable Goods was warmly-reviewed when it appeared in July 1928, and sold very well, being reprinted five times before the year-end. [4]

The story Letters Patent in Yates' book Maiden Stakes refers to the plot and publishing of Perishable Goods and a letter received from an unhappy reader.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dornford Yates</span> English writer and novelist (1885–1960)

Cecil William Mercer, known by his pen name Dornford Yates, was an English writer and novelist whose novels and short stories, some humorous, some thrillers, were best-sellers during the Interwar Period.

<i>The House That Berry Built</i> 1945 novel by Dornford Yates

The House That Berry Built is a 1945 humorous semi-autobiographical novel by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters. It is a lightly fictionalised recounting of the construction of the author's house Cockade in the commune of Eaux-Bonnes, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France.

<i>The Brother of Daphne</i> 1914 short story collection by Dornford Yates

The Brother of Daphne is a 1914 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, the first book published under the pen name he had been using for magazine pieces since 1910. This was also the first book to feature the group of characters that featured in many of his future works: Bertram ('Berry') Pleydell, his wife and cousin Daphne Pleydell, Daphne's brother Boy Pleydell, another cousin Jonathan ('Jonah') Mansel, and Jonah's younger sister Jill Mansel. The group of five - Berry, Daphne, Boy, Jonah and Jill - later came to be known collectively as 'Berry and Co'.

<i>Berry and Co.</i> 1921 short story collection by Dornford Yates

Berry and Co. is a 1921 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, his third book, featuring his recurring characters Bertram ('Berry') Pleydell, his wife and cousin Daphne Pleydell, Daphne's brother Boy Pleydell, another cousin Jonathan ('Jonah') Mansel, and Jonah's younger sister Jill Mansel. The group of five - Berry, Daphne, Boy, Jonah and Jill - are collectively 'Berry and Co.'

<i>Adèle and Co.</i> 1931 novel by Dornford Yates

Adèle and Co. is a 1931 comic novel by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters. This was Yates's first full-length Berry novel, following several earlier Berry short story collections. It was the first Berry book to be published in the UK by Hodder & Stoughton, and not to be serialised in The Windsor Magazine.

<i>And Berry Came Too</i> 1936 short story collection by Dornford Yates

And Berry Came Too is a 1936 collection of comic short stories by the English author Dornford Yates, featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters.

<i>The Berry Scene</i> 1947 short story collection by Dornford Yates

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<i>As Berry and I Were Saying</i> 1952 fictionalised memoirs of Dornford Yates

As Berry and I Were Saying is the first volume of fictionalised memoirs of the English author Dornford Yates, published in 1952 and featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters - Berry, Daphne, Boy and Jill. A second volume, B-Berry and I Look Back, was published in 1958.

<i>B-Berry and I Look Back</i> 1958 fictionalised memoirs of Dornford Yates

B-Berry and I Look Back is the second volume of fictionalised memoirs of the English author Dornford Yates, published in 1958 and featuring his recurring 'Berry' characters - Berry, Daphne, Boy, Jill and Jonah. The first volume, As Berry and I Were Saying, had been published in 1952. It was his last book.

<i>Blind Corner</i> (novel) 1927 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Blind Corner is a 1927 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. The book was the first in his Chandos thriller series and is narrated in the first person by Richard Chandos. In addition to Chandos and his servant Bell, the novel features a cast of characters who recur in many of the later books: George Hanbury and Jonathan Mansel; their respective servants Rowley and Carson; and Tester the Sealyham terrier. Mansel's character also appears as Jonah Mansel in the author's 'Berry' series of comic books and short stories, though he is not written for comic effect in this nor the later 'Chandos' books.

<i>Blood Royal</i> 1929 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Blood Royal is a 1929 novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the third in his Chandos thriller series. The story features the recurrent characters Richard Chandos (narrator) and George Hanbury, with their servants Bell and Rowley. Jonathan Mansel does not appear in this book.

<i>Fire Below</i> 1930 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Fire Below is a 1930 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the fourth in his Chandos thriller series and a sequel to Blood Royal. The book was published in the US under the title By Royal Command.

<i>She Fell Among Thieves</i> 1935 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

She Fell Among Thieves is a 1935 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the fifth in his 'Chandos' thriller series. It was serialised in Woman's Journal. The title comes from a phrase in the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

<i>An Eye for a Tooth</i> 1943 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

An Eye for a Tooth is a 1943 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the sixth in his 'Chandos' thriller series. The events of the story immediately follow those of Blind Corner.

<i>Red in the Morning</i> 1946 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Red in the Morning is a 1946 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the seventh in his 'Chandos' thriller series. The events of the story immediately follow those of his 1939 novel Gale Warning in which Richard Chandos and Jonathan Mansel appear as characters. The book was published in the US under the title Were Death Denied.

<i>Cost Price</i> 1949 adventure novel by Dornford Yates

Cost Price is a 1949 adventure novel by the English author Dornford Yates, the eighth and last in his 'Chandos' thriller series. It serves as a sequel to his 1932 novel Safe Custody. The book was published in the US under the title The Laughing Bacchante.

<i>Maiden Stakes</i> 1928 short story collection by Dornford Yates

Maiden Stakes is a 1928 collection of short stories by the English author Dornford Yates originally written for The Windsor Magazine.

<i>Safe Custody</i> 1932 novel by Dornford Yates

Safe Custody is a 1932 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was serialised weekly in five parts in The Saturday Evening Post in October and November 1931 as "Your Castle of Hohenems", illustrated by F. R. Gruger.

<i>Gale Warning</i> 1939 novel by Dornford Yates

Gale Warning is a 1939 novel by the English author Dornford Yates. It was first serialised in Woman's Home Companion. Although it includes Chandos and Mansel, as a first person narrative by another character it is not normally counted as one of the author's 'Chandos' books.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "British Library Item details". primocat.bl.uk. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  2. Smithers 1982, p. 146.
  3. Yates, Dornford (1958). B-Berry and I Look Back. London: Ward Lock. p. 148.
  4. 1 2 Smithers 1982, p. 148.

Bibliography