A Case of Mice and Murder vs The Talleyrand Maxim: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Mystery
A Case of Mice and Murder
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WINNER OF THE 2026 BRITISH BOOK AWARD, CRIME & THRILLER Named a Best Book of the Year by The Wall Street Journal, Library Journal, and Christian Science Monitor "I was immediately besotted . . . Brilliant."…
The Talleyrand Maxim
“Linford Pratt, senior clerk to Eldrick & Pascoe, solicitors, of Barford, a young man who earnestly desired to get on in life, by hook or by crook, with no objection whatever to crookedness, so long as it could be performed in safety and secrecy, had once during one of his periodical visit to the town Reference Library, lighted on a maxim of that other unscrupulous person, Prince Talleyrand, which”
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The “Talleyrand Maxim” holds that “With time and patience, the mulberry leaf is turned into satin.” The adage has the character of guidance for life for an ambitious legal clerk, Linford Pratt. Unlike most people, he…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- The Talleyrand Maxim is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for A Case of Mice and Murder.
- A Case of Mice and Murder has the widest readership — 5777 ratings behind its score.
- The Talleyrand Maxim runs the darker storyline; A Case of Mice and Murder stays the lighter read.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| A Case of Mice and Murder | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.1 (5777) | 3.9 (180) |
| Hardcover | 4.1 (11) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (34) | 4.5 (13) |
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Reception
| A Case of Mice and Murder | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 5777 | 180 |
| Editions | 4 | 115 |
| Want to read | 18199 | 102 |
| Reading it now | 768 | 28 |
| Written reviews | 911 | 30 |
| Pages | 352 | 195 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: A Case of Mice and Murder or The Talleyrand Maxim?
A Case of Mice and Murder has the higher combined reader rating across sources (A Case of Mice and Murder 4.1/5, The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: A Case of Mice and Murder or The Talleyrand Maxim?
The Talleyrand Maxim is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Talleyrand Maxim (195 pages, ≈ 3 h 37 m); A Case of Mice and Murder (352 pages, ≈ 6 h 31 m).
Which is harder to read: A Case of Mice and Murder or The Talleyrand Maxim?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — A Case of Mice and Murder: Moderate; The Talleyrand Maxim: Challenging.