A Fatal Lie vs The Talleyrand Maxim: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Mystery
A Fatal Lie
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“If there’s ever been a more complex and compelling hero in crime fiction than Inspector Rutledge, I can’t think of one.” —Jeffery Deaver In one of his most puzzling cases, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge must…
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 Fatal Lie.
- A Fatal Lie has the widest readership — 5365 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| A Fatal Lie | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.0 (5365) | 3.9 (180) |
| Hardcover | 4.5 (2) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (222) | 4.5 (13) |
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Reception
| A Fatal Lie | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 5365 | 180 |
| Editions | 1 | 115 |
| Want to read | 7558 | 102 |
| Reading it now | 1429 | 28 |
| Written reviews | 649 | 30 |
| Pages | 336 | 195 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: A Fatal Lie or The Talleyrand Maxim?
A Fatal Lie has the higher combined reader rating across sources (A Fatal Lie 4.0/5, The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: A Fatal Lie 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 Fatal Lie (336 pages, ≈ 6 h 13 m).
Which is harder to read: A Fatal Lie or The Talleyrand Maxim?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — A Fatal Lie: Moderate; The Talleyrand Maxim: Challenging.