A Ruse of Shadows vs The Talleyrand Maxim: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Mystery
A Ruse of Shadows
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"I cannot recommend this series enough."—#1 New York Times bestselling author Ali HazelwoodCharlotte Holmes finds herself in a dreadfully precarious position when she’s accused of murder—a crime she’s accustomed to…
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
- Readers rate A Ruse of Shadows highest: A Ruse of Shadows 4.3 · The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9.
- The Talleyrand Maxim is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for A Ruse of Shadows.
- The Talleyrand Maxim has the widest readership — 180 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| A Ruse of Shadows | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | — | 3.9 (180) |
| Hardcover | 4.2 (13) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (72) | 4.5 (13) |
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Reception
| A Ruse of Shadows | The Talleyrand Maxim | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 72 | 180 |
| Editions | — | 115 |
| Want to read | — | 102 |
| Reading it now | — | 28 |
| Written reviews | — | 30 |
| Pages | 353 | 195 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: A Ruse of Shadows or The Talleyrand Maxim?
A Ruse of Shadows has the higher combined reader rating across sources (A Ruse of Shadows 4.3/5, The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: A Ruse of Shadows 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 Ruse of Shadows (353 pages, ≈ 6 h 32 m).
Which is harder to read: A Ruse of Shadows or The Talleyrand Maxim?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — A Ruse of Shadows: Moderate; The Talleyrand Maxim: Challenging.