Deadly Remains vs The Talleyrand Maxim: Which Should You Read?

Both live on shelves: Mystery

Deadly Remains Kate Ellis · 2025 ★★★★☆ 4.2 368 pages · ≈ 6 h 49 m · Moderate

Million-copy bestselling author Kate Ellis returns with the new mystery in the DI Wesley Peterson crime series.When a body is discovered in a picturesque South Devon village, DI Wesley Peterson is called in to…

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The Talleyrand Maxim Joseph Smith Fletcher · 1920 ★★★★☆ 3.9 195 pages · ≈ 3 h 37 m · Challenging

“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”

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…

Fiction

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Side by side

The verdict

Readers rate Deadly Remains highest: Deadly Remains 4.2 · The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9.
The Talleyrand Maxim is the quickest read — about 3 hours vs 6 for Deadly Remains.
Deadly Remains has the widest readership — 438 ratings behind its score.
The Talleyrand Maxim runs the darker storyline; Deadly Remains stays the lighter read.

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How to choose

Want a one-evening read? The Talleyrand Maxim ≈ 3h vs 6h for Deadly Remains Just want the better-reviewed one? Deadly Remains 4.2 vs 3.9 from readers New to the genre? Deadly Remains Moderate vs Challenging for The Talleyrand Maxim In the mood for something dark? The Talleyrand Maxim a darker storyline than Deadly Remains Want something lighter? Deadly Remains an easier tone than The Talleyrand Maxim

Scores by source

	Deadly Remains	The Talleyrand Maxim
Goodreads	4.2 (438)	3.9 (180)
Apple Books	4.5 (16)	4.5 (13)
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Reception

	Deadly Remains	The Talleyrand Maxim
Ratings	438	180
Editions	1	115
Want to read	96	102
Reading it now	64	28
Written reviews	25	30
Pages	368	195
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Questions readers ask

Which is rated higher: Deadly Remains or The Talleyrand Maxim?

Deadly Remains has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Deadly Remains 4.2/5, The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9/5).

Which is shorter to read: Deadly Remains 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); Deadly Remains (368 pages, ≈ 6 h 49 m).

Which is harder to read: Deadly Remains or The Talleyrand Maxim?

Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Deadly Remains: Moderate; The Talleyrand Maxim: Challenging.