The Talleyrand Maxim vs Those Who Are Gone: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Mystery
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…
Those Who Are Gone
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Cold-case detective Raquel Laing faces new threats and long-buried secrets in this gripping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of the Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes series.SFPD Homicide Inspector Raquel…
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 Those Who Are Gone.
- The Talleyrand Maxim has the widest readership — 180 ratings behind its score.
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How to choose
Scores by source
| The Talleyrand Maxim | Those Who Are Gone | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.9 (180) | — |
| Hardcover | — | 2.0 (1) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (13) | 4.5 (7) |
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Reception
| The Talleyrand Maxim | Those Who Are Gone | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 180 | 7 |
| Editions | 115 | — |
| Want to read | 102 | — |
| Reading it now | 28 | — |
| Written reviews | 30 | — |
| Pages | 195 | 337 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The Talleyrand Maxim or Those Who Are Gone?
The Talleyrand Maxim has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Talleyrand Maxim 3.9/5, Those Who Are Gone 3.9/5).
Which is shorter to read: The Talleyrand Maxim or Those Who Are Gone?
The Talleyrand Maxim is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Talleyrand Maxim (195 pages, ≈ 3 h 37 m); Those Who Are Gone (337 pages, ≈ 6 h 14 m).
Which is harder to read: The Talleyrand Maxim or Those Who Are Gone?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The Talleyrand Maxim: Challenging; Those Who Are Gone: Moderate.