This book was, obviously, published in 1924 and it does feel very dated now, particularly in its attitudes towards race and class (it’s definitely not what you could call politically correct). And this provides yet another puzzle, as John tries to decide who can and cannot be trusted, who knows about the mutiny and who does not. During their time in the Legion, John and his brothers form some lasting friendships but also witness treachery and betrayal as a group of their fellow soldiers begin to plan a mutiny. Most of the novel is narrated by John Geste and through his eyes we are given some fascinating insights into life in the Foreign Legion, where people from a mixture of backgrounds and nationalities live and work together. Eventually they find themselves at the Fort of Zinderneuf in French North Africa, where Henri de Beaujolais stumbles upon the scenario described at the beginning of the book. One by one, they confess to the crime and run away to join the French Foreign Legion. All three brothers are present when the jewel disappears and all three decide to take the blame. The Gestes are orphans and live with their aunt, Lady Brandon, to whom the Blue Water belongs. His friend, however, is more interested in the contents of the letter in the dead officer’s hand: a letter which leads us to a second puzzle – the disappearance of a precious sapphire known as ‘the Blue Water’.īefore we can solve either of these two mysteries, we need to go back in time and meet the Geste brothers – Michael (nicknamed Beau because he is so good and honourable), his twin, Digby, and the youngest, John.

Telling this story later to a friend, the Major is still trying to work out what could have happened at the fort and what the sequence of events could have been. Their commander is dead too, with a bayonet through his heart, a revolver in one hand and a letter in the other. It begins with a particularly fascinating and perplexing puzzle – the discovery by Major Henri de Beaujolais of a fort in the desert manned entirely by dead soldiers, their bodies strategically positioned around the walls and ramparts. But if I was asked to describe it in one sentence, I would say that it’s a book for people who like puzzles. I do still want to read Precious Bane at some point (I’m curious to see what I think of it, having read some very mixed reviews), but I decided on Beau Geste instead as it sounded like a book I would be almost certain to enjoy.īeau Geste is many things: an adventure novel set in North Africa a tale of the French Foreign Legion an Agatha Christie-style whodunnit. When choosing what to read for Karen and Simon’s 1924 Club, I was pleased to find two unread books already on my shelf that were published in the required year: Precious Bane by Mary Webb and Beau Geste by Percival Christopher Wren.

Beau geste pc wren