Review of ‘Mystery In The Channel’ by Freeman Wills Crofts

‘Mystery In The Channel’ by Freeman Wills Crofts is an Inspector French mystery, written in 1931. This, the seventh book in the series, is set in the area around the English Channel. Two men are found murdered aboard a yacht by a passing steamer. The dead men were connected to a large financial house, Moxon General Securities. As the business appears to be on the brink of collapse, Inspector French is brought in. When a large sum of money is found to be missing from the company, the mystery deepens. Were the dead men fleeing with ill gotten gains? If so, who killed them and ran off with the loot? 

The story was meticulously told and completely engrossing. I couldn’t put it down. I love the unhurried style of storytelling. The author drops each little breadcrumb at just the right time, and in doing so builds the case. French is understated and criminals underestimate him at their peril. 

I liked the parts set in France too, as it was interesting to read about France in the 1930s, written then. The story is of its time, using language and cultural references of the time. I found this one of the most appealing parts of the reading experience.  And because of the time that has passed since publication, it has great historical interest for me .

The pre-Second World War era is fascinating, as those living it had come out of a major conflict and a financial crash, but were not yet aware of the war to come. 

I loved the language used and the beauty of it. Freeman Wills Croft has an engaging style and I found myself completely immersed in the story. The introduction by Martin Edwards was excellent and a welcome addition to this edition.

I was given this ARC to review.

Review of ‘The 12.30 From Croydon’ by Freeman Wills Crofts

‘The 12.30 From Croydon’ by Freeman Wills Crofts is the second Freeman Wills Crofts mystery novel I’ve read, and I’m quickly becoming a fan of his meticulous storytelling. 

On a flight to Paris, elderly grandfather, Andrew Crowther dies in his seat. When questions are asked as to the nature of his death, we begin to find out what lead to it – and how it was planned.  The author takes the unusual step of telling the story from the point of view of the killer, making this a fascinating and utterly compelling read. 

This story looks into the mind of a killer, and how a very ordinary man finds himself on a destructive and dangerous path.  It tells of a man’s downfall and the terrible consequences. 

Inspector French is a quiet and unassuming character, and one that criminals underestimate at their peril. His contribution to the story was pivotal. An excellent story and one that will stay with me. 

I was given this ARC for review.

Review of ‘Death of a Bookseller’ by Bernard J Farmer

‘Death of a Bookseller’ by Bernard J Farmer is a bibliomystery published in 1956. When Sergeant Wigan meets a tipsy bookseller on the way home from his shift,  a friendship begins, and a new hobby. Michael Fisk is excited to have acquired a rare copy of Keats’ Endymion, and his enthusiasm rubs off on the policeman. Wigan begins his own book collection  and spends many hours discussing the subject with his new friend. Tragedy strikes when Fisk is found murdered in his library. The Sergeant begins to investigate the world of the rare bookseller and finds that jealousies and ruthless determination are rife. Could one of his fellow collectors be responsible for the murder? 

The world of the antiquarian book trade was fascinating and a complete revelation to me. Being written and set in the 1950s also added to the appeal of this book. The historical details were fascinating and I enjoyed spending a few hours there. The language and behaviour of the characters was of its time  and was at once more formal and polite – but also ruthless and cut-throat. The mystery was well written and I found myself unable to decide who to trust. I was hooked. 

I appreciated the incisive introduction by Martin Edwards. He places the book in its time and explains its place in the genre of classic crime. 

I was given this ARC to review.

Review of ‘The Edinburgh Mystery’ edited by Martin Edwards

‘The Edinburgh Mystery’ edited by Martin Edwards, is a collection of seventeen short mystery stories, set in Scotland. I love classic mysteries, so was thrilled to read so many stories in my favourite genre.    Although I had heard of, and read books by many of the authors, there were some that were new to me. Finding new names to read is one of the best parts of anthologies such as this. I particularly enjoyed ‘The Field Bazaar’ by Arthur Conan Doyle and ‘A Medical Crime’ by J Storer Clouston. It was also particularly thrilling to find a short story by Josephine Tey, not published since 1930. The introduction by Martin Edwards gives insight into the authors chosen and how they played a part in the mystery genre. I find this compelling and appreciate the chance to learn something  about authors previously unknown to me. 

I was given this ARC to review.

Review of ‘Two-Way Murder’ by E.C.R. Lorac

‘Two-Way Murder’ by E.C.R. Lorac was not published in the author’s lifetime, but thankfully the British Library has published it as part of the Crime Classics series. A mysterious disappearance the previous year is still being discussed as the local ball in Fording’s takes place. When a body is found on the road that very night, Waring of the C.I.D. is called in to investigate. It will take more than just a flair for investigation to unravel the mystery as the locals close ranks to keep their secrets. 

‘Two-Way Murder’ is a puzzling mystery and one that confounded my own detection skills no end. I enjoyed the careful and methodical way Waring sought his answers. The author’s skills lie in excellent storytelling, exquisite characterisation and misdirection. I loved wallowing in the Golden Age of Crime with E.C.R Lorac, a writer deserving of more recognition.

I was given this ARC to review.

Review of ‘The Hog’s Back Mystery’ by Freeman Wills Crofts

‘The Hog’s Back Mystery’ by Freeman Wills Crofts is an Inspector French mystery written in the 1930s. Set in the North Downs in Surrey, it is the story of a mysterious disappearance that becomes more intriguing as the case progresses. Dr James Earle lives quietly with his wife in the countryside. When he goes missing, the inspector is called in from Scotland Yard. But French cannot fathom what on earth has happened to him. When a visitor goes missing too, the police are baffled. Nothing makes any sense. But the author has concocted a brilliant puzzle. I was completely fooled and thoroughly satisfied by the end.

The setting is the last place one would expect such crimes to take place. It is rural and quiet and the inhabitants apparently genteel and respectable. The writing style perfectly matches this. But as any reader of English countryside mysteries knows, so much lurks under the surface. 

I don’t think I’ve ever read a mystery where the investigation is laid out so meticulously.  We see into the mind of the Inspector and begin to understand the crimes as he explains his thinking.  It was a brilliant piece of investigation, broken down in the most compelling way. I was hooked. I am so glad there as more in this series for me to discover.

I was given this book to review.

Review of ‘Due To A Death’ by Mary Kelly

‘Due To A Death’ by Mary Kelly is a dark, suspenseful novel published and set in the early 1960s. It is the story of Agnes and her first person narration of the events in her village in the days leading up to a terrible discovery. A body is found on the marsh. There are secrets amongst the people she knows and loves. As she thinks back we begin to discover that people are not always who they seem to be. 

This book is a departure from the usual reprints I have read in this genre. It is well written and immersive, but it is not in any way cosy or representative of the crime books I normally read. It is dark and grim and depressing. And this may be right up your street. It is also slow-paced, as the author takes her time to tell the story. So if you enjoy your mysteries on the darker side this is for you. 

I was given this ARC to review.

Review of ‘Crossed Skis’ by Carol Carnac

Crossed Skis by Carol Carnac

It’s 1952 in gloomy post-war London, and a group of travellers head off for the ski slopes of Austria. The eight men and eight women can’t wait to escape and partake of everything a European ski resort has to offer. But back home Inspector Brook of Scotland Yard is faced with a terrible death to solve – and the only clue points to an expert skier. Do any of the group have a connection? Brook must sift through the evidence and find the killer before it is too late.

I loved the tandem elements of the story, with the police investigation in London, where clues point to a link to the ski trip, and the trip itself. It was very well written and immersive.  It was made all the more interesting to someone in the early 21st century reading about post-war grimy and miserable London, and Europe recovering after the war and trying to get back to some sort of normality with tourism. Carol Carnac originally published this book in 1952, but it has not aged. It is as readable and impressive as it was then. 

Carnac lets her characters talk, and through them we see the story unfold. She has a knack for seeing who people really are, and knows their faults and vices. After all, people are people, and a good detective can always count on that. I loved this story and now feel compelled to hunt out more by this author.

I was given this ARC for review.

Review of ‘Murder Underground’ by Mavis Doriel Hay

‘Murder Underground’ was originally published in the 1930s, and it is to that time the reader is transported. The descriptions of London, life in boarding hotels and the various characters were fascinating.  It intrigued me.

When one of the boarders at the Frampton Hotel is found dead in Belsize Station, theories abound amongst the residents as to how she met her death. Miss Pongleton was not a popular woman, but none of her fellow residents would have wished a violent death on her. The strength of this story is in the characters and how they fit in to the mystery. I loved the conversations between them, and finding out slowly what part they each had to play. I can’t get enough of the Golden Age of Crime. 

I was given this ARC to review. 

Review of ‘Murder By The Book’ edited by Martin Edwards

I can’t adequately describe the thrill of looking at the contents of ‘Murder By The Book’ and seeing that some of my favourite authors of the Golden Age have stories in it. Gladys Mitchell, Ngaio Marsh and GDH and M Cole to name just a few. There are also stories written later by other writers, many paying homage to that era in their style.

There is a wonderfully informative introduction by Martin Edwards, and each story is prefaced by a piece about each author, what part they played in the genre and their other writings. They are all ‘bibliomysteries’, and all to do with books in some way. The best thing about this type of book is that I have been introduced to some writers that are new to me. I can now add them to my list of authors to check out.

My favourite stories were ‘A Man And His Mother-in-Law by Roy Vickers, ‘Chapter & Verse’ by Ngaio Marsh and ‘A Question of Character’ by Victor Canning. But they were all excellent stories and the perfect way to spend a few hours. Highly recommended.

I was given this ARC to review.