Classic Mysteries

Vintage Mystery Challenge: Crispin's "Case of the Gilded Fly"

Here's another book, reviewed here earlier this year, that should be noted as part of the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge over on the Bev's Readers' Block blog.

First published in 1944, "The Case of the Gilded Fly," by Edmund Crispin, was the first mystery to feature the sleuthing talents of Oxford University Professor Gervase Fen. It is the story of murder among a theatrical troupe - an apparently impossible murder, in a locked room. The victim apparently was shot at point-blank range...but witnesses are prepared to swear that nobody but the victim was in the room. Yet suicide was equally impossible, not least because there's no gun in the room. As one of the police officers observes, rather gloomily, Fen proves pretty clearly that it couldn't have been suicide, while other witnesses prove that it couldn't have been murder, so the only obvious solution must be that it never happened in the first place.

As with all of Crispin's novels, "The Case of the Gilded Fly" has some first-rate touches of humor, as well as some truly horrifying scenes. The writing is wonderful, the characters are entertaining and distinctive, and Professor Fen is in his glory.

I am entering this in the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge in category 16, Locked Rooms. I do recommend checking out some of the other books that are being read and reviewed by other participants in the challenge - or, perhaps, you'd like to join in the challenge yourself? You'll find details at the link.

"A Hearse on May-Day"

“No maiden be safe, except under lock and key, at the Mayering of Seven Wells.”

That extremely odd, and rather ominous, warning is given to a young woman named Fenella Lestrange. Her car having broken down in the tiny English village of Seven Wells on the afternoon before May Day - the festival the locals call "Mayering" - she has no choice but to spend the night at the local pub. But the locals warn her to stay locked in her room, for her own safety.

Fenella, not being one to pay attention to efforts to restrict her freedom, rather naturally refuses to stay locked up. That, in turn, leads to a number of very bizarre adventures which, eventually, will involve Fenella's great-aunt, Dame Beatrice Bradley, in an investigation of a local murder. And that's really just the beginning of "A Hearse on May-Day," by Gladys Mitchell, featuring one of England's more eccentric detective characters, Mrs. Bradley, a woman of amazingly keen intellect, reptilian appearance and a truly appalling sense of fashion. "A Hearse on May-Day" is the subject of today's audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast, and you can listen to the entire review by clicking here.

Fenella is a strong-willed young woman, and she is determined to find out what is going on in Seven Wells. What she discovers, among other things, is some distinctly odd fertility rites, an odd gathering of people wearing face masks and costumes based on the signs of the zodiac, and a number of local residents who are muttering ominously about a decided shortage of skeletons. She also hears about the murder of the local squire, who is to be buried on May Day. When Fenella leaves the village the next morning, she travels to nearby relatives and gets a visit from her great-aunt, Mrs. Bradley, who has been asked to investigate that murder. Among the many questions to be answered: Why would anyone kill the popular squire? Who are the people hiding behind those Zodiac masks? Why did the original hosts and servants at the pub in Seven Wells disappear suddenly, to be replaced by an entirely new staff? What is the real story behind some newly-uncovered skeletons? And are the very odd activities observed by Fenella on Mayering Eve connected in some way with the murder?

Gladys Mitchell is not as well known in the US as the other "crime queens" of the English "Golden Age," but her mysteries can be thoroughly enjoyable, filled as they are with eccentric (and occasionally downright insane) characters, odd situations, a great deal of very dry and, sometimes, very dark humor and the wonderful personality of Mrs. Bradley. "A Hearse on May-Day" is one of Mitchell's later books, first published in 1972; this edition, from the invaluable Rue Morgue Press, is the book's first American publication. I think it's one of the most accessible (to an American audience) of Mrs. Bradley's appearances. By all means, give it a try.

My thanks again to Sally Powers, of the "I Love a Mystery" newsletter, for letting me use portions of the review which I originally wrote for that publication and for providing me with a copy of the book for review.

"The Chinese Orange Mystery"

The murder which is the centerpiece of "The Chinese Orange Mystery," by Ellery Queen, isn't - technically speaking - an impossible crime, I suppose - even though one door to the room where it happened was bolted and locked while the other one was constantly under observation. But it is most certainly an unusual, apparently inexplicable crime. As the author notes in the foreword to the book, "it might well have been subtitled: The Crime That Was Backwards."

Consider the situation: an unknown man walks into a suite of offices. He is told to wait in the next room. When last seen, he is settling down to read a magazine in that room, all by himself.

When the man is next seen, he is dead. All of his clothes apparently have been removed and then replaced front-to-back on his body. All the furniture in that waiting room has been reversed as well. The pictures in the room have been re-hung to face the walls. Oh, and somebody – presumably the murderer – has taken a couple of giant spears down from their positions hanging on the wall, and has jammed them into the victim’s clothing, so that the spear points look like a couple of gigantic horns growing out of the victim’s head.

And the reader - along with the detectives in the novel - must try to explain why all this has happened. Why has everything been reversed? Who is the dead man - for there are absolutely no identifying marks or labels on the man's clothes or on his body?

"The Chinese Orange Mystery" is the subject of today's audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast, and you can listen to the entire review by clicking here.

"Ellery Queen" was the pen name used by Frederick Dannay and Manfred Lee for their mysteries, as well as the name of their primary detective. This was the eighth of their earliest novels. While a lot of readers and critics prefer some of the author's later books with darker plots, which are less about puzzles and more about character and psychology, I love the early puzzle books, such as "The Chinese Orange Mystery," which originally appeared in 1934. Can you think of a good reason for that most peculiar setting, in which everything has been turned around? It's up to Ellery Queen, the character, to figure it out here - although the reader will be given all the clues as well and challenged to come up with the solution before reading the truth in the last few pages.

"The Chinese Orange Mystery" has been out of print, but the Mysterious Press, through Open Road Media, has brought it back as an e-book in popular formats. The publishers provided me with a copy for my review. Ellery Queen (the author) was one of the most influential American crime writers of traditional, fair-play mysteries. "The Chinese Orange Mystery" is a great example.

This book is another entry in the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge under way at the Reader's Block blog. I'm putting in in category 35, "Genuine Fakes: Authors who wrote under a pseudonym." That would be Dannay and Lee as Ellery Queen. Take a look at some of the many vintage books people are reading for this challenge - you may find some strong temptations there for your own reading pleasure!

Looking Back: Pluck o' the Irish

On St. Patrick's Day, I thought it might be worth looking back at three very Irish mysteries, all by the Irish author Eilis Dillon. She wrote three, all of which were reviewed here a couple of years back. The titles (with links to my blog posts, which, in turn, will provide links to audio reviews) are: Death at Crane's Court, Sent to His Account, and Death in the Quadrangle.

Dillon was a remarkably prolific writer, but after writing these three books, all in the mid-1950s, she never wrote any more mysteries. It's a pity. These are all witty, well-clued mysteries with likeable characters, and the Irish setting generally adds to the enjoyment. The Rue Morgue Press has reissued all three of these delightful books. I'd recommend them - even after St. Patrick's Day is over.

Malicious Intent

The secretive (but friendly) cabal behind this year's 25th running of the Malice Domestic conference has released the preliminary program schedule for the gathering, which will be held from May 3 through May 5 in Bethesda, Maryland.

It looks like another outstanding gathering for readers and authors of traditional mysteries - the kind personified, perhaps, by Agatha Christie, with little in the way of "on-stage" violence and even less of "on-stage" sex.

What you'll find is a wide variety of programs and panels. (DISCLOSURE: my wife will be moderating one of the Sunday panels.) There will be one-on-one interviews with this year's honored guests, including Laurie R. King, Peter Robinson, Aaron Elkins, Carolyn Hart and Laura Lippman. Author panels cover a wide range of topics of interest to fans and authors alike. Plenty of books to be read and plenty of authors signing their books. And there are regular features, including the wonderful Malice-Go-Round (described as being "like speed dating, with authors") and, of course, the grand banquet featuring presentation of the Agatha Awards.

If you've never been, there are still some spaces available - check out the registration information. It should be a wonderful weekend. I hope to see you there.

Another Reason for Bouchercon

Here's another good reason to go to Bouchercon, the oldest and largest of the world mystery conferences, this fall: Paul Doherty will be among the guests of honor. The festivities will be held in Albany, New York, September 19-22. I'm looking forward to meeting Professor Doherty and the other guests as well.

"The Nightingale Gallery"

Time to keep a New Year's resolution. At the beginning of the year, I promised readers that I would try to start talking about newer authors who are still writing what we like to call traditional mysteries - mysteries with puzzles, where the plots are at least as important as the psychological trappings of the characters.

With that promise in mind, I'd like to present British historian and author Paul Doherty, an amazingly prolific writer, the author of more than 80 books so far, with several series of historical mysteries to his credit - and with a healthy respect for the classic traditions of great mystery writing.

Consider the case of "The Nightingale Gallery," published in 1991, the first of a dozen books to feature Brother Athelstan, a Dominican friar and the assistant to the King's Coroner, Sir John Cranston, in late-14th century London. "The Nightingale Gallery is the subject of today's audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast, and you can listen to the entire review by clicking here.

In “The Nightingale Gallery,” a wealthy merchant, Sir Thomas Springall, is murdered, apparently by having drunk from a chalice filled with poisoned wine. The murderer, it appears, was Sir Thomas’s servant, who had quarreled with his master earlier in the day – and, after giving his master the poisoned drink, the servant apparently hanged himself in a fit of remorse. It is far too pat and easy a solution for Brother Athelstan and Sir John to accept – particularly as there are more mysterious deaths to be accounted for. And, as they investigate, it becomes clear that there is a good deal more at stake than just the murder of a rich businessman – for it could involve a struggle for control of the English throne.

This story takes place in a vibrant London presented richly enough to become almost a character itself in the book. Doherty is a historian and the headmaster of a high school in Woodford Green, Essex. In this series of mysteries called collectively "The Sorrows of Brother Athelstan," Doherty takes readers into medieval London - a place of considerable crime, squalor, filth, with occasional intervals of hope and cheer. You can smell the stench of Doherty's London as you read the books.

Paul Doherty is new to me, but I intend to read a lot more of his books and try his different series. I was led to him by the blogger who calls himself "Puzzle Doctor" at the blog called "In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel"; you'll find his thumbnail sketches of some of the stories about Brother Athelstan and Sir John Cranston here.

"The Nightingale Gallery" was originally published under the pseudonym "Paul Harding," but it has been reissued under Paul Doherty's name. It doesn't appear to be in print, but it is readily available as an e-book for Kindle and, I presume, other formats as well.

Ripley Returns

The most-talented Mike Ripley is back with another of his Getting Away With Murder columns.

Among his random thoughts this time: a look at some of the myriad award nominees making the rounds again at this time of year; Ripley's suggestion for a Richard the Third Award "for mystery writers who have been thought dead and forgotten (for anything up to 528 years)," the awards ceremony to take place in a car park (similar to the one where Richard's bones were discovered this year); sort of a review of the "Murder in the Library" exhibition; reviews of a couple of new thrillers; more on historical mysteries; Robert B. Parker in London; other musings on the crime fiction scene in the U. K.; and a remarkably interesting misreading of a book's title. Only Ripley could tie all that together.

It's all part of the latest edition of the Shots ezine. As Ripley would (and does) say, "Pip! Pip!"

"The Fingerprint"

The fingerprint was the highlight of Jonathan Field's collection. He loved to tell visitors about how he got the fingerprint after a wartime bomb blast left him trapped with one other man in a bombed-out building. The other man confessed that he had committed a murder and gotten away with it. And, without the man's knowing it, Jonathan had managed to get a fingerprint from him - though he never saw the man's face and had no idea whether he had even escaped from that ruined house. But, Jonathan said, he would recognize the man's voice again - if he ever heard it.

Did that fingerprint lead to Jonathan being shot to death in his country house more than a decade later?

That's the question at the heart of "The Fingerprint," by Patricia Wentworth, featuring one of my favorite Elderly-British-Lady detectives, Miss Maud Silver. "The Fingerprint" is the subject of today's audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast, and you can listen to the entire review by clicking here.

If you don't know Miss Silver, you're really missing a treat. She is often compared to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple - which is a little unfair to both of them. Miss Marple, after all, is an amateur sleuth. Miss Silver most decidedly is not. Miss Silver spent much of her life as a governess and school teacher. When she retired, she became a private investigator, and she has had a great many successes in tracking down dangerous criminals. Like Miss Marple, Miss Silver knits articles of clothing for the children of relatives and friends - and for much the same reason: nobody thinks twice about talking freely in the presence of an apparently harmless little old lady who is sitting nearby and knitting. That is a talent which certainly helps Miss Silver find her way to the truth in "The Fingerprint," for it is by no means a sure thing that Jonathan Field's murder had anything to do with that mysterious fingerprint specimen.

Miss Silver appeared in more than 30 books by Patricia Wentworth between her first appearance in 1928 and her last in 1961; "The Fingerprint" appeared in 1960. As such, it just makes it under the wire as another entry in the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge, in the category: Leave It to the Professionals: a book featuring cops, private eyes, secret service, professional spies, etc. Miss Silver, as the complete professional, surely falls into this category.

"The Fingerprint" is one of a number of Miss Silver mysteries now available in e-book format, although there seem to be a fair number of used copies available as well through the network of used book dealers. While I think there are better Miss Silver books - particularly the early ones - "The Fingerprint" is enjoyable.

Wolfe Comes to Baltimore

Here's an announcement from my friends at the Wolfe Pack that should be of interest to Nero Wolfe fans who live in the Baltimore-Washington area. There's a new branch...oops, sorry, this is a Wolfe orchid...a new raceme forming in the mid-Atlantic area. The group is calling itself the Mid-Atlantic and Chesapeake Area Book Raceme, surely a MACABRe name for an organization, but there you are. At any rate, they are having a general get-acquainted meetup and gathering (and, for the braver souls among you, a costume party) on Saturday afternoon, March 16, in Baltimore, and they are planning their first book discussion for April. Details at the link above.

As I've said here fairly often, I try to attend as many of the New York-area Wolfe Pack events as possible, as they are always lively and entertaining gatherings. For those who live in the Baltimore/Washington/Annapolis area, I suggest you check out the new group!