As this week's featured review is of a collection of short stories by Edmund Crispin, I thought it might be a good time to call your attention - again - to one of Crispin's books which is, I'm sorry to say, known rather confusingly by two titles. At the moment, it is most readily available today (in paperback, e-book and audio formats) as Frequent Hearses, though its original title in the U.K. (and in my original audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast nearly eight years ago) was Sudden Vengeance. Here is the text version of that original podcast review - I've cleaned it up a bit to include the latest information on the book's availability under both titles:
- 0 -
There was no question about it: the young lady had committed suicide. It was witnessed by the driver of her taxi – and by the occupants of a police car, which was passing by, too late to save her. But when police tried to identify her – they couldn’t. The name she was using – Gloria Scott - wasn’t real. And somebody carefully removed all traces of her true identity from the place where she had been living. All that, of course, was before the murders began. It happens in Frequent Hearses, by Edmund Crispin.
Let’s get a couple of key points squared away first, before we get too deep into our discussion. The original, British title for this book, when it was first published in the U. K. in 1950, was Sudden Vengeance. but when the book arrived in the United States, it was published as Frequent Hearses. At present [ed.: meaning early 2019], it appears to be more readily available as Frequent Hearses, so it’s the title I’ll use here – but if you’re looking to buy the book, your bookseller should look for copies under either name.
Both titles come from the same couplet of English poetry – from the eighteenth century British poet Alexander Pope. The couplet reads:
“On all the line a sudden vengeance waits,
And frequent hearses shall besiege your gates.”
It is from Pope’s “Elegy to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady.” The unnamed lady of Pope’s poem committed suicide, as did the young lady of this novel. And the poet calls for vengeance against those whom he held responsible for her death – the husband who deserted her and the entire family that failed to help her.
And – although the motive for the suicide of the woman who called herself “Gloria Scott” is different from that of Pope’s unfortunate lady - that is pretty much what we will see in Frequent Hearses. Which brings me to the other point that you should know going into this discussion: Edmund Crispin was the pen name of Robert Bruce Montgomery, whose primary line of work was as the composer of film scores for a variety of British movies. Quite obviously, Crispin had an insider’s knowledge of the British film industry – and he puts that knowledge to fine satirical use in Frequent Hearses.
The young girl who called herself "Gloria Scott" was a bit actor in a movie being filmed at the Long Fulton studio, outside London. The movie was to be based on the life of Alexander Pope and to focus on the Elegy in particular. To provide some degree of literary accuracy, the movie people have engaged Oxford University Professor Gervase Fen to review the script and provide some insights which will probably then be ignored by the filmmakers. Fen is Crispin’s detective, and he joins forces with the Scotland Yard inspector, named Humbleby, to try to solve the mystery of what drove Gloria Scott to suicide – and who she really was.
And, of course, what happens is that some of the people working on the movie begin dying. And Fen and Humbleby realize that – whatever the reason for the girl’s suicide – somebody appears to be taking vengeance on those who may have been responsible for it.
As this is a Crispin novel, there is a great deal of humor; some of the satire involving movie-making (as it was practiced in Britain in the mid-twentieth century), and is quite funny. And there is a great deal that is NOT funny – when the reason for Gloria Scott’s suicide is made clear, I think a great many readers will begin to sympathize with the unknown murderer who is trying to avenge the woman’s death.
Also – as frequently happens in a Crispin novel – the reader will find himself or herself surrounded by literary quotations. But, of course, when your central character is a Professor of English, that really should come as no surprise. I certainly didn’t recognize most of them nor do I think I was expected to recognize them – but Crispin quite clearly is enjoying himself. Consider this bit of dialogue, near the beginning, as Fen explains to Inspector Humbleby about the movie being based on the life of Alexander Pope:
“It’s based on the life of Pope.”
“The Pope?”
“Pope.”
“Now which Pope would that be, I wonder?” said Humbleby with the air of one who tries to take an intelligent interest in what is going forward. “Pius or Clement, or – “
Fen stared at him. “Alexander, of course.”
“You mean” – Humbleby spoke with something of an effort – “you mean the Borgia?”
“Don’t be so ridiculous, Humbleby,” said Fen. Do you really imagine they’ve called in a Professor of English to instruct them about the Borgias? No, I mean the poet, of course.”
That gives you some of the flavor. But along with the humor, Crispin can create a truly frightening atmosphere. One sequence in particular – where one of the characters pursues a killer into a garden maze – is quite terrifying, with the character – and the reader – very unpleasantly reminded of a similar pursuit in one of the excellent horror stories of M.R. James.
One more note for the Sherlockians among you: you may have recognized the name “Gloria Scott.” “The Adventure of the Gloria Scott” is one of the 56 original short stories featuring Sherlock Holmes. Given Crispin’s sense of humor and his tendency to quote (and parody) other writers, there’s little doubt that he borrowed the name from Doyle’s short story quite deliberately – it’s the kind of joke he clearly relishes.
Edmund Crispin is one of my favorite authors, although I think that some of his other mysteries are stronger and funnier. Frequent Hearses has some really harrowing scenes along with an amusing satirical look at the British movie industry. And I suspect the story – with its parallels to Pope’s elegy – will linger in your mind after you have finished the book.
- 0 -
You can listen to the original audio review by clicking here.
Next: Rim of the Pit, by Hake Talbot
Comments