The Manciple family, gathered at their family home, Cregwell Grange in the English village of Cregwell, is one of those delightful (if rather surreal) collections of colorful eccentrics who may be found in some traditional, plot-and-puzzle driven English mysteries. There is Major George Manciple, the titular head of the family. There is his brother Edwin, the retired Anglican bishop from the African nation of Bugolaland who loves English-style cryptic crosswords, full of puns and odd wordplay clues. There is another brother, Sir Claude, director of the nearby atomic research station. There is Aunt Dora Manciple, 93 years young and not slowing down at all, thank you, even if her hearing aid only whistles. And several more relatives, each with their own oddities and weaknesses. They are a charming family, even if they have next to no money and the house, Cregwell Grange, appears to be on the verge of collapsing around their ears. But could one of them possibly be guilty of murder? That's what Chief Inspector Henry Tibbett of Scotland Yard must determine in Murder Fantastical, a 1967 mystery by Patricia Moyes, featuring Inspector Tibbett, along with one of the finest supporting casts of eccentric characters any reader could wish. It's the subject of today's audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast, and you can listen to the complete review by clicking here.
The problem certainly began when Raymond Mason bought - and moved into - the lodge, on the Manciples' home property of Cregwell Grange. Mason was a bookmaker - that's a bookie, to you American visitors - and he was, not to mince words, a snob, interested in muscling his way into the upper layers of Cregwell society. He wanted to buy Cregwell Grange; the Manciples refused his offers, both reasonable and unreasonable, and Mason was setting up some truly nasty entanglements to force the issue. And then Mason was shot in the back - in the driveway of the Grange. The Chief Constable - another good friend of the Manciples - called in Scotland Yard to avoid the awkwardness of having to investigate close friends for murder. And so Henry Tibbett and his wife, Emmy, arrived in Cregwell. That's when Henry first encounters Major George Manciple sitting in a tree, waving a revolver, saying "bang bang" and trying to recreate the murder scene. As another character, the Chief Constable, observes, "conversation with George Manciple had this distressing effect of dispersing logic, as sunshine disperses fog." It leads to a memorable moment:
As Henry climbed into his car again he was aware of the carefully aimed pistol and the faint cry of ‘Bang, bang!’ from among the branches. He drove the few yards up to the front door in a state of pleasant anticipation. He felt reasonably certain that he was going to enjoy himself.
I’ve been trying – without much success – to figure out how to tell you more about the plot, more about the shooting, more about the Manciples, more about the surprising twists and the witty writing, all without spoilers. I have finally given up. Look, my friends, here’s the situation: you have a shooting. You have a likable and intelligent detective. You have a wildly eccentric family for whom misunderstanding the world around them seems to be a part of everyday life. You have some developments that are so funny that you will find yourself laughing very loudly indeed – and some other elements that will chill you. Saying much beyond that, I’m afraid, would spoil your reading pleasure. Trust me on this one. Murder Fantastical is well plotted and both very funny and touching. Just read it. Thank you.
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