Among the people who lived in the "north country" of Northwest England called Lunesdale, not far from the beauties of the Lake District, the terrible temper of old Robert Garth was almost legendary. At the age of 82, he ruled as an autocrat over his family at Garthmere Hall, the family seat, with an iron fist. Rigid and unbending, he had forced his eldest son, Richard, to leave home 25 years earlier because the old man disapproved of his son's wife. And just about every member of the family and some of the neighbors, too, had good reason to hate him. Now, old Robert Garth was dead - shot and murdered. The logical suspects would appear to be members of his family, including that son who had been forced to leave home by his father a quarter-century ago. The local detective, Superintendent Layng, town-born-and-bred, couldn't get very far towards cracking the silence preserved by the Lunesdale farmers. So Scotland Yard sent Chief Inspector Macdonald to look for clues among the farming community that worked the fine and fertile land in the shadow of the fells to see if he could unlock and uncover the secrets that led to murder. The story is told in Fell Murder, a 1944 novel by E.C.R. Lorac. It is the subject of today's audio review on the Classic Mysteries podcast, and you are welcome to listen to the complete review by clicking here.
The mystery in Fells Murder is well-handled, but, to me, the real heart of the book, and the most worthwhile parts of the story, are the author’s clear love for Lunesdale, its people, its farms and the habits and lifestyle of the folks who live there. the characters are not stereotypes. Even the unsympathetic ones may surprise and delight you. Old Robert Garth, for example, despite his furies and his temper, is presented by other characters, as a good landlord who can be counted on, for example, when one of his farmers needs sudden help harvesting and moving crops.
As you read Fell Murder, take time to savor some of Lorac’s descriptions of Lunesdale, and of farm life in rural England near the end of World War II – a way of life that was extremely demanding but also, as you will see, very rewarding. When so many lives are essentially turned upside down by violence, you will feel for their losses. The more I read of E.C.R. Lorac’s books the better I enjoy them, and I do think that Fell Murder is one of the best that I have read so far. This new edition of Fell Murder comes from the British Library and Poisoned Pen Press, and it also includes a helpful introduction written by mystery historian Martin Edwards
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