Men For Pieces by Brian Flynn

Men For Pieces (1949) is book 36 in Brian Flynn’s Anthony Bathurst Mysteries series. Along with this one, Dean Street Press are republishing books 37 through to 40, Black Agent (1950), Where There Was Smoke (1951), And Cauldron Bubble (1951), and The Ring of Innocent (1952). And all five books come out today! Brian Flynn wrote 57 mysteries, of which, I believe, 53 of them feature his brilliant gentleman detective Anthony Lotherington Bathurst. Dean Street Press have republished book one, The Billiard-Room Mystery (1927), through to book 40. 

I have not read the first book, or the second. In fact, I have only read one other book in this series. It was one of the books around the middle, and I was not overly impressed by it. However, I was on holiday at the time and after a two day long journey in the car we ended up at the most abysmal rental. It was so damp that if you sat on the couch you cold feel moisture seeming into your clothes. It was dirty. It smelled, unsurprisingly. And a mere dribble came out of the shower. Even Clark—who is a dog, for anyone who does not know—kept giving the couch suspicious sniffs. Needless to say, I could not get comfortable and spent the entire time we were there sitting outside, waiting for it to be over. It is doubtful that any book I read in that environment would have impressed me. The sad thing is, I was only made aware of this fact through reading Men For Pieces. I had such a great time reading this book, and absolutely loved our detective, Anthony Lotherington Bathurst, that I am determined to start the series from the beginning and read my way through all the books, including that one that didn’t get the attention it deserved from me the first time around. But before I go off on a Brian Flynn binge, let’s talk about Men For Pieces.

Peter Oliver worked at Delaney’s bank, until the day he didn’t show up. Everyone there assumes he is sick and just failed to let them know. But his fiancée Stella Forrest knows something is wrong when he fails to come from lunch to the restaurant where she works. With Peter’s parents and siblings away for Easter the couple spent much of the weekend together. The last words he said to her on Monday night were, “Usual time tomorrow” (39).* 

When Stella spots Anthony Bathurst walk into her restaurant the next day, she immediately recognises him. Desperate, she sends him over a note providing him with the broad strokes of the situation and begging him for his help. Anthony being the person he is, believes her, despite the dismissal of the situation from his lunch partner, Chief Detective Inspector Andrew MacMorran. Soon the worst is realised. Peter Oliver is dead. Found in the bathroom of his parents’ home, dressed in evening wear with his throat cut, the bloodied straight razor held in his left hand. All signs point to suicide, but one. The bath plug wound around the wrong faucet.

Through the investigation £20,000 worth of foreign bonds are discovered to have gone missing from Delaney’s bank. It’s looking more like Peter got himself into trouble and killed himself in remorse. Then few days later the bonds are returned to the bank. Curiouser and curiouser. But when Stella goes missing, the situation becomes even more unclear. Why would the person who sounded the alarm on her fiancé’s disappearance not stick around until his killer was brought to justice? Anthony tries to make sense of it by talking it out with pathologist, Greatorex.

“On Good Friday—that's only five days ago, my dear chap, not even a week—this desperate, terror-haunted man takes his girl to Hampton Court. The next day they do a ‘flick’ at one of the best cinemas. Sunday sees them at Southend and Monday they visit Kew Gardens. Kew Gardens in April, Greatorex. Very lovely, you know. Ever been there?”

Greatorex closed his brief-case and stood up. “What the hell are you trying to say, Bathurst?” 

Anthony shrugged his shoulders. “Simply that this man, who's now a corpse, was, but a few days ago, in love with love and life. Doing all the delightfully normal things that a healthy man, with his arms round a pretty girl, wants to do. Are you following me, Greatorex? Friday, Hampton Court, Saturday, the cinema, Sunday, Southend, Monday, Kew Gardens, and Monday night—after kissing his girl good night—off with his own head, and so much for Peter Oliver! Well, Greatorex, does it add up, do you think?” (52-53)

From the start, Anthony is able to put himself in the shoes of the dead man, Peter. While initially the physical evidence tells one story, that of suicide, the person Peter was and his relationship with Stella, tells a different story. All Anthony and his buddy MacMorran have to do is fill in the gaps, and find out who would want to kill Peter. Because from the looks of it, the man didn’t have an enemy in the world. 

The mystery in this book is strong. I certainly did not see the ending playing out how it did. But I do think that one could in theory solve the mystery. That is, if one was a bit better at that sort of thing than I! My only real complaint about this book is that I would have liked to find out more about our sleuth, Anthony Lotherington Bathurst. The series is named after him, so clearly it’s his show, but I did not get any sense of what his personal life is like outside of the case, or even if he has one. We know he’s a good person. He isn’t just solving murders for fun. He has a moral conscience and has not been desensitised or become cynical by the job like MacMorran who brushes Stella’s note off with, “I’ve seen this sort of thing before” and “[h]ysteria takes all sorts of forms” (32). This gives an unflattering impression of MacMorran, when he really isn’t a bad guy, he just does not seem to be as inclined to see the individual situation, because he has been at the job so long. And let’s be honest, Anthony has a talent for ferreting out the truth and seeing the details that others miss. That is why he’s working with Scotland Yard in the first place. At least that’s what I assume. We don’t get an explanation about why Anthony and MacMorran are friends, how they met, or why they are working together. There’s no background catchup at the start of this book that you so often see in detective series. But I expect that information is provided in the first book. I will read that one, and report back.

If you want to geek out over these books or just find out more about Brian Flynn, the blog In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel is a wonderful resource. I stumbled upon it when I was looking for more information on the author, and what do you know? It is run by none other than crime fiction historian, Steve Barge, the person who wrote the introductions for the new Dean Street Press editions. He has got some great sounding suggestions for books to read next in the series and lots of reviews and information on other mystery writers. I have to thank him for clarifying that the title Men For Pieces comes from a piece of poetry by Omar Khayyam. I suspected it was a phrase from a quotation, but if it wasn’t for his review I could very well still be trying to solve that mystery! And if I haven’t convinced you to pick up one of Brian Flynn’s books, well Steve Barge wrote a fantastic article for the Dean Street Press blog that will leave you desperate to get started on your journey with this author.

Thank you to Dean Street Press Ltd. for kindly sending me a copy of Men For Pieces for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

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*All page numbers are from the ebook and are not likely to correspond to the paperback edition.

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Lessons in Crime edited by Martin Edwards

As soon as I heard about this collection of mysteries set in academia, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy. Lessons in Crime contains 15 short stories that span just shy of a century of crime writing. There are stories set in day schools, boarding schools, elite universities, and in adult education centres. Inside this book you will find stories by well-known writers of crime fiction, like Arthur Conan Doyle and Dorothy L. Sayers, and a few you might not have heard of before, like Miriam Sharman, whose story “Battle of Wits” most certainly did not aid me in falling asleep when I read it before bed. Although, I tried to savour it, I absolutely inhaled this collection. Thank goodness for rereading. 

“The Greek Play” by H.C. Bailey (1932)

Mr. Fortune and his wife have been invited by her goddaughter to a performance of Antigone being put on by her school. Commonly thought of as the girls equivalent of Eton, this elite school, populated by girls of the gentry, has recently started accepting scholarship students, much to the disgust of many of the students, not to mention the snobbish adults connected with the school. One girl in particular has been having a pretty rough time of it, which is why the goddaughter has invited “the Cherub”—as she refers to Reggie. She senses that something is brewing, though she doesn’t know what, but she wants to Reggie on the spot when the pot boils over.

“The Adventure of the Priory School” by Arthur Conan Doyle (1904)

Sherlock Holmes is called to the north of England to investigate the disappearance of the son of the Duke of Holdernesse from his school. It is very clever but there is a lot in the way of explanation from someone other than Watson. We are meant to assume Sherlock has already figured out and I just found the conclusion a bit clunky.

“The Missing Undergraduate” by Henry Wade (1933)

Detective Inspector John Poole is called down to Oxford to investigate the disappearance of an undergraduate. Having attended Oxford himself, he knows his way around and heads straight to St. Peter’s College. The investigation takes him all over Oxford and London coming to an unexpected, and eventful, climax. I loved this one!

“The Gilded Pupil” by Ethel Lina White (1936)

“The essential part of this tale is that Ann Shelley was an Oxford M.A.” (115)

Ann Shelley takes the position of governess to a millionaire’s 15-year-old daughter, Stella. Stella is unruly and unwashed, but with an above average intelligence. This one was smart and fun. Stella, Ann, and Ann’s old governess prove their wits against a gang of baddies. So good!

“Murder at Pentecost” by Dorothy L. Sayers (1933)

Montague Egg, wine salesman, insert himself into a conversation he overhears between two Oxford men. After which he asks the way to Pentecost College, where he plans to make a sale. One of the men, Radcott, informs him that the master of the college has been murdered. In this one we see some of the inner workings of the Oxford colleges. While, I am a fan of Dorothy L . Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey stories, Montague Egg does not feel like a caricature—as I hate to admit—Wimsey often does.

As someone who has spent a lot of time in academic libraries trying to get work done, while being driven to distraction by loud talkers, I found this part particularly funny. 

“Prove it, if you like. Take my gown, toddle across to the Bodder, march straight in past the showcases and through the little wicket marked ‘Readers Only’, into Duke Humphrey’s Library; do what you like, short of stealing the books or setting fire to the place and if anybody says anything to you, I’ll order six dozen of anything you like. That’s fair, isn't it?”

Mr. Egg accepted this offer with alacrity, and in a few moments, arrayed in a scholar’s gown, was climbing the stair that leads to England’s most famous library. With a slight tremor, he pushed open the swinging glass door and plunged into the hallowed atmosphere of mouldering leather that distinguishes such temples of learning.

Just inside, he came upon Dr. Moyle in conversation with the doorkeeper. Mr. Egg, bending nonchalantly to examine an illegible manuscript in a showcase, had little difficulty in hearing what they said, since like all official attendants upon reading-rooms, they took no trouble to lower their voices. (145)

I love that idea that a person could just swan their way into the Duke Humfrey’s Library. Too fun!

As a side note, the correct spelling of Duke Humfrey’s Library appears to be with an “f”, not a “ph” as it appears in the above quotation. However, the library is named after Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester (1390-1447). I have no idea why the spelling is different, but I would love to find out. Perhaps, I need to devote more than five minutes researching it.

“Randolph Hall” by Michael Gilbert (2000)

This one reads like a very well executed children’s adventure story. After a suspected attempted break-in at Ranulph Hall Preparatory School for Boys, three school boys Colin, Ivo and Drew—who refer to themselves as the CID—decide to take matters into their own hands. There is a gun fight between the boys and during a second break-in. When the school calls in their lawyers, to make certain it is lawful to shoot as burglars. Soon it is discovered a famous diamond that went missing 15 years ago is thought to be hidden somewhere in the school. A hunt to find the diamond commences, so it can be returned to its rightful owner before the baddies put in another appearance. 

“The Field of Philippi” by E.W. Hornung (1905)

A group of Old Boys return to their school for the Founder’s Day festival. Among the festivities is the Old Boy’s Match, and one of the Old Boys who will be playing in the match is a professional cricket player. I know next to nothing about cricket, but you do not need to know a thing about cricket to enjoy this story. This has all the elements of a boarding school story with old resentments—which get resolved by the end—sneaking out of the dormitories, and pulling one over on the Head. I loved that this is another one from this collection that does not have a murder and to be honest the plot reminded me of something that would happen in a P.G. Wodehouse story. The mystery is light, heartwarming, and just good fun.

“Lesson in Anatomy” by Michael Innes (1946)

This one was fairly bonkers. Fun, but bonkers. At Nessfield University, Professor Finlay’s final anatomy lecture of the year is known for getting a bit wild. Known for being an excellent teacher, it is only in the final lecture that he gives into his flair for the dramatic, and the students do enjoy playing up to it! 

For the lecture was at once a festival, a rag, and a genuine display of virtuosity. It took place in this large anatomy theatre. Instead of disjointed limbs and isolated organs there was a whole new cadaver for the occasion. And upon this privileged corpse Finlay rapidly demonstrated certain historical developments of his science to an audience in part attentive and in part concerned with lowering skeletons from the rafters, releasing various improbable living creatures—lemurs and echidnas and opossums—to roam the benches, or contriving what quainter japes they could think up. On one famous occasion the corpse itself had been got at, and at the first touch of the professor’s scalpel had awakened to an inferno of noise presently accounted for by the discovery that its inside consisted chiefly of alarm clocks. Nor were these diversions and surprises all one-sided, since Finlay himself, entering into the spirit of the occasion, had more than once been known to forestall his students with some extravagance of his own. (196)

It is not just the setting of this one that is ridiculous, the motivation for the crime is… let’s just say, odd. It was a fun read, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if the conclusion had not felt so far removed from the initial premise.

“Dover Goes to School” by Joyce Porter (1978)

This one has a slightly disorienting beginning. 

Detective Chief Inspector Dover was a creature of habit. Whenever he entered a room he made a point of selecting the most comfortable-looking seat and heading straight for it. On this occasion, as he waddled across the threshold of the large old-fashioned bathroom at Skelmers Hall College, he was not embarrassed by choice.

The rim of the bath was definitely out and he didn't fancy the three-legged stool. That left only one place where 241 pounds of flab could be safely deposited, and the Chief Inspector sank gratefully onto the oval of polished mahogany. That flight of stairs up from the ground floor had taken it out of him. (221)

I think we can imagine where Dover is sitting. The question is, why are we following this man into the bathroom? And why does it appear that he is merely there to hang out? As well as providing some insight into Dover’s character, this next part explains things for us.

It was Inspector Howard’s first encounter with members of the prestigious Murder Squad and he was understandably somewhat diffident. Still, a man had to do what a man had to do. He cleared his throat. “Er—excuse me, sir.”

Dover’s mean little eyes opened slowly and balefully. “What?”

“Your—er—feet, sir.”

“What about ‘em?”

“They’re resting on the—er—body, sir.”

Dover glanced down and with ill grace shifted his boots back a couple of inches from the corpse that lay sprawled, in pyjamas and dressing gown, over the bathroom floor. “Thought you were supposed to be telling us what’s happened,” he observed nastily. (221-22)

And that about sums up Dover. He is a fairly awful individual who takes as much pleasure in being unpleasant to his suspects as he does in his food and drink. Oh, and in his cigarettes. After smoking his colleague’s on the way to the scene, he has no qualms about absolving a woman from suspicion who he is about to interview when she offers him the rest of her pack.. 

Enough about Dover. Although, his presence does dominate this story, I shall try to put him to the side. 

A man is found strangled in the bathroom of Skelmers Hall College, an Adult Education Centre. As the victim is a well-known building contractor and a County Councillor, not to mention a massive flirt, there are a number of suspects, basically everyone who was in the college overnight, in fact.

I cannot say I grew to love Dover over the course of this story, but I did enjoy how disagreeable he was to everyone around him. And he does get his collar in the end, so he’s not a complete idiot either.

“When the Deaf Can Hear” by Malcolm Gair (1959)

This one was very short, so I don’t want to say too much. Some money is missing from a locked room at a school, known as the Turf Room, which is part of the cricket pavilion. Only a small group of students who had access to the Turf Room knew of the money. A detective is called in by the headmaster, who is particularly disappointed in the events because of his fondness for cricket.

“Low Marks for Murder” by Herbert Harris (1973)

This one is very simple. George Faraday, the languages master plans to kill the headmaster of the school, Dr. Theodore Whittington. Faraday is having an affair with Whittington’s wife, Rhona. But it is not just his passion for Rhona that motivates Faraday. The man fancies being given the position of assistant head, which Whittington has put a stop to, not because he suspects Faraday is having an affair with his wife, but because he simply does not like the Faraday. And as Faraday plants to kill Whittington, I would say he shows very good judgment.

There was a surprisingly racy part in this story, which I would not have expected to find in a British Library Crime Classic. However, it is perfectly suited to crime fiction of the seventies and section I found surprising was merely one sentence long.

“The Harrowing of Henry Pygole” by Colin Watson (1974)

Two boys in sixth form plot a practical joke to get back at one of the boys in their form, Henry Pygole.

Henry Pygole was one of those people who make cleverness offensive by wrapping it up in humility. There was always a sort of dubious smile on his face, as if he knew he was going to make a balls-up of whatever happened to be on hand at the moment. He didn’t, of course. He came tops. Time after time. In everything. But he forever had that droopy, self-deprecating air.

One remembers particularly how diffident dear Henry looked on the afternoon of the inter-house tennis finals. That was the day when Sweet and I decided that something would have to be done about him. (276)

This story did not at all go where I was expecting. It was fabulously shocking.

“Dog in the Night-time” by Edmund Crispin (1954)

This was a clever little mystery. Still grieving her father’s death, Ann Cargill asks her professor, Gervase Fen, Professor of English Language and Literature at Oxford, to accompany her in the opening of her father’s safe. Her father’s solicitor died before getting the grant of probate of the will, and Ann’s uncle, who been made her guardian, has also been made administrator of the estate in her behalf. 

“I’m probably being several sorts of a fool,” said Ann, as soon as they were settled with glasses in their hands. “But here goes, anyway... I don’t know if you know anything about my family, but my mother died years ago. I’m an only child, and my father—well, the important thing about him, for the moment, is that he had a passion for jewels.

“Jewels weren’t his business. They were his hobby. And two or three months ago he sank an enormous amount of money—about three-quarters of his capital, I should think—into buying a single diamond that he’d set his heart on, a huge thing, quite flawless.” (295)

Don’t you just love the idea of someone’s “hobby” being jewels?! And not just researching jewels, but buying them! Like I said at the outset, this one was clever.

“Battle of Wits” by Miriam Sharman (1967)

Told in just one scene, this is a thrilling story that could have come straight out of a Hitchcock film. A father calls on the headmaster of his son’s former school after his son has been expelled. I read this right before bed and I can tell you I have never felt less sleepy while reading when horizontal.

“The Boy Who Couldn’t Read” by Jacqueline Wilson (1978)

It’s the first day of term after the Christmas holiday, and Mr. Croft decides to go easy on the 2As by reading to them from Enid Blyton’s The Mountain of Adventure. But David Bates prefers spending the time surreptitiously reading a book on astronomy. When Mr. Croft catches David, the teacher is most unpleasant, telling the boy to stop pretending, everyone knows he can’t read. With 10 minutes left until the end of class, Mr. Croft asks the children to draw a picture based on the story. Everyone but David hands one in, and Mr. Croft is none too happy about it. 

If you are sensitive to stories about children being treated poorly by adults, or just generally treated unfairly, this might be a hard read. But I assure you, it all turns out right in the end. 

This is my first time reading anything by Jacqueline Wilson. I know she is popular for her children’s fiction, and this story was so gripping that I feel like her other writing must be equally well-done. If you are reading this and you have read any of her novels, please let me know if there are any you can recommend.

And that is part of what makes me love these short story collections from British Library Publishing. Both the Crime Classics and the Women Writers series have such great collections of short stories. I always come away with at least a couple authors to bookmark for further discovery.

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of Lesson in Crime for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

*This blog post contains affiliate links for Blackwell’s. As a Blackwell’s Affiliate, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you decide to make a purchase through one of the links on my website. I recommend Blackwell’s because I use them myself. This helps support me in sharing—what I hope is—valuable content. Thank you for your support!

A View of the Harbour by Elizabeth Taylor

I have a confession to make. I often write reviews, planning to post them at some future date—after I have let my thoughts on the book simmer a little longer and given the review a final edit—but often those reviews don’t get posted at all. My review of Elizabeth Taylor’s A View of the Harbour is one of them. I loved this book and thought about it long after reading it. I had planned to share my review in the summertime. Well, summer came and went, and what do you know? This review was still sitting in the drawer. So this is a book that is set in the warm weather, but I actually think Elizabeth Taylor’s writing lends well to the quiet, still days of winter. I will explain. 

A couple of years ago I read another of Elizabeth Taylor’s novels, Palladian. At the time, I thought it was very well written, but maybe a bit dull. 

Perhaps the setting of my reading was partially to blame, as I mostly read it while sitting down at the harbour in St. John’s, Newfoundland. I honestly can’t remember a thing about the novel now. Even reading the blurb doesn’t ring any bells. It’s quite likely that, for me anyway, Elizabeth Taylor novels are best read in a quiet, distraction-free environment.

Anyway, I’d heard wonderful things about Elizabeth Taylor so decided to keep trying. I’m so glad I did!

She wanted to watch the great dappled waves riding in to the foot of the cliffs, breaking and crumbling and scurrying back in confusion, to be conscious of the pulse of the lighthouse, to see once more visitors with folded raincoats stepping into rowing-boats named Nancy or Marigold or Adeline; the moving water, the sauntering people, the changing sky, the wrinkled moonlight on the sea, and fishermen coming out of the Anchor on Saturday nights, standing round the lamp-post singing Sweet Genevieve. 

A View of the Harbour is a subtle novel. At first, I thought it might be a great deal too subtle for me. But by about the end of chapter two I started to get the characters straight and I realised that because this is a novel where not too much happens in terms of plot, you start to pay attention to all the little things that get missed in easier to read books.

By the time I finished this book I was wondering why in all my time at university I had never heard Elizabeth Taylor mentioned. I hear you Elizabeth Taylor fans saying, “You must have been taking the wrong courses.” Well, quite. She is a writer that is meant to be studied. Although, the casual reader could enjoy this book just fine. I know I did!

This book is set in the seemingly sleepy coastal village of Newly, where everyone knows everyone, and knows everything about everyone else. Well, almost.

Tory is divorced and involved with her neighbour and best friend’s husband. Beth is so absorbed by her writing that she doesn’t notice her husband is in love with Tory. Their teenage daughter is more perceptive than her mother and is disgusted by the two.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Bracey, an invalid who drives her daughters to distraction with her changeable moods and thirst for information on the goings on in the village. There is a real sense of claustrophobia in the houses around the harbour, but especially in theirs. 

When a retired naval officer visits the town with the intention of painting the picturesque harbour, he can’t help but stir things up.

There are so many real moments of both humour and longing in this novel. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful. Oh, and terrifically well written. So well written that I need to go back and reread Palladian and see what it is that I missed. This time I will take my own advice and read it in a more distraction free setting, because Elizabeth Taylor's writing is something to be savoured.

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Dramatic Murder by Elizabeth Anthony

I’ve been looking forward to reading Dramatic Murder by Elizabeth Anthony since the moment I saw the cover. Actually, it was even before that. I knew that the annual Christmas book British Library Publishing releases in their Crime Classics series usually comes out in October, so as soon as I saw it listed in online shops, I started to get excited. Because few things are better than reading a festive mystery in the lead up to Christmas. And if you’re a library user like me, it can be hard to get your hands on anything seasonal in the time that you would actually want to be reading it. I found myself reading the collection A Surprise for Christmas back in October, for just this reason. 

Dramatic Murder opens with Doctor Harley and a journalist, Katherine Mickey, driving through the snowy landscape of Scotland up to Possett Island where they have been invited by Dimpson McCabe, widely known as Dimpsie, a playwright and broadcaster, for a Christmas party at his castle. 

The fine snow that had been falling since they left Edinburgh was thickening, and the sky was black with large powdered flakes. They collected on the windscreen, and the wiper, pushing them aside, groaned protestingly. The car sped onwards, eating up the road which stretched like a long, white ribbon, bordered by fir trees that were jet-black in the half light. At the side of the road a signpost pointed the way down a narrow cutting between the trees; painted in black and red it had a sinister appearance and the words POSSETT ISLAND stood out bleakly. Doctor Harley swung the car off the road and it skidded slightly on the soft snow. (17)

Outside a small cabin at the edge of the loch, they are met by Dimpsey’s manservant, Benson, who has been waiting for the guests to arrive. Benson directs them to drive straight over the ice, which he assures them is perfectly safe, the ice being a foot thick and gravelled. 

As they got out of the car they noticed that the snow had stopped falling, and Possett Castle stood out sharply against the dark blue sky. It was built of grey stone, which looked black in the evening light, and its turrets and crenellated battlements were witchlike, reminding Katherine of an illustration to an old book of Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Although every window was brilliantly lit, there was something cold and forbidding about the exterior, and as they approached the entrance she became aware of a peculiar throbbing which seemed to reverberate through the air. (18-19)

The sound is coming from a generator, and perhaps the sound outside makes it all the more unsettling when they enter the castle and an eerie silence washes over them. Doctor Harley and Katherine find their way to Dimpsey’s studio wing, which appeared to be the only part of the house not lit up from outside. There they find a magnificent tree—which is so beautifully described, but I’m going to preserve that joy for when you read the book—and that is where they discover their host. Apparently, he has been electrocuted while fixing the bulb on a string of lights with a frayed cord. The frayed cord, the lights being plugged into the wall, and the fact that his slippers were wet, prove to be a deadly combination.

It looks suspicious, but the verdict at the sheriff’s inquest is Accidental Death. Besides, from the looks of things, more people benefited from Dimpsey being alive than from his death. It isn’t until everyone is back in London when the body count begins to rack up that it becomes clear there is a cold blooded killer among the group. 

Dramatic Murder—what a great title! The murder is certainly dramatically described, but I think it’s such a startling image that I want you to experience it within the context of those opening pages, so I’m not going to quote it, or even describe it, here. Adding to the drama, Dimpsie is a playwright, and most of the suspects to his murder are predominantly rooted in the theatre world. I loved getting to see the dynamics between the cast and crew, and the lengths that they are willing to go to for the purpose of furthering their careers. As someone who has dabbled in acting, myself, and spent years in ballet, I always find it fun to get to experience an ever so slightly exaggerated version of the theatre world on the page.

Elizabeth Anthony does such a good job of spinning out the solving of the murder, and making the reader feel smart for figuring it out ahead of the characters. I know, I did! Inspector Smith, who is investigating the case, seems almost disinterested at times, and in my mind this feels very much like Katherine’s investigation. She uses her journalistic skills to get her into all sorts of trouble in the course of getting the scoop and finding her dear friend’s killer.

It was not until I had finished this book that it occurred to me it wasn’t very Christmassy. The murder takes place near the start of the book, when Doctor Harley and Katherine arrive at Dimpsie’s castle for Christmas. But the guests leave the private island in Scotland fairly promptly and the rest of the book takes place in London post-Christmas. Now, I only mention this as an observation. As I said, it wasn’t until I had finished reading that I even noticed that the book as a whole wasn’t all that Christmassy. It was a great book, with the added benefit that you could read this anytime in the winter and still enjoy it because it isn’t overly festive. Making this book, in my mind, the ideal gift to give at Christmas. You could start this one Christmas Day or Boxing Day, but not feel behind the times if you start it in January, either.

As Martin Edwards mentions in the introduction, the author of Dramatic Murder was born Barbara Frances Courlander and only wrote this mystery and one other, Made for Murder, under the pseudonym, Elizabeth Anthony. A year before Dramatic Murder came out in 1948, she published a non-genre novel under her own name called, The Cup and the Song. She also wrote plays, and at least one song and a short story, but her career as a novelist was very short, which is so disappointing. This book kept me glued to the page from the atmospheric opening right through to the breathtaking conclusion. This truly is “A Lost Christmas Murder Mystery”, as it says on the beautiful cover of this edition. A lost book by a lost author. Thankfully, lost no longer.

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of Dramatic Murder for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

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Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season by Various

I have been wanting to read Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season for ages. Published in 2022, this book is part of the British Library Women Writers series. A series that I am a huge fan of, as I'm sure you are aware if you've been on this blog for more than five minutes. I had been planning to save Stories for Christmas to enjoy closer to the end of the month. But after looking through the stack of Christmas books I had put aside to read in December, I found myself selecting this one. I’m sure having just finished another of the British Library Publishing’s short story collections, Who Killed Father Christmas? had something to do with it. I was craving another collection chock full of Christmas and festive cheer, and I was not disappointed.

The only dud in this collection, as far as I’m concerned, is the first story. I’ll explain why, and then we can get on with all the delights this collection has to offer.

“The Turkey Season” by Alice Munro

Even without the gross bits which were to be expected given this one is set in a slaughterhouse, I was not likely going to enjoy this one. Typically, I find Alice Munro’s stories to be a bit of a drag. There may be uplifting moments, but they tend to be few and far between. I studied many of her stories during my degree, and there is no denying there is plenty to discuss in her work, but I just could not warm to it then and I still cannot. This story was exactly as I expected it to be, though it does end on a festive and positive note, thought it is undermined by the rest of the story. If you want to skip to the happy festive part, turn to the last page of this one. 

“This Year It Will Be Different” by Maeve Binchy

Only in movies did a happily married mother of three suddenly call a family conference and say that this year she was tired of the whole thing, weary of coming home after work and cleaning the house and buying the Christmas decorations and putting them up, buying the Christmas cards, writing them and posting them so that they would keep the few friends they had. (23)

An overworked wife and mother of three quietly doesn’t prepare for Christmas, and, eventually, her family notices. I found this one very funny. Perhaps, because it was so true to life!

“General Impressions of a Christmas Shopping Centre” by E.M. Delafield 

Written in the vein of Diary of a Provincial Lady, and just as witty. I opens, “Christmas comes but once a year . . . General Impression, waxing stronger every hour, that even this is rather overdoing it.” (33) It made me want to pick up Provincial Lady, despite having only just reread it in November. 

“The Christmas Pageant” by Barbara Robinson

The Sunday school is getting together their annual Christmas pageant. It’s posed to be the same old thing they do every year. Nothing wrong with that. Only this year, the family of children who are infamous at Woodrow School for their bullying and general bad behaviour, have shocked everyone when they seem interested in taking part in the pageant. They only showed up to Sunday school once in a while after hearing from one boy that they got refreshments. 

Announcements were made in Sunday school, and Imogene Herdman dug me in the ribs with her elbow and demanded, “What’s a pageant?”

“It’s a play,” I said, and Imogene looked interested. All the Herdmans were avid filmgoers. One or two of them would create a disturbance at the front of the cinema while the others slipped in. Like professional criminals, they had the good sense to split up once they got inside, so the manager could never locate all of them and throw them out before the picture was over.

“What’s the play about?” Imogene asked.

“It’s about Jesus,” I told her.

“Everything here is,” she said. (41)

It’s just too funny! I love the snappy understated dialogue between the children. The whole time I was reading this one I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Ticket for a Carol Concert” by Audrey Burton

“Mrs. Lorimer thought it would be easy to sell tickets for the carol concert in the village hall” (53). So begins Audrey Burton’s short story. We get the perspective of the villagers that are victims of Mrs. Lorimer’s sales pitch. This one was humorous and heartwarming.

“Snow” by Olive Wadsley

Olive Wadsley perfectly captures the magic snow in the moonlight can work on an unlikely couple. I read this one first thing in the morning, when I was very groggy and at my least impressionable and I was absolutely captivated. I see myself rereading this one just so I can luxuriate in its atmosphere again.

“’Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Kate Nivison

We get the perspective of a mouse in this one, and I am so here for it!

Round the tree, a few fallen pine needles were sticking in the carpet. The mouse avoided them. They smelt odd and tasted worse. Last night she'd climbed to the first branch, but there were only more needles and some kind of silver straw hanging all over it. It was no good for a nest, and there wasn’t a berry anywhere. But in the kitchen, there’d been a real feast—fatty crumbs of pastry, a currant or two and a half-eaten cream biscuit between the oven and the cupboard. Just thinking about it made her sit up and clean her whiskers. (81)

I have a soft spot for any book that has a mouse in it, so this story was such a joy to discover. I had to tamp down my squeals of joy when I was reading though, as at the time I was sitting in a waiting room. I just loved this one so much and if I was even a smidge more outgoing it would have been story hour at the medical practice!

I just have to share this sweet exchange between a wife and husband as they are preparing to sneak their children’s stockings into their rooms.

“Pass me up the mug and plate, love.” The woman gave a yawn.

“If I bend down once more today, my back will go.”

“Oh, leave them down there. We’ll have a good clear up in the morning.” He picked up the crackling stockings and felt their weight. “You’re good at this, you know,” he said. “I’m glad I married someone who’s good at Christmas.”

“Suppose we’ve got mice?”

 “A house like this wouldn't be complete without a moose loose aboot it. M’mm, you smell of warm milk and brandy and mince pie. Give us a kiss.” (83-83)

This whole story was so cute and cosy. A real delight!

“Christmas Fugue” by Muriel Spark

You can always trust Muriel Spark to turn things upside down and leave you sideways. I wrote my thoughts on this one right after I read it, only to discover that I couldn’t share any of it because it much too spoiler-y. What I can say is that this one will leave you with so many questions, and as many theories! One of mine was, ‘what did I just read?’. And you know, what? Whatever it was, I loved it. 

“The Little Christmas Tree” by Stella Gibbons

This one had all the magic of Rosamunde Pilcher’s “Miss Cameron at Christmas”. Rhoda, or Miss Harting as she has referred to by everyone in the story, moves to a cottage in Buckinghamshire and plans to spend Christmas alone, despite multiple invitations to spend the day with friends.

But when she had nibbled her breakfast, played Debussy's Footsteps in the Snow twice on the gramophone, stuffed her chicken and glanced more than once at her Christmas tree, whose bells glittered darkly against the snow, she found herself trying to feel happy, rather than feeling happy. (99)

That is, until, she gets a knock at the door and three children appear out with the snow with a story about a wicked stepmother that they are running away from. It’s lovely and it has all the makings of a fairytale. This was just the sweetest story of a woman living in a little cottage with a little tree in her window and the three children who appear at her door on Christmas Day, just as she is feeling her most lonely.

“The Christmas Present” by Richmal Crompton

This one is hilarious. It’s very short, so I don’t want to ruin anything, but it is so surprising and cute, and it ends on the funniest note.

“Christmas Bread” by Kathleen Norris

This one may just be the best, or at least, my most favourite story in the collection. It was made even more special by the fact that I have been hearing my dear friend, Gina, sing this author’s praises for a while now. After reading this story, I absolutely understand why!

Doctor Madison has plans to be preforming a surgery on Christmas Day. Her daughter, Merle, is to be left alone with the doctor’s secretary/governess for the day, as the doctor is a widow and a rift has come between her and her brother. But then a trip up to the attic to look for items to give to charity alters the doctor and her daughter’s Christmas. 

So then it was all Christmas magic, and just what Christmas Eve should be. Saunders brought the little closed car to the door, to be sure, but there he vanished from the scene, and it was only mother and Merle.

The streets were snowy, and snow frosted the wind-shield, and lights and people and the bright windows of shops were all mixed up together, in a pink and blue and gold dazzle of colour. (137)

It’s a beautiful and touching story about nostalgia, memory, and the power of forgiveness. Read it on Christmas Eve and perhaps you’ll experience your own Christmas transformation.

“Christmas in a Bavarian Village” by Elizabeth von Arnim

An English woman comes to Germany to visit her daughter and her family for Christmas.

A little subdued, I was led out of the station into a world of Christmas trees. In front of most of the houses stood a tree lit by electric light, and in the middle of the one wide street was a huge one, a pyramid of solemn radiance.

I felt as if I had walked into a Christmas card glittering snow, steep-roofed old houses, and the complete windlessness, too, of a Christmas card.  (151-152)

As the story progresses there a hint that times have changed since 1909 when the woman last spent Christmas in Germany. In Simon Thomas's informative and spoiler-free introduction we find out that this one is set in 1937, providing us with insight into why and how things have changed since the narrator last visited the country.

“Freedom” by Nancy Morrison

This one is not explicitly Christmassy. Set in a Swiss ski resort during a winter holiday, this story has the feel of a really good vintage Harlequin about it. Sylvia Grey is a beginner skier, and there is a scene that recalls to mind the skiing scene in The Bell Jar. This story is not at all like Sylvia Plath’s book. However, Esther and Sylvia do share one thing in common. You will have to read it to find out what that is. (It’s a bit fun that the heroine from “Freedom” and the author of The Bell Jar share the same first name. A coincidence I hadn’t realised until writing this review.) 

“On Skating” by Cornelia Otis Skinner

This is also not a Christmas story, but it is another winter sports story. The narrator and her friend are notoriously bad at sports, all sports, and have been since they were girls. One day, they pass a group of people skating on an outdoor rink, and think ‘that looks fun’, and the rest of the story is about their humorous efforts learning to skate. 

“Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie” by Beryl Bainbridge

Instead of a Christmas bonus, Mrs. Henderson gets tickets to the theatre from her employer. She takes the family and the neighbours to see Peter Pan, and they have a very dramatic time of it.

“Pantomime” by Stella Margetson

Set during World War II, the wife of a lieutenant who is stationed in the area directs a pantomime with the aid of a local boy acting as assistant stage manager. The show is preformed at a recreation hut, for the enjoyment of the officers and local residents. It’s a touching and sweet coming of age story. And as most coming of age stories are, it’s also a bit sad.

“On Leavin’ Notes” by Alice Childress

A short and funny one concludes this collection. It’s about making, and keeping, one’s New Year’s resolutions.

What else can I say about this collection? I loved it! Skip the first story if you’re vegan/vegetarian/squeamish, and then enjoy! I will absolutely be returning to this one next Christmas. And let’s be honest, I’ve already read “’Twas the Night Before Christmas” a.k.a. ‘the mouse one’, twice! 

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

This blog post contains affiliate links for Blackwell's, which means I will make a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through this link. See Affiliate Disclosure at sidebar for details.

Who Killed Father Christmas? edited by Martin Edwards

When I read A Surprise for Christmas last month, I discovered that if you love both mysteries and Christmas you really cannot go wrong with one of the Christmassy short story collections from the British Library Crime Classics series. Reading Who Killed Father Christmas? only confirmed this for me. The collection contains 17 stories spanning from 1911 to as recently as 1995. The stories start strong and end on a high note. Some are heartwarming, others are poignant, all contain a crime set at Christmas. 

“On the Irish Mail” by Garnett Ratcliffe (1931)

Such a fun and snappy story to open the collection. On Christmas Eve, Dick Fenton rushes to catch the mail train from Euston station to make it home to his parents in Dublin by Christmas morning. The train is busy with holiday travellers and partway through the trip one of the five men sharing Dick’s compartment announces he is Detective Sullivan and he’s here to arrest Jim Dawson, he knows he’s here, because he recognises a case that has been reported stolen by a bank worker, so he might as well give himself up. But without a description of the thief it looks like Dick, the priest, the old man, and the affluent businessman, who are sharing the compartment, are all going to be held up for questioning at Holyhead. That is, unless some sort of Christmas miracle occurs!

“The Christmas Thief” by Frank Howel Evans (1911)

Two young men of 16 and 17 years old, who are friends from school and are both down on their luck, walk along the Embankment on Christmas Day and spot a man getting attacked by a couple of roughs. What ensues is a story of espionage and adventure with a heartwarming message at the centre of it.

“The Christmas Spirit” by Anthony Gilbert (1952)

I had high hopes for this one because this is the same writer who is responsible for my favourite story in the A Surprise for Christmas, “Give Me a Ring”, and while this one was much shorter, it did not disappoint. A couple visit a secluded pub in East Anglia over Christmas. From the first, the husband is curious about the pub’s namesake, The Green Girl.

We glanced instinctively through the uncurtained windows; and saw an enchanted world. A moon rode in a sky as smooth as soap; stars prickled, even the snow glowed. I believe if the ghost appeared then no one would have been surprised. (66-67)

“Among Those Present was Santa Claus” by Vincent Cornier (1952)

A retired Scotland Yard inspector is hired to play Santa Claus at a large house in the Cotswolds. John Burnicle suspects he was hired more for his experience at detecting than his acting skills. Lord Betwode has experienced a number of robberies over a period of time, which means it must be someone within the house or a close friend committing the thefts. Inspired by the burglaries, Lord Betwode organises a fake burglary each Christmas to entertain his guests. Interesting choice, Lord Betwode. This one is very fun, a bit unsettling at times, and has a heartwarming conclusion. 

“Gold, Frankincense, and Murder” by Catherine Aird (1995)

Henry Tyler, who works in the Foreign Office in Whitehall, pretends not to be looking forward to spending Christmas with his sister and her family, but secretly he is very much looking forward to it. Too bad he doesn’t get much of a break while he’s there. This one was very fun! It had the feeling of a village Christmas with all the eccentric characters one would expect, and a little murder to keep the holiday interesting. 

Also, how have I not heard of Catherine Aird? She was born in 1930, and stands out among the writers usually contained in these short story collections from the British Library as she is still alive, and still writing detective fiction. If anyone has read any of her books, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!

“Secrets in the Snow” by J. Jefferson Farjeon (1942)

On Christmas Eve, a train gets stuck in a snowdrift and a woman determined to make it to a house party sets off after one of her fellow travellers into the snow. This one was atmospheric, just the right amount of unsettling, with a dash of frivolity and a poignant conclusion that—days later—I’m still thinking about. 

In the introduction to this one, Martin Edwards points out that this one has a similar start to one of the author’s novels, Mystery in White. I’m looking forward to reading that one even more now.

“Who Killed Father Christmas” by Patricia Moyes (1980)

The mother snatched her up, and— with that sixth sense that mothers everywhere seem to develop—interpreted the incoherent screams. "She says that Father Christmas won't talk to her. She says he's asleep." (132)

Yes, he’s asleep. That’s it… Set in the toy department of a large store, the regular Santa Claus is off sick and a replacement has showed up for work. I’m not sure what this says about me, but I was more unsettled by the image of a bunch teddies getting ripped open than by the murder. This one was good, if a bit traumatic for me!

“Death at Christmas” by Glyn Daniel (1959)

Who doesn’t enjoy a Christmas ghost story? I know I do! This one is set on Christmas night at Oxford or Cambridge. In an effort to conceal his identity, the don who is narrating the story won’t tell us which one. An academic setting, a spooky setting, and a woman that once vowed to haunt her husband just might be keeping that promise. I was absolutely captivated by this one. A deliciously unsettling tale!

“Scotland Yard’s Christmas” by John Dickson Carr (1957)

Detective Superintendent Robert Pollard of New Scotland Yard has a tricky case on his mind and his fiancée is none too pleased when he brings his work home—or at least to Toyland. He could at least pretend to enjoy taking her six-year-old nephew to see Santa Claus! But really, how could two people in different parts of London both suddenly vanish from inside a telephone box? No wonder the man was distracted! I was dying to know, too. This one is a delight from start to finish.

“The Bird of Dawning” by Michael Gilbert (1956)

The beginning of this one caught my attention, as it does such a good job of preparing us for a lavish setting.

“Speaking as your solicitor,” said Bohun, “It sounds an impossible assignment. But speaking as a man, it needs no argument to get me down to Vambrill Court for Christmas. Sir Hubert’s reputation as a host has reached even my ears. Wasn’t he the man who said, ‘Turkeys are old-fashioned, but there’s nothing wrong with a well-boiled peacock’?” (169)

Soon we find out that Bohun’s client, politician John Craven, has asked his friend to help him investigate a financial dishonesty within their host’s business. I did not see the conclusion of this one coming at all. Although, I feel that I should have. I’m choosing to believe that is a sign of the author’s genius, and not my lack of! 

There is a poignant part in the story when, after a rich dinner, the host has a moment of reflection. 

He walked across to the window and pulled back the heavy, swinging curtain. Outside the moon was riding in glory. The snow had stopped falling and the frost had laid its iron fingers on the world.

“When I was a boy,” he said, “I could remember each Christmas on is own. Each one was distinct and separate and each had its own glories. Now, I'm afraid they seem to blur and run together. I wonder if I shall remember this one.” (174-75)

Despite the fact that we know a murder is to come,—which will of course make this Christmas memorable—I thought that on its own this is a beautiful moment.

“The Christmas Train” by Will Scott (1933) 

Jeremiah Jones is charismatic and charming, and you aren’t quite sure if he’s going to help you out, fleece you, or both! As the title suggests, this one involves train travel which I’m always a fan of reading about. Jones, is akin to Simon Templar a.k.a. The Saint, a comparison I doubt I would have made myself, making me once again very grateful to Martin Edward’s concise insights that introduce each story. 

“The Grey Monk” by Gerald Verner (1934)

Monk’s Abbey had pretensions to beauty even when seen under the leaden sky of a winter’s afternoon. Built of grey stone it stood and had stood for centuries in two hundred acres of heavily wooded ground, its rugged line softened by the trees that clustered round it. A hundred yards from the main entrance the ruins of the original building were visible—the hint of broken wall, the remains of an arch like a broken question mark… (207)

I love the images in this one. A butler is shot dead at night by the ghostly apparition of a monk. Oh, and of course, the house is full of guests staying for Christmas.  

“Who Suspects the Postman” by Micheal Innes (1958)

A priceless antique vase goes missing at a Christmas party. The dress code is fancy dress, and everyone is a suspect, including the postman. Short, sweet, and vividly described. 

“Herlock Sholmes’ Christmas Case” by Peter Todd (1916)

This Sherlock Holmes spoof was hilariously entertaining, the style was spot on, and was a joy to read. However, I think you would have to be at least slightly familiar with the characters and the trajectory the Sherlock Holmes stories take—even if you had only watched the tv show—to fully appreciate this one. Also, I had to stop reading the character names, because I was stumbling over their wrongness and getting distracted. But! It was worth the effort, as I found it very funny.

“A Present for Ivo” by Ellis Peters (1958-59)

This collection could not have ended on a stronger note. This story is heartwarming and sweet, but also has action and adventure. For school teacher Sara Boyne, this holiday includes gunfights, a car chase, a stolen fourteenth century manuscript, a children’s party, and packages hanging on a tree.

Generally, I gravitate more towards novels than short stories, so I may be a bit biased when I say that this one was my favourite of the collection, as it was also the longest. If you read this collection, you will have to let me know if it was your favourite, too!

I think I can safely say that my new addiction are these Christmassy short story collections from British Library Crime Classics. Finishing this book was bittersweet, because now I don't have any more of them left on my shelves to read. I’m feeling withdrawal symptoms at the moment and wondering if I have any other Christmas books kicking around that will ease the discomfort. I do have another Christmassy British Library Crime Classic left to review though, so stay tuned!

Thank you to British Library Publishing for kindly sending me a copy of Who Killed Father Christmas? for review. As always, all opinions on the book are my own.

A Surprise for Christmas edited by Martin Edwards

A Surprise for Christmas is a delightful collection of twelve festive mystery stories. The stories come from a wide range of years, and they are all very different from each other. This collection was like diving into a box of assorted chocolates, and finding all of my favourites. Absolute bliss!

“The Black Bag Left on the Doorstep” (1893) by Catharine Louisa Pirkis

When £30,000 worth of jewellery is stolen from Craigen Court on Christmas Eve, private detective Loveday Brooke suspects an inside job. Before leaving the thief wrote, ‘To be let unfurnished’, across the safe door in chalk. Could the robbery have anything to do with a black leather bag found abandoned on a doorstep? Loveday thinks so, despite her employer’s cuttingly sarcastic remarks at the suggestion! Of course, she goes undercover to suss out the culprit. My one quibble is that I would have liked to have seen the resolution play out instead of hearing it retold by Loveday to her superior. But, overall, it is a fun one!

“The Hole in the Wall” (1921) by G.K. Chesterton

This story starts with the introduction of two men, one an architect, the other an archaeologist. We know from the off that Chesterton is going to entertain us with his sense of humour.

Lord Bulmer, in his breezy way, thought it natural to introduce them. It must be confessed that he was hazy as well as breezy, and had no very clear connexion in his mind, beyond the sense that an architect and an archaeologist begin with the same series of letters. The world must remain in a reverent doubt as to whether he would, on the same principles, have presented a diplomatist to a dipsomaniac or a ratiocinator to a rat catcher.

As well as being humorous, this is a wonderfully plotted story, set during a Christmas masquerade party at a house with a legend of a ghostly presence that haunts the grounds. Divine!

“Death on the Air” (1937) Ngaio Marsh

This one begins, “On the 25th of December at 7.30 a.m. Mr. Septimus Tonks was found dead beside his wireless set”. 

This is another one with an English country manor setting. Just the thing to read on Christmas Day. It reminded me of another short story I read at some point with a similar premise, but I can’t think of which one it was, so the connection must have been slight. If you have read this one and it reminds you of another story, please let me know. I’d love to solve that little mystery!

“Persons or Things Unknown” (1938) by Carter Dickson

At a Christmas housewarming party, a host tells a story that dates back to 1660 about a neighbour who “saw a man hacked to death with thirteen stab-wounds in his body, from a hand that wasn’t there and a weapon that didn’t exist.” But assures his guests, it’s fine. He has not put any of them in the room it happened in for the night.

Of course, we all liked the house. It had the most modern of lighting and heating arrangements, though the plumbing sent ghostly noises and clanks far down into its interior whenever you turned on a tap. But the smell of the past was in it; and you could not get over the idea that somebody was following you about. 

I loved the interweaving of the historical with the present day in this one. A creepy, atmospheric story, perfect for people who appreciate a Christmas ghost story. 

“Dead Man’s Hand” (1953) by E.R. Punshon

A snowstorm, a bag of diamonds, and a finger shot clean off. From the start, we know Jeremy Wells, gardener, chauffeur, and man of all work has just killed his employer up at the big house. What we don’t know is if he will get away with it. It sure looks like luck is going to be on his side! This one is good to the last line.

“The Christmas Eve Ghost” (1948) by Ernest Dudley

This one has a film noir feel to it, at the start, with a beautiful woman in distress coming to a private detective for help on Christmas Eve. Sophie Forrest runs River View hotel, which is described as “dark and dismal in its own grounds, the mist from the river swirling about its gaunt grimness”. Her husband was found in the river two months ago. He had been shot. And now she and his business partner, have been seeing the ghostly apparition of a Burmese dancer, said to haunt the hotel every year at Christmas time.

“Dick Whittington’s Cat” (1950) by Victor Canning

There is perhaps no setting I enjoy more for a story than one set in the theatre. Especially when it’s a mystery! A couple go to a pantomime, a “cat” falls from their balcony, and the woman loses her diamond bracelet. In part, I did see where this one was going. But it was still a very enjoyable short, short story.

“A Surprise for Christmas” (1956) by Cyril Hare

What starts with a cosy domestic scene of a family having just enjoyed an early Christmas dinner including turkey and plum pudding, ends with a surprise. Spoiler alert. It is not a good surprise! This one is short, yet packs a serious punch.

“On Christmas Day in the Morning” (1950) by Margery Allingham

A postman is found in the middle of a country road, lying across his bicycle. Given his fractured skull, it looks like he’s been hit by a car. The police just happen to have the perfect suspects already in custody. Two drunks who crashed further up the road. The problem is, the timing is all wrong. This one is sad, and all too believable, but brilliantly told.

“Give Me a Ring” (1955) by Anthony Gilbert

If all the other stories in this collection were mediocre, on the merit of this story alone it would still be a must buy. Thankfully, all of the stories in this collection are good, but I think this one is something special.

At a little over 80 pages, it’s more of a novella than a short story, and I have to admit that because of its length I approached this one with less enthusiasm than it deserved. But once I started reading I didn’t give another thought to the page count. Except maybe to thank the author for having the foresight to give the story the space it deserves! If “Give Me a Ring” had “Christmas”, “festive”, or “holiday” in the title, I feel sure it’s the story this collection would have been named after.

Anthony Gilbert is a pseudonym of Lucy Malleson. She also wrote as J. Kilmeny Keith and Anne Meredith, under which she wrote Portrait of a Murderer, which has been republished in the British Library Crime Classics series. She wrote sixty-five novels and at least sixty short stories. “Give Me a Ring” first appeared on 11 November 1955 edition in the Illustrated London News. 

I’d like to take this moment to say how much I love that British Library Publishing includes the date and publication in which the short stories in their collections first appeared. I feel that having that information provides the reader with essential context for the stories themselves within the history of the crime story as a genre. I also love that Martin Edwards shares a short biography of the author before each story, including the author’s noteworthy titles. So helpful for adding to your TBR!

Back to “Give Me A Ring”…

It was Christmas Eve and nearly five of the clock, but an afternoon less like the traditional ideas of the season would be hard to imagine. True, a little snow had fallen in the early hours, but this was rapidly churned into slush by the relentless London traffic and about mid-day a haze of fog began to spread over the city.

While out buying odds and ends on Christmas Eve, Gillian Hinde is disoriented in the fog and finds herself drawn towards a lit shop window. A most unlikely shop to find the perfect gift for herself.

The object in question was a ring, a quite ordinary setting containing a blue stone that glowed and sparkled as if it had gathered up all the light the fog had sucked out of the streets and flung it back with an unbelievable radiance.

Gillian is drawn into a dark plot that puts her, and her worried fiancé, through the paces. By the end, I couldn’t help but feel the couple certainly deserved to have a happy Christmas!

“Father Christmas Come to Orbins” (1963) by Julian Symons

Nothing says, “Happy Christmas!” like a holiday heist! This one is sharp, funny, well-observed, and just plain fun. A little edgier than the others in the collection, but no less enjoyable.

“The Turn-Again Bell” (1959) by Barry Perowne

The setting for this one is an 11th-century village church with a square Norman tower, and a churchyard blanketed in deep snow. There is a legend surrounding the church that once in the incumbency of each Rector, they would hear one of the church bells chime a single stroke at Christmas. The Rector would feel compelled to check to see who had rung the bell and find no one there, and no one else would have heard the bell ring. That Christmas would be his last.

The Rector left the church and headed for home. There had been a new, light fall of snow, under which the criss-crossing tyre-ruts were frozen hard. The night was clear and cold, the stars were bright. Trudging along, hands deep in his coat pockets, his shadow slanting on the snow, he was about halfway to the crossroads, when he heard a bell in the church tower clang once, loud and clear.

This one was chilling, beautifully described, and a heartwarming way to end a stellar collection.

Best enjoyed with a mince tart and a hot cuppa, A Surprise for Christmas would make a great read for December. There are a few short, short stories like one the collection gets its title from and “The Turn-Again Bell”, which could be enjoyed in between wrapping gifts and checking on the Yorkshire pud. I would save my favourite, the lengthy, “Give Me a Ring”, for when you’re up late on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa to appear.

This is a book I borrowed from my local library, but I enjoyed it so much that I’ve decided I must get my own copy in time for rereading it next holiday season.