Warren Bull's Blog, page 5
September 30, 2016
Greetings from South of Down Under by Warren Bull
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2016
Greetings from South of Down Under by Warren Bull
Greetings from south of Down Under by Warren Bull
New Zealand is noted as one of the best places to live on earth. Kiwis have a knack for making things simple and sensible. For example, the smallest coin is worth ten cents. Think of the time and effort saved in counting out change. For one and two dollars they have coins. Much longer lasting than paper bills. The higher value the coin has, the larger it is. Bills have a clear spot, which must make counterfeiting much more difficult.
I especially appreciate airports. When you land after too many hours in the air, in the terminal you see a sign that says “Start Here.” It is in fact where you start. What a concept. Bins to dump fruit and vegetables that are not allowed in the country are called amnesty bins. You can keep your chocolate. I learned that too late.
Bus drivers are very helpful. One driver got off the bus to point out our destination. In the time I spent in New Zealand I saw one crabby driver. He was funny without meaning to be.
Election cycles are much shorter than in the states. The speeches I’ve heard were much more civil. There is an election going on now, but the only way I know that is from reading billboards.
I’ve seen groups standing and chatting with members of all social classes together. You can’t tell a professor from a groundskeeper by their behavior or the company they keep.
Ps: The carrots here are delicious.
Where is your favorite non-US place?
Greetings from South of Down Under by Warren Bull
Greetings from south of Down Under by Warren Bull
New Zealand is noted as one of the best places to live on earth. Kiwis have a knack for making things simple and sensible. For example, the smallest coin is worth ten cents. Think of the time and effort saved in counting out change. For one and two dollars they have coins. Much longer lasting than paper bills. The higher value the coin has, the larger it is. Bills have a clear spot, which must make counterfeiting much more difficult.
I especially appreciate airports. When you land after too many hours in the air, in the terminal you see a sign that says “Start Here.” It is in fact where you start. What a concept. Bins to dump fruit and vegetables that are not allowed in the country are called amnesty bins. You can keep your chocolate. I learned that too late.
Bus drivers are very helpful. One driver got off the bus to point out our destination. In the time I spent in New Zealand I saw one crabby driver. He was funny without meaning to be.
Election cycles are much shorter than in the states. The speeches I’ve heard were much more civil. There is an election going on now, but the only way I know that is from reading billboards.
I’ve seen groups standing and chatting with members of all social classes together. You can’t tell a professor from a groundskeeper by their behavior or the company they keep.
Ps: The carrots here are delicious.
Where is your favorite non-US place?
September 23, 2016
It Ain't Necessarily So
It Ain’t Necessarily So by Warren Bull
It Ain’t Necessarily So by Warren Bull
So sang Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess. I should have remembered the song when I reviewed The Red House by A.A. Milne written in 1922. I described The Red House as “the only mystery novel” he wrote. Susan Oleksiw corrected me. Thank you, Susan. She pointed out that in 1933 he wrote Four Days Wonder, another light-hearted mystery.
My mistake was that the book was described as the only mystery novel A. A. Milne wrote on Wikipedia, in one place in Goodreads and on a description of a copy of The Red House for sale by a seller on ABE books. Checking references for this blog I found the same misinformation is given on Amazon UK. I can cite four references and they are all wrong.
It is surprisingly difficult to find definitive information about authors. After I blogged about the Uncle Albert mysteries, a reader sent me a question which I could not find and answer for anywhere.
A while back I read an article reviewing the work of Fletcher Flora, which listed his novels. In my personal library I had, as best I can remember, thirteen of the twelve novels listed. Note: I am away from my home and I will not return for more than a month from now so I cannot check on this right now. I may have the numbers wrong but I know I had one novel Flora wrote that was not included in the well-researched and well-written review article.
Maybe things will be different in the future now that mysteries are covered in university courses, but for now: Writer Beware.
I admit I am puzzled that it is so difficult to get accurate information about writers. Does anyone have an idea about why it is so hard?
It Ain’t Necessarily So by Warren Bull
So sang Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess. I should have remembered the song when I reviewed The Red House by A.A. Milne written in 1922. I described The Red House as “the only mystery novel” he wrote. Susan Oleksiw corrected me. Thank you, Susan. She pointed out that in 1933 he wrote Four Days Wonder, another light-hearted mystery.
My mistake was that the book was described as the only mystery novel A. A. Milne wrote on Wikipedia, in one place in Goodreads and on a description of a copy of The Red House for sale by a seller on ABE books. Checking references for this blog I found the same misinformation is given on Amazon UK. I can cite four references and they are all wrong.
It is surprisingly difficult to find definitive information about authors. After I blogged about the Uncle Albert mysteries, a reader sent me a question which I could not find and answer for anywhere.
A while back I read an article reviewing the work of Fletcher Flora, which listed his novels. In my personal library I had, as best I can remember, thirteen of the twelve novels listed. Note: I am away from my home and I will not return for more than a month from now so I cannot check on this right now. I may have the numbers wrong but I know I had one novel Flora wrote that was not included in the well-researched and well-written review article.
Maybe things will be different in the future now that mysteries are covered in university courses, but for now: Writer Beware.
I admit I am puzzled that it is so difficult to get accurate information about writers. Does anyone have an idea about why it is so hard?
September 16, 2016
The Blank Wall by Elisabeth Sanax Holding: A Review by Warren Bull
The Blank Wall by Elisabeth Sanax Holding: A Review by Warren Bull
Published in 1947, The Blank Wall inspired a movie Reckless Moment in 1949 and a second film The Deep End In 2001. Raymond Chandler described the author to his British agent as …”the top suspense writer of them all.”
Of all the heroes and heroines I have encountered in mystery novels over the years, Holding’s Lucia Holley may be the most unusual. That is because she is so ordinary. Holley is a housewife. She married at age eighteen, going from daughter to wife with no stops between the two. She never held a paying job or spent time on her own as a single person. She defines herself in terms of her relationship with first her parents and then her husband.
Now at age thirty-eight with her husband away at war, her lovely seventeen-year-old daughter, Bee, is dismissive of Lucia’s life and not nearly as capable and sophisticated she believes she is. Lucia’s son, David, and her father try to be supportive, but each has his limits. Lucia doesn’t want to worry her husband. She writes letters daily that she fills with trivia. She does not admit her fears for his safety or the trouble brewing at home.
The biggest challenges she faces daily are dealing with the limitations imposed by a war economy. When Bee’s new beau, a sinister character roughly twice Bee’s age, shows up at their home, events take an unexpected turn that calls for more decisive action, guts and determination than Lucia has ever shown. Her maid, Sibyl, could be an ally if Lucia can overcome the distance between herself, a white housewife, and an African-American maid who has no illusions about the way of the world.
The author presents a realistic picture of a woman who has to face demands she is totally unprepared for. I don’t recall any author writing about a heroine like this.
In my opinion the author does a great job and I am happy to recommend this book highly.
Published in 1947, The Blank Wall inspired a movie Reckless Moment in 1949 and a second film The Deep End In 2001. Raymond Chandler described the author to his British agent as …”the top suspense writer of them all.”
Of all the heroes and heroines I have encountered in mystery novels over the years, Holding’s Lucia Holley may be the most unusual. That is because she is so ordinary. Holley is a housewife. She married at age eighteen, going from daughter to wife with no stops between the two. She never held a paying job or spent time on her own as a single person. She defines herself in terms of her relationship with first her parents and then her husband.
Now at age thirty-eight with her husband away at war, her lovely seventeen-year-old daughter, Bee, is dismissive of Lucia’s life and not nearly as capable and sophisticated she believes she is. Lucia’s son, David, and her father try to be supportive, but each has his limits. Lucia doesn’t want to worry her husband. She writes letters daily that she fills with trivia. She does not admit her fears for his safety or the trouble brewing at home.
The biggest challenges she faces daily are dealing with the limitations imposed by a war economy. When Bee’s new beau, a sinister character roughly twice Bee’s age, shows up at their home, events take an unexpected turn that calls for more decisive action, guts and determination than Lucia has ever shown. Her maid, Sibyl, could be an ally if Lucia can overcome the distance between herself, a white housewife, and an African-American maid who has no illusions about the way of the world.
The author presents a realistic picture of a woman who has to face demands she is totally unprepared for. I don’t recall any author writing about a heroine like this.
In my opinion the author does a great job and I am happy to recommend this book highly.
September 8, 2016
The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne: A review by Warren Bull
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016
The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne: A review by Warren Bull
The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne: A review by Warren Bull
The Red House Mystery is the only mystery novel written by A. A. Milne. The author is, of course, better know for his writing about Christopher Robin and Pooh. Actually, Milne wrote a number of mystery short stories and these show his command of the mystery form. After publication in 1922 the book was praised. Alexander Woollcott said it was one of the three best mysteries ever written.
Raymond Chandler, on the other hand, in an essay titled The Simple Art of Murder written in 1950 used The Red House Mystery as an illustration of how artificial and, in his words, “dull” the books were during the Golden Age of Mystery Fiction. (An earlier essay on the topic by Chandler was published in 1944.) He pointed out that if the basic premise of the plot is unrealistic, the whole work is invalid even as light fiction. He argued that, like other works of the era, The Red House Mystery depends up on contrivances and formulas. He said the amateur sleuth is only able to show his skill because the police are so incompetent. He mused about what would happen if the amateur were confronted by real homicide squad detectives.
While I believe there was some wonderful writing done in the Golden Age, there is no doubt that some novels were formulaic and predictable. The Red House Mystery certainly shows some of the issues Chandler mentioned. The sleuth and his sidekick treat the murder as a chance to seek clues and unravel secrets in fun. The murder is taken as part of the fun like a list in a treasure hunt. Nowhere was the death seen as tragic or unpardonable or a violation of the most important taboo in a civilized society. The writing is light and amusing. Milne’s skill is evident. He presents a classic murder in a locked room where both the probable murderer and murder weapon have disappeared. His solution is ingenious.
I enjoyed the book for it strengths. I also believe Chandler’s critique has considerable merit. I recommend it as a light read. I also recommend it as an example of the weaknesses Chandler cites.
The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne: A review by Warren Bull
The Red House Mystery by A.A. Milne: A review by Warren Bull
The Red House Mystery is the only mystery novel written by A. A. Milne. The author is, of course, better know for his writing about Christopher Robin and Pooh. Actually, Milne wrote a number of mystery short stories and these show his command of the mystery form. After publication in 1922 the book was praised. Alexander Woollcott said it was one of the three best mysteries ever written.
Raymond Chandler, on the other hand, in an essay titled The Simple Art of Murder written in 1950 used The Red House Mystery as an illustration of how artificial and, in his words, “dull” the books were during the Golden Age of Mystery Fiction. (An earlier essay on the topic by Chandler was published in 1944.) He pointed out that if the basic premise of the plot is unrealistic, the whole work is invalid even as light fiction. He argued that, like other works of the era, The Red House Mystery depends up on contrivances and formulas. He said the amateur sleuth is only able to show his skill because the police are so incompetent. He mused about what would happen if the amateur were confronted by real homicide squad detectives.
While I believe there was some wonderful writing done in the Golden Age, there is no doubt that some novels were formulaic and predictable. The Red House Mystery certainly shows some of the issues Chandler mentioned. The sleuth and his sidekick treat the murder as a chance to seek clues and unravel secrets in fun. The murder is taken as part of the fun like a list in a treasure hunt. Nowhere was the death seen as tragic or unpardonable or a violation of the most important taboo in a civilized society. The writing is light and amusing. Milne’s skill is evident. He presents a classic murder in a locked room where both the probable murderer and murder weapon have disappeared. His solution is ingenious.
I enjoyed the book for it strengths. I also believe Chandler’s critique has considerable merit. I recommend it as a light read. I also recommend it as an example of the weaknesses Chandler cites.
September 2, 2016
The April Robin Murders by Craig Rice and Ed McBain: A review by Warren Bull
The April Robin Murders by Craig Rice and Ed McBain: A review by Warren Bull
Published in 1958, The April Robin Murders by Craig Rice and Ed McBain is the third in a series of novels. Craig Rice AKA Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig wrote the first two without a co-author. When the book came out Craig Rice was the first author mentioned. Other names she wrote under are Daphne Sanders and Michael Venning. She was also George Sanders’ ghostwriter.
Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kusak were street photographers. After some success, in earlier books, they moved to Hollywood to become rich and famous. Bingo was sure something would come along to make that happen before their stash ran out. Handsome trusted his partner, the brains of the duo.
Looking for a map to Movie Stars homes, they happen upon a friendly guy who has a sweet deal to offer on an empty, spooky mansion once owned by silent movie great April Robbins. They can’t resist the offer. Later they also take a lease on office property along sunset strip. Along the way they meet other nice people. Some have been accused of murder. Some seem to actually be murderers since bodies start to pile up along the way. With Bingos schemes and Handsome’s photographic memory, they stumble along toward a happy ending.
This is a fun read, sort of a madcap comedy that could be made into a movie as four of her novels were. Of course, she also wrote scripts, plays and short stories. For light entertainment and amusement this is well worth your time.
Published in 1958, The April Robin Murders by Craig Rice and Ed McBain is the third in a series of novels. Craig Rice AKA Georgiana Ann Randolph Craig wrote the first two without a co-author. When the book came out Craig Rice was the first author mentioned. Other names she wrote under are Daphne Sanders and Michael Venning. She was also George Sanders’ ghostwriter.
Bingo Riggs and Handsome Kusak were street photographers. After some success, in earlier books, they moved to Hollywood to become rich and famous. Bingo was sure something would come along to make that happen before their stash ran out. Handsome trusted his partner, the brains of the duo.
Looking for a map to Movie Stars homes, they happen upon a friendly guy who has a sweet deal to offer on an empty, spooky mansion once owned by silent movie great April Robbins. They can’t resist the offer. Later they also take a lease on office property along sunset strip. Along the way they meet other nice people. Some have been accused of murder. Some seem to actually be murderers since bodies start to pile up along the way. With Bingos schemes and Handsome’s photographic memory, they stumble along toward a happy ending.
This is a fun read, sort of a madcap comedy that could be made into a movie as four of her novels were. Of course, she also wrote scripts, plays and short stories. For light entertainment and amusement this is well worth your time.
August 26, 2016
More from the Detection Club by Warren Bull
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016
More from the Detection Club by Warren Bull
Double Death published in 1939 was a product of Dorothy L. Sayers, Freeman Wills Croft, Valentine Williams, F. Tennyson Jesse, Anthony Armstrong and David Hume. John Chancellor supervised and wrote a preface and a prologue to the book.
The idea for the book came from a newspaper editor who thought it would be a good idea to create a mystery in which each chapter would be written by a different author. The authors above concurred and each independently produced a chapter. In addition, each writer wrote a note outlining his or her ideas to assist the authors who followed. Although the authors did not know the notes would be included, when John Chancellor asked to include them at the end of each chapter, the writers consented.
The mystery was interesting. I thought the characters changed considerably from chapter to chapter. As you might expect, a character seen as virtuous by one writer might embody evil in the eyes of another writer.
For me, the notes were the most interesting part of the book. They offer a view into what the authors planned in their writing. It will come as no surprise that Dorothy L. Sayers set the enterprise on a solid base in the first chapter. She left the options wide open for later writers. Interestingly authors identified different characters as set up by earlier authors to be the murderer. Just about every character was proposed to play the part of the murderer.
I recommend this as a way to take a look at the thinking and plotting of experienced mystery writers.
Verdict of 13, published by the detection club forty years after Double Death, had an entirely different list of authors. H.R.F. Keating, Patricia Highsmith, Christianna Brand, Michael Underwood, Gwendoline Brand, Michael Gilbert, Peter Dickinson, Michael Innes, Celia Fremlin, Julian Symons, Ngaio Marsh, Dick Francis and P.D. James contributed never-before-published short stories for the book. Verdict of 13 is an anthology, which includes stories of detective puzzles and thrillers; a comic tale and a horrific one; realistic yarns and absolute fantasies. What unites the entries is that all of them, one way or another include some kind of a jury. It may be far from the traditional idea of a jury, but it is nonetheless an identifiable as such.
The concept is not as original as the idea for Double Death but I recommend this book highly because the writing is stellar. I am glad the Detection Club is still going strong.
More from the Detection Club by Warren Bull
Double Death published in 1939 was a product of Dorothy L. Sayers, Freeman Wills Croft, Valentine Williams, F. Tennyson Jesse, Anthony Armstrong and David Hume. John Chancellor supervised and wrote a preface and a prologue to the book.
The idea for the book came from a newspaper editor who thought it would be a good idea to create a mystery in which each chapter would be written by a different author. The authors above concurred and each independently produced a chapter. In addition, each writer wrote a note outlining his or her ideas to assist the authors who followed. Although the authors did not know the notes would be included, when John Chancellor asked to include them at the end of each chapter, the writers consented.
The mystery was interesting. I thought the characters changed considerably from chapter to chapter. As you might expect, a character seen as virtuous by one writer might embody evil in the eyes of another writer.
For me, the notes were the most interesting part of the book. They offer a view into what the authors planned in their writing. It will come as no surprise that Dorothy L. Sayers set the enterprise on a solid base in the first chapter. She left the options wide open for later writers. Interestingly authors identified different characters as set up by earlier authors to be the murderer. Just about every character was proposed to play the part of the murderer.
I recommend this as a way to take a look at the thinking and plotting of experienced mystery writers.
Verdict of 13, published by the detection club forty years after Double Death, had an entirely different list of authors. H.R.F. Keating, Patricia Highsmith, Christianna Brand, Michael Underwood, Gwendoline Brand, Michael Gilbert, Peter Dickinson, Michael Innes, Celia Fremlin, Julian Symons, Ngaio Marsh, Dick Francis and P.D. James contributed never-before-published short stories for the book. Verdict of 13 is an anthology, which includes stories of detective puzzles and thrillers; a comic tale and a horrific one; realistic yarns and absolute fantasies. What unites the entries is that all of them, one way or another include some kind of a jury. It may be far from the traditional idea of a jury, but it is nonetheless an identifiable as such.
The concept is not as original as the idea for Double Death but I recommend this book highly because the writing is stellar. I am glad the Detection Club is still going strong.
August 19, 2016
The Oaken Heart by Margery Allingham: A Review by Warren Bull
The Oaken Heart by Margery Allingham: A Review by Warren Bull
This is not a novel. Although Margery Allingham is one of the great writers of Mystery Fiction’s Golden Age, she also wrote non-fiction about her life and experiences. The Oaken Heart tells about a small village named Auburn during World War II. I found it rather difficult to identify people usually called by their nicknames. And I’m not sure her experience was typical of what people went through.
Still, it is a record of the effect of war skillfully written by an intelligent, observant woman. It gives a sense of the trials, fears and tragedy that accompanied even people far from the front lines. It is not without humor, even during the darkest days.
She conveys what a shock it was to find out a war was underway when no sane person wanted war and when the losses of WWI were still keenly felt. She talked about how planning for housing for children evacuated from London were accomplished without fuss of bother in one day. The author also talked about the false hope generated when little happened in the earliest day after war was declared.
She mentioned so many aspects of her life that I cannot do justice to everything she described. Among them she wrote about trying to continue her work as a writer during the upheavals caused by the war; how military setbacks, such as the capitulation of France, were experienced as very personal blows; and what it was like to be bombed.
All in all this is a remarkable book by a first rate writer about England during World War II. If you want to get a sense of what that time was like, I cannot think of a better book to read.
This is not a novel. Although Margery Allingham is one of the great writers of Mystery Fiction’s Golden Age, she also wrote non-fiction about her life and experiences. The Oaken Heart tells about a small village named Auburn during World War II. I found it rather difficult to identify people usually called by their nicknames. And I’m not sure her experience was typical of what people went through.
Still, it is a record of the effect of war skillfully written by an intelligent, observant woman. It gives a sense of the trials, fears and tragedy that accompanied even people far from the front lines. It is not without humor, even during the darkest days.
She conveys what a shock it was to find out a war was underway when no sane person wanted war and when the losses of WWI were still keenly felt. She talked about how planning for housing for children evacuated from London were accomplished without fuss of bother in one day. The author also talked about the false hope generated when little happened in the earliest day after war was declared.
She mentioned so many aspects of her life that I cannot do justice to everything she described. Among them she wrote about trying to continue her work as a writer during the upheavals caused by the war; how military setbacks, such as the capitulation of France, were experienced as very personal blows; and what it was like to be bombed.
All in all this is a remarkable book by a first rate writer about England during World War II. If you want to get a sense of what that time was like, I cannot think of a better book to read.
August 11, 2016
The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin: A Review by Warren Bull
The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin: A Review by Warren Bull
The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin: A Review by Warren Bull
The Case of the Gilded Fly was published in 1944. Crispin is generally considered a literary mystery author. The novel makes many references to classic literature and music, most of which I did not know. I’m sure much of the wittiness and humor went over my head. Maybe that is why I did not like the book. The Case of the Gilded Fly is the first Gervase Fen mystery.
So much of reading is a matter of taste. Someone else, especially someone well versed in the classics, might enjoy the book. For me, by not introducing the main character in the prologue or the first chapter, the author had me following a secondary character for most of the novel. It was sort of like trying to understand a Sherlock Holmes mystery by paying close attention to Dr. Watson.
I found it disturbing that the murder victim’s death was nearly celebrated by the majority of the characters who compared it to drowning unwanted kittens or exterminating vermin. Even the protagonist had mixed feelings about telling the police who committed the crime and how it was done. Personally, I don’t find drowning kittens to be morally equivalent with exterminating termites or ants. Although the woman killed was a truly awful person, I think discovering and punishing murder is part of a civilized society.
The novel was written and set when World War II was part of everyone’s life. In that war millions of people were slaughtered. The perception of a single death might well have been different back then.
I can report that the writing is well done. The manner of presenting the crime was fair. The method of death was ingenious.
One of my quirks is that I rarely like books in which I do not find any character compelling. That does not mean the character has to be likeable, but I prefer having someone to root for. In this book I thought all the main characters in the novel were obnoxious. Characters treated each other with condescension, which I did not find amusing. The Case of the Gilded Fly was not my cup of tea. I cannot recommend it, but if someone else read it and liked it, I really like to hear that person’s opinion.
The Case of the Gilded Fly by Edmund Crispin: A Review by Warren Bull
The Case of the Gilded Fly was published in 1944. Crispin is generally considered a literary mystery author. The novel makes many references to classic literature and music, most of which I did not know. I’m sure much of the wittiness and humor went over my head. Maybe that is why I did not like the book. The Case of the Gilded Fly is the first Gervase Fen mystery.
So much of reading is a matter of taste. Someone else, especially someone well versed in the classics, might enjoy the book. For me, by not introducing the main character in the prologue or the first chapter, the author had me following a secondary character for most of the novel. It was sort of like trying to understand a Sherlock Holmes mystery by paying close attention to Dr. Watson.
I found it disturbing that the murder victim’s death was nearly celebrated by the majority of the characters who compared it to drowning unwanted kittens or exterminating vermin. Even the protagonist had mixed feelings about telling the police who committed the crime and how it was done. Personally, I don’t find drowning kittens to be morally equivalent with exterminating termites or ants. Although the woman killed was a truly awful person, I think discovering and punishing murder is part of a civilized society.
The novel was written and set when World War II was part of everyone’s life. In that war millions of people were slaughtered. The perception of a single death might well have been different back then.
I can report that the writing is well done. The manner of presenting the crime was fair. The method of death was ingenious.
One of my quirks is that I rarely like books in which I do not find any character compelling. That does not mean the character has to be likeable, but I prefer having someone to root for. In this book I thought all the main characters in the novel were obnoxious. Characters treated each other with condescension, which I did not find amusing. The Case of the Gilded Fly was not my cup of tea. I cannot recommend it, but if someone else read it and liked it, I really like to hear that person’s opinion.
August 9, 2016
Surfeit of Lampreys by Ngaio Marsh: A review by Warren Bull
Surfeit of Lampreys by Ngaio Marsh: A review by Warren Bull
Surfeit of Lampreys was published in 1941. It starts like a comedy describing the eccentric Lamprey family as seen by a friend of the family, Roberta Grey. The family had a history of coming to the brink of economic ruin, trying ineffectually to stave off bankruptcy, and in the end being saved by happenstance.
Grey was introduced to the family when during one money crisis Patricia (Patch) Lamprey was enrolled in a New Zealand boarding school rather than sent to England for her education as the other children had been. An invitation to spend a holiday with the Lampreys when she was fourteen was the start of Grey’s involvement with the family. She quickly became a fascinated and enthusiastic fan of everyone and everything Lamprey. They had charm by the bucket and common sense by the thimble.
After Grey’s parents were killed in an automobile accident, Grey, then twenty years old, came to England to live with an aunt. When the aunt became ill, Grey was again invited to stay with the Lamprey family. As frequently happened, the family was once again in debt and out of money. They hatched a plan for the head of the family, Charles, to ask his miserly older brother Gabriel, who was a Marquis, for a hefty loan.
The mystery begins when Gabriel is found murdered in a particularly nasty manner on the Lamprey property. Chief Detective –Inspector Alleyn is called in to solve the crime. Ill-conceived efforts by the Lamprey family to protect one another hamper the investigation and lies pile up faster than clues.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.
If such a family did exist, I would be an ardent fan. I would also be an admirer of the detective. Marsh shows why she was considered one of the Queens of Crime with her deft writing, use of red herrings and absolutely fair play with the mystery.
Interestingly there was a family named Lamprey among the gentry at the time the book was written. They corresponded with the author. She apologized for using their name.
I recommend this novel very highly.
Surfeit of Lampreys was published in 1941. It starts like a comedy describing the eccentric Lamprey family as seen by a friend of the family, Roberta Grey. The family had a history of coming to the brink of economic ruin, trying ineffectually to stave off bankruptcy, and in the end being saved by happenstance.
Grey was introduced to the family when during one money crisis Patricia (Patch) Lamprey was enrolled in a New Zealand boarding school rather than sent to England for her education as the other children had been. An invitation to spend a holiday with the Lampreys when she was fourteen was the start of Grey’s involvement with the family. She quickly became a fascinated and enthusiastic fan of everyone and everything Lamprey. They had charm by the bucket and common sense by the thimble.
After Grey’s parents were killed in an automobile accident, Grey, then twenty years old, came to England to live with an aunt. When the aunt became ill, Grey was again invited to stay with the Lamprey family. As frequently happened, the family was once again in debt and out of money. They hatched a plan for the head of the family, Charles, to ask his miserly older brother Gabriel, who was a Marquis, for a hefty loan.
The mystery begins when Gabriel is found murdered in a particularly nasty manner on the Lamprey property. Chief Detective –Inspector Alleyn is called in to solve the crime. Ill-conceived efforts by the Lamprey family to protect one another hamper the investigation and lies pile up faster than clues.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.
If such a family did exist, I would be an ardent fan. I would also be an admirer of the detective. Marsh shows why she was considered one of the Queens of Crime with her deft writing, use of red herrings and absolutely fair play with the mystery.
Interestingly there was a family named Lamprey among the gentry at the time the book was written. They corresponded with the author. She apologized for using their name.
I recommend this novel very highly.
July 28, 2012
Phantom Cow Haunts Golf Course
There has been a recent addition to the pantheon of desperados in and around Kansas City. From the “Bleeding Kansas” days of the James and Younger brothers, through the machine gun murders of the “Kansas City Massacre” and the benign rule of Boss Tom Pendergast, colorful and dangerous characters have populated the streets and the imaginations of people in this Midwest metropolis.
According to the Kansas City Star dated 6/16/12 the latest shadowy figure emerged in late April of this year when a tractor trailer drove off an interstate bridge, destroyed nearly 200 feet of guardrail, fell to the street below and burst into flames. Sadly the driver died two weeks later. The truck was carrying dozens of cows to a feedlot. All were captured…except one.
In the interest of fair reporting it should be noted no one has suggested the cow was in any way involved in causing the crash. No charges against her have been filed to date.
The canny bovine remained in hiding behind a stone wall near the Sunflower Hills Golf Course for days while the other animals were tracked down, rounded up and sent on their way.
Since that time the cow has eluded capture. From time to time golfers report seeing a lone cow in the twilight on the edge of the course but if pursued she fades into woods and disappears. Police and Park Rangers formed a posse shortly after she was first sighted but she eluded capture.
Her grazing area has been identified between three small lakes. A pen has been set up with a blue plastic bucket of corn, a salt lick and water. So far she has not been trapped. Tracks suggest that the cow roams the course at night avoiding the greens but leaving unmistakable evidence of her presence on the fairways and in the rough.
Authorities believe she has joined a band of wild roving deer for company. She has earned the nickname of the Phantom Cow. The saga of this free spirit continues. When I learn more, gentle reader, I will keep you informed.
I say run free. Moo proudly. What do you say?
According to the Kansas City Star dated 6/16/12 the latest shadowy figure emerged in late April of this year when a tractor trailer drove off an interstate bridge, destroyed nearly 200 feet of guardrail, fell to the street below and burst into flames. Sadly the driver died two weeks later. The truck was carrying dozens of cows to a feedlot. All were captured…except one.
In the interest of fair reporting it should be noted no one has suggested the cow was in any way involved in causing the crash. No charges against her have been filed to date.
The canny bovine remained in hiding behind a stone wall near the Sunflower Hills Golf Course for days while the other animals were tracked down, rounded up and sent on their way.
Since that time the cow has eluded capture. From time to time golfers report seeing a lone cow in the twilight on the edge of the course but if pursued she fades into woods and disappears. Police and Park Rangers formed a posse shortly after she was first sighted but she eluded capture.
Her grazing area has been identified between three small lakes. A pen has been set up with a blue plastic bucket of corn, a salt lick and water. So far she has not been trapped. Tracks suggest that the cow roams the course at night avoiding the greens but leaving unmistakable evidence of her presence on the fairways and in the rough.
Authorities believe she has joined a band of wild roving deer for company. She has earned the nickname of the Phantom Cow. The saga of this free spirit continues. When I learn more, gentle reader, I will keep you informed.
I say run free. Moo proudly. What do you say?
