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Murder on the Lusitania
(George Porter Dillman & Genevieve Masefield #1)
by
September 1907. George Porter Dillman sets sail from Liverpool on the Lusitania's maiden voyage. Hired by the ship's captain to pose as a passenger, George is in fact a private detective for the Cunard Line. In the first days of his voyage, George only has to deal with a few petty crimes. But then an expensive piece of jewelry is reported stolen and a body is found. Workin
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Paperback, 272 pages
Published
October 15th 2000
by Minotaur Books
(first published 1999)
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Showing 1-30
Start your review of Murder on the Lusitania (George Porter Dillman & Genevieve Masefield, #1)
This is the first in a series of books written by Conrad Allen, a pseudonym used by Keith Miles. You may know him already by another pseudonym, that of Edward Marston, which he uses for many popular series, including that of the Railway Detective mysteries. This series features George Porter Dillman and the enigmatic and beautiful Genevieve Masefield and all are set aboard cruise ships in the heyday of the great liners. In order, the books are as follows:
1. Murder on the Lusitania (1999)
2. Murde ...more
1. Murder on the Lusitania (1999)
2. Murde ...more
This had so much potential. SO much. And just kind of fell flat for me. It did have enough that I may read the second one, but I am not in a huge hurry. Sigh.
I liked George Dillman's character [even if I did think he was a bit too cocky for his own good], but I am not a fan of Genevieve Masefield or women like her. And I truly find it hard to believe that a decent guy like George would immediately [to the point of kissing her and wanting to be with her forever] fall for someone like that. I do ...more
I liked George Dillman's character [even if I did think he was a bit too cocky for his own good], but I am not a fan of Genevieve Masefield or women like her. And I truly find it hard to believe that a decent guy like George would immediately [to the point of kissing her and wanting to be with her forever] fall for someone like that. I do ...more
George Porter Dillman is sailing from Liverpool back to his native United States. On the train to Liverpool he meets a bunch of quirky characters including the Oxford-educated Cyril Weeks and the Rymer family: Mr., Mrs. and daughter Violet. Dillman sense some tension in the Rymer family and thinks the daughter is not enjoying her trip. On board the ship he's introduced to more quirky people: Jeremiah Erskine, a doom and gloom profit; Henry Barcroft, a brash, nosy journalist and the enigmatic Gen
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A good, old-fashioned mystery set on the maiden voyage of the famous Lusitania from England to New York in 1907, Murder on the Lusitania certainly doesn't disappoint.
In the tradition of novels by Golden Age mystery writers like Christie and Marsh, we have an interesting and varied cast of characters/suspects, mostly restricted to the first class passengers, whom we're slowly introduced to. George Porter Dillman, our protagonist, is hired by the Cunard Line as an undercover detective and finds mo ...more
In the tradition of novels by Golden Age mystery writers like Christie and Marsh, we have an interesting and varied cast of characters/suspects, mostly restricted to the first class passengers, whom we're slowly introduced to. George Porter Dillman, our protagonist, is hired by the Cunard Line as an undercover detective and finds mo ...more
Mar 10, 2020
Novella
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
mystery buffs, historical mysteries.
What's better than a good mystery? One that takes place on a ship, train, or plane! First published by Conrad Allen in 1940 this enthralling and sometimes suspenseful plot takes place on the maiden voyage of the Lusitania. The reader is introduced one by one to a host of "players" boarding the ship. Soon, it is evident not everyone is who they seem to be. But there is something even more sinister than just a few deceptions taking place. George Porter Dillman hired by the Cunard line is like the
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A completely delightful character study. Everyone's stuck on the same ship, so what else is there to do but people-watch? Everybody has secrets and it's fun to unearth all of them. Can't wait to see what's next!
...more
A murder mystery without too much blood and very little gore. I loved that it was set on board such a historic ship.
A period piece with a bit of an Agatha Christie feel. The setting and the times were very well drawn. The characters were likeable, mostly. The plot could have been better, but the book was entertaining anyway.
This is pretty much what you would expect--a tight little mystery that nicely evokes its period (pre-World War One) and setting (luxury ocean liner). Apparently it is the beginning of a series, although the detective/hero wasn't quite memorable enough for me to care about future adventures.
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This is a solid 3.5 stars for me. I am really drawn to mysteries that have a travel element to them, especially during the summer months. I really enjoyed the setting. Adding in the historical elements also gave more interest. I would have really loved this mystery novel had the author added more depth to the characters. I definitely knew more about the ship than I did any of the main characters. The mystery was easy to figure out. No twists or turns, definitely on the predictable side. But I am
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I thought the book was good. Started a little slow but ramped up mid way through the end of the book. By the end I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read.
A nice beach book. George is hired as an undercover detective for the maiden voyage of the Lusitania. There are several stories going on simultaneously. Young Violet is miserable because her parents dragged her off after breaking up her romance with Philip. Surprise! Phillip is also on the ship. Will the star crossed lovers reunite? Will Genevieve win the heart of the Earl? Will George find the murderer? Which young lady will capture the heart of George?
There’s plenty of intrigue and some of it ...more
There’s plenty of intrigue and some of it ...more
A fun, fast read. Really more a 3.5. I've already ordered the next in the series. That said, "Murder on the Lusitania" will never be mistaken for great literature, but it's the perfect book to read when you are looking for lighter fare.
While the mystery itself was well done and the author gave us several plausible suspects to consider, the romance between George and Genevieve felt contrived. I like both characters, but I'm not sure what drew them together. Not surprising, however, since the boo ...more
While the mystery itself was well done and the author gave us several plausible suspects to consider, the romance between George and Genevieve felt contrived. I like both characters, but I'm not sure what drew them together. Not surprising, however, since the boo ...more
I love historical myseries that take place in the early 20th century, so this book was right up my alley. The details about the ship and the additional information at the end of the book added to the atmosphere.
George Dillman is undercover security for the cruise ship, and as he mingles with the first-class passengers, we meet our various suspects - the beautiful woman with a secret; the father-mother-daughter trio who clearly have something on their mind; the outspoken American and her father; ...more
George Dillman is undercover security for the cruise ship, and as he mingles with the first-class passengers, we meet our various suspects - the beautiful woman with a secret; the father-mother-daughter trio who clearly have something on their mind; the outspoken American and her father; ...more
Nov 01, 2011
Amy
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to Amy by:
Hannah
Shelves:
reviewed,
mysteries,
intrigue,
historical-fiction,
love-stories,
sea-tales,
detective-fiction
Murder on the Lusitania was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery, full of colorful and interesting characters, many of whom had at least something to hide. Conrad Allen's style is quite reminiscent of Agatha Christie's, and the setting was fairly Agatha-esque as well.
Although it took months for my local library to get this book for me via interlibrary loan, it was well worth the wait, and I'm looking forward to the second George Porter Dillman & Genevieve Masefield mystery. ...more
Although it took months for my local library to get this book for me via interlibrary loan, it was well worth the wait, and I'm looking forward to the second George Porter Dillman & Genevieve Masefield mystery. ...more
The editor of this book ought to be shot. There were so many typos and grammatical errors that the book was filled with penned in corrections written by the people who had checked the book out of the library before me.
The story itself was cliched and minimally engaging. I continue to search for more cleverly written historical mysteries.
The story itself was cliched and minimally engaging. I continue to search for more cleverly written historical mysteries.
On it's maiden voyage in 1907 the Lusitania is packed with excited travelers, celebrities, reporters and murder. This first in the Dillman/Masefield series was captivating, well written, with interesting characters and a devious plot. One can almost smell the sea air.
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First, I was appalled by all the typos. Second, I was bored silly until the last fifty pages. I was, frankly, underwhelmed.
01 Introduction
I confess. I like being on a big boat.
I like movies set on boats (such as 1948 Romance on the High Seas with Doris Day). I like horror video games set on boats (such as 2005 Cold Fear, and 2012 Resident Evil Revelations). So I thought it was about time to read a book set on a big boat.
For background sounds for reading I chose some ambient sounds of creaking ships and stormy waves such as:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4juE...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f43AN...
Anyway, Mur ...more
I confess. I like being on a big boat.
I like movies set on boats (such as 1948 Romance on the High Seas with Doris Day). I like horror video games set on boats (such as 2005 Cold Fear, and 2012 Resident Evil Revelations). So I thought it was about time to read a book set on a big boat.
For background sounds for reading I chose some ambient sounds of creaking ships and stormy waves such as:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4juE...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f43AN...
Anyway, Mur ...more
This was an enjoyable and engaging read - a cozy mystery with some good plotting and excellent historical detail.
This murder mystery occurs on the maiden voyage of the Lusitania in 1907, which started in from Liverpool, stopped Queenstown, Ireland, and then set sail across the Atlantic to New York.
The plotting was good and the historical setting was interesting.
George Porter Dillman is an undercover detective hired by the ship’s owners, the Cunards, to make sure things go smoothly. The usual pe ...more
This murder mystery occurs on the maiden voyage of the Lusitania in 1907, which started in from Liverpool, stopped Queenstown, Ireland, and then set sail across the Atlantic to New York.
The plotting was good and the historical setting was interesting.
George Porter Dillman is an undercover detective hired by the ship’s owners, the Cunards, to make sure things go smoothly. The usual pe ...more
The book took a long time to get going and it was not until nearly half way through that a murder actually occurs for our detective to solve. Ironically, in contrast, the ending feels a little rushed and undeveloped and is still being solved in the last few pages. The mystery itself was interesting and although I was able to solve parts of it early on, other parts I didn’t get until the reveal. The author is skilled in pointing the finger at various characters and including in many clues and red
...more
Murder on the Lusitania by Conrad Allen proved to be an engaging and worthwhile read. George Porter Dillman is working plainclothes security on the Lusitania's maiden voyage, and he thinks the most he'll have to worry about are petty thefts - until a dead body is found. He works tirelessly to find the culprit, maintaining a rich social network of other passengers that may have had a reason to turn to murder.
The well-rounded and suspicious characters in this novel make it very interesting to read ...more
The well-rounded and suspicious characters in this novel make it very interesting to read ...more
The "start to corpse" time is ridiculously long, but this is the best Agatha Christie substitute I've read yet. No, it doesn't come close to the cleverness and psychological insight of her best work, but it is nearly on par with her more middling works, and better than some. Like Christie, it provides a window into a world in some ways very modern, yet still very removed from ours, including the unspoken rules of society, and like Christie, Allen is never so focused on the mystery that he doesn'
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⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars
A transatlantic crossing of a cruise 🚢 ship an makes interesting setting for a 'closed room' mystery. This mystery takes place on the maiden voyage of the Lusitania in 1907, from Liverpool, with a stop in Queenstown, and then onward to NYC. Historical background on the ship and additional epilogue information.
Nice start to establishing a partnership of George Dillman, private investigator, Bostonian and Genevieve Masefield, a passenger from London.
The story felt like it was on a c ...more
A transatlantic crossing of a cruise 🚢 ship an makes interesting setting for a 'closed room' mystery. This mystery takes place on the maiden voyage of the Lusitania in 1907, from Liverpool, with a stop in Queenstown, and then onward to NYC. Historical background on the ship and additional epilogue information.
Nice start to establishing a partnership of George Dillman, private investigator, Bostonian and Genevieve Masefield, a passenger from London.
The story felt like it was on a c ...more
I think this was one of the worst edited books that I have read in a long time. There were two words that meant the same thing in the same sentence that didn't tie together. The back of the book pretty much gave away the who, you just needed to know the why and while reading this, I wondered if I even cared.
I think if this would have been a play and all the people actors, it would have been easier for me to take, but because it was a novel, it was a little hard to read.
The reason I am giving it ...more
I think if this would have been a play and all the people actors, it would have been easier for me to take, but because it was a novel, it was a little hard to read.
The reason I am giving it ...more
The Lusitania is best known as a main reason for the U.S. joining up to fight World War I when the ship was sunk by a German U-boat. But long before that she had her maiden voyage in 1907. In this fictional version of that voyage, George Porter Dillman is the detective hired to make sure things go smoothly: thefts get solved, missing items found, etc. This time he gets more than expected. The plants for the ship are stolen from the chief engineer's office. Then a man is murdered in his cabin. Of
...more
Started with the last one written ( Murder on the Celtic ) and the characters were interesting.
Now read the first and the introduction to the main characters is very informative. The basic format is defined and we get a lot of character development of the passengers, lots of possible criminals created from these, lots of little stories to flesh out the book that really do not impact the crimes that develop and then a bit of action where some people are hurt but the murder is solved.
I like the hi ...more
Now read the first and the introduction to the main characters is very informative. The basic format is defined and we get a lot of character development of the passengers, lots of possible criminals created from these, lots of little stories to flesh out the book that really do not impact the crimes that develop and then a bit of action where some people are hurt but the murder is solved.
I like the hi ...more
George Portman Dillman is a detective working undercover on the opening voyage of the Lusitania. He's mainly expected to deal with professional gamblers and petty thefts. The Henry Barcroft, an obnoxious reporter, is murder and Dillman searches for his murderer. The book jumps around a lot between various characters perspectives including a rather boring subplot about a passenger who has been removed from her lover by her parents. I did like Dillman as a character so I'll probably read more in t
...more
George Porter Dillman escaped the family yacht building business to become first an actor and then a Pinkerton agent. Now he is a detective for Cunard posing as a first class passenger. In September 1907 he is onboard the Lusitania, which hopes to set a transatlantic speed record on her maiden voyage. A light, entertaining read in an entertaining setting.
Like many mysteries, this book was slow to get going. But I'm glad I stuck with it. Very entertaining, and the last four chapters were very good. Mysteries don't have to be this way; I've read several, such as In The Bleak Midwinter and the Commissarrio Brunetti series whose protagonists are interesting characters from the beginning.
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Play Book Tag: Murder on the Lusitania by Conrad Allen 3 stars | 1 | 6 | Dec 24, 2019 12:57PM | |
| You'll love this ...: April 2017 - Murder on the Lusitania | 55 | 30 | Apr 30, 2017 12:16PM |
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A pseudonym used by Keith Miles
Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theater. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book.
The protagonist of the theater series is Nicholas Bracewell, th ...more
Keith Miles (born 1940) is an English author, who writes under his own name and also historical fiction and mystery novels under the pseudonym Edward Marston. He is known for his mysteries set in the world of Elizabethan theater. He has also written a series of novels based on events in the Domesday Book.
The protagonist of the theater series is Nicholas Bracewell, th ...more
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