Perfect Gallows: A Novel of Suspense

by Peter Dickinson

While revisiting the house he was once heir to and reconsidering his refusal of the house and a modest fortune, a now successful British actor's life is changed by a bizarre murder

Genres: Mystery, British Literature, Historical

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Peter Dickinson was an English author and poet widely respected for his children's fiction, detective novels, and imaginative speculative writing. Raised partly in southern Africa before continuing his education in England, he developed an early fascination with adventure stories and classic literature, influences that later shaped his narrative style. He attended Eton College and later studied at King's College, Cambridge, before beginning a long association with the magazine Punch, where he worked for many years as assistant editor, reviewer, and resident poet. Dickinson eventually left journalism to pursue writing full time, publishing works for both adult and younger audiences. His crime novels featuring detective James Pibble earned critical praise, while his fiction for children established him as one of Britain's most distinguished authors in the field. Over the course of his career he produced nearly fifty books that combined historical imagination, fantasy, and thoughtful reflections on human behavior. He achieved rare distinction by winning the Carnegie Medal twice, for Tulku and City of Gold, recognition that placed him among the most celebrated children's writers in Britain. Dickinson also received numerous other literary honors and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. In addition to fiction, he wrote poetry and essays, and his work continued to influence generations of readers and writers in the field of children's literature.

Reviews

[William Leight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though "Perfect Gallows" includes a murder, it's hard to call it a murder mystery. Told mostly in flashbacks to 1944, with short intervals in the present (or what was the present at the time of writing), the murder itself occurs almost at the end of the book, and there is no detection of any kind: the reader might figure out what's been going on, but if not they are told what happened almost immediately after the narrative reaches the murder. Instead, the book is about the process by which Andrew Wragge, ordinary teenager, turns himself into Adrian Waring, famous actor. Key to this process is his disassociation from his family: here, the war is quite helpful, leaving only his estranged but very rich great-uncle, and said uncle's two elderly spinster daughters, as near relations. Nonetheless, Adrian is determined to ensure that these family ties, with their weight of old secrets and hatreds, won't weigh him down in his future career. Dickinson is brilliant as always in the flashback sections, evoking the atmosphere, depicting the wonderfully observed characters, and keeping the plot moving without really seeming to do anything other than narrating Andrew's life. Planting small incidents that will loom large later is one of his specialties; so is invoking the dead weight of the imperial past, especially relevant here as Andrew's great-uncle Arnold made his fortune in southern Africa. Indeed, the most sympathetic character in the book is Arnold's servant, Samuel Mkele, who knows his character very well and remains loyal to him anyway. In fact, one of the main weaknesses of the book is that it's a little hard to believe in this loyalty, given how terrible a person Arnold Wragge is: for instance, he insists that Samuel serve him barefoot and speak in pidgin rather than the fluent English he has learned since coming to England. The other weakness is in some ways similar, having to do with the present-day Adrian's girlfriend's love for him. Much of the story consists of Adrian single-mindedly and selfishly eliminating from his life any kind of personal contact or human emotion that's likely to interfere with his acting career: it's a little hard to believe that, decades later, Adrian is capable of inspiring the kind of devotion necessary to pierce his highly polished exterior and find beneath it somebody who can be loved. However, if the reader is willing to take these relationships at face value, the rest of the book offers no cause for complaint.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man makes me proud to be classified as a mystery writer.

[Katie Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written, well-plotted book. (Although the reader should be warned that there is a lot of period-typical racism, including slurs. The hero of the book - who is not the MC, by the way - is an African man living in England during WWII.)

The MC is complex and cold, an 18-year-old beginning the process of becoming a famous actor. (There are also flashforwards to the 1980s when he has succeeded.)

I honestly did not care for the MC at all, and I found the 1980s parts unbelievable.

But Dickinson is a good writer, and if you can tolerate the MC and the 1940s racism, then this is a well-written book.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samson not being a fuller character lessened this book and also was the framing story really necessary? but still great

[Spitz]

seemed to lose focus and interest towards the end

[Steve Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second Peter Dickinson (although I didn't realize that when I bought it :)). Mystery about who killed an African butler at a country estate in England from which D-Day is being staged, but this isn't a traditional whodunnit. Heavily character focused with an interesting but not very likable young protagonist who is ruthlessly working his way towards the acting career he dreams of using his acting skills to manipulate everyone around him.

[Cera]

I disliked the characters too much to finish -- and once again I was able to see the plot structure clearly way ahead of the revelations. This is not something which usually happens to me, so I'm rather surprised by how many of Dickinson's books I can anticipate.

[Margaret Wichorek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful novel by a now largely forgotten English author. It was an e-book bargain and I'm so glad I bought it. I want to read some more of his books.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex, satisfying novel that transcends the suspense genre.