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Jack Haldean Murder Mystery #8
After the Exhibition
Art, my dear boy, said Mr Askern, especially sacred art, needs tradition. Tradition is the bedrock of our art . . .
He broke off, staring at the woman in front of him. Her face seemed to lose all definition and her skin turned an unnatural shade of putty-coloured grey. Art, she said, her voice scarcely more than a whisper. Art! Oh my God, art!
She swayed dangerously. Jack leapt forward, catching her as she fell.
Jack Haldean expected Lythewell and Askerns exhibition of church art in Lyon House, London, to be a sedate affair. After all, Lythewell and Askern, Church Artists, were a respectable, old-fashioned firm, the last people to be associated with mystery, violence and sudden death. Or so it seemed until after the exhibition . . ."
He broke off, staring at the woman in front of him. Her face seemed to lose all definition and her skin turned an unnatural shade of putty-coloured grey. Art, she said, her voice scarcely more than a whisper. Art! Oh my God, art!
She swayed dangerously. Jack leapt forward, catching her as she fell.
Jack Haldean expected Lythewell and Askerns exhibition of church art in Lyon House, London, to be a sedate affair. After all, Lythewell and Askern, Church Artists, were a respectable, old-fashioned firm, the last people to be associated with mystery, violence and sudden death. Or so it seemed until after the exhibition . . ."
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2014
9 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Dolores Gordon-Smith
21 books56 followersDolores Gordon-Smith is the author of A Fete Worse than Death, the first in the Jack Haldean series. She graduated from the University of Surrey in 1981. She lives in Cheshire, United Kingdom.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 15, 2014
I really enjoyed this mystery set in London somewhere between 1924 and 1925, I couldn’t tell exactly and the author never gave a definite date. This is the first novel I’ve read by Dolores Gordon-Smith and even though it appears to be the eighth of the series I had no problems easily picking up the relationship between the main characters. Chief Inspector William Rackham of Scotland Yard and his writer friend, Major Jack Haldean, attend an exhibition of church art and what happens in the street afterward sends all the parties on a complicated journey reaching far into the past to uncover secrets leading to murder. Betty Wingate isn’t believed later when she reports finding a dead body in the cottage being rented by Signora Bianchi. Since there is no evidence of murder when the police investigate most people feel Betty was just having a bad dream. She convinces Bill Rackham and Jack Haldean to come to Wimbrell Heath in Surrey to investigate and prove that she wasn’t delusional and there really was a body in the sitting room.
The artwork on the cover of this novel will give you the perfect clue as to the atmosphere you can expect to encounter. Ms. Gordon-Smith did a wonderful job of placing me firmly within her chosen time period using both description and dialogue. I enjoyed the close friend style of relationship between Bill and Jack with each of them having particular strengths necessary to solving the many mysteries they encountered in this case. Jack Haldean is the more intellectual of the two and carries the primary responsibility for interpreting the clues presented which lead to solving the case. The mystery plot was very well done with me wondering all the way through what the eventual solution would be. I was surprised at the major revelation; that was well and smoothly done without alerting me to that possibility before the book was finished. I will definitely have to begin collecting the other novels in this series. It is so very nice to find an author new to me in a genre I especially enjoy so that I look forward to reading more of their work.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
The artwork on the cover of this novel will give you the perfect clue as to the atmosphere you can expect to encounter. Ms. Gordon-Smith did a wonderful job of placing me firmly within her chosen time period using both description and dialogue. I enjoyed the close friend style of relationship between Bill and Jack with each of them having particular strengths necessary to solving the many mysteries they encountered in this case. Jack Haldean is the more intellectual of the two and carries the primary responsibility for interpreting the clues presented which lead to solving the case. The mystery plot was very well done with me wondering all the way through what the eventual solution would be. I was surprised at the major revelation; that was well and smoothly done without alerting me to that possibility before the book was finished. I will definitely have to begin collecting the other novels in this series. It is so very nice to find an author new to me in a genre I especially enjoy so that I look forward to reading more of their work.
I received an ARC of this novel through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
August 5, 2014
Poor relation Betty has a strange experience in the cottage rented by the exotic Italian woman who's creating havoc in a London exurb. She's sure she's seen Signora Bianchi's murdered body, but no one believes her. When she goes to Scotland Yard, they only investigate when prompted by Jack Haldean, who is more than willing to find reasons to spend time with Betty. Haldean comes up with several erroneous notions about what's going on, but when murder follows murder, a suspect he's sure is innocent is arrested. Another totally charming book by Gordon-Smith.
September 5, 2023
3.5 Still enjoying the series though I do not think this one was as good. A very convoluted plot and I didn’t see the need for a love interest for Haldean. Oh, well. Free ebook from the library.
March 21, 2014
Jack Haldean, author or crime novels, reluctantly attends an exhibition of church art with his friend Scotland Yard detective Bill Rackham. He finds the exhibition boring but is intrigued when a flag seller collapses outside.
He is even more intrigued when Bill tells him about the vanishing corpse discovered by Betty Wingate who is connected to the organisers of the exhibition. Jack likes Betty when he meets her and believes her story of being attacked in the house of an Italian lady who lives in the same village when she goes to investigate suspicious activity.
What follows is an interesting and well written mystery story set in that Golden Age of British detective stories, the nineteen twenties. I liked Jack Haldean himself and his relationship with Bill Rackham is well done and believable.
I thought the author captured the spirit of the era very well and it has prompted me to go back to the beginning of the series and read them in order. This is number eight in the Jack Haldean Murder Mystery Series and I can confirm that the novels can be read as standalone stories.
I received a free copy of this book for review.
He is even more intrigued when Bill tells him about the vanishing corpse discovered by Betty Wingate who is connected to the organisers of the exhibition. Jack likes Betty when he meets her and believes her story of being attacked in the house of an Italian lady who lives in the same village when she goes to investigate suspicious activity.
What follows is an interesting and well written mystery story set in that Golden Age of British detective stories, the nineteen twenties. I liked Jack Haldean himself and his relationship with Bill Rackham is well done and believable.
I thought the author captured the spirit of the era very well and it has prompted me to go back to the beginning of the series and read them in order. This is number eight in the Jack Haldean Murder Mystery Series and I can confirm that the novels can be read as standalone stories.
I received a free copy of this book for review.
August 9, 2017
Well ...
there are enough twists and red herrings to make it a good mystery ... there are literary nods to Oscar Wilde and other classic stories ... and there is finally a personal story for Jack.
The language from previous books that captures the sound and feel of the times is unfortunately missing and some gaps remain.
there are enough twists and red herrings to make it a good mystery ... there are literary nods to Oscar Wilde and other classic stories ... and there is finally a personal story for Jack.
The language from previous books that captures the sound and feel of the times is unfortunately missing and some gaps remain.
September 7, 2019
Enjoyable cozy mystery very much in the classic British tradition. When his friend Bill Rackham invites him to an exhibition of church art, Jack Haldean has no idea this will be the start of a very convoluted case. But when Betty Wingate insists she discovered a murder victim, who subsequently disappeared, only Jack (and possibly Bill) believe her. But when long-concealed secrets are revealed, followed by another death, the search is on to determine just who and why. Interesting characters and an imaginative plot make this fast-moving story a joy to read. Highly recommended.
February 4, 2019
I enjoyed this mystery set between the wars. I have heard the author talk so it was about time I read one of her books. Not my favourite but I would read others in the series. Light and easy to read.
May 2, 2019
I liked it but the solution felt contrived.
January 22, 2020
I really enjoy this series, and this is one of the better ones. Love the characters, and a decent plot. Would recommend.
January 28, 2025
The romance is really a letdown in this book, and the mystery isn’t as strong as in previous episodes.
September 26, 2014
This review contains spoilers.
I expected to like this book more than I did. This is a classic British mystery set between the World Wars—one of my favorite places in one of my favorite time periods. The plot is well constructed, keeping the reader guessing, especially when the supposed first murder victim turns out to be alive and well. Meanwhile, another character, who appeared to be unconnected at first, disappears. More victims pile up as the plot grows more complex, with private detective Jack Haldean and his friends seeing their various theories of the case torn to shreds with each new development or stunning revelation.
It should be an ideal book, yet it suffers from a complete lack of character development. Granted, this is Gordon-Smith’s eighth Major Haldean book, though this is the first I’ve read. Possibly Haldean’s character is more fully established in previous books. For this book however, Haldean and his friends exhibit so little personality or growth that I lost all interest in them. Sadly, the only interesting character in the book is a minor one whom none of the other characters likes, and who is killed off part-way through. At the very end, Haldean discovers romance, but without any context about his life or personal feelings up to that point, it was impossible for me to see why this mattered, or why I should care.
I finished the book simply because I was interested in the mystery (and because I had nothing else to read at the time), but I would have enjoyed it a great deal more had the characters actually been well-rounded people with whom I could identify.
I expected to like this book more than I did. This is a classic British mystery set between the World Wars—one of my favorite places in one of my favorite time periods. The plot is well constructed, keeping the reader guessing, especially when the supposed first murder victim turns out to be alive and well. Meanwhile, another character, who appeared to be unconnected at first, disappears. More victims pile up as the plot grows more complex, with private detective Jack Haldean and his friends seeing their various theories of the case torn to shreds with each new development or stunning revelation.
It should be an ideal book, yet it suffers from a complete lack of character development. Granted, this is Gordon-Smith’s eighth Major Haldean book, though this is the first I’ve read. Possibly Haldean’s character is more fully established in previous books. For this book however, Haldean and his friends exhibit so little personality or growth that I lost all interest in them. Sadly, the only interesting character in the book is a minor one whom none of the other characters likes, and who is killed off part-way through. At the very end, Haldean discovers romance, but without any context about his life or personal feelings up to that point, it was impossible for me to see why this mattered, or why I should care.
I finished the book simply because I was interested in the mystery (and because I had nothing else to read at the time), but I would have enjoyed it a great deal more had the characters actually been well-rounded people with whom I could identify.
July 25, 2014
I think that many people that have followed this series may find this one a little "talky". Haldean and his Scotland Yard friend Bill Rackham spend a great deal of time discussing the theories they have about the series of events - a mysterious murder that is missing a body, an exotic woman who has seemingly charmed a father and son, an edifice to a man's ego and missing treasure after an art exhibit in London. I liked it because it considered all the clues that the reader knew also. The reader could agree or disagree with the theories while reading the novel.
September 15, 2014
Fresh new book from library, so I gave it a try. Not certain I will look for more from author of this series, but I might if I run out of favorites. I just don't tune into the "lingo" from between the wars period and rather strange social norms that do not coincide with what I believe really happened in that time.
January 23, 2016
3.75 stars
These breezy mysteries are a fun read. Not a lot of serious character development and some overly creative plotting, but fun and diversionary. There is a little romantic intrigue in this one but who knows if it will lead anywhere? Hero Jack Haldean has a tendency to get caught up in passing fancies.
These breezy mysteries are a fun read. Not a lot of serious character development and some overly creative plotting, but fun and diversionary. There is a little romantic intrigue in this one but who knows if it will lead anywhere? Hero Jack Haldean has a tendency to get caught up in passing fancies.
August 11, 2014
Really enjoyed the latest in the series.
February 21, 2016
Wonderful characters and intricate plots!
July 20, 2014
Light reading mystery
April 3, 2018
The book was easy to read. It is part of a series so I didn't have the back story, but didn't really need it. It was ok, but seemed a little slow and light weight. I liked the period detail, but the female character in the book, Betty, was a silly bore.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews