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Bobby Owen Mysteries #3
Crossword Mystery
Description
What could be more innocent than a crossword puzzle? A game to while away an idle hour, a diversion for the lonely. And yet its cunning formula could still be turned to sinister purpose. The curious crossword devised by Mr. George Winterton turned out to be part of a game for high stakes – it was the creation of a man whose brother had just drowned and who feared for his own life. Yet the dog hadn’t barked...
When Detective-Constable Owen (B.A. Oxon, pass degree only) arrives in the picturesque village of Suffby Cove, he is faced with the mystery of an appallingly ingenious murder – one whose ramifications reach out of England to the continent, and touch the lives of many men and women.
Crossword Mystery is the third of E.R. Punshon’s acclaimed Bobby Owen mysteries, first published in 1934 and part of a series which eventually spanned thirty-five novels.
This edition features a new introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.
“What is distinction? The few who achieve it step – plot or no plot – unquestioned into the first rank. We recognized it in Sherlock Holmes, and in Trent’s Last Case, in The Mystery of the Villa Rose, in the Father Brown stories and in the works of Mr. E.R. Punshon we salute it every time.” Dorothy L. Sayers
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1934
33 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
E.R. Punshon
73 books16 followersAka Robertson Halket.
E.R. Punshon (Ernest Robertson Punshon) (1872-1956) was an English novelist and literary critic of the early 20th century. He also wrote under the pseudonym Robertson Halket. Primarily writing on crime and deduction, he enjoyed some literary success in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, he is remembered, in the main, as the creator of Police Constable Bobby Owen, the protagonist of many of Punshon's novels. He reviewed many of Agatha Christie's novels for The Guardian on their first publication.
E.R. Punshon (Ernest Robertson Punshon) (1872-1956) was an English novelist and literary critic of the early 20th century. He also wrote under the pseudonym Robertson Halket. Primarily writing on crime and deduction, he enjoyed some literary success in the 1930s and 1940s. Today, he is remembered, in the main, as the creator of Police Constable Bobby Owen, the protagonist of many of Punshon's novels. He reviewed many of Agatha Christie's novels for The Guardian on their first publication.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 16, 2019
A businessman on the Norfolk coast fears for his own life after his brother mysteriously drowns, and Bobby goes undercover as his house guest. That's the starting point for this third entry in the Bobby Owen mystery series, published in 1934.
As its title suggests, it has a strong puzzle element, typical of many Golden Age mysteries, and the book even includes a cryptic crossword for readers to try - though I must admit I skipped this exercise! My excuse that I was reading on Kindle, but I don't suppose I would have managed to solve the clues on paper either.
I quite enjoyed reading this, thanks to Punshon's very readable and often humorous writing style, and felt it was better than the second book, Death Among The Sunbathers, but still nowhere near as good as the first, Information Received.
As with the second book, the problem again is that the plot is ludicrously far-fetched and doesn't really hang together - I'm still wondering if there are a few loose ends, or if I just lost track of what was happening. Also the killer's identity is pretty obvious early on. There is a great set-piece ending, though, and the book does have many interesting elements woven in, including satire aimed at big business, and warnings over the situation in Germany under the Nazis.
I also enjoyed some of the characters, especially Bobby's chief, Inspector Mitchell, who appears quite a lot. I find him more interesting than Bobby himself, who is a bit bland thus far in the series - but then again he is still a young, curly-haired constable at this point.
As its title suggests, it has a strong puzzle element, typical of many Golden Age mysteries, and the book even includes a cryptic crossword for readers to try - though I must admit I skipped this exercise! My excuse that I was reading on Kindle, but I don't suppose I would have managed to solve the clues on paper either.
I quite enjoyed reading this, thanks to Punshon's very readable and often humorous writing style, and felt it was better than the second book, Death Among The Sunbathers, but still nowhere near as good as the first, Information Received.
As with the second book, the problem again is that the plot is ludicrously far-fetched and doesn't really hang together - I'm still wondering if there are a few loose ends, or if I just lost track of what was happening. Also the killer's identity is pretty obvious early on. There is a great set-piece ending, though, and the book does have many interesting elements woven in, including satire aimed at big business, and warnings over the situation in Germany under the Nazis.
I also enjoyed some of the characters, especially Bobby's chief, Inspector Mitchell, who appears quite a lot. I find him more interesting than Bobby himself, who is a bit bland thus far in the series - but then again he is still a young, curly-haired constable at this point.
February 22, 2019
This is the third in the Bobby Owen series and was first published in 1934. Although I applaud, and am grateful for, the numbers of Golden Age mysteries which are now being republished, this was a little difficult to appreciate on kindle in places – especially with the inclusion of a cryptic crossword puzzle, which was hard to see, and would be impossible to even attempt, on a kindle. That said, I probably would have failed anyway, but it is interesting to see a real puzzle included in a mystery.
Bobby Owen has been sent, by his mentor, Superintendent Mitchell, to stay with George Winterton at Fairview, overlooking Suffby Cove. Winterton is a retired businessman, and lover of crosswords, who says he is in fear of his life after his brother, Archie, was drowned. A strong, capable swimmer, the death was considered suspicious by Winterton, who asks for police protection, but then also seems unwilling to take Owen into his confidence.
I found this mystery a little confusing, although I think it is the best I have read so far. The writing was better and less mundane. I also found that the murder, which, inevitably occurs, was actually quite interesting in terms of staging. It was a shame that the plot lost focus in the second half of the book. Still, there were a lot of positives in this book and I would be interested in reading the next in the series.
Bobby Owen has been sent, by his mentor, Superintendent Mitchell, to stay with George Winterton at Fairview, overlooking Suffby Cove. Winterton is a retired businessman, and lover of crosswords, who says he is in fear of his life after his brother, Archie, was drowned. A strong, capable swimmer, the death was considered suspicious by Winterton, who asks for police protection, but then also seems unwilling to take Owen into his confidence.
I found this mystery a little confusing, although I think it is the best I have read so far. The writing was better and less mundane. I also found that the murder, which, inevitably occurs, was actually quite interesting in terms of staging. It was a shame that the plot lost focus in the second half of the book. Still, there were a lot of positives in this book and I would be interested in reading the next in the series.
February 8, 2019
I think I'm going to find it difficult to put into words why I like this series so much. Although the series is labeled as "The Bobby Owen Mysteries" his boss, Inspector Mitchell, is as much the detective as is Owens. Punshon's writing style isn't literary - nor would I want it to be in the genre. Still, I'd rather be reading mysteries from this era.
Owen is an astute observer. He sees and remembers everything and passes it on to Mitchell in his reports. In fact, sometimes he has made so many observations for him to rummage through that he doesn't quite get the significance of any of them. In his reports, however, Mitchell manages to push aside what is unimportant. In good mystery style, however, the reader is not privy to Mitchell's thinking. Like Owen, we have to do our own thinking.
I did think I knew who was committing the crimes. It turns out I was right, but I'm glad I wasn't certain, which would have removed part of the fun of this. I also began to suspect the why. Both suspicions would have you think this wasn't very good. Maybe my tastes aren't sophisticated enough, but I did like this and will continue to read the series. And, as I've found more than 1/2 dozen titles free for the Kindle, I won't be without titles ready on hand. This is a good, solid 3-stars, the "solid" part by me meaning it was well worth the time spent.
Owen is an astute observer. He sees and remembers everything and passes it on to Mitchell in his reports. In fact, sometimes he has made so many observations for him to rummage through that he doesn't quite get the significance of any of them. In his reports, however, Mitchell manages to push aside what is unimportant. In good mystery style, however, the reader is not privy to Mitchell's thinking. Like Owen, we have to do our own thinking.
I did think I knew who was committing the crimes. It turns out I was right, but I'm glad I wasn't certain, which would have removed part of the fun of this. I also began to suspect the why. Both suspicions would have you think this wasn't very good. Maybe my tastes aren't sophisticated enough, but I did like this and will continue to read the series. And, as I've found more than 1/2 dozen titles free for the Kindle, I won't be without titles ready on hand. This is a good, solid 3-stars, the "solid" part by me meaning it was well worth the time spent.
February 27, 2019
Retired businessman George Winterton calls for police protection. He is convinced that his brother Archibald's drowning was no accident, and that his life is now in danger, but is not forthcoming about the reasons for his fears. Young DC Bobby Owen is assigned to spend some time undercover at George Winterton's home, and finds himself trying to make connections between a crossword puzzle, a missing Airedale and mysterious goings on in a sleepy seaside resort.
Having read the previous two novels in this series, and been rather disappointed by some weak plot resolution, I was pleased to find myself engaged throughout and I loved the dramatic conclusion. The plot is eccentric but ingenious, and the strands pulled together more quickly and satisfactorily than in previous books.
I managed to work out some of the elements of the mystery, including completing the crossword puzzle that appears within the narrative, but (unlike Bobby) I was too slow working out how to put everything together. The classic country house setting and the mixed bag of characters with their hidden secrets works very well, and the relationship between Bobby and his superior, Mitchell, is developing nicely too.
This really worked for me as a great example of the classic Golden Age mystery, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Having read the previous two novels in this series, and been rather disappointed by some weak plot resolution, I was pleased to find myself engaged throughout and I loved the dramatic conclusion. The plot is eccentric but ingenious, and the strands pulled together more quickly and satisfactorily than in previous books.
I managed to work out some of the elements of the mystery, including completing the crossword puzzle that appears within the narrative, but (unlike Bobby) I was too slow working out how to put everything together. The classic country house setting and the mixed bag of characters with their hidden secrets works very well, and the relationship between Bobby and his superior, Mitchell, is developing nicely too.
This really worked for me as a great example of the classic Golden Age mystery, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Read
February 4, 2018These pre-war books are always very weird to read - the author has no idea what's coming, and so depicts the strange shifts to the world that are being caused by the build-up of tension, without the deliberate foreshadowing that you'd see used by a modern author.
February 13, 2019
Golden Age, locked room, crossword puzzle, Bobby Owen sent by Scotland Yard to prevent further murders but things don't end up as planned.
I have tried this author before, so this should be enough for me. Cheap enough at 99 cents for kindle book from Amazon. Just not for me.
I have tried this author before, so this should be enough for me. Cheap enough at 99 cents for kindle book from Amazon. Just not for me.
July 26, 2022
Detective-Constable Bobby Owen is assigned undercover duty to protect a businessman who believes he's in danger. George Winterton's brother Archibald drowned in what was determined to be a swimming accident. But George is convinced his brother was murdered. There just can't be any way that such a champion swimmer could have drowned on such a calm day. So, while keeping a watchful eye on George, Bobby is also tasked with re-investigating the drowning (but strictly on the q.t.). He's got quite a bit to deal with--George refuses to give any real assistance to his protector (like reasons why he thinks his brother was killed and why he might be in danger OR whom he suspects OR anything useful like that); the alert little Airedale who barks at strangers has gone missing; and there are mysterious meetings in the dark. Then the dog's body is found and it isn't long before master follows his canine in death and this time it's definitely murder.
This is a rather dramatic little story. There is a running Shakespearean theme (almost a joke on the part of Superintendent Mitchell); there is the highly theatrical (really gruesome) death of the villain at the end; there is the somewhat farcical emphasis on two points which ought to make the motive and the culprit plain--especially to those who frequently indulge in mysterious reading. In fact, the overly-dramatic aspects of the story really didn't work for me all that much--in part because our supposed hero, Constable Bobby Own (after all, his is the only name mentioned in the blurbs and the series is labeled "Bobby Owen Mysteries), is not nearly the super sleuth who ought to be pitted against the "big brain" who's supposed to be the mastermind behind it all.
It takes Bobby an eon to spot the absolutely neon sign pointers. Honestly, when Owen, Mitchell, and company finally figure it out and get round to explaining everything, I wasn't much impressed--even though Mitchell hints that he's known a bunch of this for quite some time. (So, where were you, Mitchell? Off in the wings while the play was going on.) I was too tired of our hero's apparent obtuseness and frustrated that we hadn't got there sooner to be impressed.
And can we talk about that ending? That has got to be one of the most gruesome ways that a villain has committed suicide in Golden Age crime fiction. Yikes.
This is the most disappointing of the three Punshon mysteries I have read so far.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
This is a rather dramatic little story. There is a running Shakespearean theme (almost a joke on the part of Superintendent Mitchell); there is the highly theatrical (really gruesome) death of the villain at the end; there is the somewhat farcical emphasis on two points which ought to make the motive and the culprit plain--especially to those who frequently indulge in mysterious reading. In fact, the overly-dramatic aspects of the story really didn't work for me all that much--in part because our supposed hero, Constable Bobby Own (after all, his is the only name mentioned in the blurbs and the series is labeled "Bobby Owen Mysteries), is not nearly the super sleuth who ought to be pitted against the "big brain" who's supposed to be the mastermind behind it all.
It takes Bobby an eon to spot the absolutely neon sign pointers. Honestly, when Owen, Mitchell, and company finally figure it out and get round to explaining everything, I wasn't much impressed--even though Mitchell hints that he's known a bunch of this for quite some time. (So, where were you, Mitchell? Off in the wings while the play was going on.) I was too tired of our hero's apparent obtuseness and frustrated that we hadn't got there sooner to be impressed.
And can we talk about that ending? That has got to be one of the most gruesome ways that a villain has committed suicide in Golden Age crime fiction. Yikes.
This is the most disappointing of the three Punshon mysteries I have read so far.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
August 16, 2018
Yet another mystery justifying to myself why I continue to binge read this series. It was riveting and, I like the characters and the intriguing murder mystery. Punshon writes well and keeps you interested. Too, I like that good old-fashioned police work and thinking outside the box gets the job done. Bobby Owen is growing as a policeman with Superintendent Mitchell's encouragement and training.
January 31, 2021
In this instalment, Bobby is sent undercover to determine if Mr Archibald Winterton's death was an accident or murder and to protect his brother from a similar fate. Mr George Winterton is developing a crossword puzzle and a great believer in the gold standard. Soon the death toll mounts and Bobby must use his wits to find the murderer. Another great mystery in this series which gets better with each book.
March 31, 2020
I was a little frustrated by the fact that Bobby Owen couldn't figure out early on one aspect of the case that struck me as being blindingly obvious. Still, a satisfying mystery overall.
June 24, 2024
This doesn't tickle my "fair play" muscle, due to info concealed by the senior police officers. Most of the crossword clues escaped me, but I expected that.
March 19, 2016
This is an interesting mystery and I liked DC Bobby Owen who clearly takes great delight in his investigations. He is sent to stay with businessman George Winterton who fears for his life after the mysterious death of his brother, Archibald. Bobby is working undercover and is there at George's request. George is a crossword fanatic and he keeps dropping hints about how important the crossword he is working on at the moment will be in solving a mystery. Bobby feels that George is keeping information from him and worries that George will be murdered if he cannot find out what is going on.
The crossword is provided in the text along with the solution for readers to try for themselves. I found this an entertaining and intriguing mystery and it is well plotted with plenty of sinister and not so sinister characters and happenings. The book is well written as are most of the 1930s crime novels which are currently being republished. If you enjoy crime stories from this era then you will probably enjoy this one. It is part of a series featuring Bobby Owen but it can be read as a standalone novel.
The crossword is provided in the text along with the solution for readers to try for themselves. I found this an entertaining and intriguing mystery and it is well plotted with plenty of sinister and not so sinister characters and happenings. The book is well written as are most of the 1930s crime novels which are currently being republished. If you enjoy crime stories from this era then you will probably enjoy this one. It is part of a series featuring Bobby Owen but it can be read as a standalone novel.
October 29, 2014
Written in 1934 this book sets out to be an intellectual puzzle. Trouble is brewing in Europe, Hitler is in power in Germany and around the world there is a fear of what might happen to world stability and particularly money. Two retired stockbrokers, brothers, settle down in a quiet seaside village in Norfolk. There are plans to build a large hotel on the cliffs, the brothers hold out on the deal, wanting more money but then one goes missing after his usual early morning swim and later his body is discovered. He is presumed to have drowned but his brother is unhappy with this and demands police protection. Enter Bobby Owen, the detective who made his debut in Punshon's previous novel,'Information Received'.
The crossword puzzle of the title is a novel way of providing the reader (and Bobby Owen) with clues to solve the mystery. It looks like a great idea and an enjoyable read but the story is not well executed and the identity of the murderer is obvious early on despite a few red herrings.
The crossword puzzle of the title is a novel way of providing the reader (and Bobby Owen) with clues to solve the mystery. It looks like a great idea and an enjoyable read but the story is not well executed and the identity of the murderer is obvious early on despite a few red herrings.
December 27, 2018
Policeman Bobby Owen is asked to go undercover to help guard a man afraid someone is after him after his twin brother dies. Bobby goes to live in the house with the man, his secretary, his nephews and his servants. It takes some doing to figure out if murder took place, what's really going on then solving the next murder that occurs.
Okay Classic Mystery. Moved a bit slow in places, but complicated enough, I guess. Not as good as some other classic mysteries.
Okay Classic Mystery. Moved a bit slow in places, but complicated enough, I guess. Not as good as some other classic mysteries.
August 13, 2016
I've been enjoying this series (and for those reading in order, as well as the Goodreads team, this book is actually #3, not #2), but this book seemed much more dated than the previous two. The solution and characterizations seem very creaky, and the pre-WWII plot is pretty outlandish. I'm a huge fan of Golden Age mysteries, so I'm used to seeing the attitudes and customs of an earlier time. This book isn't satisfying even taken on its own terms.
March 20, 2016
Very much as expected. A decent, but far from stunning, period detective novel. Enjoyable, far-fetched (but then aren't most of the genre) and a couple of loose ends.
July 20, 2016
Sublime.. right that that powerful horrific end..
November 4, 2025
Workman-like and enjoyable mystery. The relationship between Mitchell and his protégé Owen is developing nicely. Mitchell sends Owen to stay incognito with George Winterton, a man who’s asked for police protection as he is afraid that someone may have drowned his brother and he may be the next victim. It could be to do with plans for a Gleneagles-like holiday and gambling complex that is proposed on land adjacent to the seaside village where the dead brother lived and which he opposed. Owen is tasked with surreptitiously investigating the death and getting to know the household of the surviving brother as well as the local populace. Winterton is writing a book about the importance of gold reserves (which our government sold off criminally at the bottom of the market a few years ago) and is also attempting to construct a crossword for a newspaper. His secretary is an expert at setting crosswords and he fancies he can do it too. Owen sets about his task diligently but there are further deaths which he fails to prevent and while a local senior police officer thinks he’s solved the case Owen remains dissatisfied that seemingly minor but crucial facts have been dismissed.
Possible spoilers
Couple of things puzzled me.
1. The melting point of gold is 1064 degrees C; not normally achievable without specialist equipment.
2. Why was it necessary for the person hiding the gold to create a cipher revealing its location? It could hardly be in case they might forget what they’d done with it.
Possible spoilers
Couple of things puzzled me.
1. The melting point of gold is 1064 degrees C; not normally achievable without specialist equipment.
2. Why was it necessary for the person hiding the gold to create a cipher revealing its location? It could hardly be in case they might forget what they’d done with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 17, 2018
Rating between 3 & 3.5
Not a bad mystery as such although I wonder wether the guilt parties were slightly too obvious? Or perhaps I’ve read too many mystery novels.
As a fair play novel I thought it took 1 liberty in the final couple of chapters but otherwise was solvable if you concentrated.
A couple of thoughts did occur to me about the book/series. Firstly how is this case (and the previous one) assigned to such a relatively inexperienced officer and why? Secondly that ending did seem a tad rushed but the very nasty conclusion was a surprise and probably more do for the readers in the 1930’s. Thirdly didn’t 1930s authors really like Shakespeare’s plays. And finally when the third business man arrives and describes his troubles in nazi Germany that must be one of the earliest descriptions of what was happening over there in mystery fiction since the story was relatively contemporaneous. And considering the casual anti-Semitic, sexist etc comments that appeared in all fiction of the time and of which readers now ‘complain’ it was an interesting and surprising new view.
So overall a good read and I will continue into the next in the series at some point. I do think this is a series to read in published order at least on the first read.
Not a bad mystery as such although I wonder wether the guilt parties were slightly too obvious? Or perhaps I’ve read too many mystery novels.
As a fair play novel I thought it took 1 liberty in the final couple of chapters but otherwise was solvable if you concentrated.
A couple of thoughts did occur to me about the book/series. Firstly how is this case (and the previous one) assigned to such a relatively inexperienced officer and why? Secondly that ending did seem a tad rushed but the very nasty conclusion was a surprise and probably more do for the readers in the 1930’s. Thirdly didn’t 1930s authors really like Shakespeare’s plays. And finally when the third business man arrives and describes his troubles in nazi Germany that must be one of the earliest descriptions of what was happening over there in mystery fiction since the story was relatively contemporaneous. And considering the casual anti-Semitic, sexist etc comments that appeared in all fiction of the time and of which readers now ‘complain’ it was an interesting and surprising new view.
So overall a good read and I will continue into the next in the series at some point. I do think this is a series to read in published order at least on the first read.
February 27, 2019
I only recently discovered the Bobby Owen detective series this year, thanks to its release on Kindle and I'm really enjoying the characters and the mysteries. Bobby Owen is a quieter kind of character than a Miss Marple or Lord Peter Wimsey or a Napoleon Bonaparte, but he's extremely witty. And Punshon gives wonderful attention to the very human -- and often humorous -- supporting characters in his books.
One of the things I also really like about this series is how different from one another the mysteries are. This one, although not the best mystery of the series, I think, is interesting for its depiction of the things happening in Europe at the time.
If you're looking for something to read after Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, try one!
One of the things I also really like about this series is how different from one another the mysteries are. This one, although not the best mystery of the series, I think, is interesting for its depiction of the things happening in Europe at the time.
If you're looking for something to read after Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, try one!
January 17, 2025
Bobby Owen goes undercover, staying at the home of Mr a George Winterson, whose brother has died by drowning, but Mr Winterton belies he was murdered. Bobby Owen is one of those posh detectives who can blend in in society, so he is passed off as the son of a friend of Mr. Winterton. It isn’t long of course before there is another murder, and it seems a crossword puzzle complied by Mr Winterton may hold the solution. A fairly entertaining mystery, though not too difficult to guess who the murderer was. Some characters who seem as if they might be interesting never develop and just fade out after a while. Bobby Owen still doesn’t seem to have a great deal of personality, perhaps he will become more interesting in time.
June 3, 2021
Young graduate detective Bobby Owen is charged by his mentor Superintendent Mitchell to go undercover to Stuffby Cove in East Anglia. Owner George Winterton's twin brother Archie had drowned but it looked suspicious so Owen was tasked with finding if the other guests could be the murderer. It soon becomes apparent that a crossword made by George Winterton and sent to the Inquirer by mistake might hold the solution. E.R. Punshon creates a clever murder mystery with numerous red herrings and a final twist which surprises the reader.
January 26, 2025
A 1934 British mystery featuring P.C. Bobby Owen, a young Oxford graduate. Bobby is sent to the home of a wealthy retired businessman who fears the recent drowning death of his brother was not an accident, and that he may be in danger. Crossword puzzles were all the rage at the time, and the somewhat over-complicated plot involves a puzzle that the man was composing. The first half of the book was delightful, a cross between an Agatha Christie and a P.G. Wodehouse. After that, I found the plot getting a bit ponderous, but on the whole this was an enjoyable "cozy" mystery.
January 25, 2019
This book has Bobby Owen taking the main role, which was good, but at times I did find him to be rather dim. He has seemed cleverer in the previous books, and although he gets there in the end, he seems to be constantly deliberating in this story. I am hoping he reverts to his old self in future books. I did work out who the villain was quite early on, but finding out how it was done was still interesting to read.
Read
November 7, 2025A straightforward and rather simple mystery, but one that's very charming, even though it loses some points for killing a dog. Very generous with clues (and with red herrings). Features what might be one of the most over the top deaths in Golden Age detective fiction.
March 31, 2018
Another very good Bobby Owen mystery. What I'm really enjoying in this series is the ingenuity and the almost unexpected. Punshon deserves to be read.
Want to read
December 22, 2019Synopsis: when DC Owen arrives in Suffby Cove, he's faced with a crossword puzzle and an appallingly ingenious murder.
December 13, 2025
Series is not always entertaining or challenging but worth reading for the social commentary and Mitchell's humor.
September 11, 2017
This may be the most golden age mystery of all and that's why I'm glad this was my first Punshon. It has everything a golden age mystery buff appreciates: a first rate mystery in a country house populated with a dysfunctional househould complete with map, and to boot a crossword puzzle. It even features something golden age mystery buffs don't often have the chance to appreciate--namely, social commentary that has aged a lot better than some of Punshon's contemporaries.
Admittedly, I thought the resolution was anti-climatic until the ending which injects new life into the story. (No twist here, just quality storytelling.) That finale! What an image, what a scene. It begs for an adaptation. Calls to mind a certain Bond girl.
The writing is sharp and smart, there are no wasted pages, and the plot hangs together. If all of Punshon's characters are this fully psychologically realized, I'll be a happy reader. If the rest of his stories are just a bit more thrilling and, well, mysterious, I'll be a fan.
Admittedly, I thought the resolution was anti-climatic until the ending which injects new life into the story. (No twist here, just quality storytelling.) That finale! What an image, what a scene. It begs for an adaptation. Calls to mind a certain Bond girl.
The writing is sharp and smart, there are no wasted pages, and the plot hangs together. If all of Punshon's characters are this fully psychologically realized, I'll be a happy reader. If the rest of his stories are just a bit more thrilling and, well, mysterious, I'll be a fan.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews