What do you think?
Rate this book
Nigel Strangeways #12
End of Chapter
There is a saboteur hiding in plain sight at the publishing house of Wenham & Geraldine. An incendiary, and wildly libellous, passage has been slipped into a book somewhere between the final check and the printing press… a seemingly impossible task. Desperate to avoid a scandal, the partners call in Nigel Strangeways to uncover the meddler.
Is it Stephen Protheroe, defunct poet, curmudgeon, and the last known person to access the manuscript? Or Mr Bates, the production manager recently forced reluctantly into retirement? Miss Millicent Miles, the romance novelist hoping to reinvigorate her ailing career with a steamy autobiography, or the now libellous author himself, General Thoresby?
With so many suspects, Strangeways struggles to identify a motive, let alone a culprit. But when an employee is found slain in the office, it seems the case may be more personal than it first appeared…
Is it Stephen Protheroe, defunct poet, curmudgeon, and the last known person to access the manuscript? Or Mr Bates, the production manager recently forced reluctantly into retirement? Miss Millicent Miles, the romance novelist hoping to reinvigorate her ailing career with a steamy autobiography, or the now libellous author himself, General Thoresby?
With so many suspects, Strangeways struggles to identify a motive, let alone a culprit. But when an employee is found slain in the office, it seems the case may be more personal than it first appeared…
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
23 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Blake
97 books73 followersNicholas Blake is the pseudonym of poet Cecil Day-Lewis C. Day Lewis, who was born in Ireland in 1904. He was the son of the Reverend Frank Cecil Day-Lewis and his wife Kathleen (nee Squires). His mother died in 1906, and he and his father moved to London, where he was brought up by his father with the help of an aunt.
He spent his holidays in Wexford and regarded himself very much as Anglo-Irish, although when the Republic of Ireland was declared in 1948 he chose British citizenship.
He was married twice, to Mary King in 1928 and to Jill Balcon in 1951, and during the 1940s he had a long love affair with novelist Rosamond Lehmann. He had four children from his two marriages, with actor Daniel Day-Lewis, documentary filmmaker and television chef Tamasin Day-Lewis and TV critic and writer Sean Day-Lewis being three of his children.
He began work as a schoolmaster, and during World War II he worked as a publications editor in the Ministry of Information. After the war he joined Chatto & Windus as a senior editor and director, and then in 1946 he began lecturing at Cambridge University. He later taught poetry at Oxford University, where he was Professor of Poetry from 1951-1956, and from 1962-1963 he was the Norton Professor at Harvard University.
But he was by then earning his living mainly from his writings, having had some poetry published in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and then in 1935 beginning his career as a thriller writer under the pseudonym of Nicholas Blake with 'A Question of Proof', which featured his amateur sleuth Nigel Strangeways, reputedly modelled on W H Auden. He continued the Strangeways series, which finally totalled 16 novels, ending with 'The Morning After Death' in 1966. He also wrote four detective novels which did not feature Strangeways.
He continued to write poetry and became Poet Laureate in 1968, a post he held until his death in 1972. He was also awarded the CBE.
He died from pancreatic cancer on 22 May 1972 at the Hertfordshire home of Kingsley Amis and Elizabeth Jane Howard, where he and his wife were staying. He is buried in Stinsford churchyard, close to the grave of one of his heroes, Thomas Hardy, something that he had arranged before his death.
He spent his holidays in Wexford and regarded himself very much as Anglo-Irish, although when the Republic of Ireland was declared in 1948 he chose British citizenship.
He was married twice, to Mary King in 1928 and to Jill Balcon in 1951, and during the 1940s he had a long love affair with novelist Rosamond Lehmann. He had four children from his two marriages, with actor Daniel Day-Lewis, documentary filmmaker and television chef Tamasin Day-Lewis and TV critic and writer Sean Day-Lewis being three of his children.
He began work as a schoolmaster, and during World War II he worked as a publications editor in the Ministry of Information. After the war he joined Chatto & Windus as a senior editor and director, and then in 1946 he began lecturing at Cambridge University. He later taught poetry at Oxford University, where he was Professor of Poetry from 1951-1956, and from 1962-1963 he was the Norton Professor at Harvard University.
But he was by then earning his living mainly from his writings, having had some poetry published in the late 1920s and early 1930s, and then in 1935 beginning his career as a thriller writer under the pseudonym of Nicholas Blake with 'A Question of Proof', which featured his amateur sleuth Nigel Strangeways, reputedly modelled on W H Auden. He continued the Strangeways series, which finally totalled 16 novels, ending with 'The Morning After Death' in 1966. He also wrote four detective novels which did not feature Strangeways.
He continued to write poetry and became Poet Laureate in 1968, a post he held until his death in 1972. He was also awarded the CBE.
He died from pancreatic cancer on 22 May 1972 at the Hertfordshire home of Kingsley Amis and Elizabeth Jane Howard, where he and his wife were staying. He is buried in Stinsford churchyard, close to the grave of one of his heroes, Thomas Hardy, something that he had arranged before his death.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 5, 2020
Published in 1957, this is the twelfth Nigel Strangeways novel, by Nicholas Blake, pseudonym of Cecil Day-Lewis. In this mystery, that is important because, as in other books featuring Strangeways, we have poetry as an important part of the plot.
Indeed, this is a very literary mystery; being set in a publishing house – Wenham and Geraldine – where Strangeways is called in to investigate how some sections of a recent biography, initially removed due to libel fears, were reinstated and did, indeed, result in a libel case. With Nigel asked to find who is responsible for the re-insertion of the offensive passages, he is temporarily engaged as a specialist reader – although the author seems to forget about this brief attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the employees, and everyone seems aware of his detective status virtually immediately.
Forgiving the author this brief lapse, this is, overall, a very enjoyable read. I liked the setting, the interesting cast of suspects for what starts as a libel case and, of course, ends in murder, and of the greater involvement of Clare Massinger – Strangeways possible new partner. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and, although some of the novels are more successful than others, I think this is one of the better mysteries and I do always enjoy Nigel Strangeways as a character.
Indeed, this is a very literary mystery; being set in a publishing house – Wenham and Geraldine – where Strangeways is called in to investigate how some sections of a recent biography, initially removed due to libel fears, were reinstated and did, indeed, result in a libel case. With Nigel asked to find who is responsible for the re-insertion of the offensive passages, he is temporarily engaged as a specialist reader – although the author seems to forget about this brief attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the employees, and everyone seems aware of his detective status virtually immediately.
Forgiving the author this brief lapse, this is, overall, a very enjoyable read. I liked the setting, the interesting cast of suspects for what starts as a libel case and, of course, ends in murder, and of the greater involvement of Clare Massinger – Strangeways possible new partner. I look forward to reading the rest of the series and, although some of the novels are more successful than others, I think this is one of the better mysteries and I do always enjoy Nigel Strangeways as a character.
January 8, 2017
Nigel Strangeways is hired by publishers Wenham and Geraldine to try and find out who tampered with the proofs of a book they have published which has led to a libel action. The offending passages had been removed but they had somehow been reinstated when the book was finally published. But the investigation takes on a much more sinister aspect when one of the publisher's well known authors is found murdered on their premises.
I enjoyed the publishing background to this mystery and I like Nigel as a character and his very modern relationship with the sculptor Claire Massinger. Life in a publisher's office comes to life with all its feuds and rivalries. But is the murder down to the victim's past which seems to have been rather chequered when Strangeways starts to investigate.
This is the twelfth book in the Nigel Strangeways mystery series but the books can be read in any order. Even though the book was written many years ago it can still be read and enjoyed by readers today.
I enjoyed the publishing background to this mystery and I like Nigel as a character and his very modern relationship with the sculptor Claire Massinger. Life in a publisher's office comes to life with all its feuds and rivalries. But is the murder down to the victim's past which seems to have been rather chequered when Strangeways starts to investigate.
This is the twelfth book in the Nigel Strangeways mystery series but the books can be read in any order. Even though the book was written many years ago it can still be read and enjoyed by readers today.
April 2, 2019
The woman named Millicent who was brutally murdered was described in this way by an old schoolmate - ...there was this other side to her—a streak of slyness—no, of incorrigible self-deception, so that, when she did something wrong, she could dissociate herself from it—pretend to herself it had never happened, and take herself in so successfully that sometimes other people were taken in too...She used people,’ Julia Blayne was saying. ‘That’s the basic impression of her that remains in my mind after all these years. She used people, absolutely shamelessly and ruthlessly, like a clever child uses grown-ups.’ She wrote mediocre romance novels which sold well. However, she was not considered nor respected by others as a 'bonafide' author. She was a selfish, malicious, cruel woman. Frankly I am surprised that she wasn't killed long before she was.
Nigel is hired by the publishing firm to find out who sabotaged a particular manuscript but this Millicent ends up murdered and Nigel thinks that the sabotage and murder are linked in some way. He investigates and uncovers several skeletons in many of the partners' closets until finally the murderer is exposed. It was a very intriguing mystery. Also, I was glad to see that Nigel's love interest Clare was featured in this story.
Nigel is hired by the publishing firm to find out who sabotaged a particular manuscript but this Millicent ends up murdered and Nigel thinks that the sabotage and murder are linked in some way. He investigates and uncovers several skeletons in many of the partners' closets until finally the murderer is exposed. It was a very intriguing mystery. Also, I was glad to see that Nigel's love interest Clare was featured in this story.
November 23, 2024
Menettelevä dekkari. Yksityisetsivä Nigel Strangeways vaikuttaa kiinnostavalta hahmolta.
Sen verran hyvä, että kiinnostaa lukea loputkin suomennokset.
Sen verran hyvä, että kiinnostaa lukea loputkin suomennokset.
February 9, 2020
A fine addition to the Strangeway's series with a publishing house setting and a sympathetic poet, both features I imagine Blake (aka Day-Lewis) knew well. A couple of insignificant points I enjoyed: Nigel and Claire mention marriage but NOT living together (I sympathize) and Nigel has evidently aged as he is now one of the 'older' generation (it is 20 plus years since the first book).
January 22, 2018
3 and 1 / 2 stars
This book was originally published in 1957.
Someone has sabotaged General Thoresby’s memoirs prior to printing at the Wenham and Geraldine publishing house. Into the book, a paragraph that was inserted into the book that was both explosive and libelous. It has got to be someone inside the publishing house. Nigel Strangeways is called in to investigate who has done this despicable thing.
With a plethora of suspects, it is a difficult case to sort out. Then, a murder occurs. The suspense ratchets up a notch.
The reader follows Nigel as he sorts out this difficult case. Following clues he conducts a painstaking investigation and ferrets out the culprit.
This is a well written and plotted novel for its time. It is very mild by today’s standards, but well worth reading for aficionados of mysteries. This is not my first Nicholas Blake novel, but it is perhaps my favorite so far.
I want to thank NetGalley and Ipso Books for forwarding to me a copy of this good book to read and enjoy.
This book was originally published in 1957.
Someone has sabotaged General Thoresby’s memoirs prior to printing at the Wenham and Geraldine publishing house. Into the book, a paragraph that was inserted into the book that was both explosive and libelous. It has got to be someone inside the publishing house. Nigel Strangeways is called in to investigate who has done this despicable thing.
With a plethora of suspects, it is a difficult case to sort out. Then, a murder occurs. The suspense ratchets up a notch.
The reader follows Nigel as he sorts out this difficult case. Following clues he conducts a painstaking investigation and ferrets out the culprit.
This is a well written and plotted novel for its time. It is very mild by today’s standards, but well worth reading for aficionados of mysteries. This is not my first Nicholas Blake novel, but it is perhaps my favorite so far.
I want to thank NetGalley and Ipso Books for forwarding to me a copy of this good book to read and enjoy.
February 21, 2020
3.5*
Read in omnibus "The Nicholas Blake Treasury, Volume 4".
Read in omnibus "The Nicholas Blake Treasury, Volume 4".
October 31, 2022
It's odd, the way people will commit murder to achieve security. As though one could ever buy peace of mind with someone else's blood.
Nigel Strangeways is called upon by an old publishing firm to help them in a time of crisis. One retired military officer is publishing his memoirs and was firmly told to remove some libelous passages about another military officer. After much wrangling, he was convinced to do so and the legally perilous bits were marked out. But...somebody marked them "stet" (which in publishing parlance means "oops, we didn't really mean that--go ahead and keep that in") and the book is published. There's nothing to be done about the legal case coming at Wenham & Geraldine, but the administrators do want to know who is responsible, so they give Strangeways the task of finding out, if he can.
But before he can make much progress another author who is working on her autobiography is found dead in her work room within the publishing house. Her throat has been cut and somebody has replaced a page of her autobiography. Is there a connection to the libel case? Did she know who the culprit was and did she try to blackmail him/her? Or is the answer to both mysteries to be found somewhere in the past?
My second go-round with Nigel Strangeways (I read all of his mysteries long ago and far away) just doesn't seem to be as compelling as the first. The mystery here is okay, although the culprit is pretty obvious from the beginning and the efforts to provide red herring suspects seems pretty half-hearted. I never got the feeling that Strangeways was seriously considering anybody as suspect number one. The plot (thought I do like books set in the publishing world) didn't really hold me--I repeatedly put the thing down even when I didn't have other things to do. It certainly wasn't a page turner.
And...just as an aside...am I really supposed to believe that a man (Strangeways) who has been invited to a black tie dinner party would actually drape himself across his host's sofa and apply nose drops? In a social situation in front of the other guests? A British man--applying nose drops in public??? Really? It seems to me that the only point of his bringing the drops out in front of the suspects (on several occasions--not just at the dinner party) was to provide a way for one of them to later try and injure, if not kill him.
Not a lot of plot twists. Pretty straightforward and it seems to me that Strangeways takes a a long time to get round to the solution. I gave this ★★★ on my first read and I guess I'll let that stand, though I'm not absolutely convinced.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
Nigel Strangeways is called upon by an old publishing firm to help them in a time of crisis. One retired military officer is publishing his memoirs and was firmly told to remove some libelous passages about another military officer. After much wrangling, he was convinced to do so and the legally perilous bits were marked out. But...somebody marked them "stet" (which in publishing parlance means "oops, we didn't really mean that--go ahead and keep that in") and the book is published. There's nothing to be done about the legal case coming at Wenham & Geraldine, but the administrators do want to know who is responsible, so they give Strangeways the task of finding out, if he can.
But before he can make much progress another author who is working on her autobiography is found dead in her work room within the publishing house. Her throat has been cut and somebody has replaced a page of her autobiography. Is there a connection to the libel case? Did she know who the culprit was and did she try to blackmail him/her? Or is the answer to both mysteries to be found somewhere in the past?
My second go-round with Nigel Strangeways (I read all of his mysteries long ago and far away) just doesn't seem to be as compelling as the first. The mystery here is okay, although the culprit is pretty obvious from the beginning and the efforts to provide red herring suspects seems pretty half-hearted. I never got the feeling that Strangeways was seriously considering anybody as suspect number one. The plot (thought I do like books set in the publishing world) didn't really hold me--I repeatedly put the thing down even when I didn't have other things to do. It certainly wasn't a page turner.
And...just as an aside...am I really supposed to believe that a man (Strangeways) who has been invited to a black tie dinner party would actually drape himself across his host's sofa and apply nose drops? In a social situation in front of the other guests? A British man--applying nose drops in public??? Really? It seems to me that the only point of his bringing the drops out in front of the suspects (on several occasions--not just at the dinner party) was to provide a way for one of them to later try and injure, if not kill him.
Not a lot of plot twists. Pretty straightforward and it seems to me that Strangeways takes a a long time to get round to the solution. I gave this ★★★ on my first read and I guess I'll let that stand, though I'm not absolutely convinced.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
March 20, 2016
Another ok Blake--good on publishing and poetry; plot a bit slapdash and of course the nasal spray is poisoned; Claire the best thing about the book. Blake seems a little tired of Nigel.
July 2, 2022
One of Nicholas Blake's more interesting murder mysteries, this tale begins with a libel action against venerable publishing firm Wenham and Geraldine. Nigel Strangeways is called in to help discover who altered a proof copy of a general's memoirs to leave in accusations deemed libelous, thus jeopardizing the publisher's reputation and exposing them to legal action. Was it the irascible author? A former employee? Or someone in the firm with easy access to the proofs? And what was the motive?
As Nigel investigates, he meets Millicent Miles, author of popular trashy romances, who has been "grandmothered" into the firm's list of authors through the youngest partner. Her openly hostile relationship with editor Stephen Protheroe, whose office borders Ms. Miles courtesy workspace, raises questions for Nigel. But it's her sudden murder, committed audaciously while office staff were still in the building, that shifts the libel investigation into new territory. What did Millicent know or say--or write in her in-progress memoirs--that prompted someone to brutally and coldly kill her?
I'm re-reading this series after many years of it resting on the back of my bookshelves, and rediscovering the sharply satiric prose that makes Blake's work enjoyable. Consider this short aside:
"Black tie, if you will, he had murmured. It was evidently part of a tradition: one must dress for dinner to keep up one's morale and self-respect in a jungle infested by wild authors, prowling literary agents, treacherous fellow publishers, and pigmy reviewers with their lethal blowpipes.
This volume features Clare Massinger, Nigel's second love. (My collection seems to be missing her first appearance, Whisper in the Gloom. Woe.)
Read in volume 4 of The Nicholas Blake Treasury.
As Nigel investigates, he meets Millicent Miles, author of popular trashy romances, who has been "grandmothered" into the firm's list of authors through the youngest partner. Her openly hostile relationship with editor Stephen Protheroe, whose office borders Ms. Miles courtesy workspace, raises questions for Nigel. But it's her sudden murder, committed audaciously while office staff were still in the building, that shifts the libel investigation into new territory. What did Millicent know or say--or write in her in-progress memoirs--that prompted someone to brutally and coldly kill her?
I'm re-reading this series after many years of it resting on the back of my bookshelves, and rediscovering the sharply satiric prose that makes Blake's work enjoyable. Consider this short aside:
"Black tie, if you will, he had murmured. It was evidently part of a tradition: one must dress for dinner to keep up one's morale and self-respect in a jungle infested by wild authors, prowling literary agents, treacherous fellow publishers, and pigmy reviewers with their lethal blowpipes.
This volume features Clare Massinger, Nigel's second love. (My collection seems to be missing her first appearance, Whisper in the Gloom. Woe.)
Read in volume 4 of The Nicholas Blake Treasury.
Read
November 23, 2025'I faced too much reality this last week. I never want to see it again.'
Nicholas Blake is definitely among my favorite Golden Age mystery writers, but there's no denying he had a bit of a misogynistic streak and it's on full display here. Still, despite that and the inciting incident not being particularly exciting, the story had me completely hooked until about 80% into the book where things started to fall apart a little, leading to a slightly disappointing ending (mild spoilers) -
Nicholas Blake is definitely among my favorite Golden Age mystery writers, but there's no denying he had a bit of a misogynistic streak and it's on full display here. Still, despite that and the inciting incident not being particularly exciting, the story had me completely hooked until about 80% into the book where things started to fall apart a little, leading to a slightly disappointing ending (mild spoilers) -
September 10, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. Blake was in his element in this environment and it seemed as though he enjoyed writing it. Old sins cast long shadows, and once Nigel had investigated the victim's distant past - beyond the prism of her autobiographical "romancing" - he found the murderer and soon broke the misleading alibi. The characters all played off each other and created lots of red herrings, but the ultimate solution was satisfying and appropriate. This is the best Strangeways mystery so far.
September 16, 2019
Kindle Unlimited Free Trial | finished while the internet was out, no time for review
April 22, 2021
This generally well-written mystery had enough clues and red herrings to keep me guessing, and was interesting and entertaining through to the end.
March 4, 2023
An enjoyable, cosy whodonit set in a London publishing house.
January 1, 2024
Started well but it hadn’t dated well and realised I didn’t really care who done it (a crippling flaw in a murder mystery). Didn’t finish.
May 12, 2012
Ein Manuskript wird manipuliert und nun droht dem Verlagshaus ein teurer und imageschädigender Prozess. Nigel Strangeways ist Detektiv und soll die Person stellen, die dem Verlag schaden will. Oder soll jemand anderes geschädigt werden? Der Autor? Ein General. Oder die Person im Roman? Auch ein Kriegsteilnehmer. Oder gar ein Mitarbeiter aus dem Verlag? Strangeways macht sich auf die Suche und muss fast schon aufgeben, als ein Mord geschieht. Ms. Miles wird tot in ihrem Arbeitszimmer aufgefunden. Eine Autorin des Verlages, die bereits für viel Unruhe und Ärger gesorgt hat. Stehen die Manipulation und der Mord im Zusammenhang? Und welche "Leichen" haben die Besitzer des Verlages noch im Keller liegen? So langsam findet Strangeways seine Spur. Nicholas Blake hat diesen Roman um 1955 geschrieben. Er kommt so ganz ohne Psychothrill und Blutlachen (bis auf die kurze Mordbeschreibung) aus. Balke lässt seinen Detektiv in Ruhe und ohne Hast ermitteln und die vielen kleinen Bausteine zusammenpuzzeln. Der Charakter hat mich ein wenig an Inspector Columbo erinnert...also keine Eile ....auch nicht beim Lesen ;-).
November 27, 2017
A whodunit. But I don’t really like whodunits. After all, the interesting question is not Who, but Why? But I have a soft spot for Nicholas Blake’s earlier The Beast Must Die, although it is the earlier part of that book, before the detective turns up, that is good. And in this one there is a murder: there has to be. But murders in English whodunits are always polite affairs, to be spoken about in Public School accents. The hero, Nigel Strangeways, doesn’t have any of the annoying eccentricities that distinguish the detective in the English whodunit, but, on the other hand, he is snobbily tedious. Of course you can play along and try and guess who done it, but I never can see the point. You will like this book if you like that sort of thing, you won’t if you don’t.
May 26, 2014
This book was published in the early 1960's and it is dated. The motives and behaviours of the characters just aren't believable any more. It took a long time for the detective to find out anything, and there was a lot of text, but still everything seemed on the surface. This was okay, nothing more.
December 27, 2016
Meh: a well-written mystery but it's very dry and lacks that special something that compels you to turn the page. This makes me want to read some of Lewis's poetry but not another Strangeways story, unless it's highly recommended. (Widow's Cruise was better but the plot was overly familiar.)
January 17, 2015
Very good. Multi-layered, complex.
September 28, 2011
Very good. Multi-layered, complex.
February 21, 2014
More of a traditional whodunit than MURDER WITH MALICE, yet the characters & setting aren't as fun.
September 29, 2025
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.com/2025/...
https://crossexaminingcrime.com/2025/...
December 25, 2015
This book at my interest to the very end.
August 17, 2020
Good solid classical detective story. Quite enjoyed.
March 18, 2018
A good classical mystery. It's well written, with interesting characters and an entertaining plot.
Some partes reminded me when I was reading when I was a child like the Three Investigators.
Really likeable.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Ipso Books
Some partes reminded me when I was reading when I was a child like the Three Investigators.
Really likeable.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Ipso Books
March 26, 2018
This was a literary mystery, which I love. I enjoyed the character development and story line. This is a good book for fans of anything to do with literature.
Thank you netgalley and publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.
Thank you netgalley and publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews