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Nigel Strangeways #6
Murder with Malice
A series of practical jokes that have been turning increasingly malicious brings Nigel Strangeways to the British holiday-camp Wonderland to investigate
284 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1940
35 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Blake
97 books72 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.
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June 20, 2022
Cecil Day-Lewis was the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom between 1968 and 1972; until he died at the home of his friend, the writer Kingsley Amis.
All well and good, you might say, but what does this have to do with a golden age English mystery novel first published in 1940? The answer is simple. This Poet Laureate had an alter-ego, and published crime novels under a pseudonym: Nicholas Blake. Cecil Day-Lewis was one of the leading British poets of the 1930s, first working as a teacher to supplement the income from his poetry, but going on to write mysteries instead. As well as numerous poetry collections and translations, Cecil Day-Lewis wrote twenty crime novels as Nicholas Blake, all but four of which feature the private sleuth, Nigel Strangeways. His first Nigel Strangeways novel, “A Question of Proof” was published in 1935. Murder with Malice was the sixth in the series.
Originally titled “Malice in Wonderland”, a year later the novel was published in the USA, under the title Murder With Malice. It has also been called “The Summer Camp Mystery” in the USA, and “Malice With Murder”. The original title fits much better than these later ones; it is very apt because the novel is peppered with references to Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. In fact we begin the book with a young man on a train journey to “Wonderland” plunging into a tunnel, just as Alice enters her Wonderland through a rabbit hole. But Paul Perry’s “Wonderland” is a luxury holiday camp, set on a cliff top overlooking the sea.
British holiday camps began just before the Second World War. In the 1930s there were several camps at seaside locations, including the big names “Warners” and “Butlins”, famous even today. These holiday camps reached their zenith a couple of decades after Murder with With Malice, and have now declined in popularity—although after covid, now that “staycations” are the norm, perhaps they will see a surge in popularity again!
“Wonderland” is described as: “the biggest, brightest and most ambitious of all the holiday camps that had sprung up over England during the last year or two”. Recently opened, it is one to which the existing holiday camps of the time would aspire. It has a ballroom, several bars, an indoor swimming-pool, a concert hall, a gymnasium, dining halls offering food cooked by London chefs, and numerous supervised playrooms for the children. There is a programme of entertainment with professional hosts and hostesses, including organised sports and talent or variety shows, put on by the holiday makers themselves. Certainly those who went to Wonderland for a week would go with an eye for having fun, and making the most of all the facilities. Everyone was determined to enjoy themselves.
Our viewpoint character for the first half of the novel is Paul Perry, the young man on the train. He calls himself a scientist, but after a few chapters we learn that he is there . He is a reserved, slightly priggish young man. Other characters include the Thistlewaite family. The father, Mr. James Thistlethwaite, is a correct and rather obsequious man, with the air of a gentleman’s gentleman. In fact he is a professional tailor who fancies himself a keen observer of people and places. Conveniently for us, he shares his thoughts with the main character. Mrs. Thistlethwaite is not much in evidence, but their teenage daughter Sally, energetic and spunky, takes a shine to Paul Perry and in the way of modern young women of the 1940s, she is not ashamed to show it.
The manager of this branch of “Wonderland” is the ex-army Captain Mortimer Wise, a rather stuffy bureaucrat, assisted by his beautiful, capable and slightly aloof secretary Miss Esmerelda Jones. Captain Wise’s brother Teddy, is head of entertainment, and generally keeps up the spirits of the hundreds of holiday makers. He is an amiable hunk, an ex-athlete who is slightly past his prime, but still well aware of his physical assets. He garners plenty of attention from the young ladies. Oddly, just outside the camp, lives a disgruntled hermit who lurks in the woods outside the camp. He clearly resents the place for encroaching on his seclusion. His lonely lifestyle puzzles everybody there, and he becomes a prime suspect for causing trouble. There is also the mild-mannered and rather timid Mr. Albert Morley, often the butt of innocent jokes, but taking everything in good part.
And some of the jokes are not so innocent. Quite soon it becomes evident that all is not well in Wonderland. Unpleasant incidents begin to wreak havoc, as a prankster—the self-styled “Mad Hatter”—is playing malicious practical jokes on the holiday makers.
The holiday-makers become increasingly uneasy, and both Teddy and Mortimer Wise begin to wonder where these escalating pranks might lead. There is already bad publicity, as the news has been leaked to a local paper. Paul Perry has been investigating as well as he can, aided by the over-enthusiastic Sally and benefiting from the long-winded opinions of Mr. Thistlethwaite. However, fearing a serious attack on an actual person, and the resulting bad press which has already begun, and would be bound to harm the Camp’s reputation, Captain Wise engages a private consultant, Nigel Strangeways, to investigate.
Nigel Strangeways’ first entrance in Chapter 10 is quite late in the novel; over half way through, as there are 19 chapters in total. Agatha Christie’s favourite sleuth, Hercule Poirot is also often late to the party, but we accept this, perhaps because he is so well embedded in popular culture that we feel we know him already. We have a mental picture of him, whereas Nigel Strangeways feels a bit of a non-entity in this novel. The sudden switch of focus and viewpoint character from Paul Perry to Nigel Strangeways is very odd, and I feel it does not quite work. Paul Perry slips into the background, and we begin to think of him in a different way.
As the jokes get more dangerous, Nigel Strangeways gets to grip with the problem. He sees that camp’s managers are concerned not only for the guests’ safety, but also for the effect on the “Wonderland” business.
Setting a mystery in a largely outdoor holiday camp is an inspired idea, and unusual for a golden age mystery. It provides plenty of opportunities for crimes, and also plenty of suspects—potentially five hundred suspects in fact—approximately four hundred holiday-makers at Wonderland plus all the staff. But Nigel Strangeways efficiently narrows it down to just a handful of people. Like a country house murder, the guests get to know each other quickly in a defined space, and we follow a small selection.
Murder with Malice has an authentic period feel, at the beginning of the Second World War but is not overshadowed by it. It feels pre-war, so perhaps took place during the so-called “phoney war”. It is an interesting timepiece, giving a snapshot of Britain, when working people were not accustomed to much leisure time, had very few gadgets, and only the rich ever went abroad. A holiday camp is obviously a new and exciting place in 1940. It seems innovative to the holiday makers; the height of luxury. Even their own chalet with hot and cold running water is seen as a luxury, and ping pong is sophisticated entertainment, joined in by the holiday makers with enthusiasm. This type of vacation is so new and exciting, that the social observer Paul Perry actually wonders whether it might make those visiting dissatisfied with their lives when they return home.
All the social attitudes from the era are in place and quite well observed. Marital roles are well-defined, and there is an air of complacency from both husband and wife, accepting their respective roles. Strata of society are equally well delineated, with (male) army officers and doctors respected, school mistresses portrayed as as bossy spinsters, young female office or shops girls out for a good time, male clerks mousy and inoffensive. All are portrayed with gentle humour; for instance a Christian scientist who is keen to stick to her principles, even when it is clear to all around that she needs a doctor, accepts a consultation with relief when it is pointed out to her that it is a kindness to others. Much of the novel is interaction between characters, with use of colloquial expressions and slang from the time. Some parts may take a modern reader aback, or even make them cringe.
The flirtatious relationship between Sally and the reserved young man Paul Perry blows hot and cold. It is embarrassingly authentic, making us feel as if we are eavesdropping. Sally is clearly in the driving seat, and the lukewarm or downright rude responses to her overtures make the reader feel for her youth and gaucheness. The couple’s personalities conflict, yet as so often in life, we can see that they are attracted to one another. Each is alternately knowing and cynical, or sincere and defensive. Both seem vulnerable in their own way, and over time we wonder if one of them is not as they seem. For instance
Since this was published in 1940, a reader now might expect the war to feature more. In fact it is almost peripheral. There are suspicions of espionage and anarchists, but Wonderland itself seems like a little haven from the closely impending devastation. One reference was during a treasure hunt, when one of the holiday makers’ Another is to do with a shooting incident.
Some of the novels featuring Nigel Strangeways are quite good puzzles; whodunnits that you might—or might not—guess. Nicholas Blake was quite good at constructing plots, with a dramatic murder, and enigmatic or downright ambiguous clues. Our suspicions shift, as the spotlight shines first on one suspect and then another, dotting around until we think perhaps we were right in the first place, and we have the final reveal. Yet it is not the story which primarily interested him.
Nicholas Blake was writing a traditional detective story which invited the reader to solve the mystery, just as the Queen of Crime Agatha Christie did, but although he placed clues for us to find, increasingly he was more interested in the mind of a murderer, rather than the complexities of how it was done. He was fascinated with the psychology that produced a murderer, or a victim. His novels indicate the social, mental or physical pressures, which lead to such crimes; all the passions and human weaknesses which can lead people astray. The Nigel Strangeways novels were to become increasingly preoccupied with the psychological aspects.
In this, Nicholas Blake was quite a modern writer, although his novels are necessarily set in a previous era. It has been said that he was one of the writers who was responsible for turning the detective story into the detective novel. He understood what makes people tick, and what makes them do what they do, yet he incorporated this into light, entertaining novels. Perhaps that is why his novels have lasted. Modern mystery novels do plenty of analysing of the human psyche—some delving so deep that one wonders when the murder mystery will begin! But not many of these give a picture of life with a lightness of touch, or gentle humour. Murder with Malice is basically a competent piece, with an increasingly complex plot. There are two major puzzles, with clues planted along the way, and yet This is characteristic of some golden age mysteries, but it is another reason why I prefer the more accurate American title.
It is an intriguing mystery, with a unique setting, as far as I know. The quirkiness of the malevolent practical jokes are enjoyable, although I personally found the upsetting, and suspect that attitudes have changed. I havered between various theoretical solutions; this one was not easily guessed for me, although it may be for others. However, Murder with Malice stays at my default of 3 stars, and actually only just makes that rating. In the end, it does feel dated, rather than a interesting slice of life at the time, and I did not get a sense of Nigel Strangeways either as a person, or taking charge of the action.
All well and good, you might say, but what does this have to do with a golden age English mystery novel first published in 1940? The answer is simple. This Poet Laureate had an alter-ego, and published crime novels under a pseudonym: Nicholas Blake. Cecil Day-Lewis was one of the leading British poets of the 1930s, first working as a teacher to supplement the income from his poetry, but going on to write mysteries instead. As well as numerous poetry collections and translations, Cecil Day-Lewis wrote twenty crime novels as Nicholas Blake, all but four of which feature the private sleuth, Nigel Strangeways. His first Nigel Strangeways novel, “A Question of Proof” was published in 1935. Murder with Malice was the sixth in the series.
Originally titled “Malice in Wonderland”, a year later the novel was published in the USA, under the title Murder With Malice. It has also been called “The Summer Camp Mystery” in the USA, and “Malice With Murder”. The original title fits much better than these later ones; it is very apt because the novel is peppered with references to Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. In fact we begin the book with a young man on a train journey to “Wonderland” plunging into a tunnel, just as Alice enters her Wonderland through a rabbit hole. But Paul Perry’s “Wonderland” is a luxury holiday camp, set on a cliff top overlooking the sea.
British holiday camps began just before the Second World War. In the 1930s there were several camps at seaside locations, including the big names “Warners” and “Butlins”, famous even today. These holiday camps reached their zenith a couple of decades after Murder with With Malice, and have now declined in popularity—although after covid, now that “staycations” are the norm, perhaps they will see a surge in popularity again!
“Wonderland” is described as: “the biggest, brightest and most ambitious of all the holiday camps that had sprung up over England during the last year or two”. Recently opened, it is one to which the existing holiday camps of the time would aspire. It has a ballroom, several bars, an indoor swimming-pool, a concert hall, a gymnasium, dining halls offering food cooked by London chefs, and numerous supervised playrooms for the children. There is a programme of entertainment with professional hosts and hostesses, including organised sports and talent or variety shows, put on by the holiday makers themselves. Certainly those who went to Wonderland for a week would go with an eye for having fun, and making the most of all the facilities. Everyone was determined to enjoy themselves.
Our viewpoint character for the first half of the novel is Paul Perry, the young man on the train. He calls himself a scientist, but after a few chapters we learn that he is there . He is a reserved, slightly priggish young man. Other characters include the Thistlewaite family. The father, Mr. James Thistlethwaite, is a correct and rather obsequious man, with the air of a gentleman’s gentleman. In fact he is a professional tailor who fancies himself a keen observer of people and places. Conveniently for us, he shares his thoughts with the main character. Mrs. Thistlethwaite is not much in evidence, but their teenage daughter Sally, energetic and spunky, takes a shine to Paul Perry and in the way of modern young women of the 1940s, she is not ashamed to show it.
The manager of this branch of “Wonderland” is the ex-army Captain Mortimer Wise, a rather stuffy bureaucrat, assisted by his beautiful, capable and slightly aloof secretary Miss Esmerelda Jones. Captain Wise’s brother Teddy, is head of entertainment, and generally keeps up the spirits of the hundreds of holiday makers. He is an amiable hunk, an ex-athlete who is slightly past his prime, but still well aware of his physical assets. He garners plenty of attention from the young ladies. Oddly, just outside the camp, lives a disgruntled hermit who lurks in the woods outside the camp. He clearly resents the place for encroaching on his seclusion. His lonely lifestyle puzzles everybody there, and he becomes a prime suspect for causing trouble. There is also the mild-mannered and rather timid Mr. Albert Morley, often the butt of innocent jokes, but taking everything in good part.
And some of the jokes are not so innocent. Quite soon it becomes evident that all is not well in Wonderland. Unpleasant incidents begin to wreak havoc, as a prankster—the self-styled “Mad Hatter”—is playing malicious practical jokes on the holiday makers.
The holiday-makers become increasingly uneasy, and both Teddy and Mortimer Wise begin to wonder where these escalating pranks might lead. There is already bad publicity, as the news has been leaked to a local paper. Paul Perry has been investigating as well as he can, aided by the over-enthusiastic Sally and benefiting from the long-winded opinions of Mr. Thistlethwaite. However, fearing a serious attack on an actual person, and the resulting bad press which has already begun, and would be bound to harm the Camp’s reputation, Captain Wise engages a private consultant, Nigel Strangeways, to investigate.
Nigel Strangeways’ first entrance in Chapter 10 is quite late in the novel; over half way through, as there are 19 chapters in total. Agatha Christie’s favourite sleuth, Hercule Poirot is also often late to the party, but we accept this, perhaps because he is so well embedded in popular culture that we feel we know him already. We have a mental picture of him, whereas Nigel Strangeways feels a bit of a non-entity in this novel. The sudden switch of focus and viewpoint character from Paul Perry to Nigel Strangeways is very odd, and I feel it does not quite work. Paul Perry slips into the background, and we begin to think of him in a different way.
As the jokes get more dangerous, Nigel Strangeways gets to grip with the problem. He sees that camp’s managers are concerned not only for the guests’ safety, but also for the effect on the “Wonderland” business.
Setting a mystery in a largely outdoor holiday camp is an inspired idea, and unusual for a golden age mystery. It provides plenty of opportunities for crimes, and also plenty of suspects—potentially five hundred suspects in fact—approximately four hundred holiday-makers at Wonderland plus all the staff. But Nigel Strangeways efficiently narrows it down to just a handful of people. Like a country house murder, the guests get to know each other quickly in a defined space, and we follow a small selection.
Murder with Malice has an authentic period feel, at the beginning of the Second World War but is not overshadowed by it. It feels pre-war, so perhaps took place during the so-called “phoney war”. It is an interesting timepiece, giving a snapshot of Britain, when working people were not accustomed to much leisure time, had very few gadgets, and only the rich ever went abroad. A holiday camp is obviously a new and exciting place in 1940. It seems innovative to the holiday makers; the height of luxury. Even their own chalet with hot and cold running water is seen as a luxury, and ping pong is sophisticated entertainment, joined in by the holiday makers with enthusiasm. This type of vacation is so new and exciting, that the social observer Paul Perry actually wonders whether it might make those visiting dissatisfied with their lives when they return home.
All the social attitudes from the era are in place and quite well observed. Marital roles are well-defined, and there is an air of complacency from both husband and wife, accepting their respective roles. Strata of society are equally well delineated, with (male) army officers and doctors respected, school mistresses portrayed as as bossy spinsters, young female office or shops girls out for a good time, male clerks mousy and inoffensive. All are portrayed with gentle humour; for instance a Christian scientist who is keen to stick to her principles, even when it is clear to all around that she needs a doctor, accepts a consultation with relief when it is pointed out to her that it is a kindness to others. Much of the novel is interaction between characters, with use of colloquial expressions and slang from the time. Some parts may take a modern reader aback, or even make them cringe.
The flirtatious relationship between Sally and the reserved young man Paul Perry blows hot and cold. It is embarrassingly authentic, making us feel as if we are eavesdropping. Sally is clearly in the driving seat, and the lukewarm or downright rude responses to her overtures make the reader feel for her youth and gaucheness. The couple’s personalities conflict, yet as so often in life, we can see that they are attracted to one another. Each is alternately knowing and cynical, or sincere and defensive. Both seem vulnerable in their own way, and over time we wonder if one of them is not as they seem. For instance
Since this was published in 1940, a reader now might expect the war to feature more. In fact it is almost peripheral. There are suspicions of espionage and anarchists, but Wonderland itself seems like a little haven from the closely impending devastation. One reference was during a treasure hunt, when one of the holiday makers’ Another is to do with a shooting incident.
Some of the novels featuring Nigel Strangeways are quite good puzzles; whodunnits that you might—or might not—guess. Nicholas Blake was quite good at constructing plots, with a dramatic murder, and enigmatic or downright ambiguous clues. Our suspicions shift, as the spotlight shines first on one suspect and then another, dotting around until we think perhaps we were right in the first place, and we have the final reveal. Yet it is not the story which primarily interested him.
Nicholas Blake was writing a traditional detective story which invited the reader to solve the mystery, just as the Queen of Crime Agatha Christie did, but although he placed clues for us to find, increasingly he was more interested in the mind of a murderer, rather than the complexities of how it was done. He was fascinated with the psychology that produced a murderer, or a victim. His novels indicate the social, mental or physical pressures, which lead to such crimes; all the passions and human weaknesses which can lead people astray. The Nigel Strangeways novels were to become increasingly preoccupied with the psychological aspects.
In this, Nicholas Blake was quite a modern writer, although his novels are necessarily set in a previous era. It has been said that he was one of the writers who was responsible for turning the detective story into the detective novel. He understood what makes people tick, and what makes them do what they do, yet he incorporated this into light, entertaining novels. Perhaps that is why his novels have lasted. Modern mystery novels do plenty of analysing of the human psyche—some delving so deep that one wonders when the murder mystery will begin! But not many of these give a picture of life with a lightness of touch, or gentle humour. Murder with Malice is basically a competent piece, with an increasingly complex plot. There are two major puzzles, with clues planted along the way, and yet This is characteristic of some golden age mysteries, but it is another reason why I prefer the more accurate American title.
It is an intriguing mystery, with a unique setting, as far as I know. The quirkiness of the malevolent practical jokes are enjoyable, although I personally found the upsetting, and suspect that attitudes have changed. I havered between various theoretical solutions; this one was not easily guessed for me, although it may be for others. However, Murder with Malice stays at my default of 3 stars, and actually only just makes that rating. In the end, it does feel dated, rather than a interesting slice of life at the time, and I did not get a sense of Nigel Strangeways either as a person, or taking charge of the action.
September 30, 2018
Published in 1940 (in the US it was titled, “The Summer Camp Mystery”/”The Malice With Murder”) this is the sixth in the Nigel Strangeways mysteries, following on from: A Question of Proof, Thou Shell of Death, There’s Trouble Brewing, The Beast Must Die and The Smiler with the Knife. The novel is set in a British holiday camp, named Wonderland, and begins with the introduction of some of the central characters. There are the visitors; notably Mr Paul Perry (a rather priggish young man), the Thistlewaite family, consisting of a couple and their teenage daughter, Sally, and the rather put upon Mr Albert Morley. Of the staff, there is the manager, Captain Wise, his brother Teddy – head of entertainment – and the capable secretary Esmerelda Jones. Lastly, there is a disgruntled hermit who lurks in the woods outside the camp, opposed to it encroaching on his lonely lifestyle and who is a prime suspect for causing trouble.
The holiday camp is obviously a whole new, and exciting, place in 1940 and it is fascinating to note how it is seen as the height of luxury – chalets with hot and cold running water, a pool, children’s fun rides and even ping pong are seen as innovative entertainment. So exciting is the idea of a self contained camp, with activities, shows and dances, that Perry muses on the fact that it might make those visiting dissatisfied with their lives when they return home. So, simply as a Golden Age detective novel, this has a really unique setting and is interesting if only from that point of view. However, of course this is a mystery novel and, before long there is trouble in the holiday camp. A practical joker, styling himself ‘The Mad Hatter’ is up to mischief and mayhem. At first this takes the form of tricks like treacle covered tennis balls, but gradually the ‘jokes’ turn nasty and causes the holiday camp bad publicity. Nigel Strangeways is called in to discover the culprit and try to save the camp from ruin. Also, although it remains virtually unstated, we are also aware of the impending war and, like the previous book in the series, the issue of espionage is touched on.
The next book in the series is “The Cast of the Abominable Snowman” (1941). Nicholas Blake – pen name of poet laureate Cecil Day-Lewis, wrote many crime novels featuring Nigel Strangeways and this is, in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable. An unusual setting and good characters make this a fun read for anyone who enjoys Golden Age Detective Novels.
The holiday camp is obviously a whole new, and exciting, place in 1940 and it is fascinating to note how it is seen as the height of luxury – chalets with hot and cold running water, a pool, children’s fun rides and even ping pong are seen as innovative entertainment. So exciting is the idea of a self contained camp, with activities, shows and dances, that Perry muses on the fact that it might make those visiting dissatisfied with their lives when they return home. So, simply as a Golden Age detective novel, this has a really unique setting and is interesting if only from that point of view. However, of course this is a mystery novel and, before long there is trouble in the holiday camp. A practical joker, styling himself ‘The Mad Hatter’ is up to mischief and mayhem. At first this takes the form of tricks like treacle covered tennis balls, but gradually the ‘jokes’ turn nasty and causes the holiday camp bad publicity. Nigel Strangeways is called in to discover the culprit and try to save the camp from ruin. Also, although it remains virtually unstated, we are also aware of the impending war and, like the previous book in the series, the issue of espionage is touched on.
The next book in the series is “The Cast of the Abominable Snowman” (1941). Nicholas Blake – pen name of poet laureate Cecil Day-Lewis, wrote many crime novels featuring Nigel Strangeways and this is, in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable. An unusual setting and good characters make this a fun read for anyone who enjoys Golden Age Detective Novels.
September 15, 2017
This is fun! Nicholas Blake was the pen-name of Cecil Day-Lewis, poet laureate, and we can tell immediately from the wonderful way this is written: "Perambulation, sir, if I may so put it, is the best aperitif for thought." In fact, this made me think that if Evelyn Waugh and P.G.Wodehouse had ever got together to write a Golden Age detective novel, it would be very like this.
The scene is set at a newly-opened holiday camp and part of the enjoyment of this book comes from the social commentary: the early Butlins'-style entertainment, the characterisation, the sly jokes at text-book Marxists and the phenomenon of Mass Observation. Mr Thistlethwaite ("A shop! My dear! Please! An establishment.") has jumped straight onto my list of favourite characters with his almost Dickensian vividness.
The plot itself rambles a bit from malicious tricks to espionage and murder, and the detective, Nigel Strangeways, has little personality (to be fair, this is mid-way through the series but the first I've read), but that doesn't really matter. A romp of a book that nods towards Agatha Christie et al. but which has a tongue-in-cheek joie de vive of its own.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
The scene is set at a newly-opened holiday camp and part of the enjoyment of this book comes from the social commentary: the early Butlins'-style entertainment, the characterisation, the sly jokes at text-book Marxists and the phenomenon of Mass Observation. Mr Thistlethwaite ("A shop! My dear! Please! An establishment.") has jumped straight onto my list of favourite characters with his almost Dickensian vividness.
The plot itself rambles a bit from malicious tricks to espionage and murder, and the detective, Nigel Strangeways, has little personality (to be fair, this is mid-way through the series but the first I've read), but that doesn't really matter. A romp of a book that nods towards Agatha Christie et al. but which has a tongue-in-cheek joie de vive of its own.
Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley
July 26, 2017
RE PUBLISHED UNDER MALICE IN WONDERLAND
The "Mad Hatter' is a prankster and presently causing all kinds of chaos at the Wonderland summer camp. The owners of Wonderland think it may be a rival business ... but there's no proof. And no one knows who the Mad Hatter is.
Private Investigator Nigel Strangeways receives a call from Wonderland asking for his help in stopping the nonsense. So far, nothing too serious has happened, but it's just plain aggravating. A piano has been tampered with. Golf balls have been dipped in molasses. And most concerning is that some swimmers are being pulled under water.
Before anyone gets hurt .. or worse ... Nigel is going to have his hands full.
Keeping in mind that this book was first published in 1940, this murder mystery is without the usual things the reader usually sees. There are no cell phones, not even pagers. The CSI effect doesn't work and DNA hasn't even been thought of.
This is a very slow paced mystery but the uniqueness of the plot keeps it moving forward. The characters are definitely distinctive, if not likeable.
Nicholas Blake was appointed Poet Laureate in 1968, and sadly passed away in 1972. My thanks to IPSO Books / Netgalley for the digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
The "Mad Hatter' is a prankster and presently causing all kinds of chaos at the Wonderland summer camp. The owners of Wonderland think it may be a rival business ... but there's no proof. And no one knows who the Mad Hatter is.
Private Investigator Nigel Strangeways receives a call from Wonderland asking for his help in stopping the nonsense. So far, nothing too serious has happened, but it's just plain aggravating. A piano has been tampered with. Golf balls have been dipped in molasses. And most concerning is that some swimmers are being pulled under water.
Before anyone gets hurt .. or worse ... Nigel is going to have his hands full.
Keeping in mind that this book was first published in 1940, this murder mystery is without the usual things the reader usually sees. There are no cell phones, not even pagers. The CSI effect doesn't work and DNA hasn't even been thought of.
This is a very slow paced mystery but the uniqueness of the plot keeps it moving forward. The characters are definitely distinctive, if not likeable.
Nicholas Blake was appointed Poet Laureate in 1968, and sadly passed away in 1972. My thanks to IPSO Books / Netgalley for the digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 19, 2020
Amusing Golden Age mystery set in Wonderland, a holiday camp in an English coastal resort. The Mad Hatter, a practical joker, is playing tricks on the holidaymakers and as the tricks become more malicious and dangerous, private investigator Nigel Strangeways is called in to uncover the joker before serious harm is done.
The most notable aspect of this book is the fascinating glimpse of social history that its setting provides. The phenomenon of the holiday camp in its early days, with 'luxury' accommodation and organised games, is brilliantly described and there is also reference to the Mass Observation project, as one of the characters, Paul Perry, is present to observe the holidaymakers for this purpose. Nicholas Blake's writing style is always enjoyable, mixing erudition and sly wit, and in this book he has also created some interesting characters, particularly the larger-than-life Mr Thistlethwaite.
On the other hand, Nigel Strangeways seems rather subdued in comparison and arrives very late in the action when other dynamics have been set up, so he struggles to capture our attention as he should. The plot is not the strongest and despite a few twists it didn't rise to the heights I was expecting. Still, it was entertaining and enjoyable overall, 3.5 stars.
The most notable aspect of this book is the fascinating glimpse of social history that its setting provides. The phenomenon of the holiday camp in its early days, with 'luxury' accommodation and organised games, is brilliantly described and there is also reference to the Mass Observation project, as one of the characters, Paul Perry, is present to observe the holidaymakers for this purpose. Nicholas Blake's writing style is always enjoyable, mixing erudition and sly wit, and in this book he has also created some interesting characters, particularly the larger-than-life Mr Thistlethwaite.
On the other hand, Nigel Strangeways seems rather subdued in comparison and arrives very late in the action when other dynamics have been set up, so he struggles to capture our attention as he should. The plot is not the strongest and despite a few twists it didn't rise to the heights I was expecting. Still, it was entertaining and enjoyable overall, 3.5 stars.
July 7, 2015
Published in 1940 (in the US it was titled, “The Summer Camp Mystery”/”The Malice With Murder”) this is the sixth in the Nigel Strangeways mysteries, following on from: A Question of Proof, Thou Shell of Death, There’s Trouble Brewing, The Beast Must Die and The Smiler with the Knife. The novel is set in a British holiday camp, named Wonderland, and begins with the introduction of some of the central characters. There are the visitors; notably Mr Paul Perry (a rather priggish young man), the Thistlewaite family, consisting of a couple and their teenage daughter, Sally, and the rather put upon Mr Albert Morley. Of the staff, there is the manager, Captain Wise, his brother Teddy – head of entertainment – and the capable secretary Esmerelda Jones. Lastly, there is a disgruntled hermit who lurks in the woods outside the camp, opposed to it encroaching on his lonely lifestyle and who is a prime suspect for causing trouble.
The holiday camp is obviously a whole new, and exciting, place in 1940 and it is fascinating to note how it is seen as the height of luxury – chalets with hot and cold running water, a pool, children’s fun rides and even ping pong are seen as innovative entertainment. So exciting is the idea of a self contained camp, with activities, shows and dances, that Perry muses on the fact that it might make those visiting dissatisfied with their lives when they return home. So, simply as a Golden Age detective novel, this has a really unique setting and is interesting if only from that point of view. However, of course this is a mystery novel and, before long there is trouble in the holiday camp. A practical joker, styling himself ‘The Mad Hatter’ is up to mischief and mayhem. At first this takes the form of tricks like treacle covered tennis balls, but gradually the ‘jokes’ turn nasty and causes the holiday camp bad publicity. Nigel Strangeways is called in to discover the culprit and try to save the camp from ruin. Also, although it remains virtually unstated, we are also aware of the impending war and, like the previous book in the series, the issue of espionage is touched on.
The next book in the series is “The Cast of the Abominable Snowman” (1941). Nicholas Blake – pen name of poet laureate Cecil Day-Lewis, wrote many crime novels featuring Nigel Strangeways and this is, in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable. An unusual setting and good characters make this a fun read for anyone who enjoys Golden Age Detective Novels.
The holiday camp is obviously a whole new, and exciting, place in 1940 and it is fascinating to note how it is seen as the height of luxury – chalets with hot and cold running water, a pool, children’s fun rides and even ping pong are seen as innovative entertainment. So exciting is the idea of a self contained camp, with activities, shows and dances, that Perry muses on the fact that it might make those visiting dissatisfied with their lives when they return home. So, simply as a Golden Age detective novel, this has a really unique setting and is interesting if only from that point of view. However, of course this is a mystery novel and, before long there is trouble in the holiday camp. A practical joker, styling himself ‘The Mad Hatter’ is up to mischief and mayhem. At first this takes the form of tricks like treacle covered tennis balls, but gradually the ‘jokes’ turn nasty and causes the holiday camp bad publicity. Nigel Strangeways is called in to discover the culprit and try to save the camp from ruin. Also, although it remains virtually unstated, we are also aware of the impending war and, like the previous book in the series, the issue of espionage is touched on.
The next book in the series is “The Cast of the Abominable Snowman” (1941). Nicholas Blake – pen name of poet laureate Cecil Day-Lewis, wrote many crime novels featuring Nigel Strangeways and this is, in my opinion, one of the most enjoyable. An unusual setting and good characters make this a fun read for anyone who enjoys Golden Age Detective Novels.
June 26, 2017
I found the title of this one a little misleading: Malice in Wonderland would have been better, albeit an awful pun. The word murder is the misleading part. It’s not actually a murder as such – although, there has been one in the past.
This & the previous one – The Smiler in the Knife – have an element of espionage to them. This one was published in 1940 in a time when the war was still going crazy and with no obvious outcome. It is set pre-war and reminds the reader of a happier time- the time when one could have a seaside holiday. In the later 30s, holiday camps sprang up along the English coast. The difference from the previous popular boarding house was the sense of space (one has their own family chalet, complete with hot and cold running water) and the organised activities. You had a choice of activities, rather than having do determine what the family would do every day, and the angst of unhappy family units not getting the things they wanted to do. If the resort offered a decent 2-course meal (as per this holiday resort), then the lower middle classes had a sense of luxury. In fact, we get told what the brochures say & the word luxury is spruiked a lot. Some of you, like me, might have been lucky to have experienced these said chalets at the end of their lives- they were run down, tired, leaky and had a sense of charm than only comes with that patina of age; their only evidence that they ever existed now are in photos. The contemporary reader does have to think in the past to appreciate these luxuries that we now find either pathetic, or non-luxuries.
Blake makes a swipe at the new science of sociology, and in particular, the use of surveys to obtain data. One is used here during the investigation and he does make fun of their uses, and their purpose. He’s not too kind to those scientists that studied these social behaviours either.
Nasty things happen at Wonderland: the piano is filled with treacle so that it unnerves the prissy invited singers; a pet dog is poisoned; and dead wildlife are put into people’s beds - to name just a few of the rash of events at Wonderland. Nigel Strangeways is invited to solve the crimes. He does quite easily, but the trouble is the production of punishable evidence that would hold up in court. He has to resort to the moral high ground. And then there is that rather interesting naval instillation in the neighbouring town that could be so easily spied upon from the lonely cliff tops(this is the espionage aspect of the novel); all these aspects are cleverly interwoven.
Blake is one of the forgotten writers of the Golden Age. He lacks the ingenuity of either Christie or Marsh, but in this one, the strength is in the characters. My favourite character was Mr Thistlethwaite – Falstaffian in many ways, this tailor to the better classes, can read a person very easily and is the vehicle for some of Blake’s witticisms. This novel is definitely a weak one in the canon of Blake’s works, but if you are a fan, you will enjoy and engage in the language that he employs.
This & the previous one – The Smiler in the Knife – have an element of espionage to them. This one was published in 1940 in a time when the war was still going crazy and with no obvious outcome. It is set pre-war and reminds the reader of a happier time- the time when one could have a seaside holiday. In the later 30s, holiday camps sprang up along the English coast. The difference from the previous popular boarding house was the sense of space (one has their own family chalet, complete with hot and cold running water) and the organised activities. You had a choice of activities, rather than having do determine what the family would do every day, and the angst of unhappy family units not getting the things they wanted to do. If the resort offered a decent 2-course meal (as per this holiday resort), then the lower middle classes had a sense of luxury. In fact, we get told what the brochures say & the word luxury is spruiked a lot. Some of you, like me, might have been lucky to have experienced these said chalets at the end of their lives- they were run down, tired, leaky and had a sense of charm than only comes with that patina of age; their only evidence that they ever existed now are in photos. The contemporary reader does have to think in the past to appreciate these luxuries that we now find either pathetic, or non-luxuries.
Blake makes a swipe at the new science of sociology, and in particular, the use of surveys to obtain data. One is used here during the investigation and he does make fun of their uses, and their purpose. He’s not too kind to those scientists that studied these social behaviours either.
Nasty things happen at Wonderland: the piano is filled with treacle so that it unnerves the prissy invited singers; a pet dog is poisoned; and dead wildlife are put into people’s beds - to name just a few of the rash of events at Wonderland. Nigel Strangeways is invited to solve the crimes. He does quite easily, but the trouble is the production of punishable evidence that would hold up in court. He has to resort to the moral high ground. And then there is that rather interesting naval instillation in the neighbouring town that could be so easily spied upon from the lonely cliff tops(this is the espionage aspect of the novel); all these aspects are cleverly interwoven.
Blake is one of the forgotten writers of the Golden Age. He lacks the ingenuity of either Christie or Marsh, but in this one, the strength is in the characters. My favourite character was Mr Thistlethwaite – Falstaffian in many ways, this tailor to the better classes, can read a person very easily and is the vehicle for some of Blake’s witticisms. This novel is definitely a weak one in the canon of Blake’s works, but if you are a fan, you will enjoy and engage in the language that he employs.
August 10, 2021
It's a fairly good read. In my opinion, it was slow paced at the beginning, and the fact that nothing big or interesting was happening during the first six to seven chapters of the book got on my nerves. However, it's a mystery book . The private detective, Nigel Strangeways, is intellectual, open-minded, and I liked the fact that he did not carry an air of complete self importance in the way that most detectives in books are shown to be.
I must have found it far slower than most books because mysteries these days are expected to keep you on the edge of the seat as you finish every chapter. Once the story picked up its pace, I screamed with delight! Truth be told, the way of deduction was absolutely logical, and as they say, "a mystery writer must give clues that a reader can deduce" , so I found the mystery solvable.
I might start to read the first book from the series just to see more of Nigel's character.
As I always say, once you get through the first five chapters, there is no going back.
I must have found it far slower than most books because mysteries these days are expected to keep you on the edge of the seat as you finish every chapter. Once the story picked up its pace, I screamed with delight! Truth be told, the way of deduction was absolutely logical, and as they say, "a mystery writer must give clues that a reader can deduce" , so I found the mystery solvable.
I might start to read the first book from the series just to see more of Nigel's character.
As I always say, once you get through the first five chapters, there is no going back.
August 8, 2021
There’s a practical joker in Wonderland, a 1940s holiday camp. It starts with duckings (pulling people under water) then things escalate. Nigel Strangeways is called by the manager to look into things.
I loved the setting of the holiday camp, but that was probably the only thing that enthused me, the mysteries are very easy to guess and the main one is given away several chapter before the ending so the wrapping up is so long.
It was my first Nigel Strangeways book and I’m not really curious about the rest if they are soso like this one. I guess to me Cecil Day-Lewis (Nicholas Blake is a pseudonym) will always be Daniel’s father since I don’t really like poetry and that’s what he is really known for.
I loved the setting of the holiday camp, but that was probably the only thing that enthused me, the mysteries are very easy to guess and the main one is given away several chapter before the ending so the wrapping up is so long.
It was my first Nigel Strangeways book and I’m not really curious about the rest if they are soso like this one. I guess to me Cecil Day-Lewis (Nicholas Blake is a pseudonym) will always be Daniel’s father since I don’t really like poetry and that’s what he is really known for.
September 23, 2017
I really enjoyed Malice in Wonderland by Nicholas Blake*. It’s a Golden Age mystery first published in the UK in 1940; in the US as The Summer Camp Mystery, later in 1971 as Malice with Murder; and in 1987, as Murder with Malice.
There are several allusions to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The train to Wonderland plunges into a tunnel, just as Alice enters Wonderland through a rabbit hole. But in this case Wonderland is a holiday camp, set on a cliff top overlooking the sea. And all is not well in Wonderland as there is a prankster in the camp , the self-styled ‘Mad Hatter’, who is playing nasty and cruel practical jokes on the holiday makers. Swimmers are ducked in the sea and held down, tennis balls are coated in treacle, left with a note that refers to a part of dormouse’s story in Alice in Wonderland. Then the jokes get more dangerous. The camp’s owners are concerned not just for the guests but also for their business as they fear a rival firm with a grudge against the company is trying to ruin them.
There are hundreds of visitors at Wonderland, but the action revolves around a few characters including Paul Perry, a young man who calls himself a scientist, but who is there taking notes for the Mass Observation project, Mr and Mrs Thistlethwaite and their teenage daughter, Sally, Albert Morley, a timid little man, brothers Mortimer and Teddy Wise, the camp’s managers, their secretary Esmeralda Jones and Nigel Strangeways, a private detective.
Like other Golden Age mysteries, Malice in Wonderland presents a puzzle, plenty of suspects, clues planted along the way and a detective who solves the puzzle. It also presents a picture of life just before the Second World War, the social attitudes and in particular the beginnings of the holiday camps. By the 1930s there were several camps, including Warners and Butlins, at seaside locations. Wonderland has dining-halls presenting food cooked by London chefs, a ballroom, bars, an indoor swimming-bath, a concert hall, a gymnasium and numerous playrooms, plus a programme of entertainment with professional hosts and hostesses. It’s described as ‘the biggest, brightest and most ambitious of all the holiday camps that had sprung up over England during the last year or two.’
I loved the setting, the interesting characters, and the fiendishly difficult mystery to solve (I only solved it just before the denouement). And it’s well written with humour and style.
*Nicholas Blake was the pseudonym of Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis (1904 – 1972), one of the leading British poets of the 1930s. He published his first Nigel Strangeways detective novel, A Question of Proof in 1935. Malice in Wonderland is the 6th in the series.
My thanks to the publisher for a digital ARC via NetGalley.
There are several allusions to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The train to Wonderland plunges into a tunnel, just as Alice enters Wonderland through a rabbit hole. But in this case Wonderland is a holiday camp, set on a cliff top overlooking the sea. And all is not well in Wonderland as there is a prankster in the camp , the self-styled ‘Mad Hatter’, who is playing nasty and cruel practical jokes on the holiday makers. Swimmers are ducked in the sea and held down, tennis balls are coated in treacle, left with a note that refers to a part of dormouse’s story in Alice in Wonderland. Then the jokes get more dangerous. The camp’s owners are concerned not just for the guests but also for their business as they fear a rival firm with a grudge against the company is trying to ruin them.
There are hundreds of visitors at Wonderland, but the action revolves around a few characters including Paul Perry, a young man who calls himself a scientist, but who is there taking notes for the Mass Observation project, Mr and Mrs Thistlethwaite and their teenage daughter, Sally, Albert Morley, a timid little man, brothers Mortimer and Teddy Wise, the camp’s managers, their secretary Esmeralda Jones and Nigel Strangeways, a private detective.
Like other Golden Age mysteries, Malice in Wonderland presents a puzzle, plenty of suspects, clues planted along the way and a detective who solves the puzzle. It also presents a picture of life just before the Second World War, the social attitudes and in particular the beginnings of the holiday camps. By the 1930s there were several camps, including Warners and Butlins, at seaside locations. Wonderland has dining-halls presenting food cooked by London chefs, a ballroom, bars, an indoor swimming-bath, a concert hall, a gymnasium and numerous playrooms, plus a programme of entertainment with professional hosts and hostesses. It’s described as ‘the biggest, brightest and most ambitious of all the holiday camps that had sprung up over England during the last year or two.’
I loved the setting, the interesting characters, and the fiendishly difficult mystery to solve (I only solved it just before the denouement). And it’s well written with humour and style.
*Nicholas Blake was the pseudonym of Poet Laureate Cecil Day-Lewis (1904 – 1972), one of the leading British poets of the 1930s. He published his first Nigel Strangeways detective novel, A Question of Proof in 1935. Malice in Wonderland is the 6th in the series.
My thanks to the publisher for a digital ARC via NetGalley.
July 20, 2016
Nigel Strangeways is asked to look into a series of practical jokes perpetrated at a holiday camp called Wonderland. The management are convinced it could be a rival company trying to put them out of business. The practical jokes are carried out by someone calling themselves 'The Mad Hatter' and at first glance there seem to be potentially five hundred suspects - the current guests at Wonderland plus the staff. But Nigel quickly narrows it down to just a handful of people.
The book focuses on a few characters - Nigel himself, the management - two brothers - Mortimer and Teddy Wise, and Mortimer's efficient secretary, Esmerelda Jones. Among the guests are Albert Morley, who appears to the subject of everyone's jokes; the Thistlethwaite family and Paul Perry- who is there as part of a Mass Observation project.
I enjoyed this well written Golden Age Mystery though unlike many of the mysteries from that era is doesn't include a murder to be investigated. I liked the characters and I thought the plot was intriguing. The clues were there but I failed to interpret them correctly so I was surprised by the conclusion.
The book focuses on a few characters - Nigel himself, the management - two brothers - Mortimer and Teddy Wise, and Mortimer's efficient secretary, Esmerelda Jones. Among the guests are Albert Morley, who appears to the subject of everyone's jokes; the Thistlethwaite family and Paul Perry- who is there as part of a Mass Observation project.
I enjoyed this well written Golden Age Mystery though unlike many of the mysteries from that era is doesn't include a murder to be investigated. I liked the characters and I thought the plot was intriguing. The clues were there but I failed to interpret them correctly so I was surprised by the conclusion.
June 5, 2018
Very good non-murder mystery.
September 11, 2025
This one is OK overall, kind of boring til Strangeways comes in. He doesn't make an appearance til 125 pages in, so it was a slog for a bit. Basically, there is Wonderland, a big holiday park that has 500 people in resident at any time. There are a series of practical jokes that are interfering with the fun of the camp. A visitor knows Strangeways, and his suggestion in sending for the detective is agreed upon. The detective then goes around and tries to find who the culprit is, but there is something else more serious going on as well that gives him pause.
Can't really recommend it. I've read three of these now, and this is the weakest one. It's not terrible, but I just didn't care about the people involved or the park itself.
Can't really recommend it. I've read three of these now, and this is the weakest one. It's not terrible, but I just didn't care about the people involved or the park itself.
August 18, 2021
Though this is not the best of the Nigel Strangeways mysteries I have read, I enjoyed it for the lighthearted mystery that it is. Sure, it's dated but I kinda dig the exposure to the world of 80 years ago.
November 9, 2015
Interesting mystery at a pre-war British holiday camp. Diverting, sexist, good detection and (mostly)solid characters. Still waiting to read the perfect Nigel Strangeways mystery.
August 12, 2020
For bedtime reading, this light murder mystery from Nicholas Blake (aka Cecil Day Lewis, Daniel Day Lewis' father) hit the spot for me. No gore. No weird characters. And not a conventional murder mystery despite the murder promised in the title. The reader gets to spend some time at a British summer camp called Wonderland, for families, kids, and adults of all ages. Campers stay in chalets, and there is an ongoing program of sports, games, swimming, and hiking, as well as evening entertainments like talent shows. This novel was written in 1940, and it is very much a product of its time.
The reader joins Paul Perry at the beginning while he's on his way to the camp. He meets the Thistlethwaites on the train and immediately is attracted to Sally, the daughter. Mr. Thistlethwaite is a tailor in Oxford and a fairly intelligent amateur detective. They arrive at the camp, Wonderland, and settle in, meeting some of the other campers and staff. Then "the Mad Hatter" announces himself at a welcome evening program, and from that point on, devilish practical jokes are played on campers, some disgusting, others just inconvenient, but all designed to make campers unhappy with Wonderland. The manager is finally persuaded to call in a private detective, Nigel Strangeways, to get to the bottom of the practical jokes and who's playing them. Someone shoots the manager in the ear, there's an eccentric hermit that lives in adjacent woods, and one woman camper develops a nasty blistering rash after a treasure hunt. Who is the Mad Hatter? And why has he or she targeted Wonderland?
While the action does become life-threatening, especially for Paul Perry, this was a surprisingly "gentle" murder mystery. In fact, one of my quibbles is that there really is no murder at all, and the mystery is more about who the Mad Hatter is and what his motives are. The characters, however, are great fun, especially Mr. Thistlethwaite. At one point there was speculation that a spy ring might be involved, and that was a really nice twist.
Years ago, I bought three of Nicholas Blake's mysteries because I was curious to find out how the Poet Laureate of the UK wrote mysteries. I'd say, very gently. But we'll see what the next two mysteries bring. If you're interested in old fashioned mysteries written in a much different time, when society and cultural norms were much different, this novel is for you. Stay tuned for what I think of the next two!
The reader joins Paul Perry at the beginning while he's on his way to the camp. He meets the Thistlethwaites on the train and immediately is attracted to Sally, the daughter. Mr. Thistlethwaite is a tailor in Oxford and a fairly intelligent amateur detective. They arrive at the camp, Wonderland, and settle in, meeting some of the other campers and staff. Then "the Mad Hatter" announces himself at a welcome evening program, and from that point on, devilish practical jokes are played on campers, some disgusting, others just inconvenient, but all designed to make campers unhappy with Wonderland. The manager is finally persuaded to call in a private detective, Nigel Strangeways, to get to the bottom of the practical jokes and who's playing them. Someone shoots the manager in the ear, there's an eccentric hermit that lives in adjacent woods, and one woman camper develops a nasty blistering rash after a treasure hunt. Who is the Mad Hatter? And why has he or she targeted Wonderland?
While the action does become life-threatening, especially for Paul Perry, this was a surprisingly "gentle" murder mystery. In fact, one of my quibbles is that there really is no murder at all, and the mystery is more about who the Mad Hatter is and what his motives are. The characters, however, are great fun, especially Mr. Thistlethwaite. At one point there was speculation that a spy ring might be involved, and that was a really nice twist.
Years ago, I bought three of Nicholas Blake's mysteries because I was curious to find out how the Poet Laureate of the UK wrote mysteries. I'd say, very gently. But we'll see what the next two mysteries bring. If you're interested in old fashioned mysteries written in a much different time, when society and cultural norms were much different, this novel is for you. Stay tuned for what I think of the next two!
July 28, 2017
Malice in Wonderland is an odd but enjoyable mystery that has the flavor of classic mysteries from the 40s. Wonderland is a holiday camp, an all inclusive resort where budget minded travelers can relax in comfort and enjoy group games and activities. The novel initially focuses on the experiences of Paul, an observational scientist who is a bit of a prig, and the Thistlethwaite family particularly Mr Thistlethwaite (who much resembles the walrus in Alice in Wonderland) and his daughter Sally. A prankster calling himself the Mad Hatter is at work in Wonderland, creating disturbances via irritating and sometimes dangerous practical jokes. The longer they continue, the more they disturb Wonderland’s holiday atmosphere and endanger the business’s continued existence. In order to avoid a scandal, the head of Wonderland calls in Nigel Strangeways, a detective whose name matches his techniques.
Malice in Wonderland is entertaining, but there is little in the way of danger or suspense. Reading it is a bit like taking a holiday - you can relax, enjoy the festivities and not worry too much about the characters or situation. Nicholas Blake keeps the reader’s interest, but doesn't push an emotional commitment. Readers are observers, like Paul believes himself to be. Malice in Wonderland is well written, so I'm rounding up a 3.5 to a 4.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Malice in Wonderland from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Malice in Wonderland is entertaining, but there is little in the way of danger or suspense. Reading it is a bit like taking a holiday - you can relax, enjoy the festivities and not worry too much about the characters or situation. Nicholas Blake keeps the reader’s interest, but doesn't push an emotional commitment. Readers are observers, like Paul believes himself to be. Malice in Wonderland is well written, so I'm rounding up a 3.5 to a 4.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Malice in Wonderland from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
July 28, 2017
Malice in Wonderland is an odd but enjoyable mystery that has the flavor of classic mysteries from the 40s. Wonderland is a holiday camp, an all inclusive resort where budget minded travelers can relax in comfort and enjoy group games and activities. The novel initially focuses on the experiences of Paul, an observational scientist who is a bit of a prig, and the Thistlethwaite family particularly Mr Thistlethwaite (who much resembles the walrus in Alice in Wonderland) and his daughter Sally. A prankster calling himself the Mad Hatter is at work in Wonderland, creating disturbances via irritating and sometimes dangerous practical jokes. The longer they continue, the more they disturb Wonderland’s holiday atmosphere and endanger the business’s continued existence. In order to avoid a scandal, the head of Wonderland calls in Nigel Strangeways, a detective whose name matches his techniques.
Malice in Wonderland is entertaining, but there is little in the way of danger or suspense. Reading it is a bit like taking a holiday - you can relax, enjoy the festivities and not worry too much about the characters or situation. Nicholas Blake keeps the reader’s interest, but doesn't push an emotional commitment. Readers are observers, like Paul believes himself to be. Malice in Wonderland is well written, so I'm rounding up a 3.5 to a 4.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Malice in Wonderland from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
Malice in Wonderland is entertaining, but there is little in the way of danger or suspense. Reading it is a bit like taking a holiday - you can relax, enjoy the festivities and not worry too much about the characters or situation. Nicholas Blake keeps the reader’s interest, but doesn't push an emotional commitment. Readers are observers, like Paul believes himself to be. Malice in Wonderland is well written, so I'm rounding up a 3.5 to a 4.
4 / 5
I received a copy of Malice in Wonderland from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.
--Crittermom
June 22, 2022
Nigel Strangeways is called in to help solve the mystery of a malevolent prankster at work in the vacation resort of Wonderland. The tale includes enjoyable characters, the best being vacationing tailor Mr. Thistlethwaite, who once sold an undergraduate Nigel his first grown-up suit. Mr. T is, in my opinion, the best reason to read this entry in the Strangeways canon. The mystery isn't nearly as fun.
This outing in the series is notable in a few ways. One: it completely ignores Nigel's wife Georgia, who figured so prominently in the previous book, The Smiler with The Knife. Two: for most of the book, set in 1940 England, there is no talk of war in Europe. The story unfolds, it seems, during the summer of 1940, following what has become known as "the phony war," a stretch of time between England declaring war on Germany in 1939, and the beginning of the Battle of France in May 1940. It's as if the War does not exist... and then it becomes a key plot point. Odd.
There is a typical set-piece ending where all the suspects are gathered in a room and Nigel invites them to implicate themselves. Not one of my favorite entries in the series.
I read this in a volume called The Nicholas Blake Treasury, Vol. 2. Because the collection was not organized in order of release, I'm jumping around from volume to volume.
This outing in the series is notable in a few ways. One: it completely ignores Nigel's wife Georgia, who figured so prominently in the previous book, The Smiler with The Knife. Two: for most of the book, set in 1940 England, there is no talk of war in Europe. The story unfolds, it seems, during the summer of 1940, following what has become known as "the phony war," a stretch of time between England declaring war on Germany in 1939, and the beginning of the Battle of France in May 1940. It's as if the War does not exist... and then it becomes a key plot point. Odd.
There is a typical set-piece ending where all the suspects are gathered in a room and Nigel invites them to implicate themselves. Not one of my favorite entries in the series.
I read this in a volume called The Nicholas Blake Treasury, Vol. 2. Because the collection was not organized in order of release, I'm jumping around from volume to volume.
December 15, 2021
Hooray to the publisher for deciding to reissue the Nigel Strangeways mysteries, of which this is the sixth. I adored them when I read them a number of years ago. I enjoyed spending time with Nigel and also with the women in his life over the course of the books.
The novels were written under a pen name. Nicholas Blake was Cecil Day-Lewis, a well regarded poet. This background comes through in the language and writing of the stories.
In this one, mayhem is occurring at a holiday camp. Are these practical jokes or is worse to come? Solve the case with Nigel in this story written in 1940.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
The novels were written under a pen name. Nicholas Blake was Cecil Day-Lewis, a well regarded poet. This background comes through in the language and writing of the stories.
In this one, mayhem is occurring at a holiday camp. Are these practical jokes or is worse to come? Solve the case with Nigel in this story written in 1940.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
September 16, 2017
I generally enjoy reading Nicholas Blake novels as they are always intriguing and fast moving, this one I did not enjoy much. I found it rather repetitive, and when the ending was finally revealed, it held no surprise but relief that someone finally worked it out.
Having said that I am thrilled that these classic writer are again visiting our book stores shelves and allowing new readers to discover these wonderful book, and for people like myself, to have the opportunity to again connect with old friends is really a gift.
Having said that I am thrilled that these classic writer are again visiting our book stores shelves and allowing new readers to discover these wonderful book, and for people like myself, to have the opportunity to again connect with old friends is really a gift.
September 1, 2019
Kindle Unlimited Free Trial | Another well-plotted mystery by this author, hampered by character | I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the previous Blake books I've read, because Paul Perry is such a dick. Putting up with him for an entire novel was a real chore, and I spent much of the time wishing he'd either become a murder victim or turn out to be the antagonist. I had the correct solution before the end, and it's an unusual setting and story, it was just hard to deal with Perry.
April 10, 2020
Not a murder mystery: the detective is only looking for a joker. Good anyway.
June 14, 2025
Words fail me, except perhaps Dreadful.
Experiencing this novel as an audio book by Kris Dyer didn't help.
Experiencing this novel as an audio book by Kris Dyer didn't help.
June 22, 2022
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August 31, 2017
Not your conventional murder mystery (more of a mischief mystery) but with such a colorful cast of characters, this book is intriguing till the end.
September 27, 2016
You're having a ball at the seaside resort when someone starts murdering the guests. Can you get a refund?
This is the sixth of the Nigel Strangeways mysteries and it's an entertaining romp through the world of holiday camps. In the 1930's holiday camps sprung up all along the English coast offering reasonably priced, all-inclusive vacations for working class families. "Wonderland" has been a successful entry into the business, but now strange things are happening and the suave manager Captain Wise has hired Strangeways to investigate. And, of course, he must do it without letting anyone know that they're being investigated. Don't want to scare off the customers, you know.
There's a crazy hermit who's angry at the camp's owners because they ran him off. Could he be pulling the vicious, scary "pranks" that are unnerving the happy holiday crowd? Or maybe it's one of the staff. Captain Wise seems too good to be true. His cheerful, athletic brother could be jealous of Big Brother's success and authority. His secretary - the gorgeous, super-efficient Esmeralda Jones - is spectacularly underemployed. Why is this Wonder Woman working as a poorly-paid, unappreciated flunky at a prosaic holiday camp? And some of the paying guests look suspicious. Especially Paul, who's a real fish out of water. He's a paid observer, but did he come to Wonderland to do more than look?
In the end, as with all of Blake's books, who-dunit is much less important than the sharp wit and wonderful characters. The oracular Mr. Thistlethwaite is one of Blake's best and that's saying a lot. The supremely self-confident tailor takes Strangeways down a peg by reminding him of his Oxford undergraduate days when his concept of proper gentlemanly attire failed to rise to Mr. Thistlethwaite's exacting standards. Not that our Nigel is a fashion plate even now, but he's gained the wisdom to understand that the portly, dignified clothier has the upper hand in their relationship and always will. If Mr. Thistlethwaite can maintain even a modicum of control over his headstrong daughter Sally, he's more than a match for anyone.
This was published in 1940, but it's set in pre-WWII days. However, the German menace was very real and an English seaside town with a naval base is of great interest to the ambitious Third Reich. Are all the holidayers really on vacation or could that be a clever blind? Nigel's wife Georgia isn't even mentioned, although she appears in books published as early as 1937.
No matter, it's a good, entertaining read. Not Blake's best and not as thought-provoking as some, but great fun. Nothing wrong with that.
This is the sixth of the Nigel Strangeways mysteries and it's an entertaining romp through the world of holiday camps. In the 1930's holiday camps sprung up all along the English coast offering reasonably priced, all-inclusive vacations for working class families. "Wonderland" has been a successful entry into the business, but now strange things are happening and the suave manager Captain Wise has hired Strangeways to investigate. And, of course, he must do it without letting anyone know that they're being investigated. Don't want to scare off the customers, you know.
There's a crazy hermit who's angry at the camp's owners because they ran him off. Could he be pulling the vicious, scary "pranks" that are unnerving the happy holiday crowd? Or maybe it's one of the staff. Captain Wise seems too good to be true. His cheerful, athletic brother could be jealous of Big Brother's success and authority. His secretary - the gorgeous, super-efficient Esmeralda Jones - is spectacularly underemployed. Why is this Wonder Woman working as a poorly-paid, unappreciated flunky at a prosaic holiday camp? And some of the paying guests look suspicious. Especially Paul, who's a real fish out of water. He's a paid observer, but did he come to Wonderland to do more than look?
In the end, as with all of Blake's books, who-dunit is much less important than the sharp wit and wonderful characters. The oracular Mr. Thistlethwaite is one of Blake's best and that's saying a lot. The supremely self-confident tailor takes Strangeways down a peg by reminding him of his Oxford undergraduate days when his concept of proper gentlemanly attire failed to rise to Mr. Thistlethwaite's exacting standards. Not that our Nigel is a fashion plate even now, but he's gained the wisdom to understand that the portly, dignified clothier has the upper hand in their relationship and always will. If Mr. Thistlethwaite can maintain even a modicum of control over his headstrong daughter Sally, he's more than a match for anyone.
This was published in 1940, but it's set in pre-WWII days. However, the German menace was very real and an English seaside town with a naval base is of great interest to the ambitious Third Reich. Are all the holidayers really on vacation or could that be a clever blind? Nigel's wife Georgia isn't even mentioned, although she appears in books published as early as 1937.
No matter, it's a good, entertaining read. Not Blake's best and not as thought-provoking as some, but great fun. Nothing wrong with that.
October 11, 2016
Paul Perry has been asked by his newspaper to write a report on a new holiday camp, Wonderland. He expects a rather dull time but on the train he meets a young lady, Sally, with whom he becomes smitten and when he gets to the camp, he finds it rather strange indeed. It seems there is a prankster calling himself the Mad Hatter. And while the pranks start off innocently enough, they soon escalate. Nigel Strangeways is called in to figure out if it's a rival firm, the local hermit, a disgruntled employee, or any one of over 400 guests who are setting up the pranks that have turned deadly.
A nice easy read.
A nice easy read.
March 19, 2013
If you like Agatha Christie, you'll like this. This is the sixth Nigel Strangeways private detective novel, and as such I think his character wasn't really explained much. If fact he only appeared halfway through the novel and I suspect that he isn't as good a literary sleuth as Marple or Poirot, but I think I'll read the first book to find out. What was interesting was that the 'suspects' lead the story most of the way, and their characters were lively and convincingly drawn. Overall enjoyable crime story.
March 3, 2020
How lucky I was to stumble upon this book. It was written in 1940. I was not previously familiar with the author. A great mystery but even better was the insight I got into this time period. The setting is a holiday camp, which was new to me, and one of the characters was a “mass observer,” a job I had never heard of. A fun read.
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