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The Case of Sir Adam Braid
“The blood’s coming from a cut at the back of his neck,” she said slowly. “He couldn’t have done that in falling. Some one must have—” Sir Adam Braid, the distinguished artist, was a cantankerous old man. Not well-liked by most of his family and associates, he was about to add one more enemy to the list by changing his will … but not before death paid a visit to his London flat, and Sir Adam was found stabbed through the neck. Chief-Inspector Fenn takes charge of the case and soon notices the butler seems more frightened than shocked – but what if anything, did the butler do? After all, there is a plethora of suspects, including mercenary relatives and some curious occupants of the neighbouring flats. Fenn must put the clues together, and bring a murderer to justice in this classic golden age mystery. The Case of Sir Adam Braid was first published in 1930. This new edition, the first in many decades, includes an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.
212 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1930
89 people are currently reading
155 people want to read
About the author
Molly Thynne
31 books14 followersMary ‘Molly’ Thynne was born in 1881, a member of the aristocracy, and related, on her mother’s side, to the painter James McNeil Whistler. She grew up in Kensington and at a young age met literary figures like Rudyard Kipling and Henry James.
Her first novel, An Uncertain Glory, was published in 1914, but she did not turn to crime fiction until The Draycott Murder Mystery, the first of six golden age mysteries she wrote and published in as many years, between 1928 and 1933. The last three of these featured Dr. Constantine, chess master and amateur sleuth par excellence.
Molly Thynne never married. She enjoyed travelling abroad, but spent most of her life in the village of Bovey Tracey, Devon, where she was finally laid to rest in 1950.
Her first novel, An Uncertain Glory, was published in 1914, but she did not turn to crime fiction until The Draycott Murder Mystery, the first of six golden age mysteries she wrote and published in as many years, between 1928 and 1933. The last three of these featured Dr. Constantine, chess master and amateur sleuth par excellence.
Molly Thynne never married. She enjoyed travelling abroad, but spent most of her life in the village of Bovey Tracey, Devon, where she was finally laid to rest in 1950.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
September 23, 2016
Sir Adam Braid, an elderly but still active and successful artist, is murdered in his chichi London apartment. There are conflicting accounts from neighbors and others of exactly who was where, and of a heated conversation -- or even more than one conversation -- overheard from Sir Adam's apartment around the time of the murder.
Aided by one of the building's other tenants, Dr. Robert Gilroy, Inspector Fenn of the Yard investigates, and soon it's obvious that the most likely suspect is Sir Adam's granddaughter Jill, whom the cantankerous old sod was just about to write out of his will. Yet Fenn can't believe she could be guilty, having known Jill all her life. Meanwhile, Robert and Jill are swiftly and inexorably falling for each other . . .
This is a pacy, bubbly read that's enlivened by Thynne's flair for characterization. I'm not 100% certain that the plot would entirely hold water if I thought too deeply about it (there seems a superfluity of villains), but I was enjoying myself far too much to care about that.
I read the Dean Street Press edition, which bears an informative introduction by Curtis Evans; the book's proofreading might have been a little more rigorous, but all credit to Dean Street for having resurrected this and Thynne's other novels. She was completely unknown to me before I tried The Case of Sir Adam Braid; I'm now a confirmed Molly Thynne fan and will be seeking out more.
Aided by one of the building's other tenants, Dr. Robert Gilroy, Inspector Fenn of the Yard investigates, and soon it's obvious that the most likely suspect is Sir Adam's granddaughter Jill, whom the cantankerous old sod was just about to write out of his will. Yet Fenn can't believe she could be guilty, having known Jill all her life. Meanwhile, Robert and Jill are swiftly and inexorably falling for each other . . .
This is a pacy, bubbly read that's enlivened by Thynne's flair for characterization. I'm not 100% certain that the plot would entirely hold water if I thought too deeply about it (there seems a superfluity of villains), but I was enjoying myself far too much to care about that.
I read the Dean Street Press edition, which bears an informative introduction by Curtis Evans; the book's proofreading might have been a little more rigorous, but all credit to Dean Street for having resurrected this and Thynne's other novels. She was completely unknown to me before I tried The Case of Sir Adam Braid; I'm now a confirmed Molly Thynne fan and will be seeking out more.
December 12, 2016
5 Stars!! A Wonderful Treat
No spoilers in this review. Those who have read my reviews will know that I reserve 5 stars for books I consider outstanding. That a book in this genre gets 5 stars from me shows just what a high-quality book this is. At the risk if sounding repetitive, this book is beautifully written and very well-edited which always makes the reading so much more pleasurable. Molly Thynne's command of the English language is superb and it is wonderful to read a book so intelligently written and yet so accessible. However, one thing that did grate on me was her constant use of the word "ground" when it should have been "floor"! A bugbear of mine.
The author uses such colourful adjectives that my attention was constantly caught; yet the syntax kept the story flowing. The pace of the story is more sedate than modern murder mysteries, but this is a plus rather than a minus as it allows time for plot and character development. There is one derogatory remark about Jews but, sadly, that comes with the era. There is also an amusing little aside about women police - watch out for it. The main plot line seems straightforward enough. A man is murdered and all the evidence points to one person, but the Detective in charge of the case knows the suspect and can't bring himself to an arrest. As the story progresses, various other shady characters come to light and suspicion falls on one in particular, but Chief Inspector Fenn still isn't satisfied that he has the right man. I was quite pleased with myself for coming up with a solution to one mystery quite early in the story, but confirmation didn't come until quite near the end. With a complex cast of characters and plot lines, with some delightful little cameos thrown in, the story could have become hopelessly entangled, but with consummate skill, the author teased out each one, bringing each to a satisfactory conclusion. Central to all the 'minor' plots, is the original murder and I admit the identity of the murderer took me by surprise.
The book ended splendidly with one of the author's numerous little descriptive gems. I recommend this book. Read it slowly and savour it and you won't be disappointed. PS. my favourite character is Miss Webb.
No spoilers in this review. Those who have read my reviews will know that I reserve 5 stars for books I consider outstanding. That a book in this genre gets 5 stars from me shows just what a high-quality book this is. At the risk if sounding repetitive, this book is beautifully written and very well-edited which always makes the reading so much more pleasurable. Molly Thynne's command of the English language is superb and it is wonderful to read a book so intelligently written and yet so accessible. However, one thing that did grate on me was her constant use of the word "ground" when it should have been "floor"! A bugbear of mine.
The author uses such colourful adjectives that my attention was constantly caught; yet the syntax kept the story flowing. The pace of the story is more sedate than modern murder mysteries, but this is a plus rather than a minus as it allows time for plot and character development. There is one derogatory remark about Jews but, sadly, that comes with the era. There is also an amusing little aside about women police - watch out for it. The main plot line seems straightforward enough. A man is murdered and all the evidence points to one person, but the Detective in charge of the case knows the suspect and can't bring himself to an arrest. As the story progresses, various other shady characters come to light and suspicion falls on one in particular, but Chief Inspector Fenn still isn't satisfied that he has the right man. I was quite pleased with myself for coming up with a solution to one mystery quite early in the story, but confirmation didn't come until quite near the end. With a complex cast of characters and plot lines, with some delightful little cameos thrown in, the story could have become hopelessly entangled, but with consummate skill, the author teased out each one, bringing each to a satisfactory conclusion. Central to all the 'minor' plots, is the original murder and I admit the identity of the murderer took me by surprise.
The book ended splendidly with one of the author's numerous little descriptive gems. I recommend this book. Read it slowly and savour it and you won't be disappointed. PS. my favourite character is Miss Webb.
February 13, 2021
A not uninteresting mystery, though not especially clever. I worked out the two conspirators and the device by which their alibis were demolished was quite straightforward.
The characters were a little one dimensional. One suspect is all goodness and her damaging admissions cause her no harm; another is on the face of it entirely guiltless and merely in shock but doesn’t enjoy such favourable treatment.
I thought the episodes featuring hardened criminals were jarring though unavoidable for reaching the ultimate criminal.
I would happily seek out other novels by this author.
The characters were a little one dimensional. One suspect is all goodness and her damaging admissions cause her no harm; another is on the face of it entirely guiltless and merely in shock but doesn’t enjoy such favourable treatment.
I thought the episodes featuring hardened criminals were jarring though unavoidable for reaching the ultimate criminal.
I would happily seek out other novels by this author.
November 8, 2016
I liked this book more than the others I have read by Thynne so far. The plot was a little less fantastic than the others had been, and the main characters were interesting. It is interesting reading a book set in 1930 because the world and the technology was so different that the explanation for one of the plot points is probably one of the first things people would think of these days, but back then it was still fairly unusual. The obligatory romance that is almost always part of British detective novels during this period is better developed than it often is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2018
Second time around I did not enjoy this quite so much.
It is fairly well-written, with some interesting characters but the portrayal of working-class characters is poor. One of the characters is depicted as overtly anti-semitic for no very good reason and there is negative stereotyping of Jews. Common in 1930's works but unacceptable.
The plot is fairly simple and the device used would have been topical at the time but is now quite obvious.
It is fairly well-written, with some interesting characters but the portrayal of working-class characters is poor. One of the characters is depicted as overtly anti-semitic for no very good reason and there is negative stereotyping of Jews. Common in 1930's works but unacceptable.
The plot is fairly simple and the device used would have been topical at the time but is now quite obvious.
April 12, 2022
So-so. An interesting mystery, although not a favorite authoress of mine.
March 29, 2021
Got this book for free on Kindle Unlimited. This is my first Molly Thynne mystery. She wrote seven.
I liked her writing style and the character of Detective Inspector Fenn - keen, humorous and cautious, except in the end when he shows a complete disregard for common sense that I found rather surprising. I mean, when you've finally caught your man, and he's shown you his violent side, why would you still offer him a choice of handcuffs and allow him a chance to escape?! Unbelievable!
Still, I liked Fenn, his friend Dr. Gilroy - an enthusiastic amateur sleuth, Jane Braid - the victims's grand-daughter, and the other quirky inhabitants of Romney Mansions - the scene of Sir Adam Braid's murder, the Smiths in particular were interesting. A quick decent read, well written if an unoriginal plot. I think I'll read her other mysteries since they're all available for free on Kindle Unlimited.
I liked her writing style and the character of Detective Inspector Fenn - keen, humorous and cautious, except in the end when he shows a complete disregard for common sense that I found rather surprising. I mean, when you've finally caught your man, and he's shown you his violent side, why would you still offer him a choice of handcuffs and allow him a chance to escape?! Unbelievable!
Still, I liked Fenn, his friend Dr. Gilroy - an enthusiastic amateur sleuth, Jane Braid - the victims's grand-daughter, and the other quirky inhabitants of Romney Mansions - the scene of Sir Adam Braid's murder, the Smiths in particular were interesting. A quick decent read, well written if an unoriginal plot. I think I'll read her other mysteries since they're all available for free on Kindle Unlimited.
May 21, 2017
Kindle Unlimited | It's getting a bit difficult to review Thynne's mysteries, as I have the same thing to say about each so far. I'm enjoying them quite a bit more than many that have been more highly lauded, and I can certainly see that readers of the time would have found them quite ingenious, but the solution is so obvious so early that it's hard not to focus on that. In this case, it was at the 7% mark--which I think was the second chapter--that I saw quite clearly the solution to the murder, then had to wait for a few hundred pages for anyone else to stumble across it.
May 15, 2017
A fine and puzzling mystery!
This is my third Molly Thynne mystery, and its as good a mystery as the previous ones. The characters are all well written and as if you could really find them living where the book said. These are wonderful books so far and I doubt ant of them are not the same. I'm looking forward to reading the ones that are left. I'm happy that this particular author wrote several books before her passing, which was way to young when she did. Enjoy!
This is my third Molly Thynne mystery, and its as good a mystery as the previous ones. The characters are all well written and as if you could really find them living where the book said. These are wonderful books so far and I doubt ant of them are not the same. I'm looking forward to reading the ones that are left. I'm happy that this particular author wrote several books before her passing, which was way to young when she did. Enjoy!
June 23, 2020
3.7 stars.Very decent whodunnit from 1930 . It's a pity that I caught on to the central mystery of the timing of death very early and hence the book lost some of its interest.
However, it's a lucidly written whodunnit with good characterization and a watertight plot .It's not easy to spot the murderer and all the different characters are very well sketched and stand out separately .This book definitely deserved resurrection and I must thank the publishers .
Somehow ,I got it for free in Kindle ...So double delight.
However, it's a lucidly written whodunnit with good characterization and a watertight plot .It's not easy to spot the murderer and all the different characters are very well sketched and stand out separately .This book definitely deserved resurrection and I must thank the publishers .
Somehow ,I got it for free in Kindle ...So double delight.
October 30, 2018
This one is the perfect, traditional mystery written in 1930. Sir Adam Braid was not a well-liked man. He was found murdered at his residence one night and Chief-Inspector Fenn takes charge of finding the killer. It has a well-constructed plot and good characterization. I wish Molly Thynne had written more books. I found only six of them on Kindle.
April 15, 2024
A rather temperamental old man is murdered and the obvious suspect is his granddaughter. However there were multiple other people in the building that night so perhaps it was someone else. I enjoyed this old-fashioned mystery. Pretty straight-forward though maybe a bit unimaginative by today’s standards.
September 27, 2019
Very good golden age mystery
This is my second Molly Thynne mystery and I really enjoyed it. She had a way of writing that makes you feel as if you are watching an old movie. I liked the setting and characters. The mystery was excellent.
This is my second Molly Thynne mystery and I really enjoyed it. She had a way of writing that makes you feel as if you are watching an old movie. I liked the setting and characters. The mystery was excellent.
July 18, 2025
If you love the classic mystery and thrill, then this book can be for you. Though it could have done better with proofreading, I liked the writing style of Molly Thynne. The story is interesting to read, enjoyable more on a slower and calmer pace.
June 26, 2019
There are a lot of characters here but the only interesting one is the dead guy. And he's dead. Nicely written, but desert island read.
October 29, 2022
Old detective, love it
I love it, it reminded me of listening to them on the radio and guessing along with them on who done the deed.
I love it, it reminded me of listening to them on the radio and guessing along with them on who done the deed.
October 13, 2016
I got this as a Kindle download from Amazon and tried it because a) it was badged as a Golden Age mystery and b) it was free!
Apparently Molly Thynne was an aristocrat who in her time was a best selling crime writer a la Agatha Christie but who is now largely forgotten. Which is a shame because this is a well-written book which slips down nicely. The characterisation is good and there are some nice glimpses into the past. However, as a previous reviewer has noted, there are also some unwelcome traces of negative attitudes to Jews.
The plot is pacy and well-constructed although a key clue is easily spotted by the reader long before the detective twigs to it.
Overall, an enjoyable read and I shall sample a bit more of Thynne's work.
Apparently Molly Thynne was an aristocrat who in her time was a best selling crime writer a la Agatha Christie but who is now largely forgotten. Which is a shame because this is a well-written book which slips down nicely. The characterisation is good and there are some nice glimpses into the past. However, as a previous reviewer has noted, there are also some unwelcome traces of negative attitudes to Jews.
The plot is pacy and well-constructed although a key clue is easily spotted by the reader long before the detective twigs to it.
Overall, an enjoyable read and I shall sample a bit more of Thynne's work.
November 14, 2016
An oldie, but it's a goodie
The author wrote exactly 5 mysteries, all in 4-5 star region. She did this in the early 1930's, then she retired.
Fortunately, the books have been published in Kindle. They are the perfect English mysteries, because they've been written by a real English author, whose family seem to churn out artistic types.
Good books, enjoy.
The author wrote exactly 5 mysteries, all in 4-5 star region. She did this in the early 1930's, then she retired.
Fortunately, the books have been published in Kindle. They are the perfect English mysteries, because they've been written by a real English author, whose family seem to churn out artistic types.
Good books, enjoy.
June 13, 2017
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
July 23, 2024
Complicated but I did guess the villain fairly early on. Humorous in places. Enjoyable.
April 5, 2017
Three and a half stars.
Quite a complex plot with a lot of possible suspects as well as the obvious one. Nicely written with good descriptions of the characters and Inspector Fenn is likeable. Not bad at all.
Quite a complex plot with a lot of possible suspects as well as the obvious one. Nicely written with good descriptions of the characters and Inspector Fenn is likeable. Not bad at all.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews