The Rayner-Slade Amalgamation

by J.S. Fletcher

Joseph Smith Fletcher (1863-1935) was a British journalist and writer. He wrote about 200 books on a wide variety of subjects, both fiction and non-fiction. He was one of the leading writers of detective fiction in the "Golden Age". An early book was the 1909 collection, The Adventures of Archer Dawe. His other works Andrewlina (1889), The Winding Way (1890), The Wonderful City (1894), In the Days of Drake (1897), At the Blue Bell Inn (1898), The Fear of the Night (1903) and Paradise Court (1908).

Genres: Mystery, Crime

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1917

About the author

Joseph Smith Fletcher was an English journalist, writer, and fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He studied law before turning to journalism.

His literary career spanned approximately 200 books on a wide variety of subjects including fiction, non-fiction, histories, historical fiction, and mysteries. He was known as one of the leading writers of detective fiction in the Golden Age .

Reviews

[Razvan Banciu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A twisted plot, many red herrings, (if you ask me) too many characters for a relatively short work, but overall an interesting book.

PS: A lot of readers would say that the golden era of the detective stories was just in those times...

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰

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This is a classic British 🏰👑 golden age mystery novel. The main character's cousin is bring jewels in from Russia. He is murdered and the jewels are missing. Then there is another murder and another and another with some more jewels missing. Scotland Yard is involved and their investigation leads to the unexpected truth and arrested of the gang committing the murders and stealing of the jewels. I would recommend this novel and author to 👍 readers of British 🏰👑 Golden Age classic pulp fiction novels 👍🔰. 2023 👒😀😡👑

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[Opal · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.S.Fletcher writes some pretty interesting mysteries and I've enjoyed everything I've read so far.

But this book is a classic. It has all the cliched set of ingredients required in a thriller written in those days. Fletcher made sure he didn't miss a single one.

A Russian princess, a mysterious Norwegian doctor, nefarious German chemist, a disappearing Parisian maid, generous American millionaire ( canned meat :) ), a smart secretary with a secret, various people with double/triple/ quadruple identities( !!!), a cache of fabulous jewels, secret poisons, multiple murders, Opera singers, lost diamond buckles - the lot.
The author did not leave out a single piece of the 'thriller formula'.

Possibly one of his early works, because the others are far more realistic and have some really nice offbeat themes?

If you are okay with a mystery were the doctors come in and provide exact times of death like- "This person was killed at four o'clock yesterday evening."
and members of the public hide vital clues from the police so they can solve the mystery first - then go ahead the enjoy this!

There are enough twists and turns and revelations to keep you busy right to the end.
I found this - classic thriller delightful.

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Fletcher murder mystery was a bit slow and confusing, and when we finally got close to the end, with several different threads vying for attention, one of the many characters just sat down and narrated a long history of why everything happened the way it did. Not Fletcher's best. I am continually amused, as I read these early 1900's mysteries, at how differently investigations were carried on then and now. In this story, a huge reward was offered for help in finding the perpetrators, so several different parties launched their separate investigations (even among the police detectives!), without sharing their findings with the police. If everyone had pooled their information, it could have been solved more easily, but that's one of the side effects of greed, I guess. I listened to this (while my hands were busy with mindless tasks) as a free audio download from LibriVox.org.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have recently been reading as many J.S.Fletcher novels as I can get my hands on. He was quite prolific, and his murder mysteries are very good. This one was first published in 1917, but it didn't quite come up to Fletcher's usual quality, though it was still interesting. It simply got quite confusing with too many characters, and there was over much emphasis on people telling what happened and how, rather than letting us see it happen. I listened to this as a free audio download from LibriVox.org.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has one of Fletcher's slightly complex plots, involving several murders and jewel theft.

There is not a great deal of detection, and the denouement is a trifle disappointing, consisting of two people explaining what has been going on, and a very unexpected proposal of marriage. There are some convenient loose ends and the regular police do not shine.

The main action is in Hull and London, but the former is not used as effectively as in other novels. There is a brief visit to Edinburgh, where the North British and Caledonian Hotels seem to have been amalgamated.

A fairly average read for me.

3.25 stars.

[Rita Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has everything one could want from a mystery -- jewel thieves, murders, mysterious foreigners, clever police detectives, equally clever amateur detectives, and more. It's not quite as structured and analytic as some of J.S. Fletcher's other works, but it has more interesting characters. And there's a cute surprise at the very end (last few pages).

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give this story 3-1/2 stars. It was a great Fletcher mystery--right up to the very end, and then it just seemed to fall apart! I really enjoyed the story almost all along. There were twists and turns, interesting characters, great story-telling. But the ending was a let-down. Threads were left hanging. The obligatory romance popped up with no forewarning. Disappointing ending.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had many of the qualities I enjoy in Fletcher's detective novels: a main character who is neither a detective nor a dilettante, descriptions of daily life from another era, a complicated p lot, much dashing around to follow suspects and clues, and female characters with brains. BUT, it had two major flaws: the ridiculous ending and a police detective who is incredibly unprofessional and unethical, yet is never reprimanded by his superiors.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1914 Marshall Allerdyce in response to a message from his cousin James, aims to meet him in Hull. Unfortunately when he arrives he finds James dead, and the jewels he was carrying missing. But this is just the start.
An interesting and enjoyable mystery

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Making my way through j s fletchers books and this isn’t one of my favourites

[Mark Rabideau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A most enjoyably different J. S. Fletcher novel from those I have earlier read.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with one of the earlier reviewers in that it went along nicely until near the end but then there were unanswered questions and a rather sudden and unsatisfactory ending. It would give the game away to say what they were. Having said all that, I still enjoyed it as I usually do with Fletcher. Not one of his best but not that bad either especially as it was a free download.

[P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rayner-Slade has a complicated plot: a double jewel theft, multiple murders with international implications, a whole host of people trying to solve the crime, the usual glut of coincidence, the typical 'surprise' ending, and one endearing marriage proposal. A good enough read.

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun Fletcher book. Good when you want one of the early mysteries. (Scotland)

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Complex murder mystery in the classic style of the time.

[Joan Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worthwhile reading. Another interesting mystery from JS Fletcher

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't like a good Fletcher mystery.