A Rush on the Ultimate

by H.R.F. Keating

To all appearances, Humphrey Boddershaw, the amiable headmaster of Ambrose House Preparatory School for Boys is a man with hardly a care - or an enemy - in the world. How deceptive appearances prove to be when a house party assembles at Ambrose House early in September for a week of croquet matches. One of the guests, Cicely Ravell, makes no secret of the fact that she finds her host to be a violent and wicked man. The local police superintendent reports there is a convict on the loose who has an old score to settle with Humphrey. Then, one night at dinner, Humphrey's own niece threatens to kill him. Still, it gives everyone something of a start when Humphrey Boddershaw is found murdered. And something of a jolt as they begin to realize that someone staying at Ambrose House is quite probably a murderer.

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Henry Reymond Fitzwalter Keating was an English writer of crime fiction most notable for his series of novels featuring Inspector Ghote of the Bombay CID.

H. R. F. KEATING was well versed in the worlds of crime, fiction and nonfiction. He was the crime books reviewer for The Times for fifteen years, as well as serving as the chairman of the Crime Writers Association and the Society of Authors. He won the CWA Gold Dagger Award twice, and in 1996 was awarded the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for outstanding service to crime fiction.

Series:
. Inspector Ghote
. Harriet Martens

Series contributed to:
. Malice Domestic
. Perfectly Criminal

Reviews

[Susan]

Humphrey Boddershaw is the head of a small prep school (as was Keating's father), but during the school break he runs a private croquet tournament for some friends. Unfortunately, most of the way through this year's tournament, Humphrey is found murdered. Ned, his new schoolmaster and a natural at sports, including croquet, becomes the unlikely detective at Mrs. Boddershaw's behest. Actually, it's surprising that Humphrey was murdered, because his extremely annoying wife and their annoying friend Cicely would seem to be much more likely victims. At first it seems that the culprit is an escaped lunatic who used to work at the school, but soon it becomes clear that the real culprit must be one of the guests.

[Kevinjwoods]

TRies but fails to make croquet interesting, with an ending that makes no sense.

[Demeter]

Not a bad read., but not one of his best. I found the style a little jerky and had to keep doubling back to see who was talking a few times. Some extremely irritating and unreasonable characters in it like Irene and Penny!

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: you had best like croquet. A murder occurs at the annual tournament at a prep school. The amiable headmaster succumbs. Many suspects!