From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

The Case of the Abominable Snowman

Nicholas Blake

Start date: November 12, 2018

Finish date: December 7, 2018

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Continuing our Nigel Strangeways buddy reads, with a wintry tale!
[close] Continuing our Nigel Strangeways buddy reads, with a wintry tale!

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What Members Thought

May 22, 2014 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

First published in 1941, this is the seventh in the Nigel Strangeways mysteries written by Nicholas Blake; a pen name for poet laureate Cecil Day-Lewis. The snow is heavy and the second world war is in its early, unsettled stages. Nigel and Georgia Strangeways are invited to stay with Georgia’s cousin, Clarissa Cavendish, who is concerned about events at her nearby neighbours house. During Christmas Eve, the members of a house party at Easterham Manor were disturbed when, having decided to visit First published in 1941, this is the seventh in the Nigel Strangeways mysteries written by Nicholas Blake; a pen name for poet laureate Cecil Day-Lewis. The snow is heavy and the second world war is in its early, unsettled stages. Nigel and Georgia Strangeways are invited to stay with Georgia’s cousin, Clarissa Cavendish, who is concerned about events at her nearby neighbours house. During Christmas Eve, the members of a house party at Easterham Manor were disturbed when, having decided to visit the, supposedly haunted, ‘Bishop’s’ room, the family cat began to act like a ‘dervish’, throwing itself repeatedly at the walls. Posing as a member of the Society of Psychical Research, Nigel decides to investigate.

Soon after arriving at the Manor, it is apparent that the members of the house party are jumpy and tense. The house contains Hereward Restorick, his American wife Charlotte, their children John and Priscilla, Uncle Andrew, Aunt Elizabeth (Betty), Dr Bogan – a specialist in nervous diseases in women, who is treating Elizabeth, plus Miss Eunice Ainsley and author Will Dykes. The next day, one of the party is found dead and Cousin Clarissa’s disturbing feelings of something being wrong is proved horribly correct.

This is very much a ‘Golden Age’ mystery, with lots of twists and turns, intellectual puzzles and some ingenious plotting devices, which you sense the author had great fun with. The answer to the mystery lies in the past and Nigel Strangeways has to unearth what happened long ago in a bid to discover a motive for murder in the present. There is a great cast of victims and suspects, all bound together in a house surrounded by snow, which gives the book a delightfully isolated atmosphere.

During WWII, the author worked as a publications editor in the Ministry of Information, which was later satirised by George Orwell in his classic novel, “Nineteen Eighty Four” (although it is also suggested that Orwell was using the BBC as a model). There were no other Nigel Strangeways books published until after the war in 1947, when the series continued with “Minute for Murder”, also using the Ministry as inspiration. For anyone who enjoys classic mysteries, by authors such as Dorothy L Sayers or Agatha Christie, you will almost certainly enjoy the Strangeways series. ...more

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Oct 07, 2016 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bought-2016, mystery, vintage-mystery, british-mystery, christmas, mount-tbr-2017

PR: I like Mr. Strangeways. He's my best policeman.
JR: He isn't a policeman, you spotted pard. He's a private impersonator.
PR: What's that?
JR: It's--well, it's a private impersonator., like Sherlock Holmes. He puts on a false beard and tracks the criminal to his lair when the police are baffled.
~Priscilla and John Restorick
The Corpse in the Snowman (1941) by Nicholas Blake (pp 3-4)

Unfortunately, the title gives away a huge plot point--but that's not too terribly awful because we learn about the PR: I like Mr. Strangeways. He's my best policeman.
JR: He isn't a policeman, you spotted pard. He's a private impersonator.
PR: What's that?
JR: It's--well, it's a private impersonator., like Sherlock Holmes. He puts on a false beard and tracks the criminal to his lair when the police are baffled.
~Priscilla and John Restorick
The Corpse in the Snowman (1941) by Nicholas Blake (pp 3-4)

Unfortunately, the title gives away a huge plot point--but that's not too terribly awful because we learn about the dead body in the snowman in the very first chapter...we just don't know who it is.

Priscilla and John Restorick are gazing out their nursery window at the glorious snowman that they and their beloved uncle had built several weeks ago when the great snow which was now melting had covered the countryside. In fact, Queen Victoria (as the snowman had been fashioned) was looking a bit worse for wear herself. When Priscilla returns later (after a piano lesson), the children return to the window and stare in fascinated horror as Queen Victoria's face slides right away...leaving another face behind it.

The story then goes into flash-back mode, taking the reader back to the days just before Christmas when the Restorick family and friends gathered in the Bishop's Room, said to be haunted, to see if they might dredge up a ghost. The family cat, Scribbles, behaves very oddly--acting as though she might have seen something otherworldly and Clarissa Cavendish, cousin to Nigel Strangeways' wife and who has witnessed the scene, feels that something dangerous is going on. She invites Nigel and Georgia to stay with her and investigate. Nigel is to assume the character of a dabbler in the psychic arts and "investigate" the strange disturbance in the haunted room.

But before Nigel can make much headway, Elizabeth Restorick, wanton daughter of the house, is found dead, apparently of suicide. He suspects murder and finds that in this seemingly mild country house there are motives aplenty--from money to sex to drugs. And plenty of suspects as well--from the doctor who was supposedly curing her of a drug habit to a "friend" who was more like a jealous rival to the brother and sister-in-law who could definitely use the money Elizabeth left behind. Nigel and Inspector Blount, who is assigned to the case, discover a twisted story of revenge running through the plot.

Murder for Christmas is always an interesting twist for the holidays and Nicholas Blake provides a nice country house murder as a yuletide present with plenty of red herrings and clues to go round. A highly enjoyable winter read.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks. ...more

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Jul 10, 2018 ShanDizzy rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was way darker than Malice in Wonderland, for sure. But I enjoyed it. The pervasive "war on the horizon" atmosphere was almost a character in itself. ...more

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Jun 22, 2018 Leslie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, mysteries

3.5*

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Nov 19, 2018 Sandy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-detective-grp, mystery-classic, kindle-unl-read, rread-2023, rread-2018

I've read this twice, giving it three stars first and then adding a fourth on the reread. I usually don't like Golden Age detective book with a drug theme, but this one was very well done. Interesting twists and one should pay attention to that first introductory chapter. ...more

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