From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

The 12.30 from Croydon

Freeman Wills Crofts

Start date: May 1, 2020

Finish date: May 31, 2020

Discussion: Group reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of the poll for our May group read.
[close] Winner of the poll for our May group read.

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Group reads

* Nominations for November 2025 group read
By Judy · 18 posts · 21 views

last updated Sep 05, 2025 03:20PM

* Sept 25: Lonesome Road (#3 Miss Silver Mysteries) by Patricia Wentworth
By Susan · 13 posts · 11 views

last updated Sep 03, 2025 12:03PM

What Members Thought

May 04, 2020 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this inverted mystery, read with the Reading the Detectives group. It starts with a flight from England to France - when the plane lands, elderly Andrew Crowther is dead - and the rest of the mystery unwinds from the point of view of the killer.

I don’t think I’ve ever read such a mystery. Not to excuse the murder, and no spoilers intended, but as one of our group members pointed out in our discussion, I don’t think I could have enjoyed it as much if the killer were a serial kill I really enjoyed this inverted mystery, read with the Reading the Detectives group. It starts with a flight from England to France - when the plane lands, elderly Andrew Crowther is dead - and the rest of the mystery unwinds from the point of view of the killer.

I don’t think I’ve ever read such a mystery. Not to excuse the murder, and no spoilers intended, but as one of our group members pointed out in our discussion, I don’t think I could have enjoyed it as much if the killer were a serial killer! The reader looks over the killer’s shoulder as he decides to solve his financial difficulties by killing his wealthy uncle to gain his expected inheritance, which is surely an immoral and selfish act, but Crofts makes it interesting as we see the killer’s justifications to himself; his business is failing, the Depression is hitting everyone and shows no sign of letting up (the book is set in the early 1930s), he will have to let good workers go soon, and he is in love and wishes to marry. His intended makes no secret of the fact that she will not marry a poor man. For all these reasons, he convinced himself that one old man should die to fulfill the wishes and security of others.

In this way, Crofts does a very good job of conveying the comfortable, self-satisfied life of the well-to-do in a small town in England, even in the Depression. Times are tough, but there are still lunches at the club, golf and tennis at the weekend, cruises on the Mediterranean and weekends in Paris, home improvements planned to entice a potential wife. The young woman in question certainly didn’t appear all that interested - I was amazed the killer could convince himself she was worth it, let alone might actually agree to marry him! And even if she did, I don’t know what kind of life he imagined they would share, she seemed rather mercenary and fickle to me.

At the end, during the climactic court case and Inspector French’s summary of his case, conveyed during a dinner meeting of some of those involved, we learn finally which parts of the killer’s meticulous plans worked, and which parts actually handed clues to the police - very interesting and satisfying.

I really enjoyed this, and would like to try other Inspector French cases - he’s just the type of golden age detective I enjoy, low-key, self-deprecating sense of humor, but sharp and insightful. ...more

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May 05, 2020 Susan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Published in 1934, this is the eleventh in the Inspector French series. I must admit that I dislike reading mysteries out of order, but, as this was a chosen read for one of my Goodreads groups, I decided to give it a try.

The mystery started well. Andrew Crowther is on his way to Paris, where his daughter has had an accident, accompanied by his son in law, Peter Morley, his manservant, Weatherup, and ten year old grand-daughter, Rose. Having heard that Elsie Morley is out of danger, the family s ...more

13 likes · Like · see review

May 25, 2020 Franky rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, kindle, 2020-reading-challenge, crime, mystery

I’ve read a few books where we, as the reader, take the vantage point of the antagonist or criminal, one of the more classic and compelling ones being Dorothy B. Hughes’ dark noir In a Lonely Place. It seems like it would be a tricky thing as an author to pull off this inversion and “show all the cards” of who the killer is and what they did in hopes that you could still make a compelling and tense-filled mystery. In the end, Freeman Wills Crofts does just that in his murder mystery The 12:30 fr ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Oct 04, 2022 Lady Wesley rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-golden-age-or-similar, listened, british-library-crime-classics

Review of the audiobook narrated by Gordon Griffin.

This book is a classic inverted mystery, where the identity of the murderer is known from the beginning. Though I was a huge fan of the Columbo television mysteries, I don't really enjoy reading inverted stories. I suppose that Peter Falk's brilliant portrayal of Columbo is what really drew me to the show.

This book is quite clever, but it didn't grab me.

Gordon Griffin, who narrates several of the British Library Crime Classics, does his usual e ...more

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Mar 08, 2017 KOMET rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: zz-out-of-residence, hist-fiction-uk-1900-et-beyond, mysteries-and-thrillers

What first attracted me to "THE 12.30 FROM CROYDON" was the cover art. On the cover is a teasingly attractive image of a 1930s fixed-gear airliner entering into the landing pattern a few feet above the Isle of Wight. Down below one can see the trappings of a port, docking area, and a ship in the distance. Eagerly, I picked up the novel and began to thumb through it. As advertised, this detective novel (which was originally published in 1934) "is an unconventional yet gripping story of intrigue, ...more

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Jun 11, 2017 Tracey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, england, 1901-1950, france, mystery

This was a rather revolutionary book when it came out, I think. For most of the plot there is no doubt who the killer is, but only the exact details and whether he'll get away with it or not. All it will take is a cool head and deliberation, just as he showed in the planning and execution of the murder – but can he maintain it?

It's well-written, gripping stuff – a fascinating look at the other side of the whodunnit.

The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
...more

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May 06, 2020 Jill rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I liked this mystery a lot. The mystery not being who the murderer was, but how he did it, and whether he would get away with it. Charles, the nephew of the murdered man, was desperate for money. His company was suffering a lot with others due to the depression, although he was a bit of a waster when it came to his own comfort, plus he was totally besotted by a woman who made it plain that she would only marry for money. The only way he could see his way out of debt, and a comfortable life with ...more

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Dec 24, 2018 ShanDizzy rated it it was amazing

Sociopathic murders

An interesting style of story for its time - from the viewpoint of the murderer; the ending tells how Inspector French came to suspect Swinburn. And Swinburn was a sociopath - 'I must murder my uncle because I need his money.' ...more

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