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Bats in the Belfry (Robert MacDonald #13)

E.C.R. Lorac

Start date: October 1, 2020

Finish date: October 31, 2020

Discussion: Group reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of our October poll - perfect for Halloween!
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Group reads

* November 2025 group read - Winner!
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last updated Sep 17, 2025 08:43AM

* Sept 25: Lonesome Road (#3 Miss Silver Mysteries) by Patricia Wentworth
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What Members Thought

Sep 08, 2021 Anissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-fiction-uk-ireland, mystery-suspense-crime, 2021, british-library-crime-classics

A pretty good mystery peopled with a good number of characters that I hoped for bad things to befall. I've read only one other by E.C.R. Lorac and that is Crossed Skis under her pen name Carol Carnac and loved it so I was pretty sure a good story was to be told here.

There are many characters introduced in the beginning and also a discussion of how one would kill another while concealing any connection. This is important to what proceeds in the story. In fact, much in the initial opening is A pretty good mystery peopled with a good number of characters that I hoped for bad things to befall. I've read only one other by E.C.R. Lorac and that is Crossed Skis under her pen name Carol Carnac and loved it so I was pretty sure a good story was to be told here.

There are many characters introduced in the beginning and also a discussion of how one would kill another while concealing any connection. This is important to what proceeds in the story. In fact, much in the initial opening is relevant and speaks to Lorac's deft plotting. I was able to narrow down my main suspect early enough (because of the first thing they do that tips the first domino in this trap) but not the why or exactly how. I so enjoyed the puzzle and following along with Macdonald and his officers as bodies start turning up in grisly states and circumstances. That so many of the characters are missing and or lying at any given time made for some interesting revelations. Hidden relations, blackmail, secret passports, happenstance deaths that may not have been, inheritance, failed careers, love and malice. All here.

One of the wildest revelations is that one character had taken their hiding their Jewish ancestry to quite stunning a length all in aid of marrying a vocal and dedicated anti-Semite and another character was hoping no one told the anti-Semite before the marriage can occur. A straight-up trash character and one just about no one could stand and my sympathies lay with the character still enamoured of them to the end. There are several instances of an ethnic slur referring to people of southern European extraction used throughout that I found offensive and grating but it does track with the type of characters here using it casually at the time.

In the end, the killer is caught in a tense pursuit that I can only wonder is a hallmark of Lorac as it was reminiscent of how Crossed Skis resolved. Much page-turning action! Macdonald relates the details to a character who winds up being a protagonist but whom I never warmed to as he's a bit obsessed with marrying a young woman he's afraid if he has to wait until she's twenty-one, will be so "grown" she'll decide she would not want to marry him after all. It's not an endearing quality of a suitor to this woman reader so... meh on that guy getting what he wants in the end. And the final revelation in the story is just... perfect and just underscored all the folly in the plans that played out.

As ever, the introduction by Martin Edwards is engaging and informative and is the perfect preamble for what follows. I will continue with the Britsh Library Crime Classics and look forward to getting to more by Lorac (or Carnac or Rivett).

Recommended. ...more

45 likes · Like · see review

Sep 17, 2020 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Having read, and enjoyed, “Fell Murder,” I was keen to read more by E.C.R. Lorac, pen name of Edith Caroline Rivett. Normally, I would only read a series in order, but, as not all of the author’s work has been re-published, I have made an exception. This is an earlier mystery than, “Fell Murder,” published in 1937. According to Martin Edwards, who so often writes excellent introductions to these re-published, Golden Age, novels, this particular mystery was not a great success when it was first p ...more

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Oct 21, 2020 Frances rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-series

My first Lorac, and I rather enjoyed it!

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2023 Leslie rated it liked it

Shelves: ebook, mysteries

3.5*

Really enjoying Chief Inspector MacDonald!

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Oct 02, 2020 Sandy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-detective-grp, mystery-classic, rread-2020

While I loved reading this book I took away a star because I didn't like the plot resolution. However the setting, characters, humor and story are all great and I look forward to more Lorac and Macdonald. ...more

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Sep 27, 2020 Jill rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-c-r-lorac

This is part of the British Crime Library, who have re-issued various Golden Age mysteries. This is the second book I have read by this author, and have enjoyed both. This mystery was pretty complicated, and had me guessing for a long time. The detective, Robert MacDonald, in these books is an extremely likable character, and I like his humour. I also like that his thoughts and theories were stated throughout. Reading this, we encountered not only murder, but infidelity, blackmail and impersonat ...more

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Feb 05, 2025 Sarah G rated it really liked it

Another excellent Inspector MacDonald book. Love the character, love the writing, love the plot. The London setting was a bonus, so easy to see it all in my mind’s eye.

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