From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Weekend at Thrackley

Alan Melville

Start date: August 1, 2022

Finish date: August 31, 2022

Discussion: Group reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of the poll to choose our August group read.
[close] Winner of the poll to choose our August group read.

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Group reads

* December 2025 group read - Winner!
By Judy · 28 posts · 32 views

last updated Oct 15, 2025 10:39AM

* Oct 25: Murder Included (#1 D.I. Price) by Joanna Cannan
By Susan · 11 posts · 17 views

last updated Oct 02, 2025 10:38AM

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What Members Thought

Aug 31, 2022 Julie Durnell rated it really liked it

Shelves: england-uk, mystery

I picked this up for a group read and knowing that it was somewhat of a Golden Age mystery, I was prepared to not take it too seriously. I was delighted with it! It was amusing and not the usual manor house weekend party with a dead body. A quirky fun read!

27 likes · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2018 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, mcpl-book, mystery, vintage-mystery

I'm taking a revolver to Thrackley. You never know with blokes like Carson. A bit potty, but otherwise quite harmless. and I hate these harmless, potty people. They're always up to something.
~Freddie Usher

As Martin Edwards tells us in his excellent introduction*, Weekend at Thrackley was Melville's mystery debut. And what a debut. Melville gives us that old stand-by of the Golden Age--the country house mystery--with an interesting twist. There is no murder whatsoever until quite near the end an ...more

15 likes · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2022 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Published in 1934, this is the first mystery published by Alan Melville, who published five mysteries before becoming a television personality in the 1940's/1950's. I am pleased he managed to have a successful career, because this is a delightful mystery and thoroughly deserves being republished.

Jim Henderson was a young man in WWI but, with his career prospects interrupted, he now finds himself a member of the long-term unemployed and living in Mrs Bertram's boarding house. However, into this ...more

11 likes · Like · see review

Jul 19, 2022 Susan in NC rated it liked it · review of another edition

This was fun, and funny, but the tone changed with the first murder, and then the ending petered out and dragged on too long. Read for the Reading the Detectives group August read.

Jim Henderson is a young man struggling financially in London; he lives in a boardinghouse with a gossip-loving landlady who spends a lot of time reading tabloid newspapers. I get the feeling we’re supposed to see her as a delightful and kooky character, as the author opened and closed the book with her.

She was a humo ...more

8 likes · Like · see review

Jul 30, 2019 Tracey rated it really liked it

Shelves: british-library-crime-classics

A very amusing country house mystery. Why has unemployed Jim Henderson been invited to spend a weekend with a precious stones collector and a bunch of wealthy guests? A good mix of comedy and suspense.

6 likes · Like · see review

Sep 21, 2023 Mary rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic-british, mysteries, classic-mysteries

Entertaining and light but I do think well written . I enjoyed the characters and the plot was clever . I caught strong whiffs of PG Wodehouse which simply added to the enjoyment . I’ll definitely be seeking out more books by this author .

2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 03, 2022 Jackie rated it liked it

2.5 stars rounded up to three; not really a mystery but interesting to read. I love it that the main character hasn't worked in 3 years but still belongs to a Club and has his breakfast served to him in bed. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 31, 2022 Jill rated it it was amazing

Shelves: jill-s-eighth-year-challenge

Jim Henderson, having served his time in the army, finds himself unemployed as many of the men did after having signed up very young. He regularly receives letters from prospective employers turning him down, but one morning he receives an invitation to attend a weekend at a house in Sussex. The house party being held by a man named Carson, claiming to have known his father in South Africa, and to have met Jim when Jim was a child. Jim tells a school friend about the invitation, and it happens ...more

1 like · Like · see review