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When the Wind Blows (Francis Pettigrew, #3)

Cyril Hare

Start date: November 14, 2022

Finish date: December 6, 2022

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: Next in this series, for all our Cyril Hare fans
[close] Next in this series, for all our Cyril Hare fans

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What Members Thought

Oct 25, 2022 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I am really enjoying this Golden Age mystery series with middle-aged British solicitor Francis Pettigrew. Read with the Reading the Detectives group. This book is set right after World War II; Pettigrew is now married to his secretary in the last book, With a Bare Bodkin, another enjoyable and humorous mystery, set during the War among the workers in a fictional remote government office.

Our self-effacing hero (one of his delightful traits, in my opinion), has surprised himself at how completely I am really enjoying this Golden Age mystery series with middle-aged British solicitor Francis Pettigrew. Read with the Reading the Detectives group. This book is set right after World War II; Pettigrew is now married to his secretary in the last book, With a Bare Bodkin, another enjoyable and humorous mystery, set during the War among the workers in a fictional remote government office.

Our self-effacing hero (one of his delightful traits, in my opinion), has surprised himself at how completely he has settled into domesticity, despite the almost 20 year age difference, and the distance from London and his usual clubs and cronies from the legal world. His wife enjoys playing in an amateur local orchestra, so Pettigrew, at first consulted by the committee running the group for his legal acumen, has been drafted as a member. There is the usual group of humorous characters: a bossy boots battle axe who runs everything and everyone with an iron hand, but worships the brilliant, but rather scattered conductor, and defers also to the unmusical, yet almost-aristocratic secretary (I personally pictured a Hyacinth Bucket type…)

Anyway, the orchestra members are very excited, as a brilliant soloist is going to star in their next concert. Everything goes according to plan at the big rehearsal, until she is introduced to a substitute clarinetist, the two argue, the clarinetist refuses to play and storms off. The race is on to fill his spot in the few hours before the concert, a sub is found, given directions on where and when to come, and all seems well…

But when the conductor goes to the dressing room to escort the star onstage, she has been strangled, and pandemonium ensues.

What follows is a delightful look at small town post-war committee politics and policing. Pettigrew’s police contact in the first two books, the delightful Inspector Mallet of Scotland Yard, is not called in, but we get the insecure (thus rather uptight and pompous, but eager to succeed) young Trimble, and his boss, a very dry, low-key Scot, who just happens to be a friend of Mallet’s. He wants to save the sensitive pride of his fledgling detective, but also wants to get the killer and protect the reputation of his department. In a humorous scene at the crowded County Club lunchroom, he invites himself to join Pettigrew’s empty table, and as lunch is over and our reluctant hero thinks he has escaped being dragged into another murder investigation, Chief Constable MacWilliams nabs him.

It’s inevitable - Pettigrew was present at the fateful rehearsal, and when the murder was discovered - a few disparate, tenuous facts have been bothering him about the whole thing. He and MacWilliams work together very well behind the scenes, mulling the facts and suspect and witness interviews as Trimble and his sergeant do the investigating. I quite enjoyed this part! And the finale was handled very well, and Trimble’s pride emerged unscathed, after quite a few shifty suspects, with plenty to hide, ran him around in circles a bit. That’s one of the things I love about this series - all of Hares characters are very human, and naturally flawed, and he presents them as such, with gentle humor at their foibles. Never cruel, but always honest - I attribute it to Hare’s career as a solicitor, I’m sure he saw and met all kinds!

Very enjoyable outing, as once again, Pettigrew’s love of and knowledge of somewhat obscure legal facts point to a satisfying outcome. Looking forward to reading more by Cyril Hare. ...more

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Nov 01, 2022 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is the third in the Francis Pettigrew series, first published in 1949. I am delighted I have discovered this series and will be sorry when I have finished it.

Pettigrew has now married Eleanor, who we met in the previous novel, and has settled down to happy domesticity. Eleanor is a keen violin player and a member of the Markshire Orchestral Society, of which Pettigrew finds himself the treasurer. There are a good cast of characters and suspects when Lucy Carless is murdered before her solo. ...more

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Nov 22, 2022 Carolien rated it really liked it

Shelves: english-mystery, 2022, otsp-mystery-2022

Francis Pettigrew is married and settled in a small English village where he continues to practise law. His wife's interest in music has however added a role to his life, that of treasurer to the local music society, and he finds himself in the midst of planning for the new concert season. All goes horribly wrong when the soloist is found murdered and Pettigrew finds himself reluctantly assisting the Chief Constable. The musical pieces selected plays an unexpected part in the mystery combined wi ...more

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Oct 31, 2022 Lynnie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2022, mystery, post-war

Another enjoyable whodunit by Cyril Hare. Pettigrew is a great character.

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Nov 12, 2022 Jill rated it really liked it

Shelves: cyril-hare

In this third book of the series, Pettigrew is comfortably married to Eleanor, who he met in a previous book, and has moved out of the Temple to a small town. Eleanor, who enjoys playing the violin has joined the town's orchestra, and roped Pettigrew into holding the position of treasurer for group, much against his will. The orchestra has organised a concert, and has engaged a former resident of the town, now a worldwide expert on the violin, to perform. Just before her solo performance, she is ...more

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Jun 02, 2023 Teri-K rated it really liked it

Shelves: zz-2023-bought, mystery, z-own-nook

Enjoyable mystery. I had the right suspect all along, though the solution hangs on a fact I didn't know. I don't think most readers will, either. And it bothered me that they just assumed no one looked at the substitute flautist, instead of trying to find a witness. I've played oboe in plenty of concerts, and you definitely notice those around you. You're not focused on the music or conductor every second.

Still it was fun to read and I look forward to reading another soon. ...more

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Jun 06, 2018 Leslie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries, owned

3.5*

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Jul 24, 2021 ShanDizzy rated it liked it · review of another edition

The Chief Constable said “There are several odd features about this case,”he said at last. “Let me see if I can sort them out. I dare say you have done so already, Trimble”—here his mild blue eyes looked suddenly into the inspector’s own, with an expression of complete seriousness..."First point: Miss Carless has a row with Zbartorowski at the rehearsal. This results in the orchestra being short of a clarinetist. Second point: Jenkinson is engaged in his place and a car is ordered to meet him at ...more

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Oct 28, 2023 Sarah G rated it really liked it

Very happy to have discovered this series, albeit having stupidly started with book 3 of 5. Funny, clever and very engaging. I’m looking forward to reading the other 4.

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Apr 12, 2021 Ellen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Enjoyable but guessed whodunnit early on.

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Nov 16, 2022 Sandy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-classic, own, mystery-detective-grp, rread-2022, z2022-own-24

I'm glad I've discovered Cyril Hare and his reluctant detective, Francis Pettigrew. The humor is low-key, the characters are likeable, and the plots interesting. This plot has Pettigrew semi-retired in the country with a young wife and a happy marriage. With time on his hands and a wife to please he takes on a volunteer job as treasurer of an amateur orchestra committee. Never Volunteer. ...more

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