From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

The Floating Admiral

The Detection Club (Editor),

G.K. Chesterton (Writer - Prologue)

Start date: December 1, 2022

Finish date: December 31, 2022

Discussion: Group reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of our December poll.
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What Members Thought

May 11, 2015 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Simon Brett has written the foreward for this ingenious novel, as the President of the Detection Club in 2001, when the book was re-printed. The origins of the club are as shrouded in mystery as the members own work, although it was probably founded in 1928. As Brett points out, crime fiction has changed a lot since the days of Golden Age mysteries. A lot of books written in that time were, in a way, puzzles - with clues you could (supposedly) work out, and a great sense of fun. They were an int Simon Brett has written the foreward for this ingenious novel, as the President of the Detection Club in 2001, when the book was re-printed. The origins of the club are as shrouded in mystery as the members own work, although it was probably founded in 1928. As Brett points out, crime fiction has changed a lot since the days of Golden Age mysteries. A lot of books written in that time were, in a way, puzzles - with clues you could (supposedly) work out, and a great sense of fun. They were an intellectual challenge, in an era that adored parlour games and crossword puzzles.

In 1931, members of the club got together to write a book. The challenge was to write a chapter and send it to the next in line, for them to carry on. The authors were not permitted to 'cheat' and had to provide a solution to the crime, sealed in an envelope - which are all revealed at the end of the book in an Appendix. The plot is fairly typical of the time period - a body found floating in a boat, a confusion of tides, missing relatives, a long ago scandal, dinner parties at the Vicarage and talkative landladies! What makes the book great fun is the impression you get as your read on that each author is attempting to make the next in lines job more difficult! Clues abound, suspects line up and the victory of justice is assured. This is a wonderful book for crime lovers, especially those who enjoy those marvellous Golden Age authors. Also, it is a chance not only to sample well known authors such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers, but to sample the work of writers who perhaps are not so well read these days and who deserve to be.

The author's, in order are: C.K. Chesterton, Canon Victor L. Whitechurch, G.D.H and M. Cole, Henry Wade, Agatha Christie, John Rhode, Milward Kennedy, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ronald A. Knox, Freeman Wills Crofts, Edgar Jepson, Clemence Dane, and Anthony Berkeley. The solutions at the end of the novel are perhaps the most ingenious and enjoyable part of the whole book. It is a very enjoyable read and, you sense, great fun to write! ...more

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Nov 11, 2024 Kavita rated it it was ok

Shelves: mystery, uk, golden-age-mystery

The Detection Club was created by a bunch of British mystery authors, who got together to write this book, each one writing one chapter, carrying on from the previous one. The idea was floated by Anthony Berkeley. The authors included Canon Victor Whitechurch, G. D. H. Cole and Margaret Cole, Henry Wade, Agatha Christie, John Rhode, Milward Kennedy, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ronald Knox, Freeman Wills Crofts, Edgar Jepson, Clemence Dane, and Anthony Berkeley, while the prologue was written by G. K. Che ...more

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Apr 07, 2019 BrokenTune rated it liked it · review of another edition

What an interesting and fun experiment this must have been for the members of the Detection Club to write a mystery - in full compliance with club rules - where one author built on the previous chapters but without having a collective idea about what the plot should be.

As much as I loved seeing each author bringing their individual style to the project, the overall product left me stranded after a few chapters - by the time Ronald Knox summarised all of the clues the preceding chapters had pres ...more

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Dec 05, 2022 Jackie rated it did not like it

I found this too confusing and didn't enjoy it. ...more

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Apr 30, 2017 Damaskcat rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Twelve writers belonging to the Detection Club got together to write a collaborative novel - and The Floating Admiral is the result. A body is found floating in a boat. He is known locally as the Admiral and hasn't lived in the area very long. He lives with his niece with whom he may or may not be in bad terms. Inspector Rudge has his work cut out to find the murderer and at times he despairs of success. Everyone seems to be lying to him and even the physical evidence doesn't seem to add up.

I fo ...more

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Sep 01, 2024 Pranit rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a work of art - an experiment to admire.

The story itself was very average but the circumstances surrounding the work of multiple authors coming together and creating the story.

If you are a fan of crime fiction and golden age of detective novels, then this one’s worth treasuring.

As a novel in and out itself, I would give 3 stars ✨

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Nov 30, 2022 Jill rated it liked it · review of another edition

I think the authors of this probably enjoyed the exercise more than this reader did. It became a very complicated plot by the time all the writers had a go, but that was fine by me. However, I did feel that this didn't enhance the story that much. The cast was huge by the time they had all included their own characters, and I also thought Inspector Rudge's personality was changing along with the author, and that did spoil it for me. It all was a bit too drawn out for me, with time and tides (who ...more

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Dec 01, 2022 Frances rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This was a fun read, written as a round robin by various members of the detection club. Given the multiple authors the story didn't really hang together and there were multiple preferred endings along with the official one. For Golden Age detective fiction fans it is quite an interesting read, but if you're not a true believer yet then I'd suggest read a Christie or a Sayers or a Lorac or Berkeley instead. ...more

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