From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

A Fete Worse Than Death (Jack Haldean Murder Mystery #1)

Dolores Gordon-Smith

Start date: February 1, 2024

Finish date: February 28, 2024

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: The second book in our 2024 challenge
[close] The second book in our 2024 challenge

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 14 posts · 16 views

last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:08AM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
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last updated Sep 01, 2025 04:16PM

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What Members Thought

Feb 03, 2024 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This year one of my reading groups decided to do a challenge of modern Golden Age detective series. There are a LOT of mundane such series out there, but among them are some jewels, and this appears to be one.

Jack Haldean is a detective writer, who is staying with relatives and is attending a summer fete when he runs into someone he knew - and disliked - while fighting in WWI. Before the end of the afternoon, this man is killed and Haldean, who has been involved in a similar investigation, teams ...more

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Feb 14, 2024 Julie Durnell rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, england-uk

A slow start but was hooked about a third of the way in. Well plotted, a lot of red herrings. I liked Jack Haldean and probably will pick up the second in the series at some point.

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Jan 21, 2024 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, detective-grp24

A very enjoyable 1920s mystery with a former RAF pilot as the likable amateur detective, with a good supporting cast of cousins, family, and local police detective to help figure out whodunnit.

World War One casts a long shadow in this mystery which opens with a country fete, nicely evoked through noises and smells floating across the sunny summer air. I really enjoyed the opening, I could see why Jack Haldean was grateful and happy to be back among these lovely rural pleasures. He is staying wit A very enjoyable 1920s mystery with a former RAF pilot as the likable amateur detective, with a good supporting cast of cousins, family, and local police detective to help figure out whodunnit.

World War One casts a long shadow in this mystery which opens with a country fete, nicely evoked through noises and smells floating across the sunny summer air. I really enjoyed the opening, I could see why Jack Haldean was grateful and happy to be back among these lovely rural pleasures. He is staying with his uncle, a local aristocrat, and enjoying his summer holiday with his cousins - the three have a delightful, sibling-like bond, and Belle and Greg help him in this investigation.

In the beer tent, Jack is appalled to recognize a nasty piece of work who used to be under his command in the war. He’s spotted by the rotten fella, and a quick, smug conversation reveals the man is as unpleasant as he ever was; then he turns up dead in the fortune-teller’s tent.

Enter Inspector Ashley of the Sussex constabulary; I like that he was likable but professional, recognized Jack’s name as a mystery writer, but wasn’t fawning all over him to stick his amateur nose into the case. Jack respected that, gave him the name of the Scotland Yard detective he knew and had worked with - this was much more reasonable to me than local coppers who let a local lord (or relative of one) swan in and take over a case. A point in the author’s favor to this history buff.

What follows is an interesting look into the character of the dead man, locals who could have been involved, and as another murder takes place soon after, what might tie the two victims together, and who wanted them dead in such daring and brazen circumstances?

Very glad I finally tried this enjoyable series, I look forward to Haldean’s next case. The moderators of the Reading the Detectives group have concocted a great challenge for this year: every month we are reading books 1 or 2 of a new “modern historical mystery” series, that is, current writers using a historical setting. Since we all get deluged with titles and series we “may like” by algorithms these days, this is a way to test out the first couple books (first book syndrome is definitely a thing with mysteries, setting the characters, locale, time period, etc).

I’d recommend this one! ...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Judy rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: revisiting-the-golden-age

I enjoyed this a lot - a murder mystery set in the 1920s and written much in the vein of Golden Age writers like Margery Allingham or Dorothy Sayers. Jack Haldean, a First World War pilot turned detective story writer and amateur detective, is an appealing hero, and there is an enjoyably witty flavour to the prose style. I'm now looking forward to reading the second book in this series. ...more

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Mar 20, 2014 Damaskcat rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Jack Haldean, successful crime author, is staying with some relatives and attends a fete. Someone who was in the RFC during the war approaches him and he is reminded of how much he disliked the man. When Boscombe, the man concerned is found dead in the fortune teller’s tent it soon becomes clear that there is more to the case than meets the eye and the ramifications may involve his own family and put Jack in danger.

The plot involves betrayal during World War I and some very dodgy going on in nin ...more

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Feb 20, 2024 Bev rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-mystery, mystery, edwardian, british-mystery, early-20th-c, mount-tbr-2024

In 1922, Jack Haldean is staying with his aunt and uncle in Breedonbrook and attends the local fete. It's a lovely day filled with games (the coconut shy, darts and hoop-la) where he wins everything from coconuts to violently colored candies to a dolly with carrier, blanket, and pillow. He's also trying desperately to avoid a man who served under him in the RAF. Jeremy Boscombe is an annoying little tick who has always loved finding out people's weak spots and leaning on them hard.

Apparently he In 1922, Jack Haldean is staying with his aunt and uncle in Breedonbrook and attends the local fete. It's a lovely day filled with games (the coconut shy, darts and hoop-la) where he wins everything from coconuts to violently colored candies to a dolly with carrier, blanket, and pillow. He's also trying desperately to avoid a man who served under him in the RAF. Jeremy Boscombe is an annoying little tick who has always loved finding out people's weak spots and leaning on them hard.

Apparently he leaned too hard on the wrong person because he's later found shot to death in the fortune teller's tent. Haldean is a detective novelist who has also had a bit of real-life detective experience--solving a little matter of the "mess bill business" while still in the service and then helping Inspector Rackham of Scotland Yard with "the affair at Torrington Place" after the war. He offers to help Superintendent Ashley with this latest local case and they've barely begun to investigate when Reggie Morton (soon proved to be an unsavory friend of Boscombe's) is found in Boscombe's room at the local inn--also shot to death. They uncover signs of blackmail and indications that the motive for the murders may be linked to the battle of Augier Ridge.

The battle was the source of Victory Cross for Colonel Whitfield, local hero and hopeful suitor to Marguerite Vayle. Jack's uncle is one of Marguerite's trustees and, along with Hugh Lawrence the other trustee, must give approval for her marriage. The battle was also the source of treachery--someone had been spying for the Germans and betrayed the British troops when they discovered a tunnel under the ridge. The blame always fell on Major Tyburn who has been assumed dead. But now there are rumors that Tyburn is still alive. Did Boscombe (one of the few survivors of Augier Ridge) recognize him in the crowd that day and decide on a spot of blackmail? Or was he putting the black on someone else? There are several suspects to choose from and Haldean and Ashley will find their suspicions resting on various people before they discover the real culprit.

This is a lovely first mystery in a historical series that captures the spirit of the Golden Age of crime in every way possible--from the amateur sleuth who gives vibes of Lord Peter Wimsey to the village fete to a nice little circle of suspects, all wrapped up in a well-clued puzzle. Very entertaining with deftly sketched characters and a great setting. I'm definitely looking forward to the next in the series.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. ...more

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Feb 27, 2024 Lynnie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sussex, kindleunlimited, historical-cozy-mystery, read-in-2024

I enjoyed this 1920's set whodunit which was different to a lot of modern "golden-age" mysteries in that the protagonist was male. Jack Haldean is a likeable character and his relatives also, especially Belle. The conversations between them all felt very natural.

It was a well written mystery with a lot of red herrings and twists and I didn't guess the murderer. ...more

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