August Group read - Murder with Malice by Nicholas Blake

[Bionic Jean]

This is the thread to discuss our next Golden Age English Mystery group read, for August. The winner is Murder with Malice by Nicholas Blake.

You may know already that Nicholas Blake is the pseudonym of the poet Cecil Day-Lewis. Murder with Malice is one of his series about Nigel Strangeways. I'm looking forward to this one! Who else is in?

Reading and discussion about the book begins on 1st August.

[Rosemarie]

I really want to join this read but the library has most of his books, but not this one. Maybe they will get an ecopy before August-at least I hope they do.
The alternate title for this book is Malice in Wonderland. I can buy a copy of the book on my ipad for a reasonable price if I can't get one from the library.

I've read books 1 and 2 in the series and found them entertaining.

[France-Andrée]

I have an ebook of it so I’ll be joining in. It’ll be a slower read that I used to do but since my eye operation I have cut drastically screen time.

[Bionic Jean]

Thanks for the alternative title, Rosemarie (*ouch*).

[Rosemarie]

I ended up buying an ebook version of the book anyway, since I really want to join in.

[Bionic Jean]

We begin this today :)

I've just read a couple of chapters, and must say that although I have the English original I prefer the amended title of Malice in Wonderland. It's far more apt!

[Bionic Jean]

Has anyone else begun yet? I'm finding it very dated.

[Anupama]

Bionic Jean wrote: "We begin this today :)

I've just read a couple of chapters, and must say that although I have the English original I prefer the amended title of Malice in Wonderland. It's far more..."

I agree with you, Jean. Although I'm on chapter five, I can't seem to get past it. I'm hoping that some interesting event happens in the upcoming chapters or else my ever-increasing reading list will make me turn away from this book!

[Bionic Jean]

I'm actually embarrassed on behalf of some of the characters, which is very odd! It has a lot of slang, fashionable for its time, but it's the posturing which annoys me.

All the characters are types, and the only thing keeping me reading is that I am intrigued by the pranks. One to read quickly, I think.

[France-Andrée]

I’ve only finished chapter 3, I’m very fascinated by the holiday camp idea, makes me think of Tommy by The Who. Is the prankster Uncle Ernie?

[Bionic Jean]

I was surprised to find holiday camps were on the go that early! But I agree it's a good idea, and an original setting (as far as I know).

Is it an English thing, or were they popular in other countries too?

[Zain]

Hey, guys!

Is this the first book of his series?

I hate reading books out of order. It causes me a lot of confusion.

I am going to have to read this series in order. I guess it’s going to take me a few months to get to this one because of the other groups and books I’m reading every month.

Zain 🙁

[Rosemarie]

I think it may be #6. I've read the first two in the series so far.

[Bionic Jean]

Hi Zain,

Yes, as Rosemarie says it's #6. The first one is A Question of Proof, and the whole series is LINK HERE.

I've read numbers 4, 5 and 7! Don't ask me why ... maybe that's what was available.

I'm half way through now, and Nigel Strangeways is on the case :)

[France-Andrée]

I’m finished, I’m not very good at pacing myself! I see what you guys meant about people being stereotypes and dating the story, I guess for me this was evident in the mental illness subject, it’s obvious that we know a lot more about dissociative personality disorder (split personality) and schizophrenia now and the book makes no sense with what is now thought (we might now more later on to, I guess knowing we don’t know everything about mental illness is something that is modern).

I wasn’t in love with the mysteries, they were all very guessable to me so, you know, I had them all. What I really loved was the holiday camp setting, we don’t have that here, does it still exist? The closest have been is on fishing trips as a child where there was more than one chalet and we went fishing together, I hated (still do) fishing and tried to save the fishes (the budding vegetarian in me).

[Bionic Jean]

The mental aspect has just been mentioned, a little over half way through. I'm not sure how much notice to take of it, in terms of the plot, so I won't.

You did well guessing things France-Andrée, as I've been thinking the author hides it quite well! I'm with you regards the animals though (veggie since I was 23) and find the (view spoiler)[ discovery of grisly animal corpses (hide spoiler)] quite upsetting.

Nigel Strangeways is a bit of a grey character so far. He just seems to be there to mirror our own thoughts.

Holiday camps do still exist here, although I gather they have changed and become more professional. I've never been to one, but now wonder if after covid they will become more popular again.

[France-Andrée]

Jean Re your spoiler, (view spoiler)[very upsetting, nightmare city. (hide spoiler)]

[iasa]

The library found me a copy today, a lovely first edition. Looking forward to starting it tomorrow.

[Myra Chandler]

I enjoy reading older books, and I did finish it. As a mental health Nurse, I was surprised that they knew the term “schizophrenia” in a book that was written @80 years ago. (Even though their descriptions of schizophrenia are not similar to what is meant by Schizophrenia today). I had a few inklings about who some of the perpetrators were, which is unusual for me, as I am usually clueless. All in all, I thought the author understood relationships fairly well and did a good job describing Paul’s feelings of discomfort. I would rate it 6/10. I also love the idea of holiday camps. The only camp I can remember from growing up in Colorado was Brownie camp, and that was just a daily thing.

[Pam]

I managed to get a copy (1975 edition) from my library, from their Rare Books store!

The book was written at the start of WW2 and barely mentions the war. It appears to have been written to raise morale and I think that it would have achieved that aim. Living in England, I could so easily 'see' the holiday camp. I have even stayed in one with wooden chalets as described. The phrase "the fairy lights strung like a Woolworth's necklace" took me straight back to seaside holidays in the 1960s

The characterisation and plot were so of their time. However all holiday camps (Butlins on which this is obviously based opened their first camp in 1936) were closed for WW2 The idea of mass observation started at the beginning of WW2 and was based on self reporting.

The stock characters were easily identifiable and I loved the remembered incident of Nigel Strangeways trying to assert himself when ordering a new suit, being put in his place by Mr Thistlethwaite, by being asked if he "wanted to look silly?" This was so reminiscent of a remark that Jeeves would have made to Bertie. I feel that the portrayal of Paul's confusion and fears for his mental health are linked back to his breakdown at university. That would have caused a lack of control, which obviously haunts him. This leads him to wonder if he is capable of acting without realising it. He gives it the name of schizophrenia showing his own lack of knowledge.

The incident with the dead animals is something that readers of the time would have easily recognised. Growing up the in the countryside, the gamekeeper's line was a feature of daily life. Most people outside of the towns would be familiar with them.

All in all I enjoyed it and I am pleased that my library has further copies of his work - no doubt also from the Rare Books Store

[Bionic Jean]

I'm about three quarters the way through, so have just skimmed your posts for now Myra and Pam. My Large Print copy is from 1997, so Nicholas Blake's novels were still popular then. It seems funny that it's classed as a "rare book"!

[iasa]

i've only just begun; Chapter 1 is finished. I do like the fanciful descriptions of both Mr. Thistlewaite and the decrepit factories (comes from being a poet I suppose) and the sardonic nature of Sally.

Honestly I'm expecting Su Pollard and the rest of the Hi-De-Hi cast to be on the camp bus.

[iasa]

Finished Part 1. I had completely forgotten this is a Nigel Strangeways mystery. Guess I was too caught up being on Holiday!

[Bionic Jean]

Yes, I was surprised how late he entered too! Hi-di-hi Iasa!

[France-Andrée]

This late arrival reminded me of the later Poirot's when half the book is done before he shows up. Since it was my first time with this detective, I had forgotten about him and thought more of Paul as the protagonist.

[iasa]

Hi-de hi Jean!

Finished! It is dated, quaintly so for me; honestly I find most books are to some degree. I think of it as a snapshot of the times, admittedly through the lenses of entertainment and poetic license. That's ok with me.

I don't think this was one of the stronger Nigel Strangeways novels. I I think if he hadn't been a character at all I would have enjoyed it more. It seems he was only a device for the holiday makers to get information quickly that they otherwise wouldn't have access to. Also there was a bit of pulling the ending of of his back pocket.

[Bionic Jean]

I've finished today too! And I agree - he was a bit of an add-on. Sorry I don't understand your final sentence though, Iasa.

[Bionic Jean]

France-Andrée - I was more interested in Paul as well. The switch seemed a bit odd, and even by the end I had no sense of Nigel as a character. With Poirot it doesn't matter how late he enters, as we feel we know him anyway. I've read four of these now, admittedly over a long time, but still Nigel is a bit of a nonentity for me.

[iasa]

Jean I meant it was lucky the Mad Hatter confessed so easily and by the way (view spoiler)[ this spy was accidentally killed. Huzzah! (hide spoiler)]

I've only had about five hours of sleep in the last 3 days, so I'm sure i am a bit incoherent. Sorry.

[Rosemarie]

I finished it today and found it a good book to read on a hot summer day. I enjoyed it and was really glad that things ended the way they did for Paul.

[Bionic Jean]

Ah now I understand - no - it's probably me being dense Iasa!

Rosemarie - Me too. Nice bit of misdirection there :)

[Bionic Jean]

I've just finished in time! Here are my final thoughts:

Murder with Malice by Nicholas Blake - a "golden age" English mystery from 1940. Just touches ⭐⭐⭐

Jean's review