October 22: The Missing Partners - SPOILER Thread - (1928)

[Susan]

Welcome to our October 22 Challenge Read of The Missing Partners by Henry Wade the pseudonym of Major Sir Henry Lancelot Aubrey-Fletcher (1887-1969).

The Missing Partners is the first book in the Inspector Poole series, published in 1928.

Cousins James and Charles Morden run a shipping company in Liverpool that is, in the wake of the Great War, struggling. It appears there have been financial irregularities, and then James Morden's body is washed up on a bank of the Mersey. Evidence points to Charles Morden, after burning a lot of papers, having fled to New York.

It turns out there's an illicit side to the business - and that James Morden's wife, Lilith, is a major player.

The strands of the plot seem past untangling, but the family solicitor, William Turnbull, grasps every thread and draws them all together . . .

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread. Thank you.

[Susan in NC]

Only a two-star read for me, which is just “ok” - the heroine was admirable for her independence, but otherwise seemed to enjoy tormenting her would-be beau too much. The young guy was game to investigate, which I enjoyed, but a bit of a doormat. The lawyer came across as a pompous ass - he and the heroine deserve each other. Sorry, I read the ebook in the car, have forgotten all of their names, definitely not a memorable read for me - I’ve read all but the first Carr mystery, this was one of my least favorites of the Detective Club Challenge so far. I’d try a Poole, just to see if the author improves.

When it turned out the old man was the killer, did it all for his princess daughter, I couldn’t help thinking of Willy Wonka’s Veruca Salt and her daddy - “I want it, daddy, and I want it now!” Too bad Wade didn’t throw in a couple Oompa Loompas to deal with this one…

[Judy]

Susan, this was a 4-star read for me and I must say I rather liked the heroine, Helen, as she is so lively and determined - I enjoyed her and Tom as characters, even if some of their detective methods were a bit dubious!

I was a bit surprised that we don't learn for certain which man Helen ends up with, but then again she clearly isn't ready to settle down just yet. I did feel sorry for her at the end when the truth of the story is revealed and ends up closer to home than she expected.

I didn't think her father really had done it all for her - there is that chilling mention of him beating up the young office worker where he makes up another excuse, which makes me think he is a cold-blooded killer and just making up lies about his motives.

[Susan in NC]

Judy wrote: "Susan, this was a 4-star read for me and I must say I rather liked the heroine, Helen, as she is so lively and determined - I enjoyed her and Tom as characters, even if some of their detective meth..."

Oh, that’s interesting, puts a nastier spin on the father! I suppose he could have been one of those rather spineless, buttoned-down types who eventually cracks, and his nasty side comes out…I’m glad you enjoyed it, I thought Wade did a good job with the atmosphere. I think Helen did a much better job tackling the dead partner’s wife than either of her male friends would have done!

[Susan]

I agree about Helen. She was obviously a bit spoilt, but then, as Judy says, there were suggestions that her father was not the easy going guy he was first presented as. I liked that it was set in Liverpool, which made a change from London.

[Pamela]

I liked this, I even rather liked Inspector Dodd. There was a lot of snobbery in Turnbull’s and Helen’s attitude towards him, and he was the one who put it all together in the end. Turnbull judged by appearances and got it wrong every time, so I wasn’t surprised he underestimated Mildmay as well.

I didn’t find the smuggling very interesting, but I liked the deception with the twin sister and the trains. I love the details from the 1920s mysteries like the way people get around by train (try writing a mystery today based on UK train timetables!) and people avoiding Super Tax and the different bus tickets.

[Sandy]

This was only a so-so read for me. I enjoyed discovering both the smuggling business set up by the victim and his wife's deception of poor Charles. They were excellent villains.

The 'good guys' were less interesting. Helen often annoyed me; I could guess why she had no close friends. I hoped Tom would find a new life and love in New York and remain there. I had no real problem with the lawyer but didn't warm to him. Charles was even more of a doormat than Tom. My favorite may be Inspector Dodd who seemed to be set up to fail but rose to the occasion.

I can see how the father got sucked into the smuggling scheme as he felt Helen needed the very best. I suppose then the first murder was self-defense and then the second so he wouldn't get caught. They say the second is easier.

I thought it was definite that Helen and the lawyer ended up together. But left open was whether the father would be tried for the second murder and whether Charles would still insist on giving the wife half of the business.

[Susan]

Yes, you really wanted to give Charles a good talking to, didn't you?!

[Michaela]

I couldn´t really get warm with this one too, especially since the end was so sudden.

[Carolien]

I finally read this one and enjoyed the mystery overall - definitely did not expect the final solution. I agree Helen was annoying. The timing on this one turned out well for me as we took the kids to Liverpool docks during half term last week and so the setting made a lot more sense to me when I started it. The other part that made me laugh was the railway schedule. The train route via Crewe/Birmingham/London Euston has not changed in a century! I use it myself.

[Jan C]

I finished last night.

There was something wanting in Mr. Mildmay. Many fathers want to give the very best to their daughters. They do not become a multi-murderer to do so.

I did like Tom and Helen but she didn't know what she wanted. She is not much better than her father - at least, we don't know what her crimes may be, other than indecisiveness.

Last night, I kept yelling at Dodd - "how stupid are you?" That which was obvious to the reader had to be handed to the Inspector on a platter. Hopefully Wade got the stupidity out and is better with Inspector Poole.