A Wytch's Book Review Blog

The League of Frightened Men (Nero Wolfe #2) by Rex Stout

Paul Chapin's college cronies never forgave themselves for the prank that crippled their friend. Yet with Harvard days behind them, they thought they were forgiven -- until a class reunion ends in a fatal fall. This league of frightened men seeks Nero Wolfe's help. But are Wolfe's brilliance and Archie's tenacity enough to outwit a most cunning killer?

The Golden Age writers in America are more "hard-boiled" than those of the UK, but even so they make for a good read and the Nero Wolfe books are right up there, narrated by Wolfe's assistant Archie Goodwin, this one has a group of men, who attended Harvard together, panicking because of deaths amongst them, especially as the deaths were followed by a letter insinuating that they will all share the fate of dying prematurely.  They believe they know who is responsible, but none of them wish to put it in the hands of the police, leaving Nero Wolfe and Archie to find out the truth.

Murder in the Museum (Inspector Shelley #6) by John Rowland

When Professor Julius Arnell breathes his last in the hushed atmosphere of the British Museum Reading Room, it looks like death from natural causes. Who, after all, would have cause to murder a retired academic whose life was devoted to Elizabethan literature? Inspector Shelley's suspicions are aroused when he finds a packet of poisoned sugared almonds in the dead man's pocket; and a motive becomes clearer when he discovers Arnell's connection to a Texan oil millionaire. Soon another man plunges hundreds of feet into a reservoir on a Yorkshire moor. What can be the connection between two deaths so different, and so widely separated? The mild-mannered museum visitor Henry Fairhurst adds his detective talents to Inspector Shelley's own, and together they set about solving one of the most baffling cases Shelley has ever encountered.

Hmm this isn't (in my view) the best of the British Library Crime Classics/Golden Age, granted it was short and therefore a quick read but it was jumping between characters too much and nothing seems to happen for ages and then WHAM we know what happened, quick jump in the train and get the criminal! I suspect this will be the only Rowland I will read.

Destination Unknown by Agatha Christie (Review)

Thomas Charles Betterton, a famous scientist, has vanished. Conflicting reports of sightings of the missing man have come in from all over Europe. Then, his wife of six months decides to take a holiday to Morocco for a rest.

That's when a strange and surprising series of events begins to unfold. A superb and different mystery from a master at her best.

The Intelligence Service is looking into the disappearance of various high level scientists, the latest (Thomas Betterton) went to a conference in Paris and then, went! No one knows where, not even his wife (although Mr Jessop of the Intelligence Service is fairly sure she knows more than she is letting on), then Mrs Betterton decides to go on holiday (a rest cure) to Morocco.

Whilst all this is happening another lady by the name of Hilary Craven has her life falling around her ears, her husband has divorced her and her daughter has died, she is also heading to Morocco, but there she plans to kill herself, she is stopped by Mr Jessop who offers her a different way of dying (with the understanding that she might actually survive), this is where the two stories collide and the Mistress of Mystery takes us on a tour, with the final Destination Unknown!

Murder in Mesopotamia (Hercule Poirot #14) by Agatha Christie (Review)

When nurse Amy Leatheran agrees to look after American archaeologist Dr Leidner’s wife Louise at a dig near Hassanieh she finds herself taking on more than just nursing duties – she also has to help solve murders. Fortunately for Amy, Hercule Poirot is visiting the excavation site but will the great detective be in time to prevent a multiple murderer from striking again?

This is a book told from the point of view of one person (in this case Nurse Leatheran) which is something Agatha Christie does a fair bit (normally with Hastings - who I am glad to see is NOT in this one, I am probably in the minority but I find him annoying!), Amy Leatheran had gone out to Iraq to help a new mother travel, when she was about to head back she was asked it she would instead go out to an Archeology Dig as the Dig leader's wife has developed a nervous condition.  Amy is not told any more than that but a few days after her arrival Louise Leidner (the aforementioned wife) admits she is stressed because she has received threatening letters, Amy thinks that will be the end of it until Louise is killed, luckily Hercule Poirot is not too far away and can help solve the case.

As stated above I am glad that Hastings is not in this! I do like Amy Leatheran and would have liked to have seen more of her (maybe even instead of Poirot!)

Dr Thorndyke's Casebook (Dr. Thorndyke Mysteries #10) by R. Austin Freeman (Review)

A compelling collection of Dr Thorndyke mysteries is presented here in a bumper crop of Richard Austin Freeman s fiction. Opening with The Case of the White Footprints; revealing the secrets of The Blue Scarab; and teasing all that read The Stolen Ingots, Freeman introduces some extraordinary detective stories to bamboozle the most able of minds. Once you pick this book up, you won t be able to put it down."

Hmm a collection of short stories, this is not my favourite way to read about characters as you no sooner are finding out about someone when the story is over and done with! Still I am glad to have added this to my Golden Age reading.