In recent years I've become a big fan of Leo Bruce's detective novels. His characteristic blend of humour and ingenuity appeals to me, although it was somewhat out of fashion by 1961, when he published Die All, Die Merrily (the title is a quote from Henry IV, Part One), one of 23 novels featuring his amateur detective Carolus Deene. Before I read the Deene books, I tended to assume that they were inferior to his Sergeant Beef novels. But they aren't - at their best, they are truly entertaining.
This book illustrates Bruce's strengths. Deene is urged to get involved with a mystery involving the family of Lady Drumbone, who would nowadays be described as a political activist, and whom Bruce mocks mercilessly. The case concerns a tragedy - the apparent suicide of her nephew. The dead man left behind a tape recording in which he confesses to strangling an unnamed woman - but who was the supposed victim?
It's a teasing set-up and Deene embarks on a long series of interviews, a couple of which are very funny indeed (one interviewee, a woman who is obsessed with featuring in the newspapers, is especially memorable). Bruce was very good on dialogue and it dominates his novels. Of course, one has to suspend disbelief, but the writing is usually engaging enough for the unlikely developments to be a source of pleasure rather than irritation.
The solution to the mystery is cunning and quite complex and I didn't see the key twists coming. Inevitably the characterisation isn't in-depth, and I don't think the culprit's cruelty and ruthlessness - because, as is sometimes the case with Bruce, there is quite a bit of darkness about the crimes - were adequately foreshadowed. For once, however, I didn't mind this, because I had so much fun along the way before all was revealed.
I wasn't bowled over by the later Bruce novel that I read, Death of a Commuter. Which ones would you recommend?
ReplyDeleteI just read the Edmund Wilson articles Why Do People Read Detective Fiction and Who Cares Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? Admittedly he was a brilliant critic. But what are your thoughts on his position?
ReplyDeleteKate, I haven't read that one. It's a later book and I gather the later ones aren't generally as good, though I haven't read them. Of the Carolus Deenes, I really liked A Bone and a Hank of Hair and I'm reading Death of Cold at present, which - so far - is also very good. Case for Three Detectives is great fun.
ReplyDeleteHi Paul. I've written a bit about Edmund Wilson in The Golden Age of Murder and The Life of Crime. Suffice to say that I'm not impressed by his apparent inability to differentiate between high calibre detective stories and those which are admittedly not so great. The truth is that an awful lot of people still care about Roger Ackroyd. Whereas - how many people read Wilson's own novels nowadays?
ReplyDeleteYes I am a fan of the Sergeant Beef mysteries (Case of Four Clowns is the only dud in that series). But it is good to know there are some good Carolus Deene ones too.
ReplyDeleteTwo highly regarded novelists I've messaged and received prompt courteous replies: Martin Walker and Martin Edwards. Just saying
ReplyDeleteMartin - I continue to follow your blog and particularly enjoy your Forgotten Book entries. Whilst I knew Leo Bruce's Sergeant Beef series, I had never heard of Carolus Deene so tracked down this book to give him a try.
ReplyDelete"Die All, Die Merrily" was a fun read with no sagging in the middle. Bruce kept the plot moving with a clever, fairly-clued puzzle and entertaining characters (dare I say humorous caricatures). Thanks for recommending this. I now have two other books from the Deene series in the big pile so look forward to returning to this series.