Forgotten Book - The Sea Mystery

My copy of Freeman Wills Crofts' fourth novel about Inspector French, The Sea Mystery (1928) once belonged to Helen Simpson, and although it lacks the original jacket, it bears her ownership inscription, dated 'Christmas 1928'. My guess is that, at the time, she was studying the detective novel prior to co-writing Enter, Sir John! with her friend Clemence Dane. She may also have intended to review it. I say this because she included a few handwritten notes, including one on the very last page, which mainly highlight flaws in the story.

There are only a few flaws, however, because Freeman Wills Crofts was, along with Richard Austin Freeman, the most meticulous detective writer then at work. Interestingly, given that identity confusion is a key part of the story, two mistakes concerned his giving the wrong names to characters. You may wonder how such a mistake can be made, but believe me, it is very, very easy. Good writers check their work endlessly prior to publication - yet still errors creep through. Sometimes it's because one reads what one thinks one wrote, rather than what actually appears on the page. I've done it myself, even with books that have had extensive checks by editor, copy editor, and proof reader as well as me.

To a limited extent this story reworks elements of Crofts' bestselling debut, The Cask. Indeed, we learn that Inspector Burnley, who solved that case, is now retired and is friendly with French. Alas, Crofts does include spoilers about the plot of The Cask, which to my mind is a more heinous mistake than those with Helen Simposn picked up. In this novel, as in the earlier one, human remains are found in a crate (by a father and son out on a fishing trip in south Wales), and the hard-working Scotland Yard man has to trace how they got there. 

Most of the action, it must be said, takes place in Devon rather than at sea, not that it matters too much. There's a lot of pleasure to be had in following French's careful investigative process. I must say that one key deduction of his, early in the story, was foreseeably mistaken, but even so I enjoyed seeing how he finally got on the right trail. Crofts was probably at or close to the peak of his powers when he wrote this one. And it shows.

A memorable week

I like to keep busy, but by any standards last week was full-on - and full, fortunately, of interesting and varied activities as I continue to promote Miss Winter in the Library with a Knife as well as developing other projects for the British Library and Crippen & Landru. I very much enjoyed returning to Bromley House, a delightful independent library in a Georgian building, with a garden, last Wednesday. Matt Dolman interviewed me about the book and I was pleased to meet some delightful readers - including a Mrs Winter (although she wasn't armed with a knife...) who is pictured with me below.

Next day, it was back in the car and off to Cumbria, where I hosted murder mysteries on three successive evenings in three splendid libraries. The mystery in question was set in the 1920s and my publishers had kindly produced Miss Winter-themed answer sheets as well as offering a discount code for library users who want to buy the book. There were great audiences each night, and I was delighted with the feedback, sent over by Kinga from Kendal, who organised this mini-tour and who was as hugely supportive as always.

First came a visit to Penrith, a town (and library) I really like, and then on Friday I headed to Keswick to check out some bookshops and also do some research for the next Rachel Savernake novel, which is set around Derwent Water. It's always good to get the real feel of a location, and I believe it does make a difference (for the better) to one's writing. Then it was off, via Kendal, to Barrow-in-Furness, and another excellent evening ensued. The actors this time were members of the Ulverston Outsiders am dram group (photo at the top of this post). Like the library volunteers who took the suspects' parts on the other two evenings, they really got into the swing of things.

Saturday was devoted to Kendal, and lunch with Jean Briggs, who is organising Death on the Dales at Sedbergh later this month - a terrific festival. Logistics for the murder mystery were slightly complicated by road closures for a torchlit procession (no, not organised in my honour😄) but the staff were extremely helpful and it was another truly enjoyable evening.