John Rhode published The Corpse in the Car in 1935, at which time he was at the peak of his powers as a detective novelist, and this is one of the more entertaining Rhodes I've read. Collins reprinted the book in the early 70s, but it's quite hard to find even that edition, and I was fortunate to be bequeathed a copy by a lady called Susan Smith, whom I never met but who shared my love of classic crime and wanted her books to go to people who would enjoy them (Peter Lovesey was another recipient of her generosity).
In this story, Dr Priestley expresses the same view that you find in the Lord Peter Wimsey novels - 'when you know how, you know who' - although Rhode makes his point rather less pithily than Sayers. Accordingly, you know that the focus of the story will be on the modus operandi rather than the culprit's psychological motivation. I must say that I'll always be more interested in whodunit and whydunit than howdunit, but the scientific elements in this story are quite nicely done.
Lady Misterton, rich and irascible, goes on a drive in Windsor Great Park, before telling her chauffeur to stop and go back to her home to collect her handbag. But she insists that he walks the not inconsiderable distance rather than driving; she is happy to listen to her portable wireless while she waits. Of course, one smells a rat - what is her real motivation? Two dramatic things happen shortly afterwards. First, the chauffeur is knocked down by a motorbike. Second, her ladyship is found dead - but the cause of death is far from obvious.
Rhode maintains the pace of the story pretty well throughout the book, though I'm not sure he 'plays fair' in certain respects as regards his account of the criminal's actions. If you are bothered by such things, be warned that a cat dies in this story. And there are a lot of stuffed cats - keeping her beloved pets post-mortem was one of her ladyship's obsessions. All very odd. But a story that is worth reading by anyone who enjoys an unusual murder method.
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