Forgotten Book - File on Claudia Cragge

It's more than two years since I last discussed Crime Dossiers on this blog, so it's high time to take another look at one of the most enduringly thought-provoking ways of telling a story about a murder mystery. Today I'm looking at the second Dossier that was written by Q. Patrick (Richard Wilson Webb and Hugh Wheeler), File on Claudia Cragge, which dates from 1938.

The interactive nature of the dossier is emphasised by the publisher. The heading on the front cover of my edition (published by Jarrolds in Britain; the American edition is slightly different) is: 'Be your own detective'. And the front cover text reads: 'Through the novel dossier form of presenting the complete case of a crime to the reader, with actual clews...a new dimension of reality has been brought to the detective-story...the realistic account of a criminal action, exactly as received at Police Headquarters. The crime was a murder. The police solved it. Can you?'

Who can resist such a challenge? Not me! But I have to admit that in this case, I didn't get close to the correct solution, as I managed to lead myself astray by focusing initially on a character to whom I thought suspiciously little attention was being paid and then on someone else whom I thought was a credible suspect; the latter assumption was logical, but I missed the vital bit of information. 

This story can be regarded as a locked room mystery, with murder committed at a seance -at which Lieutenant Timothy Trant is present. There is one extremely good visual clue in the dossier which I missed, though I wasn't quite so impressed by some of the other clues. But it's a pretty good story.

There are two noticeable differences from Q. Patrick's other crime dossier, File on Fenton and Farr. That story is longer, and I wondered whether it was originally conceived as a novel. And it was clearly inspired by a real-life case. This mystery, although it involves that classic Golden Age trope the seance, is less convoluted. The coming of the Second World War killed off enthusiasm for mysteries of this kind and Wilson and Webb never returned to this format. But the tide has turned and crime dossiers are undoubtedly attracting more attention now than in the past. And given that I've been interested in them for many years, I'm delighted about that.   

Men - 2022 film review

British folk-horror appeals to me, although it will probably be a long time before anyone tops the film that really catapulted this type of storytelling into the public eye, The Wicker Man. Men, a 2022 film written and directed by the very talented Alex Garland, is at the surreal end of the spectrum. It opens with a favourite song of mine, 'Love Song', performed by Lesley Duncan, and this is a clue to the central theme.

Jessie Buckley, who can do nothing wrong on the screen, is impressive in the role of Harper Marlowe, who has been traumatised by the apparent suicide of her husband James, after a row when he struck her after she made it clear she was going to divorce him. He'd tried emotional blackmail, threatening to end his life, reflecting a controlling attitude that, the film suggests, is a masculine characteristic. I don't go along with the generalisation, but the story is well made.

In the hope of getting over the tragedy, Harper rents a lovely country house for a fortnight, in a village called Cotson in the west country. The owner, Geoffrey, is an oddball, although apparently harmless. He's played by Rory Kinnear, and it soon becomes clear that all the men in the village are played by him. What's it all about?

I don't want to give too many spoilers, but it's fair to say that this is not a film for the squeamish. Harper finds herself stalked by a naked man, taunted by a youth, and fondled by the vicar as events build towards a tumultuous climax. This film isn't a masterpiece, but if you like folk horror, it's definitely one to watch. If only for the excellent acting of both Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear.

Affliction - 1997 film review

 

Affliction is a bleak film, a study of cyclical violence and psychological disintegration. If you're looking for something to cheer you up, this is one to avoid until you're in the right mood. But it is a very good film, directed by the accomplished Paul Schrader and based on a novel by Russell Banks, which lives up to its considerable critical reputation. It's a crime film, with a suspicious death and a troubled cop at its heart, but it's really a drama about human nature, not a mystery in the conventional sense.

Nick Nolte plays Wade Whitehouse, a cop in a small town in New Hampshire. He is divorced and his wife Lillian (Mary Beth Hurt, who was married to Schrader) has custody of their daughter Jill, to whom he is devoted, although their relationship isn't easy. He's now involved with Margie (Sissy Spacek, who is very sympathetic as she tries to cope with a disturbed lover) and he has a brother Rolfe (Willem Dafoe) who provides crucial information in a voiceover at the end of the film - a device that would usually seem like a real cop-out, but which works quite well here, except for the fact that one crucial event, a killing, would surely have worked better if we were shown it, with some build-up, rather than in effect being told about it.

The death of Wade's mother means that his alcoholic and violent father Glen (James Coburn, who won an Oscar for his performance) comes to live with him and Margie. Meanwhile, Wade becomes fixated with the death of a crooked businessman called Twombley, who was shot while on a hunting trip with a local guide called Jack (Jim True). Jack claims the death was an accident, but Wade isn't convinced.

Wade's behaviour as he unravels becomes increasingly illogical and scary for those around him, and the final scenes are upsetting. I've seen this film described as a 'neo-noir crime drama', but that really doesn't convey the flavour of a movie that deals thoughtfully with the question of violent impulses. I've always had a dread of violence, and perhaps that's why I find it fascinating. So often violent movies are crass, but Affliction, although a mostly understated, slow-burn of a film, is compelling.

Forgotten Book - Panic

Helen McCloy was one of the most interesting American woman crime writers of the twentieth century. I say this on the strength of having read less than half of her extremely varied output, but it's a claim I make with some confidence. Her debut, Dance of Death (1938) introduced her series character Dr Basil Willing and was an extremely impressive performance; it marked the start of a long and impressive career.

Today, though, I'm focusing on a stand-alone novel that she published originally in 1944. This was Panic, a book that I think is not only very unusual but also very well-written. However, the novel wasn't published in the UK until 1972. According to that edition (under the admirable imprint of Victor Gollancz), British publishers turned it down 'on the curious grounds that English readers were not interested in such puzzles'. That edition was also modified to remove some wartime references.

This does seem amazing, but it's a little easier to understand when you discover that a large portion of the novel is devoted to discussion of a complex cipher, created by elderly Felix Mulholland, an expert in the ancient Greeks, whose death from an overdose of digitalis occurs right at the start of the story. Even though McCloy's explanation of how different ciphers work is lucid, the material is challenging, and I must admit I didn't try to solve the cipher.

But there's more to the book than that. Has Felix been murdered, and if so, by whom? And when his niece Alison takes refuge in a remote cottage in the middle of nowhere, is she really safe - or at greater risk than ever before? McCloy combines an ingenious puzzle with skilfully created suspense and a decent whodunit (although some of the information about the culprit's motive was not foreshadowed quite as much as I'd have liked). This is a memorable novel, despite some imperfections, and I plan to talk about it in more detail in a future Life of Crime newsletter.  

The Detection Club - exciting times...

Today sees the Detection Club's AGM and summer lunch - which will take place in the Lake District, the first time the Club has ever met in the north of England. This was a decision taken by the members at last year's AGM and I'm excited about it. We will also have some fantastic news to celebrate, and I can do no better than quote the press release issued by Quercus Books:

'Quercus is delighted to announce the acquisition of The Detection Club Murders, a collaborative crime mystery written by current members of the Detection Club, the oldest and most prestigious social network of some of the most successful and prominent crime writers in the world.

The Club was founded in 1930 and amongst its first members were Agatha Christie, G.K. Chesterton and Dorothy L. Sayers, all of whom became Club Presidents. Over the years other leading names such as Margery Allingham, John Le Carre, and Len Deighton followed.

Set in the present day, and featuring a premise that mirrors a real-life Club dinner, The Detection Club Murders opens with a mysterious killing. During the Club’s legendary induction ritual for new members, the room is plunged into darkness when, suddenly, a shot is fired. As the lights come back on, a dead body lies amongst the guests – but we don’t know who has been murdered, or why. Or perhaps even how…

As the police begin their investigation, members of the Detection Club themselves try to work out whodunit through a witty and mind-boggling maze of clues, red herrings, and unexpected twists.
The project is masterminded by the current President of the Club, Martin Edwards, who brings together a stunning raft of today’s leading crime authors, who will craft a classic locked room murder mystery reminiscent of the very best Golden Age detective fiction. All participating names will be released in stages and as a key element of a major marketing campaign.

Publisher Stef Bierwerth says, ‘The minute I opened up Martin’s proposal I was struck by how perfect the finished novel will be for all fans of the classic murder mystery. Built on the decade-long tradition of the world’s most iconic crime writer union, The Detection Club Murders will combine many of the most well-known crime writing brands under one banner, collaborating on a contemporary crime novel. Part of our campaign will be to reveal the different participants step by step – and trust me, you won’t be disappointed by who is taking part in this project.’

Martin Edwards says, ‘Ever since I proposed this book to Club members, I’ve been bowled over by their enthusiasm for the project. Agatha Christie and other founder members of the Club wrote collaborative mysteries in the 1930s, notably The Floating Admiral, and this book will be published to coincide with the centenary of the dinner meetings that led to the Club’s formation. We’re writing The Detection Club Murders in an original way, so as to bring our members’ individual talents to the fore and result in a mystery which reinvents classic crime and gives our readers rich entertainment.’  

The Detection Club Murders will be published in 2028.' 

The White Lotus - season 3 review

To my delight and surprise, season three of The White Lotus (expanded again, this time to eight episodes, but thankfully with little or no padding) was even better than the first two seasons. And that's saying something, because I think this is absolutely first-rate commercial television fare. Writer-director Mike White has achieved something special.

This time the setting is the White Lotus resort in Thailand, a country I've never visited but which looks fascinating. White makes excellent use of the background, and explores (amongst various other things) the way different people approach spirituality. Again there's plenty of satire, especially when the lives of the haves are contrasted with those of the have-nots. But one of White's strengths is that he doesn't depend on the obvious. Far from it. Characters we thought really had a moral compass turn out to be flawed. Even unpleasant individuals can have a pleasant side. 'Justice', as most people would see it, certainly does not always prevail.

Two characters whom we've encountered previously make return appearances that are unexpected by me - and by them. Their renewed acquaintance becomes an important strand in a complex storyline, which opens with another variation on the 'whowasdunin' theme, with an unknown person shooting manically before we flash back to the arrival of a fresh group of guests at the resort.

Jason Isaacs, an actor I've always liked (and once imagined as Harry Devlin - yes, he's a Scouser, even though here he plays an American businessman), and his wife and three children, are amongst the guests who play a pivotal part in the story. We also, once again, become invested in the lives of select members of the hotel staff, including the likeable security guard Gaitok and the pretty colleague whom he fancies. There's a mysterious and rather menacing chap called Rick and his Mancunian girlfriend Chelsea (a great performance by Aimee Lou Wood): see the photo above.

There's a lot of discussion online about the class and privilege issues which crop up in The White Lotus. But there's something else that strikes me about the scripts. A central recurring theme is the sheer randomness of fate. Whichever character you become attached to, you can't be sure they will survive.   

Forgotten Book - The Singing Masons

 

A few years ago, I had the chance to pick up, at a very modest price, an inscribed copy of a novel called The Singing Masons, written by Francis Vivian. I didn't know much about Vivian or his work, but the inscription featured both his pen-name and his real name, Ernest (in fact, his full name was Arthur Ernest Ashley), so I snapped it up. However, I didn't manage to get round to reading it and it slipped slowly down my TBR pile. These things happen.

It leapt back up that pile when I was invited to give a talk about Francis Vivian by Nottinghamshire Libraries, for whom I've done quite a number of events over the years. The idea was to give the talk at Retford Library, where I've spoken before, since Ashley came from that neck of the woods. So my first step was to read The Singing Masons! I didn't know how good it would be, though the fact that the book was published by Hodder, in 1950, I found quite encouraging.

This is an enjoyable book, featuring a likeable Scotland Yard man called Knollis, a series character who works hand in hand with the local inspector, Wilson. The investigative style is faintly reminiscent of Freeman Wills Crofts, but we get a reference to the film version of Chandler's The Lady in the Lake, as well as mention of Poe's Dupin. And the epigraph is a highly relevant quotation from Henry V.

There's a useful map at the start of the book, which I should have studied more closely (though I did figure out whodunit by other means). The story opens with a veteran bee-keeper called Heatherington recounting a lengthy and rather rambling story about the discovery of a corpse. It seems as though the weight of detail is excessive, but in fact Vivian cunningly conveys some very important information in the first chapter.

An unpleasant philanderer and chancer called Batley has been murdered, and suspicion shifts around a small group of suspects. There is a lot of discussion about bees and their habits and care - Vivian himself was a keen bee-keeper - and although the story slows down after a bright start, it is well-written and well-constructed. And it sounds glib to say that there is a sting in the tail at the end of the novel, but it's true. The finale is unexpectedly dark and quite memorable. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of this novel, and I'm very glad I bought it.

  

Operation Finale - 2018 film review

Operation Finale tells a story from real life that I was aware of, but wasn't familiar with in any great detail. It is set mainly in 1960 and concerns the hunt by Mossad agents for the Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann and their attempts to bring him to justice. The director is Chris Weitz, the writer Matthew Orton, and the big draw so far as I was concerned was the casting of Ben Kingsley as Eichmann.

The lead agent is Peter Malkin, played by Oscar Isaac, an actor I don't recall coming across before. He does a solid job as a man haunted by a past mistake, and Melanie Lauren is good as Hanna, the one female member of the team. One thing that surprised me was that less than half the film's running time is devoted to the actual hunt for Eichmann in Argentina (which became home to a lot of Nazis in the Peron era in particular).

The focus then switches to the attempt to get Eichmann out of the country, after the getaway flight on an El Al plane is delayed, Eichmann plays cat and mouse with his captors, and Ben Kingsley gives a fine performance. His mobile features are very effective in conveying and indeed concealing the thoughts and feelings of the character he is playing.

There are small but important parts for Simon Russell Beale and Greta Scacchi. The need to be (roughly) true to the real life story is inevitably a constraint, but on the whole, the film works well. The second half, post-capture, could, however, have been a little shorter. Even with that caveat, I must say that I was glad to watch it, and although one should always be a bit sceptical about films which purport to be based on real life events, I think I did learn quite a bit about what actually happened.  

  

The Dark - ITV review

The clue is in the title of this new six-part TV serial. The Dark isn't a misnomer - it's a dark, Gothicky story about a serial killer, and it's filmed in a suitably dark way. The screenplay is written by Matt Hartley and others and is based on a novel by G.R. Halliday called From the Shadows. I have to admit that I'd never heard of G.R. Halliday, let alone the novel, but this really reflects the fact that in recent years, although I read as much crime as ever, my main focus has been on books from the past - researching titles for the Crime Classics list is fun, but of course it takes up a lot of time. So I'm not as well versed on the latest books as I was in the past.

Anyway, this is a story set in Scotland, and it's got elements of Scandi noir about it: whether Scandi noir was an influence on the author, I don't know, but it wouldn't be a surprise to learn that it was. The scenery is, of course, gorgeous, though I was struck by the number of scenes in which a detective drives on a narrow, winding road with no other cars in sight. I just know that if I did that, I'd soon encounter a tractor coming in the opposite direction. 

Laura Donnelly gives an intense performance as DI Monica Kennedy, the lead detective who has a curious backstory, having been involved in the past with a mysterious cult. She is a single parent, with a young child and a concerned mother. And she's a great one for going into obviously dangerous situations without back-up. I wouldn't say that I really warmed to Monica, but I'm not sure we are meant to do so. The cast also features Helen Baxendale, in a very, very different role from that of Cordelia Gray, the part I most associate with her, in the TV version of P.D. James's An Unsuitable Job for a Woman.

The serial killer is targeting young men and there are a number of creepy suspects who might be culpable. I have to say, though, that I didn't find it difficult to decide which of them was actually the guilty party. The story might have been better told in four parts rather than six, but for the most part it kept me engaged. Not a masterpiece, perhaps, but pretty good television all the same. If you like dark stories, that is. 

Forgotten Book - The Perfect Murder

I have a long-standing interest in collaborative detective novels. The Floating Admiral is an old favourite of mine, a Detection Club classic that is still earning the Club royalties, more than ninety years after it first saw the light of day. Of course, it has the advantage of being associated with Agatha Christie, that most bankable of writers. The Queen of Crime wrote an early chapter in the book, and it's a highlight of the novel.

The Perfect Murder is an extremely unusual example of a collaborative novel and is very different from books such as The Floating Admiral. It began life as an exercise organised by Jack Hitt, a senior editor at Harper's magazine. He had a round-table discussion with five leading mystery writers of the day - three Americans, two Brits - and this was published in the magazine. From there, it grew into a full-length book.

The five writers were Donald E. Westlake, Tony Hillerman, Lawrence Block, Peter Lovesey, and Sarah Caudwell, and one of the merits of choosing this particular quintet - quite apart from their literary ingenuity is that each of them has a distinctive voice. I was especially entertained by Peter Lovesey's contributions, and noted that he managed to include a reference to his favourite 'true crime' - the Brides in the Bath case.

The set-up is that Hitt, in the person of wealthy 'Tim', is contemplating murdering his wife and framing her lover for the crime. He seeks to enlist the aid of gifted mystery writers in order to achieve his aim. Each of the five authors comes up with a highly elaborate scenario, and the plot thickens from there. Very definitely a one-off, but intriguing, it's a book I'm hoping to explore further in a newsletter soon, as Peter Lovesey gave me some of the background information, including a letter from Jack Hitt discussing the project and the original magazine article.