V.C. Clinton-Baddeley (1900–1970)

An entertaining story involving the murder of an unpleasant ex-policeman in the garden of a London club, one of whose other members is the elderly Dr Davie (whom I strongly suspect to be a self-portrait by the author). Some language tapes turn out to have been used for nefarious purposes, although the way in which the investigating policeman Mays asks Davie to help him is highly implausible - he visits someone who may be involved and fails to ask him any pertinent questions at all, although he gets some useful information completely by accident. The denouement, at an opera performance in an obscure hall in the London suburbs, is moderately exciting, though again Davie's contribution is partly accidental. There are some amusingly old-fashioned observations about pop music (the most recent song mentioned is "Slow Boat to China") and the remarkable claim is made that almost anyone knows the famous opera arias!
Incidentally, I wonder if this is the first murder mystery to come complete with a recipe (for the author's favoured method of making Creme Brulee)?… (altro)

Dr. R.V. Davie, retired college professor and amateur detective, is attending a scientific symposium at the College of St. Nicholas at Cambridge. What is to be an informative and academic event becomes dramatic when murder happens.

Among the learned professors attending is Dr. Brauer, an ambitious, handsome, egotistical man and the featured speaker at the conference. As he takes the podium to speak, he hesitates and then collapses. He has been felled by a poison dart.

There is a museum on the college grounds, which houses a collection of primitive weapons. A blow gun has gone missing and Brauer's death makes the missing weapon a focal point.

During Dr. Davie's investigation, it turns out that a number of the good professors have some deep secrets and possible motives for wanting Brauer dead, and some secrets that may be dark but of no importance. Skeletons in many closets. These all lend themselves to a twisting plot that can surprise the reader at the end.

They style of the writing has a taste of Dickens with the names and descriptions. As it is set in England and in a setting in academia it all fits nicely, in my opinion. (less)

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comment · see review… (altro)

For the 2016 reading challenge, one of the book had to have a lead character who worked in the same industry as the reader. In this case, the hero is a college professor, as was I.
Synopsis: In the midst of a conference, one of the main speakers dies. There is also a burglary in which a African blowgun is stolen. And to top this off it appears a Nazi war criminal is on the loose.
Review: Set on the campus of Cambridge, this interesting mystery was written in the 1980s by a British author; the slang and general language usage makes reading the book a bit of a challenge in some places. The actual murderer was difficult to uncover, although once revealed he/she was the logical suspect. This book was good enough that I may read the rest of the series.… (altro)