Mon 12 Apr 2021
An Archived Review by Gloria Maxwell: C. B. H. KITCHIN – Death of His Uncle.
Posted by Steve under Reviews[5] Comments
C. B. H. KITCHIN – Death of His Uncle. Malcolm Warren #3. Constable, UK, hardcover, 1939. Perennial Library, paperback, 1st US printing, 1984.
Malcolm Warren is a London stockbroker. He has had nominal success as an amateur sleuth in two cases involving relatives. Warren is contacted by an acquaintance, Dick Findlay, he knew at Oxford, who he does not consider a close friend. Dick casually asks Warren to help him discover the whereabouts of his uncle, who has not returned from a mysterious holiday.
Warren intends only to help Dick learn whether his uncle is still on holiday or met with an unfortunate accident (turning the case over to the police if the latter happened). Try as he might, Warren is unable to dismiss the observations and indicators that seem to point toward foul play. Even after evidence points to a bathing accident, Warren is unable to stop making deductions and pursuing interviews with possible suspects.
The illogicality of a missing mackintosh, a pair of patent leather dress shoes and no dress suit, and a missing pad of paper provide Warren with the salient clues for a murder solution, Tremendous for those who like mysteries with an old-fashioned flavor!
Editorial Comment: Be sure to also read Gloria’s preceding review, Death of My Aunt, also by C. H. B. Kitchin, and the first of the Malcolm Warren stories.
April 12th, 2021 at 7:33 pm
Kitchin was one of those underrated British mystery writers who were always reliable, seldom showy, and adept at both a turn of phrase and plot.
April 12th, 2021 at 7:51 pm
I concur. I was surprised, though, when I looked him earlier today, to discover that his reputation as a mystery writer is based on a very few books. From Wikipedia:
“He was best known for his four mystery novels featuring the sleuth Malcolm Warren (Death of My Aunt, Crime at Christmas, Death of His Uncle, and The Cornish Fox), but his other novels were also highly regarded, especially by other writers. His best-known novels are The Auction Sale, Streamers Waving, and Mr. Balcony.”
According to Hubin, he did write one other novel of crime fiction, and then a collection of stories, some of which are criminous.
I think I have been confusing him for a long time with another mystery writer of the same era, that being Henry Kitchell Webster, who also had a book reprinted by Perennial.
April 13th, 2021 at 6:28 am
And there was confusion over his DEATH OF MY AUNT with MURDER OF MY AUNT by Richard Hull.
April 13th, 2021 at 9:34 am
Yes. Count me among those who have been confused — and without even realizing it!
April 13th, 2021 at 7:18 pm
Hull’s book title may be the best grammatical red herring in the genre.