Sat 25 Jun 2011
Reviewed by William F. Deeck: SHELLEY SMITH – He Died of Murder!
Posted by Steve under Reviews[5] Comments
William F. Deeck
SHELLEY SMITH – He Died of Murder! Harper & Brothers, hardcover, 1948. First published in the UK: Collins, hardcover, 1947.
When the Master of The Seekers, a religious sect devoted to celibacy, truth-telling, and a vegetarian diet, is murdered, it appears to be something of a miracle, in the nonreligious sense, to be sure. The Master was shot almost point blank in the middle of a plowed field with several of his sect more or less observing. Yet no one was near him and there were no footprints other than his in the field.
Staying at the Sanctuary, the home of The Seekers, Detective Inspector Chaos of Scotland Yard investigates these now ostensibly unworldly people and their definitely worldly neighbors. A man of insights and practical knowledge, Chaos, belying his name, finds an unspiritual motive and calmly tracks down the murderer.
Generally I find novels of alleged psychological suspense tedious or unpersuasive. I have heretofore avoided Smith’s works for that reason. But this is also a detective novel, with Chaos a delightful character. Even the child whom he befriends and who intends to marry him is acceptable, most unusual in a genre where children are little horrors whether the author intended it or not.
Bibliographic Notes: Shelley Smith was the pseudonym of Nancy Bodington, 1912-1998, author under this pen name of 15 crime and detective novels between 1942 and 1978. There was one earlier case adventure for Inspector Jacob Chaos, that being Background for Murder (Swan, 1942; no US edition).
June 25th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
Sometimes Bill was a bit frustrating in his comments on a book, and this is one of those times. After pointing out the Impossible Crime aspect of HE DIED OF MURDER!, he failed to address what I wanted to know the most. That is to say, how ingenious was the planning and the solution of the crime?
There’s only one alternative, and that’s to buy the book. Any detective named Chaos is worth investigating, anyway, at any time. And any locked room mystery I hadn’t known about before is always welcome! (It is in ADEY.)
June 25th, 2011 at 8:35 pm
The main branch of the Chicago Public library has quite a few of Smith’s books. But, alas, no copy of the one reviewed above. I was surprised that many of her books were re-issued by Academy Chicago (which is why we have so many) I will have to find out if HE DIED OF MURDER! is one of those reissued. It certainly is the kind of book that appeals to me and Bill’s cryptic review – just like CRAZY TO KILL – has more than intrigued me.
June 25th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
I didn’t come up with a paperback edition of HE DIED FROM MURDER that was in the US, only a White Circle ppbk in the UK. I wonder why Academy Chicago picked up on her. She certainly didn’t have much of name recognition value, even when her books came out originally. (Maybe an editor there was high on “psychological suspense,” a category that Bill never seems to have found to his liking.)
June 26th, 2011 at 6:48 am
I have this one, also Background to Murder, which takes place in an insane asylum (think I have two copies of that one).
Julian Symons devoted space to praising Shelley Smith in Bloody Murder, which probably had a lot to do with her reissue by Academy Chicago. He considered her, along with the late Celia Fremlin, an important English exponent of “psychological suspense.” An Afternoon to Kill and The Party at No. 5 are, indeed, rather brilliant examples of the form.
Her earlier work was closer to straight detection.
January 5th, 2023 at 5:41 am
[…] See also: There is also a review of this title on Mystery*File. […]