Sat 17 Dec 2011
Reviewed by William F. Deeck: THURMAN WARRINER – Method in His Murder.
Posted by Steve under Authors , Bibliographies, Lists & Checklists , Characters , Reviews[3] Comments
William F. Deeck
THURMAN WARRINER – Method in His Murder. Macmillan, US, hardcover, 1950. First published in the UK: Hodder & Stoughton, hardcover, 1950.
“Unquestionably, if Rhoda had been his wife, Mr. Ambo would have contemplated murder.” Ambo’s godson, John Wainfleet, who is married to Rhoda, contemplates nothing but a life of obedience to her demands.
Or so it seems, until he reveals to Ambo that, after producing a satirical crime novel that had a modest success and a play that was still going strong, and after being told by Rhoda that he would have to stick to being a solicitor, he has a secret life in which he lives, though perish the thought not in sin, with another woman two days a week and writes successful novels under a pseudonym.
Things are in this state temporarily, and then Rhoda’s brother ostensibly dies in an auto accident. The young doctor who examines the corpse believes death occurred before the accident, and apparently so do the police.
Wainfleet and another man who were with Rhoda’s brother before the accident have perfect alibis. Well, Wainfleet does until Ambo starts investigating and discovers more than he wants to.
This is the first novel featuring the investigations of Charles Ambo; Archdeacon Grantius Fauxlihough Toft, an unusual clergyman who believes in the Devil and burglary; and John Franklin Cornelius Scotter, private investigator. It is well worth discovering by those who enjoy humor, a fine prose style, and three engaging characters.
Bibliographic Notes:
The Ambo, Toft & Scotter series —
Ducats in Her Coffin (n.) Hodder 1951.
Death’s Dateless Night (n.) Hodder 1952.
The Doors of Sleep (n.) Hodder 1955.
Death’s Bright Angel (n.) Hodder 1956.
She Died, Of Course (n.) Hodder 1958.
Heavenly Bodies (n.) Hodder 1960.
Only the first of these was published in the US. Warriner wrote one other mystery under his own name, another twelve as by Simon Troy, and one as John Kersey. Inspector Charles Smith appeared in all but one of the Troy books, the most well-known probably being Road to Rhuine (1952), and had a cross-over appearance in She Died, Of Course above.
December 17th, 2011 at 3:50 pm
I’m sure I read one of the Warriner titles, but it was long time ago. I recall a general lightness to it, which must have been so, as Bill describes the one he read as humorous.
I also read ROAD TO RHUINE, one Warriner wrote as by Simon Troy, prompted in large part by the title, I’m sure. It was reprinted in the US in paperback by Perennial Library, which by far makes it the easiest to find of any of the author’s books.
December 17th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
SWIFT TO ITS CLOSE was also published in paperback by the Perennial Library. I prefer the Troy books to those under his real name. A couple of the later Troy books are minor masterpieces. The John Kersey book NIGHT OF THE WOLF can also be recommended.
December 18th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
I never read SWIFT, I’m sorry to say, though I do have the Perennial paperback, which I’d forgotten about. I didn’t say so earlier, but as I recall, I enjoyed RHUINE, even though from the title, I was expecting something funnier (if not punnier).
I’ll have to do some investigating into the rest of the Simon Troy’s, not all of which were ever published in the US.