Thu 13 Jun 2013
Reviewed by William F. Deeck: PAUL McGUIRE – The Black Rose Murder.
Posted by Steve under Bibliographies, Lists & Checklists , Characters , Reviews[4] Comments
William F. Deeck
PAUL McGUIRE – The Black Rose Murder. Brentano’s, US, hardcover, 1932. First published in the UK: Skeffington, hardcover, 1931, as Murder in Bostall.
At first appearance, it’s a simple case: Lord Barbary wants his wife investigated for possible adultery. The firm that Jacob Modstone heads has undertaken the task. Modstone is an elderly private detective who is “kindly and honest except in the way of business and old furniture.” His nephew, the firm’s chief operative, is in charge of the investigation. Unfortunately, despite his uncle’s misgivings, the nephew doesn’t reveal all of the facts to Mr. Modstone and is soon found dead.
It appears that Modstone’s nephew may have been blackmailing someone. In order to clear his nephew’s reputation, Modstone begins a search for the murderer, a search that pits him directly against Inspector Cummings, of no known first name. Occasionally Modstone is ahead of Cummings, but not very far, and Cummings always catches up.
The plot isn’t much here. It is the characters of Modstone, a most unusual private investigator — on one occasion he carries a revolver but is “not certain what happened when you pulled the trigger thing” — and Cummings that make the novel enjoyable reading.
The Chief Inspector Cummings series —
Murder in Bostall. Skeffington 1931. Brentano’s, US, 1932, as The Black Rose Murder.
Three Dead Men. Skeffington 1931. Brentano’s, US, 1932.
Daylight Murder. Skeffington 1934. Doubleday, US, 1935, as Murder at High Noon.
Murder in Haste. Skeffington 1934. No US edition.
7:30 Victoria. Skeffington 1935. No US edition.
Note: Previously reviewed on this blog by Al Hubin was Murder by the Law (Skeffington, 1932). For more on the author himself, plus a more complete bibliography, check out this page on the Golden Age of Detection wiki.
June 14th, 2013 at 11:46 am
Very atypical biography for a mystery writer- and for a diplomat .
The Doc
June 14th, 2013 at 5:31 pm
In a certain sense, Doc, I don’t quite agree. Especially with the more unknown mystery writers of the 30s and 40s, say, I continue to be surprised as to how many of them had substantial careers in the “real” world, and only dabbled in mysteries as a sideline.
April 3rd, 2021 at 9:55 pm
[…] blog, there is not a single copy to be found offered for sale. But also by Paul McGuire and previously reviewed here is Murder in Bostall (US: The Black Rose Murder), this time by Bill […]
May 24th, 2022 at 12:32 pm
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