Thrillers & Suspense
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Checkmate to Murder: A Second World War Mystery (British Library Crime Classics)
"[An] excellent fair-play mystery...this British Library Crime Classic more than deserves that status."-Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
On a dismally foggy night in Hampstead, London, a curious party has gathered in an artist's studio to weather the wartime blackout.
As World War II takes its toll around them, a civil servant and a government scientist are matching wits in a game of chess, while an artist paints the portrait of his characterful sitter, bedecked in Cardinal's robes at the other end of the room. In the kitchen, the artist's sister is hosting the charlady of the miser next door.
When the brutal murder of said miser is discovered by his nephew, it's not long before Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard is at the scene, faced with perplexing alibis and with the fate of the young man in his hands. In the search for the culprit, Macdonald and his team of detectives must figure out if one of the members of the studio party is somehow involved in the death, or if some other scurrilous neighbour could be responsible.
The British Library of Crime Classics is pleased to revive this clever, classic mystery for amateur sleuths and fans of British historical fiction.
On a dismally foggy night in Hampstead, London, a curious party has gathered in an artist's studio to weather the wartime blackout.
As World War II takes its toll around them, a civil servant and a government scientist are matching wits in a game of chess, while an artist paints the portrait of his characterful sitter, bedecked in Cardinal's robes at the other end of the room. In the kitchen, the artist's sister is hosting the charlady of the miser next door.
When the brutal murder of said miser is discovered by his nephew, it's not long before Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard is at the scene, faced with perplexing alibis and with the fate of the young man in his hands. In the search for the culprit, Macdonald and his team of detectives must figure out if one of the members of the studio party is somehow involved in the death, or if some other scurrilous neighbour could be responsible.
The British Library of Crime Classics is pleased to revive this clever, classic mystery for amateur sleuths and fans of British historical fiction.
Editorial Reviews
"[An] excellent fair-play mystery... The characters are all well-delineated, and the clues artfully hidden. First published in 1944, this British Library Crime Classic more than deserves that status." - Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Period details-the way wartime blackout regulations made any crime at night hard to see, and the fact that no one noticed the fatal shot because people had become so used to hearing explosives-make this mystery especially fascinating. Readers may want to follow up with Lorac's Murder by Matchlight, also set during WWII." - Booklist, Starred Review
"Period details-the way wartime blackout regulations made any crime at night hard to see, and the fact that no one noticed the fatal shot because people had become so used to hearing explosives-make this mystery especially fascinating. Readers may want to follow up with Lorac's Murder by Matchlight, also set during WWII." - Booklist, Starred Review
Readers Top Reviews
Jim HarrisRonMr. A.J
I love a good “locked room” mystery. E.C.R. LORAC produced one when she wrote CHECKMATE TO MURDER in 1944 even though there is no “locked room”. It is set at the height of “Blacked Out” Britain during WW II. The place is Hampstead a suburb of London, in a neighborhood that had fallen on hard times. At one time, it had been a very genteel middle class area. Now there is one house occupied, with a detached artist’s studio. Most of the other homes were empty and derelict. Mr. Folliner is a 90-year-old single man who is considered a mean man, a miser and a recluse. He occupies the house and rents the artist’s studio to Bruce Manaton a failing artist and his sister Rosanne an artist. Folliner is the murdered victim. As the story opens, the Manaton’s are hosting an evening with friends. Andre Delaunier is an actor posing for Bruce in a Cardinal’s outfit. Robert Cavenish is middle aged and employed in the British Home Office. Ian MacKellan is a younger man and a chemist also employed by the government. These two are engrossed in a chess game. Rosanne is making dinner for the group in the kitchen. Mrs. Tubbs, a cockney housekeeper employed (sort of) by Mr. Folliner drops by briefly and accidentally (?) leaves her key to Folliner’s house in the Manaton’s kitchen. Rosanne briefly leaves the house to check on the how well the blackout curtains are working. There is a pounding on the door. When the door is opened, there stands Special Constable Verraby holding Neil Folliner, the old man’s Canadian grandnephew whom he accusers of murdering his uncle. Eventually, Detective Chief Inspector MacDonald and his staff show up to begin the investigation. MacDonald is main character of this series. He is assisted by Detective Inspectors Jenkins and Reeves. Verraby is also a real estate investor and a suspect. Among the other suspects are Randall Stort, another artist, and his housemate Listelle. They were the previous tenants of the studio and not well thought of. They have disappeared. MacDonald reminds me of the television detective Columbo who seemed to act very slowly but actually is piecing together the elements of the crime in his mind. He uses his D.I.s to do the legwork while he does the thinking. The author’s real name was Edith Caroline Rivett and she wrote under the name Carol Carnac as well. She died in 1958 at age 64. The book is joint project between the British Library in London and Poisoned Pen Press in Arizona. I look forward to reading more in the series. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for fans of British mysteries (a la Agatha Christie), mysteries with a wartime backdrop or just a fun read. See if you can guess the killer before the police. GO! BUY! READ!
Kindle
Have just begun reading books in this series and am so glad to have found this author. British wartime mysteries are the best!
Carolien S
My first book by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed the interesting setting and convoluted plot. An old man is murdered in his house and there are a small number of suspects. Next door a group of friends had spent the evening together and claim ignorance of the event until the police arrives at the door. Quick enjoyable police procedural set in WWII.
I enjoyed reading another Inspector MacDonald mystery. They never disappoint. It's wonderful that these are being republished for Kindle. I hope there are still more to come.
Hal Jordan
E.C.R. Lorac (real name Edith Caroline Rivett) wrote several mysteries featuring the laconic Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard. The British Library Crime Classics series has brought them back into print in handsome paperback editions with new introductions by Martin Edwards. So far I've three read of Macdonald mysteries--this one, Bats in the Belfry ,and Murder by Matchlight. Of the three, I think this one is the best. First published in 1944, it does a good job of recreating the atmosphere of London during wartime, with rationing and strictly enforced blackouts, as well as fogs sufficiently thick to leave a residue on clothing. The book is fast-paced and brief, at only 214 pages. Macdonald is an appealing figure--although not above a little breaking and entering!--and Lorac lets you follow his reasoning almost until the end of the book. She also plays fair and provides clues that someone at least a bit sharper than I am can use to solve the mystery. All-in-all a satisfying read from the Golden Age of British mysteries.
