Reviews

‘I opened this book with high expectations. They have been admirably fulfilled.  Here we have a stand alone thriller about two lonely people who pursue a relationship of monthly weekends together in remote spots.  Suddenly one of these two fails to get to the rendezvous-vous and the other realises how very limited her knowledge of her  companion is . . . Gradually the reader pieces together some of the facts as an atmosphere of rising tension envelops everything. The intelligent way Jay, Lisa and others plan their actions is enjoyable and the suspense of the tale is palpable.’

- MYSTERY PEOPLE

Whistle Up the Devil

517rKCdJNUL._AA160_I do like a locked room mystery and I can heartily recommend Derek Smith’s Whistle Up the Devil (1953) and newly republished. It’s a fairly short novel, which for me is in its favour, and I read most of it over the course of a train journey. It is a familiar set-up – family curse, eldest son murdered in a locked and guarded room at midnight – but done with tremendous verve.  The first murder is followed up by one almost as mystifying, but in a different location. I was gripped from beginning to end. The clues were planted perfectly fairly, but the trick with this kind of novel is to keep you reading at such a lick that you go galloping past them without noticing. Which is exactly what I did. I could have kicked myself at the end, when the solution was revealed.

There are a few weaknesses. Algy, as the gifted amateur sleuth respected by the police, is a pallid imitation of Lord Peter Wimsey, and the characterisation – particularly of the women – made my eyebrows shoot up at one or two points. But no matter, this was a terrific read. In fact I enjoyed it a lot more than John Dickson Carr’s The Case of the Constant Suicides, which I read around the same time, and found rather feeble in comparison.

4 Comments

  1. moira @ClothesInBooks
    February 14, 2016

    Oh this sounds good! I like a locked room mystery, and this sounds like the real thing, though have never heard of book or author. I will seek it out.

    Reply
    • Christine Poulson
      February 14, 2016

      I think he wrote very little, Moira. I can’t remember how I came across this. It was on my wish list for a while. I must say, the sexual politics are fairly hair-raising even for the time, but the puzzle really is excellent.

      Reply
  2. moira @ClothesInBooks
    February 28, 2016

    This has been lingering in my mind since I read your review, and even though I am not ‘supposed’ to be adding anything to my Kindle, you have broken through my defences, damn you! Just downloaded it.

    Reply
    • Christine Poulson
      February 28, 2016

      I am only getting my own back, Moira! My lengthening TBR list has a lot to do with you. Whistle Up the Devil is great fun.

      Reply

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