Murder in Piccadilly

This is another entry in the British Library Crime Classics series that reprints (mostly) Golden Age mysteries, often by authors who are now forgotten. This book is an instance; I'd never previously heard of Charles Kingston (real name Charles Kingston O'Mahoney).The cast of characters in this book seems to have escaped from a P.G. Wodehouse novel: The rich but stingy uncle; the lazy nephew, anxious to collect his inheritance; the scheming lower-class dancer hoping to marry the nephew and his inheritance. I kept waiting for Bertie Wooster to appear and, with the help of Jeeves, set everything right.The book is well written and engaging. My only real objection is that it comes to rather an abrupt (and surprising) conclusion. The pace suddenly accelerates at the end in way that seems jarringly out of synch with the rest of the book. I almost wonder whether Kingston was racing to meet a deadline or whether the manuscript was initially too long (at 305 pages in this edition, it is lengthier than the typical mystery of the period) and he was obliged at the last minute to trim it down. I knocked one star off the rating to account for the rather unsatisfactory ending.I like the design of the books in this series. Many, like this one, use images from period travel posters on their covers. Martin Edwards contributes a useful introduction, recounting what little is now known of Kingston. One word of warning, however: Edwards divulges too much of the plot for my tastes. So I would read the introduction after finishing the book rather than before. I would avoid reading the copy on the back cover for the same reason.

"Murder in Piccadilly: A British Library Crime Classic", by Charles Kingston, is a reprint of a mystery, originally published in 1936, by Poisoned Pen Press. The book is set in London, 1936, and the reader has to realise that styles of mystery writing have changed in the intervening 70 years. Not necessarily improved...but changed. This is not "your" mystery, but more likely your grandmother's. Poisoned Pen Press is republishing a series of these mysteries; "Piccadilly" is the second, so far."Murder in Piccadilly" is a fun read that is as much a study of mid-1930's society as it is a "who done it". Only one murder occurs, and, though done by a stiletto, is surprisingly bloodless. Much bloodier, in a way, are the conversations among the characters. "Bobbie" Cheldon is a 24 year old man who is waiting for his wealthy uncle to die and leave him his fortune and his estate. Unfortunately, Uncle Massy isn't THAT old, and besides being snobbish, crotchety, and cheap, is likely to live for a while yet. Bobbie is getting tired of waiting for his fortune to be made for him and is unwilling to work for a living. Like many young men without a life's path, he is weak and easily led. And led he is by Nancy Curzon, a 19 year old dancer from Whitechapel. Nancy has appeared in Bobbie's life and is only willing to remain with him if he's rich. Bobbie, who must be the stupidest person in Christendom, is unable or unwilling to see Nancy's true nature. Everyone around him, though, can see it just fine.Okay, so Uncle Massy must die - and he does - for the book to continue. The Scotland Yard detective, Chief Inspector Wake, begins his investigation by asking that old Latin question - "cui bono" - and his investigation brings him directly to Bobbie, the heir. Wake's sized up Bobbie pretty well and knows that he is too weak minded to actually do the deed, so Wake concentrates on Nancy and other characters in her world. Because, even if Bobbie is the direct heir - 10,000BP a year! - others also stand to benefit. Wake and his men investigate and even find the killer, but then a twist at the ending leaves everything - and everyone - at a bit of a loss. It's a clever book, well told.The best thing about this book - and I presume the others in the series - is that it is written contemporaneously. Everything we're reading about actually existed at the time. This is what a a slice of London society looked like. As I like reading historical novels - mysteries, included - it was great fun to read "Murder in Piccadilly" and I'm giving it a 5 star review, within its own genre. IF you're not interested in historical fiction, then you might not like "Murder in Piccadilly" as much as I did. (I was given this book by Poisoned Pen Press, in exchange for an HONEST review, which I have given. I am honest about liking the genre, but telling others who may not, not to buy the book. How much more "honest" can I get?)

This review is for the paperback edition. The grammar is good, the sentence structure is good, and five of the main characters have been given very good character development (for these reasons I have rated the book as 2 star instead of 1 star). However, there is no mystery. A murder is planned, a murder is accomplished (not until long after page 100), and Scotland Yard becomes involved and solves the mystery (which is no mystery to the reader). The Chief Inspector Wake from Scotland Yard was the only truly delightful character in the book. There are also a few twists in the last few pages of the book which almost make it worthwhile reading (but only if the reader is not interested in reading a mystery). The clean-up at the end is haphazard and lacking, especially after all of the extraneous words/sentences used to write this novel.

What a shame I couldn't give 4.5 stars--so much fairer ! I very strongly disagree with the other review about the first half of the book . The various --mainly unpleasant -characters are portrayed with real skill and economy . The petit bourgeois mother is very well done as is her odious son . For me it had strong influences from the classic 1934 Richard Hull novel , " The murder of my Aunt " .The lead up to the murder is well handled as is much of the subsequent police work although there are some mundane parts here . The ending is a nice surprise and the London settings remind me a bit of the later work of Margery Allingham .I much preferred this to the other similar title --Murder in Soho --and as ever the enjoyment is enhanced by another excellent introduction by Martin Edwards. I shall finish with my standard plea of ' more from this author and soon please !'.

Fairly well written, but plot not for me. About a quarter of the way in I began skip reading and then at half way looked at the end. Glad I did, saved my self some wasted time.

This novel lacked plot. It was constantly repetitive with no narrative drive. It lacked substance and style. The writer made too errors in trying to achieve the style.

I felt the ending was rather weak. After all the build up I was thinking it would be more dramatic ending. The inspector who had been on every page seemed to fade out of sight in the last chapterYes a bit disappointed

a little implausible at times