Death in Triplicate

by E.C.R. Lorac

Dapper Colonel Philip Ryan and famous author Elizabeth Wordhead married late in life, a first marriage for each of them. She had money, he had charm, good clothes, a reputation of being a really nice man and a fabulous car--a Jaguar. He moved into her house, in the remote village where she had lived for the past ten years. Several months after their marriage they took a driving vacation to Italy. When Colonel Ryan returned from that vacation alone, people began to talk. His vague answer that Elizabeth would return when she wanted to satisfied no one. Elizabeth's housekeeper was one of those who was convinced that the colonel had done away with his wife. The motive? Money, of course!
Anne Wordhead, Elizabeth's sister, even filed a missing person's report with the police, hinting at foul play while the couple were in Italy. Superintendent Kempson of the local police force reluctantly filed the report.
Poor Kempson! Matters were soon to get very complicated.

Genres: Mystery, British Literature

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Edith Caroline Rivett (who wrote under the pseudonyms E.C.R. Lorac, Carol Carnac, Carol Rivett, and Mary le Bourne) was a British crime writer. She was born in Hendon, Middlesex (now London). She attended the South Hampstead High School, and the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London.

She was a member of the Detection Club. She was a very prolific writer, having written forty-eight mysteries under her first pen name, and twenty-three under her second. She was an important author of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

Reviews

[Barb in Maryland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1958, this is one of Lorac's last books and one of her few stand-alone titles. Excellent mystery. I became quite fond of superintendent Kempson.
It all starts as a missing person's case. Anne Wordhead storms into the police station, corners Kempson, and proceeds to harangue him for an hour with details on her sister Elizabeth, who dropped off the face of the earth while on vacation in Italy with her husband, Col. Philip Ryan. As the story unfolds, there are clues that the marriage was in trouble; and that Anne suspects the colonel of doing away with her sister. Motive? Money! She was a rich author; he was poor, but charming, with a taste for fine things, witness his Jaguar.
Elizabeth's longtime housekeeper fuels that speculation. Then Col. Ryan's nephew Jim shows up to visit his uncle and, finding him (and his Jaguar) missing, begins to suspect the housekeeper of murdering the colonel. Poor Kempson!
There are a number of twists and turns, with multiple theories of who did what, and why, before the baddie is revealed. I was quite satisfied with the solution.
I really like this author and I'm thankful that some libraries still have her books on their shelves.

[Lisa Kucharski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess this is also Death in Triplicate, though I do think People Will Talk really sums up the book better. The mystery (which came out a year before the author died) basically revealed itself by gossip, hearsay, and the like. Basically no physical evidence could be found to justify more than a tepid investigation at first. Though upon hearing all the talk- you certainly had a justifiable concern that something really bad has happened (you just haven't found the evidence yet.)

I really enjoyed the trying to watch each of the characters and trying to figure out what was fact or fiction. Even when evidence is found as the story moves doesn't specifically give enough light to lead to a specific culprit. However, it is the physical evidence and the talk that at some point, trip the guilty one up. Well done, I actually picked out the murderer but wasn't sure until actual physical evidence appeared. So, was a well done mystery- I felt it must be more like real life too- where you know something's wrong but the crime's location is well hidden.

Also - This doesn't feature MacDonald but an Insp. Kempson

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspector Kempson is confronted with a belligerent old lady who insists that her sister, Mrs. Ryan, has disappeared during an Italian trip, and that her brother-in-law, Colonel Ryan, has murdered her. It appears that the relationship between the rich, imperious Mrs. Ryan and her not-too-clever husband had broken down during the trip, and only Colonel Ryan had returned to England, staying disconsolately in their beautiful house. Then he disappears as well, and the village gossips are having a blast. Much against his will, Inspector Kempson is forced to investigate what appears to be a simple case of matrimonial strife.

Enjoyable, if only for the picture of life in England in the fifties.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read under the title "People Will Talk." A fantastic piece of Golden Age detective fiction from a brilliant writer. Highly recommend.