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Death of an Author

E.C.R. Lorac,

Martin Edwards (Introduction)

Start date: August 1, 2024

Finish date: August 31, 2024

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Sep 15, 2024 Natalie rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, mystery-thriller

Rating 4.5 stars. I already have read and liked other mysteries by this author. This one had a different couple of inspectors and an unusal format. The dead body isn't discovered till later and so little is known about two members of the household that the inspectors, for a time, question if they actually exist!
A young secretary, Eleanor Clarke, comes forward to say her boss, Vivian LeStrange, a well known author, is missing and presumbaly dead. She also reveals that she has posed as the author Rating 4.5 stars. I already have read and liked other mysteries by this author. This one had a different couple of inspectors and an unusal format. The dead body isn't discovered till later and so little is known about two members of the household that the inspectors, for a time, question if they actually exist!
A young secretary, Eleanor Clarke, comes forward to say her boss, Vivian LeStrange, a well known author, is missing and presumbaly dead. She also reveals that she has posed as the author to his publisher, Mr. Marriott and another author, Michael Ashe.
Inspector Bond is put on the case, followed by Chief Inspector Warner from Scotland Yard. The pair have different ideas but they question almost everything about the case in a series of conversations: Clarke's possible involvement, the involvement of the missing housekeeper, Mrs. Fife, the possibility that LeStrange either never exsisted or is not dead, Ashe as a suspect, and then the possibility that LeStrange and Ashe are actually a pair of missing brothers, Edward and James Merstham, who committed fraud. One of the brothers served prison time so it's suspected that the other brother wants revenge.
Eventually a body is discovered, badly burned, in a country house a few miles away. The inspectors also receive a letter detailing that a group of ex cons helped LeStrange with authentic details to put in his crime novels. Ashe's car is discovered undergoing repairs for an accident. And finally Clarke is traced going to a hospital in Eastbourne, a somewhat distant village.
In the end, we discover that some of the conjectures were right on. (view spoiler).
It was very interesting to read about all the possible angles on the case. My one problem with the book is there are a couple long discussions about men's writing style being very different than a woman's. The author, who is a woman, does point out that though different, they are equally good but the discussion does hint at women being a bit lesser than men, a product of the time period in which this was written (1935).
Lorac is a skilled author who's prose is good, pacing is great, and keeps the tension high. A nice twist on the mystery novel. ...more

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Dec 31, 2024 Perlie rated it really liked it

A tongue-in-cheek mystery involving a [maybe] female mystery writer written by a female mystery writer using a pseudonym. This was one of the more challenging mysteries to unravel, and was entertaining and well-written. A fun way to end the year!

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Aug 27, 2024 GONZA rated it liked it

Shelves: amazon, goodreadsgroups

As usual, I didn't understand anything, but I think the best thing about this murder mystery, are the various characters' lucubrations about the differences (if any) between the writing styles of men and women.

Come al solito non avevo capito niente, ma credo che la cosa migliore di questo giallo, siano le elucubrazioni dei vari personaggi sulle differenze (eventuali) tra gli stili di scrittura degli uomini e delle donne.

...more

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Mar 08, 2023 Stefanie marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Aug 31, 2024 Kathy E rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, mystery-suspense

Oct 31, 2023 Kate marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: england, mysteries, 20th-century-literature, wishlist, british-library-crime-classics

Sep 14, 2024 Laura marked it as to-read

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