Reading the Detectives discussion

Our March group read is Richardson's First Case by Basil Thomson, which is available from Dean Street Press - the first in a series following PC Richardson on a quick rise through CID.

Please do not post spoilers in this thread.

Below is the Goodreads blurb:

The D.D.I. recognized him and smiled. “That was a great case you brought us. You’ll be interested to hear that it is a case of mur-r-der!”

For eight years Basil Thomson headed the famous C.I.D., New Scotland Yard. He knew the Yard inside out. Now in this tale of mystery and detection we are taken behind the scenes. We are shown the greatest detection machine in the world in motion, and see how the Yard tracked down its man.

Stand, then, with young P.C. Richardson on the misty corner of Baker Street, while the traffic of the city swings by, and fate lays at his feet the beginning of his career. Out of the fog brakes shriek, a big car jolts to a stop, and from beneath the wheels the crowd disentangles a bundle of old clothes, within which is a man quite dead; a man who had said to someone, “Very well, then; I’ll call a policeman”—and was killed. Work with him to the ingenious solution, when he takes from his pocket the clue holding the fate of a human life.

Richardson’s First Case was originally published in 1933. This new edition, the first in over seventy years, features an introduction by crime novelist Martin Edwards, author of acclaimed genre history The Golden Age of Murder.

Opening this up slightly early as several of us are well under way with the book or have finished. I really enjoyed it - hoping others do too. It's also interesting to see from the introduction by Martin Edwards what an amazing life this author led.

I was glad of the introduction. It made me see how steeped in the Scotland Yard hierarchy Thomson was which probably affected his inability to pare down the bureaucratic layers.

I thought this was probably the best early British police procedural I've come across so far - more realistic than Bobby Owen or Inspector French, though I enjoy both of those series too. I also enjoyed the Victorian rhythms of the prose style - from an author who was already in his 70s when he began this series.

I didn't feel that Richardson himself really comes alive as a character, but the characters involved in the murder plot are all interesting.

Yes, I also enjoyed this early police procedural - I thought the dry humor and factual tone made the story move along briskly. I liked seeing the machinery of Scotland Yard in motion.

I didn’t feel I really got to know Richardson - I thought if I was unaware of the title, or that Richardson was supposed to be the hero, I might think it was Inspector Foster or even Kennedy, the naval man who went to such lengths to clear his friend, Sharp. I thought the suspects and witnesses were interesting, too.

I had an entirely different view. I thought the writing was "plodding" like you described the police work. I actually rolled my eyes when later in the novel one of the bigwigs told someone to sit down (pointing to a chair). I didn't understand the acronyms and could have done without them. While I have been introduced to other series in this group, this is one I will not be pursuing.

I thought this was interesting, but I can't honestly say I enjoyed it. It is a very early (possibly the first), police procedural. In that sense, it was good to see things from the inside, rather than from the point of view of a private detective. Definitely historically interesting to me, but not a great read, in my opinion.

The profile of the author was fascinating; he did so many different things and then started writing in his 70's. Quite impressive.

I enjoyed the book: the style, the realistic portrayal of Scotland Yard, the characters, the plot. Like others have said, Richardson did not seem to be the hero, it was more the whole group working together (as stated in the introduction, if I remember correctly).

I will probably not continue the series on my own however, as I have so many in process. But would participate in any group reads if the books are easily and cheaply, available.

In all a satisfying read.

Sandy wrote: "The profile of the author was fascinating; he did so many different things and then started writing in his 70's. Quite impressive.

I enjoyed the book: the style, the realistic portrayal of Scotlan..."

Satisfying- good description. This didn’t suffer from many debut mystery mistakes, which I’m sure we are all familiar with - weak, glacial plotting, too easy of a puzzle, or cardboard characters.

Granted, as I said above, we didn’t learn Richardson inside and out as a character, but we can already see he has smarts and initiative enough to think outside the box, and this shows he has the makings of a good detective. That, along with the realistic view of ALL the viewpoints and work that goes into cracking a case, made this a more satisfying read for me than the first Bobby Owen, for instance, which I just read. I can see the potential there, and liked Mitchell and want to continue that series because several of you have let me know it gets better. But if I stumbled across that author’s first effort and this book on my own, I would be more likely to read this author again. I attribute that to Thomson’s remarkable life and experience- it comes through!

Couldn’t help thinking of all those old coot background characters who were retired Majors and Colonels in all the British mysteries I’ve read over the years who were supposedly “writing their memoirs” and boring everyone with their colonial reminiscing. Thomson actually sat down and wrote a series, and they were popular and entertaining!

I didn't find the mystery all that mysterious - solved it before 40% through, and for those who didn't get it, the author solves it way to early.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I didn't find the mystery all that mysterious - solved it before 40% through, and for those who didn't get it, the author solves it way to early."

True- it was a pretty limited cast of suspects - but I expect that’s often the case for police and prosecutors, they are pretty sure whodunnit, just have to build the case for a jury with surefire evidence. Not glamorous but necessary! I think that part was realistically shown, without boring the reader too much - although I found myself thinking several times, “boy, these guys are going to find their job SO much easier once there are police radios, let alone cellphones!”

Susan in NC wrote: "True- it was a pretty limited cast of suspects - but I expect that’s often the case for police and prosecutors, they are pretty sure whodunnit,"

With the huge number of unsolved cold cases in real life, I would think they often either not enough or too many suspects.

Sandy wrote: "The profile of the author was fascinating; he did so many different things and then started writing in his 70's. Quite impressive...."

Yes, I think a biography of him would make a good read - I was most surprised to see that he even landed up on the wrong side of the law at one stage when he was accused of outraging public decency.

Judy wrote: "Sandy wrote: "The profile of the author was fascinating; he did so many different things and then started writing in his 70's. Quite impressive...."

Yes, I think a biography of him would make a go..."

Agreed- that was an intriguing fact!

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "True- it was a pretty limited cast of suspects - but I expect that’s often the case for police and prosecutors, they are pretty sure whodunnit,"

With the huge number of unsolve..."

Good point.

Maybe the policeman being at the scene of the car accident made a difference. I doubt the woman who heard Catchpole say he was going to find a policeman, wouldn't have bothered going to police about it. From there Richardson was able to search the victim and and follow up straight away

Jill wrote: "Maybe the policeman being at the scene of the car accident made a difference. I doubt the woman who heard Catchpole say he was going to find a policeman, wouldn't have bothered going to police abou..."

Good point Jill - I think the same sort of thing happens in one of the Bobby Owen books, that he is on the scene and therefore gets involved with the case.

Did anyone else wonder why the driver of the vehicle was never mentioned, interviewed, have anything to do with this?

There is quite a detailed biography of Sir Basil Thomson on the Spartacus website, with a lot about his investigations into spying activities - I haven't read all of this but I don't think it mentions his detective stories at all, just some books he published earlier in his career, showing how they had been forgotten before they were rediscovered by Dean Street Press.

https://spartacus-educational.com/SSt...

Judy wrote: "Jill wrote: "Maybe the policeman being at the scene of the car accident made a difference. I doubt the woman who heard Catchpole say he was going to find a policeman, wouldn't have bothered going t..."

Yes, that happened at the beginning of Information Received (I just finished it); Bobby was on patrol when the first murder victim was discovered and the butler called him in.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Did anyone else wonder why the driver of the vehicle was never mentioned, interviewed, have anything to do with this?"

Oh wow, you’re right! That is weird, isn’t it?

Judy wrote: "There is quite a detailed biography of Sir Basil Thomson on the Spartacus website, with a lot about his investigations into spying activities - I haven't read all of this but I don't think it menti..."

Thanks, very interesting, what a career- but I was surprised he left university because of a nervous complaint and thought moving to Iowa to train as a farmer would suit him - one of the toughest jobs out there, especially at that time, I would’ve thought.

Susan in NC wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Did anyone else wonder why the driver of the vehicle was never mentioned, interviewed, have anything to do with this?"

Oh wow, you’re right! That is weird, isn’t it?"

I was under the impression that it was a hit and run.
Also The policeman would verify that Catchpool just run in front of the car, thereby being his fault .

Jill wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Did anyone else wonder why the driver of the vehicle was never mentioned, interviewed, have anything to do with this?"

Oh wow, you’re right! That is ..."

Please see my comment in the spoiler thread.

Jill wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Did anyone else wonder why the driver of the vehicle was never mentioned, interviewed, have anything to do with this?"

Oh wow, you’re right! That is ..."

True, but when the legal issue with the will came up, it’s surprising that the police didn’t at least take a look at the driver to make sure there was no foul play. Maybe they did and I missed it.

Thanks Elizabeth, I think the discussion was starting to veer into spoilers here, so thanks for switching threads.

Reading this novel has made me wonder about the evolution of police procedurals, and when they first became popular.

I found an interesting article about the genre by Otto Penzler, but he doesn't spend a lot of time looking at the very earliest examples.
https://crimereads.com/what-is-a-poli...

I get the impression that the Maigret books were among the earliest, along with Basil Thomson.

I think Anna Katharine Green may have been much earlier than Simenon, with her Mr. Gryce Series.

Judy wrote: "Reading this novel has made me wonder about the evolution of police procedurals, and when they first became popular.

I found an interesting article about the genre by Otto Penzler,..."

Interesting article, thank you, and thanks for the link to this website.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I think Anna Katharine Green may have been much earlier than Simenon, with her Mr. Gryce Series."

Thank you, I’d not heard of this author.

I have been meaning to try Anna Katharine Green. Penzler does mention Dickens and Wilkie Collins, but although they do have police detectives I don't think they are really procedurals.

It may be a stretch to say the Mr. Gryce books are police procedurals, but he is the head of the department and there are others in the department who are involved in the solution to the crime. Her characters overlap somewhat in different series.

I like that wikipedia says she was "writing well plotted, legally accurate stories."

Judy wrote: "Reading this novel has made me wonder about the evolution of police procedurals, and when they first became popular.

I found an interesting article about the genre by Otto Penzler,..."

Thanks for the link. Lots of police procedurals to be looked up.