The Factory on the Cliff (The Fonthill Complete A. G. Macdonell Series) by A. G. Macdonell

by A.G. Macdonell

Writing under the pseudonym Neil Gordon, A. G. Macdonell wrote several crime and thriller novels. In the classic genre of '20s and '30s crime fiction, Macdonell managed to introduce a different element, unusual twists that keep the reader captivated and anxious to discover what came next. The Factory on the Cliff begins with a spoilt golf holiday at a coastal golflinks hotel in Aberdeenshire.'George Templeton's car refused to start on the self-starter. He jumped out impatiently and gave the handle a mighty twist. The engine backfired and dislocated his thumb and he found himself unable to play golf for the remainder of his holiday.' Unable to play golf with his friends, he resorts to country walks and stumbles upon suspicious goings-on at a cliff-top farmstead where there are numerous outbuildings. The story moves from Scotland to London, and then to a small village in the Home Counties.In a fast-moving thriller which in some degree resembles John Buchan's The Thirty-Nine Steps, George Templeton and his friends foil an international plot to mass-poison many countries in the World. Macdonell uses his usual skill, well-dosed with ingenious twists, and a fast moving story-line, to keep the reader riveted to the book. Chase, conspiracy, espionage, quick-thinking initiative and much adventure with Irishmen and Russians thrown in, keeps the adventure in a high gear from beginning to end.

Paperback

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

Archibald Gordon Macdonell was a Scottish writer, journalist and broadcaster, whose most famous work is the gently satirical novel England, Their England (1933).

Reviews

[Christopher Simmonds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst it is a good yarn, one must remember the era in which it was written and is set. By today's standards it is highly implausible, especially the uniformed knowledge of the horrific and very longlasting dangers of anthrax spores. Also the rather jolly way that the key characters bumble along, and actually help the extremists in part of their aims, preferring not to inform the police, but go it alone, seems today to be irresponsible, to say the least. However, when again one remebers when it was written (not long after WW1) it is more understadable.
It is still a good, easy to read yarn, written as if for the 1928 Boys Own Annual.

[Lexie Conyngham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Buchan-style action adventure written in 1928 and very much of its period. The young men involved have all fought in the war and so a bit of excitement with guns and bombs is relatively commonplace to all of them: it's an interesting reflection on the time. Attitudes to foreigners and women are similarly a little dated but in general not too bad (I regret to say that contrary to Ronald Knox's rules, there is indeed a Chinaman).

All that said, the pace is fast and the writing tight, and very amusing in places. It's a shame that it is let down by a number of typesetting issues in this new edition.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...