The Cluny Problem

Chief Inspector Pointer #5

by A.E. Fielding

Cluny is an ancient town in France better known for its past then its present, in other words, the perfect place for tourists and travelers. When a local wine grower who provides accommodations for the better sort of English tourist in his villa decides to entertain his guests with a masked ball it promises to be a pleasant diversion. But the diversion turns to tragedy when two of the attendees are found dead in a locked room, apparently as a result of a duel. But, was it really a duel fought over the wife of one of the dead men, or can their deaths be attributed to something more sinister, murder? Fortunately, Chief Inspector Pointer is attending a conference in the neighborhood and is prepared to assist the local police, but only, of course, in the role of an observer. But can even the ever astute Pointer solve . . . The Cluny Problem?

Genres: Mystery

321 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

A. Fielding (also known as Archibald Fielding or A.E. Fielding) was a pseudonym of Dorothy Feilding.

Reviews

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow, disjointed and over complicated. I nearly gave up on this one. Disappointing.

[Tony Harker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tedious, overly long and overly complicated. I was thinking less of “whodunnit” and more of “who cares whodunnit?” I finally gave up and skimmed the last chapter, relieved I had finally finished it. Not one to recommend.

[Jeff Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over long and over complicated murder mystery. Set in France, the author throws in the kitchen sink with everything from the Klu Klux Clan and the US Rangers. I'm not really sure how a small village in France could cope with plot given. Not my cup of tea really.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really intriguing Golden Age find! Plucky American reporter Vivian Young is engaged to wealthy, older Englishman Sir Anthony, but visiting historic Cluny, France, where she thinks he has a past love interest, convinces her that she can't marry him. She certainly can't when Sir Anthony is found dead after a duel with the supposed love interest's husband, who's also dead. A visiting Scotland Yard inspector helps the French police, and there's also a stodgy Scottish detective investigating a robbery. Lots of suspects, presumed alliances, and a satisfying enough conclusion--but then the truth comes out when the inspector reports back to his chief at Scotland Yard, providing a totally unexpected, delightful conclusion.

[Gillian Kevern · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up.

I liked this mystery a lot. Characters with strong personalities with more going on than meets the eye, a strong plot and an interesting puzzle. I found this a very satisfying read.

It's rounded up because there were some spelling errors and weird formatting things that make me think this book was not thoroughly proofed. Other than that, a great example of golden-era detective fiction.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just cannot get through the awful "Scottish" character