A Fete Worse Than Death

Jack Haldean Murder Mystery #1

by Dolores Gordon-Smith

Meet Jack Haldean, flying ace, gentleman about town, crime-writing sensation . . . amateur sleuth.

He is the author of many a twisty plotline. Now he must use his crime-writing skills to solve a murder for real.

Stanmore Parry, Sussex, 1922. Warm beer, an off-key band and nosy matrons. The village fête has never been Jack’s idea of a good time. But this year will be murder . . .

A body is found in Madame Zelda’s fortune-telling tent. Someone shot him and left him there for dead.

Before long, the police turn to Jack for answers. It’s no secret that he and the victim have a history. They were both pilots with the Royal Flying Corps during World War One.

Jack couldn’t stand the man — he was an obnoxious braggart who ruffled feathers wherever he went. The real mystery is why he wasn’t murdered sooner.

When another of his acquaintances turns up dead, Jack realizes he must find the killer before fate deals him a similarly sticky end . . .

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Cozy, British Literature

315 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 25, 2007

About the author

Dolores Gordon-Smith is the author of A Fete Worse than Death, the first in the Jack Haldean series. She graduated from the University of Surrey in 1981. She lives in Cheshire, United Kingdom.

Extra info found on Wikipedia

Reviews

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow start but was hooked about a third of the way in. Well plotted, a lot of red herrings. I liked Jack Haldean and probably will pick up the second in the series at some point.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this a lot - a murder mystery set in the 1920s and written much in the vein of Golden Age writers like Margery Allingham or Dorothy Sayers. Jack Haldean, a First World War pilot turned detective story writer and amateur detective, is an appealing hero, and there is an enjoyably witty flavour to the prose style. I'm now looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

[Abigail Bok · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the title of this modern reproduction of a classic Golden Age mystery; liked the story, though its literary aspirations don’t rise to the level of many GA authors.

It’s several years after World War I, and Jack Haldean—a former fighter pilot turned mystery novelist—is visiting cousins, local gentry, in Sussex. At a county fair a man he knew during the war gets murdered. He charms his way into assisting the local inspector in solving the mystery, which soon reaches into his family’s household as well as back into a wartime scandal. The inspector’s wholehearted collaboration with an amateur is possibly improbable but also a staple of the genre, and considering Haldean’s charisma, skills, and connections (as well as his ironclad alibi), it’s understandable.

The plot was complex enough to keep me engaged, and I particularly liked Haldean’s relationships with his cousins. The identity of the villain was pretty obvious to me, but when I’m happy with the characters and incidents, I don’t mind.

The writing style was the one area that disappointed me. It read more modern than the 1920s, with pop-cultural references and slang thrown in for color instead of immersing me in a past way of life. One of the things I enjoy about reading GA mysteries is that they make me work a bit to follow the language and cultural assumptions, and this book spared me those challenges to its detriment. But perhaps I set my expectations too high. Authors like Dorothy Sayers and Margery Allingham brought a wider worldview to their whodunits, and I missed that ambition. It was serviceable but not stylish.

[Damaskcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Haldean, successful crime author, is staying with some relatives and attends a fete. Someone who was in the RFC during the war approaches him and he is reminded of how much he disliked the man. When Boscombe, the man concerned is found dead in the fortune teller’s tent it soon becomes clear that there is more to the case than meets the eye and the ramifications may involve his own family and put Jack in danger.

The plot involves betrayal during World War I and some very dodgy going on in nineteen twenty one too. The plot is complex and while I had worked out who the murderer was quite early on I still found the untangling the plot of interest to me and there were a couple of twists which I definitely didn’t see coming. I thought the characters were well drawn and believable and I liked the nineteen twenties background.

The tension gradually built up to the ending which had me reading faster and faster to find out what happened. This is a well written crime story and I recommend it to anyone who likes Golden Age detective fiction and its modern imitations. It is the first in a series of mysteries featuring Jack Haldean.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisty, turny, thoroughly enjoyable mystery set in the post-WWI countryside. The only drawback is the irritating Maggie Vayles (a ward of the aunt and uncle of our detective) whose selfishness and general teenage dumbness is too easily forgiven by the other characters and drives the plot a bit too much. As I'm definitely in for the series I hope she moves to Australia or gets hit by a car (fingers crossed?). Anyway, this is one to add to the to-read list for sure.

[Tiffany E-P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written. I guessed the murderer and her motive and the link between her and one of the victims. But it was a good plot and the tone was spot on for the historical setting. Will def look for more books in the series.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should probably mark this down as two stars, and yet I can't seem to find it in me to be that cruel. I read the sixth book in this series several months ago and really liked it, so I decided to go back to the beginning and see how the series got its start. The excellent prose is still there and I still like our hero, Jack Haldean, just as much as I did in Trouble Brewing. This first book is a complex little mystery, with lots of little side stories going on. So let's just chalk up the shortcomings to first-book-itis.
Jack was a major in the Royal Flying Corps during WWI. Having survived what so many didn't, he is now making a living as a mystery writer and generally enjoying the good life. While attending the local fete near the country home of his aunt and uncle, he runs into a truly detestable man from his military days. By the end of the afternoon, the man will be dead. Not only that, but within a few hours, the man's roommate will also be murdered at a nearby inn. Meanwhile, the ward of Jack's aunt and uncle is determined to marry a war hero significantly older than she is - except her other ward, a Canadian visitor, is dead set against the match. There are a lot of arrows that point to a particular event during the war in which one British soldier emerged a hero and another was branded a traitor.
It's a good set-up, and a good story. I had a couple of problems with it. The answer to one of the main mysteries is as clear as the lit tip of a cigar on a dark night. It does everything but flash on the page. It's so obvious that when the "big reveal" came, I was ready to shout, "About bloody time!" It also wasn't too much of a stretch to figure out who the true villain was - although at least it was interesting to see how Jack and the local constabulary was able to bring the truth to light.
So, as a first outing, it really wasn't all that bad. If I had read it first, I don't know that I'd be itching to read the others, but knowing that at least one of them is significantly better, I am looking forward to the rest.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

"It's 1922 and Jack Haldean, young crimewriter and former Royal Flying Corps pilot, is enjoying the local fete in a beautiful summer's day in the heart of Sussex. As he remarks to his cousins Isabelle and Greg Rivers, this village life sums up the idyllic pre-war England he dreamed of during his wartime missions.

"But the idyll is soon shattered when Jack's fellow officer, Jeremy Boscombe, is found dead in the fortune teller's tent and later on that same day Boscombe's shady friend, Reggie Morton, is also murdered at the village pub. Jack soon realizes that the roots of the crime go back to an incident during the Battle of the Somme when a party of British soldiers were betrayed, ambushed and killed in the network of tunnels under the chalk of Augier Ridge.

"The list of suspects is long and causes conflict. Money, love, revenge and blackmail all play their part as Jack inches closer to the truth, putting his life and the lives of those around him in danger. The trail leads inexorably back to the Somme and it is in those silent tunnels that Jack faces his final enemy -- one who must kill to survive."
~~back cover

A charming little mystery, combining -- as it does -- the idyll of English village life and a thumping good mystery. I must confess, I had someone pegged as the killer all along; imagine my chagrin when he was revealed to be completely innocent during the final pages! The real killer is the last person the reader would expect, unless he or she were paying much closer attention to the clues, which were well and truly buried, as they should be in any good mystery.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining murder mystery set in the 1920s. Jack Haldean helps the police investigate a murder that has taken place at a village fete. Jack’s family have organised the fete and he also knew and disliked the dead man - they were in the RFC together during WWI - so he is determined to find what happened.

I am often wary of modern attempts to recreate Golden Age mysteries - they often fall short in style or plot - but this was thoroughly enjoyable with interesting characters and a sound plot with plenty of twists and turns. The aftermath of WWI is credibly described and Haldean is a likeable hero.

I’m pleased to have discovered this series and it’s one I will definitely continue with.

[Cphe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather convoluted golden age mystery/police procedural. Liked the main character, amateur mystery writer turned sleuth Major Haldean. Engaging setting and atmosphere.

[L Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow just couldn’t get into it. Could be seasonal. 29Jan2025

[Karen Levay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me a bit to get into the story but eventually the character of Jack Haldean began to grow on me.

[Denise Mullins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the gentrified English countryside after WW I, this entertaining little mystery realistically recreates the nonchalant attitude of the beautiful people as they confront a variety of unsavory dilemmas including blackmail, bigotry, and murder.

Retired RAF pilot and amateur sleuth-crime author Jack Haldean gradually recognizes the connection between the death of a shady former soldier and the complicated betrothal of young Marguerite Vayle to Colonel Whitfield. Of course, the immediate acceptance by the police allowing Jack to assist -and often lead-the investigation stretches credibility, but it's all part of the fun. There are some genuinely suspenseful moments, although the ending's denouement becomes a bit long-winded. However, overall it's an enjoyable story.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book deserves better than the 2 stars I originally gave it. It did have a pretty good plot and there was a more than decent solution to the murder...it definitely fooled me for an embarrassingly long time. BUT, my problem was with the characters. They seemed to me to be so urbane and languid, and so darned shallow. Even the "hero." Ya, he has a talent for detecting, but he had little empathy or personality. And if he'd called another character "old thing" one more time I'd have thrown the book in a snowbank. There, I feel less guilty about trashing it before, but I still won't be reading the 2nd one any time soon.

[Melissainau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's be honest: I read this because it was free. But I found it quite charming - I'm a sucker for a 1920s era detection novel (and, I think, this qualifies in spades). The characters are interesting, the situations believable. And if there are a couple of things that are a wee bit too obvious, well they didn't get in the way of a delightfully enjoyable read. It's not perhaps a 'true' 5-star 'best book ever' but it's a solid choice and encouraged me to read the rest of the series (even the ones I had to pay for!).

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I persevered with this book for many pages, but the slow pace and strangely enough the large print defeated me.
I really didn't care whodunnit

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1922, Jack Haldean is staying with his aunt and uncle in Breedonbrook and attends the local fete. It's a lovely day filled with games (the coconut shy, darts and hoop-la) where he wins everything from coconuts to violently colored candies to a dolly with carrier, blanket, and pillow. He's also trying desperately to avoid a man who served under him in the RAF. Jeremy Boscombe is an annoying little tick who has always loved finding out people's weak spots and leaning on them hard.

Apparently he leaned too hard on the wrong person because he's later found shot to death in the fortune teller's tent. Haldean is a detective novelist who has also had a bit of real-life detective experience--solving a little matter of the "mess bill business" while still in the service and then helping Inspector Rackham of Scotland Yard with "the affair at Torrington Place" after the war. He offers to help Superintendent Ashley with this latest local case and they've barely begun to investigate when Reggie Morton (soon proved to be an unsavory friend of Boscombe's) is found in Boscombe's room at the local inn--also shot to death. They uncover signs of blackmail and indications that the motive for the murders may be linked to the battle of Augier Ridge.

The battle was the source of Victory Cross for Colonel Whitfield, local hero and hopeful suitor to Marguerite Vayle. Jack's uncle is one of Marguerite's trustees and, along with Hugh Lawrence the other trustee, must give approval for her marriage. The battle was also the source of treachery--someone had been spying for the Germans and betrayed the British troops when they discovered a tunnel under the ridge. The blame always fell on Major Tyburn who has been assumed dead. But now there are rumors that Tyburn is still alive. Did Boscombe (one of the few survivors of Augier Ridge) recognize him in the crowd that day and decide on a spot of blackmail? Or was he putting the black on someone else? There are several suspects to choose from and Haldean and Ashley will find their suspicions resting on various people before they discover the real culprit.

This is a lovely first mystery in a historical series that captures the spirit of the Golden Age of crime in every way possible--from the amateur sleuth who gives vibes of Lord Peter Wimsey to the village fete to a nice little circle of suspects, all wrapped up in a well-clued puzzle. Very entertaining with deftly sketched characters and a great setting. I'm definitely looking forward to the next in the series.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.

[Susan in NC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable 1920s mystery with a former RAF pilot as the likable amateur detective, with a good supporting cast of cousins, family, and local police detective to help figure out whodunnit.

World War One casts a long shadow in this mystery which opens with a country fete, nicely evoked through noises and smells floating across the sunny summer air. I really enjoyed the opening, I could see why Jack Haldean was grateful and happy to be back among these lovely rural pleasures. He is staying with his uncle, a local aristocrat, and enjoying his summer holiday with his cousins - the three have a delightful, sibling-like bond, and Belle and Greg help him in this investigation.

In the beer tent, Jack is appalled to recognize a nasty piece of work who used to be under his command in the war. He’s spotted by the rotten fella, and a quick, smug conversation reveals the man is as unpleasant as he ever was; then he turns up dead in the fortune-teller’s tent.

Enter Inspector Ashley of the Sussex constabulary; I like that he was likable but professional, recognized Jack’s name as a mystery writer, but wasn’t fawning all over him to stick his amateur nose into the case. Jack respected that, gave him the name of the Scotland Yard detective he knew and had worked with - this was much more reasonable to me than local coppers who let a local lord (or relative of one) swan in and take over a case. A point in the author’s favor to this history buff.

What follows is an interesting look into the character of the dead man, locals who could have been involved, and as another murder takes place soon after, what might tie the two victims together, and who wanted them dead in such daring and brazen circumstances?

Very glad I finally tried this enjoyable series, I look forward to Haldean’s next case. The moderators of the Reading the Detectives group have concocted a great challenge for this year: every month we are reading books 1 or 2 of a new “modern historical mystery” series, that is, current writers using a historical setting. Since we all get deluged with titles and series we “may like” by algorithms these days, this is a way to test out the first couple books (first book syndrome is definitely a thing with mysteries, setting the characters, locale, time period, etc).

I’d recommend this one!

[John Hardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jack Haldean #1. The protagonist is an ex-WW1 RFC hero. He's handsome, rich and upper class, and of course the ladies love him, but he's mostly a gentleman. He has a paternalistic view of women, calling them sometimes "funny face" or "little girl". The language attributed to him is not always realistic - one of his class, and an author to boot, would be unlikely to say "not half", which is clearly associated with cockneys. In fact, it seemed to me that the author had a grab bag of slang of the time, and was determined to use every one, even if they were not appropriate.
The story moved slowly due to the endless talkfests between Jack and his copper associate as to what or how crimes occurred (other family members get into the act as well).
There are many red herrings to distract the reader, as the number of possible suspects is limited. I began to get ideas about one major twist after about half way, and there was one major clue which enabled me to identify the true culprit.
In the digital edition there were quite a few minor editorial errors which, however, did not cause any problems of understanding.
Although Jack is generally likeable, and I think most readers agree on this, his level of involvement in the romance between Marguerite and another war hero seemed to verge on the creepy.
I had already read a later episode in the series, which was good enough to make me search for this.
I'm not too surprised that the author is not among the great of mystery writers.
Rating 2.9.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A community fair, or fete, in Sussex shortly after the first world war, takes an unexpected turn when a man is found murdered in the fortune teller tent.

Jack Haldean, a young crime writer and former Royal Flying Corps pilot, recognizes the victim: he is Jeremy Boscombe, who served under Haldean and recently became acquainted with Haldean, when he pitched a book based on his war service.

The case is certainly unusual, especially when a Bascombe friend, Reggie Morton, is found murdered at the village pub. Haldean, who has joined the police in the investigation, determines that the crimes go back to an incident during the Battle of the Somme when British soldiers were betrayed and ambushed and killed in a network of tunnels under Augier Ridge.

The list of suspects is surprisingly long but Haldean has good instincts and his findings help the local police in solving this twisty, traditional cozy mystery.

This is the first book in a series created by Dolores Gordon-Smith. Its light, easy-to-read reading. It is not a challenging mystery and everything is pretty straight forward. While I enjoyed reading this book, I'd be interested if Gordon-Smith's later books remain in the cozy category or go beyond that genre.

[Lonette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this cozy mystery set in the early 1920s. Jack Haldean, a former Royal Flying Corps pilot turned mystery writer is staying with his aunt and uncle in Breedonbrook and decides to attend the local fete. He is enjoying it until he runs into a former pilot who served under him in the war. Jeremy Boscombe, a thoroughly repulsive man, has written a book about his experiences in the war, particularly as one of the few survivors of the battle of Augier Ridge. Boscombe wants Colonel Whitfield, a hero of said battle, to review the book. Not long afterward, Boscombe is found murdered in the fortune teller’s tent, and the detecting begins.

One of the things I liked most about this book was that the police were intelligent and not depicted as incompetent bunglers. How refreshing! Jack is able to work with Superintendent Ashley to solve the murder.

The only downside of the book for me was the character of Marguerite (Maggie) Vayle. She is in her late teens but hopes to marry the much older Colonel Whitfield. Maggie was a whiner, and I hate whiners. She drove me nuts! Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will read the next in the series.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Haldean isn't necessarily looking forward to the local fete when he visits his uncle, aunt, and cousins but it goes downhill when he is recognized by a man who reported to Jack in the RFC during the Great War. The man was a thorn in Jack's side; Jack even comments that Boscombe caused more trouble than the Germans. And he seems to be continuing the trend, making oblique comments about other people at the fete. Then the man turns up dead in the fortune teller's tent.
Jack, being a mystery writer of some note and generally curious, inserts himself into the investigation (Gordon-Smith inserts that Jack had helped on a major case in the past and has used the police extensively to write his stories so he's not a complete n00b.) With drama circling around Jack's uncle's ward and a hero of the war, a ball in the neighborhood being thrown by a local, older femme fatale, and another body popping up, there is a lot going on in this book.
Gordon-Smith weaves together all of the stories into a book that slides into the life of a detective and lets us ride along with him.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This year one of my reading groups decided to do a challenge of modern Golden Age detective series. There are a LOT of mundane such series out there, but among them are some jewels, and this appears to be one.

Jack Haldean is a detective writer, who is staying with relatives and is attending a summer fete when he runs into someone he knew - and disliked - while fighting in WWI. Before the end of the afternoon, this man is killed and Haldean, who has been involved in a similar investigation, teams up with the local detective to find the killer.

There are a number of possible suspects and motives and the reason for the killing goes back to Haldean's time in the War. This is set in the 1920's, so the war is very much in the memories of the characters and many were involved in some way. This was a very well-written and engaging mystery and I have already downloaded the second book in happy anticipation of our group read.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s 1922 and Jack Haldean, young crime writer and former Royal Flying Corps pilot, is enjoying the local fete on a beautiful summer’s day in rural Sussex. When his friend is murdered, Jack steps in to solve the crime. I can’t remember how the police figured in this one, but I do remember being pleasantly surprised at the quality of the mystery, and that I enjoyed it even though I saw the murderer right away.

I find it amusing that the title of this book works because, although the French pronounce the French word fête fet, the English pronounce it fate. Much like the French word valet (va-lay) which the English say is val-et. (Just going to do it our way.)

4 stars

[SandyL · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up for a challenge, and wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy it as much as I did. Jack Haldean is a former RFC pilot and now writes crime stories. While visiting some relatives, a murder occurs and Jack finds a way to help with the investigation. There was a lot of cigarette smoking and some convoluted twists and turns, but I found myself liking Jack. I think future books would be more if I needed them for a challenge, rather than just wanting to read them, but I'd definitely try another. 3.5 stars.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a couple of tries to read this book all the way through. Though set in the 1920s, it has no real twenties feel--it could be set in the 30s or even the 40s just as well. Fetes and Red Cross balls were just as popular then as earlier. There was a good plot twist, but the ending was marred by predictability. The tell-all explanations weren't so much to clarify the author's intentional obfuscation as to make sense of a rambling story. I found myself skimming the closer I got to the end.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new series for me, but one in a favorite time period-post World War I. A pilot during the war, Jack Haldean now has a career as a journalist and a budding mystery author with some success as an amateur detective assisting the police as well. But while visiting family he becomes involved in a deadly case with threads leading back to the recent war. Involving and interesting, hope there are more books!

[Tawallah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 3.5

Clearly historical mysteries are my go to for a palate cleansers. This unknown gem that my sister picked up at a used bookstore is well written with great facts of the inter war period. The solution is obvious if you have read enough mysteries but there is still enough content and the slow racketing of tension to keep any reader interested.

[Kim Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent

This is a great start to a series. Jack Haldean is a very likeable character and I certainly didn't guess all of the plot, though I did pick up on one point that everyone else took almost all of the book to get to. Still this was a very enjoyable read and I shall certainly read more.

[Lynnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this 1920's set whodunit which was different to a lot of modern "golden-age" mysteries in that the protagonist was male. Jack Haldean is a likeable character and his relatives also, especially Belle. The conversations between them all felt very natural.

It was a well written mystery with a lot of red herrings and twists and I didn't guess the murderer.