Menace

by Philip MacDonald

Menace is a suspense novel written by Philip MacDonald, which was first published in 1936. The narrative centers on a group of people trapped in a country house, identified as "The Black House," during a snowstorm. As tensions rise, secrets are revealed, and the characters are cast under suspicion for a series of murders. Who was Rudolph Bastion, the person who had been sending Lady Verity letters of warning and threat every year since a fateful night in 1918? Lady Verity had never met him, but she understood his intention, his motives, and her blood ran cold. There had been four of them in it once, General Barraclough, Verity, Major-General Crecy and Norman Bellamy. Barraclough had mysteriously died, but on a night in August, the last letter was delivered, and on the three still alive the reign of terror fell -- for that one night of death and fear was to even the score 700 dead men had left!Even Philip MacDonald, master of the macabre mystery, has never written a more frightening book. Every page is instinct with terror, with a breathless speed of action that builds the suspense to an almost intolerable point. For a thriller that really thrills -- that will make you so permanently suspicious of dark rooms and sudden noises, read Menace.Because he has created an immortal detective, Colonel Anthony Gethryn, Philip MacDonald has earned immortality in the history of mystery fiction. But, he has done much more. In Menace he has written as terrifying a tale as Poe ever invented, a book to be read with lights burning and doors locked, a masterpiece of fear. Murder striking, clearing the way for its final victim, beautiful Verity, and no man able to say who the murderer is or how he kills! It is not a detective story, but a thriller that will rank with MacDonald's greatest books -- The Rasp, The Link, Mystery at Fryer's Pardon and others.

Hardcover

Published January 1, 1933

About the author

Philip MacDonald (who some give as 1896 or 1899 as his date of birth) was the grandson of the writer George MacDonald and son of the author Ronald MacDonald and the actress Constance Robertson.

During World War I he served with the British cavalry in Mesopotamia, later trained horses for the army, and was a show jumper. He also raised Great Danes. After marrying the writer F. Ruth Howard, he moved to Hollywood in 1931. He was one of the most popular mystery writers of the 1930s, and between 1931 and 1963 wrote many screenplays along with a few radio and television scripts.

His detective novels, particularly those featuring his series detective Anthony Gethryn, are primarily "whodunnits" with the occasional locked room mystery. His first detective novel was 'The Rasp' (1924), in which he introduced his character Anthony Gethryn.

In later years MacDonald wrote television scripts for Alfred Hitchcock Presents ('Malice Domestic', 1957) and Perry Mason ('The Case of the Terrified Typist', 1958).

He twice received an Edgar Award for Best Short Story: in 1953, for 'Something to Hide', and in 1956, for 'Dream No More'. Indeed many critics felt that his short story writing was superior to his novels and they did win five second prizes in the annual contests held by 'Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'.

He also wrote under the pseudonyms Oliver Fleming, Anthony Lawless, Martin Porlock, W.J. Stuart and Warren Stuart.

Reviews

[Arthur Pierce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Death threats received for a perceived crime that happened years before, and victims killed off by a madman who considers himself wronged. It has all been done before, and sometimes better than it is here. There is little character development, little suspense, and the whole thing gets muddled about a third of the way in by the sudden introduction of a bunch of new characters. Yet, it plods along in a fairly entertaining fashion, and the long final chapter IS suspenseful and the denoument is satisfying.