Someone from the Past

by Margot Bennett

Sarah has been receiving threatening anonymous letters seemingly from a former lover. Just one day after revealing this information to her co- worker Nancy, Sarah is shot and found in her bedroom by one of her past flames, Donald. Desperate to clear any evidence of Donald’s presence at the scene for her own infatuations, Nancy finds herself as the key suspect when she is discovered in the apartment.

As the real killer uses the situation to their advantage, Margot Bennett crafts a tense and nuanced story through flashbacks to Sarah’s life and loves in this Gold- Dagger-award-winning story of deceit and murder.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, British Literature, Fiction

255 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Scottish author Margot Bennett was born in 1912 and worked first first as a copywriter in the UK and Australia and then as a nurse during the Spanish Civil War before turning to writing. Her output in crime fiction was relatively small, yet successful: The Man Who Didn't Fly was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger and was runner-up to Charlotte Armstrong's A Dram of Poison for Best Novel at the Edgars in 1956, and she won the Gold Dagger two years later in 1958 with Someone from the Past. She was also chosen to contribute a short story to the second CWA anthology, Choice Of Weapons, edited by Michael Gilbert.

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

World-weary…

Nancy is in a restaurant with Donald and she is expecting him to propose. So she’s naturally a bit annoyed when they are interrupted by an old friend of Nancy’s, Sarah, who happens also to have a history with Donald. There was a time when Nancy and Sarah were close, closer than sisters, sharing apartments and careers and social lives and sometimes even men. Recently they’ve grown apart a little, and Sarah has found herself a wealthy man to marry. But now Sarah tells Nancy she’s been receiving anonymous threatening letters which are clearly from one of her ex-lovers, and she asks for Nancy’s help in working out who it could be. Reluctantly Nancy agrees and after Sarah leaves, Nancy and Donald have a fight. Next morning Donald turns up, hungover and shocked, and tells Nancy Sarah is dead. He had gone to her flat after the fight and ended up sleeping on her sofa – so he says – and this morning had found her dead in her bedroom. Nancy, also shocked, decides to see for herself and goes to Nancy’s flat, where she foolishly messes with evidence to hide the fact that Donald had been there. But she leaves traces of herself behind, and finds herself in the position of being chief suspect…

I’ve read a couple of Margot Bennetts before in the BL’s Crime Classics series and been sad that I didn’t love her, since she’s one of the rare breed of Scottish vintage crime writers. So I came to this one with pretty low expectations, hoping only that I might not abandon this one as I had the last one I tried. It was therefore an unexpected joy to find that I loved this one!

It’s the tone that makes it special, I think. Definitely noir, but not as dark as that genre can sometimes get, there’s a wonderful world-weariness in Nancy’s voice – she is our first-person narrator. First published in 1958, there’s still a kind of post-war feel about it, in that Nancy and Sarah belong to a generation of young women who are not as restricted as previous generations but not yet “liberated” either. They have partied hard, and they’ve worked hard too, and succeeded in their careers to the extent that women were permitted to succeed in those days. But Nancy is a wonderful portrait of what a party-girl becomes when she grows up, if she is not rich enough to go on partying for life. She’s tired of the superficiality now and ready to settle, and she’s found a man she can love and who she believes loves her. He’s rather an inadequate man but he’ll do, she thinks. She’s the protective one in the relationship – he’s needy, rather cowardly, in fact. But nevertheless Nancy is willing to risk her own liberty to keep him out of trouble.

I thought the writing was great in this one – a real change from her style in the others I’ve read, and this bleak, tired, noir tone suits her perfectly. As the story progresses, we learn about the friendship the two girls, now women, had shared – how Sarah was always the glamorous one, the one with a string of lovers, while Nancy was the convenient friend. But Nancy knew the brittleness behind Sarah’s brilliant façade, and knew the history of her experiences with men, not always good. And the two had been loyal to each other, boosting each other through the bad times, and sharing the good times. It’s a great picture of a friendship between two people with very different temperaments, not always easy but too close to break completely.

To clear herself of suspicion, Nancy feels she has to find out who killed Sarah. On the assumption that the murderer is the sender of the threatening letters, Nancy begins to visit the men from their old set, most of whom were once lovers of Sarah, or wanted to be. This gradually fills out Sarah’s past for the reader, and shows the essential emptiness of her life beyond men. The men are a diverse bunch, each wonderfully drawn, and I had no idea which of them might have done the deed until quite late on. My initial feeling that Nancy’s desire to marry Donald had more to do with a kind of weary desperation than love grew throughout, so that there was an extra tension in wondering how their affair would play out.

I was completely hooked by this one – by the writing, by Nancy and by the plot. I’m so glad to have finally loved a book by Margot Bennett, so I’m grateful to the BL for forcing me to keep giving her another chance! Highly recommended!

NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, the British Library.

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[Laura Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah has been bumped off by an ex-lover. Narrator, accidental sleuth, and suspect Nancy --who shares Sarah’s terrible taste in men-- is an irrational & incompetent busybody. But I was entertained by her colorful descriptions & wild similes.

[Susan Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid mystery from the 1950’s. I enjoyed Nancy’s dry sense of humor!

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not really a traditional whodunit and the characters are not very likeable, but that doesn’t take away from this being a story which I very much enjoyed!

[Wendy Greenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This crime novel was first published in 1958. I feel that relevant as it is a completely different style from contemporary crime.

Nancy and Sarah are longstanding friends. When Sarah is murdered, Nancy is in the frame for her murder. Through a series of misguided attempts to protect Nancy's men-folk, she digs herself into an ever deeper hole through a growing panic. The more she tries to "clean up" the more she implicates herself. Even reading this from a distance, her desperation is evident through more and more lies and attempts to lure out the true killer.

I enjoyed it to an extent but the charging around the country for me, did not raise tension rather a reductio ad absurdum.

[Shona Lidgey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a slightly slow beginning and rather breathless and world weary, but as I got to know the main character it all started to make sense. And then I found it more riveting and whipped through it! A good entertaining read.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A++ Really incredible. I loved this book so much. The voice, the characters. Just amazing. One of my favorites I’ve read this year.

[Blasr · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much dialogue, reminded me very much of one of those 1970s plays where everyone talks and talks.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nancy thinks Donald is just about to propose when her old friend Sarah walks into the restaurant. She tells Nancy that she's been getting anonymous letters from one of her past lovers--a group that includes Donald--threatening to kill her. The next morning, Sarah is dead. Afraid that Donald will be suspected, Nancy rushes to clean up any evidence pointing at him, leaving plenty of evidence pointing at her for Scotland Yard to find. This has only a bit of the wonderful humor that shines in some of Bennett's other books, but there is quite a bit of suspense.

[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book won best novel award from the Crime Writers Association in Britain in 1958. It felt like I was reading something from the 1930s. A first person narrative, the protagonist, Nancy snaps out self-deprecating observations like: "He had a habit of looking at me as if he was wondering about my chances of winning the 3.15 at Hurst Park". This snappy writing help make up for a pretty unlikely plot.

[Bamcquern · Rating 4 out of 5]

They don't seem to belong together.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sometimes a book is just not for you. Even though I have read and enjoyed two other books by Margot Bennett, even though this is a gold dagger award-winning mystery, I just did not like this book.

We are in London in the 1950's. Our narrator Nancy is excited, she is out with Donald, and she believes he is going to propose, when in walks Sarah, a former close friend of Nancy's and a past flame of Donald's. Sarah confides in Nancy that she has been getting threatening anonymous letters from someone in her past, and they are worrying her. Sarah has spoiled the mood, there will be no proposal tonight, Donald and Nancy get in a row and Donald takes off.

The next morning Donald is at Nancy's door, claiming that he spent the night at Sarah's (in the sitting room, of course), and when he woke up she was dead, shot. Nancy quickly runs off to clear any evidence of Donald's presence in the apartment, while her friend's body is laying in bed, quite dead. Of course, she is seen and the police are now questioning her.

The rest of the story is Nancy tracking down the past loves of Sarah and trying to figure out who could have killed her, along with many flashbacks of their past lives, while destroying and hiding evidence from the police.

Not a bad premise, it's just that all of the characters, including our narrator, are so unlikable and irritating. Everyone of the past lovers is worse than the previous one, they all behave reprehensibly towards Nancy and she allows them to mistreat her. Everything she does to thwart the police is just ridiculous and backfires, they should have arrested her to start and left her in jail. Donald disappears as soon as he can, for someone who was going to propose to Nancy, he really leaves her flapping in the wind, completely selfish and reprehensible. There's lots of snappy dialogue, but even that in the end gets more weary then witty. Nancy is tired, and so are we by the time the story reaches its foregone conclusion.

[David Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not surprised that Margot Bennett took up TV screenwriting. This has got late 50s kitchen sink drama written all over it. There’s a Taste of Honey/L-Shaped Room vibe with the exposure of desperate lives beneath a veneer of civilisation. The dialogue heavy text concerns the misadventures of a couple of girls in their early twenties who write for a London magazine and share a bevvy of disreputable, pathetic lovers who will be the ruin of them. Why do intelligent, beautiful girls fall for prats when there’s me? Nancy, the narrator, would like to…

‘…write a novel. I type three pages every night and tear two of them up in the morning. If I’m home early enough in the evening, I tear the third page up too.’

‘Women often avoid the very good-looking man. They want their love to be taken as a gift, not a natural tribute.’

‘I drank some more wine. I tried to look as if the spectrum had more and better colours, down Wine Alley. He sat staring blackness at me. I wanted him to drink. He looked as if he hadn’t had a drink all day, and for an alcoholic that’s a desperate way to look.’

Fair enough. They can keep their bleak lives.
The situation of the girls left me cold initially but, due to the sheer quality of the writing, I warmed to the story even if I did have to keep saying, Silly girl. He’s not worth it. Now why did you want to go and do a stupid thing like that?

[Tom Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Someone From The Past is a 1958 crime novel by Scottish author and screenwriter Margot Bennett. This edition has just been published by the British Library for their crime classics series. Bennett only wrote a handful of crime novels in her career. I previously read The Widow Of Bath (also available from the British Library). This novel is somewhat different as it focuses more on character study than the mystery. 


Nancy, the novel's protagonist, bumps into her friend an ex-flatmate Sarah at a restaurant. Sarah informs Nancy that she has received threatening letters presumably from one of Sarah's former lovers. The next morning, Nancy learns Sarah was murdered in her flat. Nancy proceeds to make herself a prime focus of Scotland Yard's investigation by doing things that an experienced crime novel reader would tell you that you shouldn't do. I found myself cringing at Nancy's actions in the early part of the book. As the investigation unfolds, we see the emotional toll it takes on Nancy while learning both her and Sarah's backstories.


This is a well written novel even though it is different in tone from The Widow Of Bath. I agree with the series editor Martin Edwards that it would have been interesting to see Bennett write other crime novels. Thanks to the British Library, we are able to enjoy her books.


Thanks to the British Library for providing a copy of this book for my review. No other consideration was received in exchange for this review.

[Martin Pilkington · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was first published in 1958 and it definitely has a feel of a late 50s story.

John Osbourne like is how I’d probably describe the book, i wouldn’t compare this book with any othercrime writer of the period. The book is written around a group of people who know each other very well about 6 years of living in London. I was going to say a group of friends but, as the saying goes, with friends like these who needs enemies.

The book is written in the first person by Nancy who is friends with Sarah and they used to share a flat/bedsit with each other. Nancy is a trustworthy narrator but she is also one of the most irritating lead characters that I can remember, if not the most irritating. Her actions drive the book and are logical enough, given what she tells the reader about herself.

I found the ending particularly annoying and disappointing, especially after liking the last book of hers, The Man who didn’t Fly. Oh well.

[Michael Ritchie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This starts off well, with anonymous letters sent to a woman from one of the men in her past threatening to kill her. She is killed and when her former best friend becomes a suspect, she investigates, winnowing the suspects down to four, all of whom she contacts at attempt to clear her own name. The lead character, Nancy, acts like a total dunce much of the time which helps pad the book out to 250 pages. The mystery has a satisfying ending but the narrative, not so much--most current day readers hate the last three pages, and if you don't want to be tempted to throw the book against the wall, it may be best to skip them. After a very good first third, the book bogs down a bit and while I liked the structure, which allows backstory to build slowly, I sometimes forgot important details about some of the characters and had to go back and check past pages.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margot Bennet's books are always a pleasure to read. She has an unhurried and beautiful writing style, which makes reading her work a luxurious experience.

The novel opens with Nancy, our narrator, having a romantic date, which is interrupted by her former roommate and best friend, who tells Nancy that someone is threatening her. Before, Nancy has time to start investigating, the friend is found murdered. Trying to protect others, Nancy makes bad decision after bad decision, but finally manages to stumble into some knowledge of the situation.

This novel is beautiful to read. I am not sure if I am fully convinced by the friendship between Nancy and Sarah, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel.

[Kidlitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A DRC was provided by Edelweiss in exchange for a fair yet jaded review.

This is my first Margot Bennett and I gather from other reviewers that Someone From the Past has quite a different tone from her other books. That's a pity because this is a memorable noir mystery of world-weary career girls (not middle-class ones either so they're pioneers in post-war England in all kinds of socio-economic ways) who must contend with a host of terrible men and terrible life choices. Oh, and there's murder! They are friends, enemies, romantic rivals and possibly aware that the deepest relationship either of them will ever have is with each other. One of the best British Crime Classics yet.

[J.F. Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My annual Christmas present Crime Classic had to wait a bit longer to be read this year! A fast paced, intelligent mystery with a real flavour of late 1950s London. I could see this working brilliantly as a TV programme - I even started casting it in my head. A clever little twist at the end, which is well prepared for from the very start and some very effective red herrings. A most satisfying read!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book from the British Library Crime Classics subscription. I was a little sceptical but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The main character was slightly annoying and the storyline and other characters were of their time, but the writing was fantastic. I didn’t guess the killer, and I usually do, but after the reveal all the clues had been there.

This was also a really lovely edition, nicely bound with great cover art.

[D.M. Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original tale

This is a breathless first person murder story.
The protagonist’s friend is murdered and she is suspected.
She blunders through the book and we meet all the other suspects.
The author could have made a case for any of them, but eventually picks one.
As with most mysteries, the puzzle is more interesting than the solution.
The writing is literary with the occasional dollop of poetry.
A good book to read purely as a novel.

[Sue Foster · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good edition to the series from the British Library.
A page turner written in 1958.
The character of Nancy such an idiot with her blinkers on. Moving and destroying evidence. Her stupidity was breath taking. The ending with the killers was a neat cop out because she would have ended up in court for what she did.

[Lynnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good! The things people do for love! I expect many readers will be annoyed with the protagonist as she does make some very poor judgements and gets herself into a complete tangle.
The present and the past blend well, there is a lot of humour and angst and I thoroughly enjoyed Margot Bennet's writing. Suspenseful too.

I'm so glad this was reprinted.

4.5 stars

[Feline · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Britney Spear's Toxic starts playing*

Honestly, not that good a book. Was contemplating giving it 2 stars, and I would have were it not for the clever dialogue. The resolve was satisfying enough, but happened way too late and quickly. Of all the characters, approximately 1/2 were likeable. They made more bad decisions in the span of 250 pages than I hopefully will in a lifetime.

[Zoe Radley]

I am sorry to say I struggled with this one, I really disliked the characters and it just felt a bit tedious. I didn’t even feel the slightest sympathy for the victim.. so with that being said I couldn’t finish this so am afraid I can’t give this book a rating.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing mystery about an inept, not particularly likeable young woman who gets caught up in her (worse) friend’s murder. The cast of characters is pretty awful, morally dubious and only semi-respectable, but Nancy’s first person narrative and sharp tongue keep an otherwise dark tale humorous.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slice of London 50s noir! Loved it!

[Marie Hepworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the writing and setting but found the lead characters behaviour utterly frustrating.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

She only smokes American cigarettes.