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THE AMATEUR CRIME
"The Amateur Crime" is a gripping mystery novel that thrusts readers into the heart of a thrilling investigation, blending suspense and intrigue with a dash of unexpected humor. Crafted by the skilled storyteller, Rachel Gardner, this tale introduces us to an unlikely protagonist, Emma Harris, an amateur detective with a penchant for stumbling upon trouble.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 8, 2024
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About the author
Anthony Berkeley
120 books166 followersAnthony Berkeley Cox was an English crime writer. He wrote under several pen-names, including Francis Iles, Anthony Berkeley Cox, and A. Monmouth Platts. One of the founders of The Detection Club
Cox was born in Watford and was educated at Sherborne School and University College London.
He served in the Army in World War I and thereafter worked as a journalist, contributing a series of humourous sketches to the magazine 'Punch'. These were later published collectively (1925) under the Anthony Berkeley pseudonym as 'Jugged Journalism' and the book was followed by a series of minor comic novels such as 'Brenda Entertains' (1925), 'The Family Witch' (1925) and 'The Professor on Paws' (1926).
It was also in 1925 when he published, anonymously to begin with, his first detective novel, 'The Layton Court Mystery', which was apparently written for the amusement of himself and his father, who was a big fan of the mystery genre. Later editions of the book had the author as Anthony Berkeley.
He discovered that the financial rewards were far better for detective fiction so he concentrated his efforts on that genre for the following 14 years, using mainly the Anthony Berkeley pseudonym but also writing four novels and three collections of short stories as Francis Isles and one novel as A Monmouth Platts.
In 1928 he founded the famous Detection Club in London and became its first honorary secretary.
In the mid-1930s he began reviewing novels, both mystery and non-mystery, for 'The Daily Telegraph' under the Francis Isles pseudonym, which he had first used for 'Malice Aforethought' in 1931.
In 1939 he gave up writing detective fiction for no apparent reason although it has been suggested that he came into a large inheritance at the time or that his alleged remark, 'When I find something that pays better than detective stories I shall write that' had some relevance. However, he produced nothing significant after he finished writing with 'Death in the House' (Berkeley) and 'As for the Woman' (Isles) in 1939.
He did, however, continue to review books for such as 'John O'London's Weekly', 'The Sunday Times', 'The Daily Telegraph' and, from the mid-1950s to 1970, 'The Guardian'. In addition he produced 'O England!', a study of social conditions and politics in 1934.
He and his wife lived in an old house in St John's Wood, London, and he had an office in The Strand where he was listed as one of the two directors of A B Cox Ltd, a company whose business was unspecified!
Alfred Hitchcock adapted the Francis Isles' title 'Before the Fact' for his film 'Suspicion' in 1941 and in the same year Cox supplied a script for another film 'Flight from Destiny', which was produced by Warner Brothers.
His most enduring character is Roger Sheringham who featured in 10 Anthony Berkeley novels and two posthumous collections of short stories.
He died on 9 March 1971.
Gerry Wolstenholme
January 2012 (less)
Cox was born in Watford and was educated at Sherborne School and University College London.
He served in the Army in World War I and thereafter worked as a journalist, contributing a series of humourous sketches to the magazine 'Punch'. These were later published collectively (1925) under the Anthony Berkeley pseudonym as 'Jugged Journalism' and the book was followed by a series of minor comic novels such as 'Brenda Entertains' (1925), 'The Family Witch' (1925) and 'The Professor on Paws' (1926).
It was also in 1925 when he published, anonymously to begin with, his first detective novel, 'The Layton Court Mystery', which was apparently written for the amusement of himself and his father, who was a big fan of the mystery genre. Later editions of the book had the author as Anthony Berkeley.
He discovered that the financial rewards were far better for detective fiction so he concentrated his efforts on that genre for the following 14 years, using mainly the Anthony Berkeley pseudonym but also writing four novels and three collections of short stories as Francis Isles and one novel as A Monmouth Platts.
In 1928 he founded the famous Detection Club in London and became its first honorary secretary.
In the mid-1930s he began reviewing novels, both mystery and non-mystery, for 'The Daily Telegraph' under the Francis Isles pseudonym, which he had first used for 'Malice Aforethought' in 1931.
In 1939 he gave up writing detective fiction for no apparent reason although it has been suggested that he came into a large inheritance at the time or that his alleged remark, 'When I find something that pays better than detective stories I shall write that' had some relevance. However, he produced nothing significant after he finished writing with 'Death in the House' (Berkeley) and 'As for the Woman' (Isles) in 1939.
He did, however, continue to review books for such as 'John O'London's Weekly', 'The Sunday Times', 'The Daily Telegraph' and, from the mid-1950s to 1970, 'The Guardian'. In addition he produced 'O England!', a study of social conditions and politics in 1934.
He and his wife lived in an old house in St John's Wood, London, and he had an office in The Strand where he was listed as one of the two directors of A B Cox Ltd, a company whose business was unspecified!
Alfred Hitchcock adapted the Francis Isles' title 'Before the Fact' for his film 'Suspicion' in 1941 and in the same year Cox supplied a script for another film 'Flight from Destiny', which was produced by Warner Brothers.
His most enduring character is Roger Sheringham who featured in 10 Anthony Berkeley novels and two posthumous collections of short stories.
He died on 9 March 1971.
Gerry Wolstenholme
January 2012 (less)
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 25, 2025
I've been reading through Berkeley in available ebooks, and expected another of his crime novels, which are slightly sardonic Golden Age detective fare.
This, however, is Wodehouse meets Hornung. A group of upper- class twits plan a prank. The prank will lead others t o think a crime has been committed. But the prank, as pranks often d o, gets out of hand, in hilarious ways. By the time the pranksters have to repeatedly drag a teenage boy away from the charms of a chorus girl, so that he may notice some suspicious footsteps, the reader can see that their comeuppance is certain.
The characters are stereotypical: the village bobby, the bright young thing, the fatuous bore. But as each in turn is moved around like chessmen, the ridiculousness becomes sublime.
This, however, is Wodehouse meets Hornung. A group of upper- class twits plan a prank. The prank will lead others t o think a crime has been committed. But the prank, as pranks often d o, gets out of hand, in hilarious ways. By the time the pranksters have to repeatedly drag a teenage boy away from the charms of a chorus girl, so that he may notice some suspicious footsteps, the reader can see that their comeuppance is certain.
The characters are stereotypical: the village bobby, the bright young thing, the fatuous bore. But as each in turn is moved around like chessmen, the ridiculousness becomes sublime.
April 30, 2025
I don't know what book is being described at the top of the page but it's definitely not this one. For a good plot summary, see the review by Janet (the only other one on here at the moment).
I'd read Berkeley's Poisoned Chocolate Case earlier this week and found it good and unique, so went hunting for more by him. This one is definitely unique--don't think I've ever read a humorous murder mystery before. As Janet said, it very much reminded me of Wodehouse, at his best. If you enjoy him, give this a try.
Some slight swearing, and attitudes by some characters that we would consider hopelessly old-fashioned and sexist, but, hey, it was written back when that was normal. And, for the most part, the women are just as plucky and enterprising as the men, sometimes more so.
I'd read Berkeley's Poisoned Chocolate Case earlier this week and found it good and unique, so went hunting for more by him. This one is definitely unique--don't think I've ever read a humorous murder mystery before. As Janet said, it very much reminded me of Wodehouse, at his best. If you enjoy him, give this a try.
Some slight swearing, and attitudes by some characters that we would consider hopelessly old-fashioned and sexist, but, hey, it was written back when that was normal. And, for the most part, the women are just as plucky and enterprising as the men, sometimes more so.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews