The Case with Three Threads: An English Country House Murder Mystery

by Anthony Lang

‘Effortless telling of a good story’ The Observer‘Murder most ingeniously contrived’ New York TimesThe third crime novel of the much-revered crime writer Vernon Loder (writing as ‘Anthony Lang’) back in print for the first time in almost a centuryThe English country house known as ‘The Aumbry’ was intensely picturesque. Set amongst woods and with views of the Yorkshire Dales, it had been the family seat of the Gilders family for over two centuries. By 1926 however, it is in the hands of Argentinian widow, Señora Carmen Alvez. Half the mansion is closed-off and running on a skeleton staff. The tall and elegant butler, Julius Hogan, is its linchpin. But the vivacious señora seems on strangely personal terms with her staff. When she invites her new friend, wealthy heiress Miss Peggy Heggins, to her country home, dead bodies begin to pile up and Chief Inspector Hoe of Scotland Yard descends to investigate maleficence most foul.ABOUT THE AUTHORGeorge Varney was one of no less than nine pseudonyms adopted by Anglo-Irish detective fiction author, Jack Vahey. Born John George Hazlette Vahey in Belfast in 1881 he worked first as an apprentice architect, then an accountant before finally turning to writing fiction full-time. He is perhaps best known by his ‘Vernon Loder’ pseudonym used on twenty-two of his novels, many published in the prestigious Collins Crime Club, the first The Mystery at Stowe in 1928, the last, Kill in the Ring, in 1938. Jack Vahey died in 1938.PRAISE FOR THE AUTHOR‘A brilliantly-written detective story’The Daily Mail‘Spins out his gruesome tale and does it well’New York Times‘The name of Vernon Loder must be widely known as a reliable and promising indication on the cover of a detective story’Times Literary Supplement‘Character drawing in Vernon Loder’s strong point’Glasgow Herald‘A master story-teller’Manchester Evening News

Genres: Mystery

218 pages, Paperback

Published March 6, 2024

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

John George Haslette Vahey (1881-1938) wrote mostly as Vernon Loder but used 8 other known pseudonyms.As Anthony Lang he was the author of five novels, of which this is the third, dating from 1928.

It is a thriller with a romance element quite strongly characterised but written in a strangely simplistic style. It is all a bit muted but has its moments. Set in a country house in Yorkshire and various locations in London, it follows Chief Inspector Hoe of Scotland Yard as he investigates the murder of a butler:-

“The local detective-sergeant made no comment when he heard that the case would be taken out of his hands. He was, indeed, secretly relieved; a state of mind more common in provincial and country detectives than outsiders imagine. The country investigator is not always the bumptious and self-confident fellow who figures so in much fiction.”

The strange household of Carmen Alvez comes in for close attention and the ramifications of the plot reach the USA and a transatlantic liner. However in spite of a few convolutions as Hoe says:-

“Don’t be afraid of a simple explanation. Half our trouble lies in the human tendency to be too smart and clever. The moment we get too clever we become amateurs—they are never satisfied until they make a straight line into a lot of curves and when they straighten out the curves again, they cry Eureka.”

The plot is not particularly complex and the reveal rather weak and tame, but the readability factor is high. At this price it is worth a punt.

3.25 stars.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A highly entertaining mystery by an author that is certainly as mysterious as his own prolific works. Unfortunately, this book appears to be only one of two books available in America by Anthony Lang, just one of several pseudonyms used by John Haslette Vahey during 1920s and 1930s, or the golden era of detective fiction.

And is is definitely a shame because I thoroughly enjoyed this tale, set primarily in an English country house, the residence of an Argentinian widow, Senora Carmen Alvez.

During a trip to London, Alvez meets heiress Peggy Heggins and her grandmother, and invites them to stay at her home. The Heggins come and seem to enjoy visiting with Alvez, who is guardian to Bruno, a young man who has just completed his studies and is seeking a career opening. Peggy and Bruno get along and Alvez encourages the two, hoping that they fall in love. Meanwhile, Peggy's grandmother hopes to help Bruno enter business and introduces him to a friend of hers.

But while the foursome seem to be getting along, there are things that are brewing in the background. The small staff don't seem to be the right in their roles. And then there is a death of the butler. The only clue seems to be an empty jewelry case.

Just who was the butler, really? And is Alvez all that she seems? Enter Chief Inspector Hoe of Scotland Yard who discovers that there is much more to the mystery, including more death. Slowly finding clues and pushing all the right buttons to gain more information from some unsavory characters, Hoe eventually buttons up the mystery and the guilty. A clever tale written well.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Things I liked about this book:
- Some of the characters and their relationships. I especially liked that both men in the love triangle were good guys.

Things I didn’t love so much:
- It dragged quite a bit in places, especially toward the end for me.
- Too much of the story ended up hinging on some mysterious unknown criminal syndicate, which is never my preference. I prefer a mystery that’s more personal!
- The climactic scene all happens off screen in past tense, stripping it of any tension.
- Hilarious that the wizened old crone in this book is the ripe old age of… 30 years old.

Even though I listed more negatives than positives above, I actually mostly enjoyed the book and will be looking for others from this author. I’d probably call it a 3.5/5.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three and a half stars.

After a rather slow start, this story rattled along nicely and I sat up late to finish it. The Goodreads synopsis says enough. A rather unusual plot that it would be difficult for the reader to work out who was the culprit as (I felt) the author didn't really play fair with the clues. However, this didn't spoil my enjoyment of it. Inspector Hoe is a very likeable policeman being extremely clever with a nice humane touch. Good characterisations of the protagonists and a lightweight romance element made it a quite enjoyable and easy read. I would have given it four stars but the ending was a little tame.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of Adventure

Well written characters with plenty of action, danger & a bit of romance. Lines of inquiry come together Very Well