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Malcolm Warren Mysteries #2
Das Geheimnis der Weihnachtstage
»Mörder, so sagt man, sind oft die charmantesten Charaktere.«
Es weihnachtet sehr in der Beresford Lodge in Hampstead, unweit von Londons Zentrum. Malcom Warren, ein Börsenmakler, wird von einem seiner Klienten zu einer Weihnachtsparty eingeladen. Eine Gruppe von Bekannten und die einigermaßen komplizierte Familie des Klienten kommt zusammen, feiert ausgelassen, spielt Spiele. Doch als Warren am Weihnachtsmorgen im Gästezimmer aufwacht, findet er eine Leiche.
Die Gesellschaft steht unter Schock. Handelt es sich um einen Unfall? Der Hang zum Schlafwandeln der zu Tode gekommenen Frau legt dies erst einmal nahe. Als aber ein zweiter Mord geschieht, wird die Unfalltheorie sehr schnell ausgeschlossen. Der Mörder muss einer der Bewohner oder der Gäste des großen Hauses sein – aber wer? Wer hat ein Motiv an Weihnachten zu morden? Malcolm Warren, so scheint es, soll alles in die Schuhe geschoben werden. Und so wird er gezwungenermaßen selbst zum Ermittler. Kann er den Fall lösen, bevor Weihnachten vorbei ist? C.H.B. Kitchin nimmt als Autor dieses brillanten und hoch unterhaltsamen Cosy Crime von 1934 einen festen Platz in der »Golden Age« Ära der Kriminalromane ein.
Es weihnachtet sehr in der Beresford Lodge in Hampstead, unweit von Londons Zentrum. Malcom Warren, ein Börsenmakler, wird von einem seiner Klienten zu einer Weihnachtsparty eingeladen. Eine Gruppe von Bekannten und die einigermaßen komplizierte Familie des Klienten kommt zusammen, feiert ausgelassen, spielt Spiele. Doch als Warren am Weihnachtsmorgen im Gästezimmer aufwacht, findet er eine Leiche.
Die Gesellschaft steht unter Schock. Handelt es sich um einen Unfall? Der Hang zum Schlafwandeln der zu Tode gekommenen Frau legt dies erst einmal nahe. Als aber ein zweiter Mord geschieht, wird die Unfalltheorie sehr schnell ausgeschlossen. Der Mörder muss einer der Bewohner oder der Gäste des großen Hauses sein – aber wer? Wer hat ein Motiv an Weihnachten zu morden? Malcolm Warren, so scheint es, soll alles in die Schuhe geschoben werden. Und so wird er gezwungenermaßen selbst zum Ermittler. Kann er den Fall lösen, bevor Weihnachten vorbei ist? C.H.B. Kitchin nimmt als Autor dieses brillanten und hoch unterhaltsamen Cosy Crime von 1934 einen festen Platz in der »Golden Age« Ära der Kriminalromane ein.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1934
53 people are currently reading
347 people want to read
About the author
C.H.B. Kitchin
22 books10 followersC.H.B. (Clifford Henry Benn) Kitchin was born in Yorkshire in 1895. He attended Exeter College, Oxford, and published his first book, a collection of poems, in 1919. His first novel, Streamers Waving, appeared in 1925, and he scored his first success with the mystery novel Death of My Aunt (1929), which has been frequently reprinted and translated into a number of foreign languages.
Kitchin was a man of many interests and talents, being called to the bar in 1924 and later amassing a small fortune in the stock market. He was also, at various times, a farmer and a schoolmaster, and his many talents included playing the piano, chess, and bridge. He was also an avid collector of antiques and objets d'art.
Kitchin was a lifelong friend of L. P. Hartley, with whose works Kitchin’s were often compared, and was also a friend and mentor to Francis King, who later acted as Kitchin’s literary executor. In his introduction to the Valancourt edition of Kitchin’s The Book of Life, King recalls meeting Kitchin after the two wrote fan letters to one another in 1958 that crossed in the mail: King had written in praise of Ten Pollitt Place, while Kitchin’s letter had expressed admiration for the younger novelist’s The Man on the Rock (1957). King wrote, ‘[B]y the time that I met him, his fate was that of many elderly, once famous writers in England. Instead of lead reviews, he now got two or three paragraphs at the bottom of a page. Increasingly critics would apply the dread word “veteran” to him, much to his annoyance.’ This frustration is echoed in his novel Ten Pollitt Place, where Kitchin portrays himself in the character of the aging novelist Justin Bray.
Kitchin, who was gay, lived with his partner Clive Preen, an accountant, from 1930 until Preen’s death in 1944. C.H.B. Kitchin died in 1967.
Kitchin was a man of many interests and talents, being called to the bar in 1924 and later amassing a small fortune in the stock market. He was also, at various times, a farmer and a schoolmaster, and his many talents included playing the piano, chess, and bridge. He was also an avid collector of antiques and objets d'art.
Kitchin was a lifelong friend of L. P. Hartley, with whose works Kitchin’s were often compared, and was also a friend and mentor to Francis King, who later acted as Kitchin’s literary executor. In his introduction to the Valancourt edition of Kitchin’s The Book of Life, King recalls meeting Kitchin after the two wrote fan letters to one another in 1958 that crossed in the mail: King had written in praise of Ten Pollitt Place, while Kitchin’s letter had expressed admiration for the younger novelist’s The Man on the Rock (1957). King wrote, ‘[B]y the time that I met him, his fate was that of many elderly, once famous writers in England. Instead of lead reviews, he now got two or three paragraphs at the bottom of a page. Increasingly critics would apply the dread word “veteran” to him, much to his annoyance.’ This frustration is echoed in his novel Ten Pollitt Place, where Kitchin portrays himself in the character of the aging novelist Justin Bray.
Kitchin, who was gay, lived with his partner Clive Preen, an accountant, from 1930 until Preen’s death in 1944. C.H.B. Kitchin died in 1967.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
December 27, 2017
3.5/5.
The mystery itself was a perfectly cozy Christmas mystery, mostly centered around one family, their secrets and their life at Beresford Lodge. The main character, Malcom Warren, however, was not the most interesting perspective to read from. He was pretty unlikable and very whiny and didn't even turn out to be a particularly good detective in the end. All he seems to do for the first half of the book is eat, take naps (so many naps!!) and complain about the people he has to spend the holidays with. I mean, I get it, that comes pretty close to my routine on Christmas, but reading about what the protagonist eats, when he drinks his tea and how often he naps is just not the most interesting thing to read about, especially in a murder mystery. In the second half, he finally did some sleuthing, but even then, he was still mostly concerned with his own needs.
Even though the protagonist annoyed me, I still enjoyed reading this overall and think it's a good cozy mystery to curl up with during Christmas time!
The mystery itself was a perfectly cozy Christmas mystery, mostly centered around one family, their secrets and their life at Beresford Lodge. The main character, Malcom Warren, however, was not the most interesting perspective to read from. He was pretty unlikable and very whiny and didn't even turn out to be a particularly good detective in the end. All he seems to do for the first half of the book is eat, take naps (so many naps!!) and complain about the people he has to spend the holidays with. I mean, I get it, that comes pretty close to my routine on Christmas, but reading about what the protagonist eats, when he drinks his tea and how often he naps is just not the most interesting thing to read about, especially in a murder mystery. In the second half, he finally did some sleuthing, but even then, he was still mostly concerned with his own needs.
Even though the protagonist annoyed me, I still enjoyed reading this overall and think it's a good cozy mystery to curl up with during Christmas time!
December 27, 2024
I do usually enjoy a Christmas crime novel ... but, sadly, not this one for CHB Kitchin's 'Crime at Christmas' is less than entertaining. It is sluggish, the characters have no substance and the inane chatter that goes on is soul destroying and tiresome.
Malcolm Warren, an insipid character if ever there was one, finds himself at Beresford Lodge in Hampstead where relatives of the owner and other friends have gathered to celebrate the festive season. A body discovered on the balcony outside Warren's bedroom interrupts the festivities but by then this reader's attention was already waning.
More meaningless chatter follows and interest flies out of the window and unfortunately a decision was made to terminate the read long before the end. The end ... I wonder what it is but as I care not one jot, it does not matter. This was a most disappointing experience, there are better books to be read.
They do say don't judge a book by its cover and this is an example because this edition has quite an attractive cover that can draw one in ... with dire results.
Malcolm Warren, an insipid character if ever there was one, finds himself at Beresford Lodge in Hampstead where relatives of the owner and other friends have gathered to celebrate the festive season. A body discovered on the balcony outside Warren's bedroom interrupts the festivities but by then this reader's attention was already waning.
More meaningless chatter follows and interest flies out of the window and unfortunately a decision was made to terminate the read long before the end. The end ... I wonder what it is but as I care not one jot, it does not matter. This was a most disappointing experience, there are better books to be read.
They do say don't judge a book by its cover and this is an example because this edition has quite an attractive cover that can draw one in ... with dire results.
December 25, 2018
Quasi come vuole il titolo, il 25 dicembre (sera) si chiude con questo libro.
Niente di eclatante, quasi una Agatha Christie con i pantaloni.
Ecco, appunto... quasi.
Il classico giallo con delitto/i in un luogo abbastanza circoscritto, con pochi protagonisti, tutti sospettabili. Peccato siano tutti poco delineati e sfuggenti.
Un po' piatto per i miei gusti, quasi privo di emozioni (quelle riportate sono segni un po' "melensi" dell'epoca), come fosse un reportage di fatti, osservazioni, elucubrazioni, ragionamenti, liste e deduzioni che dovrebbero portare alla soluzione del caso. Soluzione che invece vede la luce ad opera, non dell'io narrante, bensì di un ispettore un po' troppo... "gentile" (leggasi: mellifluo).
Ah... le celluline grigie di Poirot sarebbero andate a nozze!
Simpatica ed originale l'intervista del protagonista con il "lettore", durante la quale vengono spiegati tutti (o quasi) i risvolti del "caso".
Nonostante tutto, l'ho voluto premiare con tre stelle perché a Natale siamo tutti più buoni...
No, no, scusate... Sono stata presa dall'atmosfera...
No, le ragioni sono certo diverse:
1. si regge su una buona scrittura (o per lo meno su una buona traduzione);
2. è un mystery del 1934 che conferma che l'omicidio è sempre all'ordine del giorno. Anche a Natale.
📖 GdL tema del mese (dic. 2018): il Natale
Niente di eclatante, quasi una Agatha Christie con i pantaloni.
Ecco, appunto... quasi.
Il classico giallo con delitto/i in un luogo abbastanza circoscritto, con pochi protagonisti, tutti sospettabili. Peccato siano tutti poco delineati e sfuggenti.
Un po' piatto per i miei gusti, quasi privo di emozioni (quelle riportate sono segni un po' "melensi" dell'epoca), come fosse un reportage di fatti, osservazioni, elucubrazioni, ragionamenti, liste e deduzioni che dovrebbero portare alla soluzione del caso. Soluzione che invece vede la luce ad opera, non dell'io narrante, bensì di un ispettore un po' troppo... "gentile" (leggasi: mellifluo).
Ah... le celluline grigie di Poirot sarebbero andate a nozze!
Simpatica ed originale l'intervista del protagonista con il "lettore", durante la quale vengono spiegati tutti (o quasi) i risvolti del "caso".
Nonostante tutto, l'ho voluto premiare con tre stelle perché a Natale siamo tutti più buoni...
No, no, scusate... Sono stata presa dall'atmosfera...
No, le ragioni sono certo diverse:
1. si regge su una buona scrittura (o per lo meno su una buona traduzione);
2. è un mystery del 1934 che conferma che l'omicidio è sempre all'ordine del giorno. Anche a Natale.
📖 GdL tema del mese (dic. 2018): il Natale
January 31, 2017
I've read other books from the 30's, and most survived the test of time. But this? It's ridiculous, bordering on preposterous. If you could boil down the book into actionable moments, I truly think it's 40 pages long. The rest is narcissistic ruminations by the protagonist. Why didn't someone throw him off the balcony and put the reader out of their misery?
This is the book that will make me rethink my 'once you start, you must finish' philosophy.
This is the book that will make me rethink my 'once you start, you must finish' philosophy.
December 3, 2017
I don’t think I’ve ever hoped that the narrator would be bumped off before, but this book managed to make me WANT that to happen, quite badly. Utterly tedious.
December 21, 2024
Bereits im ersten Kapitel hatte ich eine gewisse Abneigung gegen das Buch entwickelt und es fiel mir daher schwer, mich auf die Geschichte einzulassen. Die erste Hälfte des Buches zog sich leider ziemlich, es gab kaum Handlung und erst recht keine Spannung. Erst mit Auffinden des zweiten Toten und dem Einsetzen der Ermittlung, nahm das Buch Fahrt auf und es gefiel mir besser. Die Personen blieben mir die ganz Zeit sehr fremd und alle sind ausgesprochen unsympathisch gezeichnet. Die Auflösung war gut, das letzte Kapitel als Dialog zwischen der Hauptperson und "dem Leser" fällt hingegen völlig aus der Rolle. Insgesamt eher ein schwächerer Golden Ager und für mich 2,5 Sterne.
December 25, 2017
2.5?
Il giallo c’è, ed è una scopiazzatura di Agatha Christie. I personaggi sono tanti, descritti così sommariamente da rimanere solo per poco tempo nella mente del lettore. Il narratore è “freddo” nelle descrizioni e nella narrazione in generale. Poco coinvolgimento porta il lettore ad annoiarsi e a chiedersi dove voglia andare a parare lo scrittore. Un meh, insomma.
Il giallo c’è, ed è una scopiazzatura di Agatha Christie. I personaggi sono tanti, descritti così sommariamente da rimanere solo per poco tempo nella mente del lettore. Il narratore è “freddo” nelle descrizioni e nella narrazione in generale. Poco coinvolgimento porta il lettore ad annoiarsi e a chiedersi dove voglia andare a parare lo scrittore. Un meh, insomma.
December 28, 2012
Crime at Christmas is the second novel in a short series of four books featuring Malcolm Warren. The first, Death of My Aunt, published in 1929 is considered something of a classic. Crime at Christmas follows a familiar trope of the golden age of crime novels - several people are staying in a large house and one of them dies. It could be an accident or it could be murder. The various family members, guests and domestic staff have varying status, relationships and conflicts, and the resident amateur detective sets about solving the mystery. With regards to the latter, Warren is somewhat of a fey, upper-class gentleman character and reluctant detective who hoards clues to protect reputations rather than handing them over to the police. Kitchin spins the tale out in an engaging fashion with a vivid cast of characters. However, in the latter half of the book the story starts to unravel, with the solution to the puzzle being a little ridiculous and difficult to believe, and the denouement weak. Kitchin himself seems to know this, with a final chapter that consists of a conversation between author and imagined reader that tries to provide reason to some of the more fanciful elements of the story. Overall, an engaging and mildly amusing story that suffers from a weak resolution.
April 19, 2025
First of all, there are enough references to the previous book, that one should probably read Death of My Aunt first, though not absolutely necessary.
There are two murders in the book, but I found my interest flagging after the second one. However, the denouement was a pretty strong one, so there was a payoff in my opinion. It's strongest feature would be that there was a clear message of a same-sex relationship at one point, as well as two male characters flirting with the protagonist. This was back in the days when the government was still willing to prosecute for sodomy laws.
I would not recommend it to someone who was specifically looking for a book with a Christmas theme, as that was more of a hook to get the main character to the scene of the crime. When the hostess of the Mansion realized he would be alone in London over the holidays, she insisted that Malcolm come to spend Christmas with them.
There are two murders in the book, but I found my interest flagging after the second one. However, the denouement was a pretty strong one, so there was a payoff in my opinion. It's strongest feature would be that there was a clear message of a same-sex relationship at one point, as well as two male characters flirting with the protagonist. This was back in the days when the government was still willing to prosecute for sodomy laws.
I would not recommend it to someone who was specifically looking for a book with a Christmas theme, as that was more of a hook to get the main character to the scene of the crime. When the hostess of the Mansion realized he would be alone in London over the holidays, she insisted that Malcolm come to spend Christmas with them.
December 28, 2020
British crime fiction from the so-called Golden Age grows in popularity. I have to say that even though the novel had been written in the early 1930s, I could feel a sense of modernity and contemporaneity in the writer's way of describing the events; throughout the book, you encounter modern-day sensibilities – particularly those concerning class and social conventions. A crime-fiction novel, that is to say, more like a detective one, follows the venture of the stockbroker Malcolm Warren who investigates two consecutive deaths in the house he is invited to spend holidays in. It's all fun and games until you track down the murderer and everything you haven't understood during the reading comes to light. Not that festive, but enthralling indeed.
June 9, 2016
All my favourite ingredients for a good ol' crime tale – a manor house, a cornucopia of guests, an amateur sleuth, grisly murders and a vast array of suspects.
I raced through this. Once the first, fairly grim death was discovered I was gripped. Eager to find out what other delights C.H.B Kitchin would offer his readers. I wasn't disappointed! I was kept guessing right until the end.
Perfect for fans of the British Library Crime Classics series and Agatha Christie. I'm very happy that this forgotten mystery has been brought back to light and given a fresh, attractive cover.
I raced through this. Once the first, fairly grim death was discovered I was gripped. Eager to find out what other delights C.H.B Kitchin would offer his readers. I wasn't disappointed! I was kept guessing right until the end.
Perfect for fans of the British Library Crime Classics series and Agatha Christie. I'm very happy that this forgotten mystery has been brought back to light and given a fresh, attractive cover.
December 7, 2017
Crime at Christmas was an interesting read. Not your usual Golden Age mystery, it features a stockbroker-turned-detective-but-not-really who mostly observes in lieu of active sleuthing (at times I found his passivity a bit irritating, though he has some excuse due to an injury suffered during a game of, of all things, musical chairs). Still, he provides an engrossing narration, and there are other interesting characters here as well, especially the larger-than-life Dr. Green. When the book winds up, there's an unexpected bonus as the narrator strolls through the fourth wall and answers questions from the reader.
I will definitely be re-reading this unusual take on the classic English murder mystery.
I will definitely be re-reading this unusual take on the classic English murder mystery.
January 8, 2025
I do love a cozy Christmas murder mystery. The setting is very familiar with a large manor house, various family members and their guests and a dead body. But what stood between me and my enjoyment were the characters. None of them are likeable in any way, they are either boring or annoying or a mixture of both. And the main offender is unfortunately our main character. He spends his days whining and napping and ends up solving nothing. The solution wasn't very surprising or interesting either.
2,5 ✨
2,5 ✨
February 10, 2025
Started well and the puzzle was good, but at the end it's as though he got bored with the whole thing and just typed up his notes for explaining the mystery.
November 23, 2018
Giovane agente di cambio, Malcom Warren, viene invitato per le festività Natalizie nella grande villa di uno dei più facoltosi clienti del suo studio. Lo aspettano, in casa Quisberg, un eterogeno gruppo di persone, molto diverse tra loro e tutte molto particolari.
Oltre ai padroni di casa Axel e Letty, ci sono infatti i figli nati dai precedenti matrimoni della donna, diversi domestici, un medico vecchio amico di famiglia, Harley lo smilzo segretario personale di Quisberg con sua madre, un’infermierina alquanto graziosa, e un viavai di altre comparse.
La mattina di Natale, il nostro Malcom trova sul balcone il corpo senza vita della signora Harley che pare sia morta cadendo accidentalmente dal piano superiore.
Come si può immaginare, l’atmosfera non è delle migliori, ma la morte della povera donna è solo l’inizio di una serie di eventi misteriosi.
Con una prosa d’altri tempi, ma molto in tema con l’anno in cui avvengono i fatti, CBH Kitchin ha creato un giallo davvero piacevole.
In un epoca in cui il DNA era cosa lontanissima l’autore si affida all’intelligenza e all’intuito del protagonista, nonchè a quella di un valente ispettore, per scoprire chi si nasconde dietro alle morti sospette che avvengono in quello che dovrebbe essere il giorno più buono dell’anno.
I personaggi e i loro caratteri sono i punti chiave del romanzo, ognuno di loro è davvero singolare ed è studiato al microscopio dal nostro Warren. Ne viene fuori una descrizione a tutto tondo sia dei personaggi che della storia, che coinvolge il lettore in prima persona.
Ho trovato molto ben architettato il mistero nascosto dietro la morte della prima vittima, allo stesso modo mi sono piaciuti i legami creati tra i vari interlocutori del nostro protagonista e solo alla fine del romanzo si capisce cosa sia accaduto davvero.
Un giallo di tutto rispetto assolutamente da leggere e cosa ancor più deliziosa è stata l’aver scoperto che dello stesso autore con il medesimo protagonista esistono altri libri da potersi gustare.
Oltre ai padroni di casa Axel e Letty, ci sono infatti i figli nati dai precedenti matrimoni della donna, diversi domestici, un medico vecchio amico di famiglia, Harley lo smilzo segretario personale di Quisberg con sua madre, un’infermierina alquanto graziosa, e un viavai di altre comparse.
La mattina di Natale, il nostro Malcom trova sul balcone il corpo senza vita della signora Harley che pare sia morta cadendo accidentalmente dal piano superiore.
Come si può immaginare, l’atmosfera non è delle migliori, ma la morte della povera donna è solo l’inizio di una serie di eventi misteriosi.
Con una prosa d’altri tempi, ma molto in tema con l’anno in cui avvengono i fatti, CBH Kitchin ha creato un giallo davvero piacevole.
In un epoca in cui il DNA era cosa lontanissima l’autore si affida all’intelligenza e all’intuito del protagonista, nonchè a quella di un valente ispettore, per scoprire chi si nasconde dietro alle morti sospette che avvengono in quello che dovrebbe essere il giorno più buono dell’anno.
I personaggi e i loro caratteri sono i punti chiave del romanzo, ognuno di loro è davvero singolare ed è studiato al microscopio dal nostro Warren. Ne viene fuori una descrizione a tutto tondo sia dei personaggi che della storia, che coinvolge il lettore in prima persona.
Ho trovato molto ben architettato il mistero nascosto dietro la morte della prima vittima, allo stesso modo mi sono piaciuti i legami creati tra i vari interlocutori del nostro protagonista e solo alla fine del romanzo si capisce cosa sia accaduto davvero.
Un giallo di tutto rispetto assolutamente da leggere e cosa ancor più deliziosa è stata l’aver scoperto che dello stesso autore con il medesimo protagonista esistono altri libri da potersi gustare.
December 5, 2020
A country house murder (ish- set in Hampstead) over Christmas. I enjoyed that this story was told from the perspective of stockbroker Malcolm Warren, with his evolving feelings about members of the group, his overactive mind, and at times a feeling he was teetering on the edge of an anxiety attack.
Its a fairly run of the mill murder mystery, and I'm not entirely sure it plays fair with the rules of detection fiction (there are nowhere near enough clues to guess whodunnit). It also has a very odd final chapter 'a discussion with he reader' to round off characters stories - an odd idea, that kind of worked.
All that said it was an enjoyable and cosy tale, I love the setting and characters and most importantly, a great launch into the festive season!
Its a fairly run of the mill murder mystery, and I'm not entirely sure it plays fair with the rules of detection fiction (there are nowhere near enough clues to guess whodunnit). It also has a very odd final chapter 'a discussion with he reader' to round off characters stories - an odd idea, that kind of worked.
All that said it was an enjoyable and cosy tale, I love the setting and characters and most importantly, a great launch into the festive season!
December 29, 2020
Always fun to discover a new Christmas mystery. Crime at Christmas was written by C.H. B. Kitchin in 1934. It is set in England. A Christmas party in Hampstead is interrupted by violent deaths. Can the murderer be one of the family and intimate friends celebrating the festive season in the manor house? The stockbroker sleuth Malcolm Warren investigates. Fascinating characters.
December 31, 2023
Libro scorrevole, adatto per una lettura gialla natalizia. Incentrato sulla storia della strana notte di Natale e le giornate a seguito. Una famiglia composta da membri singolari e completamente diversi gli uni dagli altri.
Una storia intricata con un finale abbastanza (ma non troppo) scontato
Una storia intricata con un finale abbastanza (ma non troppo) scontato
December 4, 2017
Entertaining "golden age" crime story. I particularly liked the last chapter where the "reader" interrogates the narrator to tie up all the loose ends
December 24, 2019
A perfectly good Christmas mystery, for some reason a murder in a country house always feels right for the festive season.
January 9, 2022
Having read three of the four novels Kitchin wrote featuring the somewhat effete stockbroker, Malcolm Warren, I have grown to quite like the stylish writing and rather minimal detection.
The author's credo is set out in the imagined Catechism between a Reader and Warren in which some of the unexplained strands of the solution are knitted together :-
"I would say that the excuse for a detective story is two-fold. First, it presents a problem to be solved and shares, in a humble way, the charm of the acrostic and the crossword puzzle. But secondly—and this, to my mind, is its real justification—it provides one with a narrow but intensive view of ordinary life, the steady flow of which is felt more keenly through the very violence of its interruption."
and:-
" A detective story is always something of an étude de mœurs—a study in the behaviour of normal people in abnormal circumstances. By normal people, I mean people whose lives come fairly close to our own, people whose psychology we can follow and sympathize with."
I think that the problem most readers have with this book is that it does not get the balance between being a detective novel and a study of manners quite right. There are not many clues about who was responsible for the two deaths which occur or the motives.
It is all fairly light and mildly camp. I think we are supposed to infer that Warren rather fancies the handsome Scotland Yard Inspector, for instance, and he is rather too keen on interior decoration...
The setting in a Hampstead mansion over a damp Christmas is effectively done and the characterisation is sharp.
3.5 stars.
The author's credo is set out in the imagined Catechism between a Reader and Warren in which some of the unexplained strands of the solution are knitted together :-
"I would say that the excuse for a detective story is two-fold. First, it presents a problem to be solved and shares, in a humble way, the charm of the acrostic and the crossword puzzle. But secondly—and this, to my mind, is its real justification—it provides one with a narrow but intensive view of ordinary life, the steady flow of which is felt more keenly through the very violence of its interruption."
and:-
" A detective story is always something of an étude de mœurs—a study in the behaviour of normal people in abnormal circumstances. By normal people, I mean people whose lives come fairly close to our own, people whose psychology we can follow and sympathize with."
I think that the problem most readers have with this book is that it does not get the balance between being a detective novel and a study of manners quite right. There are not many clues about who was responsible for the two deaths which occur or the motives.
It is all fairly light and mildly camp. I think we are supposed to infer that Warren rather fancies the handsome Scotland Yard Inspector, for instance, and he is rather too keen on interior decoration...
The setting in a Hampstead mansion over a damp Christmas is effectively done and the characterisation is sharp.
3.5 stars.
December 22, 2025
2.5 stars rounded up to 3; good enough to be glad I read it but no interest in continuing.
February 14, 2017
I enjoyed this a lot once I got into it. It’s very amusing in places – possibly not always intentionally, and despite long digressions into introspection on the narrator’s part.
Malcolm Warren is a young London stockbroker, and he starts the story with a nifty piece of insider trading, which I assume was legal in the 1930s. Then he goes to the house of his client and the client’s wife (whose protégé he is) for Christmas, and murder ensues.
Malcolm is a very delicate flower for an amateur detective, requiring many hours of bed rest whenever he sprains his wrist or finds a body. Admittedly, finding murder victims is probably a shock, but do we ever see Miss Marple shutting herself up in her room and demanding breakfast in bed to avoid mingling with the suspects? We do not. How would she do any detecting if she acted like that?
Fun if you enjoy the camp overtones!
Malcolm Warren is a young London stockbroker, and he starts the story with a nifty piece of insider trading, which I assume was legal in the 1930s. Then he goes to the house of his client and the client’s wife (whose protégé he is) for Christmas, and murder ensues.
Malcolm is a very delicate flower for an amateur detective, requiring many hours of bed rest whenever he sprains his wrist or finds a body. Admittedly, finding murder victims is probably a shock, but do we ever see Miss Marple shutting herself up in her room and demanding breakfast in bed to avoid mingling with the suspects? We do not. How would she do any detecting if she acted like that?
Fun if you enjoy the camp overtones!
September 12, 2017
Stockbroker Malcolm Warren is invited to spend Christmas with one of his clients, Axel Quisberg. Christmas Eve is fairly dismal: Quisberg and his secretary, Harley, spend the night at a hotel trying to organise a business deal, while Warren is stuck with Quisberg's wife, stepchildren and assorted hangers-on, and sprains his wrist while dancing. Christmas morning is even worse, when Warren wakes up to find another guest, Harley's mother, dead outside his window.
This is a quirky little book that meanders along at a gentle pace. Warren frets his way through it, regularly taking to his bed when he finds it all a bit much. There is a mysterious flute player, a missing shovel, and an outrageous coincidence of something Warren saw sixteen years earlier. It all finishes with an odd little chapter in which Warren is interviewed by a Reader, tying up all the loose ends. Cosy this isn't: it's easily the least festive Christmas story I've ever come across, but it's not without its moments.
This is a quirky little book that meanders along at a gentle pace. Warren frets his way through it, regularly taking to his bed when he finds it all a bit much. There is a mysterious flute player, a missing shovel, and an outrageous coincidence of something Warren saw sixteen years earlier. It all finishes with an odd little chapter in which Warren is interviewed by a Reader, tying up all the loose ends. Cosy this isn't: it's easily the least festive Christmas story I've ever come across, but it's not without its moments.
January 11, 2016
Although the book was very enjoyable to read, the protagonist's discoveries were often due much more to luck than his own intelligence, and it was actually the inspector who discovered the murderer - which I found slightly disappointing. Furthermore, I found the lack of interesting discoveries about all characters a little boring and the actual murderer reveal lacklustre and perhaps slightly unlikely. If you're looking for a Christmas mystery, I wouldn't advise you against this one, as it was enjoyable, but there are better ones out there.
March 29, 2011
A fun, well-written Golden Age mystery, taking place over a Christmas weekend at a large house in Hampstead. Family complications and financial skulduggery bring murder into a Christmas party. The wrap-up dialogue between the reader and a character is particularly fun. If you like classic mysteries of the country-house type (although this is more a suburban house), this will be right up your alley. If Kitchin's books were still in print or easier to get hold of, I'd happily read more.
January 7, 2018
Delightful classic mystery set at Christmas in a manor house on Hampstead Heath in London. The narrator is a likable hero, a paradoxically sensitive, intellectual stockbroker who says he is out of place among the brokers in the City and the artists in Bloomsbury. The plot unfolds at a good pace, but I found myself just enjoying the company of the narrator, an unlikely sleuth with his nervousness and near swoons, as he tries to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
September 20, 2018
I kept wanting to smack the main character.
December 22, 2018
It is generally agreed that nothing can beat a good Golden Age Mystery at Christmas, and this 1934 novel reprinted in 2015 fills the bill admirably. A large house, with a group of ill assorted guests, a determined (amateur) detective, a murder or two and some diverting red herrings. Economic double dealings, mixed motives and unfulfilled romance are superbly realised in this little known but admirable novel. This tale is not confined to the house itself, but it is in the immediate environs that a mystery begins and deepens during a deeply trying Christmas for all concerned, but especially “the stockbroker sleuth, Malcolm Warren”. While this is not the most strongly plotted novel of its type, the characterisation and setting is so richly described that it is a thoroughly enjoyable read of its genre.
At the beginning of the book, Malcolm as narrator recalls a financial transaction in which he is instructed to buy shares on behalf of a Mr Quisberg. As he has a harmless and unspoken passion for Mrs Quisberg, and indeed is going to stay at the family home for Christmas, it becomes a very important transaction. When he arrives at the large Beresford Lodge in Hampstead he discover a full house, complete with servants and a resident nurse for a younger son. There are several adult children present as Mrs Quisberg has been married before, and they include a young woman, Amabel, with her gentleman friend, Dixon. Other guests include extrovert and expert Dr Green and another son, Clarence. A young male secretary, Harley, has brought his mother to stay for a night. An early tragedy means that the festivities are very subdued. There is much taking to sick beds and suspicion at least on Malcolm’s part, while the energetic Dr Green promises to remedy all difficulties. There is much observation of small incidents by Malcolm, and red herrings aplenty as another death occurs.
There are sometimes novels which so skilfully convey a setting that the reader feels as if they could successfully navigate around the house and garden as described, and this is one of those books. There are points at which it seems overwritten, and overly detailed, but essentially this is a book which takes the reader along very well. There is a previous story referred to in which Malcolm is also unwillingly involved in a murder investigation, and certainly he is a trusted part of the case with little fuss. This is a confidently written book, with a firm grip on plot and characters. It is not a spectacular mystery, but well fulfils the demands of the genre. It is a complex tale, but well controlled and the final chapter manages to tie up the loose ends. I enjoyed its clever insight into the various characters, and appreciated the fact that the deaths were causes of actual sorrow to some of the characters rather than just an elements in a puzzle or unfortunate events. I would recommend this book for any time of the year, because the Christmas timing is a convenient reason for getting people together rather than a vital part of the story. It is an entertaining and enjoyable book, with a skilful feel for setting and characters.
At the beginning of the book, Malcolm as narrator recalls a financial transaction in which he is instructed to buy shares on behalf of a Mr Quisberg. As he has a harmless and unspoken passion for Mrs Quisberg, and indeed is going to stay at the family home for Christmas, it becomes a very important transaction. When he arrives at the large Beresford Lodge in Hampstead he discover a full house, complete with servants and a resident nurse for a younger son. There are several adult children present as Mrs Quisberg has been married before, and they include a young woman, Amabel, with her gentleman friend, Dixon. Other guests include extrovert and expert Dr Green and another son, Clarence. A young male secretary, Harley, has brought his mother to stay for a night. An early tragedy means that the festivities are very subdued. There is much taking to sick beds and suspicion at least on Malcolm’s part, while the energetic Dr Green promises to remedy all difficulties. There is much observation of small incidents by Malcolm, and red herrings aplenty as another death occurs.
There are sometimes novels which so skilfully convey a setting that the reader feels as if they could successfully navigate around the house and garden as described, and this is one of those books. There are points at which it seems overwritten, and overly detailed, but essentially this is a book which takes the reader along very well. There is a previous story referred to in which Malcolm is also unwillingly involved in a murder investigation, and certainly he is a trusted part of the case with little fuss. This is a confidently written book, with a firm grip on plot and characters. It is not a spectacular mystery, but well fulfils the demands of the genre. It is a complex tale, but well controlled and the final chapter manages to tie up the loose ends. I enjoyed its clever insight into the various characters, and appreciated the fact that the deaths were causes of actual sorrow to some of the characters rather than just an elements in a puzzle or unfortunate events. I would recommend this book for any time of the year, because the Christmas timing is a convenient reason for getting people together rather than a vital part of the story. It is an entertaining and enjoyable book, with a skilful feel for setting and characters.
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