Kill In The Ring: A Golden Age Murder Mystery

by Vernon Loder

‘Exciting.’ DAILY MIRRORBack in print for the first time in almost 90 years.Another crime book by the remarkable author JOHN HASLETTE VAHEY under the pseudonym VERNON LODER.
Tommy Martin was a wealthy amateur boxer and a talented one at that. He hoped to turn professional and was a favourite of the ring. Men liked him because he was a tough fighter with a terrific right hook. Women adored him because he was so handsome. It seemed nothing could stop his rise to the top, but then the unexpected happened. In the middle of his biggest fight to date, which he was winning, Martin collapsed and died. Foul play was suspected and a post-mortem revealed he had been poisoned. Tommy Martin had been murdered in front of a crowd of thousands, but no one had seen a thing. Who had carried out this cunning murder?

First published in 1938, this is a Golden Age Murder Mystery.

VERNON LODER was the pen name of the incredibly prolific Irish author JOHN HASLETTE VAHEY (1881-1938), who wrote dozens of crime novels under various pseudonyms, most notably VERNON LODER, HENRIETTA CLANDON and ANTHONY LANG

233 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 7, 2024

About the author

Vernon Loder was a pseudonym for John Haslette Vahey, an Anglo-Irish writer who also wrote as Henrietta Clandon, John Haslette, Anthony Lang, John Mowbray, Walter Proudfoot and George Varney.

Vahey started his working life as an apprentice architect, then an accountant before finally turning to writing fiction full-time.

extra bio info from a book blurb

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of four Loder/Clandon novels published in the year of the author’s death, this police procedural has both a startlingly original murder method and a most wearisome plot.The approach of the police, apart from focusing pretty consistently on one suspect, seems a bit random and lacking in proper method, while the narrative feels very repetitive

Although the insensitivity. egocentricity and general awfulness of the murdered man meant that I was not much invested in the solving of the crime, my lack of of engagement in the main was down to the paucity of suspects and the tedious nature of of the investigation which was enlivened only by the all too infrequent appearances of the pathologist, Sir Robert Vise . The ending is quite abrupt and some points are left unexplained in the rush to a solution.

Apart from the modus operandi and the well-depicted boxing contest, the major source of interest for me was the innovative use the police made of the film of the match in their search for clues. Otherwise it was all rather lacklustre.

Unfortunately this edition has a large number of scannos or typographic errors which at times make text and meaning incomprehensible.

3.25 stars.

[Judi Strega · Rating 1 out of 5]

Printing errors galore!

The story was unusual but well written however there were so many errors and omissions that often, the prose made no sense. What a shame. Mr Loder deserves better.

[SuedePuzzler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting depition of boxing. Not well-clued, and several minor points are left unexplained. There was also a conversation reported that felt misleading.