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The Shop Window Murders
Mander's Stores is the newest department store in London. But when its owner and a young shop-worker are discovered murdered amongst the mannequins of the window display, the Store becomes the centre of a decidedly less savoury kind of sensation. Inspector Devenish of the Yard investigates and finds evidence of blackmail, fraudulent patents, tangled love affairs and embezzlement. Devenish is soon forced to admit that there might possibly be such a thing as too many clues...
Originally published in 1930 in Collins's celebrated "Crime Club" imprint, this is a classic British mystery from the golden age of detective fiction.
Originally published in 1930 in Collins's celebrated "Crime Club" imprint, this is a classic British mystery from the golden age of detective fiction.
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1930
About the author
Vernon Loder
29 books7 followersVernon 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
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
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 11, 2019
How much is that body in the window?
In the run up to Christmas, Mander’s Department Store puts on an elaborate window display to attract the attention of passing shoppers. It turns out the display is even more elaborate than they intended, though, when onlookers spot that two of the figures aren’t mannequins – in fact, they’re corpses! One is Mr Mander himself, the brains behind the store, while the other is the strangely named Effie Tumour, one of the store’s department heads. She has been stabbed; he, shot. It’s up to Inspector Devenish of the Yard to work out who killed them, and how and why.
This falls mainly into the category of the puzzle mystery, or the howdunit, and unfortunately that’s never my favourite kind of plot. The detection tends to take the form of Devenish speculating as to how a piece of the puzzle could have happened, and then looking for evidence to prove or disprove his theory before moving on to the next piece. My mind doesn’t work that way – I’m never very interested in the kind of detailed physical clue that shows that someone must have been in such and such a place at such and such a moment and therefore must have been seen by so and so. So sadly I found a good deal of this somewhat tedious, even though I could see that it was good of its kind.
When it moves on to possible motive, it worked much better for me, and although there’s not a huge amount of in-depth characterisation, what there is of it is very good, making me regret that Loder hadn’t concentrated more on the why and less on the how. Miss Tumour (why do you think he called her that? Most odd...) was engaged to the manager of the store, Mr Kephim (I suppose if you’re called Tumour, the idea of changing your name to Kephim might not be so bad). But it appears she’s been clandestinely meeting up with Mr Mander. Was it a case of jealousy then? But Mr Mander has other secrets too, including claiming an invention of another man as his own, and charming the elderly widow who is providing the financial backing for the store, which her son is not thrilled about. So plenty of people might have wanted to bump him off.
A mixed bag for me, then, but on the whole the good bits were outweighed by the bits where my eyes were tending to glaze over. Regrettably, the solution when it comes is also mixed – it’s unexpected and interesting, which is good, but large parts of it are still speculative. Devenish may be right in his assumptions, but I couldn’t help feeling he could just as easily be wrong. I’m sure the puzzle aspects will appeal to people who enjoy pitting their wits alongside the detective to try to make sense of baffling physical clues, but personally, being more interested in motive and characterisation, I found it all rather unsatisfactory. 2½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Collins Crime Club.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
In the run up to Christmas, Mander’s Department Store puts on an elaborate window display to attract the attention of passing shoppers. It turns out the display is even more elaborate than they intended, though, when onlookers spot that two of the figures aren’t mannequins – in fact, they’re corpses! One is Mr Mander himself, the brains behind the store, while the other is the strangely named Effie Tumour, one of the store’s department heads. She has been stabbed; he, shot. It’s up to Inspector Devenish of the Yard to work out who killed them, and how and why.
This falls mainly into the category of the puzzle mystery, or the howdunit, and unfortunately that’s never my favourite kind of plot. The detection tends to take the form of Devenish speculating as to how a piece of the puzzle could have happened, and then looking for evidence to prove or disprove his theory before moving on to the next piece. My mind doesn’t work that way – I’m never very interested in the kind of detailed physical clue that shows that someone must have been in such and such a place at such and such a moment and therefore must have been seen by so and so. So sadly I found a good deal of this somewhat tedious, even though I could see that it was good of its kind.
When it moves on to possible motive, it worked much better for me, and although there’s not a huge amount of in-depth characterisation, what there is of it is very good, making me regret that Loder hadn’t concentrated more on the why and less on the how. Miss Tumour (why do you think he called her that? Most odd...) was engaged to the manager of the store, Mr Kephim (I suppose if you’re called Tumour, the idea of changing your name to Kephim might not be so bad). But it appears she’s been clandestinely meeting up with Mr Mander. Was it a case of jealousy then? But Mr Mander has other secrets too, including claiming an invention of another man as his own, and charming the elderly widow who is providing the financial backing for the store, which her son is not thrilled about. So plenty of people might have wanted to bump him off.
A mixed bag for me, then, but on the whole the good bits were outweighed by the bits where my eyes were tending to glaze over. Regrettably, the solution when it comes is also mixed – it’s unexpected and interesting, which is good, but large parts of it are still speculative. Devenish may be right in his assumptions, but I couldn’t help feeling he could just as easily be wrong. I’m sure the puzzle aspects will appeal to people who enjoy pitting their wits alongside the detective to try to make sense of baffling physical clues, but personally, being more interested in motive and characterisation, I found it all rather unsatisfactory. 2½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Collins Crime Club.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
April 8, 2023
Enjoyable but the end didn’t quite work for me; and some of the characters have very odd names to a modern reader…Miss Tumour and Mrs Hoe, for example…🥺
May 22, 2020
This isn't a bad book persé, but it's just incredibly BORING. I just didn't want to finish the book, and if you don't even want to know who did the murder, what else is keeping you? So I'm unfortunately DNF'ing.
January 27, 2018
While the plot was reasonably interesting, I felt that the characters were very bland and the ending unsatisfactory. I found it quite hard work.
January 20, 2019
The discovery of dead bodies in a window display prompts the police to arrive and to detangle an array of clues that seem to point in all directions. Defensible, from the police, sifts through many of the clues and interviews to determine down to what is really going on.
The plotting is really intense, and the sifting is as well. The interviews are interesting as the characters who are suspects or have knowledge are all distinctive enough.
Well written. If you like more emotional volatility in your mysteries this may not be for you. But if you like some puzzles to puzzle along with the detective this is most definitely that kind of story.
This was reprinted recently and I read the ebook version.
The plotting is really intense, and the sifting is as well. The interviews are interesting as the characters who are suspects or have knowledge are all distinctive enough.
Well written. If you like more emotional volatility in your mysteries this may not be for you. But if you like some puzzles to puzzle along with the detective this is most definitely that kind of story.
This was reprinted recently and I read the ebook version.
October 29, 2026
Very good book. It's a slow read, with facts and evidence surfacing gradually. It was hard to get into at first, but as the storyline developed, it got more interesting. It was fun watching how detectives unraveled the case and followed the clues. I liked the characters, especially the main character. Highly recommend.
April 25, 2019
THE SHOP WINDOW MURDERS, Vernon Loder, 1930/2018
With an introduction by Nigel Moss. Mander’s Department Store (modeled, no doubt, after Selfridges) in London’s West End boasts huge windows with dazzling displays, so Christmas shoppers gathered to see the blinds being raised on the new holiday display are at first thrilled at the sight, but are quickly sickened upon realizing that one of the figures is NOT a wax mannequin. It is, in fact, a human corpse. When authorities enter the display, they discover a second corpse, and soon Inspector Devenish of Scotland Yard has a very unique case to solve. For the problem is not a matter of no clues to follow--the problem is so many, many clues, none of which seem to make sense when taken with the others. A truly captivating story unfolds, that twists back and forth on itself--there are a limited number of suspects, and while the reader may think "this one did it," they will shortly change their mind! This reader did not catch the murderer, I was so confused that I was certain that NONE of them did it, even though I knew that someone did! A Golden Age traditional mystery, one of the best I've read. Like all mysteries of this time period, it moves slowly compared to today's mysteries, and relies on police procedures and interviews with suspects to move the story forward.
With an introduction by Nigel Moss. Mander’s Department Store (modeled, no doubt, after Selfridges) in London’s West End boasts huge windows with dazzling displays, so Christmas shoppers gathered to see the blinds being raised on the new holiday display are at first thrilled at the sight, but are quickly sickened upon realizing that one of the figures is NOT a wax mannequin. It is, in fact, a human corpse. When authorities enter the display, they discover a second corpse, and soon Inspector Devenish of Scotland Yard has a very unique case to solve. For the problem is not a matter of no clues to follow--the problem is so many, many clues, none of which seem to make sense when taken with the others. A truly captivating story unfolds, that twists back and forth on itself--there are a limited number of suspects, and while the reader may think "this one did it," they will shortly change their mind! This reader did not catch the murderer, I was so confused that I was certain that NONE of them did it, even though I knew that someone did! A Golden Age traditional mystery, one of the best I've read. Like all mysteries of this time period, it moves slowly compared to today's mysteries, and relies on police procedures and interviews with suspects to move the story forward.
March 21, 2017
Most enjoyable puzzle with lots of misdirection and red herring.
Excellent characterisation.
My main quibble is that the solution comes in a confession with the main detective saying it was what he suspected. This is one of the less satisfactory ways of ending a detective novel.
Recommended.
Excellent characterisation.
My main quibble is that the solution comes in a confession with the main detective saying it was what he suspected. This is one of the less satisfactory ways of ending a detective novel.
Recommended.
October 17, 2018
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
September 7, 2022
Really good book, fantastic characters, definite page turner
January 18, 2025
When the latest display in the window of Mander's Department Store in London was revealed on a Monday morning, two extra figures were found in the display: the department store owner, Mander, and his chief buyer for millinery, Effie Tumour, appearing to be the victims of a murder-suicide. Mander was not only the store's owner but also well-known as the inventor of the "Mander Hopper," a gyrocopter that was being sold in the aviation department of his store. Inspector Devenish was called in to investigate and initially suspected that the murderer might have arrived at Mander's flat, located above the store, via a gyrocopter that had landed on the roof. He began looking into who might have wanted Mander and Tumour dead.
Vernon Loder's "The Shop Window Murders," originally published in 1930, has been reprinted as part of the Collins Detective Club series. The investigation focused significantly on the workings of the gyrocopter and its capabilities, an original and unique aspect for its time. Historically, the gyrocopter had only just been invented in the 1920s, making its inclusion in the novel particularly contemporary.
*Spoiler alert:* While I found the details and investigation surrounding the gyrocopter intriguing, it was disappointing that it ultimately served only as a red herring and a distraction from the real murderer. This formed a significant part of a complex plot involving numerous characters, each of whom seemed to have secrets and complicated lives. Although there were many characters adding to the complexity, Loder developed each of their backstories well, making them all intertwined with the life of Tobias Mander. None of them were particularly likable, and ironically, I felt the most sympathy for the unmasked killer. To varying degrees, they all appeared to be focused on how they could use people to their advantage, which ultimately led to the deaths of Mander and Tumour.
Despite the large cast of characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and felt that it must have been a pioneering storyline at the time of its writing and publication. It also reflected on the First World War and its effects on the mental well-being of soldiers who had fought in the trenches, grounding the story in a significant social historical context.
However, I found that the novel fell short towards the end, with Devenish expressing an opinion on the likely trial and sentencing of the killer as if it were fact. In reality, a jury might have had a very different perspective.
Vernon Loder's "The Shop Window Murders," originally published in 1930, has been reprinted as part of the Collins Detective Club series. The investigation focused significantly on the workings of the gyrocopter and its capabilities, an original and unique aspect for its time. Historically, the gyrocopter had only just been invented in the 1920s, making its inclusion in the novel particularly contemporary.
*Spoiler alert:* While I found the details and investigation surrounding the gyrocopter intriguing, it was disappointing that it ultimately served only as a red herring and a distraction from the real murderer. This formed a significant part of a complex plot involving numerous characters, each of whom seemed to have secrets and complicated lives. Although there were many characters adding to the complexity, Loder developed each of their backstories well, making them all intertwined with the life of Tobias Mander. None of them were particularly likable, and ironically, I felt the most sympathy for the unmasked killer. To varying degrees, they all appeared to be focused on how they could use people to their advantage, which ultimately led to the deaths of Mander and Tumour.
Despite the large cast of characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and felt that it must have been a pioneering storyline at the time of its writing and publication. It also reflected on the First World War and its effects on the mental well-being of soldiers who had fought in the trenches, grounding the story in a significant social historical context.
However, I found that the novel fell short towards the end, with Devenish expressing an opinion on the likely trial and sentencing of the killer as if it were fact. In reality, a jury might have had a very different perspective.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2025
جريمتا واجهة العرض
ل جون هازليت فاهي والذي كتبها بالاسم المستعار: فيرنون اودر
حينما قرأت موضوع هذه الرواية البوليسية على أبجد، أعجبتني وقررت قراءتها، إذ أنها تحكي عن واجهة عرض متجر مبهرة يغيرها مالك المتجر إسبوعيًا، وفي إحدى المرات اكتشف المتسوقون جثة المالك وسط التماثيل ومعها أيضًا جثة أخرى لفتاة وبدأ المحقق ديفينش تحقيقاته للوصول إلى الحقيقة، هل هي جريمة قتل وانتحار، أم أنهما جريمتان..
بمجرد القراءة في المقدمة اكتشفت أنها رواية كتبت منذ حوالي قرن من زماننا هذا، فهل أقرأها أم أبحث عن رواية أخرى؟ ولكن المقدمة عن الكاتب شدتني وأخذت أقرأ العمل بشغف..
واجهة حفل تنكري بتماثيله الرائعة ظهر للمتسوقين وفي وسط التماثيل اكتشفت جثة السيد ماندر وجثة شابة ما أن رأى السيد كيفيم مدير المتجر ملامحها حتى خر مغشيًا عليه..
يبدأ المحقق ديفينش في البحث ووضع الاحتمالات والشكوك في هذا وذاك، عدة أشخاص تحوم الشكوك حولهم، خطيب القتيلة الموظف بالمتجر، موظفًا آخر بالمتجر، سائق الطائرة الخاصة بالقتيل والذي ربما يكون هو المخترع لها وليس صاحب المتجر، الابن السكير للسيدة الغنية التي قامت بتمويل صاحب المتجر وعاونه على ذلك رجل الأمن بالمتجر، السيدة الغنية نفسها، صحفية صديقة للقتيلة..
فهل كان أحد منهم القاتل أم هناك أكثر من قاتل وشركاء في هذه الجريمة؟ ولأي سبب تم قتلهما؟
الرواية شيقة للغاية ولا تعطي القارىء إحساس بأنها كتبت منذ قرن، وها هو رئيس المحقق يقول له أثناء تفكيره في مخطط الجريمة:
❞ قال ميليس: «أظن أنك أنت من فعلها يا ديفينش. مؤلفو الروايات البوليسية معهم كل الحق، بالفعل المحققون هم الأخطر والأكثر دهاءً!» ❝
تنتهي الرواية بنهاية وقاتل غير متوقعين وللأسف لم تعجبني هذه النهاية.. ولكنني لن أتحدث كي أترك الحكم للقارئ..
#نو_ها
ل جون هازليت فاهي والذي كتبها بالاسم المستعار: فيرنون اودر
حينما قرأت موضوع هذه الرواية البوليسية على أبجد، أعجبتني وقررت قراءتها، إذ أنها تحكي عن واجهة عرض متجر مبهرة يغيرها مالك المتجر إسبوعيًا، وفي إحدى المرات اكتشف المتسوقون جثة المالك وسط التماثيل ومعها أيضًا جثة أخرى لفتاة وبدأ المحقق ديفينش تحقيقاته للوصول إلى الحقيقة، هل هي جريمة قتل وانتحار، أم أنهما جريمتان..
بمجرد القراءة في المقدمة اكتشفت أنها رواية كتبت منذ حوالي قرن من زماننا هذا، فهل أقرأها أم أبحث عن رواية أخرى؟ ولكن المقدمة عن الكاتب شدتني وأخذت أقرأ العمل بشغف..
واجهة حفل تنكري بتماثيله الرائعة ظهر للمتسوقين وفي وسط التماثيل اكتشفت جثة السيد ماندر وجثة شابة ما أن رأى السيد كيفيم مدير المتجر ملامحها حتى خر مغشيًا عليه..
يبدأ المحقق ديفينش في البحث ووضع الاحتمالات والشكوك في هذا وذاك، عدة أشخاص تحوم الشكوك حولهم، خطيب القتيلة الموظف بالمتجر، موظفًا آخر بالمتجر، سائق الطائرة الخاصة بالقتيل والذي ربما يكون هو المخترع لها وليس صاحب المتجر، الابن السكير للسيدة الغنية التي قامت بتمويل صاحب المتجر وعاونه على ذلك رجل الأمن بالمتجر، السيدة الغنية نفسها، صحفية صديقة للقتيلة..
فهل كان أحد منهم القاتل أم هناك أكثر من قاتل وشركاء في هذه الجريمة؟ ولأي سبب تم قتلهما؟
الرواية شيقة للغاية ولا تعطي القارىء إحساس بأنها كتبت منذ قرن، وها هو رئيس المحقق يقول له أثناء تفكيره في مخطط الجريمة:
❞ قال ميليس: «أظن أنك أنت من فعلها يا ديفينش. مؤلفو الروايات البوليسية معهم كل الحق، بالفعل المحققون هم الأخطر والأكثر دهاءً!» ❝
تنتهي الرواية بنهاية وقاتل غير متوقعين وللأسف لم تعجبني هذه النهاية.. ولكنني لن أتحدث كي أترك الحكم للقارئ..
#نو_ها
October 2, 2023
مش عادة بقرأ روايات الجريمة والغموض، بس أنا من محبي ال category دي ف قولت أجرب.
الرواية حلوة بدايتها مكانتش مثيرة بالنسبة لي (الجزء إلي بدأوا يشرحوا فيه المعطيات بتاعت الجريمة)، بس مع ربط المعطيات دي بالاشتباه بأشخاص معينة كان شيق،
عجبني إننا كنا بنستبعد أشخاص بعدين نرجع نشك فيهم وبشدة وبعدين نبرأهم زي السيدة هوو إلي كانت باينة ذكية وصريحة بعدين قلبنا دا خالص.
النهاية رغم إنها مفاجأة ومنطقية وكل حاجة بس أنا معرفش ليه محستهاش، وفيه شعور شقلبة رغم إن مفيش شقلبة🤔🫤
معنديش مرجعية لنوعية الروايات دي ف معرفش هل دي عادية وفيه أجمد ولا أية بس هدور ع الأجمد بردو... بس هي متكاملة عامة.
الرواية حلوة بدايتها مكانتش مثيرة بالنسبة لي (الجزء إلي بدأوا يشرحوا فيه المعطيات بتاعت الجريمة)، بس مع ربط المعطيات دي بالاشتباه بأشخاص معينة كان شيق،
عجبني إننا كنا بنستبعد أشخاص بعدين نرجع نشك فيهم وبشدة وبعدين نبرأهم زي السيدة هوو إلي كانت باينة ذكية وصريحة بعدين قلبنا دا خالص.
النهاية رغم إنها مفاجأة ومنطقية وكل حاجة بس أنا معرفش ليه محستهاش، وفيه شعور شقلبة رغم إن مفيش شقلبة🤔🫤
معنديش مرجعية لنوعية الروايات دي ف معرفش هل دي عادية وفيه أجمد ولا أية بس هدور ع الأجمد بردو... بس هي متكاملة عامة.
February 19, 2019
This takes ‘police procedural’ quite literally. We follow the reasoning, the fact checking, the questioning - in short, the thinking of the investigator. I read crime fiction primarily for the puzzle solving and human understanding, so this kept me interested - but a bit bemused. The detailed focus on procedure is not the best way to tell a story. We don’t need ALL the detail!
Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read in the Golden Age genre.
Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read in the Golden Age genre.
April 25, 2025
اكتشفت الرواية دي بالصدفة، وحقيقي وأنا بقرأها كنت مستمتعة جدا.
رواية بوليسية من الطراز القديم، غير متوقعة تماماً، كنت حاسة إني بتعرف علي كاتب جديد وعالم جديد شبيه بعالم أجاثا كريستي بس مميز عنه ف نفس الوقت.
الرواية حقيقي كانت حلوة، ومكنتش عارفة أتخيل خالص هتنتهي علي ايه.
مبسوطة إني عرفت الكاتب بجد كالعادة بفضل أبجد، ومتحمسة أقراله عمل جديد قريب.
رواية بوليسية من الطراز القديم، غير متوقعة تماماً، كنت حاسة إني بتعرف علي كاتب جديد وعالم جديد شبيه بعالم أجاثا كريستي بس مميز عنه ف نفس الوقت.
الرواية حقيقي كانت حلوة، ومكنتش عارفة أتخيل خالص هتنتهي علي ايه.
مبسوطة إني عرفت الكاتب بجد كالعادة بفضل أبجد، ومتحمسة أقراله عمل جديد قريب.
November 24, 2025
Enjoyable Golden Age mystery let down by a rather unbelievable solution.
Brings out some points about the effects of WW1 on several of the characters.
BTW, am I the only person who read the dead woman's name as Turnour (TURNOUR) not Tumour?!
Brings out some points about the effects of WW1 on several of the characters.
BTW, am I the only person who read the dead woman's name as Turnour (TURNOUR) not Tumour?!
May 19, 2026
* 2.5
دماغي لفت من كتر التفاصيل والمكان اللي عمالين يلفوا فيه وفي الآخر حل اللغز مش أحسن حاجة..!
دماغي لفت من كتر التفاصيل والمكان اللي عمالين يلفوا فيه وفي الآخر حل اللغز مش أحسن حاجة..!
October 15, 2026
تحليل استثنائي في "جريمتا واجهة العرض" لـ Vernon Loder بيوريك إزاي الرمزية السياسية بتستغل لترسيخ الهيمنة، وإزاي الشعارات بتتحول لأغلال على العقول.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews