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Bleeding Hooks
They grabbed their fishing bags, and made a dive for their rods which were standing, ready for use, outside the front door.'Well, tight lines!' they called over their shoulders.'Bleeding hooks!' grinned the Major.Gladys 'Ruby' Mumsby was more interested in fishermen than fish. When her corpse is discovered near a Welsh sporting lodge that is hosting a group of fly fishing enthusiasts, it seems one of them has taken an interest in her too - of the murderous kind. For impaled in the palm of her hand is a salmon fishing fly, so deep that the barb is completely covered. Her face is blue. It is thought at first she died of natural causes, but the detective Mr. Winkley, of Scotland Yard, almost immediately suspects otherwise. And what happened to the would-be magician's monkey that disappeared so soon after Mrs. Mumsby's death? Bleeding Hooks was the second of Harriet Rutland's sparkling mystery novels to feature the detective Mr Winkley. First published in 1940, this new edition features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.'Once again a top-ranking yarn, in a story where the author introduces murder into a fishing paradise in Wales. Lots of rod and line marginalia add to incisive characterization and well hidden crime for a superior story.' Kirkus Reviews'Murder method interesting, characters well drawn and likeable, sleuth unobtrusively slick and finish dramatic.' Saturday Review
239 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2015
31 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
Harriet Rutland
8 books2 followersHarriet Rutland was the pen-name of Olive Shimwell. She was born Olive Seers in 1901, the daughter of a prosperous Birmingham builder and decorator. Little is known of the author's early life but in 1926 she married microbiologist John Shimwell, with whom she moved to a small village near Cork in Ireland. This setting, transplanted to Devon, inspired her first mystery novel Knock, Murderer, Knock! which was published in 1938. The second of Harriet Rutland's mysteries, Bleeding Hooks, came out in 1940, and the third and last, Blue Murder, was published in November 1942. All three novels are remarkable for their black comedy, innovative plots, and pin-sharp portraits of human behaviour, especially concerning relationships between men and women. Olive and John were divorced in the early forties, and Olive apparently did not publish anything further. She died in Newton Abbot in 1962.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 30, 2021
Well, this was very middle of the road and the weakest of Rutland's three books. However, the ending - if you can call it that - made me laugh.
I had issues with this book from very early on, which started with the description of Mrs Mumsby: while she was a deeply unpleasant and greedy a.f. character, this was very often described in terms of her being fond of food and fat. So, much so that it seemed like a necessary correlation.
Of course, I'm reading this in a different time and can say that - on behalf of those of us who are fond of food and fat - corpulence does not mean that a character is a horrible person.
There was also the use of the "Chinaman" or person with "foreign" looks as the exotic, but I glanced over this as this was a Golden Age mystery and it was not actually used (that I noticed) as a derogatory feature.
What I did like about the story was that it was unusual in telling of a father who single-handedly raised his son from 6 months of age. That's not something that happens often in a GA mystery, especially in that it even mentions that he resisted the recommendations of giving the boy into care.
I liked that.
What really made me laugh and annoyed me in both measures, however, was the ending. Was this really an ending?
I won't say more about it but it turned a 2* read into a 3* read for me.
Overall, tho, it is very sad that Rutland never wrote any more books and we only get to see her wicked sense of humour in the three books that are left to us and that, thankfully, Dean Street Press have taken the trouble to bring back into print.
I had issues with this book from very early on, which started with the description of Mrs Mumsby: while she was a deeply unpleasant and greedy a.f. character, this was very often described in terms of her being fond of food and fat. So, much so that it seemed like a necessary correlation.
Of course, I'm reading this in a different time and can say that - on behalf of those of us who are fond of food and fat - corpulence does not mean that a character is a horrible person.
There was also the use of the "Chinaman" or person with "foreign" looks as the exotic, but I glanced over this as this was a Golden Age mystery and it was not actually used (that I noticed) as a derogatory feature.
What I did like about the story was that it was unusual in telling of a father who single-handedly raised his son from 6 months of age. That's not something that happens often in a GA mystery, especially in that it even mentions that he resisted the recommendations of giving the boy into care.
I liked that.
What really made me laugh and annoyed me in both measures, however, was the ending. Was this really an ending?
I won't say more about it but it turned a 2* read into a 3* read for me.
Overall, tho, it is very sad that Rutland never wrote any more books and we only get to see her wicked sense of humour in the three books that are left to us and that, thankfully, Dean Street Press have taken the trouble to bring back into print.
December 27, 2018
Meh! Rutland's first book held me spellbound, which is why I picked up Bleeding Hooks. But while this second book has a lot of the charm of the first, it failed to keep my attention. The story is set in an inn in a fishing village. All the people who come there are mad about fishing, especially the men. Suddenly, one day, one of the women dies. Mr Winkley, a guest at the inn and equally fishing mad as anyone else, immediately suspects murder.
While the old-world charm is there, it is superseded by an information dump about fly fishing. Rutland appears to be a fishing fan herself or has done intense research for this book. Whatever it is, she decided not to let her knowledge go to waste and put everything she knew into the book. As a result, the first fourteen chapters were full of nothing but fishing. Then, the murder happens and guess what - the murder weapon is a fishing fly! So then more fishing talk. Spare me!
I also didn't really enjoy any of the characters much. There was potential with some of them but it was not thoroughly explored. There are two youngsters called Pussy and Piggy, who decide to assist Winkley in his pursuit of justice. I disliked the portrayal of Pussy, who is shown to be the dumbest woman on earth. There was absolutely no need to depict an educated woman in this manner at all. I refuse to believe that someone who went to school would not know basic stuff like words in their native language. It was annoying to say the least.
I also found the portrayal of Colonel Jeans' behaviour with Pussy bewildering. No woman would mistake a friendly gesture for sexual harassment. No gentleman with honest intentions would behave so creepily with a young woman. So please, spare me the 'Pussy is rude and thoughtless' bit! Mrs. Partridge was just as nauseating in this matter. To top it all, Piggy was condescending all the time to his so-called girlfriend. Can someone please respect the young woman?
It's not fun when you try to overlook the fishing bit and end up with sexism. Or vice-versa. Can't tell which was more annoying. There were bits which I genuinely enjoyed a lot but remind me never to read a book with fishing in it again!
While the old-world charm is there, it is superseded by an information dump about fly fishing. Rutland appears to be a fishing fan herself or has done intense research for this book. Whatever it is, she decided not to let her knowledge go to waste and put everything she knew into the book. As a result, the first fourteen chapters were full of nothing but fishing. Then, the murder happens and guess what - the murder weapon is a fishing fly! So then more fishing talk. Spare me!
I also didn't really enjoy any of the characters much. There was potential with some of them but it was not thoroughly explored. There are two youngsters called Pussy and Piggy, who decide to assist Winkley in his pursuit of justice. I disliked the portrayal of Pussy, who is shown to be the dumbest woman on earth. There was absolutely no need to depict an educated woman in this manner at all. I refuse to believe that someone who went to school would not know basic stuff like words in their native language. It was annoying to say the least.
I also found the portrayal of Colonel Jeans' behaviour with Pussy bewildering. No woman would mistake a friendly gesture for sexual harassment. No gentleman with honest intentions would behave so creepily with a young woman. So please, spare me the 'Pussy is rude and thoughtless' bit! Mrs. Partridge was just as nauseating in this matter. To top it all, Piggy was condescending all the time to his so-called girlfriend. Can someone please respect the young woman?
It's not fun when you try to overlook the fishing bit and end up with sexism. Or vice-versa. Can't tell which was more annoying. There were bits which I genuinely enjoyed a lot but remind me never to read a book with fishing in it again!
November 24, 2019
Fairly interesting mystery taking place in a Welsh fishing hotel with all sorts of ghillies all over the place. (ghilly is the source of my own last name.) A lot of snobbery between those going for trout and those going for salmon. A mostly unpleasant lady who was of the trout persuasion is found dead after lunch with a salmon lure stuck in her hand. Mr. Winkley, who works in some measure with Scotland Yard, is mainly on hand in this, although he drops in and out, between trips to London.
It was mostly interesting, but probably more so to people who fish, as there is lots of minutiae about it (much likeDorothy L. Sayers' Five Red Herrings).
I had no idea who it was but Winkley uses an irresistible bait to nab him. He also has a couple of inept amateur sleuths to assist him, Pussy and Gunn.
It was mostly interesting, but probably more so to people who fish, as there is lots of minutiae about it (much likeDorothy L. Sayers' Five Red Herrings).
I had no idea who it was but Winkley uses an irresistible bait to nab him. He also has a couple of inept amateur sleuths to assist him, Pussy and Gunn.
July 9, 2018
Please read this and the two other Harriet Rutland murder/mystery books. They are very under-rated, great fun, full of subtle humour.
On a second reading, the novel was just as interesting. Although I felt the murderer and motive were not unduly difficult to work out, there are sufficient red herring, appropriately enough, to raise a few doubts.
The characterisation is strong but there is some negative stereotyping of the Welsh.
On a second reading, the novel was just as interesting. Although I felt the murderer and motive were not unduly difficult to work out, there are sufficient red herring, appropriately enough, to raise a few doubts.
The characterisation is strong but there is some negative stereotyping of the Welsh.
June 15, 2017
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
July 4, 2024
A fishy story in more ways than one.
This is the second of three mysteries written by the long-forgotten woman who wrote under the pen name Harriet Rutland. It was published in 1940, close on the heels of her popular first book "Knock, Murderer, Knock!" If you thought the inhabitants of the Hydropathic Institute were eccentric, wait 'til you meet the gang at The Fisherman's Rest in the seaside village of Aberllyn, Wales. As any dedicated angler will tell you, you don't HAVE to be crazy to be a fisherman, but it helps.
It's the end of the season and the crowds have thinned out. Even the hotel owners and the boatmen ("ghillies") are happy to have a rest, though it means less money and (according to one of the guests) the Welsh have money boxes instead of hearts. The remaining fishermen are of the die-hard variety who are happy to put up with bad weather in exchange for being rid of the summer people, whom they regard as dabblers with no real passion for the Sacred Sport.
Not that the die-hards get along with each other, either. Each has his own iron-clad beliefs about which fish are worth pursuing and how to catch them. More blood is spilt (figuratively) in fierce evening arguments than is found on the bleeding hooks of those who do happen to hook a fish.
Some of the crew are regulars, such as the retired General (accompanied this year by his irritating sister) and the retired Major. Quiet Mr Winkley is harder to figure out, especially when it becomes known that his phone number is that of the London Metropolitan CID. He's really on vacation, but when there's a suspicious death, he's determined to prove that the victim didn't die of natural causes.
Mrs Mumsby is a regular, but she's not after fish. A wealthy widow, she likes male attention, even if she has to pay for it. Mr and Mrs Pindar are a pleasant couple, but not really keen enough on fishing to be in Aberllyn off season. And why are they so uncomfortable when other guests try to find out more about them?
Even harder to understand is Mrs Partridge, a widow with a young daughter who's loudly bored by fishing and fisherman. Pansy and her BF are thoroughly modern, sophisticated types and their idea of "sport" doesn't include cold, wet days in a boat waiting for something to take the bait.
Also hard to figure are quiet Mr Weston and his fey, nervous son Claude. Weston is devoted to his son, but Claude has become attached to Mrs Mumsby, who shows an unexpected maternal streak toward the boy. Talk about the Odd Couple!
There's a death, of course. Naturally it turns out to be murder, although the local doctor thinks Mr Winkley is a misguided fool and even Winkley's colleagues in London are less than wowwed by his deductions. As they point out to him, his theory of poisoning-by-fishhook is possible, but requires a giant leap of faith and more knowledge of the properties of various poisons than Winkley possesses.
It's an entertaining book because of the author's comic take on fishermen and their obsession with their hobby. Mr Winkley is a likable man, although I'm not sure I can swallow the Met CID having a man on staff whose only job is to collect odd coincidences and tie them together to help the REAL detectives solve crimes which have baffled them.
As to the motive, it's one of those old-sins-cast-long-shadows cases, which inevitably involve the reader having to swallow the coincidence of people who've long-ago lost touch ending up in the same isolated location. A loving parent will go far to protect his/her child, but surely not without considering the risks involved and alternative plans. Is anyone ever THAT confident about getting away with murder?
Rutland had talent. Her people seem like stock characters, but most turn out to have unexpected depths. Sometimes their secrets and plots are believable and sometimes they're not, but cardboard cut-outs they aren't.
And she was reckless, a necessary quality for a first-rate writer. Loved her throw-away line about the Irish. If she was that outspoken during the decade she lived near Cork, her life must have been lively,
I'm sorry she stopped after three books. It's interesting to speculate about what direction her writing might have taken. There's nothing formulaic about her mysteries and she had the potential to create some outstanding work.
This is the second of three mysteries written by the long-forgotten woman who wrote under the pen name Harriet Rutland. It was published in 1940, close on the heels of her popular first book "Knock, Murderer, Knock!" If you thought the inhabitants of the Hydropathic Institute were eccentric, wait 'til you meet the gang at The Fisherman's Rest in the seaside village of Aberllyn, Wales. As any dedicated angler will tell you, you don't HAVE to be crazy to be a fisherman, but it helps.
It's the end of the season and the crowds have thinned out. Even the hotel owners and the boatmen ("ghillies") are happy to have a rest, though it means less money and (according to one of the guests) the Welsh have money boxes instead of hearts. The remaining fishermen are of the die-hard variety who are happy to put up with bad weather in exchange for being rid of the summer people, whom they regard as dabblers with no real passion for the Sacred Sport.
Not that the die-hards get along with each other, either. Each has his own iron-clad beliefs about which fish are worth pursuing and how to catch them. More blood is spilt (figuratively) in fierce evening arguments than is found on the bleeding hooks of those who do happen to hook a fish.
Some of the crew are regulars, such as the retired General (accompanied this year by his irritating sister) and the retired Major. Quiet Mr Winkley is harder to figure out, especially when it becomes known that his phone number is that of the London Metropolitan CID. He's really on vacation, but when there's a suspicious death, he's determined to prove that the victim didn't die of natural causes.
Mrs Mumsby is a regular, but she's not after fish. A wealthy widow, she likes male attention, even if she has to pay for it. Mr and Mrs Pindar are a pleasant couple, but not really keen enough on fishing to be in Aberllyn off season. And why are they so uncomfortable when other guests try to find out more about them?
Even harder to understand is Mrs Partridge, a widow with a young daughter who's loudly bored by fishing and fisherman. Pansy and her BF are thoroughly modern, sophisticated types and their idea of "sport" doesn't include cold, wet days in a boat waiting for something to take the bait.
Also hard to figure are quiet Mr Weston and his fey, nervous son Claude. Weston is devoted to his son, but Claude has become attached to Mrs Mumsby, who shows an unexpected maternal streak toward the boy. Talk about the Odd Couple!
There's a death, of course. Naturally it turns out to be murder, although the local doctor thinks Mr Winkley is a misguided fool and even Winkley's colleagues in London are less than wowwed by his deductions. As they point out to him, his theory of poisoning-by-fishhook is possible, but requires a giant leap of faith and more knowledge of the properties of various poisons than Winkley possesses.
It's an entertaining book because of the author's comic take on fishermen and their obsession with their hobby. Mr Winkley is a likable man, although I'm not sure I can swallow the Met CID having a man on staff whose only job is to collect odd coincidences and tie them together to help the REAL detectives solve crimes which have baffled them.
As to the motive, it's one of those old-sins-cast-long-shadows cases, which inevitably involve the reader having to swallow the coincidence of people who've long-ago lost touch ending up in the same isolated location. A loving parent will go far to protect his/her child, but surely not without considering the risks involved and alternative plans. Is anyone ever THAT confident about getting away with murder?
Rutland had talent. Her people seem like stock characters, but most turn out to have unexpected depths. Sometimes their secrets and plots are believable and sometimes they're not, but cardboard cut-outs they aren't.
And she was reckless, a necessary quality for a first-rate writer. Loved her throw-away line about the Irish. If she was that outspoken during the decade she lived near Cork, her life must have been lively,
I'm sorry she stopped after three books. It's interesting to speculate about what direction her writing might have taken. There's nothing formulaic about her mysteries and she had the potential to create some outstanding work.
January 11, 2017
An Intriguing Fishy Tale
I DO like the "Golden Age" murder/mysteries. This book is a great example of the genre and even if you aren't interested in fishing (I am not), the descriptions of the various types of flies and the accounts of fishing are both interesting and informative. The book is well-written and edited.
As the book synopsis says, this story is set in an out-of-the-way area in Wales where people come for the fishing in the nearby lake. The cast are all staying at "The Fisherman's Rest" inn and most of them are annual regulars. They are all three-dimensional and well-fleshed out, apart from a couple of minor characters who are so well-described in a few sentences that the reader can visualise them as well as the others. The local Police Constable plays a relatively minor role, but I can see him in all his self-importance, with the security of "being The Law" behind him. The local doctor is another one who appears a few times, and I am quite glad he isn't my doctor.
One of the main protagonists, Pussy (Pansy) Partridge, a young woman in her early twenties, is very unlikeable. She is totally self-centered and seems to believe that she doesn't have to conform to any sort of social conventions, even basic politeness and good manners. Her high opinion of herself doesn't stem from either brains or beauty and doesn't endear her to anyone, including her mother! Mrs Mumsby, the murderee (is there such a word?), leaves the story early but not before she has made her mark. I found her a very interesting, albeit not very nice, character and was a bit put-out when she was murdered.
The story and the characters held my interest to the very intriguing end.
PS. I know my review skips from present to past tense, sorry.
I DO like the "Golden Age" murder/mysteries. This book is a great example of the genre and even if you aren't interested in fishing (I am not), the descriptions of the various types of flies and the accounts of fishing are both interesting and informative. The book is well-written and edited.
As the book synopsis says, this story is set in an out-of-the-way area in Wales where people come for the fishing in the nearby lake. The cast are all staying at "The Fisherman's Rest" inn and most of them are annual regulars. They are all three-dimensional and well-fleshed out, apart from a couple of minor characters who are so well-described in a few sentences that the reader can visualise them as well as the others. The local Police Constable plays a relatively minor role, but I can see him in all his self-importance, with the security of "being The Law" behind him. The local doctor is another one who appears a few times, and I am quite glad he isn't my doctor.
One of the main protagonists, Pussy (Pansy) Partridge, a young woman in her early twenties, is very unlikeable. She is totally self-centered and seems to believe that she doesn't have to conform to any sort of social conventions, even basic politeness and good manners. Her high opinion of herself doesn't stem from either brains or beauty and doesn't endear her to anyone, including her mother! Mrs Mumsby, the murderee (is there such a word?), leaves the story early but not before she has made her mark. I found her a very interesting, albeit not very nice, character and was a bit put-out when she was murdered.
The story and the characters held my interest to the very intriguing end.
PS. I know my review skips from present to past tense, sorry.
September 11, 2020
It is not unusual for me when reading mysteries to get caught up in the body of the story and then feel let down or disappointed by the ending. So, I found it highly unusual for me anyway, to struggle to slog through a story, only to be impressed with the ending. I had a really difficult time with two of the characters in this story, who chose to call themselves, Pussy and Piggy. The characterization of these two characters was shallow and inane enough, to lead you to believe, that there were two people who would actually chose to refer to each other as Pussy and Piggy. The problem for me was, when reading about these characters, I felt like I was trapped in a room with two obnoxious people whom I had no empathy for, struggling to come up with a reason to leave without being rude. Well that's the way it started for me ...and continued ...for a long time, but like I said, the ending was a surprise and did tie all the lose ends in a convincing way. So when I finished I kinda understood why people whose opinion I respect gave it good reviews. ...well kinda.
December 6, 2019
Rating between 3.5 & 4
A well written entertaining mystery novel I thought.
The setting of a welsh hotel which catered for fishermen must be a unique one I think.
The characters were well drawn, and the book kept some of the black humour present in the author’s other works. Based on the 3 novels it is a pity that she wrote no more. Despite the period they were written the first 2 don’t mention the war at all so I guess are supposed to be in the mid to late 1930’s.
I did guess at some of the solution but not all of it. The 2 amateur sleuths who think they are helping Winkley were an interesting reversal of the standard characters - are they a pastiche of Tommy & Tuppence by Christie, or simply generic characters. They think they are clever, sophisticated, very modern etc but are actually as unpleasant as their elders staying in the hotel.
Overall then a good read and a definite recommendation.
A well written entertaining mystery novel I thought.
The setting of a welsh hotel which catered for fishermen must be a unique one I think.
The characters were well drawn, and the book kept some of the black humour present in the author’s other works. Based on the 3 novels it is a pity that she wrote no more. Despite the period they were written the first 2 don’t mention the war at all so I guess are supposed to be in the mid to late 1930’s.
I did guess at some of the solution but not all of it. The 2 amateur sleuths who think they are helping Winkley were an interesting reversal of the standard characters - are they a pastiche of Tommy & Tuppence by Christie, or simply generic characters. They think they are clever, sophisticated, very modern etc but are actually as unpleasant as their elders staying in the hotel.
Overall then a good read and a definite recommendation.
December 5, 2017
This was an enjoyable read in genuine Golden Age style with the bonus of some dark humor, but I found the pacing a bit slow. I did not enjoy this detection novel as much as Rutland's first, Knock, Murderer, Knock!, which created more tension and featured characters I cared more about emotionally.
For two much more enthusiastic reviews by bloggers I respect, see
http://moonlight-detective.blogspot.c...
And
https://prettysinister.blogspot.com/2...
Several reviewers here on GR noted that they were somewhat grated, or even irritated, by the Bright Young Thing like character of Pussy Partridge. I would not be surprised at all if that was the author's intent. Regardless, I think that this characterization, though not central to the plot, adds to rather than detracts from the story.
For two much more enthusiastic reviews by bloggers I respect, see
http://moonlight-detective.blogspot.c...
And
https://prettysinister.blogspot.com/2...
Several reviewers here on GR noted that they were somewhat grated, or even irritated, by the Bright Young Thing like character of Pussy Partridge. I would not be surprised at all if that was the author's intent. Regardless, I think that this characterization, though not central to the plot, adds to rather than detracts from the story.
May 2, 2016
I liked some parts of this book, but I wish the author hadn't written so much about Pussy Partridge. She is a selfish, boring character who detracts from the story. Winkley practically disappears in the early part of the book, but shows up later to spout theories. I do not understand why the author felt it was necessary to hide his identity just as she did in the first book. I didn't have any trouble with the fishing angle, just with certain odd characters.
March 17, 2016
Too much stuff about fish. Yuck. Distracting.
May 5, 2016
A nasty woman dies but was she murdered?
The story was reasonable, but the characters / writing felt a bit under developed.
The story was reasonable, but the characters / writing felt a bit under developed.
April 13, 2017
Enjoyment
Kept me guessing till the end nothing more else to say it was good read. Trying my best to put it better
Kept me guessing till the end nothing more else to say it was good read. Trying my best to put it better
May 2, 2017
Great second book!
This was such a wonderful second book of Mrs. Rutland's. I enjoy this one far more than the first. Not only about the mystery, but I loved all the characters in it. I'm so sad that I'll not know what happened to Pussy & Piggy! Plus all the over characters! It would be grand if another author picked up this thread of characters & wrote a series. It won't happen I know! Wishful thinking! Enjoy!
This was such a wonderful second book of Mrs. Rutland's. I enjoy this one far more than the first. Not only about the mystery, but I loved all the characters in it. I'm so sad that I'll not know what happened to Pussy & Piggy! Plus all the over characters! It would be grand if another author picked up this thread of characters & wrote a series. It won't happen I know! Wishful thinking! Enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews