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John Christmas
Dead Man's Quarry
"The murderer was also riding a bicycle... why, if we can trace it, we shall have the murderer!"
On a cycling holiday in idyllic Herefordshire countryside, Nora and her friends make a gruesome discovery - the body of their missing comrade at the bottom of a quarry. But an apparently accidental fall turns out to have been murder - for the man was shot in the head.
Fortunately John Christmas, last seen in The Studio Crime (1929), is on hand with his redoubtable forensic associate, Sydenham Rampson. Between them they shed light on an intricate pattern of crimes... and uncover a most formidable foe.
Dead Man's Quarry is the second of Ianthe Jerrold's classic and influential whodunits, originally published in 1930.
On a cycling holiday in idyllic Herefordshire countryside, Nora and her friends make a gruesome discovery - the body of their missing comrade at the bottom of a quarry. But an apparently accidental fall turns out to have been murder - for the man was shot in the head.
Fortunately John Christmas, last seen in The Studio Crime (1929), is on hand with his redoubtable forensic associate, Sydenham Rampson. Between them they shed light on an intricate pattern of crimes... and uncover a most formidable foe.
Dead Man's Quarry is the second of Ianthe Jerrold's classic and influential whodunits, originally published in 1930.
326 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1930
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78 people want to read
About the author
Ianthe Jerrold
15 books7 followers1898-1977.
Jerrold published her first book, a work of verse, at the age of fifteen. This was the start of a long and prolific writing career characterized by numerous stylistic shifts. In 1929 she published the first of two classic and influential whodunits. The Studio Crime gained her immediate acceptance into the recently-formed but highly prestigious Detection Club.
Ianthe Jerrold subsequently moved on from pure whodunnits to write novels ranging from romantic fiction to psychological thrillers. She continued writing and publishing her fiction into the 1970s.
Jerrold published her first book, a work of verse, at the age of fifteen. This was the start of a long and prolific writing career characterized by numerous stylistic shifts. In 1929 she published the first of two classic and influential whodunits. The Studio Crime gained her immediate acceptance into the recently-formed but highly prestigious Detection Club.
Ianthe Jerrold subsequently moved on from pure whodunnits to write novels ranging from romantic fiction to psychological thrillers. She continued writing and publishing her fiction into the 1970s.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 10, 2019
I started reading this purely by chance, after spotting it when I was looking for another book. Once I had started I had to keep going and it wasn’t long before I was kicking myself for keeping it waiting for a very long time. Ianthe Jerrold wrote beautifully and she told an intriguing tale.
That tale opens on the last day of a cycling holiday on the Welsh borders. The cyclists were Dr. Browning; his daughter daughter Nora and her friend Isabel; his young son Lion; his nephew Charles, who had returned from exile in Canada after inheriting his father’s title and estate; and his cousin Felix, who was adored by Nora and adoring of Isabel.
When the group arrived at the top of hill and saw a long descent ahead of them, they agreed that they would free-wheel down, setting off at regular intervals to reduce the chance. Reassembling at the bottom of the valley, they found that two of the group were missing. Isabel, who had set off first, soon reappeared; but there was no sign at all of Charles, who should have set off last.
He was found the next morning, face down at the bottom of a local quarry, shot in the back of the head, with his signet ring missing and somebody else’s bicycle lying next to him.
Felix’s father, Morris Price, the prime suspect. He would inherit the title after managing the estate for many years; he had been in the area when Charles was last seen; he refused to give an account of what he had been doing on the day in question; and his revolver which was used to fire the fatal shot.
He was belligerent and uncooperative at the inquest; an inquest that ended with a guilty verdict being brought against him.
Luckily, there was one man outside his family circle who believed him to be innocent. John Christmas, was holidaying in the area with his cousin Sydenham Rampson; and he saw the weight of the evidence but he also observed the reactions of the accused man, and that was what made him quite certain that he was not the guilty party.
He found many lines of enquiry. The dead man had not made himself popular, firing a long serving member of staff and shooting his sister’s dog without a hint of remorse; and maybe someone had followed him back from Canada. The mystery of what the accused man had been doing on the day of the murder had to be resolved. There were also questions to be asked about the changed bicycle and the whereabouts of the murder weapon.
Those enquiries drew in family and friends, the staff of the house and the estate, local people, and a mysterious visitor to the area.
They also threw up some wonderfully disparate clues. I could fit some of them together, I had some idea how the story might play out, but I couldn’t work out everything and I was by no means certain. John Christmas had to think long and hard, but in the end he explained everything and solved the mystery.
I liked the detective and his somewhat reluctant sidekick. It was clear that they were good friends as well as cousins, and I loved their dialogues and that each of them could be both witty and cynical. All of the characters and relationships were well drawn, and I was always interested to find out more about the people in this story. They came from right across the class spectrum, so I could see just how life was in the big house and in the nearby village.
I could have happily spent more time in this part of the world and with many of the people who lived there.
This is a mystery that works because the human story is so good, and because Ianthe Jerrold wrote very well, created a distinctive plot and paced her story perfectly, so that I was always asking different questions and concerned about different characters and incidents and possibilities. She picked out exactly the right details, there were some lovely touches, and I particularly liked the way she left some subtle clues that I could spot before they were picked up on by her characters.
The ending doesn’t quite live up to what came before – it was a little too contrived and a little too melodramatic.
As a whole though, the book works.
Ianthe Jerrold was invited to join the Detection Club based on the success of her first two mysteries – this is the second – but though she continued to write for many more years this is the last recorded case of John Christmas and her last work of detective fiction.
I’m interested to see what else she wrote, but I can’t help being a little sorry that she changed course and that I only have one more of her mysteries to read.
That tale opens on the last day of a cycling holiday on the Welsh borders. The cyclists were Dr. Browning; his daughter daughter Nora and her friend Isabel; his young son Lion; his nephew Charles, who had returned from exile in Canada after inheriting his father’s title and estate; and his cousin Felix, who was adored by Nora and adoring of Isabel.
When the group arrived at the top of hill and saw a long descent ahead of them, they agreed that they would free-wheel down, setting off at regular intervals to reduce the chance. Reassembling at the bottom of the valley, they found that two of the group were missing. Isabel, who had set off first, soon reappeared; but there was no sign at all of Charles, who should have set off last.
He was found the next morning, face down at the bottom of a local quarry, shot in the back of the head, with his signet ring missing and somebody else’s bicycle lying next to him.
Felix’s father, Morris Price, the prime suspect. He would inherit the title after managing the estate for many years; he had been in the area when Charles was last seen; he refused to give an account of what he had been doing on the day in question; and his revolver which was used to fire the fatal shot.
He was belligerent and uncooperative at the inquest; an inquest that ended with a guilty verdict being brought against him.
Luckily, there was one man outside his family circle who believed him to be innocent. John Christmas, was holidaying in the area with his cousin Sydenham Rampson; and he saw the weight of the evidence but he also observed the reactions of the accused man, and that was what made him quite certain that he was not the guilty party.
He found many lines of enquiry. The dead man had not made himself popular, firing a long serving member of staff and shooting his sister’s dog without a hint of remorse; and maybe someone had followed him back from Canada. The mystery of what the accused man had been doing on the day of the murder had to be resolved. There were also questions to be asked about the changed bicycle and the whereabouts of the murder weapon.
Those enquiries drew in family and friends, the staff of the house and the estate, local people, and a mysterious visitor to the area.
They also threw up some wonderfully disparate clues. I could fit some of them together, I had some idea how the story might play out, but I couldn’t work out everything and I was by no means certain. John Christmas had to think long and hard, but in the end he explained everything and solved the mystery.
I liked the detective and his somewhat reluctant sidekick. It was clear that they were good friends as well as cousins, and I loved their dialogues and that each of them could be both witty and cynical. All of the characters and relationships were well drawn, and I was always interested to find out more about the people in this story. They came from right across the class spectrum, so I could see just how life was in the big house and in the nearby village.
I could have happily spent more time in this part of the world and with many of the people who lived there.
This is a mystery that works because the human story is so good, and because Ianthe Jerrold wrote very well, created a distinctive plot and paced her story perfectly, so that I was always asking different questions and concerned about different characters and incidents and possibilities. She picked out exactly the right details, there were some lovely touches, and I particularly liked the way she left some subtle clues that I could spot before they were picked up on by her characters.
The ending doesn’t quite live up to what came before – it was a little too contrived and a little too melodramatic.
As a whole though, the book works.
Ianthe Jerrold was invited to join the Detection Club based on the success of her first two mysteries – this is the second – but though she continued to write for many more years this is the last recorded case of John Christmas and her last work of detective fiction.
I’m interested to see what else she wrote, but I can’t help being a little sorry that she changed course and that I only have one more of her mysteries to read.
Read
October 3, 2019Enjoyable murder mystery with the likeable amateur sleuth John Christmas and his sciency sidekick Sydenham Rampson. I'm sorry there aren't more of these, they have good characterisation and a gleeful reliance on melodramatic plot twists which help the unpredictability. A laugh.
November 30, 2015
Golden Age Mysteries are a love hate thing for me. At their worst the characters tend to be one dimensional, the dialogue trite and the stories much too convoluted. When done right well it's pretty much the same thing only less so, but then they also have that late night black and white movie charm to them. I mean you feel the British countryside, you believe in the characters naivety, the old manor feels a little creepy and you like that little tingle of foreboding you feel. You also like all the twists and turns, the aha moment and you relish that final twist you didn't see coming.
Ianthe Jerrold was invited to join the Detection Club based on the success of her first two mysteries, unfortunately while she remained an active member for years and joined in collaborations with the other members, Christie, Sayers, Berkeley ...etc, she continued writing but pretty much stayed away from mystery writing. Unfortunately, because if she had continued writing mysteries, I believe we she would be ranked along with Sayers, Christie, Allingham, Berkeley and Marsh as one of the best of the period.
Ianthe Jerrold was invited to join the Detection Club based on the success of her first two mysteries, unfortunately while she remained an active member for years and joined in collaborations with the other members, Christie, Sayers, Berkeley ...etc, she continued writing but pretty much stayed away from mystery writing. Unfortunately, because if she had continued writing mysteries, I believe we she would be ranked along with Sayers, Christie, Allingham, Berkeley and Marsh as one of the best of the period.
July 15, 2018
Finally finished this one. I think it got lost in the forest of books on my kindle.
If I ever had a knack of knowing who the murderers were I am beginning to question whether I have it now. Yet another one that was beyond me.
If I ever had a knack of knowing who the murderers were I am beginning to question whether I have it now. Yet another one that was beyond me.
May 11, 2020
The book is second in the series of the amateur detective John Christmas and this time he is joined by his compatriot and cousin Sydenham Rampson who played a small but significant role in the 1st book- The Studio Crime. This pairing is one of the strengths of the book- the chalk and cheese combination makes for entertaining and droll conversations.
The story has again all the classic elements- this time in an English country setting in fact the 2 John Christmas stories have contrasting settings- urban and rural. The list of characters is quite long but every individual has a persona which keeps you interested till the end. Again, the author spreads the pointers to the mystery well but enough to give an inkling of the mystery.
In the end, the mystery is slightly far-fetched and you perhaps feel that it could have been woven better.
Again, a nice addition to the mystery shelves and worth picking up for a read.
The story has again all the classic elements- this time in an English country setting in fact the 2 John Christmas stories have contrasting settings- urban and rural. The list of characters is quite long but every individual has a persona which keeps you interested till the end. Again, the author spreads the pointers to the mystery well but enough to give an inkling of the mystery.
In the end, the mystery is slightly far-fetched and you perhaps feel that it could have been woven better.
Again, a nice addition to the mystery shelves and worth picking up for a read.
May 12, 2021
After reading Ianthe Jerrold's first John Christmas mystery, The Studio Crime and rating it five stars, I looked forward to the second (and last) Christmas novel, Dead Man's Quarry. The bulk of the book did not disappoint. However, the ending reminded me of the many "painted one's self into a corner" cartoons. I might be wrong. but it appears that Jerrold painted herself into a corner and was forced to drum up a highly improbable ending—one that reminded me of the endings of Buster Keaton's movies.
October 4, 2022
This is one of the best Golden Age mystery writers I've read. I read this after the Studio Crime, and this was even better. So well written, well-developed plot, characters, setting, and dramatic tension. Kept me (and John Christmas, the amateur detective) guessing. She uses a more standard English than many of the early writers. It is long, but enjoyably so. I plan to read more.
July 6, 2025
He couldn't do the murder he's posh! Look he treats people with dismissive snearing, how could he not treat someone as a fellow human.
It must be those beastly poor people with a contrived back story and a character introduced during the denouement... They are from overseas too.
Well it was ok enough for me to finish it.
It must be those beastly poor people with a contrived back story and a character introduced during the denouement... They are from overseas too.
Well it was ok enough for me to finish it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
December 22, 2019Synopsis: while cycling in western England, Nora and friends discover the body of their missing comrade. Fortunately John Christmas is on hand.
September 30, 2023
Another DNF, it was super boring and they already found the murderer too early and all they do is talk.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2015
I was going to give this four stars at first, but I thought the ending got a bit melodramatic and the denouement involved elaborate masquerades and false identities, so probably three and a half.
June 8, 2015
I preferred The Studio Crime (although I'm in a minority there) but this is still a hreat rediscovery. Full review at classicmystery.wordpress.com.
June 14, 2017
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
February 25, 2016
I thought this was stronger than the first - a little more cohesive and the supporting characters more interesting. A quick, enjoyable mystery.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews