The Dartmoor Enigma: An Inspector Richardson Mystery

Inspector Richardson #5

by Basil Thomson

“I’m writing to you about the death of Mr. Dearborn. You bet the murderer’s laughing up his sleeve now that he’s got away with it.” An inquest is held in South Devon on the death of a man apparently killed in a motor accident on the verdict is “Death from misadventure.” But soon afterwards Scotland Yard and the Devon Chief Constable receive anonymous letters alleging that the verdict was wrong; that the death was caused by blows inflicted by a person, or persons, unknown. The Chief Constable asks for help from Scotland Yard. Richardson is detailed, as Chief Inspector C.I.D., to unravel the case. A discharged quarryman is suspected by the local police; Richardson clears him. He finds the writer of the anonymous letters, but he also finds that the dead man had shrouded his own past in mystery and was going under an assumed name. It looks like the most difficult case he has had to unravel, but Chance steps in to provide him with a clue… The Dartmoor Enigma was originally published in 1935. This new edition, the first in over seventy years, features an introduction by crime novelist Martin Edwards, author of acclaimed genre history The Golden Age of Murder . “Sir Basil Thomson’s tales are always good reading, and he has the knack of being accurate about Scotland Yard.” Dorothy L. Sayers

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature, Thriller, Classics, Crime, Mystery Thriller

222 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Sir Basil Home Thomson, KCB (21 April 1861 – 26 March 1939) was a British intelligence officer, police officer, prison governor, colonial administrator, and writer.

abridged from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Ana Cristina Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Es un policial muy clásico, de la Edad Dorada, con toques de Sherlock Holmes aunque más prosaico. No en vano el autor tuvo una larga carrera en los servicios policiales y de inteligencia en la Inglaterra de principio de siglo XX. Casi lo más interesante es leer su biografía que aparece al principio y observar luego cómo esa experiencia acumulada se refleja en la narración. Por esa misma razón hay una cierta frialdad profesional que le resta encanto al relato, que por lo demás está bien construido y con personajes interesantes.

Quizá está muy enfocado en el procedimiento y lo describe con tanta minuciosidad que a veces cansa, pero al mismo tiempo es interesante ver el uso que hacen los policías de medios como el tren, el coche o el teléfono y la relevancia que se les da. También me ha gustado la ambientación local, los pubs, las estaciones y en general los detalles de la vida cotidiana que te trasladan a los pueblecitos de la campiña de Devon en 1935.

[Libros Prestados · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 estrellas, casi 3.

Esto es como "El castillo de arena" de Seicho Matsumoto si solo fuera la investigación policial y no hubiera nada de análisis de la sociedad de la época. Pero nada de nada de análisis de la sociedad de la época. Y los personajes son trozos de cartón. Ahora bien, la investigación policial es muy verosímil y realista (el autor trabajó para la policía, después de todo) y es muy fácil de leer, pero como suele ocurrir con los pilares u orígenes de un género (y este lo es del procedimental policíaco) se queda un poco corto para los gustos actuales, acostumbrados como estamos a tramas más complicadas y dieciocho pantallas para ocultar la verdad.

Pero tiene su interés para ver cómo alguno e los tropos del género estaban allí desde el principio.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just re-read this after some years, I found that despite the writing seeming more old fashioned, my original review as below should still stand.

A thoroughly enjoyable police procedural and a brilliant snapshot of life in Britain in the 1930's. The police officers travel to their cases by bus, taxi or train. They have to find a "call office" to ring up Scotland Yard for information. The police station has only one car and they have to fight for the use of it. No computers or mobile phones in those days.

What I also like about these stories is that the reader is not encumbered with messy details from the policemen's private lives. They don't have children with drug problems or wives who commit adultery because the husband is never at home or other problems of that ilk.

Some may say that four stars is a bit generous for this book and maybe it is. However it is nicely written, the plot hums along and Richardson and Jago are personable coppers with the human touch. I will definitely try some more of Sir Basil Thomson's work.

Most of this type of book are not available in paper format unless at great expense so hats off to Kindle for raking up lots of these good old stories at bargain prices.

[Ratita de biblio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lo que me gusta a mí un misterio detectivesco al más puro estilo clásico, más si me lo ambientan en la Golden Age, en la Inglaterra de los años 30, y si me sumerge totalmente en un entramado de personajes, en una telaraña donde nada parece tener sentido, que se ha de desmadejar según se avanza, para finalmente encajar todas las piezas de un puzle magistral de misterio, venganzas y corrupción.

Todo esto es lo que Basil Thomson, autor de esta frenética investigación, nos trae de la mano de @depocaeditorial, que rescata esta historia, inédita hasta ahora en castellano, y nos sumerge en un interesantísimo contexto policíaco que el autor domina al dedillo, puesto que él mismo formó parte en su vida personal del entramado policial y judicial de la Inglaterra de entreguerras como jefe del Departamento de Investigación Criminal.

El argumento no puede ser más prometedor. El misterioso señor Dearborn fallece tras un fortuito accidente en los páramos de Dartmoor, o al menos eso es lo que parece, pues unos extraños anónimos que incitan a pensar que pudo ser asesinado, van a poner sobre la pista a una pareja de investigadores de Scotland Yard, muy convencionales, pero no por ello poco peculiares, que nada tienen que envidiar al más astuto Holmes y su leal compañero.

Una historial, en definitiva, trepidante, donde el ritmo no decae en ningún momento, cargada de diálogos ingeniosos y mordaces, que nos harán esbozar más de una sonrisa con su toque refinado de humor negro y sagaz.

Además, para hacernos la experiencia lectora más agradable si cabe, esta edición viene ilustrada, con un dibujo que nos sumerge de lleno en los años 30, en sus estilismos, modas y costumbres, conformando una ambientación excepcional como la que impera en toda la narración. Una novela no muy extensa que se lee de una sentada y cuyo enigma os rondará agradablemente la cabeza durante una buena temporada.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give this book a low 4 to 3.75. Some of the very best of the book deals with the cooperative country town. If compared to the Queen of Golden Age mystery, the characters are a bit bland and undeveloped. If you like your Golden Agers with Lady so and so’s, house parties and deco glamour, Basil Thomson wouldn’t be for you. Christie’s Poirot and Marple are far more developed and her stories have far more sly humor. Christie had been writing a good 15 years before this novel so I think she and others lay a lot of the groundwork. That’s not a reason to skip The Dartmoor Enigma. The methodical policemen seem very plausible. The fraud case is interesting and the working class people are generally treated with respect.

[sol zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5⭐️ me lo compré por la portada y sigue siendo lo que más me gustó del libro.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chief Inspector Richardson and Sergeant Jago investigate a death on the moors in the most enjoyable of this series so far.

The pacing of the plot, which is intricate enough without being too complex, is good, and the reader's interest is held throughout. There are details of work in the granite quarries and most of the characters are well-drawn, even the working-classes being less condescendingly portrayed than usual.

Richardson is as meticulous and painstaking as always in accumulating and checking information. However this does not render him dull but makes him rather endearing.

[Heatherinblack · Rating 4 out of 5]

british justice

Interesting legal decision at resolution. Complicated store but cleverly unwound. Richardson seems to get smarter and smarter. Wish he would stick with one sidekick though.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Richardson is at it again! A man has died — apparently of a motor accident — in Dartmoor, but soon there are anonymous letters alleging that the death is more sinister.

And of course, Scotland Yard sends out Insp. Richardson, who is faced with a very tangled web. Just who was the man who arrived in Dartmoor only three years ago — with 25,000 pounds in cash? A man who hasn't bothered to get to know his neighbors ...

Originally published in 1935, this story by Basil Thomason reflects life as it was in the 30s and an excellent example of a police procedural. Some of what they do is very boring and rarely is there much for them to get really excited about. It's hard work but there are moments when Richardson and his assistant can put the clues together and untangle some of the convoluted and complicated mystery. The story flows and interest is held as the two officers put the disparate clues together for a whole — good reading.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

#5 of Basil Thomson's Inspector Richardson mystery series. This book was originally published in 1935. This was a classic Scotland Yard on the job investigation. Inspector Richardson was determined to find out exactly what happened and who was responsible and get the proof for all he discovered. Which was fine for a while, but as he trekked back and forth trying to get every twist untwisted, he drove his superiors a bit batty, and not only them! I think I'll give the series a rest for a bit. These are books from the 30s, but the earlier ones were far more well paced than this one. Still, glad I learned of this series and will go back to the last few when I need a quick read in between new books.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating between 3.5 & 4

I found this story more engaging than the previous one set in Paris but that I think is just personal preference as both are well written and easy to read.
This story did keep me thinking most of the way through and the red herring/obviously guilty party was well handled I thought.
This was also another story where Richardson took time to explain his thinking to the detective sergeant assigned to work with him (and therefore the readers) and also expected him to work on his own when required.
Overall then a very good entry in this series which is proving to be one of my favourite of the recent golden age reprint era.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming detective story from 1939. Another of this author’s mystery stories was the impetus for the real-life “Operation Mincemeat” in WW2, (originally called “Operation Trojan Horse”) where a deceased ‘soldier’ carrying fake papers was washed up on the shores of Spain to convince the Germans that the upcoming British invasion was planned for Greece, instead of the real site, Sicily. The Germans fell for it and the landing at Sicily was met with very little resistance. Btw, Ian Fleming (of later James Bond fame) was the officer who came up with the idea.

[Marta Pereira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nota: 4
La historia iba bien hasta que al protagonista, inspector de Scotlan Yard, se le ocurre empezar a decir expresiones muy machistas como que las mujeres nunca se acuerdan de lo importante.
En fin.....se que hay que ponerlo en contexto y todo eso...... pero cuesta un montón leer esas cosas. Además he leído otros libros escritos en la misma época y tb publicados por la misma editorial que este tipo de come varios no aparecen. Asiq no puedo más que suspender este libro.

[™]

DNF - I thought it would be cool to read a book set in this era that was actually written in the same era, but found the writing stilted and very distant from the character so it was too hard to get into

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice cozy read for me. Yes, there were some faults to the book, but my enjoyment outweighed the faults. I have really been enjoying this series of books.

[Catherine Pinkett · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite Richardson so far

[Los libros de Baker Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un entretenidísimo misterio de época que te tiene pegado a sus páginas de principio a fin. Muy recomendado.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

good one, twisty

[Laiber · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening sentence of this book made me laugh. A book that begins " Superintendent Witchard was checking expense sheets in his room at Scotland Yard when his clerk looked in" promises to deliver the careful, methodical police work that I have come to expect of Basil Thomson.

Inspector Richardson and Sargeant Jago of Scotland Yard work their way through the intricacies, tedium and human foibles of a case a country police force cannot handle on their own. Rather than relying on cliches about country police forces, Thomson creates a world in which we see the methods and assumptions that have worked for local law and order being challenged by complicating outside factors that demand new methods and broader training. It is these broader methods - meticulous information gathering, checking and double checking, that we follow through the book as our detectives catch trains from city to city, borrow the only police car in the district and eat endless sandwiches, perfecting the skill of writing on moving trains in order to get their reports in on a daily basis.

Thomson tells a good story. His characters are treated respectfully. They make mistakes, accept responsibility, are likeable, credible and a long way from stereotypes. Add in the fun of following the trail of thinking and elimination of the emerging methodology of police intelligence and this is another good read for fans of detective fiction.

[Estrella HERNANDEZ Gil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un fallecido tras un accidente de tráfico es el pistoletazo de salida de esta novela policíaca totalmente inesperada. El inspector jefe Richardson, con ayuda de Jago, llevarán a cabo una investigación minuciosa de esta muerte no tan clara.
Es la antítesis de las típicas novelas de la época, en la que se lucen los grandes detectives casi dejando que los policías tengan un papel secundario de ineptos y pasotas. Es una obra escrita por un policía para dejar claro el gran trabajo que hay detrás de cada suceso y que no sólo Sherlock Holmes es capaz de resolver los rompecabezas.
El comienzo ha sido un poco lento y raro pero después la trama ya coge ritmo, muy rica en detalles y procedimientos policiales.

[C3wach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story.

[Vikas Datta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely ingenious and plenty of red herrings along the way