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Inspector French #11
The 12.30 from Croydon
We begin with a body. Andrew Crowther, a wealthy retired manufacturer, is found dead in his seat on the 12.30 flight from Croydon to Paris. Rather less orthodox is the ensuing flashback in which we live with the killer at every stage, from the first thoughts of murder to the strains and stresses of living with its execution.
Seen from the criminal's perspective, a mild-mannered Inspector by the name of French is simply another character who needs to be dealt with. This is an unconventional yet gripping story of intrigue, betrayal, obsession, justification and self-delusion. And will the killer get away with it?
Seen from the criminal's perspective, a mild-mannered Inspector by the name of French is simply another character who needs to be dealt with. This is an unconventional yet gripping story of intrigue, betrayal, obsession, justification and self-delusion. And will the killer get away with it?
349 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1934
112 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
Freeman Wills Crofts
138 books89 followersBorn in Dublin of English stock, Freeman Wills Crofts was educated at Methodist and Campbell Colleges in Belfast and at age 17 he became a civil engineering pupil, apprenticed to his uncle, Berkeley D Wise who was the chief engineer of the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway (BNCR).
In 1899 he became a fully fledged railway engineer before becoming a district engineer and then chief assistant engineer for the BNCR.
He married in 1912, Mary Bellas Canning, a bank manager's daughter. His writing career began when he was recovering from a serious illness and his efforts were rewarded when his first novel 'The Cask' was accepted for publication by a London publishing house. Within two decades the book had sold 100,000 copies. Thereafter he continued to write in his spare time and produced a book a year through to 1929 when he was obliged to stop working through poor health.
When he and his wife moved to Guildford, England, he took up writing full time and not surprisingly many of his plots revolved around travel and transport, particularly transport timetables and many of them had a Guildford setting.
In retirement from engineering, as well as writing, he also pursued his other interests, music, in which he was an organist and conductor, gardening, carpentry and travel.
He wrote a mystery novel almost every year until his death and in addition he produced about 50 short stories, 30 radio plays for the BBC, a number of true crime works, a play, 'Sudden Death', a juvenile mystery, 'Young Robin Brand, Detective', and a religious work, 'The Four Gospels in One Story'.
His best known character is Inspector Joseph French, who featured in 30 detective novels between 1924 and 1957. And Raymond Chandler praised his plots, calling him "the soundest builder of them all".
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2010
In 1899 he became a fully fledged railway engineer before becoming a district engineer and then chief assistant engineer for the BNCR.
He married in 1912, Mary Bellas Canning, a bank manager's daughter. His writing career began when he was recovering from a serious illness and his efforts were rewarded when his first novel 'The Cask' was accepted for publication by a London publishing house. Within two decades the book had sold 100,000 copies. Thereafter he continued to write in his spare time and produced a book a year through to 1929 when he was obliged to stop working through poor health.
When he and his wife moved to Guildford, England, he took up writing full time and not surprisingly many of his plots revolved around travel and transport, particularly transport timetables and many of them had a Guildford setting.
In retirement from engineering, as well as writing, he also pursued his other interests, music, in which he was an organist and conductor, gardening, carpentry and travel.
He wrote a mystery novel almost every year until his death and in addition he produced about 50 short stories, 30 radio plays for the BBC, a number of true crime works, a play, 'Sudden Death', a juvenile mystery, 'Young Robin Brand, Detective', and a religious work, 'The Four Gospels in One Story'.
His best known character is Inspector Joseph French, who featured in 30 detective novels between 1924 and 1957. And Raymond Chandler praised his plots, calling him "the soundest builder of them all".
Gerry Wolstenholme
May 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
February 22, 2017
I have not read any of Freeman Wills Crofts works before, although I am a devotee of the "Golden Age" detectives. What a pleasure!
In The 12.30 from Croydon (which incidentally is a flight, not a train), the author takes a totally different slant on both the crime and investigation.
We begin with a body. Andrew Crowther, a wealthy retired manufacturer, is found dead in his seat on the 12.30 flight from Croydon to Paris. Rather less orthodox is the ensuing flashback in which we live with the killer at every stage, from the first thoughts of murder to the strains and stresses of living with its execution.
Seen from the criminal's perspective, a mild-mannered Inspector by the name of French is simply another character who needs to be dealt with. This is an unconventional yet gripping story of intrigue, betrayal, obsession, justification and self-delusion. And will the killer get away with it?
The chapter headings are delightful - 'Charles Suffers a Setback', the writing is compelling and the characters oh so very human!
The final few chapters are devoted to the events from the detective's viewpoint.
All together, very different but it works superbly!
Thank you to Poison Pen Press via NetGalley for a digital ARC of the 12.30 from Croydon for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
In The 12.30 from Croydon (which incidentally is a flight, not a train), the author takes a totally different slant on both the crime and investigation.
We begin with a body. Andrew Crowther, a wealthy retired manufacturer, is found dead in his seat on the 12.30 flight from Croydon to Paris. Rather less orthodox is the ensuing flashback in which we live with the killer at every stage, from the first thoughts of murder to the strains and stresses of living with its execution.
Seen from the criminal's perspective, a mild-mannered Inspector by the name of French is simply another character who needs to be dealt with. This is an unconventional yet gripping story of intrigue, betrayal, obsession, justification and self-delusion. And will the killer get away with it?
The chapter headings are delightful - 'Charles Suffers a Setback', the writing is compelling and the characters oh so very human!
The final few chapters are devoted to the events from the detective's viewpoint.
All together, very different but it works superbly!
Thank you to Poison Pen Press via NetGalley for a digital ARC of the 12.30 from Croydon for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
May 6, 2020
I really enjoyed this inverted mystery, read with the Reading the Detectives group. It starts with a flight from England to France - when the plane lands, elderly Andrew Crowther is dead - and the rest of the mystery unwinds from the point of view of the killer.
I don’t think I’ve ever read such a mystery. Not to excuse the murder, and no spoilers intended, but as one of our group members pointed out in our discussion, I don’t think I could have enjoyed it as much if the killer were a serial killer! The reader looks over the killer’s shoulder as he decides to solve his financial difficulties by killing his wealthy uncle to gain his expected inheritance, which is surely an immoral and selfish act, but Crofts makes it interesting as we see the killer’s justifications to himself; his business is failing, the Depression is hitting everyone and shows no sign of letting up (the book is set in the early 1930s), he will have to let good workers go soon, and he is in love and wishes to marry. His intended makes no secret of the fact that she will not marry a poor man. For all these reasons, he convinced himself that one old man should die to fulfill the wishes and security of others.
In this way, Crofts does a very good job of conveying the comfortable, self-satisfied life of the well-to-do in a small town in England, even in the Depression. Times are tough, but there are still lunches at the club, golf and tennis at the weekend, cruises on the Mediterranean and weekends in Paris, home improvements planned to entice a potential wife. The young woman in question certainly didn’t appear all that interested - I was amazed the killer could convince himself she was worth it, let alone might actually agree to marry him! And even if she did, I don’t know what kind of life he imagined they would share, she seemed rather mercenary and fickle to me.
At the end, during the climactic court case and Inspector French’s summary of his case, conveyed during a dinner meeting of some of those involved, we learn finally which parts of the killer’s meticulous plans worked, and which parts actually handed clues to the police - very interesting and satisfying.
I really enjoyed this, and would like to try other Inspector French cases - he’s just the type of golden age detective I enjoy, low-key, self-deprecating sense of humor, but sharp and insightful.
I don’t think I’ve ever read such a mystery. Not to excuse the murder, and no spoilers intended, but as one of our group members pointed out in our discussion, I don’t think I could have enjoyed it as much if the killer were a serial killer! The reader looks over the killer’s shoulder as he decides to solve his financial difficulties by killing his wealthy uncle to gain his expected inheritance, which is surely an immoral and selfish act, but Crofts makes it interesting as we see the killer’s justifications to himself; his business is failing, the Depression is hitting everyone and shows no sign of letting up (the book is set in the early 1930s), he will have to let good workers go soon, and he is in love and wishes to marry. His intended makes no secret of the fact that she will not marry a poor man. For all these reasons, he convinced himself that one old man should die to fulfill the wishes and security of others.
In this way, Crofts does a very good job of conveying the comfortable, self-satisfied life of the well-to-do in a small town in England, even in the Depression. Times are tough, but there are still lunches at the club, golf and tennis at the weekend, cruises on the Mediterranean and weekends in Paris, home improvements planned to entice a potential wife. The young woman in question certainly didn’t appear all that interested - I was amazed the killer could convince himself she was worth it, let alone might actually agree to marry him! And even if she did, I don’t know what kind of life he imagined they would share, she seemed rather mercenary and fickle to me.
At the end, during the climactic court case and Inspector French’s summary of his case, conveyed during a dinner meeting of some of those involved, we learn finally which parts of the killer’s meticulous plans worked, and which parts actually handed clues to the police - very interesting and satisfying.
I really enjoyed this, and would like to try other Inspector French cases - he’s just the type of golden age detective I enjoy, low-key, self-deprecating sense of humor, but sharp and insightful.
May 5, 2020
Published in 1934, this is the eleventh in the Inspector French series. I must admit that I dislike reading mysteries out of order, but, as this was a chosen read for one of my Goodreads groups, I decided to give it a try.
The mystery started well. Andrew Crowther is on his way to Paris, where his daughter has had an accident, accompanied by his son in law, Peter Morley, his manservant, Weatherup, and ten year old grand-daughter, Rose. Having heard that Elsie Morley is out of danger, the family settle down to enjoy the flight, but, when they arrive, Andrew Crowther is dead.
The novel then backtracks and we hear of how, and why, Andrew Crowther was killed, by his nephew, Charles. The depression has caused his nephew’s business to founder and Charles, like so many others, is in debt and in need to cash. As he will inherit from his uncle’s will; enabling him to both save his business and marry the materially minded Una, whom he is infatuated with, it seems like the perfect solution.
I did feel this novel got a bit bogged down in the details of how Charles intends to carry out his fiendish plan, while, although it was interesting to have the background, it is impossible to have sympathy with such a scheme. Once the idea of murder was uncovered, the investigation and Courtroom scenes were more interesting. I would try Inspector French again, but I think I would start from the beginning, as I got no real sense of what he was like, as he appeared fairly late in the book and it was only at the end of the novel, that you really met him.
The mystery started well. Andrew Crowther is on his way to Paris, where his daughter has had an accident, accompanied by his son in law, Peter Morley, his manservant, Weatherup, and ten year old grand-daughter, Rose. Having heard that Elsie Morley is out of danger, the family settle down to enjoy the flight, but, when they arrive, Andrew Crowther is dead.
The novel then backtracks and we hear of how, and why, Andrew Crowther was killed, by his nephew, Charles. The depression has caused his nephew’s business to founder and Charles, like so many others, is in debt and in need to cash. As he will inherit from his uncle’s will; enabling him to both save his business and marry the materially minded Una, whom he is infatuated with, it seems like the perfect solution.
I did feel this novel got a bit bogged down in the details of how Charles intends to carry out his fiendish plan, while, although it was interesting to have the background, it is impossible to have sympathy with such a scheme. Once the idea of murder was uncovered, the investigation and Courtroom scenes were more interesting. I would try Inspector French again, but I think I would start from the beginning, as I got no real sense of what he was like, as he appeared fairly late in the book and it was only at the end of the novel, that you really met him.
May 11, 2025
This is a nice idea but there was no doubt at any time about what the outcome would be.
The murder takes place at the beginning of the book and then we're introduced to the murderer and we read on to see whether the killer will get away with it or not. All the interactions with the police and the killer's attempts to cover up their crime are told from the killer's perspective.
This is a great idea. I can't recall an Agatha story where this premise was used, showing how difficult it must be to write a successful book based on this premise.
The murder takes place at the beginning of the book and then we're introduced to the murderer and we read on to see whether the killer will get away with it or not. All the interactions with the police and the killer's attempts to cover up their crime are told from the killer's perspective.
This is a great idea. I can't recall an Agatha story where this premise was used, showing how difficult it must be to write a successful book based on this premise.
November 26, 2025
This was an excellent read in the British Library Classic Crime series. The story begins with the murder & the Who is never what needs to be sussed out. We follow the murderer from the circumstances that made them consider murder all the way to their sentencing in court. It was a great character study and "anatomy of a crime" story. The detective's investigation is given in a summation in the ending chapters to enhance what could not be seen of the investigation when the story was sequestered from the murderer's perspective. Overall, I liked the way this was laid out. It was quite a page turner in places as the killer is closer to being caught.
I had this book on my TBR for quite a while. There are other readers of these kinds of crime fiction that I have very much enjoyed interacting with on Goodreads over the years. One of them was Bobby Lee. He wrote great reviews on these books and was always fun to exchange comments with. He was elderly and is no longer on Goodreads, so I can only assume that he has passed on. All his great reviews are gone, but his comments still live on my reviews, and though they say "user deleted", I know they're his. He commented on this book when I added it to my list & it was a nice surprise to see. I still remember his review of the book (he enjoyed & recommended it). So this little note is for Bobby Lee, aka Bob, wherever you are, I hope there is an infinite library and all good things.
I had this book on my TBR for quite a while. There are other readers of these kinds of crime fiction that I have very much enjoyed interacting with on Goodreads over the years. One of them was Bobby Lee. He wrote great reviews on these books and was always fun to exchange comments with. He was elderly and is no longer on Goodreads, so I can only assume that he has passed on. All his great reviews are gone, but his comments still live on my reviews, and though they say "user deleted", I know they're his. He commented on this book when I added it to my list & it was a nice surprise to see. I still remember his review of the book (he enjoyed & recommended it). So this little note is for Bobby Lee, aka Bob, wherever you are, I hope there is an infinite library and all good things.
March 20, 2017
Through the eyes of a killer...
It's 10-year-old Rose Morley's first trip on an aeroplane so she's excited, despite the fact that the reason for the trip is to go to Paris where her mother has had an accident and is in hospital. With her are her father, Peter, and her elderly and rather ill grandfather, Andrew Crowther, whose manservant and general carer Weatherup is with him too. Before they take off, they get a telegram to say Rose's mother will be fine after all, so they can enjoy the journey with no fear. But when they arrive in Paris, it turns out that grandfather Andrew is not sleeping as they had all thought – he's dead. And it's soon discovered that he's been murdered.
This is an interesting take on the crime novel, and innovative for its time. We may have seen crimes from the perspective of the murderer fairly often now, but apparently this was one of the first when it was published in 1934. Following the rather brilliantly described flight to Paris, at a time when planes were still held together by little more than chewing-gum and prayer, the book flashes back a few weeks in time and we meet Charles Swinburn, nephew of the murdered man. It's from Charles' perspective that the story unfolds from there on.
Charles had inherited his uncle's successful manufacturing business but the depression of the 1930s has brought him near bankruptcy. Unfortunately, he's also fallen hopelessly in love with the beautiful but mercenary Una, who makes no secret of the fact that she will only marry a rich man. So when his attempts to raise a loan meet with failure, Charles begins to imagine how convenient it would be if his rich uncle would die so that Charles can get his hands on the inheritance he's been promised. The reader then follows along as Charles decides to turn this dream into reality.
I found the first section of the book fairly slow. Crofts describes Charles' business difficulties in great and convincing detail, with much talk of profit margins and wage bills and so on. It's actually quite fascinating, giving a very real picture of a struggling business in a harsh economic climate, but after a bit it began to feel a little like I was reading financial reports.
However, once Charles decides to do the deed, I became totally hooked. It carries that same level of detail over into the planning of the crime, and I should warn you all that I now know lots of incredibly useful stuff should I ever decide someone needs to be murdered – just sayin'. In the planning stage, it's almost an intellectual exercise for Charles and he goes about it quite coldly. But in the aftermath of the crime, we see the effect it has on him – not guilt, exactly, but a kind of creeping horror at the thought of what he's done. And when Inspector French arrives on the scene to investigate, we see Charles swaying between confidence that he's pulled off the perfect crime, and terror that he may have missed some detail that will give him away. I won't give any more away, but there are a couple of complications along the way that ratchet up the tension and the horror.
There's a final short section, an afterword almost, when we see the investigation from Inspector French's perspective. To be honest, this bit felt redundant to me – I felt it would have been more effective had it finished before that part. I suspect it may only have been added because French was Crofts' recurring detective, and perhaps Crofts felt existing fans would have felt short-changed if his part in the story didn't get told.
So, a slow start and an unnecessary section at the end, but the bulk of the book – the planning, the crime itself, and the investigation as seen through Charles' eyes – is excellent. I like Crofts' writing style – it's quite plain and straightforward, but the quality of the plotting still enables him to make this a tense read. The question obviously is not who did the crime, but will he be caught. And, like Charles, I found myself desperately trying to see if he'd left any loopholes. In fact, it was a bit worrying how well Crofts managed to put me inside Charles' head – I wouldn't say I was on his side, exactly, but I was undoubtedly more ambivalent than I should have been. The format leads to some duplication as we see the same events from different angles and perspectives, but this was a small weakness in what I otherwise thought was a very well crafted and original novel. Highly recommended – another winner from the British Library Crime Classics series. Keep 'em coming! 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
It's 10-year-old Rose Morley's first trip on an aeroplane so she's excited, despite the fact that the reason for the trip is to go to Paris where her mother has had an accident and is in hospital. With her are her father, Peter, and her elderly and rather ill grandfather, Andrew Crowther, whose manservant and general carer Weatherup is with him too. Before they take off, they get a telegram to say Rose's mother will be fine after all, so they can enjoy the journey with no fear. But when they arrive in Paris, it turns out that grandfather Andrew is not sleeping as they had all thought – he's dead. And it's soon discovered that he's been murdered.
This is an interesting take on the crime novel, and innovative for its time. We may have seen crimes from the perspective of the murderer fairly often now, but apparently this was one of the first when it was published in 1934. Following the rather brilliantly described flight to Paris, at a time when planes were still held together by little more than chewing-gum and prayer, the book flashes back a few weeks in time and we meet Charles Swinburn, nephew of the murdered man. It's from Charles' perspective that the story unfolds from there on.
Charles had inherited his uncle's successful manufacturing business but the depression of the 1930s has brought him near bankruptcy. Unfortunately, he's also fallen hopelessly in love with the beautiful but mercenary Una, who makes no secret of the fact that she will only marry a rich man. So when his attempts to raise a loan meet with failure, Charles begins to imagine how convenient it would be if his rich uncle would die so that Charles can get his hands on the inheritance he's been promised. The reader then follows along as Charles decides to turn this dream into reality.
I found the first section of the book fairly slow. Crofts describes Charles' business difficulties in great and convincing detail, with much talk of profit margins and wage bills and so on. It's actually quite fascinating, giving a very real picture of a struggling business in a harsh economic climate, but after a bit it began to feel a little like I was reading financial reports.
However, once Charles decides to do the deed, I became totally hooked. It carries that same level of detail over into the planning of the crime, and I should warn you all that I now know lots of incredibly useful stuff should I ever decide someone needs to be murdered – just sayin'. In the planning stage, it's almost an intellectual exercise for Charles and he goes about it quite coldly. But in the aftermath of the crime, we see the effect it has on him – not guilt, exactly, but a kind of creeping horror at the thought of what he's done. And when Inspector French arrives on the scene to investigate, we see Charles swaying between confidence that he's pulled off the perfect crime, and terror that he may have missed some detail that will give him away. I won't give any more away, but there are a couple of complications along the way that ratchet up the tension and the horror.
There's a final short section, an afterword almost, when we see the investigation from Inspector French's perspective. To be honest, this bit felt redundant to me – I felt it would have been more effective had it finished before that part. I suspect it may only have been added because French was Crofts' recurring detective, and perhaps Crofts felt existing fans would have felt short-changed if his part in the story didn't get told.
So, a slow start and an unnecessary section at the end, but the bulk of the book – the planning, the crime itself, and the investigation as seen through Charles' eyes – is excellent. I like Crofts' writing style – it's quite plain and straightforward, but the quality of the plotting still enables him to make this a tense read. The question obviously is not who did the crime, but will he be caught. And, like Charles, I found myself desperately trying to see if he'd left any loopholes. In fact, it was a bit worrying how well Crofts managed to put me inside Charles' head – I wouldn't say I was on his side, exactly, but I was undoubtedly more ambivalent than I should have been. The format leads to some duplication as we see the same events from different angles and perspectives, but this was a small weakness in what I otherwise thought was a very well crafted and original novel. Highly recommended – another winner from the British Library Crime Classics series. Keep 'em coming! 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Poisoned Pen Press.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
February 10, 2017
It’s terribly relentlessly horrifying. Crofts has created a mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seat with suspense, horror, and helplessness. By the end, you will be completely torn. You will rather like the villain, but you will also thoroughly detest him.
Somehow, he used the very familiarity of his villain’s day to day routine to make it all the more suspenseful. Each small detail becomes so vital. You’ll find yourself searching for clues, but not in the normal fashion. You’re looking to see if anything as been overlooked, anyway justice will be able to catch him. Could this really be the perfect crime? You’ll want to scream at the villain, ‘Just stop! You’ll never get away with it.’ But you can’t. It’s inevitable the crime will be committed, but will he get caught?
It was very well done.
The only objectionable parts were five curse words, on the mild side if we were to grade curse words, and two instances of very vulgar slang.
I received this book as a free ARC from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. No review was required.
Somehow, he used the very familiarity of his villain’s day to day routine to make it all the more suspenseful. Each small detail becomes so vital. You’ll find yourself searching for clues, but not in the normal fashion. You’re looking to see if anything as been overlooked, anyway justice will be able to catch him. Could this really be the perfect crime? You’ll want to scream at the villain, ‘Just stop! You’ll never get away with it.’ But you can’t. It’s inevitable the crime will be committed, but will he get caught?
It was very well done.
The only objectionable parts were five curse words, on the mild side if we were to grade curse words, and two instances of very vulgar slang.
I received this book as a free ARC from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press. No review was required.
May 23, 2020
I had a hard time connecting with this book initially, and only finally committed to reading it once the due date at the library was looming. However, the book really picks up about a third of the way in, with great suspense and anticipation growing as the story unfolds. Most interestingly, the majority of the book is presented from the perspective of the killer, in his motives, his planning, and the execution of his crime. This presents the reader with the odd experience of somewhat "rooting" for the killer, and feeling his anxiety and anticipation as the police investigation progresses. Overall, an enjoyable, if not puzzling, mystery.
May 9, 2020
Inverted mystery where the perpetrator of the crime is known to the reader early on, and the novel follows his chain of thought through planning the murder, executing it, and the consequent criminal investigation. The victim is retired businessman Andrew Crowther, who is found dead on a plane from Croydon when it lands in France. Inspector French is asked to investigate the death.
The plot was very skilfully constructed and engaging, and it was interesting to follow the crime being put together. The exploration of the psychology of a murderer was convincing and the trial scenes were dramatic. Although not an orthodox mystery, this was a compelling and intelligent read.
The plot was very skilfully constructed and engaging, and it was interesting to follow the crime being put together. The exploration of the psychology of a murderer was convincing and the trial scenes were dramatic. Although not an orthodox mystery, this was a compelling and intelligent read.
May 1, 2020
A very different murder 'mystery' told from the murderer's point of view. Interesting read.
February 23, 2017
The 12:30 from Croydon is the second mystery by Freeman Wills Crofts I have read. Interestingly, they both feature Inspector French and yet could not be more different. Mystery in the Channel is a traditional whodunnit in which French breaks alibis to figure out the culprit. In The 12:30 from Croydon we not only know whodunnit, we are following the murderer from before he even conceived the crime.
Crofts was a founding member of The Detection Club, the venerable gathering of the best mystery writers whose rules for detective fiction still sound good to me. I still judge a mystery on its fairness and feel shortchanged when key information is withheld from us. This is the sort of mystery Crofts excelled at, exactingly fair procedurals. For The 12:30 from Croydon, he was venturing into the psychological thriller genre, a new development in mystery fiction, revealing how Charles Swinburn came to the unwelcome conclusion that his uncle had to die and taking us through the meticulous planning and execution of that and yet another murder.
I was surprised to like this book even more than Mystery in the Channel. I generally prefer mysteries to focus on solving the murder and dislike the mysteries inside the mind of the murderer. Of course, most of the time when a writer puts us inside the mind of a murderer, the killer is a psychopathic serial killer. That is not our Charles. He is, in his view, just a guy trying achieve the greatest good for the most people, really, it’s a service he is doing. Well, not quite. He has pangs of conscience, but they are far less than his narcissism and his determination to “help others” as he persuades himself he is doing.
This is why I like this book so much. So often, when we are allowed into the mind of a killer, he is so very buahhh-haaa-haaa evil that I am turned off. Charles, though, is uncomfortably familiar. He is a person who would never have chosen murder in the ordinary course of events, but when in extremis, could justify anything on utilitarian motives. Isn’t that really what most murderers are like?
Inspector French’s involvement is almost completely off the page. We are with Charles, not French, and we don’t know what French is up to until the final coda, a chapter gathering the lawyers and police to explain how they figured it out. I am not sure that French’s tip-off is one that most police would think of and with a less fictional inspector, it is likely that someone else would have been indicted, but the beauty of these old classics is that all’s well that ends well.
The 12:30 from Croydon will be released on February 7, 2017. I was provided an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
Crofts was a founding member of The Detection Club, the venerable gathering of the best mystery writers whose rules for detective fiction still sound good to me. I still judge a mystery on its fairness and feel shortchanged when key information is withheld from us. This is the sort of mystery Crofts excelled at, exactingly fair procedurals. For The 12:30 from Croydon, he was venturing into the psychological thriller genre, a new development in mystery fiction, revealing how Charles Swinburn came to the unwelcome conclusion that his uncle had to die and taking us through the meticulous planning and execution of that and yet another murder.
I was surprised to like this book even more than Mystery in the Channel. I generally prefer mysteries to focus on solving the murder and dislike the mysteries inside the mind of the murderer. Of course, most of the time when a writer puts us inside the mind of a murderer, the killer is a psychopathic serial killer. That is not our Charles. He is, in his view, just a guy trying achieve the greatest good for the most people, really, it’s a service he is doing. Well, not quite. He has pangs of conscience, but they are far less than his narcissism and his determination to “help others” as he persuades himself he is doing.
This is why I like this book so much. So often, when we are allowed into the mind of a killer, he is so very buahhh-haaa-haaa evil that I am turned off. Charles, though, is uncomfortably familiar. He is a person who would never have chosen murder in the ordinary course of events, but when in extremis, could justify anything on utilitarian motives. Isn’t that really what most murderers are like?
Inspector French’s involvement is almost completely off the page. We are with Charles, not French, and we don’t know what French is up to until the final coda, a chapter gathering the lawyers and police to explain how they figured it out. I am not sure that French’s tip-off is one that most police would think of and with a less fictional inspector, it is likely that someone else would have been indicted, but the beauty of these old classics is that all’s well that ends well.
The 12:30 from Croydon will be released on February 7, 2017. I was provided an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
November 11, 2016
"The 12.30 from Croydon" is a suspense novel that was originally published in 1934 and is set in England. While Inspector French is on the case, we don't hear the case from his perspective until the very end. Most of the novel was from the murderer's point of view.
We know exactly how the murder was committed because we see it happen from the first thoughts to how he carefully planned and committed every step. Like the criminal, we don't know where any mistakes were made or what clues the Inspector has found. Will Inspector French settle on the right suspect?
I liked the other characters and hoped they didn't get accused. I didn't like or dislike the murderer. His reasons were understandable and not entirely selfish, but they didn't justify murder. Still, I found myself unaccountably sighing with relief along with him! The story certainly made me tense with suspense.
There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, suspenseful "reverse mystery."
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
We know exactly how the murder was committed because we see it happen from the first thoughts to how he carefully planned and committed every step. Like the criminal, we don't know where any mistakes were made or what clues the Inspector has found. Will Inspector French settle on the right suspect?
I liked the other characters and hoped they didn't get accused. I didn't like or dislike the murderer. His reasons were understandable and not entirely selfish, but they didn't justify murder. Still, I found myself unaccountably sighing with relief along with him! The story certainly made me tense with suspense.
There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, suspenseful "reverse mystery."
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 29, 2023
Review of the audiobook narrated by Gordon Griffin.
This book is a classic inverted mystery, where the identity of the murderer is known from the beginning. Though I was a huge fan of the Columbo television mysteries, I don't really enjoy reading inverted stories. I suppose that Peter Falk's brilliant portrayal of Columbo is what really drew me to the show.
This book is quite clever, but it didn't grab me.
Gordon Griffin, who narrates several of the British Library Crime Classics, does his usual excellent job.
This book is a classic inverted mystery, where the identity of the murderer is known from the beginning. Though I was a huge fan of the Columbo television mysteries, I don't really enjoy reading inverted stories. I suppose that Peter Falk's brilliant portrayal of Columbo is what really drew me to the show.
This book is quite clever, but it didn't grab me.
Gordon Griffin, who narrates several of the British Library Crime Classics, does his usual excellent job.
January 2, 2017
True,the pace is somewhat slower, but the story, told from the murderer's perspective, is solid " golden age "
February 4, 2018
I have to admit I bought this largely for the cover. I've been attracted to these British Library Crime Classics because they have such appealing covers. I've been able to resist buying them because I'm not really a mystery reader. But this one not only appealed to me because of the transportation allusion and the fact that the title reminds me of one of my favorite books Victoria 4:30 by Cecil Roberts.
I wasn't disappointed. The murder happens right off the bat, then we see how it was planned and what happens in the wake of the murder. The thing that really took me was all of the attention to the state of the murderer's business. It reminded me of the kind of logistics and planning one finds in a Nevil Shute novel. This may not be everyone's thing, but I love that kind of thing.
I wasn't disappointed. The murder happens right off the bat, then we see how it was planned and what happens in the wake of the murder. The thing that really took me was all of the attention to the state of the murderer's business. It reminded me of the kind of logistics and planning one finds in a Nevil Shute novel. This may not be everyone's thing, but I love that kind of thing.
October 2, 2023
3.5 stars, rounded up.
The 12.30 from Croydon is a book that has multitude of crime writing styles wrapped in a single book. In the beginning we see a death happen. Then we are taken back a few weeks in time and told who the murderer was and how the prepared to kill the victim, for what reasons, and how they planned to get away with it. Then it changes its style and for a few chapters reads like a courtroom drama. And then, towards the end, it becomes a police procedural as we learn how the police caught up with the murderer despite their cunning moves.
I enjoyed the second part, which is also the longest, the most but felt that the last two dragged a little. By the time I reached the last part where we learn how the police caught up with the killer, I felt my interest was waning. While the different narrative styles are what make this read interesting, it felt that using too many of them also reduced the appeal of the book for me, taking it from four star read to a 3.5 star one.
The 12.30 from Croydon is a book that has multitude of crime writing styles wrapped in a single book. In the beginning we see a death happen. Then we are taken back a few weeks in time and told who the murderer was and how the prepared to kill the victim, for what reasons, and how they planned to get away with it. Then it changes its style and for a few chapters reads like a courtroom drama. And then, towards the end, it becomes a police procedural as we learn how the police caught up with the murderer despite their cunning moves.
I enjoyed the second part, which is also the longest, the most but felt that the last two dragged a little. By the time I reached the last part where we learn how the police caught up with the killer, I felt my interest was waning. While the different narrative styles are what make this read interesting, it felt that using too many of them also reduced the appeal of the book for me, taking it from four star read to a 3.5 star one.
July 15, 2024
It's a good crime story, but for me personally, I didn't like the setup. This is written in the reverse, as you know, who did it and how. The last chapter is the summation of the detective. My favorite part is the slow guessing of what is going on, so not my favorite style.
January 28, 2017
This is the second book by Freeman Wills Crofts that I’ve read. The first was Mystery in the Channel, which is a complicated murder mystery with plenty of red herrings and I had no idea about the identity of the killer. The 12.30 from Croydon couldn’t be more different – it begins with a murder but the identity of the murderer is known before he even thought of committing the crime.
The result is there is little mystery, as Charles Swinburne sets about murdering his uncle, Andrew Crowther, in order to inherit his fortune. It’s set in the early 1930s when the country is suffering the effects of the ‘slump’ and Charles’ business is on the edge of bankruptcy, and he is unable to raise the money to keep it going.
The major part of the book is taken up with describing how Charles became convinced that the only way out of his dilemma and the only way he could convince Una, a mercenary rich young woman, to marry him, was to kill Andrew. Consequently Andrew died on the 12.30 plane from Croydon. From that point onwards we see how Charles devised a plan and created an alibi that he thought would be perfect – and how it went wrong and how he was drawn into committing yet another murder.
Inspector French appears later on in the book to explain Charles’ thoughts and actions, and how he broke his alibi, just as Poirot sums up his thoughts and methods of deduction in Agatha Christie’s books.
The 12.30 from Croydon focuses on the psychology of the murderer and from that point of view I think it works well. Charles’ personality is thoroughly explored, showing his ingenuity, efficiency, and the ways he overcame his scruples about murder were in the main convincing. But the in-depth detail of the planning means that it is hardly riveting reading. So whilst the plotting is clever my interest in the outcome flagged as the only thing to work out is would Charles get caught out, and would Inspector French break his alibi. But I did want to know how it would end.
What I found more interesting is the description of the thrill of the early passenger flights. In the opening chapter Rose Morley, Andrew’s young granddaughter flies to France with him and her father, Peter, because her mother had been knocked down and seriously injured by a taxi in Paris. Rose thinks the plane looks like a huge dragonfly. From her seat her view through the window was of the lower wing with its criss-cross struts connecting it to the upper wing. She was delighted by the whole process the increasing speed and the roar of the motors as the plane miraculously left the ground. Peter remarks that it was a wonderful improvement on the early machines when you had to stuff cotton wool in your ears. Rose loved the whole experience.
I also like the setting Crofts created for the novel – the enormous pressure that drove Charles to take such drastic action due to the financial disasters of the period in the 1930s is well presented. I liked the book but as I enjoy trying to work out the why and the how for me it needed more mystery, and more red herrings.
My thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a review copy of The 12.30 From Croydon. It was first published in 1934; this edition with an introduction by Martin Edwards was published in 2016 by Poisoned Pen Press in association with the British Library.
The result is there is little mystery, as Charles Swinburne sets about murdering his uncle, Andrew Crowther, in order to inherit his fortune. It’s set in the early 1930s when the country is suffering the effects of the ‘slump’ and Charles’ business is on the edge of bankruptcy, and he is unable to raise the money to keep it going.
The major part of the book is taken up with describing how Charles became convinced that the only way out of his dilemma and the only way he could convince Una, a mercenary rich young woman, to marry him, was to kill Andrew. Consequently Andrew died on the 12.30 plane from Croydon. From that point onwards we see how Charles devised a plan and created an alibi that he thought would be perfect – and how it went wrong and how he was drawn into committing yet another murder.
Inspector French appears later on in the book to explain Charles’ thoughts and actions, and how he broke his alibi, just as Poirot sums up his thoughts and methods of deduction in Agatha Christie’s books.
The 12.30 from Croydon focuses on the psychology of the murderer and from that point of view I think it works well. Charles’ personality is thoroughly explored, showing his ingenuity, efficiency, and the ways he overcame his scruples about murder were in the main convincing. But the in-depth detail of the planning means that it is hardly riveting reading. So whilst the plotting is clever my interest in the outcome flagged as the only thing to work out is would Charles get caught out, and would Inspector French break his alibi. But I did want to know how it would end.
What I found more interesting is the description of the thrill of the early passenger flights. In the opening chapter Rose Morley, Andrew’s young granddaughter flies to France with him and her father, Peter, because her mother had been knocked down and seriously injured by a taxi in Paris. Rose thinks the plane looks like a huge dragonfly. From her seat her view through the window was of the lower wing with its criss-cross struts connecting it to the upper wing. She was delighted by the whole process the increasing speed and the roar of the motors as the plane miraculously left the ground. Peter remarks that it was a wonderful improvement on the early machines when you had to stuff cotton wool in your ears. Rose loved the whole experience.
I also like the setting Crofts created for the novel – the enormous pressure that drove Charles to take such drastic action due to the financial disasters of the period in the 1930s is well presented. I liked the book but as I enjoy trying to work out the why and the how for me it needed more mystery, and more red herrings.
My thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a review copy of The 12.30 From Croydon. It was first published in 1934; this edition with an introduction by Martin Edwards was published in 2016 by Poisoned Pen Press in association with the British Library.
December 13, 2018
This review can also be found on my blog.
When I read (or watch) a mystery I mainly enjoy watching the detective figure out who did it. It doesn’t even have to be a ‘fair’ mystery where I can guess along with them. I don’t need the chance to play along to enjoy watching the investigator find clues.
Of course, if you pick up a modern crime novel (or watch a police procedural), chances are you will also spend a lot of time with the personal problems of the detective(s). I don’t mind that too much, provided the character is likeable. And since I rarely read/watch things if I dislike the characters, that’s usually not an issue.
Then there are of course crime stories that don’t focus on the detective but on somebody else that is connected with the murder. The murderer as in this case or – as I have been seeing now and then in procedurals – people who were close to the victim. And I won’t deny that I found some of those really great. You only have to go to another Crime Library Classic – Portrait of a Murderer – to hear me singing the praises of a book that is mostly told from the POV of the killer, and I was also impressed by some procedural episodes that spent more time on the victim’s family than average.
Well…but if you do that you have to be really good to distract me from the fact that I’m not getting what I expected and wanted. If I’m reading an ‘ordinary’ crime novel that’s just average – with an inspector who is not that memorable, clues that are a bit too obscure and a motive that’s a bit far-fetched – I’ll still enjoy myself if I get to see the puzzle-solving I came for. If you tell the whole story from the POV of the killer and I don’t get to see any puzzle-solving, he needs to be really entertaining to make up for that fact. And Charles is just a very average person who’s sort of clever (his murder method admittedly was). He murders a not particularly likeable man because he needs money. For once because his factory is in a bad state and if he doesn’t invest in new machinery he’ll have to close it down and all the workers will lose their jobs but also because he wants money to impress (and marry) a woman. He feels some remorse when it turns out that his plot also led to suspicion falling on his cousin but not a huge amount. All very average. And average isn’t enough to make me forget that this wasn’t what I wanted. (Incidentally, in the final chapter the inspector explains what made him suspicious and how he went on to prove his suspicions and I kept thinking about how much I would have enjoyed the same story told as a regular mystery).
Now if your expectations on the mystery genre are different from mine, this book might be more up your alley. Charles isn’t so loathsome that I disliked spending time in his head. And his plan was clever – I simply would have rather seen Inspector French unravel it.
When I read (or watch) a mystery I mainly enjoy watching the detective figure out who did it. It doesn’t even have to be a ‘fair’ mystery where I can guess along with them. I don’t need the chance to play along to enjoy watching the investigator find clues.
Of course, if you pick up a modern crime novel (or watch a police procedural), chances are you will also spend a lot of time with the personal problems of the detective(s). I don’t mind that too much, provided the character is likeable. And since I rarely read/watch things if I dislike the characters, that’s usually not an issue.
Then there are of course crime stories that don’t focus on the detective but on somebody else that is connected with the murder. The murderer as in this case or – as I have been seeing now and then in procedurals – people who were close to the victim. And I won’t deny that I found some of those really great. You only have to go to another Crime Library Classic – Portrait of a Murderer – to hear me singing the praises of a book that is mostly told from the POV of the killer, and I was also impressed by some procedural episodes that spent more time on the victim’s family than average.
Well…but if you do that you have to be really good to distract me from the fact that I’m not getting what I expected and wanted. If I’m reading an ‘ordinary’ crime novel that’s just average – with an inspector who is not that memorable, clues that are a bit too obscure and a motive that’s a bit far-fetched – I’ll still enjoy myself if I get to see the puzzle-solving I came for. If you tell the whole story from the POV of the killer and I don’t get to see any puzzle-solving, he needs to be really entertaining to make up for that fact. And Charles is just a very average person who’s sort of clever (his murder method admittedly was). He murders a not particularly likeable man because he needs money. For once because his factory is in a bad state and if he doesn’t invest in new machinery he’ll have to close it down and all the workers will lose their jobs but also because he wants money to impress (and marry) a woman. He feels some remorse when it turns out that his plot also led to suspicion falling on his cousin but not a huge amount. All very average. And average isn’t enough to make me forget that this wasn’t what I wanted. (Incidentally, in the final chapter the inspector explains what made him suspicious and how he went on to prove his suspicions and I kept thinking about how much I would have enjoyed the same story told as a regular mystery).
Now if your expectations on the mystery genre are different from mine, this book might be more up your alley. Charles isn’t so loathsome that I disliked spending time in his head. And his plan was clever – I simply would have rather seen Inspector French unravel it.
February 6, 2017
I received a copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley for review.
3.5 stars
Ten Second Synopsis:
A tale of murder told from the point of view of the murderer, this book is an in-depth study of the carrying out of a "perfect" crime.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting into this one, even if the “mystery” element of the murder-mystery equation was thoroughly absent. It was fascinating to follow the protagonist’s – Charles Swinburne’s – train of thought as a convenient solution presents itself to his financial and personal difficulties. Despite being a murderous murderer, Charles is quite a likable and ingenious bloke, with a real knack for malice aforethought, once he gets going.
Some readers may find the story a tad repetitive. Because we are privy to all Charles’s pre-planning, the information brought out at the inquests and trial is not at all new to us as readers, and by the end I did find it a bit odd that I was sitting through what amounted to a detailed retelling of the story that I had already read. By that stage I was thoroughly invested in the outcome however, and putting the book down was no longer an option. The ending is something of an anti-climax, in that it wraps up quite abruptly, but the author has done a fantastic job of tying up every possible loose end.
I would highly recommend this if you are in the mood for a bit of classic historical mystery, from a slightly unexpected angle.
3.5 stars
Ten Second Synopsis:
A tale of murder told from the point of view of the murderer, this book is an in-depth study of the carrying out of a "perfect" crime.
I thoroughly enjoyed getting into this one, even if the “mystery” element of the murder-mystery equation was thoroughly absent. It was fascinating to follow the protagonist’s – Charles Swinburne’s – train of thought as a convenient solution presents itself to his financial and personal difficulties. Despite being a murderous murderer, Charles is quite a likable and ingenious bloke, with a real knack for malice aforethought, once he gets going.
Some readers may find the story a tad repetitive. Because we are privy to all Charles’s pre-planning, the information brought out at the inquests and trial is not at all new to us as readers, and by the end I did find it a bit odd that I was sitting through what amounted to a detailed retelling of the story that I had already read. By that stage I was thoroughly invested in the outcome however, and putting the book down was no longer an option. The ending is something of an anti-climax, in that it wraps up quite abruptly, but the author has done a fantastic job of tying up every possible loose end.
I would highly recommend this if you are in the mood for a bit of classic historical mystery, from a slightly unexpected angle.
May 30, 2020
I’ve read a few books where we, as the reader, take the vantage point of the antagonist or criminal, one of the more classic and compelling ones being Dorothy B. Hughes’ dark noir In a Lonely Place. It seems like it would be a tricky thing as an author to pull off this inversion and “show all the cards” of who the killer is and what they did in hopes that you could still make a compelling and tense-filled mystery. In the end, Freeman Wills Crofts does just that in his murder mystery The 12:30 from Croyton, as the final parts build nicely during the big reveal.
This book almost feels like it could be a tale of two books in that one section is devoted to understanding the circumstances of the crime, the methods and motives of the killer, Charles Swinburn. Truth be told, I almost wasn’t sold on this book during some parts of this section, as Charles was not a very engaging character to have to follow around everywhere, and I found some of his thoughts and interactions with his love interest, Una, a tad overly melodramatic and sappy.
However, I believe the other portion of this book, the second half, helped to redeem it and really sold me on it. As foul play is determined to be the culprit for the death of both Charles’ uncle and one of the members of the house, suddenly an investigation is launched. The building suspense in the latter parts of the book as we move further into the investigation and see moves from both the criminal and the investigation really made for a quite a compelling finish and big reveal.
So, once the ball gets rolling and the momentum gets going, the plot really takes off. The author does a solid job of building clues and tensions in the final section to keep the reader engaged in the final outcome.
Overall, The 12:30 From Croyton ended up being an entertaining mystery, and I look forward to reading more works from this author in the future.
This book almost feels like it could be a tale of two books in that one section is devoted to understanding the circumstances of the crime, the methods and motives of the killer, Charles Swinburn. Truth be told, I almost wasn’t sold on this book during some parts of this section, as Charles was not a very engaging character to have to follow around everywhere, and I found some of his thoughts and interactions with his love interest, Una, a tad overly melodramatic and sappy.
However, I believe the other portion of this book, the second half, helped to redeem it and really sold me on it. As foul play is determined to be the culprit for the death of both Charles’ uncle and one of the members of the house, suddenly an investigation is launched. The building suspense in the latter parts of the book as we move further into the investigation and see moves from both the criminal and the investigation really made for a quite a compelling finish and big reveal.
So, once the ball gets rolling and the momentum gets going, the plot really takes off. The author does a solid job of building clues and tensions in the final section to keep the reader engaged in the final outcome.
Overall, The 12:30 From Croyton ended up being an entertaining mystery, and I look forward to reading more works from this author in the future.
June 10, 2017
I received this e-book thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press.
I am a great fan of Freeman Wills Croft and have read all four novels re-issued by the British Library in their Classic Crime series.
This novel was very much different from his usual approach and while it was not entirely satisfactory in construction it did work well for me.
Fans of Inspector French will find too little of him here with all of his detection concentrated in the last 2 chapters.I also found the chapters relating the trial evidence slightly unsatisfactory.
However,following the thoughts and actions of the murderer,Charles Swinburn, proved very interesting and I thought that his character and weaknesses were well-delineated.My view is that the other people in the case are only lightly sketched so that the reader's mind is concentrated on Swinburn.
A good read which held my attention and which, while not the best by this author, can be read with great pleasure
I am a great fan of Freeman Wills Croft and have read all four novels re-issued by the British Library in their Classic Crime series.
This novel was very much different from his usual approach and while it was not entirely satisfactory in construction it did work well for me.
Fans of Inspector French will find too little of him here with all of his detection concentrated in the last 2 chapters.I also found the chapters relating the trial evidence slightly unsatisfactory.
However,following the thoughts and actions of the murderer,Charles Swinburn, proved very interesting and I thought that his character and weaknesses were well-delineated.My view is that the other people in the case are only lightly sketched so that the reader's mind is concentrated on Swinburn.
A good read which held my attention and which, while not the best by this author, can be read with great pleasure
March 9, 2017
What first attracted me to "THE 12.30 FROM CROYDON" was the cover art. On the cover is a teasingly attractive image of a 1930s fixed-gear airliner entering into the landing pattern a few feet above the Isle of Wight. Down below one can see the trappings of a port, docking area, and a ship in the distance. Eagerly, I picked up the novel and began to thumb through it. As advertised, this detective novel (which was originally published in 1934) "is an unconventional yet gripping story of intrigue, betrayal, obsession, justification, and self-delusion."
Rather than a whodunit, "THE 12.30 FROM CROYDON" looks at a murder of a retired businessman on an airliner from the vantage point of the killer, whose motives and mindset he shares with the reader, trying all the while to keep one step ahead of the police and remain free and beyond suspicion.
Rather than a whodunit, "THE 12.30 FROM CROYDON" looks at a murder of a retired businessman on an airliner from the vantage point of the killer, whose motives and mindset he shares with the reader, trying all the while to keep one step ahead of the police and remain free and beyond suspicion.
December 31, 2016
A very good read; it should remind readers of crime novels set in the 1930s that Agatha Christie wasn't the only writer with a great plot to hand. This builds to a surprising denouement...over cigars & whisky...the villain having been dispatched by pains-taking detective work and the tiny lacuna in the almost perfectly-executed murder of Uncle Andrew! It read very well indeed & sustained me through long days of restlessness over Christmas! Thanks to Maria & Lucy, my favourite librarians, for this little gem from their crowns!
December 21, 2018
This mystery novel was written in 1934. It is the tale of an affable man who gets in money trouble and is tempted by the frailty of his rich elderly uncle. It’s an interesting psychological case, though a bit repetitive after a while.
July 4, 2016
An enjoyable book and, as Dorothy L Sayers notes in her endorsement, and interesting experiment: a book which follows the investigation from the eyes of the criminal, not the detective.
September 5, 2020
You learn who the murderer is early on and then the mystery is whether he will get away with it.
January 19, 2018
The British Library Crime Classics series has only just popped onto my radar; there seemed to be several people reading the Christmas themed ones at of course, Christmas. Having never read any crime novel that was set later than probably the 1980’s except some Sherlock Holmes short stories, this series appealed to me and despite its uninspiring title, I decided to give this one a go.
The initial crime occurs in the very first chapter and don��t let that first chapter put you off as the child who narrates it doesn’t appear again –thank heavens! Often when writing a review of a crime novel, it is hard to write much without giving away the plot, but this really isn’t a novel where we have to work out who did it. The bulk of the novel is narrated by the criminal from the very first stirrings of murderous intent, to the crime itself and beyond, we are thoroughly immersed in his mind and emotional state.
In this way, the book is very different from most crime novels, as it is far more unusual to have the criminal as the main narrator than say, the lead detective. There is a detective in this one, an Inspector French who apparently appears in several other of Freeman Wills Crofts novels. Right from the start you know he is different from the local constabulary but he doesn’t appear until half way through the book and then only fleetingly. The inspector then appears in the last two chapters of the book in a discussion of how his investigation progressed which I have to say, although I was mildly interested, didn’t really add much to the story. Despite their crimes, the criminal who has narrated the entire book does engage our empathy and it seemed as though he was swiftly dealt with and then all the good old boys, the lawyers and police high-ups, had a jolly old whisky and cigar meeting to digest the case regardless of its serious ending.
Particularly compared to modern crime novels, the book is slow, sometimes ponderously so but most of the time I didn’t mind this. It is always a joy for me to read books set in other periods especially in that period in England when my great grandparents, for example, would have been alive. I enjoyed all the details of the houses, factories, and clubs - for of course the main characters are all firmly middle class - the scenery of the Moors close to York and the journeys up to Town (London). What makes the period detail even more compelling is that this book was written in 1924 so it’s not an author looking back and researching but a contemporary account of this period. Because of this you do get a description of a pawnbroker as ‘oily’ and Jewish and I understand that another novel in this series has the same failing. A modern author perhaps would have avoided this but this is a novel of its time and it seems hypocritical to enjoy the contemporary detail and then condemn the author for employing contemporary clichés.
Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable, simply written and quite unique take on the conventional crime/detective novel and the intricate way the crimes are plotted and carried out was impressive. I would be interested to know if Inspector French plays a bigger part in the other novels he features in and if those other novels follow a more unoriginal premise. I also love the fact that the British Library is reviving these old crime classics as a part of our literary history that may have been lost which, would most definitely have been a shame.
The initial crime occurs in the very first chapter and don��t let that first chapter put you off as the child who narrates it doesn’t appear again –thank heavens! Often when writing a review of a crime novel, it is hard to write much without giving away the plot, but this really isn’t a novel where we have to work out who did it. The bulk of the novel is narrated by the criminal from the very first stirrings of murderous intent, to the crime itself and beyond, we are thoroughly immersed in his mind and emotional state.
In this way, the book is very different from most crime novels, as it is far more unusual to have the criminal as the main narrator than say, the lead detective. There is a detective in this one, an Inspector French who apparently appears in several other of Freeman Wills Crofts novels. Right from the start you know he is different from the local constabulary but he doesn’t appear until half way through the book and then only fleetingly. The inspector then appears in the last two chapters of the book in a discussion of how his investigation progressed which I have to say, although I was mildly interested, didn’t really add much to the story. Despite their crimes, the criminal who has narrated the entire book does engage our empathy and it seemed as though he was swiftly dealt with and then all the good old boys, the lawyers and police high-ups, had a jolly old whisky and cigar meeting to digest the case regardless of its serious ending.
Particularly compared to modern crime novels, the book is slow, sometimes ponderously so but most of the time I didn’t mind this. It is always a joy for me to read books set in other periods especially in that period in England when my great grandparents, for example, would have been alive. I enjoyed all the details of the houses, factories, and clubs - for of course the main characters are all firmly middle class - the scenery of the Moors close to York and the journeys up to Town (London). What makes the period detail even more compelling is that this book was written in 1924 so it’s not an author looking back and researching but a contemporary account of this period. Because of this you do get a description of a pawnbroker as ‘oily’ and Jewish and I understand that another novel in this series has the same failing. A modern author perhaps would have avoided this but this is a novel of its time and it seems hypocritical to enjoy the contemporary detail and then condemn the author for employing contemporary clichés.
Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable, simply written and quite unique take on the conventional crime/detective novel and the intricate way the crimes are plotted and carried out was impressive. I would be interested to know if Inspector French plays a bigger part in the other novels he features in and if those other novels follow a more unoriginal premise. I also love the fact that the British Library is reviving these old crime classics as a part of our literary history that may have been lost which, would most definitely have been a shame.
February 25, 2022
I’ve been a fan of the British Library Crime Classics series for many years, whose purpose is to bring to modern readers long-forgotten classics or overlooked gems from the golden age of crime, generally thought to have been between the wars (although there are titles in the series from earlier and much later in time). This is a highly recommended collection of books, for those looking for something from a more sedate, bygone age of writing.
The 12.30 From Croydon by Freeman Wills Crofts is an inverted murder. That is to say that it’s quite the opposite to a ‘whodunnit’, which is the standard fare of these kind of novels. In an inverted murder we know right from the start who the killer is, as often the story is told from the murderer’s point of view. The plot usually involves a degree of suspense, of a cat and mouse aspect to the investigation, and generally there is an element of psychology woven into the story. These are all fine qualities in crime fiction, and it often acts as a refreshing change to the more intricately-plotted yet bafflingly complex narratives of the whodunnit.
This particular novel details the financial troubles and romantic yearnings of Charles Swinburn, who one day decides that the answer to his problems is to murder a member of his family, in order to inherit a sum of money which will give him a future more hopeful than the bleak one it promises to be. We follow his plotting and the intricacies of how he commits the murder, and then see things very much from his viewpoint as the police investigation takes over and he comes under the scrutiny of Inspector French.
There is a great deal of suspense created by the format of the novel, and the pacing is well formed. There are a few twists and turns. For a novel originally published in 1934 it is rather well-written and will definitely appeal to a modern reader, although the final two chapters are a bit heavy on exposition, as the detective explains the elements of the story that put him onto certain paths with the investigation. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful read, and adds another welcome credit to the Crime Classic series. As such, it comes recommended for aficionados of crime fiction from the golden age.
The 12.30 From Croydon by Freeman Wills Crofts is an inverted murder. That is to say that it’s quite the opposite to a ‘whodunnit’, which is the standard fare of these kind of novels. In an inverted murder we know right from the start who the killer is, as often the story is told from the murderer’s point of view. The plot usually involves a degree of suspense, of a cat and mouse aspect to the investigation, and generally there is an element of psychology woven into the story. These are all fine qualities in crime fiction, and it often acts as a refreshing change to the more intricately-plotted yet bafflingly complex narratives of the whodunnit.
This particular novel details the financial troubles and romantic yearnings of Charles Swinburn, who one day decides that the answer to his problems is to murder a member of his family, in order to inherit a sum of money which will give him a future more hopeful than the bleak one it promises to be. We follow his plotting and the intricacies of how he commits the murder, and then see things very much from his viewpoint as the police investigation takes over and he comes under the scrutiny of Inspector French.
There is a great deal of suspense created by the format of the novel, and the pacing is well formed. There are a few twists and turns. For a novel originally published in 1934 it is rather well-written and will definitely appeal to a modern reader, although the final two chapters are a bit heavy on exposition, as the detective explains the elements of the story that put him onto certain paths with the investigation. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful read, and adds another welcome credit to the Crime Classic series. As such, it comes recommended for aficionados of crime fiction from the golden age.
December 15, 2022
This book had me at "British Library Crime Classics" when I saw it at the library book sale. Always worth picking up a mystery novel from the "Golden Age of Murder," in my experience. This one was not my favorite, however, because it's told mostly from the point of view of the murderer, and this murderer was not that interesting. To be fair, the brief introduction suggests that was point of this novel: A fairly ordinary person of his class suddenly feels driven to commit murder, and we see what happens inside the head of such a person. Well done, but still not that interesting or nearly as fun to read as most of the British murder classics I've read before.
P.S. This book was written by a retired engineer, and it showed.
P.P.S. The book opens with a journey by air, told not by the murderer, but by a child, and that part is very charming.
P.S. This book was written by a retired engineer, and it showed.
P.P.S. The book opens with a journey by air, told not by the murderer, but by a child, and that part is very charming.
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