The Third Key

by Gerald Verner

The Reverend Colin Armitage receives a parcel one morning containing a key and the intriguing 'This is Bluebeard's first key.' The key belongs to the cottage of a woman named Sylvia Shand, who is found there, strangled. A few days later, Bluebeard's second key arrives by post and the district nurse is found strangled in similar circumstances. The police believe a homicidal maniac is loose in the village but Armitage has other ideas. And then a third key arrives...

ebook

First published February 1, 2014

About the author

Gerald Verner is one of the pseudonyms used by John Robert Stuart Pringle, who was born in Streatham, London, on 31 January 1897.

In his early writing days he used the name Donald Stuart, under which name he wrote 44 stories for the Sexton Blake Library as well as six stories for Union Jack and three for the Thriller magazine. In addition he wrote two stage plays, 'Sexton Blake' and 'The Shadow', two films, 'The Man Outside' (1933) and 'The Shadow' (1933) under the Stuart name. Later a number of his books were adapted for radio serials, stage plays and films.

He became a hugely successful thriller writer, producing more than 120 novels that were translated in 35 languages. The Duke of Windsor was a big Verner fan and at one time he was presented with 15 volumes specially bound.

Heavily influenced by Edgar Wallace, he wrote extensively for magazines such as Detective Weekly, the Sexton Blake Library, Union Jack and The Thriller. He also adapted Peter Cheyney's 'Meet Mr Callaghan' and Agatha Christie's 'Towards Zero' for the stage.

He also used the pseudonyms Thane Leslie, Derwent Steele and Nigel Vane.

He died at Broadstairs, Kent, of natural causes on 16 September 1980.

Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2013

Reviews

[Ionia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of those books that I sort of enjoyed but then also found kind of irritating at times. I get that the book wasn't written recently and was set a good deal of time before that, but could there be any more misogyny involved? Sheesh.

The mystery itself wasn't mysterious for long, which is why I ended up giving it three stars. I hate it when i can figure out what's going on before the author confirms it at the end of the story. It makes reading the entire book feel a bit pointless when you guess right soon after you begin reading.

On the positive side, the main character was colorful and I liked the way the author described the village. I could see the place as if I were there and enjoyed reading the dialogue.

This wasn't a bad book, I was just a bit indifferent after reading it.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic British murder mystery with all the right ingredients, a bucolic village with cottages and rose gardens, a big manor house, eccentric inhabitants, murder  ( of course) of a mysterious woman and in this case, a very sunny,summery feeling. Perfect, were  it not for the outdated attitude and opinions expressed by the author.They concern women and their place in society, women and divorce, imprisonment, death penalty....Admittedly, it was written several decades ago ,still...
Pity, because otherwise it would have been a perfect reading for one of those sunny afternoons in spring. 

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic British murder mystery with all the right ingredients, a bucolic village with cottages and rose gardens, a big manor house, eccentric inhabitants, murder ( of course) of a mysterious woman and in this case a very sunny feeling. Perfect, were it not for the outdated attitude and opinions expressed by the author.They concern women and their place in society, women and divorce, imprisonment, death penalty....Admittedly, it was written several decades ago, still....
Pity, because otherwise it would have been a perfect reading for one of those sunny afternoons in spring.

[Natasha du Plessis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite like this story even though from the writing style you can see that this story was written a few decades ago. It was change of scenery to see read again how they solved murders without all the modern day technologies of DNA analysis and cellphone tracking. Quirky characters and an enjoyable writing style.

Thank you to Endeavour Press and Netgalley for the copy

[P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Third Key is a competently, even smoothly written book, and that's where it ends. The characters are cyphers, the plot shallow, and the police investigation a farce. A bumbling vicar shows them the way!! Still, and only because it's on KU, I'm willing to try another. Competent writing is not found in every book.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

When a key is sent to the Rev Colin Armitage it heralds the first of the murders. The Reverend attempts to determine the who and why.
Unfortunately worked out who the guilty person was, and found some of the characters irritating.
A NetGalley Book