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Ludovic Travers #4
Murder at Fenwold
“And that’s not all. Somers is dead too … He poisoned himself … in the lounge!”
When the wealthy Cosmo Revere is killed by a falling tree, ex-CID officer John Franklin and Ludovic Travers chance to be staying in the vicinity. After examining the scene Franklin determines it was no accident.
At the family lawyer’s request Franklin and Travers go undercover at Fenwold Hall, where the dramatis personae, among others, include a bewitching niece, a blustering colonel, and a vicar with a passion for amateur theatricals.
Fenwold is a country house beset by secrets … and devious murder.
'Murder at Fenwold' was originally published in 1930. This new edition features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.
When the wealthy Cosmo Revere is killed by a falling tree, ex-CID officer John Franklin and Ludovic Travers chance to be staying in the vicinity. After examining the scene Franklin determines it was no accident.
At the family lawyer’s request Franklin and Travers go undercover at Fenwold Hall, where the dramatis personae, among others, include a bewitching niece, a blustering colonel, and a vicar with a passion for amateur theatricals.
Fenwold is a country house beset by secrets … and devious murder.
'Murder at Fenwold' was originally published in 1930. This new edition features an introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1930
About the author
Christopher Bush
98 books14 followersChristopher Bush was educated in the local school. He then won a scholarship to Thetford Grammar, and went on to study modern languages at King's College London, after which he worked as a school teacher.
He participated in both world wars.
He was a prolific writer of detective novels, wrote three autobiographical novels and nine books about Breckland life using the nom-de-plume Michael Home.
He lived in Great Hockham.
He participated in both world wars.
He was a prolific writer of detective novels, wrote three autobiographical novels and nine books about Breckland life using the nom-de-plume Michael Home.
He lived in Great Hockham.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 7, 2017
First published in 1930, under this title in the UK, and, by Doubleday in the US as “The Death of Cosmo Revere”, this is an interesting murder mystery featuring Ludovic Travers and John Franklin in complementary roles.
Revere is found dead in the grounds of his family home, Fenwold Hall apparently killed by a falling tree. Franklin finds cause to suspect murder.
On behalf of the American heir to the rich estate, Travers and Franklin masquerade as lawyer and manservant so that the former can snoop above stairs and the latter amongst the servants and villagers.
A further murder takes place and evidence of other crimes emerges as the investigation progresses.
The book is well written and the setting is well-realised. The characters include the vampish Leila Fortresse, the blustering Colonel Warren, the temperamental Captain Leeke, the bonhomous vicar, Haddowe, and Castleton and Carter, two mercurial antiques dealers.
The book does slow down and sag rather in the middle, but the end is worth the wait as Bush always springs a late surprise
A good read for lovers of English country house murders.
Solidly four stars.
Revere is found dead in the grounds of his family home, Fenwold Hall apparently killed by a falling tree. Franklin finds cause to suspect murder.
On behalf of the American heir to the rich estate, Travers and Franklin masquerade as lawyer and manservant so that the former can snoop above stairs and the latter amongst the servants and villagers.
A further murder takes place and evidence of other crimes emerges as the investigation progresses.
The book is well written and the setting is well-realised. The characters include the vampish Leila Fortresse, the blustering Colonel Warren, the temperamental Captain Leeke, the bonhomous vicar, Haddowe, and Castleton and Carter, two mercurial antiques dealers.
The book does slow down and sag rather in the middle, but the end is worth the wait as Bush always springs a late surprise
A good read for lovers of English country house murders.
Solidly four stars.
April 28, 2018
This is number 4 in the Ludo Travers series and is much better than the last one ( Dead Man Twice) although still fairly complicated. Travers actually features in it as a main character and we, the readers, are getting to know him a bit better. Him and Franklin go undercover in a big old country house to investigate the "accidental" death of the local squire Cosmo Revere. Plenty of suspects, all of whom are characterised very well. I particularly liked Royce the butler. A very clever plot and not your usual run-of-the-mill country house mystery by any means.
Thoroughly enjoyable but this reader needed to keep his wits about him and occasionally had to go back half a chapter when picking up the book the next day.
Thoroughly enjoyable but this reader needed to keep his wits about him and occasionally had to go back half a chapter when picking up the book the next day.
August 11, 2022
“The last of the Reveres goes home to his fathers.” ...the case for murder as against accident?
"Sir Henry is desperately anxious to avoid the least breath of scandal. This Cosmo Revere seems to have been a fabulously wealthy and most important person and to put it in one way—people like that don’t have to get murdered.”
“Enquiries have to be extraordinarily confidential and only what’s absolutely essential must ever get out.”
“That’s it exactly. Everything that can be hushed up has got to be."
"Sir Henry is desperately anxious to avoid the least breath of scandal. This Cosmo Revere seems to have been a fabulously wealthy and most important person and to put it in one way—people like that don’t have to get murdered.”
“Enquiries have to be extraordinarily confidential and only what’s absolutely essential must ever get out.”
“That’s it exactly. Everything that can be hushed up has got to be."
October 6, 2021
Ludovic Travers looks in to the death of Cosmo Revere from a falling tree. Realising it was murder he has two possible suspects are a niece and nephew who will benefit from his will. Bringing in former ex-CID officer John Franklin they begin investigate the mystery. At this point the book was like treading in treacle as the book lumbered through the two suspects or would want them to inherit. The solution offered up numerous clues that we the reader hear for the first time which not playing fair. Very disappointing novel.
April 11, 2018
Golden Age!
Wonderful old classic! The path to the solutions were fantastically drawn out. And I’m sure that at the climactic ‘aHA’ revelation was experienced by the hundreds of thousands previous over the years was much the same as mine.
Brilliant!
Wonderful old classic! The path to the solutions were fantastically drawn out. And I’m sure that at the climactic ‘aHA’ revelation was experienced by the hundreds of thousands previous over the years was much the same as mine.
Brilliant!
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December 11, 2024DNF
March 21, 2018
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
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November 21, 2017Skimmed to end to find out whodunnit.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews