What do you think?
Rate this book
Dr. Priestley #49
The Fatal Garden
The Fatal Garden, first published in 1949, is book no. 49 in the series of mysteries featuring private detective Dr. Priestley and Scotland Yard's Superintendent Waghorn. Author John Rhode, a pen name of Cecil Street (1884-1964), was a prolific writer of mostly detective novels, publishing more than 140 books between 1924 and 1961. From the “Yes, the initial murder in this book was certainly committed on a path in a garden; but it is possible that the ingenious author chose this title to suggest his manner of dealing with his readers. For, though always perfectly fair and with a soul above such things as “red herrings,” he can usually be found to have some little surprises up his sleeve. Such, for instance, in this book is the mystery of the Bedford Row solicitor. . .”
- GenresMystery
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1949
About the author
John Rhode
144 books34 followersAKA Miles Burton, Cecil Waye, Cecil J.C. Street, I.O., F.O.O..
Cecil John Charles Street, MC, OBE, (1884 - January 1965), known as CJC Street and John Street, began his military career as an artillery officer in the British army. During the course of World War I, he became a propagandist for MI7, in which role he held the rank of Major. After the armistice, he alternated between Dublin and London during the Irish War of Independence as Information Officer for Dublin Castle, working closely with Lionel Curtis. He later earned his living as a prolific writer of detective novels.
He produced two long series of novels; one under the name of John Rhode featuring the forensic scientist Dr Priestley, and another under the name of Miles Burton featuring the investigator Desmond Merrion. Under the name Cecil Waye, Street produced four novels: The Figure of Eight; The End of the Chase; The Prime Minister's Pencil; and Murder at Monk's Barn. The Dr. Priestley novels were among the first after Sherlock Holmes to feature scientific detection of crime, such as analysing the mud on a suspect's shoes. Desmond Merrion is an amateur detective who works with Scotland Yard's Inspector Arnold.
Critic and author Julian Symons places this author as a prominent member of the "Humdrum" school of detective fiction. "Most of them came late to writing fiction, and few had much talent for it. They had some skill in constructing puzzles, nothing more, and ironically they fulfilled much better than S. S. Van Dine his dictum that the detective story properly belonged in the category of riddles or crossword puzzles. Most of the Humdrums were British, and among the best known of them were Major John Street.
-Wikipedia
Cecil John Charles Street, MC, OBE, (1884 - January 1965), known as CJC Street and John Street, began his military career as an artillery officer in the British army. During the course of World War I, he became a propagandist for MI7, in which role he held the rank of Major. After the armistice, he alternated between Dublin and London during the Irish War of Independence as Information Officer for Dublin Castle, working closely with Lionel Curtis. He later earned his living as a prolific writer of detective novels.
He produced two long series of novels; one under the name of John Rhode featuring the forensic scientist Dr Priestley, and another under the name of Miles Burton featuring the investigator Desmond Merrion. Under the name Cecil Waye, Street produced four novels: The Figure of Eight; The End of the Chase; The Prime Minister's Pencil; and Murder at Monk's Barn. The Dr. Priestley novels were among the first after Sherlock Holmes to feature scientific detection of crime, such as analysing the mud on a suspect's shoes. Desmond Merrion is an amateur detective who works with Scotland Yard's Inspector Arnold.
Critic and author Julian Symons places this author as a prominent member of the "Humdrum" school of detective fiction. "Most of them came late to writing fiction, and few had much talent for it. They had some skill in constructing puzzles, nothing more, and ironically they fulfilled much better than S. S. Van Dine his dictum that the detective story properly belonged in the category of riddles or crossword puzzles. Most of the Humdrums were British, and among the best known of them were Major John Street.
-Wikipedia
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 8, 2026
Once again Jimmy Waghorn turns to Dr Priestley to help him solve the case. One wonders how he ever got to the rank of Superintendent as he seems incapable of solving anything without the Doctors' input. However this is an ingenious (if improbable) plot in which the murderer was fairly easily spotted but the motive was more difficult to figure out.
A very enjoyable and easy read.
A very enjoyable and easy read.
May 8, 2021
A most ingenious Mystery
A real page turner. his book kept me from my chores through trying to fathom the institution of the murderer. I would thoroughly recommend this book for those like me sick of the crudity and foul language used by many modern authors.
A real page turner. his book kept me from my chores through trying to fathom the institution of the murderer. I would thoroughly recommend this book for those like me sick of the crudity and foul language used by many modern authors.
May 28, 2026
Unusual mystery
This novel was a twisted tale disguising a unique pair of murders. The background and context of the crimes was held until the end and solved (of course) by Dr Priestly with some quick work by Harold Merrefield. An interesting change of pace.
This novel was a twisted tale disguising a unique pair of murders. The background and context of the crimes was held until the end and solved (of course) by Dr Priestly with some quick work by Harold Merrefield. An interesting change of pace.
October 15, 2020
Satisfying puzzle
I enjoyed the book, I really like Golden age crime, especially books by John Rhodes, always have a twist in the end.
I enjoyed the book, I really like Golden age crime, especially books by John Rhodes, always have a twist in the end.
July 11, 2021
I've been reading and enjoying a lot of mid-twentieth century detective fiction recently, but this one just didn't work for me. It has a convoluted detective arrangement (a defence barrister, local police, a Scotland Yard detective working first unofficially then officially, and a group of enthusiastic amateurs led by a Sherlock Holmes type), gets itself bogged down in a lot of discussion about footprints, forgets about the first murder once the rather more interesting second murder happens, then briefly becomes interesting.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews