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Foul Play Suspected
Newly widowed Phyllida returns from India to visit her absent-minded father, Professor Woodbridge, only to find the house locked up and deserted. Phyllida learns that he left town four months ago having dismissed the staff, telling them he was leaving for a prolonged holiday. After some further investigation, it appears that her father has vanished. As Phyllida investigates the disappearance of her missing father, she is faced with secrets and revelations she could never have been prepared for....
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1935
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About the author
John Wyndham
375 books2,008 followersJohn Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris was the son of a barrister. After trying a number of careers, including farming, law, commercial art and advertising, he started writing short stories in 1925. After serving in the civil Service and the Army during the war, he went back to writing. Adopting the name John Wyndham, he started writing a form of science fiction that he called 'logical fantasy'. As well as The Day of the Triffids, he wrote The Kraken Wakes, The Chrysalids, The Midwich Cuckoos (filmed as Village of the Damned) and The Seeds of Time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
June 13, 2022
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May 30, 2022
This was a bit of an oddity. JW is of course closely associated with his towering science fiction giants, such as Triffids, Midwich Cuckoos, Kraken, Lichen and the rest. His other work is not so well known. This is, as the title suggests, a murder mystery. It’s pedestrian at best I’m afraid, although wonderfully written, in consummate graceful prose. The plot is limited; has a scientist died, or is he alive? Where are his secrets? Who is after them?
The role of women in 1930s England is a central element, and it was good to see that the major character was a woman, very much holding her own among all the male participants. It is a fairly archaic book of it’s time - the villains are all “swines” for example. There are a few hints towards Nazi Germany which made it an interesting read from that historic period. The scientific secret was quite chillingly described and quite realistic. However, the book does fall short because it’s not actually that interesting. Glad I read it however - it was one of the vanishingly small number of Wyndham’s titles that had passed me by, but if you are new to the towering imagination and vision of his work, please don’t start here. If you want traditional SF, go with The Triffids, if you want horror, try The Midwich Cuckoos, scientific stuff go with The trouble with lichen, or for emotional feels, go to Chocky.
The role of women in 1930s England is a central element, and it was good to see that the major character was a woman, very much holding her own among all the male participants. It is a fairly archaic book of it’s time - the villains are all “swines” for example. There are a few hints towards Nazi Germany which made it an interesting read from that historic period. The scientific secret was quite chillingly described and quite realistic. However, the book does fall short because it’s not actually that interesting. Glad I read it however - it was one of the vanishingly small number of Wyndham’s titles that had passed me by, but if you are new to the towering imagination and vision of his work, please don’t start here. If you want traditional SF, go with The Triffids, if you want horror, try The Midwich Cuckoos, scientific stuff go with The trouble with lichen, or for emotional feels, go to Chocky.
July 25, 2025
2.5/5
Not up to the standard Wyndham sets with his later works, but a fairly interesting mystery.
Not up to the standard Wyndham sets with his later works, but a fairly interesting mystery.
June 17, 2025
I definitely prefer his sci-fi!
May 23, 2025
Phyllida is a woman before her time and a character the reader would like for a friend. Wyndham was an admirable feminist before his time writing such remarkable and realistic characters. A great combination of mystery and realistic scientific elements make this novella a fascinating read.
September 23, 2023
Returning to her childhood home after a messy divorce Phyllida Shiffer finds all is not right, her scientist father missing and his house boarded up, and no one seems to know why...
Wyndham, most famous for his science fiction work, here turns his skills to crime writing. All his hallmarks are there, particularly his brilliant practical characterisation. Plot expediancy never overules reality - his characters gratifyingly behave in very believeable fashion from the outset. Making this, at least at first, a very immersive tale. The set up is strong, and even verges on the supernatural, at least until the antagonists are revealed. However part way through Phyllida is sidelined and Detective Inspector Jordan takes centre stage to solve the crime. While, for the time, it makes practical sense it seems a shame as Jordan isnt the most exciting of characters. Jordan in fact seems more a foil for Wyndham to make some eerily prescient predictions regarding WW2 and chemical warfare (he wrote this in 1935).
While this is still a solid story, it doesn't quite pay off the fanatstic set up in the first third of the book.
Wyndham, most famous for his science fiction work, here turns his skills to crime writing. All his hallmarks are there, particularly his brilliant practical characterisation. Plot expediancy never overules reality - his characters gratifyingly behave in very believeable fashion from the outset. Making this, at least at first, a very immersive tale. The set up is strong, and even verges on the supernatural, at least until the antagonists are revealed. However part way through Phyllida is sidelined and Detective Inspector Jordan takes centre stage to solve the crime. While, for the time, it makes practical sense it seems a shame as Jordan isnt the most exciting of characters. Jordan in fact seems more a foil for Wyndham to make some eerily prescient predictions regarding WW2 and chemical warfare (he wrote this in 1935).
While this is still a solid story, it doesn't quite pay off the fanatstic set up in the first third of the book.
January 22, 2023
A 1930s British crime thriller that first appears to be about a young woman investigating the disappearance of her scientist father, but turns into a near-apocalyptic catastrophe.
I love John Wyndham’s books so much! He had a marvellous way of taking common ideas (kidnapping, alien invasion, immortality, etc.) and turning them into truly unique stories. His writing style is always crystal-clear and concise.
This is his most realistic book I’ve read, without any sci-fi elements. A vulnerability, a fear of war and violence permeates the narrative, which is poignant considering it was written between the world wars. Yet there’s a playful tone to the characters interactions that keeps the mood intriguing, rather than depressing.
I admire Wyndham’s habit of somehow making the reader both cozy and riveted, and then having a few lines of really disturbing horror here and there. It always keeps me on my toes.
This book really exceeded my expectations, I especially liked the open-ended gloom of the ending.
I love John Wyndham’s books so much! He had a marvellous way of taking common ideas (kidnapping, alien invasion, immortality, etc.) and turning them into truly unique stories. His writing style is always crystal-clear and concise.
This is his most realistic book I’ve read, without any sci-fi elements. A vulnerability, a fear of war and violence permeates the narrative, which is poignant considering it was written between the world wars. Yet there’s a playful tone to the characters interactions that keeps the mood intriguing, rather than depressing.
I admire Wyndham’s habit of somehow making the reader both cozy and riveted, and then having a few lines of really disturbing horror here and there. It always keeps me on my toes.
This book really exceeded my expectations, I especially liked the open-ended gloom of the ending.
August 25, 2023
This early John Wyndham novel is not as accomplished as his 1950s novels, even for genre fiction, but it’s an interesting read in the context of interwar politics. After her divorce Phyllida Shiffer returns to her father’s home in the country, only to find him mysteriously gone without any indication when he left or why. A brilliant scientist who had done work for the War Department in the Great War, Henry Wooldridge and his assistant Straker were working on something, but what? And did their project get them disappeared? The novel quickly becomes a very chatty novel, Wyndham not having learned the fine point of suspense novels yet, and it is a bit of a slog, with so many characters so thinly described that it’s hard to differentiate them sometimes. Why name two characters Drawford and Draymond, one a good guy and one a bad guy? The author does manage to get some very intelligent anti-war arguments woven through the novel, particularly about the role of science in war making, and these still pertain today. But the reader has to wade through a lot to get to them.
February 19, 2023
I liked the build up, establishing the mystery, but as the novel progressed I found myself losing interest. The 'bad guys' were never really developed, and it was all a bit up in the air. Wyndham was a fantastic writer, his construction of dialogue and scene was in place even here - but he hadn't found his genre yet, and that would come with Day of The Triffids.
My star rating says it was "ok", and I'm glad to say I have 'read' it (this 1935 book is not in print, so we are lucky it has been rescued for Audible), but without his explosion into Science Fiction in the 50s, this would have been long forgotten.
An odd coincidence. . . I read this book having just read It by Stephen King, and one of the minor characters (a policeman) of this novel was called. . . PC Pennywise.
November 4, 2023
As a long time John Wyndham fan, I was very excited to listen to this book. I'd learned of it from an email from the publisher, and I convinced my local library to stock a copy. Such a disappointment. It's no mystery why Wyndham never brought the book back into print during his lifetime. The novel is embarrassingly bad. Certainly Wyndham recognized this.
The book breaks two cardinal rules of good mysteries. First, more time is spent by the three characters considering their situation than driving the action forward. They review, at length and often, the currently available facts, their path to this point in the narrative, and their potential next steps. What is the opposite of "hard-boiled?" That is this.
Second, two of the three final resolutions take place off camera. "By golly, look at this notice in the paper..."
The narrator offers perfect articulation with zero differentiation. As she speaks every syllable is perfect. You can hear ever comma, period, and paragraph break. Really, her pauses are rigid perfection. Unfortunately, the only characters in the book with different voices are the most minor: the landlady, the ruffian, the constable, each with one or two lines. The major subplot in this book revolves around a love triangle between 2 single men and 1 woman. As they converse through the novel, their lines are all spoken with exactly the same voice. All dramatic tension evaporates as the audience must only concentrate on which of the three is currently speaking. At places it never becomes clear. As this author does not routinely use indicators such as "he said" and "she said," the lack of voice differentiation sucks the life out of the already weak plot and writing.
The producer should have never chosen this narrator for this book.
3 out of 10. To be avoided.
The book breaks two cardinal rules of good mysteries. First, more time is spent by the three characters considering their situation than driving the action forward. They review, at length and often, the currently available facts, their path to this point in the narrative, and their potential next steps. What is the opposite of "hard-boiled?" That is this.
Second, two of the three final resolutions take place off camera. "By golly, look at this notice in the paper..."
The narrator offers perfect articulation with zero differentiation. As she speaks every syllable is perfect. You can hear ever comma, period, and paragraph break. Really, her pauses are rigid perfection. Unfortunately, the only characters in the book with different voices are the most minor: the landlady, the ruffian, the constable, each with one or two lines. The major subplot in this book revolves around a love triangle between 2 single men and 1 woman. As they converse through the novel, their lines are all spoken with exactly the same voice. All dramatic tension evaporates as the audience must only concentrate on which of the three is currently speaking. At places it never becomes clear. As this author does not routinely use indicators such as "he said" and "she said," the lack of voice differentiation sucks the life out of the already weak plot and writing.
The producer should have never chosen this narrator for this book.
3 out of 10. To be avoided.
November 13, 2025
There is nothing worse than coming home from your terrible marriage in India to find no-one at the port to pick you up. Why? Turns out daddy's mind has tuned into Fritz Haber's, giving his all to ensure England doesn't fall behind in the quest to not only kill people trying to defend their country, but demoralise and debilitate them in the process.
How's that marriage looking now?
Side note, there's a great Behind the Bastards episode on Fritz Haber. While you can't argue the intentions behind inventing mustard gas were good, in his case there were at least compelling circumstances.
Things go from bad to worse for Phyll as she is not only met by a locked house, but within a day, she is kidnapped and whisked off elsewhere. I am telling you, this is a masterclass in there are worse things than a terrible marriage in India. It's basically the moral of the story.
Unlike his first novel The Secret People, this story is thrilling and interesting and peppered with some seemingly personal beliefs about the ethicacy of biological warfare. Even though he's writing in the 1930s, Wyndham has grasped the concept of writing a movie (or maybe a serialised film, where certain beats are hit each week to keep you coming back. When did they become a thing? Did they become a thing because books were already being written like that?), drawing you in and presenting the plot in such a vivid way you can see the shots in your mind's eye as you read. Which is why, John, we don't necessarily want to read an entire book about oversized mushrooms.
How's that marriage looking now?
Side note, there's a great Behind the Bastards episode on Fritz Haber. While you can't argue the intentions behind inventing mustard gas were good, in his case there were at least compelling circumstances.
Things go from bad to worse for Phyll as she is not only met by a locked house, but within a day, she is kidnapped and whisked off elsewhere. I am telling you, this is a masterclass in there are worse things than a terrible marriage in India. It's basically the moral of the story.
Unlike his first novel The Secret People, this story is thrilling and interesting and peppered with some seemingly personal beliefs about the ethicacy of biological warfare. Even though he's writing in the 1930s, Wyndham has grasped the concept of writing a movie (or maybe a serialised film, where certain beats are hit each week to keep you coming back. When did they become a thing? Did they become a thing because books were already being written like that?), drawing you in and presenting the plot in such a vivid way you can see the shots in your mind's eye as you read. Which is why, John, we don't necessarily want to read an entire book about oversized mushrooms.
February 8, 2025
A rather messy thriller that is very early Wyndham and with his style not yet fully developed. It is quite old fashioned - a bit like a John Buchan adventure. It begins with a returning young widow discovering that her father is missing - is she going to be a Hannay figure. Unfortunately not. Despite her own kidnap and daring and competent escape she hands over the reigns to a few blokes - an ex-suitor and a cousin and an uncle figure solicitor. And just as we are asking, why don't they hand this to the police, it is handed over to a young competent inspector who has competent sergeant, competent superintendent to lean on. And they sometimes take the cousin along. They are still unable to neutralise the less than competent baddies - an arms manufacturer company and their organised crime gang of thugs. There is a romance (between the cousins) that doesn't work very well as it harks back to history before the story and the "oh darling" s seem rather hurried when they arrive. The final act goes from a rather Benny Hil / cartoon race across London eith the secret formula swapping hands between goodie and baddie to a rather grim finale when yet another seeker of justice arrives - the kidnapped and escaped assistant of the missing father/professor who launches a man-eating gas attack on the arms company laboratory taking out the evil president king pin and his chief scientist. Then the cousins go skiing. Think that was a generous 3 stars but I did keep reading.
June 19, 2023
A solid comfy British mystery, but also beyond the genre.
The author of "Day of the Triffids", but no aliens here. In form and basic setup it's a well-crafted comfy British mystery: plucky girl returns from India to find that her brilliant eccentric scientist father has disappeared, she appeals to her two somewhat ne'er do well witty young male friends who have a housemaid named Mrs. Roberts, eventually Constable Pennywise is involved, and ultimately the sharp-minded Inspector Jordan of Scotland Yard, we have a side-plot about which of the young men if any may be in love with the girl, and so on. Quite nice!
But also we get some rather weighty addresses from more than one of the characters about how there are bad trends in the world and people are just hiding their heads in the sand, about how war is bad and (private, capitalist) weapons makers are very bad, and ultimately the message of the book is that sometimes a desperate character has to take things into their own hands, and do illegal and even violent things.
Which is rather outside of what we expect from the genre. But (or therefore) it works, and works well. A fast, but memorable and worthwhile, read.
The author of "Day of the Triffids", but no aliens here. In form and basic setup it's a well-crafted comfy British mystery: plucky girl returns from India to find that her brilliant eccentric scientist father has disappeared, she appeals to her two somewhat ne'er do well witty young male friends who have a housemaid named Mrs. Roberts, eventually Constable Pennywise is involved, and ultimately the sharp-minded Inspector Jordan of Scotland Yard, we have a side-plot about which of the young men if any may be in love with the girl, and so on. Quite nice!
But also we get some rather weighty addresses from more than one of the characters about how there are bad trends in the world and people are just hiding their heads in the sand, about how war is bad and (private, capitalist) weapons makers are very bad, and ultimately the message of the book is that sometimes a desperate character has to take things into their own hands, and do illegal and even violent things.
Which is rather outside of what we expect from the genre. But (or therefore) it works, and works well. A fast, but memorable and worthwhile, read.
September 23, 2024
Disappointment and confusion were the two feelings I was left with. I can see why Wyndham (well, Beynon) ditched the mystery/thriller after this attempt. The plot is terrible and really doesn't hang together at all, with so many holes, jumps, unlikely conclusions and general inconsistencies that it felt more like the third retelling of an exaggerated story from a party several years ago rather than a novel. The love subplot is silly and poorly done, not to mention reads a little odd nowadays, and the undercurrent of disillusionment with the way of the world was way too strong at times and lead to some lengthy and dull monologues. In fact, it felt as if the rest of the book was designed around these monologues and the anti-war/anti-chemical warfare message that Wyndham was trying to pedal was actually the main point and the rest all padding.
I thought about giving this two stars but then the ending decided me and I subtracted a star. The writing style is not terrible and some of the characters are enjoyable sometimes, but certainly not enough to redeem this truly sub-par attempt at a mystery/thriller.
I thought about giving this two stars but then the ending decided me and I subtracted a star. The writing style is not terrible and some of the characters are enjoyable sometimes, but certainly not enough to redeem this truly sub-par attempt at a mystery/thriller.
June 25, 2022
In this audiobook, the author later famed for The Day of the Triffids tells a rather engaging and elaborate pre-war murder mystery centred on espionage.
When plucky Phyllida returns home having been recently widowed, she is horrified to find the house locked up and her scientist father missing. In the process of attempting to find him, she becomes embroiled in a dangerous investigation and only just avoids death herself.
This is a pleasing cosy crime with a good deal of entertaining chasing about and bungling. I particularly enjoyed Phyllida’s ingenious way of escaping her captors early on. Generally, I’m not a big wartime or spy reader but the plot was fast-paced and the characters glossy enough to outweigh any difficulties I might have had with the subject matter. I have no hesitation in recommending it.
When plucky Phyllida returns home having been recently widowed, she is horrified to find the house locked up and her scientist father missing. In the process of attempting to find him, she becomes embroiled in a dangerous investigation and only just avoids death herself.
This is a pleasing cosy crime with a good deal of entertaining chasing about and bungling. I particularly enjoyed Phyllida’s ingenious way of escaping her captors early on. Generally, I’m not a big wartime or spy reader but the plot was fast-paced and the characters glossy enough to outweigh any difficulties I might have had with the subject matter. I have no hesitation in recommending it.
June 29, 2022
Audible was offering this free and I was looking for a light read. I very much like John Wyndham's sci-fi. This was a 30s thriller, with all the usual 30s characters you get in 'tec stories. There are cockney chars, yokels, butlers, flippant young men in flannel bags, ‘ello ‘ello ‘ello constables in helmets. Also there are some total absurdities in the plotting, but I can't say what those are without spoilers. The missing formula is a popular McGuffin of the time.
I quite enjoyed it and it did have the usual Wyndham heroine, who is plucky and resourceful. Also the Wyndham skepticism towards the government's motives and abilities. It's fairly lively and written well enough, and there's enough of the Wyndham flavour to make it a pleasant time passer.
I quite enjoyed it and it did have the usual Wyndham heroine, who is plucky and resourceful. Also the Wyndham skepticism towards the government's motives and abilities. It's fairly lively and written well enough, and there's enough of the Wyndham flavour to make it a pleasant time passer.
August 23, 2025
I was so impressed with author John Wyndham's "The Midwich Cuckoos" after watching the TV series, that I wanted to read other works by him.
I love mysteries, and this book appealed to me as an interesting listen by the same author in another genre.
The book was a bit slow, and some of the "suspenseful" passages were not really that sinister or gripping, but I did enjoy it nevertheless. There were some slightly humorous passages that made me laugh.
It was also interesting to hear about attitudes towards women at the time, which now are fortunately virtually nonexistent.
Overall, I enjoyed the plot, and will try to listen to another book by this author.
The narrator Zoe Thorn was very good, and her accent was very pleasant.
I love mysteries, and this book appealed to me as an interesting listen by the same author in another genre.
The book was a bit slow, and some of the "suspenseful" passages were not really that sinister or gripping, but I did enjoy it nevertheless. There were some slightly humorous passages that made me laugh.
It was also interesting to hear about attitudes towards women at the time, which now are fortunately virtually nonexistent.
Overall, I enjoyed the plot, and will try to listen to another book by this author.
The narrator Zoe Thorn was very good, and her accent was very pleasant.
September 6, 2025
As I work through the earliest John Wyndham novels, one thing that keeps standing out to me is how there's always one character who will go off on multi-page monologues about politics, war, money, etc. And the diatribes are such well-reasoned arguments that I can only assume Wyndham was using these characters as outlets for his own views.
In Foul Play Suspected, the eloquent diatribes are about the horrors of chemical warfare, and therefore tie in better with the novel's plot than some of the leftfield pontification seen in, for example, The Secret People (1935).
The story? It's a decent, very straightforward mystery with some corporate espionage, and a surprisingly non-cringey romance subplot... non-cringey that is unless you remember they are cousins.
In Foul Play Suspected, the eloquent diatribes are about the horrors of chemical warfare, and therefore tie in better with the novel's plot than some of the leftfield pontification seen in, for example, The Secret People (1935).
The story? It's a decent, very straightforward mystery with some corporate espionage, and a surprisingly non-cringey romance subplot... non-cringey that is unless you remember they are cousins.
February 5, 2024
I would actually give this a 3 1/2 if it were possible. The book is well-written, with some nice characters and a reasonable plot-line. Halfway the book turns grim, and the heroine, who was active and investigative in the first half of the book, turns into a damsel in distress which I find a pity. The book has bleaker and more outspoken political views than many of its contemporary golden age thrillers/detectives. I read somewhere Wyndham wrote two more thrillers which remain unpublished, and although they may not be the absolute highest quality thrillers (he excelled in another genre) it would be nice to have a glance at these..
November 25, 2022
I’m more familiar with Wyndham’s science fiction work so this murder mystery thriller was pleasantly unexpected.
While dated to the era of writing, the themes are reasonably modern with a cautionary warning all too prescient given what occurred a few years later. Strong female lead, an interesting detective and a mystery that heads into darker territory than I was expecting with quite a harsh ending.
While not outstanding in comparison to other thriller writers of the era, or en par with his more famous books, it was an enjoyable story with good narration.
While dated to the era of writing, the themes are reasonably modern with a cautionary warning all too prescient given what occurred a few years later. Strong female lead, an interesting detective and a mystery that heads into darker territory than I was expecting with quite a harsh ending.
While not outstanding in comparison to other thriller writers of the era, or en par with his more famous books, it was an enjoyable story with good narration.
August 4, 2023
A bit of a mess. Phyllida pretty well drops out of the story before the halfway mark despite being the most interesting character. Barry was completely superfluous and may as well not have been in the book at all. The Derek-Phyllida romance wasn't ideal given the fact that they were cousins. The mystery itself started out strong but then just kind of fizzled. I found Wyndham's musings on war and the use of weapons of mass destruction to be interesting, but the book felt very third rate Sherlock Holmes
October 5, 2023
For the most part, an entertaining cosy mystery involving disappearing fathers and scientific secrets. The book is let down by Wyndham's decision to relegate the strong female lead to the background of the story after the initial few exciting chapters.
Add in a sort of non-ending and a main plot development brought in suddenly by a character we haven't met before - and, unfortunately, the overall effect is diminished.
Top marks for the pacifist leanings and dark warnings of future wars and their devasting weapons.
Add in a sort of non-ending and a main plot development brought in suddenly by a character we haven't met before - and, unfortunately, the overall effect is diminished.
Top marks for the pacifist leanings and dark warnings of future wars and their devasting weapons.
October 3, 2024
This was a pretty straightforward mystery about a missing person. I enjoyed how the story played out and found the main character pretty well written. My only gripe is that this is classed as science fiction which meant I was considering some rather outré causes as to the disappearance rather than the more mundane (though still gripping) one that actually happened. The only science fiction element was that he had been working on something, though whatever it was had no real bearing on the story.
June 8, 2022
First half: vapid. Cosmetically pleasing, but devoid of real interest. Second half: John Wyndham showing again his interest in the world around him and the issues surrounding weaponry and its impact (see: The Chrysalids, Day of the Triffids, Web...). Suddenly things were much higher stakes, and this turned an unmemorable listen into one worth the time and effort.
February 16, 2023
I listened to the audible version of this book and really liked it! It is a murder mystery and very different to the other books I have read by Wyndham (although in the end there was of course something that fit right in!). The story was gripping and until a certain moment I was just as confused as the protagonists.
May 30, 2022
I actually give this 3 stars, but it won't let me change it! This is a different type of John Wyndham book for me, and, I'm sorry to say, rather a let down. It's not the writing or the narration, it was just a bit dull. If you like a pre-wartime murder mystery, it may well still be for you though.
December 14, 2023
A solid mystery novel and a fun change of pace from Wyndham (which makes sense when you find out this was originally published using a nom de plume). Starts very strong but loses its impact after a while when it just sort of feels like it’s treading water as it goes on.
6/10
6/10
August 13, 2024
Interesting for its interwar setting but ultimately not that exciting a read. This is the second "recently published for the first time" early Wyndham novel I've read and neither really stands up to his more famous later novels.
October 10, 2025
I listened to this on audiobook. It was a bit of an odd listen - a bit of a period piece with lots if 'Now look here ...' and 'I say!!'. Also it came across a bit like a radio play with lots of yge action reported on after the event. It was a rattling good yarn though and good listening.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews