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Philip Trent #2
Philip Trent (2) TrentS Own Case
The second novel from the celebrated author of one of the most famous mystery classics ever written, Trent's Last Case.
James Randolph is murdered early one evening and his body is found a few hours later. When the police arrive they discover that Randolph's safe has been ransacked and discarded wrapping paper litters his bedroom floor.
Perhaps by chance or perhaps by design, Trent seems to have been the last person, other than the murderer, to see Randolph alive. But this is only one aspect amongst many which connect Trent with the murder and stimulate his interest: his friend Inspector Bligh is the detective in charge of the investigation, and then a long-time friend readily and perplexingly confesses his guilt. As much as he respects the abilities of Inspector Bligh, Trent's personal knowledge has him doubting the confession and intent on finding the truth.
James Randolph is murdered early one evening and his body is found a few hours later. When the police arrive they discover that Randolph's safe has been ransacked and discarded wrapping paper litters his bedroom floor.
Perhaps by chance or perhaps by design, Trent seems to have been the last person, other than the murderer, to see Randolph alive. But this is only one aspect amongst many which connect Trent with the murder and stimulate his interest: his friend Inspector Bligh is the detective in charge of the investigation, and then a long-time friend readily and perplexingly confesses his guilt. As much as he respects the abilities of Inspector Bligh, Trent's personal knowledge has him doubting the confession and intent on finding the truth.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
7 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Bentley
39 books46 followersE. C. Bentley (full name Edmund Clerihew Bentley; 10 July 1875 – 30 March 1956) was a popular English novelist and humorist of the early twentieth century, and the inventor of the clerihew, an irregular form of humorous verse on biographical topics. One of the best known is this (1905):
Sir Christopher Wren
Said, "I am going to dine with some men.
If anyone calls
Say I am designing St. Paul's."
Bentley was born in London and educated at St Paul's School and Merton College, Oxford. His father, John Edmund Bentley, was professionally a civil servant but was also a rugby union international having played in the first ever international match for England against Scotland in 1871. Bentley worked as a journalist on several newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph.[citation needed] He also worked for the imperialist weekly called The Outlook during the editorship of James Louis Garvin. His first published collection of poetry, titled Biography for Beginners (1905), popularized the clerihew form; it was followed by two other collections, More Biography (1929) and Baseless Biography (1939).[2] His detective novel, Trent's Last Case (1913),[4] was much praised, numbering Dorothy L. Sayers among its admirers, and with its labyrinthine and mystifying plotting can be seen as the first truly modern mystery. It was adapted as a film in 1920, 1929, and 1952. The success of the work inspired him, after 23 years, to write a sequel, Trent's Own Case (1936). There was also a book of Trent short stories, Trent Intervenes. Several of his books were reprinted in the early 2000s by House of Stratus.
From 1936 until 1949 Bentley was president of the Detection Club. He contributed to two crime stories for the club's radio serials broadcast in 1930 and 1931,[5] which were published in 1983 as The Scoop and Behind The Screen. In 1950 he contributed the introduction to a Constable & Co omnibus edition of Damon Runyon's "stories of the bandits of Broadway", which was republished by Penguin Books in 1990 as On Broadway.
He died in 1956 in London at the age of 80. His son Nicolas Bentley was a famous illustrator.
Phonographic recordings of his work "Recordings for the Blind" are heard in the movie Places in the Heart, by the character Mr. Will.
G. K. Chesterton dedicated his popular detective novel on anarchist terrorism, The Man Who Was Thursday, to Edmund Clerihew Bentley, a schoolfriend.
(from Wikipedia)
Sir Christopher Wren
Said, "I am going to dine with some men.
If anyone calls
Say I am designing St. Paul's."
Bentley was born in London and educated at St Paul's School and Merton College, Oxford. His father, John Edmund Bentley, was professionally a civil servant but was also a rugby union international having played in the first ever international match for England against Scotland in 1871. Bentley worked as a journalist on several newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph.[citation needed] He also worked for the imperialist weekly called The Outlook during the editorship of James Louis Garvin. His first published collection of poetry, titled Biography for Beginners (1905), popularized the clerihew form; it was followed by two other collections, More Biography (1929) and Baseless Biography (1939).[2] His detective novel, Trent's Last Case (1913),[4] was much praised, numbering Dorothy L. Sayers among its admirers, and with its labyrinthine and mystifying plotting can be seen as the first truly modern mystery. It was adapted as a film in 1920, 1929, and 1952. The success of the work inspired him, after 23 years, to write a sequel, Trent's Own Case (1936). There was also a book of Trent short stories, Trent Intervenes. Several of his books were reprinted in the early 2000s by House of Stratus.
From 1936 until 1949 Bentley was president of the Detection Club. He contributed to two crime stories for the club's radio serials broadcast in 1930 and 1931,[5] which were published in 1983 as The Scoop and Behind The Screen. In 1950 he contributed the introduction to a Constable & Co omnibus edition of Damon Runyon's "stories of the bandits of Broadway", which was republished by Penguin Books in 1990 as On Broadway.
He died in 1956 in London at the age of 80. His son Nicolas Bentley was a famous illustrator.
Phonographic recordings of his work "Recordings for the Blind" are heard in the movie Places in the Heart, by the character Mr. Will.
G. K. Chesterton dedicated his popular detective novel on anarchist terrorism, The Man Who Was Thursday, to Edmund Clerihew Bentley, a schoolfriend.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 14, 2017
Trent's Own Case is the second of 3 books written by E.C. Bentley featuring sleuth, Phillip Trent. Trent is an artist, sometime contributor to English newspapers and a successful sleuth. He is respected by Scotland Yard and has helped them solve many cases. Trent's Own Case finds Trent retired.
An acquaintance, a rich philanthropist, is murdered and a friend of Trent's confesses to the murder and tries to commit suicide. Trent comes out of retirement and offers to assist his friend, Inspector Bligh with the investigation. Thus begins a meandering investigation that finds Trent visiting France as part of his attempt to find clues to prove his friend innocent of the crime.
Trent is somewhat like Dorothy Sayers' Peter Wimsey, a similar personality and an interesting character. While the story starts off slowly, it is always interesting and gradually the various clues and information that Trent gathers begins to make sense and to maybe even provide other suspects.
Interesting characters, an interesting story and well-crafted. I'm looking forward to delving into the final book, a collection of short stories involving Phillip Trent. (4 stars)
An acquaintance, a rich philanthropist, is murdered and a friend of Trent's confesses to the murder and tries to commit suicide. Trent comes out of retirement and offers to assist his friend, Inspector Bligh with the investigation. Thus begins a meandering investigation that finds Trent visiting France as part of his attempt to find clues to prove his friend innocent of the crime.
Trent is somewhat like Dorothy Sayers' Peter Wimsey, a similar personality and an interesting character. While the story starts off slowly, it is always interesting and gradually the various clues and information that Trent gathers begins to make sense and to maybe even provide other suspects.
Interesting characters, an interesting story and well-crafted. I'm looking forward to delving into the final book, a collection of short stories involving Phillip Trent. (4 stars)
February 20, 2015
This classic of crime fiction deserves the highest praise. After a deceptively digressive start, its twists and red herrings develop with relentless pace. Every plausible suspect is exonerated. Who could be left? Bentley's style is delightfully elegant and unfashionably erudite. 'She traced two lines of inanition on his cheeks with a slim forefinger.' What copy editor today would let that pass? Yet it works, as do Bentley's other shameless jokes with language.
Bentley first published Trent's Own Case in 1913, before the Golden Age of detective fiction had properly developed. So when he violates one of Father Knox's famous Ten Commandments for Detective Fiction (1928) we have no heart to blame him. (Agatha Christie did far worse.) Which rule is that? You'll have to read this brilliant story to find out. A work of genius!
Bentley first published Trent's Own Case in 1913, before the Golden Age of detective fiction had properly developed. So when he violates one of Father Knox's famous Ten Commandments for Detective Fiction (1928) we have no heart to blame him. (Agatha Christie did far worse.) Which rule is that? You'll have to read this brilliant story to find out. A work of genius!
February 14, 2023
Yeah, well not as good as Trent's last case, obviously. The murderer reveal is rather bitty, with lots of inconsequential observations coming together rather than a single 'oh god' moment, and the killer's motivation gets lost in the mix, but it was still a rather jolly historical piece and I didn't think I'd wasted my time reading it.
August 28, 2018
Nuevo caso del pintor y detective aficionado Philip Trent al que conocimos en la maravillosa e imprescindible novela El último caso de Philip Trent, 1913. Una novela a la vez diferente y similar a esta nueva que traigo hoy aquí, ya que Philip Trent y el caso Trent presenta diferencias con su predecesora.
Escrita también por E. C. Bentley pero con la colaboración de H. Warner Allen, escritor de relatos detectivescos o ensayos sobre el vino —de hecho en esta trama encontraremos una interesante referencia a un vino espumoso—, Trent se verá envuelto como sospechoso en el caso de asesinato de James Randolph, un filántropo con varios enemigos y de carácter algo despreciable como iremos conociendo a medida que avanza el libro. Aunque Trent no será él el único relacionado con el crimen —un amigo suyo confesará ser autor del mismo—, varios son los personajes que se verán involucrados en el asunto. La complejidad de la investigación, llevada de manera impecable por el inspector Bligh y por Trent, dotarán a la trama de una enmarañada red de sospechosos.
https://www.abrirunlibro.com/2018/08/...
Escrita también por E. C. Bentley pero con la colaboración de H. Warner Allen, escritor de relatos detectivescos o ensayos sobre el vino —de hecho en esta trama encontraremos una interesante referencia a un vino espumoso—, Trent se verá envuelto como sospechoso en el caso de asesinato de James Randolph, un filántropo con varios enemigos y de carácter algo despreciable como iremos conociendo a medida que avanza el libro. Aunque Trent no será él el único relacionado con el crimen —un amigo suyo confesará ser autor del mismo—, varios son los personajes que se verán involucrados en el asunto. La complejidad de la investigación, llevada de manera impecable por el inspector Bligh y por Trent, dotarán a la trama de una enmarañada red de sospechosos.
https://www.abrirunlibro.com/2018/08/...
May 8, 2018
An ingenious, discursive, erudite, literate, and witty whodunnit from 1936. How good these Golden Age authors were. Today, they would be sub-edited to bland straightforwardness.
The GR blurb:
‘Philip Trent, artist and amateur criminologist, was closely connected with the murder of the philanthropist James Randolph from the beginning, for he had been painting his portrait. But there were many blind alleys in the maze ahead; many faces and places to be investigated while there could be further murders. It was not until Trent had crossed to France and back and searched London for the Felix Poubelle Champagne that he finally emerged triumphant to discover the murderer.’
The GR blurb:
‘Philip Trent, artist and amateur criminologist, was closely connected with the murder of the philanthropist James Randolph from the beginning, for he had been painting his portrait. But there were many blind alleys in the maze ahead; many faces and places to be investigated while there could be further murders. It was not until Trent had crossed to France and back and searched London for the Felix Poubelle Champagne that he finally emerged triumphant to discover the murderer.’
August 14, 2022
Far too cosy a relationship between police and amateur, key moments driven by coincidental meetings, over-tidying of moralistic loose ends towards the end, villains who look nasty, but only with the benefit of hindsight*… and I still loved it!
The fruity yet elegant writing, the great sense of place both in London and in France, the mystery itself, that Golden Age atmosphere into which one truly can escape… so glad Bentley wrote this sequel to the superb Trent’s Last Case, and a helpful introductory essay from Martin Edwards put all that in proper context, too. Plus you just have to admire the chutzpah of a (reluctant) whodunnit writer who chucks in untranslated French, German and Greek! We are so thick today compared to the educated folk of a century ago.
——————————-
* Trent explains:
“‘How was it you diagnosed his weakness?’
‘I’ll tell you. [X] has, you know, a rather unusual face—beaky and chinny and fine-drawn in structure, with that wide-eyed and my-spirit-beats-its-mortal-bars sort of look. Did it ever strike you… that the least contraction of the muscles—just a touch of the brush between the eyebrows and at the mouth-corners—would turn that expression into something rather more than severity?’
‘Ha!… You mean cruelty—yes!’
‘Ruthlessness,’ Trent said, ‘is rather the idea, I think…’ ”
Perhaps it’s because he is a painter that he has such insights from appearances? For my part I had heard that there’s no art to tell the mind’s construction from the face ;-)
The fruity yet elegant writing, the great sense of place both in London and in France, the mystery itself, that Golden Age atmosphere into which one truly can escape… so glad Bentley wrote this sequel to the superb Trent’s Last Case, and a helpful introductory essay from Martin Edwards put all that in proper context, too. Plus you just have to admire the chutzpah of a (reluctant) whodunnit writer who chucks in untranslated French, German and Greek! We are so thick today compared to the educated folk of a century ago.
——————————-
* Trent explains:
“‘How was it you diagnosed his weakness?’
‘I’ll tell you. [X] has, you know, a rather unusual face—beaky and chinny and fine-drawn in structure, with that wide-eyed and my-spirit-beats-its-mortal-bars sort of look. Did it ever strike you… that the least contraction of the muscles—just a touch of the brush between the eyebrows and at the mouth-corners—would turn that expression into something rather more than severity?’
‘Ha!… You mean cruelty—yes!’
‘Ruthlessness,’ Trent said, ‘is rather the idea, I think…’ ”
Perhaps it’s because he is a painter that he has such insights from appearances? For my part I had heard that there’s no art to tell the mind’s construction from the face ;-)
January 9, 2022
Trent's Last Case, first published in 1913, twenty-three years before this, is a genre classic which set out to disrupt the rather serious routine into which many detective stories of the time had fallen, and ended up ushering in a new Golden Age of detective fiction. It was, therefore, a very hard act to follow.
What we have here is a discursive, not to say long-winded and sometimes meandering, tale of the murder of a a seemingly philanthropic millionaire who speedily turns out to have feet of clay and any number of prospective enemies.
The story is almost Dickensian, with numerous side issues and digressions, stories within the story which often do not further the plot or the solution.
Although the tone is light, and the writing pretty good, there is an overdone and all-too-familiar flourishing of literary reference and quotation.
Most hardened GAD fans will spot the culprit and guess the motive fairly early on and so any joy to be had must come from the characterisation and the writing.
Readers need to know that the "n" word is used and there is a lot of casual sexism-women do not figure much at all, which I found slightly odd.
Mildly interesting, mildly amusing but somewhat of a chore.
3.5 stars.
What we have here is a discursive, not to say long-winded and sometimes meandering, tale of the murder of a a seemingly philanthropic millionaire who speedily turns out to have feet of clay and any number of prospective enemies.
The story is almost Dickensian, with numerous side issues and digressions, stories within the story which often do not further the plot or the solution.
Although the tone is light, and the writing pretty good, there is an overdone and all-too-familiar flourishing of literary reference and quotation.
Most hardened GAD fans will spot the culprit and guess the motive fairly early on and so any joy to be had must come from the characterisation and the writing.
Readers need to know that the "n" word is used and there is a lot of casual sexism-women do not figure much at all, which I found slightly odd.
Mildly interesting, mildly amusing but somewhat of a chore.
3.5 stars.
January 2, 2016
A good story marred slightly by a ta-da! of an ending. I can't help feeling that I'd have enjoyed the story more had Inspector Bligh been the protagonist.
September 17, 2020
I'm something of a fan of the Golden Age detective novels, although there is an awful lot of chaff amongst a few strong stalks of wheat. When it is good it is very good, but when bad, it is appalling. E.C. Bentley's novels get very good press in this regard, but I cannot honestly say that they sit all that far towards the wheat end of the scale. They are okay as detective stories go, but there is an awful lot of waffle, and some dialog between characters goes on and on to no real purpose. No clues emerge, no character develops, the story does not appreciably advance and the reader gets thoroughly bored. There is also rather too much literary quotation. Trent is constantly quoting lines from literature or poetry, which is all well and good for those who like that sort of thing, but those of us who just want to read a good detective story not the Oxford Book of English Verse, it is a bit much.
As a character Trent is likeable enough, which keeps the stories nicely readable. He is an artist but palpably extremely well-to-do - no freezing in a garret for him. The well-worn cliche of the official police force deferring to an amateur is wheeled out again here, but having said that, I prefer that than the other old chestnut, that of the amateur and the professionals constantly at daggers drawn. Trent himself makes an appalling detective at times as he constantly reacts visibly to everything he is told. No poker-face for him, and as a result, the suspects are able to run rings around him for much longer than they ought to, if he is as good a detective as he is supposed to be.
Not a bad story, but not the best example of the Golden Age, by any means. The last chapter does take some perseverance. I listened to the Audiobook, and this chapter, which gives an exhaustive explanation of the final denouement, took over one hour to narrate! As I said, there is a lot of waffle.
As a character Trent is likeable enough, which keeps the stories nicely readable. He is an artist but palpably extremely well-to-do - no freezing in a garret for him. The well-worn cliche of the official police force deferring to an amateur is wheeled out again here, but having said that, I prefer that than the other old chestnut, that of the amateur and the professionals constantly at daggers drawn. Trent himself makes an appalling detective at times as he constantly reacts visibly to everything he is told. No poker-face for him, and as a result, the suspects are able to run rings around him for much longer than they ought to, if he is as good a detective as he is supposed to be.
Not a bad story, but not the best example of the Golden Age, by any means. The last chapter does take some perseverance. I listened to the Audiobook, and this chapter, which gives an exhaustive explanation of the final denouement, took over one hour to narrate! As I said, there is a lot of waffle.
March 24, 2020
This was a completely blind read, also the second in a trilogy of books written at surprisingly long intervals (the gaps between titles are about twenty years). So, in this book, the eponymous Philip Trent has been called out to investigate another murder, apparently because he was one of the last to see the victim alive.
In this case, someone has signed a confession to having committed the act, but Trent doesn't seem to be so convinced, especially as he has (apparently) been framed for it himself.
I personally found this book a bit of a struggle at times; it felt too long-winded, and had too many flashbacks, even a flashback-within-a-flashback at one point. It wasn't the easiest of books to read, especially when it came up to lengthy summing up of the killer's motives. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this one.
In this case, someone has signed a confession to having committed the act, but Trent doesn't seem to be so convinced, especially as he has (apparently) been framed for it himself.
I personally found this book a bit of a struggle at times; it felt too long-winded, and had too many flashbacks, even a flashback-within-a-flashback at one point. It wasn't the easiest of books to read, especially when it came up to lengthy summing up of the killer's motives. Personally, I wouldn't recommend this one.
November 23, 2025
An enjoyable whodunit from the Golden Age of detective fiction. The plot takes quite a few side turns, but the number of actual potential suspects is rather limited. One oddity is that the detective could be a suspect himself, but he hides the evidence--and this never rears its ugly head later. (Why do reared heads always have to be "ugly"?) Seems like Bentley missed an opportunity here.
The actual solution is well thought out, however (if perhaps a bit over-engineered--though that's not uncommon in this genre, is it!). So, a satisfying novel even if not earth-shatteringly so.
The actual solution is well thought out, however (if perhaps a bit over-engineered--though that's not uncommon in this genre, is it!). So, a satisfying novel even if not earth-shatteringly so.
June 29, 2021
The plot and mystery hold together well, though it only works due to many extraordinary coincidences in which information or people happen to meet. Still, very fun. And, I love the dialog, the language used, and the natural use of old and disused words and terms.
August 14, 2018
Entertaining characters, but I guessed the murderer's identity early on, so not a 4-star. Bentley's first book, ironically entitled Trent's Last Case, was much better.
July 18, 2019
Great read (this 1952 green penguin edition from my late mother’s bookshelves) with an intricate plot and interesting puzzle solving by the protagonist Trent. Recommended.
July 11, 2020
Another surprisingly good read from the Golden Age of detective mysteries.
January 16, 2022
Fabulous
April 21, 2023
Si te gustó el primero, quédate con eso. Es un consejo de alguien que no lo hizo y se arrepintió.
October 5, 2024
A bit slow starting perhaps, but turned into a good mystery.
April 15, 2016
I'll be into this soon as a break in between the more serious stuff. Picked up somewhere...
Pretty entertaining so far. I don't know why the rating is so low. My second straight London book!
Well... it does go on a bit! Lots of traveling around(to France mostly) and high-class talking. Trent himself uses a lot of literate allusions and borrowings in his speech. Lots of French as well. Anyway, we're no closer to solving the damned thing as the list of possible suspects and complications and side tracks swells. Notes:
- Brits like to run... running is good keep-em-busy activity for male youths. Reminded me of "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner", which I just read.
- So far the author is coyly withholding the identity of the fingerprint person - a friend of Trent(or a relative?)
- Wetherill is the best talker so far but also a nasty bastard.
Will finish this uber-complicated mystery tonight.
And now finished after last night's wrap-up. The ensnaring of the killer seemed pretty hokey and the ensuing, obligatory and very complicated explanation WAS a bit tedious(as Mr. Bligh) pointed out. Phil Trent could use a bit more humility!
Final rating of 2.75 rounds up to 3*.
Pretty entertaining so far. I don't know why the rating is so low. My second straight London book!
Well... it does go on a bit! Lots of traveling around(to France mostly) and high-class talking. Trent himself uses a lot of literate allusions and borrowings in his speech. Lots of French as well. Anyway, we're no closer to solving the damned thing as the list of possible suspects and complications and side tracks swells. Notes:
- Brits like to run... running is good keep-em-busy activity for male youths. Reminded me of "The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner", which I just read.
- So far the author is coyly withholding the identity of the fingerprint person - a friend of Trent(or a relative?)
- Wetherill is the best talker so far but also a nasty bastard.
Will finish this uber-complicated mystery tonight.
And now finished after last night's wrap-up. The ensnaring of the killer seemed pretty hokey and the ensuing, obligatory and very complicated explanation WAS a bit tedious(as Mr. Bligh) pointed out. Phil Trent could use a bit more humility!
Final rating of 2.75 rounds up to 3*.
February 4, 2023
Weak, belated sequel to the very entertaining Trent's Last Case. Completely lacks the sparkle of that book, constantly going off on tangents both unrelated to the "case" and uninteresting to this reader. The denouement is unconvincing and staged in a ludicrous way. The book felt dated in a way that transcended its period setting, and left the impression that it would have felt dated even in 1936. It is hard to say whether the participation of co-author Walter Allen helped or hindered, but there is an unevenness of tone which betrays the dual authorship. Some of it was entertaining but it was never sustained beyond short bursts. Very disappointing to a big fan of Trent's Last Case.
October 25, 2008
It was fun to read a mystery again, & one that is hardly bloody at all. The dialogue of Trent's Own Case is often quite witty, & Trent himself has a penchant for quoting poetry. The mystery was rather knotted & did puzzle me till near the end--the denouement was satisfying.
Why then just three stars? The main reason is the racism--though all the characters are evidently white, the n-word is used casually a couple of times. Even though no white Brits probably thought twice about it in this period (1930s), I find it painful. Also, the world of this story is so very, very masculine.
Why then just three stars? The main reason is the racism--though all the characters are evidently white, the n-word is used casually a couple of times. Even though no white Brits probably thought twice about it in this period (1930s), I find it painful. Also, the world of this story is so very, very masculine.
January 22, 2011
I checked this out because I had recently read a really good short story starring artist/criminologist Philip Trent and this was one of the two books the library still has. It was okay; there were a lot of red herrings and I didn't predict the murderer, but there were also long tangents that only barely seemed relevant to the actual story. I needed a lot of patience to get through what was only a 253p. book.
November 14, 2016
Bentley moved away from Victorian-style prose with this installment of the sleuthing adventures of Phillip Trent. We get glimpses of Trent's life as he travels, mostly through his interactions with family and his associates, as he travels from London to France to his country estate and back to London not only to solve the murder of a major philantropist but also to absolve his long-time friend.
Read
August 12, 2016read some time in 1982
Want to read
October 7, 2018Synopsis: Philip Trent, artist and amateur criminologist, had been painting the victim's portrait. He follows a maze of clues.
Read
January 29, 2019A very slow read but a good plot.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews