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The Port of London Murders
When the San Angelo drifts into port in the Thames Estuary, telephones begin to ring across the capital and an intricate series of events is set in motion. Beset by dreadful storms in the Bay of Biscay, the ship, along with the 'mixed cargo' it carries, is late. Unaware of the machinations of avaricious importers, wayward captains and unscrupulous traders, Harry Reed and June Harvey are thrust together by a riverside accident, before being swept into the current of a dark plot developing on the dockside. A moody classic set around London's historic docks published in 1938, Josephine Bell's unique and atmospheric writing shines in a mystery weaving together blackmail, bootleg lingerie and, of course, murder.
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First published January 1, 1938
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About the author
Josephine Bell
86 books17 followersJosephine Bell (the pseudonym of Doris Bell Collier Ball) was born into a medical family, the daughter of a surgeon, in Manchester in 1897.
She attended Godolphin School from 1910 to 1916 and then she trained at Newnham College, Cambridge until 1919. On completing her studies she was assigned to University College Hospital in London where she became M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922 and M.B. B.S. in 1924. She married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball in 1923 and the couple had a son and three daughters.
From 1927 until 1935 the couple practised medicine together in Greenwich and London before her husband retired in 1934 and she carried on the practice on her own until her retirement in 1954.
Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford, Surrey and she became a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital from 1954 to 1962.
She began writing detective fiction in 1936 using the pen name Josephine Bell and her first published novel in the genre was 'Murder in Hospital' (1937).
Perhaps not surprisingly many of her works had a medical background and the first one introduced one of her enduring characters, Dr David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. He was to feature in 18 of her novels, ending with 'A Well Known Face' (1960).
Overall she wrote more than 60 books, 45 of them in the detective fiction genre where, as well as medical backgrounds, she used such as archaeology in 'Bones in the Barrow' (1953), music in 'The Summer School Mystery' (1950) and even a wildlife sanctuary as background in 'Death on the Reserve' (1966).
She also wrote on drug addicition and criminology and penned a great number of short stories. In addition she was involved in the foundation of the Crime Writers' Association in 1953, an organisation in which she served as chair person in the 1959–60 season.
She died in 1987.
Gerry Wolstenholme
June 2010
She attended Godolphin School from 1910 to 1916 and then she trained at Newnham College, Cambridge until 1919. On completing her studies she was assigned to University College Hospital in London where she became M.R.C.S. and L.R.C.P. in 1922 and M.B. B.S. in 1924. She married Dr. Norman Dyer Ball in 1923 and the couple had a son and three daughters.
From 1927 until 1935 the couple practised medicine together in Greenwich and London before her husband retired in 1934 and she carried on the practice on her own until her retirement in 1954.
Her husband died in 1936 and she moved to Guildford, Surrey and she became a member of the management committee of St. Luke's Hospital from 1954 to 1962.
She began writing detective fiction in 1936 using the pen name Josephine Bell and her first published novel in the genre was 'Murder in Hospital' (1937).
Perhaps not surprisingly many of her works had a medical background and the first one introduced one of her enduring characters, Dr David Wintringham who worked at Research Hospital in London as a junior assistant physician. He was to feature in 18 of her novels, ending with 'A Well Known Face' (1960).
Overall she wrote more than 60 books, 45 of them in the detective fiction genre where, as well as medical backgrounds, she used such as archaeology in 'Bones in the Barrow' (1953), music in 'The Summer School Mystery' (1950) and even a wildlife sanctuary as background in 'Death on the Reserve' (1966).
She also wrote on drug addicition and criminology and penned a great number of short stories. In addition she was involved in the foundation of the Crime Writers' Association in 1953, an organisation in which she served as chair person in the 1959–60 season.
She died in 1987.
Gerry Wolstenholme
June 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 13, 2024
This was really good!
Firstly, I'm glad that Martin Edwards has stopped putting spoilers in his introductions. (I had lost faith in him, so I read the introduction after completing the book!) His introduction gives a lot of information about Bell's (real name Doris Bell Collier Ball) life. She sounds like a remarkable woman.
This novel has a lot of authenticity - especially about medical details which this real life doctor could make believable. Set in and around the Port of London, this isn't a cosy Golden Age mystery, but a gritty tale of working class life. & I loved the character of the resourceful June.
Recommended.
Firstly, I'm glad that Martin Edwards has stopped putting spoilers in his introductions. (I had lost faith in him, so I read the introduction after completing the book!) His introduction gives a lot of information about Bell's (real name Doris Bell Collier Ball) life. She sounds like a remarkable woman.
This novel has a lot of authenticity - especially about medical details which this real life doctor could make believable. Set in and around the Port of London, this isn't a cosy Golden Age mystery, but a gritty tale of working class life. & I loved the character of the resourceful June.
Recommended.
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July 30, 2024
The first book from Josephine Bell was a great start to her long and prolific career as a mystery writer. First published in 1938, it is a Golden Age mystery with nary a country house in sight. Rather it is set in working-class neighborhoods around the very busy Port of London, with a marvelous cast of characters.
I enjoyed it a lot--fast-paced action, interesting people, and a twisty mystery.
I will definitely go looking for more books by this author.
I enjoyed it a lot--fast-paced action, interesting people, and a twisty mystery.
I will definitely go looking for more books by this author.
February 18, 2021
A slice of life…
As fog rolls over the Thames a barge bearing a cargo of boxes ostensibly full of rubber breaks free from the tug pulling it, and tips its load into the river, later to be washed up along the banks. Meantime, an old woman dies, apparently from suicide. But Detective Sergeant Chandler isn’t convinced – he thinks it might be murder. Meantime the river police are finding there’s something strange about the boxes that are being found along the river…
This book from 1938 has a rather different feel to it than the usual Golden Age mystery. Although there are two separate police investigations going on, it’s not what we’d think of as a police procedural, and yet it’s a bit too slow and thoughtful to be a thriller either. Also, the reader has a much better idea of what’s going on than the police because we are taken round all the various characters involved, being made privy to things the police haven’t yet found out. So there’s no real surprise about the solution to the crime element when it comes.
It’s really more of a look at the social conditions of those people struggling to live on the margins of post-depression pre-war poverty in the docklands beside the Thames. The plot revolves around the trade in illegally smuggled drugs – that’s not a spoiler since it’s made quite clear from early on. Both these aspects feel very realistic, the drugs plot especially feeling much more true to life than the often glamourized or exaggerated picture of it in fiction. Here it’s simply a case of unscrupulous people making money off the miserable addiction of others. Yes, there are murders done when they feel at risk, but no shoot-outs between rival gangs or king-pins taking revenge and so on. This is business – sordid and nasty, but simply business. We are also shown the addict’s view – the misery of it and how people are gradually driven to cross boundaries of behaviour in their desperate need to satisfy their cravings.
We also get a look at the pre-NHS health system, where poor people chose doctors on the basis of how cheap they were, and doctors could do little to alleviate the kinds of illness brought on by poverty and the appalling air of foggy, sooty, dirty London.
All of this is done very well – worked into the story rather than simply dumped on the reader. There is also some quite good characterisation of a few of the working-class residents of the area, in particular of three people caught up unknowingly in the mystery – a young man and the girl he’s trying to woo, and the girl’s young brother, who more than anything wants a ride in the river police’s boat. They humanise the story a little, and it needs it, because otherwise it’s a rather grim and miserable tale. A slice of life that happily most of us will never live, but not so far removed from the everyday as to make it seem unrecognisable.
It’s well written and the social commentary aspect is very strong. It seemed to me quite unusual for the era in its concentration on the poor and the working-class – most Golden Age mysteries tend to feature the middle-class, and their working-class characters are often cringe-makingly caricatured. Here they felt true – neither idealised nor denigrated for their poverty or the way they spoke or behaved. Unfortunately the actual crime side of it didn’t work so well for me – it felt rather like an add-on to give the social aspects a focus, and I’m never a huge fan of the type of crime novel where the reader knows more than the detectives. However, it was my first introduction to Josephine Bell, and I enjoyed it enough to want to read more, to see if this kind of rather gritty realism is typical of her style.
NB I received a free copy of the book without obligation to review from the publisher, the British Library.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
As fog rolls over the Thames a barge bearing a cargo of boxes ostensibly full of rubber breaks free from the tug pulling it, and tips its load into the river, later to be washed up along the banks. Meantime, an old woman dies, apparently from suicide. But Detective Sergeant Chandler isn’t convinced – he thinks it might be murder. Meantime the river police are finding there’s something strange about the boxes that are being found along the river…
This book from 1938 has a rather different feel to it than the usual Golden Age mystery. Although there are two separate police investigations going on, it’s not what we’d think of as a police procedural, and yet it’s a bit too slow and thoughtful to be a thriller either. Also, the reader has a much better idea of what’s going on than the police because we are taken round all the various characters involved, being made privy to things the police haven’t yet found out. So there’s no real surprise about the solution to the crime element when it comes.
It’s really more of a look at the social conditions of those people struggling to live on the margins of post-depression pre-war poverty in the docklands beside the Thames. The plot revolves around the trade in illegally smuggled drugs – that’s not a spoiler since it’s made quite clear from early on. Both these aspects feel very realistic, the drugs plot especially feeling much more true to life than the often glamourized or exaggerated picture of it in fiction. Here it’s simply a case of unscrupulous people making money off the miserable addiction of others. Yes, there are murders done when they feel at risk, but no shoot-outs between rival gangs or king-pins taking revenge and so on. This is business – sordid and nasty, but simply business. We are also shown the addict’s view – the misery of it and how people are gradually driven to cross boundaries of behaviour in their desperate need to satisfy their cravings.
We also get a look at the pre-NHS health system, where poor people chose doctors on the basis of how cheap they were, and doctors could do little to alleviate the kinds of illness brought on by poverty and the appalling air of foggy, sooty, dirty London.
All of this is done very well – worked into the story rather than simply dumped on the reader. There is also some quite good characterisation of a few of the working-class residents of the area, in particular of three people caught up unknowingly in the mystery – a young man and the girl he’s trying to woo, and the girl’s young brother, who more than anything wants a ride in the river police’s boat. They humanise the story a little, and it needs it, because otherwise it’s a rather grim and miserable tale. A slice of life that happily most of us will never live, but not so far removed from the everyday as to make it seem unrecognisable.
It’s well written and the social commentary aspect is very strong. It seemed to me quite unusual for the era in its concentration on the poor and the working-class – most Golden Age mysteries tend to feature the middle-class, and their working-class characters are often cringe-makingly caricatured. Here they felt true – neither idealised nor denigrated for their poverty or the way they spoke or behaved. Unfortunately the actual crime side of it didn’t work so well for me – it felt rather like an add-on to give the social aspects a focus, and I’m never a huge fan of the type of crime novel where the reader knows more than the detectives. However, it was my first introduction to Josephine Bell, and I enjoyed it enough to want to read more, to see if this kind of rather gritty realism is typical of her style.
NB I received a free copy of the book without obligation to review from the publisher, the British Library.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
August 3, 2024
Surprisingly compelling and very well written, this 1938 novel was more a thriller than a mystery as we are aware from the early chapters who the villains are and what crime they are engaged in. Yet despite the lack of real surprises, the plot is pacy and exciting and there is a strong sense of place and a menacing atmosphere.
An accident on the River Thames when a delayed trading ship loses some of its cargo sets off a chain of events which leads to blackmail and murder. Harry Reed and June Harvey, along with June’s little brother Leslie, get caught up in events as Inspector Mitchell and his team pursue their investigation. The docklands setting is brilliantly described and the book evokes a period when slum dwellings are being demolished and when doctors will make house visits at unearthly hours (and as this is pre-NHS they charge for it).
I really enjoyed this and would definitely read more from this author - apparently she wrote over 60 novels so I hope more of them become available as she is a skilful and original writer.
An accident on the River Thames when a delayed trading ship loses some of its cargo sets off a chain of events which leads to blackmail and murder. Harry Reed and June Harvey, along with June’s little brother Leslie, get caught up in events as Inspector Mitchell and his team pursue their investigation. The docklands setting is brilliantly described and the book evokes a period when slum dwellings are being demolished and when doctors will make house visits at unearthly hours (and as this is pre-NHS they charge for it).
I really enjoyed this and would definitely read more from this author - apparently she wrote over 60 novels so I hope more of them become available as she is a skilful and original writer.
March 28, 2021
A dark and gritty mystery set amidst the London docklands, a location steeped in atmosphere and squalor.
When local resident Harry Reed rescues June Harvey and her young brother, Leslie, in a riverside accident, all three become embroiled in a network of shady events in the heart of the community…
An unemployed former dressmaker, Mary Holland, is found dead in her lodgings, presumably from suicide given the bottle of Lysol found nearby. Nevertheless, when Detective Sergeant Chandler begins to investigate, he quickly establishes that the case might not be quite as simple as it first appeared. A post mortem reveals traces of heroin in Mrs Holland’s body, but no syringes were found in her room, a point that the detective finds puzzling to say the least.
Events take a more sinister turn when Sergeant Chandler himself disappears without a trace, possibly having discovered some vital clues to the case. As a consequence, Inspector Mitchell of Scotland Yard is called in to take over the investigation, including the question of whether these incidents are connected.
What follows is less a whodunnit (the guilty parties are all pretty clear early on), but more an exploration of the criminal network, complete with all its threads and complexities. Murder is not the only crime being committed here. There are instances of blackmail, drug smuggling, shady importation deals and other nefarious activities, with chiffon nighties passing from one part of the dubious chain to another.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2021...
When local resident Harry Reed rescues June Harvey and her young brother, Leslie, in a riverside accident, all three become embroiled in a network of shady events in the heart of the community…
An unemployed former dressmaker, Mary Holland, is found dead in her lodgings, presumably from suicide given the bottle of Lysol found nearby. Nevertheless, when Detective Sergeant Chandler begins to investigate, he quickly establishes that the case might not be quite as simple as it first appeared. A post mortem reveals traces of heroin in Mrs Holland’s body, but no syringes were found in her room, a point that the detective finds puzzling to say the least.
Events take a more sinister turn when Sergeant Chandler himself disappears without a trace, possibly having discovered some vital clues to the case. As a consequence, Inspector Mitchell of Scotland Yard is called in to take over the investigation, including the question of whether these incidents are connected.
What follows is less a whodunnit (the guilty parties are all pretty clear early on), but more an exploration of the criminal network, complete with all its threads and complexities. Murder is not the only crime being committed here. There are instances of blackmail, drug smuggling, shady importation deals and other nefarious activities, with chiffon nighties passing from one part of the dubious chain to another.
To read the rest of my review, please visit:
https://jacquiwine.wordpress.com/2021...
February 24, 2022
The author does an excellent job describing the setting and atmosphere in this gritty mystery.
June 3, 2022
Bless you, editor Martin Edwards, for introducing me to Josephine Bell with a clever short story in Guilty Creatures: A Menagerie of Mysteries titled “Death in a Cage.” I simply had to read more from Bell, so I checked out The Port of London Murders — and was I glad!
Released in 1938, the novel reminds me more of the grittier 1950s mysteries rather than the high-society 1930s cozies. A spoiled high-society blonde, a precocious young boy from a working-class Thames River neighborhood and a recalcitrant sickly old lady will eventually collide in an incredibly plotted tale of greed and murder. I don’t want to give away anything, so I’ll just say you’ll love the journey to connecting them many, many clues in this fabulous mystery. Bell, a medical doctor in real life, provides an empathetic look at the have-nots and a great knowledge of the patience one needs with patients.
This is the fourth book in Bell’s series, but I didn’t feel lost at any point. I can’t wait to read more from Bell!
Released in 1938, the novel reminds me more of the grittier 1950s mysteries rather than the high-society 1930s cozies. A spoiled high-society blonde, a precocious young boy from a working-class Thames River neighborhood and a recalcitrant sickly old lady will eventually collide in an incredibly plotted tale of greed and murder. I don’t want to give away anything, so I’ll just say you’ll love the journey to connecting them many, many clues in this fabulous mystery. Bell, a medical doctor in real life, provides an empathetic look at the have-nots and a great knowledge of the patience one needs with patients.
This is the fourth book in Bell’s series, but I didn’t feel lost at any point. I can’t wait to read more from Bell!
May 16, 2022
This mystery reads more like a crime solving spree: the murder (or two) almost felt secondary to the police trying to find out who was the leader of a drug smuggling ring.
There are quite a few characters which were easy to keep track of thanks to a good narrator, I wonder if it would have been the same if I'd read it?
I rather enjoyed this gritty crim-catching story, even though it became really obvious who the bad guy was.
I'm keen to try another of Josephine Bell's mystery books at some point.
Extra: It was good to see a really likeable young woman with a good deal of grit and spunk in amongst the other more stereo-typical range of 1930's era women.
*read for a Crime-spree reading challenge.
There are quite a few characters which were easy to keep track of thanks to a good narrator, I wonder if it would have been the same if I'd read it?
I rather enjoyed this gritty crim-catching story, even though it became really obvious who the bad guy was.
I'm keen to try another of Josephine Bell's mystery books at some point.
Extra: It was good to see a really likeable young woman with a good deal of grit and spunk in amongst the other more stereo-typical range of 1930's era women.
*read for a Crime-spree reading challenge.
August 23, 2024
The Port of London Murders by Josephine Bell. Paperback.
This was a delight! I welcome a trip down memory lane reading an excellent story from a past era and written in a past era. My only book read by Josephine Bell. It was originally published in 1938 and rereleased in 2020-21 with an intro by Martin Edwards.
A realistic tale of life along the Thames with captains of importing ships and their cargo. The usual cargo however is mixed due to deceitful traders. The first murder happens to one such a woman dependent on this corrupt cargo. The murderer is one who has also fallen victim to his own devices.
If you appreciate many of these older mysteries as much as I do, you won't be disappointed by this entry.
This was a delight! I welcome a trip down memory lane reading an excellent story from a past era and written in a past era. My only book read by Josephine Bell. It was originally published in 1938 and rereleased in 2020-21 with an intro by Martin Edwards.
A realistic tale of life along the Thames with captains of importing ships and their cargo. The usual cargo however is mixed due to deceitful traders. The first murder happens to one such a woman dependent on this corrupt cargo. The murderer is one who has also fallen victim to his own devices.
If you appreciate many of these older mysteries as much as I do, you won't be disappointed by this entry.
July 12, 2023
Very atmospheric look at the criminal underworld along the docks of the Thames in the 1930s. Author Josephine Bell, a physician, incorporates the stories of impoverished, working-class families who are unable to make ends meet and lack the means to take good care of themselves, with lives resulting in chronic illness and, occasionally, drug addiction. The latter has much to do with the crux of the story, involving smuggling and distribution via the port. The plot was decent, there is a pair of star-crossed lovers, and the reader can't help but feel compassion for the dismal lives of some of the characters. But it's the description of London's foggy, bleak, mysterious waterways, and the details indicating that the social benefits of the 1930s still failed many residents of districts like these, that make the story authentic. Another entry in the British Library Crime Classics series, with an introduction from Martin Edwards.
May 15, 2022
Dame Agatha and Her Peers
From 1938, and thankfully resurrected by Poison Pen Press as a part of the British Library Crime Classic series. Bell a prolific writer of over 60 novels, more than 2/3rds mysteries, Martin Edwards tells us in an introduction.
Cast - 3 stars: Charles, a lady's man, and his various women. A riverboat man attracted to June, also involved with Charles. A young boy, Les, eager only for a police launch ride. Mrs. Bowerman, a powerhouse of 85 years. Various others but no one very memorable.
Atmosphere - 4 stars: Life on the river Thames, 1938. Nicely done: secretive and sordid.
Crime - 3: What is being imported illegally, and by which characters?
Investigation - 3: Readers will know most of the crimes 50 pages in, and most of the villains. But Bell can unfold a story in a nice way: good structure. And the interaction with Les and the cops is entertaining.
Resolution - 3: Villains meet their match. But are some still around? Bell knows exactly when to end the main story, then winks at us.
Summary - 3.2. More than anything. this is a solid story about people just struggling to get by as rows of homes are being torn down, the homeless folks by the river increasing, while greed slowly surrounds them and draws them in. This isn't a who-done-it, and there is a bit of romance on the side. Edwards writes that this is a "well-crafted story." Exactly.
From 1938, and thankfully resurrected by Poison Pen Press as a part of the British Library Crime Classic series. Bell a prolific writer of over 60 novels, more than 2/3rds mysteries, Martin Edwards tells us in an introduction.
Cast - 3 stars: Charles, a lady's man, and his various women. A riverboat man attracted to June, also involved with Charles. A young boy, Les, eager only for a police launch ride. Mrs. Bowerman, a powerhouse of 85 years. Various others but no one very memorable.
Atmosphere - 4 stars: Life on the river Thames, 1938. Nicely done: secretive and sordid.
Crime - 3: What is being imported illegally, and by which characters?
Investigation - 3: Readers will know most of the crimes 50 pages in, and most of the villains. But Bell can unfold a story in a nice way: good structure. And the interaction with Les and the cops is entertaining.
Resolution - 3: Villains meet their match. But are some still around? Bell knows exactly when to end the main story, then winks at us.
Summary - 3.2. More than anything. this is a solid story about people just struggling to get by as rows of homes are being torn down, the homeless folks by the river increasing, while greed slowly surrounds them and draws them in. This isn't a who-done-it, and there is a bit of romance on the side. Edwards writes that this is a "well-crafted story." Exactly.
January 29, 2021
3.5 stars for this one I think! Overall I enjoyed - it’s much more of a crime story than a whodunnit, with most of the guilty parties pretty much clear from the start.
By far the best element of this books is the East London, Thames-side setting. There are some fantastic descriptions of the area and you get a real sense of time and place. It’s an interesting social study too - focussing far more on the lower classes - and making them real and human - than any other books I’ve read of the era.
A good read, but not a fast paced gripping story - more a slow burn.
By far the best element of this books is the East London, Thames-side setting. There are some fantastic descriptions of the area and you get a real sense of time and place. It’s an interesting social study too - focussing far more on the lower classes - and making them real and human - than any other books I’ve read of the era.
A good read, but not a fast paced gripping story - more a slow burn.
Want to read
January 25, 2025This is a well written mystery, I just couldn't get myself to care about anyone or anything in it. Set in the dirty dockside of the Thames, a young girl helps pull a body out of the river, so that's a great beginning. Everyone else in the group read seemed to love this, but it didn't work for me - probably because at the same time I'd started reading Our Mutual Friend! If you've read Dickens' book you'll see my problem. It's not fair to any author up against one of Dickens' best works, so I'm tabling this for later. It deserves to be allowed to stand on it's own.
September 1, 2024
Not so much a mystery really, as we are aware from the beginning who the criminals are, but it was still very much a page turner.
November 28, 2020
For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
July 23, 2024
I had never heard of Josephine Bell until reading this, and hope to be able to find more books by her. I really enjoyed this book, and think it deserves to be a crime classic. This was written just after WW2, and so portrays London at the time. I was able to to visualise a lot of the descriptions of the area around the docks . The health care at that time, seemed so basic and true to the stories heard from grandparents.
The book surprised me as it includes so many crimes taking place. The smuggling and uses of drugs and those who played a big part providing them, making this quite a gritty read. The big difference between those who had wealth and the extremely poor, and their accommodation.
The book surprised me as it includes so many crimes taking place. The smuggling and uses of drugs and those who played a big part providing them, making this quite a gritty read. The big difference between those who had wealth and the extremely poor, and their accommodation.
September 8, 2024
I really enjoyed this mystery/thriller, set in the dockside area of London in the '20s/30s. The setting in the crowded environs of the working class and their interactions with their local GP and council are well-done, likely aided by the fact that Bell herself was a physician. The mystery involves aspects of smuggling, addiction, romance, a boy anxious to help the investigation, and a few interesting police investigators at different levels of service and involvement. It is all pulled together well and I look forward to reading more by Bell.
September 2, 2022
A good book but nothing noteworthy
March 1, 2021
Dockland residents, Harry Reed and June Harvey are thrust together by a riverside accident. On the surface the accident seems innocent enough but it leads to a series of dark events that the pair become embroiled in.
I loved this. I had such huge enjoyment reading this mystery. The story starts off with lots of little threads - a shipping accident, an apparent suicide, a missing policeman, pink nightdresses - slowly they all end up being woven together into a tapestry of murky riverside dealings. It was incredibly pleasing to see how everything came together.
Written in 1938, not only is this a cracking mystery but it also acts as a social portrait. A late 1930’s dockside London is brought to life in all it’s dingy, overcrowded glory. Josephine Bell offers readers a perfect slice of the working class existence, the struggle for food and warmth, the derelict housing and the tearaway youths finding entertainment on the shores of the Thames.
Coupled with a superb cover and an insightful introduction from Golden Age expert, Martin Edwards, The Port of London Murders is a superb addition to the British Library Crime Classics series. It encapsulates everything I love with this series – a splash of social history, colourful characters, tremendous writing, intriguing twists and a jolly good mystery
I loved this. I had such huge enjoyment reading this mystery. The story starts off with lots of little threads - a shipping accident, an apparent suicide, a missing policeman, pink nightdresses - slowly they all end up being woven together into a tapestry of murky riverside dealings. It was incredibly pleasing to see how everything came together.
Written in 1938, not only is this a cracking mystery but it also acts as a social portrait. A late 1930’s dockside London is brought to life in all it’s dingy, overcrowded glory. Josephine Bell offers readers a perfect slice of the working class existence, the struggle for food and warmth, the derelict housing and the tearaway youths finding entertainment on the shores of the Thames.
Coupled with a superb cover and an insightful introduction from Golden Age expert, Martin Edwards, The Port of London Murders is a superb addition to the British Library Crime Classics series. It encapsulates everything I love with this series – a splash of social history, colourful characters, tremendous writing, intriguing twists and a jolly good mystery
May 7, 2020
Josephine Bell's book captures the ambience of the river and the slummish housing surrounding it in pre-World War II London admirably.
An ingenious tale unfolds with everything looking rosy to begin with, until some barges break their moorings on the river and cargo is spilled into the river. Discovered by an unsuspecting boatman, there follows amazing developments.
Then begins an intriguing round of incidents which eventually lead to murder. Investigations are difficult to conduct because every suspect seems to be hiding something and when the denouement does come about, it brings with it quite startling results ...
An ingenious tale unfolds with everything looking rosy to begin with, until some barges break their moorings on the river and cargo is spilled into the river. Discovered by an unsuspecting boatman, there follows amazing developments.
Then begins an intriguing round of incidents which eventually lead to murder. Investigations are difficult to conduct because every suspect seems to be hiding something and when the denouement does come about, it brings with it quite startling results ...
January 20, 2022
'You don't sip cold tea: if you're thirsty enough to drink it at all, you put it down quickly.' Maybe it's me, but there seems to be something particularly British in that statement. The last thing you want to do is drink a cup of cold tea, so you get it over with quickly. But it's an important statement too within the context of the story.
This is a really good read, with plenty going on. It's 1938, so you expect drug smuggling and murder and you've got them here. The plot works well, with enjoyable characters and twin lines of enquiry by the River Police and Scotland Yard, but there's a decidedly domestic feel overall. Yes, there are 'jazz age' sophisticates, but they're at a remove. The story is more about life by the river in Rotherhithe. There are sailors - professional and casual - for whom the river is as familiar as a roadway. And there are the children, alive with curiosity and up for adventures. But more than that. This is a largely poor community, and there are poor locals seeking help from the Public Assistance office, especially wanting help with their ailments from overworked local doctors in the days before the NHS.
Life on and by the river is evoked vividly. The story opens with a cargo ship heading upriver, reminding us of the precarious voyages that brought our imports to London. Shortly after that there's the all-important collision in the fog which sets two barges loose, a very important plot point. There are dramatic scenes, especially the drowning which is handled very well - concisely but with impact. But the river is more than just a setting for dramatic incident.
For Leslie Harvey it's a playground where somehow he'll get his much-desired ride in a River Police launch. For Harry Reed it's his leisure world when he's not driving his lorry, and it's his boat which plays a crucial part in the climax. But the river is also the malign presence that fosters ill health for the poor in their riverside slums. So varied is the presentation of the river that despite the title, the novel doesn't foreground the larger aspect of the port. The closest we get is the Wapping area, which is portrayed as a different world from that of Fripp Street, all the more so as Wapping is seen through the eyes of children, emphasising its unfamiliarity.
When Leslie Harvey and his friends cross the river and follow Wapping Wall past Shadwell Basin to the River Police, they pass between towering warehouses with great gates opening onto the pavements, and cargoes swinging over their heads from derricks and cranes. This gives us a glimpse of the capacity of the Pool of London, but only a glimpse. Soon the boys are beyond the warehouses, at the River Police building on Wapping High Street.
There is however the feeling that this world is becoming a thing of the past. From time to time you have to remind yourself that the novel was written in 1938: occasionally you feel you're in the C19, despite the cars and telephones. But the modern world is closing in. Mrs Bowerman's recovery in hospital and determination not to go back to Fripp Street seems to underline that change is coming, embodied by the slum clearance plans for Fripp Street, especially the steady demolition of the houses on the north side.
This is a really good read, with plenty going on. It's 1938, so you expect drug smuggling and murder and you've got them here. The plot works well, with enjoyable characters and twin lines of enquiry by the River Police and Scotland Yard, but there's a decidedly domestic feel overall. Yes, there are 'jazz age' sophisticates, but they're at a remove. The story is more about life by the river in Rotherhithe. There are sailors - professional and casual - for whom the river is as familiar as a roadway. And there are the children, alive with curiosity and up for adventures. But more than that. This is a largely poor community, and there are poor locals seeking help from the Public Assistance office, especially wanting help with their ailments from overworked local doctors in the days before the NHS.
Life on and by the river is evoked vividly. The story opens with a cargo ship heading upriver, reminding us of the precarious voyages that brought our imports to London. Shortly after that there's the all-important collision in the fog which sets two barges loose, a very important plot point. There are dramatic scenes, especially the drowning which is handled very well - concisely but with impact. But the river is more than just a setting for dramatic incident.
For Leslie Harvey it's a playground where somehow he'll get his much-desired ride in a River Police launch. For Harry Reed it's his leisure world when he's not driving his lorry, and it's his boat which plays a crucial part in the climax. But the river is also the malign presence that fosters ill health for the poor in their riverside slums. So varied is the presentation of the river that despite the title, the novel doesn't foreground the larger aspect of the port. The closest we get is the Wapping area, which is portrayed as a different world from that of Fripp Street, all the more so as Wapping is seen through the eyes of children, emphasising its unfamiliarity.
When Leslie Harvey and his friends cross the river and follow Wapping Wall past Shadwell Basin to the River Police, they pass between towering warehouses with great gates opening onto the pavements, and cargoes swinging over their heads from derricks and cranes. This gives us a glimpse of the capacity of the Pool of London, but only a glimpse. Soon the boys are beyond the warehouses, at the River Police building on Wapping High Street.
There is however the feeling that this world is becoming a thing of the past. From time to time you have to remind yourself that the novel was written in 1938: occasionally you feel you're in the C19, despite the cars and telephones. But the modern world is closing in. Mrs Bowerman's recovery in hospital and determination not to go back to Fripp Street seems to underline that change is coming, embodied by the slum clearance plans for Fripp Street, especially the steady demolition of the houses on the north side.
March 13, 2021
This has quite a bit going for it - life on the Thames, the hardship of living and working there, the skill of the women making do and of the men working the river craft, the opportunity for smuggling and drug running - the life of a doctor serving the river community, all grounded in the experience of the author.
It is a plausible plot. Several characters engaged my interest and empathy.
The negative for me was too much detail and ‘static’ in the first half of the book. I had trouble keeping all the players straight and distinguished from each other. This sorted itself out somewhat in the second half but it would have helped to simplify the narrative early on. Interest in the setting and history kept me going.
It was worth it!
It is a plausible plot. Several characters engaged my interest and empathy.
The negative for me was too much detail and ‘static’ in the first half of the book. I had trouble keeping all the players straight and distinguished from each other. This sorted itself out somewhat in the second half but it would have helped to simplify the narrative early on. Interest in the setting and history kept me going.
It was worth it!
January 8, 2023
I love these British library crime classics. This one is refreshingly different to others in the collection as it is a gritty crime drama rather than a big house murder traditional detective story.
Really enjoyed it at the level of a historic novel also as the author weaves the plot around the characters of 1930’s London port between the rich and the poor with the river playing a central role from start to finish.
There are lots of sub plots going on and it all knitted together perfectly to leave me very satisfied.
Really enjoyed it at the level of a historic novel also as the author weaves the plot around the characters of 1930’s London port between the rich and the poor with the river playing a central role from start to finish.
There are lots of sub plots going on and it all knitted together perfectly to leave me very satisfied.
July 6, 2017
I think of Bell as a writer of cozies, but this earlier effort is a gritty (for the times) police procedural. When a woman is found dead in a slum tenement, it looks like a clear case of suicide. The detective who is putting the pieces together for the coroner, however, disappears. Could drugs be involved? There are certainly odd things happening in an upscale lingerie shop, and one of the saleswomen/models lives near the dead woman. Entertaining and depressing in equal measure.
September 2, 2021
Really very good British crime classic…well written and good story. Made all the more pleasing being set in a bit of London I know reasonably well (and miss walking around). Glad to finally finish a book, my reading rate has plummeted since we got Chester as early mornings are now about walks rather than reading!
November 16, 2021
A very complex story that took a lot of build up. The first murder didn't occur till after 80 pages. The detail seems over the top but really adds to the story in the long run.
June 2, 2021
Most of my reading in the British Library Crime Classics series has been chosen due to the promise of manor houses or London fogs, and the word "fog" must have appeared in the description for this one. And it is plenty foggy, so it was quite satisfying on that level! It was a departure, though, being more of a slice-of-life about life on the riverfront. There's a wide cast of characters, from the men who work on the boats and docks, and their families; the people who live in the nearby slums that are about to be torn down for "blocks of flats" (because some things don't change, apparently); and the doctors, police officers, and shopkeepers whose lives intersect with theirs. All of this is surprisingly interesting, and I almost didn't notice how long it took a verifiable crime to be committed, although there were clearly hints of lower-level criminal activity in the background. It had a modern feel in the way the different threads of the story included relevant pieces of the puzzle, with several characters not even understanding what was going on, or what a random fact might mean. I'd definitely read more by Josephine Bell.
March 28, 2021
In the 1930s the Port of London on the busy Thames brought together many people. The socialite with a dubious addiction, the very poor, those making a living from the vessels which moved around the area. In this 1938 novel, now republished in the excellent British Library Crime Classics series, the plot is satisfyingly twisty, the setting three dimensional in its sight, smell and texture and the characters remarkable. As conscientious police officers, overworked doctors and people from across the social spectrum become involved in the hunt for mysterious cargo, the fog swirls around the river and its environs. This is a murder mystery which is resolutely set in a place far away from a country house; instead it features condemned housing which holds too many people and glimpses into the world of the bored women who had more money. If, as Martin Edwards points out in his informative introduction, “For a present-day reader, an important aspect of the appeal of vintage crime novels is that they are fascinating social documents”, this novel offers a rare insight into a world not often captured in such detail by Golden Age Crime writers. Part of its authenticity comes from the fact that its author was herself a practicing doctor in London, and apparently she spent time with the River Police, acquainting herself with their tasks and capacity. The outcome is a solid novel of the busy Port area, much of which was to be attacked in the coming conflict, with a suitably complex mystery involving murder and hidden consignments of a product which affects lives. It is an excellent read, and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this deeply realistic book.
The novel begins with the delayed arrival of a ship, the San Angelo, news of which provokes different reactions among the various people who have been eagerly awaiting it. A social gathering in the home of a bored woman takes on a strange tone as she is obviously dissatisfied with her situation. Meanwhile the bustle and activity of the river is mainly stilled on a Sunday, and Harry Reed is enjoying the sunshine on a small beach revealed by the tide. As children wade out into the water, Harry’s attention is taken by a boy, evidently being pursued by his older sister. When the boy, Leslie, gets caught up in the wake of a tug, Harry takes his small boat out to try and rescue the child and his sister, who is making every effort to get to him. Eventually all three are rescued by the capable Sergeant Adams. The adventure makes Leslie into an avid fan of the River Police, and his determination to earn another trip on the launch means that he will keep vigil on the river for strange debris. Meanwhile June, his sister, meets Harry, and a relationship of sorts is established. In a nearby street a group of neighbours in condemned housing have cause to consult the local doctor, which allows the author space to recount the sort of work load he faced, including the original dialects of the people scraping survival along the river. A mysterious death provokes a minor police investigation, with major implications for those involved.
This is a powerful mystery, well written and plotted, with clues carefully revealed without fanfare. Though lacking a named investigator, this allows various discoveries to be made alongside the reader, as various strands of wrongdoing emerge. I found it a most enjoyable read, a truly sophisticated mystery, and another real treat from a Golden Age of Crime.
The novel begins with the delayed arrival of a ship, the San Angelo, news of which provokes different reactions among the various people who have been eagerly awaiting it. A social gathering in the home of a bored woman takes on a strange tone as she is obviously dissatisfied with her situation. Meanwhile the bustle and activity of the river is mainly stilled on a Sunday, and Harry Reed is enjoying the sunshine on a small beach revealed by the tide. As children wade out into the water, Harry’s attention is taken by a boy, evidently being pursued by his older sister. When the boy, Leslie, gets caught up in the wake of a tug, Harry takes his small boat out to try and rescue the child and his sister, who is making every effort to get to him. Eventually all three are rescued by the capable Sergeant Adams. The adventure makes Leslie into an avid fan of the River Police, and his determination to earn another trip on the launch means that he will keep vigil on the river for strange debris. Meanwhile June, his sister, meets Harry, and a relationship of sorts is established. In a nearby street a group of neighbours in condemned housing have cause to consult the local doctor, which allows the author space to recount the sort of work load he faced, including the original dialects of the people scraping survival along the river. A mysterious death provokes a minor police investigation, with major implications for those involved.
This is a powerful mystery, well written and plotted, with clues carefully revealed without fanfare. Though lacking a named investigator, this allows various discoveries to be made alongside the reader, as various strands of wrongdoing emerge. I found it a most enjoyable read, a truly sophisticated mystery, and another real treat from a Golden Age of Crime.
October 10, 2020
There are questions surrounding the death of Mary Holland. While it’s clear that she died of Lysol poisoning, there are inconsistencies that leave Detective Sergeant Chandler unsettled. No one else puts any merit into it. But then, just before he's due to testify at the inquest, Chandler disappears. It’s now apparent that there’s more to Mary Holland’s death than first thought.
The reissue of The Port of London Murders today by the British Library reminded me that I have had the Pandora edition on the shelf for some time—and that I needed to get it read.
The gritty lower-class neighborhoods of the South London docks provide the setting for what is actually more thriller and less mystery. What is particularly good is the bleak world that Bell writes of with her descriptions of dark, fog filled streets, squalid tenements, and families living in dismal circumstances. There is a large, disparate group of characters, their stories linked through the murder as well as other crimes, to be uncovered in the course of the story. And, whether due to circumstance or their own choice, the majority of Bell’s characters live a bleak existence that permeates the entire story.
There were others, too, not old, but equally hopeless, who attended the dispensary as regular visitors; those struck down in youth or middle age by tuberculosis, rheumatism, heart trouble, and a number of more rare diseases. They had come to the end of their resources, their insurances, and their capacity for earning. The hospitals could do nothing more for them, but they still lived, in the worse possible surroundings, and the Public Assistance saw to it that they did not die too soon.”
Unfortunately, there is very little mystery to be found here. While the murders are rather sinister in nature, the villain(s) are made obvious from the outset. The only real suspense is how long it will take the investigation by the Thames River Police to cross paths with that of Scotland Yard.
This is the first book by Bell that I’ve read, so I have nothing to compare it to. It was, for me, merely a rather ordinary thriller. It wasn’t great, more another “it’s okay” read. But considering what I’ve read regarding Bell, and the fact that I already own Double Doom (1957), I will definitely be trying her again.
Rating 3.75/5
The reissue of The Port of London Murders today by the British Library reminded me that I have had the Pandora edition on the shelf for some time—and that I needed to get it read.
The gritty lower-class neighborhoods of the South London docks provide the setting for what is actually more thriller and less mystery. What is particularly good is the bleak world that Bell writes of with her descriptions of dark, fog filled streets, squalid tenements, and families living in dismal circumstances. There is a large, disparate group of characters, their stories linked through the murder as well as other crimes, to be uncovered in the course of the story. And, whether due to circumstance or their own choice, the majority of Bell’s characters live a bleak existence that permeates the entire story.
There were others, too, not old, but equally hopeless, who attended the dispensary as regular visitors; those struck down in youth or middle age by tuberculosis, rheumatism, heart trouble, and a number of more rare diseases. They had come to the end of their resources, their insurances, and their capacity for earning. The hospitals could do nothing more for them, but they still lived, in the worse possible surroundings, and the Public Assistance saw to it that they did not die too soon.”
Unfortunately, there is very little mystery to be found here. While the murders are rather sinister in nature, the villain(s) are made obvious from the outset. The only real suspense is how long it will take the investigation by the Thames River Police to cross paths with that of Scotland Yard.
This is the first book by Bell that I’ve read, so I have nothing to compare it to. It was, for me, merely a rather ordinary thriller. It wasn’t great, more another “it’s okay” read. But considering what I’ve read regarding Bell, and the fact that I already own Double Doom (1957), I will definitely be trying her again.
Rating 3.75/5
July 31, 2024
Well, this was a discovery! I am so pleased this was picked as a monthly read for my GA reading group, Reading the Detectives. Published in 1938, this was Josephine Bell's first stand along mystery (she had published three series mysteries previously, sadly not now in print) and one of her early books as she had only published her first book in 1937 and seems to have written both crime and historical fiction as well as short stories, plays and having a successful career, working as a doctor under her real name of Doris Bell Collier.
Unlike many Golden Age crime novels, this has a working class setting, with most of the action taking place in Wapping, amongst slum housing near the river. The author brings in much of her own knowledge as a doctor before the NHS, with locals visiting local doctors, sometimes to try to get better housing, or be signed off from work, as well as dealing with long term illness, exacerbated by damp housing and heavy fogs.
The river plays a huge part in this novel and revolves oddly around some very fashionable nightdresses, found washed up after two barges lose some of their boxes overboard. This is tied into an upmarket lingerie shop, where local girl, June Harvey, works. June has two possible love interests. One is local lorry driver, Harry Reed, who inadvertently gives her one of the nightdresses as a present and the obviously caddish Gordon Longford, who sells stock to June's shops.
I have no wish to give spoilers, so I will just say that the plot involves a missing policeman, drugs, smuggling and a lot of excellent characters, including June's young brother, Leslie, who is rescued from the river by Harry Reed and longs to do something heroic. All I can say is that for lovers of Golden Age crime fiction, this is very much a wonderful time where so many out of print work is becoming available. I hope that more by Josephine Bell is made available for new readers to enjoy as she was an excellent writer and deserves a new audience.
Unlike many Golden Age crime novels, this has a working class setting, with most of the action taking place in Wapping, amongst slum housing near the river. The author brings in much of her own knowledge as a doctor before the NHS, with locals visiting local doctors, sometimes to try to get better housing, or be signed off from work, as well as dealing with long term illness, exacerbated by damp housing and heavy fogs.
The river plays a huge part in this novel and revolves oddly around some very fashionable nightdresses, found washed up after two barges lose some of their boxes overboard. This is tied into an upmarket lingerie shop, where local girl, June Harvey, works. June has two possible love interests. One is local lorry driver, Harry Reed, who inadvertently gives her one of the nightdresses as a present and the obviously caddish Gordon Longford, who sells stock to June's shops.
I have no wish to give spoilers, so I will just say that the plot involves a missing policeman, drugs, smuggling and a lot of excellent characters, including June's young brother, Leslie, who is rescued from the river by Harry Reed and longs to do something heroic. All I can say is that for lovers of Golden Age crime fiction, this is very much a wonderful time where so many out of print work is becoming available. I hope that more by Josephine Bell is made available for new readers to enjoy as she was an excellent writer and deserves a new audience.
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