What do you think?
Rate this book
Robert Macdonald #21
Rope’s End, Rogue’s End
Wulfstane Manor, a rambling old country house with many unused rooms, winding staircases and a maze of cellars, had been bequeathed to Veronica Mallowood and her brother Martin. The last time the large family of Mallowoods had all foregathered under the ancestral roof was on the occasion of their father’s funeral, and there had been one of those unholy rows which not infrequently follow the reading of a will. That was some years ago, and as Veronica found it increasingly difficult to go on paying for the upkeep of Wulfstane, she summoned another family conference - a conference in which Death took a hand. Rope’s End, Rogue’s End is, of course, an Inspector MacDonald case, in which that popular detective plays a brilliant part.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1942
76 people are currently reading
182 people want to read
About the author
E.C.R. Lorac
77 books174 followersEdith Caroline Rivett (who wrote under the pseudonyms E.C.R. Lorac, Carol Carnac, Carol Rivett, and Mary le Bourne) was a British crime writer. She was born in Hendon, Middlesex (now London). She attended the South Hampstead High School, and the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London.
She was a member of the Detection Club. She was a very prolific writer, having written forty-eight mysteries under her first pen name, and twenty-three under her second. She was an important author of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
She was a member of the Detection Club. She was a very prolific writer, having written forty-eight mysteries under her first pen name, and twenty-three under her second. She was an important author of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
Read
January 18, 2023I'm not a huge Lorac fan but this one was highly entertaining. A very weird family seething with mutual hate, set in a crumbling manor house, with a ridiculously over-complicated murder. This is what I go to golden age pulp for.
November 29, 2020
Potentially one of the best country house crime books I've read.
Yes, the actual crime part is run of the mill but the detective work is brilliant, the description of the house is exceptional and as always E. C. R Lorac spoils us with her wonderful descriptions of nature.
A truely great read! A perfect way to end my run of Country house books for November!
Yes, the actual crime part is run of the mill but the detective work is brilliant, the description of the house is exceptional and as always E. C. R Lorac spoils us with her wonderful descriptions of nature.
A truely great read! A perfect way to end my run of Country house books for November!
November 21, 2023
4.5 stars, knocked 1/2 a star off for the horrible lack of punctuation in the ebook. Excellent complex mystery by my favorite new GA author and series of the last few years, featuring Scotland Yard Inspector Macdonald.
In this case, he encounters yet another great country estate, this one crumbling and in disrepair. The Mallowood family have been at Wulfstone Manor for centuries, and are a turbulent, hot-tempered bunch; the siblings are having a reunion of sorts at the estate before Paul, the eldest, heads off on an extended vacation abroad. He has made his fortune in the City, and was livid when their tyrannical father’s will was read, and he didn’t inherit the manor; it was instead left to twins Veronica and Martin. They haven’t the money to maintain it, and Paul desperately wants to buy at least part of the estate and maintain it. The other two brothers, Richard and Basil, are an international explorer and another City man - but Basil is perhaps not as squeaky clean in business as big brother Paul.
In fact, Paul has just driven off to catch his flight abroad when a gun shot rings out. Basil appears to have shot himself just as a policeman is arriving at the estate to arrest him for fraud - then brother Martin, always mentally fragile, and prone to periods of amnesia, disappears. Macdonald has quite a case on his hands - was Basil a straightforward suicide, trying to escape the law for his financial misdeeds? Or was it actually a diabolically clever murder? And if so, who did it, and how? Also, where are the fortune in bonds that Basil supposedly had with him?
This was quite a complex tangle, but I really enjoyed it, especially, as always, the routine but dogged and necessary investigation by Macdonald and his team. Also in this case, the fascinating setting of the beautiful, vast but crumbling estate - Lorac made it almost another character, imbuing it with a vague sense of menace. I had a feeling I knew what happened, but had no clue how it was done; as usual, with elaborate murder methods, I couldn’t quite picture it, but really appreciated Macdonald’s summation at the end.
In this case, he encounters yet another great country estate, this one crumbling and in disrepair. The Mallowood family have been at Wulfstone Manor for centuries, and are a turbulent, hot-tempered bunch; the siblings are having a reunion of sorts at the estate before Paul, the eldest, heads off on an extended vacation abroad. He has made his fortune in the City, and was livid when their tyrannical father’s will was read, and he didn’t inherit the manor; it was instead left to twins Veronica and Martin. They haven’t the money to maintain it, and Paul desperately wants to buy at least part of the estate and maintain it. The other two brothers, Richard and Basil, are an international explorer and another City man - but Basil is perhaps not as squeaky clean in business as big brother Paul.
In fact, Paul has just driven off to catch his flight abroad when a gun shot rings out. Basil appears to have shot himself just as a policeman is arriving at the estate to arrest him for fraud - then brother Martin, always mentally fragile, and prone to periods of amnesia, disappears. Macdonald has quite a case on his hands - was Basil a straightforward suicide, trying to escape the law for his financial misdeeds? Or was it actually a diabolically clever murder? And if so, who did it, and how? Also, where are the fortune in bonds that Basil supposedly had with him?
This was quite a complex tangle, but I really enjoyed it, especially, as always, the routine but dogged and necessary investigation by Macdonald and his team. Also in this case, the fascinating setting of the beautiful, vast but crumbling estate - Lorac made it almost another character, imbuing it with a vague sense of menace. I had a feeling I knew what happened, but had no clue how it was done; as usual, with elaborate murder methods, I couldn’t quite picture it, but really appreciated Macdonald’s summation at the end.
August 31, 2019
Best Lorac title that I’ve read to date. Full review at classicmystery.blog
April 22, 2024
Lorac had me completely fooled here, possibly because the murder plot was so damnably complex. I have no argument with that. McDonald’s sleuthing was impeccable.
I did not enjoy this book as much as I have the others that I’ve read so far. One of the things I admire about Lorac’s work is the strong sense of place she creates to go along with the mystery. Here, the only “place” was a creepy old medieval/Elizabethan/Jacobean house where most of the action occurred. And the main characters were five members of a capital ”D” dysfunctional family, not one of whom was the least bit likable.
Nevertheless, I give her credit for coming up with a diabolical plot.
I did not enjoy this book as much as I have the others that I’ve read so far. One of the things I admire about Lorac’s work is the strong sense of place she creates to go along with the mystery. Here, the only “place” was a creepy old medieval/Elizabethan/Jacobean house where most of the action occurred. And the main characters were five members of a capital ”D” dysfunctional family, not one of whom was the least bit likable.
Nevertheless, I give her credit for coming up with a diabolical plot.
December 28, 2021
Like most of Lorac’s mysteries, that was a lot of fun. Old creaky houses, secret passages, messed up family dynamics, and of course murder. What more can you ask for from a book on a cold winter’s night?
November 17, 2023
This is a story about another huge house in the countryside that is left to ruin, by the inhabitants. Martin and Veronica have inherited it from their father, even though there were three older brothers. This has caused a very rift between them all. Martin was very ill as a child and Veronica was the one who nursed him, whereas the elder brothers had been able to look after themselves. Paul the eldest has done very well for himself and continually offers to a part of the house if not all of it, but neither Martin of Veronica will accept the offer, but prefer to struggle on. It starts with the family getting together, before they all go their various ways, but it seems one of them has been found to have embezzled a considerable amount of money and will inevitably be arrested. On the day he is to be arrested he is found to have committed suicide by shooting himself.
The story continues and becomes pretty complicated. I enjoyed it but was grateful to read the end, where everything was spelt out. The title then made sense.
The story continues and becomes pretty complicated. I enjoyed it but was grateful to read the end, where everything was spelt out. The title then made sense.
March 7, 2011
In Rope's End, Rogue's End (1942) by E. C. R. Lorac we have the stand-by of British detective fiction...the English manor house. Wulfstane manor, a rambling old country house with many unused rooms, winding staircases, and a maze of cellars, had been bequeathed to Veronica Mallowood and her twin brother Martin. The last time the family of Mallowoods had gathered under the ancestral roof was on the occasion of their father's funeral, and there had been one of those unholy rows which not infrequently follow the reading of the will. Now, elder brother Paul has stopped by the family home on his way out of the country on a prolonged and long-deserved holiday. He wants to try one more time to get Veronica and Martin "to see sense" and allow him to provide the necessary funds to keep Mallowood in the style to which it should be accustomed. His sister and brother would rather live poor and let the place fall down around them than to be beholden to the brother who made their lives a misery when growing up. Added to the mix we have brothers Basil and Richard--and it seems that none of the Mallowoods like any of the others. Basil, like Paul, is a man of business in town--reputed to have done well. Richard has always been a traveler and never stayed in one place for long.
The unexpected family reunion takes place with fewer arguments than anticipated and the next morning Paul sets off on his journey. That's when things get interesting. Basil receives mail that seems to be of the upsetting sort. Next thing we know a shot is heard, the locked door to the old playroom is broken down and there sits Basil (or rather what's left of him)--an apparent victim of suicide. Everything looks cut and dried to Inspector Long who has shown up on the scene intending to serve Basil for a warrant for embezzlement and who winds up with a corpse on his hands. Basil knew things were getting hot, the messages from town probably told him so (the remains are mere ashes in the fireplace), and he took the easy way out. But there are little odds and ends that just don't sit right with Inspector Long.
Enter Inspector Robert MacDonald from Scotland Yard. He, too, finds certain pieces of the puzzle not quite fitting and goes on to find that both Basil and his brother Paul have left their personal and business affairs in a much too tidy fashion. No fingerprints anywhere in either man's home. No personal papers lying about. Everything boxed up and shipped off to some mysterious safe deposit box. Why have these men cleaned up so faithfully behind them? Particularly Paul--about whom there isn't the least whiff of scandal? And then there's brother Martin who has disappeared since just before the suicide and hasn't shown up since. Where is he and why isn't his sister Veronica more concerned?
Inspector MacDonald follows the clues through the literal maze of the house and the theoretical maze of identity, double-lives, and financial woes to the startling conclusion. A very interesting example of a mystery from the forties. I picked up on one of the vital clues...but I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. Lorac had me baffled to the end. I always like that in a good mystery. Four stars.
The unexpected family reunion takes place with fewer arguments than anticipated and the next morning Paul sets off on his journey. That's when things get interesting. Basil receives mail that seems to be of the upsetting sort. Next thing we know a shot is heard, the locked door to the old playroom is broken down and there sits Basil (or rather what's left of him)--an apparent victim of suicide. Everything looks cut and dried to Inspector Long who has shown up on the scene intending to serve Basil for a warrant for embezzlement and who winds up with a corpse on his hands. Basil knew things were getting hot, the messages from town probably told him so (the remains are mere ashes in the fireplace), and he took the easy way out. But there are little odds and ends that just don't sit right with Inspector Long.
Enter Inspector Robert MacDonald from Scotland Yard. He, too, finds certain pieces of the puzzle not quite fitting and goes on to find that both Basil and his brother Paul have left their personal and business affairs in a much too tidy fashion. No fingerprints anywhere in either man's home. No personal papers lying about. Everything boxed up and shipped off to some mysterious safe deposit box. Why have these men cleaned up so faithfully behind them? Particularly Paul--about whom there isn't the least whiff of scandal? And then there's brother Martin who has disappeared since just before the suicide and hasn't shown up since. Where is he and why isn't his sister Veronica more concerned?
Inspector MacDonald follows the clues through the literal maze of the house and the theoretical maze of identity, double-lives, and financial woes to the startling conclusion. A very interesting example of a mystery from the forties. I picked up on one of the vital clues...but I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. Lorac had me baffled to the end. I always like that in a good mystery. Four stars.
December 12, 2023
Complex but compelling murder mystery set in a decaying country house.
The will of Mr Mallowood left Wulfstane Manor to his youngest children, Veronica and Martin, and caused a rift with the older ones - Paul and Basil who both work in the City and Richard the explorer who has gone on various adventures around the world. Now they are all reunited at Wulfstane for one night as the older siblings try in vain to persuade the younger ones to allow them a share in the crumbling house in return for the money needed for its upkeep. Then a shooting occurs, and Inspector MacDonald must work out whether this is suicide or an ingenious murder.
This was really atmospheric and I loved the Gothic setting, reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe and reinforced by the towering figure of the grim and determined Veronica - a memorable figure in a genre where women are often stereotyped. I also enjoyed the careful and understated investigation by Macdonald which contrasted well with the madness and melodrama at the Manor. The plot was rather over complicated but Macdonald explains it well in the closing chapter and it was certainly very clever.
Lorac produces some varied and intriguing mysteries and this was a very enjoyable and entertaining one too.
The will of Mr Mallowood left Wulfstane Manor to his youngest children, Veronica and Martin, and caused a rift with the older ones - Paul and Basil who both work in the City and Richard the explorer who has gone on various adventures around the world. Now they are all reunited at Wulfstane for one night as the older siblings try in vain to persuade the younger ones to allow them a share in the crumbling house in return for the money needed for its upkeep. Then a shooting occurs, and Inspector MacDonald must work out whether this is suicide or an ingenious murder.
This was really atmospheric and I loved the Gothic setting, reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe and reinforced by the towering figure of the grim and determined Veronica - a memorable figure in a genre where women are often stereotyped. I also enjoyed the careful and understated investigation by Macdonald which contrasted well with the madness and melodrama at the Manor. The plot was rather over complicated but Macdonald explains it well in the closing chapter and it was certainly very clever.
Lorac produces some varied and intriguing mysteries and this was a very enjoyable and entertaining one too.
December 5, 2023
Not my favorite Lorac. I'm not a fan of locked room mysteries, though I'm good at ignoring the method and enjoying the who and why. However, this murder plan was too extreme for my taste.
June 16, 2025
Wulfstane Manor home of the Mallowoods. The first reunion in many years brings about a suicide. Then why is Detective Macdonald of Scotland Yard brought in to investigate. Is it pure coincidence that another death occurs.
An entertaining historical mystery
Originally published in 1942
An entertaining historical mystery
Originally published in 1942
January 18, 2024
B+:
Really great identity mystery that has a multitude of possible solutions. Could maybe do with another female perspective.
Really great identity mystery that has a multitude of possible solutions. Could maybe do with another female perspective.
February 3, 2021
This was actually almost a perfect mystery.... You know, one that has you guessing until the very end? With an old creepy house, creepy characters, smug detectives, murders and all the fun. Really well done. Will definitely try more of this author.
June 20, 2020
The best Lorac of the seven I have read so far.The writing is of a high quality and the plotting intricate without being beyond the reader's ability to unravel.
A locked room death takes place in the wonderfully-named and well-realised Wulfstane Manor and the story centres on the dysfunctional Mallowood family whose behaviour is as Jacobean as some parts of their crumbling house. There are financial shenanigans, disappearances, a divisive will, underground passages and secret rooms to add to the fun.
There are few suspects, and, for much of the book, the reader is in a state of uncertainty about the identities of the bodies and the whereabouts of some of the participants. It is difficult to like, sympathise or empathise with the family members who are arrogant, quarrelsome, obstinate, unreasonable, dishonest, priggish, condescending and odd in varying degrees.
Through it all there is the calm and determined presence of the likeable Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard, glimpses of whose personality do occasionally peep out- here a love of architecture and old buildings.
Highly recommended.
4.5 stars.
A locked room death takes place in the wonderfully-named and well-realised Wulfstane Manor and the story centres on the dysfunctional Mallowood family whose behaviour is as Jacobean as some parts of their crumbling house. There are financial shenanigans, disappearances, a divisive will, underground passages and secret rooms to add to the fun.
There are few suspects, and, for much of the book, the reader is in a state of uncertainty about the identities of the bodies and the whereabouts of some of the participants. It is difficult to like, sympathise or empathise with the family members who are arrogant, quarrelsome, obstinate, unreasonable, dishonest, priggish, condescending and odd in varying degrees.
Through it all there is the calm and determined presence of the likeable Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard, glimpses of whose personality do occasionally peep out- here a love of architecture and old buildings.
Highly recommended.
4.5 stars.
July 3, 2020
The second book by Lorac I've read, and the more satisfying one overall.
It's a locked room murder, one which initially looks like a suicide, in a rambling and crumbling old manor house. The positives here are a pretty good pace and a strong sense of atmosphere, particularly in the latter half of the book. My previous experience of Lorac had me feeling she tended to overdo the description to the the detriment of the rhythm. Here a more even balance is achieved and it's a better read for it.
If I have a complaint, it's perhaps the fact I noticed a certain pattern in Lorac's plotting and/or characterization. Certain "types", shall we say, are revisited and that led me to focus my suspicions on a certain character. Ultimately, I got ahead of the author as a result of this and had worked out both the who and the how before all was revealed in the action-packed finale. Even so, I can't say it spoiled the experience for me.
It's a locked room murder, one which initially looks like a suicide, in a rambling and crumbling old manor house. The positives here are a pretty good pace and a strong sense of atmosphere, particularly in the latter half of the book. My previous experience of Lorac had me feeling she tended to overdo the description to the the detriment of the rhythm. Here a more even balance is achieved and it's a better read for it.
If I have a complaint, it's perhaps the fact I noticed a certain pattern in Lorac's plotting and/or characterization. Certain "types", shall we say, are revisited and that led me to focus my suspicions on a certain character. Ultimately, I got ahead of the author as a result of this and had worked out both the who and the how before all was revealed in the action-packed finale. Even so, I can't say it spoiled the experience for me.
July 9, 2020
Five adult siblings (four brothers and a sister) gather for dinner at their family's crumbling manor. By morning, one is dead, one is missing and one has left the country.
I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. There was a lot that frustrated me about it. I thought I'd scream if I had to read one more pitying description of Veronica, the sister, for being unusually tall and having a deep voice; I wasn't particularly interested in any of the five siblings, who seemed to be the architects of their own misfortunes; I didn't really understand how the police investigation got approved; and I guessed the culprit early on, but not the method. (Also, the OCR on the Kindle edition is terrible.)
On the other hand, it was never so frustrating I wanted to give up, and the ending, with multiple people involved in chase in the dark through secret passages, was very good. So I'll give it a middle-of-the-road three for being just interesting enough.
I'm not quite sure what to make of this book. There was a lot that frustrated me about it. I thought I'd scream if I had to read one more pitying description of Veronica, the sister, for being unusually tall and having a deep voice; I wasn't particularly interested in any of the five siblings, who seemed to be the architects of their own misfortunes; I didn't really understand how the police investigation got approved; and I guessed the culprit early on, but not the method. (Also, the OCR on the Kindle edition is terrible.)
On the other hand, it was never so frustrating I wanted to give up, and the ending, with multiple people involved in chase in the dark through secret passages, was very good. So I'll give it a middle-of-the-road three for being just interesting enough.
April 6, 2023
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a mystery novel from this era, and this is the first time to my knowledge that I’ve read this author. While the book is hardly forgotten, I did find it on Kindle, I don’t know how well remembered it is or really needs to be. The writing is occasionally muddled and is not helped by a mediocre digitization ( there were many typos). The mystery itself is hopelessly complicated and to solve it yourself you have to assume that almost every piece of evidence, including eyewitness testimony is possibly incorrect. I’m not sure if it’s the author or the era that is rubbing me the wrong way, but I might refrain from both for the foreseeable future.
February 20, 2021
Only my second Lorac book, and I enjoyed it even more than the first. Although it lacked some of the atmospheric and historical appeal of The Fell Murder (my first Lorac), it had a tighter, difficult-to-predict mystery. That's not a strict requirement for me, but this mystery did keep me guessing and second-guessing. I'll be downloading another book by Lorac onto my Nook soon.
December 18, 2014
Unsympathetic characters put me off an interesting mystery.
More here:
http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2014/1...
More here:
http://inkquilletc.blogspot.in/2014/1...
January 4, 2023
Some families get along better than others.
Then there's the Mallowoods, who don't get along at all. Except, perhaps for twins Veronica and Martin and their relationship might be considered a bit odd. They're all middle-aged now, but still fighting as viciously as a bunch of hungry, sleep-deprived toddlers.
They come by their bad dispositions honestly. Their father was obsessed with his ancient family manor and the fact that there was no money to maintain it. He vented his anger on his unresisting wife (who gave up the ghost after the twins were born) and his children.
Paul is the oldest and the worst bully of all, cordially hated by all his siblings. He used his expensive education (old English families ALWAYS find money to send their sons to prestigious prep schools and universities) to go into finance and has made a large fortune. Unmarried and childless, his only wish is to rule as lord of Wolfstane Manor. Too bad his father left it to the twins and that Veronica refuses to allow him to do more than make an occasional brief visit.
Second son Richard is the most appealing of the lot. He ran away at an early age and became a noted adventurer. Now he supports himself by selling rare, imported goods. He seems fond of Veronica and concerned about her troubles, but he needs money even more than she does.
Third son Basil also went into finance, although he hasn't achieved Paul's success. Now it looks like his life is coming unraveled. He's back for the rare family reunion, but he's not there for long.
Veronica is as tall as her brothers and much tougher. With no mother, a cruel father, and unable to depend on her older brothers, she's cut herself off from the world and become a fierce protectress to her hapless twin. Is Martin's weakness (physical and emotional) a product of his childhood illness or something else? Where does he go when he disappears and what does he forget when he has his memory lapses?
The reunion is even more miserable than anticipated. So how does Chief Inspector MacDonald of Scotland Yard get involved in what appears to be a suicide, farewell letter and all? To be honest, I never figured that out, except that the local detective smelled a rat. There IS one suspicious circumstance, especially considering that identification at that time depended on facial features and fingerprints.
The fact that the brothers strongly resemble each other, except for slender, light-haired Martin, is another thing that makes the police edgy. There's no question that Basil has been guilty of financial crimes, but it's also possible that he has made off with a large sum of money in negotiable bonds. Where's the loot?
Paul seems out of it, having caught a plane to start on a lengthy world tour. Turns out the "vacation" is the start of his retirement and his partners are wondering what they'll find when they look at the records. And who knows what Richard's been up to during his years as a wandering adventurer? He could have all kinds of enemies and secrets.
Inspector MacDonald is as likable a detective as I've ever encountered. His colleagues like him, too, even the Assistant Commissioner of Police who resents his habit of wandering off the straight-and-narrow to investigate things that seem to have little to do with the case. Fortunately, the AC is well-aware that Scots have NO sense of humor. Otherwise he might suspect the Inspector of making fun of him.
Even the people MacDonald investigates are charmed by his gentle, kindly manner. He apologizes for bothering them and promises to be as little trouble as possible. Suspects may dislike his thoroughness, but he convinces them that he's on their side all the time. It's just his job and you can't hold that against a man, can you?
Inspector Mac's approach is no accident and the officers who work for him have the same quiet, friendly manner. "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" is the motto of the firm and it works. Defensive suspects are disarmed. Frightened witnesses relax and become chatty and cooperative.
This one was published in 1943, but ignores WWII. Many mystery writers at the time believed they were doing their readers a favor to help them forget (even temporarily) that England was in the midst of a brutal war and in danger of becoming a German-occupied territory.
War or no war, families will still fight over property and old hurts. Wulfstane Manor itself dates back to ancient times and has seen conquerers come and go. Even in partial ruins, it's still a beautiful manor house and well worth fighting for. And the Mallowoods don't need a foreign enemy to fight. They have each other.
This isn't the best of this series, but the characters are good and the setting can't be beat.
Then there's the Mallowoods, who don't get along at all. Except, perhaps for twins Veronica and Martin and their relationship might be considered a bit odd. They're all middle-aged now, but still fighting as viciously as a bunch of hungry, sleep-deprived toddlers.
They come by their bad dispositions honestly. Their father was obsessed with his ancient family manor and the fact that there was no money to maintain it. He vented his anger on his unresisting wife (who gave up the ghost after the twins were born) and his children.
Paul is the oldest and the worst bully of all, cordially hated by all his siblings. He used his expensive education (old English families ALWAYS find money to send their sons to prestigious prep schools and universities) to go into finance and has made a large fortune. Unmarried and childless, his only wish is to rule as lord of Wolfstane Manor. Too bad his father left it to the twins and that Veronica refuses to allow him to do more than make an occasional brief visit.
Second son Richard is the most appealing of the lot. He ran away at an early age and became a noted adventurer. Now he supports himself by selling rare, imported goods. He seems fond of Veronica and concerned about her troubles, but he needs money even more than she does.
Third son Basil also went into finance, although he hasn't achieved Paul's success. Now it looks like his life is coming unraveled. He's back for the rare family reunion, but he's not there for long.
Veronica is as tall as her brothers and much tougher. With no mother, a cruel father, and unable to depend on her older brothers, she's cut herself off from the world and become a fierce protectress to her hapless twin. Is Martin's weakness (physical and emotional) a product of his childhood illness or something else? Where does he go when he disappears and what does he forget when he has his memory lapses?
The reunion is even more miserable than anticipated. So how does Chief Inspector MacDonald of Scotland Yard get involved in what appears to be a suicide, farewell letter and all? To be honest, I never figured that out, except that the local detective smelled a rat. There IS one suspicious circumstance, especially considering that identification at that time depended on facial features and fingerprints.
The fact that the brothers strongly resemble each other, except for slender, light-haired Martin, is another thing that makes the police edgy. There's no question that Basil has been guilty of financial crimes, but it's also possible that he has made off with a large sum of money in negotiable bonds. Where's the loot?
Paul seems out of it, having caught a plane to start on a lengthy world tour. Turns out the "vacation" is the start of his retirement and his partners are wondering what they'll find when they look at the records. And who knows what Richard's been up to during his years as a wandering adventurer? He could have all kinds of enemies and secrets.
Inspector MacDonald is as likable a detective as I've ever encountered. His colleagues like him, too, even the Assistant Commissioner of Police who resents his habit of wandering off the straight-and-narrow to investigate things that seem to have little to do with the case. Fortunately, the AC is well-aware that Scots have NO sense of humor. Otherwise he might suspect the Inspector of making fun of him.
Even the people MacDonald investigates are charmed by his gentle, kindly manner. He apologizes for bothering them and promises to be as little trouble as possible. Suspects may dislike his thoroughness, but he convinces them that he's on their side all the time. It's just his job and you can't hold that against a man, can you?
Inspector Mac's approach is no accident and the officers who work for him have the same quiet, friendly manner. "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" is the motto of the firm and it works. Defensive suspects are disarmed. Frightened witnesses relax and become chatty and cooperative.
This one was published in 1943, but ignores WWII. Many mystery writers at the time believed they were doing their readers a favor to help them forget (even temporarily) that England was in the midst of a brutal war and in danger of becoming a German-occupied territory.
War or no war, families will still fight over property and old hurts. Wulfstane Manor itself dates back to ancient times and has seen conquerers come and go. Even in partial ruins, it's still a beautiful manor house and well worth fighting for. And the Mallowoods don't need a foreign enemy to fight. They have each other.
This isn't the best of this series, but the characters are good and the setting can't be beat.
January 18, 2022
A crumbling family manner and a family that is filled with devious, scheming and hateful individuals and then a very mysterious death — what else could you ask for in a mystery by author who is very much a master of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction?
The Mallowood family is the perfect set of people for such a mystery: two sons who traveled to London for successful careers in the city; one son who became an adventurer; the youngest brother, who suffered from infantile paralysis (polio) as a child with both mental and physical weaknesses; and the youngest son's twin sister, as tall as her siblings and just this side of beautiful, who was verbally mistreated not only by her three oldest brothers and her father.
When their father died nine years before, for some reason, he left the family estate to the twins, Martin and Veronica, creating a rift even more between the eldest son Paul, who believed that he should have become lord of Wulfstane Manor.
Nine years ago, it led to a major blowup between the siblings, so it's strange that they would all gather together on the eve of Paul's retirement and grand travel adventure, although some how they manage to get through the evening's festivities.
Lorac (the pen name for Edith Caroline Rivett) has established the time, place and people and pushes all the right buttons to create a really interesting and complex mystery that happens a day later. Who would have done the killing and why? Things are suspicious but everything points to one thing, or so the Metropolitan police office who shows up as the body is found.
And it is equally suspicious and complex when Scotland Yard's Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald follows up. Macdonald may be equally stumped about the case, he also knows that something is not quite right and with some suspicions, uses standard police procedure, street smarts and dogged effort to winnow away misleading clues and come up with steps to trap and solve the crime.
While I correctly guessed a crucial point in the case, I didn't have a clue who did what or how it would all be exposed. And that is the mastery of E.C.R. Lorac and what had me riveted to the book for an entire afternoon. Clever, detailed and full of action, this story has it all. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
The Mallowood family is the perfect set of people for such a mystery: two sons who traveled to London for successful careers in the city; one son who became an adventurer; the youngest brother, who suffered from infantile paralysis (polio) as a child with both mental and physical weaknesses; and the youngest son's twin sister, as tall as her siblings and just this side of beautiful, who was verbally mistreated not only by her three oldest brothers and her father.
When their father died nine years before, for some reason, he left the family estate to the twins, Martin and Veronica, creating a rift even more between the eldest son Paul, who believed that he should have become lord of Wulfstane Manor.
Nine years ago, it led to a major blowup between the siblings, so it's strange that they would all gather together on the eve of Paul's retirement and grand travel adventure, although some how they manage to get through the evening's festivities.
Lorac (the pen name for Edith Caroline Rivett) has established the time, place and people and pushes all the right buttons to create a really interesting and complex mystery that happens a day later. Who would have done the killing and why? Things are suspicious but everything points to one thing, or so the Metropolitan police office who shows up as the body is found.
And it is equally suspicious and complex when Scotland Yard's Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald follows up. Macdonald may be equally stumped about the case, he also knows that something is not quite right and with some suspicions, uses standard police procedure, street smarts and dogged effort to winnow away misleading clues and come up with steps to trap and solve the crime.
While I correctly guessed a crucial point in the case, I didn't have a clue who did what or how it would all be exposed. And that is the mastery of E.C.R. Lorac and what had me riveted to the book for an entire afternoon. Clever, detailed and full of action, this story has it all. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
November 19, 2023
E.C.R. Lorac, pen name of Edith Caroline Rivett, has been one of my favourite author discoveries recently. I love Golden Age fiction and am delighted so many out of print authors are now becoming available. This mystery is number 21 in the long-running Robert Macdonald series and, though published in 1942, appears to be set pre-WWII.
As so often, we have a country house - Wulfstane Manor, home to twins, Veronica and Martin Mallowood. Their brothers, Paul, Basil and Richard, were upset at not being left the house - possibly as Martin had infantile paralysis. As so often with these books, the family members are very attached to the family home and Paul, particularly, is resentful at being disinherited, particuarly as he was the eldest son and because Veronica and Martin cannot afford the upkeep and he feels the house is in poor condition.
Cue family reunion - the first since the will was read. Paul tries to convince Veronica to sell him all, or part, of the house to no avail. Then, obviously, cue a sudden death. It is up to Macdonald to work out how a very complicated crime was carried out. I was pleased that Macdonald did a nice summing up at the end, as I got a little lost, but the journey was a very enjoyable one. I look forward to reading more by this author and I am pleased I discovered her work.
As so often, we have a country house - Wulfstane Manor, home to twins, Veronica and Martin Mallowood. Their brothers, Paul, Basil and Richard, were upset at not being left the house - possibly as Martin had infantile paralysis. As so often with these books, the family members are very attached to the family home and Paul, particularly, is resentful at being disinherited, particuarly as he was the eldest son and because Veronica and Martin cannot afford the upkeep and he feels the house is in poor condition.
Cue family reunion - the first since the will was read. Paul tries to convince Veronica to sell him all, or part, of the house to no avail. Then, obviously, cue a sudden death. It is up to Macdonald to work out how a very complicated crime was carried out. I was pleased that Macdonald did a nice summing up at the end, as I got a little lost, but the journey was a very enjoyable one. I look forward to reading more by this author and I am pleased I discovered her work.
June 23, 2020
4.4 stars easily.
In an neglected and partially crumbling manor house named Wulfstane , bad blood runs freely between the five brothers and sisters . Brothers Paul and Basil are city financiers and have a lot of boodle ,Richard is an explorer and roams the far off places, Sister Veronica is a strapping hoyden and Martin is neurotic.
One of them dies ...Is it suicide or murder ? Every evidence points to suicide but the Yard is not sanguine...In comes Inspector MacDonald.
Unlike the Loracs published by British Library, this one is not set in wartime london or in Devon ...Infact only indication of the war ,comes in a comment made by a solicitor...Nowhere else there is any mention of war..Even though this came out in 1942 .
However,there is no lack of atmosphere ... And Wulfstane becomes a very real place full of cobwebs of mystery and secret tunnels.
This is a very good locked room mystery and the solution is simple but ingenious...It does not involve tunnels .
There is no lag at all and everything is neatly tied up. Highly immersive and thoroughly enjoyable story..I hope BL includes it in their reprints soon .
In an neglected and partially crumbling manor house named Wulfstane , bad blood runs freely between the five brothers and sisters . Brothers Paul and Basil are city financiers and have a lot of boodle ,Richard is an explorer and roams the far off places, Sister Veronica is a strapping hoyden and Martin is neurotic.
One of them dies ...Is it suicide or murder ? Every evidence points to suicide but the Yard is not sanguine...In comes Inspector MacDonald.
Unlike the Loracs published by British Library, this one is not set in wartime london or in Devon ...Infact only indication of the war ,comes in a comment made by a solicitor...Nowhere else there is any mention of war..Even though this came out in 1942 .
However,there is no lack of atmosphere ... And Wulfstane becomes a very real place full of cobwebs of mystery and secret tunnels.
This is a very good locked room mystery and the solution is simple but ingenious...It does not involve tunnels .
There is no lag at all and everything is neatly tied up. Highly immersive and thoroughly enjoyable story..I hope BL includes it in their reprints soon .
November 19, 2024
A marvellously Gothic tale, this one by Lorac: a crumbling old country house with secret panels, hidden doors, and trapdoors in the ceiling is only the setting for the crime. Add to that four very unpleasant, quarrelsome brothers, one of whom is mentally and emotionally unstable, as well as an equally scary sister, and you are spoiled for choice if you believe that one of the four survivors is the chief suspect. And then, another brother is identified in Tunis when the body of a badly disfigured, mutilated man is found murdered.
But is he indeed the man identified as the passport found on the body claims he is?
Inspector Macdonald’s brain enters into the thinking of the family as he unravels the case, not clue by clue - there are none - but design by design as he peels it open, layer over layer.
And the rope’s end? All part of the grand design…
One of the best of ECR Lorac's books.
But is he indeed the man identified as the passport found on the body claims he is?
Inspector Macdonald’s brain enters into the thinking of the family as he unravels the case, not clue by clue - there are none - but design by design as he peels it open, layer over layer.
And the rope’s end? All part of the grand design…
One of the best of ECR Lorac's books.
August 30, 2020
As many other readers have noted, the Kindle edition would’ve benefited from some serious proofreading. It is a bit distracting to try to figure out what should really be on the page vs. what actually is on the page - takes you out of the story. However, it was only $.99, so being hypercritical seems silly.
This is the fourth Lorac I’ve read and my least favorite. I found the characters to be unsympathetic and rather unlikeable (other than Macdonald, Long, and Reeves). I feel like the story went on far too long and it seemed repetitive to me. When a certain idea is stated multiple times (the similar looks of the family), it’s kind of like, “okay, we get it! This is an important point of which to take note. Please move on, already!”
This is the fourth Lorac I’ve read and my least favorite. I found the characters to be unsympathetic and rather unlikeable (other than Macdonald, Long, and Reeves). I feel like the story went on far too long and it seemed repetitive to me. When a certain idea is stated multiple times (the similar looks of the family), it’s kind of like, “okay, we get it! This is an important point of which to take note. Please move on, already!”
February 16, 2021
I heard about E.C.R. Lorac through Caroline Crampton's podcast "Shedunnit" which I thoroughly enjoy. Lorac was a Golden Age writer who wrote under a variety of names, none her own though many anagrams of her own name (Lorac = Carol spelled backwards). This was a fun one in many ways, though the digital edition I read had commas in weird places (or lacking commas when they would have helped). The family the plot centered around were meant to be unlikable, and you know nothing about the Scotland Yard detective other than he is Scottish and is a Scotland Yard detective (and has an interest in British architecture). But it was a good story, if a little too ingenious in how it was all worked. Would that really work? Not entirely sure. It didn't matter.
January 24, 2022
Rating between 3 & 3.5
An easy to read novel from this author.
As with other books by her the descriptions of the places and buildings where the crimes take place and where the detectives subsequently visit are well done I think. Her series detective Macdonald features in this one and he enters about a quarter/third of the way into the story.
The main protagonists (all siblings) are a fairly unlikeable bunch I found and none of them had my sympathy at all. Luckily her detective was interesting enough to spend the majority of the time with.
The ending and solution did seem to appear quite abruptly but that didn’t spoil the overall enjoyment of the novel.
Another recommendation for readers who are interested in the works of this rediscovered writer
An easy to read novel from this author.
As with other books by her the descriptions of the places and buildings where the crimes take place and where the detectives subsequently visit are well done I think. Her series detective Macdonald features in this one and he enters about a quarter/third of the way into the story.
The main protagonists (all siblings) are a fairly unlikeable bunch I found and none of them had my sympathy at all. Luckily her detective was interesting enough to spend the majority of the time with.
The ending and solution did seem to appear quite abruptly but that didn’t spoil the overall enjoyment of the novel.
Another recommendation for readers who are interested in the works of this rediscovered writer
July 13, 2022
Very gothic with a moldering mansion complete with medieval tunnels, siblings (including a brother who is very damaged and his imperious twin sister) who hate each other, an arrest warrant for fraud, the disappearance of assets, an apparent suicide in a locked room, and a later murder. The plot is entertaining (if crazy) but there’s just a bit too much description of the mansion and grounds, the mechanics of the “suicide”, and other deceptions. Also: all respect to the English police but I really don’t think they’d have questioned the suicide based on the incredibly slight evidence presented.
December 27, 2020
Solid mystery, convoluted plot, generic characters
The mystery is solid, and fairly engaging, but halfway through the story, I just didn't care enough about the people to read the solution. Nonetheless, I did. Frankly, the plot was overly complicated - so much so that I sped through the final chapter just to get the gist of it. Trying to read how the detectives solved the crime was painful. All of the characters were two dimensional, and generic.
The mystery is solid, and fairly engaging, but halfway through the story, I just didn't care enough about the people to read the solution. Nonetheless, I did. Frankly, the plot was overly complicated - so much so that I sped through the final chapter just to get the gist of it. Trying to read how the detectives solved the crime was painful. All of the characters were two dimensional, and generic.
August 26, 2023
A Very Interesting Mystery
First, let me say that plot wise, this book deserves four stars. However,because the publisher did such an atrocious job with the book I gave it three stars. Clearly no one proofread this book. It is full of typos, lack of correct punctuation, etc. However because of the complicated plot it is well worth reading. I love E.C.R. Lorax’s mysteries, but I will be sure not to buy any more published by this publisher.
First, let me say that plot wise, this book deserves four stars. However,because the publisher did such an atrocious job with the book I gave it three stars. Clearly no one proofread this book. It is full of typos, lack of correct punctuation, etc. However because of the complicated plot it is well worth reading. I love E.C.R. Lorax’s mysteries, but I will be sure not to buy any more published by this publisher.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews