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The Wilberforce Legacy
Why do the tragic events at the run-down hotel in the Caribbean seem to center around the aged Mr. Wilberforce? Two people claim to be his nephew George; one of them is found murdered, floating in the swimming pool wearing a mask of the old man's face. There is a kidnapping. A fire is set. Wilberforce's niece Alison does not have the answers--Inspector Vincent cannot find them. Only Mr. Wilberforce knows--and he has disappeared.
- GenresMystery
189 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
16 people want to read
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 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 19, 2015
Benjamin Wilberforce is an elderly man hoping to spend his final retirement years in peace and quiet in Princeton, San Fernando (a Caribbean stand-in for Trinidad). He had resigned his commission jin the British Army when his brother's criminal activities came to light. He gets his wish until a flurry of telegrams and letters arrive at his hotel from his sister and his nephew. The letters are from his sister warning him that his ne'er-do-well nephew George (son of their crooked brother) will be visiting him soon--probably looking for money--and that her daughter is also on her way just to visit the uncle she remembers fondly. The telegrams, one sent from the United States and one sent from Venezuela--at virtually the same time and date, each claim to be from George with the glad tidings that he will arrive the next day. George #1 will arrive in the morning and George #2 in the afternoon.
Alison Maclean, Mr. Wilberforce's niece, arrives shortly thereafter to find that George #1 has been found murdered, floating in the pool of Wilberforce's hotel and wearing a death mask of the old man's face, George #2 had visited and apparently left, and Benjamin Wilberforce is nowhere to be found. It's no use trying to get answers out of Wilberforce's lawyer and confidante, Mr. Gopal, because he has disappeared too. Faced with these inexplicable events, Alison decides to stay on the island until the mystery is cleared up. A bonus is her interest in Peter Grant, the young lawyer sent out from England to help her get to the bottom of Wilberforce's disappearance. Superintendent Graham and Inspector Vincent with the Fernandan police investigate and are helped by the two young people and by Jim, the Fernandan waiter at Uncle Ben’s hotel, who knows more than anyone about Benjamin Wilberforce and his legacy. Before it's all over, Alison will be kidnapped and drugged, a fire will be set, and someone will come back from the dead.
This is a slow-moving, leisurely read (not unlike life as a retired military man on a Caribbean island) with just a dash of action towards the end. Bell (aka Doris Bell Collier Ball) sets her stage well--good island atmosphere and detail with decently outlined characters, though some of the island inhabitants may run a bit to stereotype. Alison plays the plucky heroine well although she does show a latent tendency to defer to the handsome, strong hero Peter Grant whenever his arms are available for collapsing tearfully. When Peter is not around, she stands up nicely to the bad guys and shows her independence as a good heroine should. There's not much mystery about who is behind the murders and resulting mayhem, but there is a nice surprise in store for the villain as well as a tiny twist for the reader to enjoy. Overall a solid ★★★ outing.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
Alison Maclean, Mr. Wilberforce's niece, arrives shortly thereafter to find that George #1 has been found murdered, floating in the pool of Wilberforce's hotel and wearing a death mask of the old man's face, George #2 had visited and apparently left, and Benjamin Wilberforce is nowhere to be found. It's no use trying to get answers out of Wilberforce's lawyer and confidante, Mr. Gopal, because he has disappeared too. Faced with these inexplicable events, Alison decides to stay on the island until the mystery is cleared up. A bonus is her interest in Peter Grant, the young lawyer sent out from England to help her get to the bottom of Wilberforce's disappearance. Superintendent Graham and Inspector Vincent with the Fernandan police investigate and are helped by the two young people and by Jim, the Fernandan waiter at Uncle Ben’s hotel, who knows more than anyone about Benjamin Wilberforce and his legacy. Before it's all over, Alison will be kidnapped and drugged, a fire will be set, and someone will come back from the dead.
This is a slow-moving, leisurely read (not unlike life as a retired military man on a Caribbean island) with just a dash of action towards the end. Bell (aka Doris Bell Collier Ball) sets her stage well--good island atmosphere and detail with decently outlined characters, though some of the island inhabitants may run a bit to stereotype. Alison plays the plucky heroine well although she does show a latent tendency to defer to the handsome, strong hero Peter Grant whenever his arms are available for collapsing tearfully. When Peter is not around, she stands up nicely to the bad guys and shows her independence as a good heroine should. There's not much mystery about who is behind the murders and resulting mayhem, but there is a nice surprise in store for the villain as well as a tiny twist for the reader to enjoy. Overall a solid ★★★ outing.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting. Thanks.
July 2, 2021
"THE CORPSE WEARS THE FACE OF A VERY OLD MAN. THE OLD MAN HIMSELF STILL LIVES -- OR DOES HE?
"Why do the tragic events at the run-down hotel in the Caribbean seem to center around the aged Mr. Wilberforce? Two people claim to be his nephew George; one of them is found murdered, floating in the swimming pool wearing a mask of the old man's face. There is a kidnapping. A fire is set. Wilberforce's niece Alison does not have the answers; Inspector Vincent cannot find them. Only Mr. Wilberforce knows -- and he has disappeared."
~~back cover
Not one of this author's best efforts, imho. The plot is twisted and doesn't make much sense, even in the end.
"Why do the tragic events at the run-down hotel in the Caribbean seem to center around the aged Mr. Wilberforce? Two people claim to be his nephew George; one of them is found murdered, floating in the swimming pool wearing a mask of the old man's face. There is a kidnapping. A fire is set. Wilberforce's niece Alison does not have the answers; Inspector Vincent cannot find them. Only Mr. Wilberforce knows -- and he has disappeared."
~~back cover
Not one of this author's best efforts, imho. The plot is twisted and doesn't make much sense, even in the end.
April 4, 2020
Meh, it passed the time. It was just dated enough (1969) to have unpleasant racist & sexist bits but not dated enough to think "Well, what can you expect from people 200 years ago. Of course they would say x". The most exciting thing about reading this book was that it helped me whittle down the pile of unread paperback mysteries I've bought over the years while thrifting.
April 15, 2008
Wish I'd fall over a box of Josephine Bell mysteries at the next library book sale. She is superb.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews