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صرخة في سوهو
تدور أحداث الرواية أثناء الحرب العالمية الثانية؛ حيث يُسمَع صوت صرخة تَصمُّ الآذان، ويُعثَر على آثارِ دماءٍ وسكين في «سوهو سكوير» بلندن. يتولى المفتِّش «مكارثي» التحقيق في القضية التي يلفُّها الغموض؛ ليجد أن الضحية من أصلٍ ألماني، وأن لها صِلةً بعمليةِ تجسُّس لسرقةِ خُططٍ مهمة من «وايتهول»، ويقوده ذلك إلى أنَّ سبب الجريمة هو صراع مخابراتي للحصول على هذه الخُطط. ويتبع المفتِّش حدْسَه الذي يدفعه للشك في صِلةِ رجلٍ ألماني بذلك الصراع، وبينما يُحاول فكَّ خيوط هذا الصراع الغامض الذي يقع بسببه المزيدُ من جرائم القتل، يكتشف أن إحدى العصابات الإيطالية في «سوهو» لها صِلة بتلك الجرائم وبعملية التجسُّس. كذلك يُفاجأ المفتِّش بأن إحدى البارونات النمساويات التي تُقيم في لندن مُتورِّطة في الأمر. يُحاول المفتِّش «مكارثي» استعادةَ تلك الخُطط الشديدة الأهمية والقبضَ على مُرتكِبي تلك الجرائم، فهل سيَنجح في ذلك؟ هذا ما ستَكشِف عنه أحداثُ هذه الرواية المثيرة.
192 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1940
42 people are currently reading
760 people want to read
About the author
John G. Brandon
28 books8 followersJohn Gordon Brandon (1879-1941) was an Australian-born writer who was initially a professional heavyweight boxer.
He moved to England after the First World War and his first published novel was 'The Big Hunt' (1923). He wrote more than 120 novels, and numerous short stories which were published in 'The Thriller'. After writing another six novels in the 1920s, his most productive decade was the 1930s when he wrote 78 novels. Published posthumously, 'Death Skulks in Soho' (1959) would appear to be his final novel.
He wrote instalments in the long-running Sexton Blake series and his principal characters were Sexton Blake, Patrick Aloysius McCarthy and Arthur Stukeley Pennington.
His son was the writer Gordon Brandon.
He moved to England after the First World War and his first published novel was 'The Big Hunt' (1923). He wrote more than 120 novels, and numerous short stories which were published in 'The Thriller'. After writing another six novels in the 1920s, his most productive decade was the 1930s when he wrote 78 novels. Published posthumously, 'Death Skulks in Soho' (1959) would appear to be his final novel.
He wrote instalments in the long-running Sexton Blake series and his principal characters were Sexton Blake, Patrick Aloysius McCarthy and Arthur Stukeley Pennington.
His son was the writer Gordon Brandon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
July 23, 2016
This is an espionage thriller published and set in 1940s London. It is of its time with respect to attitudes portrayed so be prepared for sexism, racism and homophobia. Detective Inspector Patrick McCarthy is an unconventional Soho man, having grown up in the area. He has a number of contacts with the criminal underworld which aid him in his investigations. At this time, London is experiencing blackouts and on one such night, McCarthy hears a scream that makes him rush out to see what is happening. There is no body but there is a knife with blood on it.
This sets off an investigation where the body eventually turns up at Hampstead Heath. McCarthy works with the police but also with a number of characters outside it, who more often than not, talk in thick cockney accents. He encounters Italian gangsters, Austrian aristocrats and German spies. A number of gruesome murders occur, including that of a woman that turns outs to be a man. There are missing secret anti aircraft missile plans. McCarthy puts together several different strands of the investigation to arrive at the truth.
There is plenty of humour and the occasional feel of high camp to the story. It is best to not look for plausibility and just enjoy the fun action filled book. It has a fast paced narrative that keeps the reader engaged. Above all else, it is an entertaining read. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC.
This sets off an investigation where the body eventually turns up at Hampstead Heath. McCarthy works with the police but also with a number of characters outside it, who more often than not, talk in thick cockney accents. He encounters Italian gangsters, Austrian aristocrats and German spies. A number of gruesome murders occur, including that of a woman that turns outs to be a man. There are missing secret anti aircraft missile plans. McCarthy puts together several different strands of the investigation to arrive at the truth.
There is plenty of humour and the occasional feel of high camp to the story. It is best to not look for plausibility and just enjoy the fun action filled book. It has a fast paced narrative that keeps the reader engaged. Above all else, it is an entertaining read. Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC.
Read
March 23, 2017Utter crap even by the standards of melodramatic period pulp thrillers. I usually like the BL reissues, but someone was having an off day when they picked this. It's casually racist, ableist, misogynistic, and transphobic, also stupid, boring, lazily plotted, wasting a good idea, and the hero is a twat. This is not what I go to melodramatic period pulp thrillers for.
I additionally submit to the jury that the chapter titles have exclamation marks ("The Inspector Is Taken Off The Case!") and that the author actually uses the phrase "an amorphous shape". An amorphous shape. My editorial brain just blew up like a phone in a microwave.
Waste of trees.
I additionally submit to the jury that the chapter titles have exclamation marks ("The Inspector Is Taken Off The Case!") and that the author actually uses the phrase "an amorphous shape". An amorphous shape. My editorial brain just blew up like a phone in a microwave.
Waste of trees.
June 11, 2020
I love Soho. And finding out that the main plot of this book is set in one of my favourite places filled with fond memories of a previous place of employment, I had high hopes for this book.
Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed.
I still love that the British Library Crime Classics are reminding us of some great novels we would otherwise miss out on, but this was not one of them.
For all I care, I'd happily never encounter Brandon's work again. Ever.
Still, I guess there is some value in having this book as a reminder that publishing and crime fiction in general have, for the most part, moved on from creating pulpy, badly researched, slashers that base their entire plot on the portrayal of racism and tropes .
I even gave this book the benefit of my doubt as far as I could because I fully understand why some of the xenophobia was present in this story, but this story just does not work. Near enough the entire story is set in the immigrant communities, and yet, the only plot and tension was created because of the cliched portrayal of the groups of immigrants. I cannot even think of any one individual character who was portrayed as an individual human being. Not a single one.
Add to this some other ridiculousness - apparently, there was an espionage story in there somewhere - and I seriously cannot think why any trees had to die for this particular re-issue.
Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed.
I still love that the British Library Crime Classics are reminding us of some great novels we would otherwise miss out on, but this was not one of them.
For all I care, I'd happily never encounter Brandon's work again. Ever.
Still, I guess there is some value in having this book as a reminder that publishing and crime fiction in general have, for the most part, moved on from creating pulpy, badly researched, slashers that base their entire plot on the portrayal of racism and tropes .
I even gave this book the benefit of my doubt as far as I could because I fully understand why some of the xenophobia was present in this story, but this story just does not work. Near enough the entire story is set in the immigrant communities, and yet, the only plot and tension was created because of the cliched portrayal of the groups of immigrants. I cannot even think of any one individual character who was portrayed as an individual human being. Not a single one.
Add to this some other ridiculousness - apparently, there was an espionage story in there somewhere - and I seriously cannot think why any trees had to die for this particular re-issue.
June 11, 2020
John G. Brandon was an ex-boxer turned hack, so one can’t expect too much from A Scream in Soho – or the other ten novels he published in 1940.
I was hoping for some atmosphere from the streets, clubs, and dives of blacked-out wartime London, but Brandon just wasn’t a good enough writer for that sort of thing. He didn’t waste much time describing characters and places if they weren’t immediately part of the story. But at least it is a contemporary story, so a degree of period flavour is present as the multi-talented Detective Inspector McCarthy gropingly pursues a transvestite, a dwarf, “the lads of the Mafia”, and secret agents galore through “this never-to-be-sufficiently-damned black-out business”. It is the sort of novel where the sex of a corpse in the morgue is determined by feeling its chin for bristles. McCarthy is shocked. A man in women's clothing? “The pure Aryan seems to have a very definite leaning in that direction.” And the proof of German nationality? Old duelling scars. He knows a foreigner when he sees one.
The novel is complete tosh – but it is authentic vintage tosh and not a bogus modern reproduction. I quite enjoyed it in a daft sort of way, but I shall make no effort to search out John G. Brandon’s remaining 120 thrillers. One is more than ample.
I was hoping for some atmosphere from the streets, clubs, and dives of blacked-out wartime London, but Brandon just wasn’t a good enough writer for that sort of thing. He didn’t waste much time describing characters and places if they weren’t immediately part of the story. But at least it is a contemporary story, so a degree of period flavour is present as the multi-talented Detective Inspector McCarthy gropingly pursues a transvestite, a dwarf, “the lads of the Mafia”, and secret agents galore through “this never-to-be-sufficiently-damned black-out business”. It is the sort of novel where the sex of a corpse in the morgue is determined by feeling its chin for bristles. McCarthy is shocked. A man in women's clothing? “The pure Aryan seems to have a very definite leaning in that direction.” And the proof of German nationality? Old duelling scars. He knows a foreigner when he sees one.
The novel is complete tosh – but it is authentic vintage tosh and not a bogus modern reproduction. I quite enjoyed it in a daft sort of way, but I shall make no effort to search out John G. Brandon’s remaining 120 thrillers. One is more than ample.
July 27, 2016
This book is for fun not for realism. Detective Inspector McCarthy is a bit of a big-headed know-it-all who investigates a murder in his stamping ground of Soho, London in the 1940's.
It's funny in places and fast-paced with an exciting plot but not much substance...still a good read though.
It's funny in places and fast-paced with an exciting plot but not much substance...still a good read though.
Read
April 16, 2023With murders, stolen aircraft plans, espionage, people in disguise, glamorous women, Italian gangs, one-to-one fights, and an Inspector who’s not only a step ahead of the criminals, but also one up on the poor Assistant Commissioner—though not PC at all (lots of stereotyping, xenophobia and much else), and not a whodunit either, A Scream in Soho (1940) by John G. Brandon is still a good deal of fun.
A former heavyweight boxer, Australian writer John G. Brandon went on to write over 120 novels and several short stories including Sexton Blake stories. Among his novels were a series featuring Detective Inspector Patrick Aloysius McCarthy, of which this is one entry.
Our story opens in the midst of the blackout one evening as Detective Inspector McCarthy makes his way to a small Italian restaurant (which he had a role in the establishment of) to dine with his friend, Assistant Commissioner William Haynes. There a man with very light eyes attracts his attention, and McCarthy’s intuition does turn out right as we see later. The same evening after blundering his way home, McCarthy is settling into bed only to be shaken by a bloodcurdling scream which rouses all and sundry around. Once again blundering his way through the blackout, he finds a bloodied knife and some blood but no body. By the next morning though, there are no one but three bodies, one of which is a beautiful woman who goes by the name Madame Rohner.
A fair bit of the action unfolds in Soho, where McCarthy himself lives, and as he investigates these mysterious occurrences, he is also assigned to the matter of missing aircraft plans, stolen from Whitehall no less—and no surprise that the two sets of events turn out to be connected. With some help from trusted (and not-so trusted) informants and small-time criminals, as also his friend and taxi driver ‘Big’ Bill Withers, McCarthy almost always has the upper hand (while the AC seems not to have the slightest clue what’s going on), getting to the bottom of things and taking the crooks by surprise.
Detective Inspector McCarthy here is presented as rather unconventional, and almost a larger-than-life character, able to see what others are not.
Rumour had it that the inspector, albeit as clever as paint and a man who was bound for the top of the tree fast, was not only as mad as a hatter, but an inveterate joker under any circumstances.
He lives in Soho (where he also grew up), is familiar with all its residents and also its small and big criminals and gangs, and can navigate his way through its lanes and people, and seems to be able to see through the more glamorous crowd with equal ease. While he is the kind of character who is always shown as being many steps ahead of others (while some like the AC seem to just bumble around)—clever, just, kind-hearted (your typical conventional movie hero)—Brandon doesn’t make him entirely invincible either, as one villain does manage to catch on to him (even if he doesn’t win), and the darkness of the blackout does manage to defeat all his claims:
Just how many times in his career McCarthy had boasted that he could traverse Soho at any hour of day and night blindfolded, or in the thickest fog was borne in weightily upon him at this moment.
This book is more thriller than mystery as we know from the start who the villains of the piece are, and others we get hints to as we go on, still it is a fairly action-packed book with some surprises along the way which keep one entertained as also interested in seeing how things will be resolved in the end. Brandon also weaves in a fair bit of humour into the story.
There are plenty of problems however, from McCarthy’s cockiness (which while I didn’t like also didn’t annoy me too much) to more importantly all the attitudes of the time (stereotypes, exaggerated accents, xenophobia…) but while these did stand out, they didn’t completely ruin the book for me either (though I can see that these did mar other readers’ enjoyment).
Despite its problems, the book plays out more or less like what I’d describe as a typical (conventional) ‘action’ film—with a larger-than-life hero, stereotypical villains (among them a rather powerful and sinister dwarf character who kills, and a glamourous woman), spies and disguises, hand-to-hand fights—an entertaining bit of fun. Good for a one time read!
3.5 stars
A former heavyweight boxer, Australian writer John G. Brandon went on to write over 120 novels and several short stories including Sexton Blake stories. Among his novels were a series featuring Detective Inspector Patrick Aloysius McCarthy, of which this is one entry.
Our story opens in the midst of the blackout one evening as Detective Inspector McCarthy makes his way to a small Italian restaurant (which he had a role in the establishment of) to dine with his friend, Assistant Commissioner William Haynes. There a man with very light eyes attracts his attention, and McCarthy’s intuition does turn out right as we see later. The same evening after blundering his way home, McCarthy is settling into bed only to be shaken by a bloodcurdling scream which rouses all and sundry around. Once again blundering his way through the blackout, he finds a bloodied knife and some blood but no body. By the next morning though, there are no one but three bodies, one of which is a beautiful woman who goes by the name Madame Rohner.
A fair bit of the action unfolds in Soho, where McCarthy himself lives, and as he investigates these mysterious occurrences, he is also assigned to the matter of missing aircraft plans, stolen from Whitehall no less—and no surprise that the two sets of events turn out to be connected. With some help from trusted (and not-so trusted) informants and small-time criminals, as also his friend and taxi driver ‘Big’ Bill Withers, McCarthy almost always has the upper hand (while the AC seems not to have the slightest clue what’s going on), getting to the bottom of things and taking the crooks by surprise.
Detective Inspector McCarthy here is presented as rather unconventional, and almost a larger-than-life character, able to see what others are not.
Rumour had it that the inspector, albeit as clever as paint and a man who was bound for the top of the tree fast, was not only as mad as a hatter, but an inveterate joker under any circumstances.
He lives in Soho (where he also grew up), is familiar with all its residents and also its small and big criminals and gangs, and can navigate his way through its lanes and people, and seems to be able to see through the more glamorous crowd with equal ease. While he is the kind of character who is always shown as being many steps ahead of others (while some like the AC seem to just bumble around)—clever, just, kind-hearted (your typical conventional movie hero)—Brandon doesn’t make him entirely invincible either, as one villain does manage to catch on to him (even if he doesn’t win), and the darkness of the blackout does manage to defeat all his claims:
Just how many times in his career McCarthy had boasted that he could traverse Soho at any hour of day and night blindfolded, or in the thickest fog was borne in weightily upon him at this moment.
This book is more thriller than mystery as we know from the start who the villains of the piece are, and others we get hints to as we go on, still it is a fairly action-packed book with some surprises along the way which keep one entertained as also interested in seeing how things will be resolved in the end. Brandon also weaves in a fair bit of humour into the story.
There are plenty of problems however, from McCarthy’s cockiness (which while I didn’t like also didn’t annoy me too much) to more importantly all the attitudes of the time (stereotypes, exaggerated accents, xenophobia…) but while these did stand out, they didn’t completely ruin the book for me either (though I can see that these did mar other readers’ enjoyment).
Despite its problems, the book plays out more or less like what I’d describe as a typical (conventional) ‘action’ film—with a larger-than-life hero, stereotypical villains (among them a rather powerful and sinister dwarf character who kills, and a glamourous woman), spies and disguises, hand-to-hand fights—an entertaining bit of fun. Good for a one time read!
3.5 stars
October 24, 2021
Книжката е лежерна, на едно-две сядания човек преспокойно може да я прочете. И май с това ми се изчерпват плюсовете, идва ред на голямото "но".
Не ми хареса как авторът описваше как еди-кой-си герой тръгнал по еди-коя-си улица, все едно на мен това ще ми говори нещо, беше напълно излишно и скучно. Все пак чета художествена литература, а не пътеводител на квартал "Сохо".
Другото нещо, което не ми се понрави беше арогантното поведение на инспектор Маккарти. Уж беше подчинен на Бил Хейнс, пък на мен ми изглеждаше обратното. Третираше го като малко момче, а не-началник. Твърде самонадеян ми се стори, но за сметка на това беше ужасно хитър и почти винаги два хода преди лошите.
Не ми допадна, че започна доста кърваво-две убийства и впоследствие се увеличи броят на жертвите и накрая се оказа, че извършителят не е един човек. На всеки един от тях, мотивът беше различен и самият случай ми се стори глупав. Едно непрестанно лутане заради едни чертежи.
Също така, ми свърши много рязко. Арестуваха единия лош и не се каза нищо повече за останалите съучастници. То ясно какво ще се случи, ама щеше да е хубаво да си го има написано и да си има окончателен завършек историята.
Забравих да кажа, че "мъжът с леденосините очи", както го наричаха в книгата, ми беше доста интересен и едва ли не, заради него продължих да чета.
На почитателите на Агата Кристи, мисля че би се харесала! Детективът доста обичаше да си размишлява на глас и да обобщава какво е открил до настоящия му момент. Аз лично предпочитам по-експедитивното действие, не играта на котка и мишка, затова може би и не ми допадна особено. Но наистина се чете доста бързо.
Не ми хареса как авторът описваше как еди-кой-си герой тръгнал по еди-коя-си улица, все едно на мен това ще ми говори нещо, беше напълно излишно и скучно. Все пак чета художествена литература, а не пътеводител на квартал "Сохо".
Другото нещо, което не ми се понрави беше арогантното поведение на инспектор Маккарти. Уж беше подчинен на Бил Хейнс, пък на мен ми изглеждаше обратното. Третираше го като малко момче, а не-началник. Твърде самонадеян ми се стори, но за сметка на това беше ужасно хитър и почти винаги два хода преди лошите.
Не ми допадна, че започна доста кърваво-две убийства и впоследствие се увеличи броят на жертвите и накрая се оказа, че извършителят не е един човек. На всеки един от тях, мотивът беше различен и самият случай ми се стори глупав. Едно непрестанно лутане заради едни чертежи.
Също така, ми свърши много рязко. Арестуваха единия лош и не се каза нищо повече за останалите съучастници. То ясно какво ще се случи, ама щеше да е хубаво да си го има написано и да си има окончателен завършек историята.
Забравих да кажа, че "мъжът с леденосините очи", както го наричаха в книгата, ми беше доста интересен и едва ли не, заради него продължих да чета.
На почитателите на Агата Кристи, мисля че би се харесала! Детективът доста обичаше да си размишлява на глас и да обобщава какво е открил до настоящия му момент. Аз лично предпочитам по-експедитивното действие, не играта на котка и мишка, затова може би и не ми допадна особено. Но наистина се чете доста бързо.
May 4, 2022
“Ainult et mõrvadega on see õnnetu lugu, seersant, et need ei toimu kunagi kindlate reeglite kohaselt.”
Raamat räägib salapärasest karjest Sohos nagu ka tegelikult pealkiri ütleb. Alguses oli natukene raske aru saada, kes räägib või mis toimub, kuid peale esimest peatükki sain juba aru. Teos on nagu iga teinegi detektiiviraamat: keegi tapetakse ja inspektor hakkab mõrva uurima. Lihtne raamat, kui on reading slump ja soovid midagi kerget lugeda. Soovitan criminology huvilistele ja ka tegelt teistele, kellele meeldib action.
Mainin ka ära, et kuna raamat toimub II maailma sõja ajal, siis sealt paljud tegelased on transphobicud, racistid jne.
Raamat räägib salapärasest karjest Sohos nagu ka tegelikult pealkiri ütleb. Alguses oli natukene raske aru saada, kes räägib või mis toimub, kuid peale esimest peatükki sain juba aru. Teos on nagu iga teinegi detektiiviraamat: keegi tapetakse ja inspektor hakkab mõrva uurima. Lihtne raamat, kui on reading slump ja soovid midagi kerget lugeda. Soovitan criminology huvilistele ja ka tegelt teistele, kellele meeldib action.
Mainin ka ära, et kuna raamat toimub II maailma sõja ajal, siis sealt paljud tegelased on transphobicud, racistid jne.
June 10, 2021
За мен книжката беше интересна. Доста заплетена за времето, по което е писана и имаше моменти на изненада.
July 13, 2015
While there's a certain nostalgic pleasure to be had from reading about wartime Soho, this book has dated badly. Borderline xenophobia (and Italians who talk-a like dat) and sexism, some really unfortunate language (the rather heinous phrase n- in the woodpile makes an appearance), a ridiculously perfect hero and a thin plot make it not really worth the effort, which is a shame because as a book it's a rather lovely edition.
November 8, 2015
Australian-born writer John G Brandon specialised in mysteries set in London and 'A Scream in Soho' admirably captures the excitement of Soho and its purlieus in the early black-out years of World War II. Soho Square, Dean Street, Greek Street, Charing Cross Road and all around into the West End form an evocative background to a thriller that is suspenseful from first to last.
Detective Inspector Patrick Aloysius McCarthy of Scotland Yard and a Soho Square resident hears a scream in the night and going out into the Cimmerian blackness he discovers that the scream is a prelude to murder. But there is no body, just blood stains that he and a passing police constable find confusing, particularly when a bloodied knife is discovered close to the scene.
Thus begins a chain of exciting events that take McCarthy and his various cohorts, both in the police force and outwith it - crooks who do undercover work for him, cockney taxi drivers and the like - into various dangers and into contact with all sorts of nefarious people. These last named include Italian gangsters, German spies and glamorous Austrian aristocrats.
The murder of a police constable and then the local coffee stall holder heighten the plot but as McCarthy seems to be making no headway he is removed from the case. That is until one of his associates, 'Danny the Dip', is discovered on Hampstead Heath with a dead female close by (or is it a female after all?) and in addition a top secret package of anti-aircraft plans goes missing from Whitehall.
Restored to the case, McCarthy feels sure that the murder and the missing plans go together and in a spell-binding piece of investigative work he sets out to solve the mystery. The evocative and very descriptive Soho setting adds immensely to the plot, which McCarthy, in the manner of all good Detective Inspectors, but not without frightening moments and severe damage to his person, finally solves.
'A Scream in Soho' is an excellent rip-roaring yarn in typical 1940s style.
Detective Inspector Patrick Aloysius McCarthy of Scotland Yard and a Soho Square resident hears a scream in the night and going out into the Cimmerian blackness he discovers that the scream is a prelude to murder. But there is no body, just blood stains that he and a passing police constable find confusing, particularly when a bloodied knife is discovered close to the scene.
Thus begins a chain of exciting events that take McCarthy and his various cohorts, both in the police force and outwith it - crooks who do undercover work for him, cockney taxi drivers and the like - into various dangers and into contact with all sorts of nefarious people. These last named include Italian gangsters, German spies and glamorous Austrian aristocrats.
The murder of a police constable and then the local coffee stall holder heighten the plot but as McCarthy seems to be making no headway he is removed from the case. That is until one of his associates, 'Danny the Dip', is discovered on Hampstead Heath with a dead female close by (or is it a female after all?) and in addition a top secret package of anti-aircraft plans goes missing from Whitehall.
Restored to the case, McCarthy feels sure that the murder and the missing plans go together and in a spell-binding piece of investigative work he sets out to solve the mystery. The evocative and very descriptive Soho setting adds immensely to the plot, which McCarthy, in the manner of all good Detective Inspectors, but not without frightening moments and severe damage to his person, finally solves.
'A Scream in Soho' is an excellent rip-roaring yarn in typical 1940s style.
January 26, 2019
Statutory warning:
If you are looking for a cozy Golden Age Mystery, this is not it.
If you looking for a book which is politically correct by modern standards(You are a prize fool if you expect it anyway) ,this is not it.
If you are looking for a spy thriller in the mode of Ambler or Buchan, this is not it.
A Scream in Soho has been correctly resurrected by Martin Edwards, as it is a sample of a spy thriller when Fu Manchu, Sexton Blake and the four just men ruled the roost. Its a page turner ,quite lucidly written and populated with over the top characters . 18 inch Spanner is thrown in the coat pocket, throats are cut in a manner to take the head almost off but keep the killer unsullied by victims blood, Blueprints leave blue traces whoever touches them, A strong perfume helps the detective to smell out connections 14 hours after a visit .......
I left that sentence incomplete intentionally as I think I have made my point already. Don't look for plausibility, just read it in one sitting if possible and enjoy it if you can. If you can enjoy Rohmer or Wallace , you will probably enjoy this. It is not a great book among those kinds of book in any way but quite decent all the same.
This reminded me of books in my mother tongue (Bengali), written by Dinendra Kumar Roy(He wrote about a hundred Robert Blakes ,basically translating Sexton Blake),Shashadhar Dutta(Dasyu Mohan) and Swapan Kumar(Biswa Chakra Series with Deepak & Ratan being the detectives), which I read in their dozens in my school days . Nostalgia inducing stuff.
This is a book from a simpler time written for simple minds. Read only if you can get yourself into that state of mind when reading this book.
If you are looking for a cozy Golden Age Mystery, this is not it.
If you looking for a book which is politically correct by modern standards(You are a prize fool if you expect it anyway) ,this is not it.
If you are looking for a spy thriller in the mode of Ambler or Buchan, this is not it.
A Scream in Soho has been correctly resurrected by Martin Edwards, as it is a sample of a spy thriller when Fu Manchu, Sexton Blake and the four just men ruled the roost. Its a page turner ,quite lucidly written and populated with over the top characters . 18 inch Spanner is thrown in the coat pocket, throats are cut in a manner to take the head almost off but keep the killer unsullied by victims blood, Blueprints leave blue traces whoever touches them, A strong perfume helps the detective to smell out connections 14 hours after a visit .......
I left that sentence incomplete intentionally as I think I have made my point already. Don't look for plausibility, just read it in one sitting if possible and enjoy it if you can. If you can enjoy Rohmer or Wallace , you will probably enjoy this. It is not a great book among those kinds of book in any way but quite decent all the same.
This reminded me of books in my mother tongue (Bengali), written by Dinendra Kumar Roy(He wrote about a hundred Robert Blakes ,basically translating Sexton Blake),Shashadhar Dutta(Dasyu Mohan) and Swapan Kumar(Biswa Chakra Series with Deepak & Ratan being the detectives), which I read in their dozens in my school days . Nostalgia inducing stuff.
This is a book from a simpler time written for simple minds. Read only if you can get yourself into that state of mind when reading this book.
November 2, 2020
Историята е интересна, но изпълнението не е особено впечатляващо.
Очаквах повече... Имаше престъпления, имаше жертви и убийци, имаше шпионаж, само дето нямаше мистерия. А това би следвало да е основното.
Оценката ми е около 2.5
Пълното ревю на книгата може да прочетеш в блога ми 🔗
https://edinjivotjiveem.wixsite.com/e...
Очаквах повече... Имаше престъпления, имаше жертви и убийци, имаше шпионаж, само дето нямаше мистерия. А това би следвало да е основното.
Оценката ми е около 2.5
Пълното ревю на книгата може да прочетеш в блога ми 🔗
https://edinjivotjiveem.wixsite.com/e...
December 1, 2020
За съжаление "Писък в Сохо" не ми хареса. Имах големи очаквания, защото идеята е наистина добра и събуди любопитството ми още с първите страници на романа. Изпълнението обаче не е моето.
Получило се е едно разтегляне на сюжета, всичко ми беше излишно описателно. Имаше моменти, в които прочитах 10 страници от книгата, а всъщност нищо съществено не се случваше. В следствие на това романът още на половината ми доскуча и едва го дочетох до финала.
Пълното ми мнение може да прочетете тук ===> https://bookadventureclub.blogspot.co...
Получило се е едно разтегляне на сюжета, всичко ми беше излишно описателно. Имаше моменти, в които прочитах 10 страници от книгата, а всъщност нищо съществено не се случваше. В следствие на това романът още на половината ми доскуча и едва го дочетох до финала.
Пълното ми мнение може да прочетете тук ===> https://bookadventureclub.blogspot.co...
June 30, 2022
A page-turner of action, divil-try and intrigue. Inspector McCarthy who works the Soho area has his hands full when a blood curdling scream pulls him from his apartment into the black of night- which pretty much leads to a practically breakneck pace of murders and espionage. The plotting by Brandon is really fun, just enough twists to keep you on the toes and enough humor to break up the macabre.
McCarthy is a more down to earth version of a "James Bond" type character who has the fighting and thinking skills but also has the respect of the Soho area people to back him up as well. He is a fair man, and also someone who doesn't disrespect foreigners who have come to live in England. I could see how this writer would be very popular for his time and am glad to catch one of his stories in this reprint.
Afraid to go over the plot because it would ruin the surprises, and let's face it- you'll find them out soon enough after starting the book.
McCarthy is a more down to earth version of a "James Bond" type character who has the fighting and thinking skills but also has the respect of the Soho area people to back him up as well. He is a fair man, and also someone who doesn't disrespect foreigners who have come to live in England. I could see how this writer would be very popular for his time and am glad to catch one of his stories in this reprint.
Afraid to go over the plot because it would ruin the surprises, and let's face it- you'll find them out soon enough after starting the book.
September 4, 2022
Detective Inspector McCarthy (and all his neighbors) hears a scream ring out in the middle of a pitch-black night in Soho. No lights spring up--for we're in the middle of the black-out period in Britain. He makes his way to Soho Square--from whence the scream seemed to come--but the only evidence of an incident is a bloody doorway, a stiletto dagger, and an unmarked lady's handkerchief. Oh...and the lingering scent of a very distinctive perfume. There is no sign of a body or anyone who might have screamed. The constable who arrives on the scene is sure the scream came from a woman, but McCarthy thinks it was a man. It may be that they are both right. Before the night is over there will be three victims found...another police constable, an elderly food peddler, and a fashionable lady (who isn't quite...a lady, that is). And before the case is over McCarthy will find himself dealing with Italian gangsters, cross-dressing German spies, Austrian nobility, and a set of missing anti-aircraft defense plans.
This is just a plain fun thriller and espionage adventure. If you're looking for a classic whodunnit with clues and suspects and police interviews and whatnot, then this isn't it. McCarthy is a pretty atypical Yard Inspector. He totes a gun and works more with convenient civilians--particularly a cabman who's handy in a scrap and Danny the Dip whose picadilloes McCarthy overlooks in exchange for some shadowing duties--than he does with fellow officers. This makes McCarthy an appealing roguish hero--whose excellent record of detection keeps him from getting into trouble for his maverick ways. There isn't much doubt about who the bad guys are here, but it's interesting to watch McCarthy track them down and figure out a way to pin the murders and the espionage on them. I enjoyed this walk on the wilder side of World War II mysteries.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
This is just a plain fun thriller and espionage adventure. If you're looking for a classic whodunnit with clues and suspects and police interviews and whatnot, then this isn't it. McCarthy is a pretty atypical Yard Inspector. He totes a gun and works more with convenient civilians--particularly a cabman who's handy in a scrap and Danny the Dip whose picadilloes McCarthy overlooks in exchange for some shadowing duties--than he does with fellow officers. This makes McCarthy an appealing roguish hero--whose excellent record of detection keeps him from getting into trouble for his maverick ways. There isn't much doubt about who the bad guys are here, but it's interesting to watch McCarthy track them down and figure out a way to pin the murders and the espionage on them. I enjoyed this walk on the wilder side of World War II mysteries.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
May 31, 2025
It's the Blitz in London in the very early days of WWII (about 1930/40). Detective Inspector McCarthy of New Scotland Yard is out on the streets of Soho in blacked out London heading to meet someone in a local restaurant. While in the restaurant he saw a man with strangely light eyes whom he didn't recognize, unusual given McCarthy grew up in Soho and new everyone, and with the Blitz and blackout, locals let alone strangers were not out and about. Latter, right after settling to sleep in his nearby apartment, he hears a terrible scream rend the black night. Rushing to Soho Square from where the scream came, a terrible bloody murder scene was found on the steps up to one of the older buildings. But there is no body!
Thus begins a murderous thriller with elements of espionage set during those early days of the War. Over a two day period, we watch McCarthy follow clues and hunches until he not only solves the murder, but also recovers some key documents stolen from White Hall, preventing them from falling into German hands and capturing a spy or two at the same time. Plenty of action and excitement to be had, and an absolutely gripping picture of Soho during the Blitz, the solid blackness something we cannot imagine in a big city (well unless you find yourself in NYC during blackouts!). It's a thriller, fast paced, even a little rough, exciting.
Brandon was one of the writers of Golden Age Detective, writing at the same time as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, but where they perfected the whodunit and howdunit respectively, Brandon stuck with the sensational thrillers that entertained. Nothing wrong with that!
Besides the spectacular setting, there are definitely attitudes and language that today are not acceptable and reflect racist attitudes that offend. Example: anti-German ones though Soho was home to many German and Austrian emigres. Not surprising given that in 1939/40, the Germans were running bombing raids over London. The novel reflects dialogue and attitudes of the time and contributed to the sense of being present when all was happening.
Thus begins a murderous thriller with elements of espionage set during those early days of the War. Over a two day period, we watch McCarthy follow clues and hunches until he not only solves the murder, but also recovers some key documents stolen from White Hall, preventing them from falling into German hands and capturing a spy or two at the same time. Plenty of action and excitement to be had, and an absolutely gripping picture of Soho during the Blitz, the solid blackness something we cannot imagine in a big city (well unless you find yourself in NYC during blackouts!). It's a thriller, fast paced, even a little rough, exciting.
Brandon was one of the writers of Golden Age Detective, writing at the same time as Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, but where they perfected the whodunit and howdunit respectively, Brandon stuck with the sensational thrillers that entertained. Nothing wrong with that!
Besides the spectacular setting, there are definitely attitudes and language that today are not acceptable and reflect racist attitudes that offend. Example: anti-German ones though Soho was home to many German and Austrian emigres. Not surprising given that in 1939/40, the Germans were running bombing raids over London. The novel reflects dialogue and attitudes of the time and contributed to the sense of being present when all was happening.
May 20, 2024
In "A Scream in Soho," John Brandon delivers a pulsating narrative that plunges readers into the heart of London's wartime chaos with the finesse of a seasoned storyteller. Set against the backdrop of the Blitz, the streets of Soho become a labyrinth of intrigue and danger, where every shadow holds a secret and every whisper could be a clue.
Brandon's prose crackles with the tension of a city on edge, the air thick with the scent of fear and uncertainty. Through his vivid descriptions and meticulously crafted characters, he paints a portrait of a society grappling with the darkness of war while clinging to the fragile threads of normalcy.
While the pacing of the novel is undeniably brisk, propelling readers forward with relentless momentum, it is in its portrayal of Soho itself that "A Scream in Soho" truly shines. Brandon captures the essence of the neighbourhood with remarkable clarity, bringing its bustling streets and colourful inhabitants to life in vibrant detail.
However, for those expecting the intricate puzzles and cunning twists of an Agatha Christie mystery, "A Scream in Soho" may leave something to be desired. While the plot is engaging and the characters compelling, the mystery at its core lacks the intricate layers and sophisticated plotting that define the golden age of detective fiction.
Nevertheless, Brandon's novel is a captivating glimpse into a world teetering on the brink of collapse, where danger lurks around every corner and trust is a scarce commodity. "A Scream in Soho" may not reach the heights of its literary predecessors, but it is a thrilling ride through a dark and tumultuous chapter in London's history.
Brandon's prose crackles with the tension of a city on edge, the air thick with the scent of fear and uncertainty. Through his vivid descriptions and meticulously crafted characters, he paints a portrait of a society grappling with the darkness of war while clinging to the fragile threads of normalcy.
While the pacing of the novel is undeniably brisk, propelling readers forward with relentless momentum, it is in its portrayal of Soho itself that "A Scream in Soho" truly shines. Brandon captures the essence of the neighbourhood with remarkable clarity, bringing its bustling streets and colourful inhabitants to life in vibrant detail.
However, for those expecting the intricate puzzles and cunning twists of an Agatha Christie mystery, "A Scream in Soho" may leave something to be desired. While the plot is engaging and the characters compelling, the mystery at its core lacks the intricate layers and sophisticated plotting that define the golden age of detective fiction.
Nevertheless, Brandon's novel is a captivating glimpse into a world teetering on the brink of collapse, where danger lurks around every corner and trust is a scarce commodity. "A Scream in Soho" may not reach the heights of its literary predecessors, but it is a thrilling ride through a dark and tumultuous chapter in London's history.
April 23, 2025
Не съм очарована, макар книгата да е сравнително интересна. Брандън е твърде многословен за вкуса ми и въпреки че неговият инспектор Маккарти е интересен образ, усилията му да разреши загадката около един изчезнал труп и необясним писък в затъмненото Сохо са удавени в такова бъбрене и безсмислени подробности, че човек на моменти забравя какво всъщност се разследва.
July 27, 2025
KU Free Trial | I wouldn't have bothered if I had realized it was a Sapper-style thriller. They're absolutely preposterous, every time. The "it's-a me, Mario!" dialect (and the Cockney) is deeply irritating, there's use of the n-word, a "hideous" murderous dwarf, and a female impersonator? transvestite? unclear motivation and no justification for it to be part of the book. Proper MacGuffin in the stolen secret plans, and evil-doers are, as was common at the time, identified by their obvious Teutonic features that make them clearly wicked Germans and definitely not victimized Austrians.
July 15, 2018
Enjoyable, fast moving mystery set in early days of WWII London - so espionage is included! Written in 1940, there is ethnic & other racism in the language, per the time. (Own)
May 30, 2020
I think this is the first one star review I have ever given a book.
It really is as bad as the majority of other reviews suggest, and certainly for all the same reasons. Even allowing for the sensibilities of when it was written and published - during WWII - the xenophobia is crude and unpleasant. The plot line itself is unbelievable, the majority of characters utterly one-dimensional, and the writing itself extremely poor; it gives the impression of being written by a juvenile in a long stream of consciousness, a juvenile who thought it would be fun to write a thriller, and then rather than being read through and edited, published immediately. The grammar is bad, the choice of language at times verges on the bizarre, and the punctuation in applied much the same way Jackson Pollock applied paint to a canvas. By the end of the book, no cliche has been left untouched.
Sadly, I cannot even suggest this book is 'so bad it's good', rather it's so bad it's bad.
It really is as bad as the majority of other reviews suggest, and certainly for all the same reasons. Even allowing for the sensibilities of when it was written and published - during WWII - the xenophobia is crude and unpleasant. The plot line itself is unbelievable, the majority of characters utterly one-dimensional, and the writing itself extremely poor; it gives the impression of being written by a juvenile in a long stream of consciousness, a juvenile who thought it would be fun to write a thriller, and then rather than being read through and edited, published immediately. The grammar is bad, the choice of language at times verges on the bizarre, and the punctuation in applied much the same way Jackson Pollock applied paint to a canvas. By the end of the book, no cliche has been left untouched.
Sadly, I cannot even suggest this book is 'so bad it's good', rather it's so bad it's bad.
January 31, 2018
Pretty good. A bit slow to start but the second half was a proper page turner. Despite the wartime setting and some of its time language and stereotypes it read like a more recently written detective thriller.
May 13, 2022
Yep, this book isn't for everybody, as one could tell by reading other reviews. But if you enter this with your eyes wide open, quit applying current standards to a book written 80+ years ago, and realize that there were different perspectives and the uncertainty of what was about to take place in the world, you might have a bit of fun.
This is a thriller, with espionage and murder, written and set in Soho in the early days of WWII. Enter Detective Inspector McCarthy, a well-respected local cop, who hears a scream in the blacked-out night that sounded like murder. He rushes to Soho Square, only to find a lot of blood but no body - let the fun start. Secret agents, missing defense plans, European aristocrats, Italian mafia gangsters, cross-dressing spies, and a couple of more murders. If you don't take this too seriously and place it in the context of other thrillers of the time, you might find you have enjoyed this in spite of your reservations.
This is a thriller, with espionage and murder, written and set in Soho in the early days of WWII. Enter Detective Inspector McCarthy, a well-respected local cop, who hears a scream in the blacked-out night that sounded like murder. He rushes to Soho Square, only to find a lot of blood but no body - let the fun start. Secret agents, missing defense plans, European aristocrats, Italian mafia gangsters, cross-dressing spies, and a couple of more murders. If you don't take this too seriously and place it in the context of other thrillers of the time, you might find you have enjoyed this in spite of your reservations.
May 29, 2017
The first 5 minutes of the audio book consist of a description of the story narrated by someone sounding like an upper class twit from a "Carry On" movie. This sets the scene rather well, as A Scream in Soho is an utterly preposterous tale about a Detective Inspector McCarthy supposedly solving crime in 1940s blacked-out London. We have a German baddie, an Italian gangster and a cor-blimey cabbie whose sole reason for existence appears to be a dogsbody for McCarthy. There is no detective work whatsoever, merely a series of convenient events that nudge McCarthy towards a conclusion. He regularly reviews his progress at great length in case the reader is left in the slightest doubt about anything. Brandon doesn't believe in using a simple word when a longer one is available, and some of his language choices are extravagant to say the least. Absolutely bonkers, but the narrator of the audio book has a hoot and it's just about worth if it if you can manage to keep your tongue firmly in your cheek throughout.
December 14, 2021
"Just go round and pass your hands over the gentleman's clothes for any concealed weapons they may have about them. They probably haven't any, but in the other hand they may have. I don't think you need trouble about the ladies. They don't seem to be the sort that would carry arms, or use them with any skill if they did."
Just one of many times I rolled my eyes reading this book. I was kinda hoping one of those ladies would have had a weapon after all and proceeded to use said weapon with great skill much to Detective Inspector McCarthy's disbelief. But alas...
I know there are some great gems in the series but the last few I have read have not been terribly enjoyable. Hoping the next one I pick up will be more likeable.
Just one of many times I rolled my eyes reading this book. I was kinda hoping one of those ladies would have had a weapon after all and proceeded to use said weapon with great skill much to Detective Inspector McCarthy's disbelief. But alas...
I know there are some great gems in the series but the last few I have read have not been terribly enjoyable. Hoping the next one I pick up will be more likeable.
July 25, 2015
As a wartime thriller, this murder mystery is peppered with appallingly racist opinion and language which is only remotely understandable as it was written in 1940.
Putting that to one side, it's the sort of hard-bitten Inspector tracking down clues amid criminal gangs that is, now, quite hilariously entertaining to read.
The murderous criminals and the tough Inspector all seem to live within a square mile of each other and know each other so well that it makes what was written as an exciting delve into the criminal underworld into a sort of nostalgic cosy neighborhood whodunnit.
This is great fun, badly written classic stuff.
Putting that to one side, it's the sort of hard-bitten Inspector tracking down clues amid criminal gangs that is, now, quite hilariously entertaining to read.
The murderous criminals and the tough Inspector all seem to live within a square mile of each other and know each other so well that it makes what was written as an exciting delve into the criminal underworld into a sort of nostalgic cosy neighborhood whodunnit.
This is great fun, badly written classic stuff.
July 28, 2016
London in the blackout! A scream rings out, and Scotland Yard's Patrick McCarthy must find out who is terrorizing his native Soho. He finds a lacy handkerchief, a stiletto, and a pool of blood, but no body. Soon, however, there are plenty of dead people, and there are valuable documents missing from the War Office. Acting on a hunch, McCarthy is on the trail of a mysterious man with ice-blue eyes, absorbing a really remarkable amount of punishment in the course of bringing the evildoers to justice. Maybe mentioning that the titles of five of the twenty-three chapters end in exclamation points says enough.
September 1, 2020
3.5*
I really enjoy a good British crime novel and I'm glad I read the book. The author's writing style was a little more descriptive, but it fit perfectly into what I expected from the novel. Murders, espionage, gangsters and an interesting detective with a good sense of humor. Fans of the genre would definitely like the book.
I rarely read books related in any way to the First or Second World War. Here, however, I decided to throw myself boldly into the deep and I do not regret it. Inspector McCarthy is not only known in Soho, but he knows everyone there, from the bartenders in the pubs to the gangsters storming the streets. When he sees a stranger in the neighborhood pub, and that night an ominous scream wakes everyone in Soho, his premonition leads him to unusual and dangerous places. Murder without a corpse, that's how the story begins, and its end was quite interesting.
I liked the image of Inspector McCarthy very much. His sense of humor, perfectly typical of the British class, was great. Each scene was enlivened by his chatter, and I had fun when someone didn't understand his jokes. I was interested in the way his mind worked - he managed to piece together the puzzle, which involved people from several countries and strata of society. And, on top of that, he turned out to be very good in the hand-to-hand combat. I would be interested to read more stories with him.
The book didn't keep me in suspense, and I didn't flip through it imperceptibly, as I do with books I just can't put down. However, it managed to hold my attention. It was hard for me at times to figure out who was who or to remember someone wo was mentioned in the first pages, and I think that actually made reading the book a little slower. The outcome, however, was interesting, and at the risk of repeating myself, I will say that, thanks to the image of the inspector, I liked the book so much. I also really liked the layout of the pages! I recommend the book to those of you who like to read crime novels.
I really enjoy a good British crime novel and I'm glad I read the book. The author's writing style was a little more descriptive, but it fit perfectly into what I expected from the novel. Murders, espionage, gangsters and an interesting detective with a good sense of humor. Fans of the genre would definitely like the book.
I rarely read books related in any way to the First or Second World War. Here, however, I decided to throw myself boldly into the deep and I do not regret it. Inspector McCarthy is not only known in Soho, but he knows everyone there, from the bartenders in the pubs to the gangsters storming the streets. When he sees a stranger in the neighborhood pub, and that night an ominous scream wakes everyone in Soho, his premonition leads him to unusual and dangerous places. Murder without a corpse, that's how the story begins, and its end was quite interesting.
I liked the image of Inspector McCarthy very much. His sense of humor, perfectly typical of the British class, was great. Each scene was enlivened by his chatter, and I had fun when someone didn't understand his jokes. I was interested in the way his mind worked - he managed to piece together the puzzle, which involved people from several countries and strata of society. And, on top of that, he turned out to be very good in the hand-to-hand combat. I would be interested to read more stories with him.
The book didn't keep me in suspense, and I didn't flip through it imperceptibly, as I do with books I just can't put down. However, it managed to hold my attention. It was hard for me at times to figure out who was who or to remember someone wo was mentioned in the first pages, and I think that actually made reading the book a little slower. The outcome, however, was interesting, and at the risk of repeating myself, I will say that, thanks to the image of the inspector, I liked the book so much. I also really liked the layout of the pages! I recommend the book to those of you who like to read crime novels.
August 7, 2022
This is a fun cartoonish spy thriller, with a ruthless dastardly villain. Scotland Yard Detective Inspector McCarthy finds himself with a couple of bloody murders to solve, assisted by his unofficial sidekick "Big Bill" Withers, a London taxi driver and his alter ego Paoli Vanadi. His superior officer, Assistant Commission Haynes, helps too. Sometimes it's difficult who is the superior because McCarthy is good at giving Haynes tasks to do.
It's a story about a puzzling situation that comes to an exciting conclusion and a satisfactory conclusion. Written in the early 1940's it's full of then-current colloquialisms and stereotypes, some of which offend our current political correctness. Some sensitive souls may want to skip this book on account of this. Despite that, it's pure entertainment, where you can tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys. Being set in London during the early days of WW2, there's plenty of atmosphere in the background provided by the mandated blackout.
There's an informative Introduction written by author and critic Martin Edwards. He puts the book in context with Golden Age authors of the day, Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers and provides some biographical background on the author, John Gordon Brandon.
Recommended.
It's a story about a puzzling situation that comes to an exciting conclusion and a satisfactory conclusion. Written in the early 1940's it's full of then-current colloquialisms and stereotypes, some of which offend our current political correctness. Some sensitive souls may want to skip this book on account of this. Despite that, it's pure entertainment, where you can tell the difference between the good guys and the bad guys. Being set in London during the early days of WW2, there's plenty of atmosphere in the background provided by the mandated blackout.
There's an informative Introduction written by author and critic Martin Edwards. He puts the book in context with Golden Age authors of the day, Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers and provides some biographical background on the author, John Gordon Brandon.
Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews