To Study a Long Silence

Dr. R.V. Davie #5

by V.C. Clinton-Baddeley

Dr Davie is invited to the Winston School of Dramatic Art to watch a performance of commedia dell’arte.

As the show draws to a close, the masked actors flock to the stage to take their curtain call, but one is missing.

Pantaloon is absent from the line-up. The actors look to the centre of the stage expectantly, but he never turns up.

The young actor was murdered in the wings, minutes before he was due to appear on stage.

Dr Davie’s investigation takes him around his beloved London in a brilliant and teasing search for the murderer until he discovers a splendidly ingenious solution.

Please note this is an updated and reformatted edition.

Genres: Mystery

205 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

V(ictor Vaughan Reynolds Geraint) C(linton) Clinton-Baddeley was born in Devon, England. He received an M.A. in history from Jesus College, Cambridge. For a time he was editor of the modern history section of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, but soon turned to theatre and acting and then to radio, where he worked with W. B. Yeats as his poetry reader. His previous writings include works of literary and theatre research, pantomimes, operettas, and plays.

Reviews

[GhostofMyrtle]

To Study a Long Silence is the last book by V.C. Clinton-Baddeley to feature the character Dr. R. V. Davie. It was also his last novel as he died before it was completed. Clinton-Baddeley had the entire plot in a manuscript with only the last two chapters uncompleted. They were completed by the author's nephew who had several descriptive passages and pieces of dialogue added to the work that his uncle had already completed.

The story revolves around a murder at a play to which Dr. Davie was invited to attend. Despite his intention not to become involved in the case he finds he does and, naturally, comes to the correct conclusion although not before tragedy strikes.

I found it an enjoyable mystery.

V.C. Clinton-Baddeley was an English playwright, actor and writer who also found Jupiter Recordings, a company that produced spoken word and poetry set to music. The recordings were made by the poets themselves or by actors and scholars. Ted Hughes and Phillip Larkin are two of the poets whose work was recorded.

[Rae Woodrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

delightful mysteries

I very much enjoyed this set of mysteries included in a lovely sense of humour at things of the 1970’s
Maybe it helped that I wore the bell bottom trousers lol

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Davie attends a student production at Winston School of Dramatic Art at the invitation of Mr Edward Pomeroy. The next day he is informed that one of the actors has been killed and the police requesting his presence among others.
An enjoyable mystery

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the back of the book: "The gentle don detective Dr. Davie broods over the murder of a young actor committed during a drama-school production of a commedia dell'arte play. The actor appears to have been killed in the wings, but Davie establishes the precise movements of everyone on stage and behind the scenes and comes to the conclusion that no one could have committed the crime! Davie persists in an investigation that takes him throughout his beloved London, and in a brilliant and teasing search he explores one lead after another until he hits upon a splendidly ingenious solution."

A terrific academic mystery series. I'm glad I've discovered it and can't wait to find more.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Davie is attending a drama school production of a commedia del arte plan when one of the actors is murdered. Something about the timing of the murder seems peculiar to Davie, but it's not until a lot of time has passed by until he realizes that there are times when the eye does not see what it thinks it sees.