Body Found Stabbed (Annotated): An English Village Mystery

by A.G. Macdonell

Annotated version with a new introduction that

a biography of A. G. MacDonell a literary criticism of the novel and its importance in Golden Age mystery fiction

England, 1930. Inspector Fleming investigates a puzzling murder in an English village with suspects ranging from the vicar to the squire in the nearby manor house.

Why was there only one stab wound, but two different knives found? Why did the man’s pocket contain a single feather? And where are the three hundred pounds the man had been paid?

With its twisty mystery, interesting characters, and well-drawn setting, of MacDonell’s Body Found Stabbed is a delight for readers of Golden Age mystery fiction!

Genres: British Literature

276 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Archibald Gordon Macdonell was a Scottish writer, journalist and broadcaster, whose most famous work is the gently satirical novel England, Their England (1933).

Reviews

[Anissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd had this sitting on my Kindle for a couple of years and I was in the mood for a Golden Age mystery. Other than this tile, I'd never heard of A.G. Macdonell and I am so glad I came across this to read.

In an otherwise nice hamlet, a body is found stabbed in a copse between two manor houses. The victim is a poet, womanizer and also one who likes to harass people generally. He's seemingly been stabbed, robbed of thousands of pounds and oddly, two knives found at the scene of the crime. Stranger still, there may be more than one scene of the crime. Layers and layers of complications for Scotland Yard's Inspector Fleming and his team to sort out. A suspect is soon found but the circumstantial evidence is too copious and too perfect, raising Fleming's suspicion of a framing. I won't give it away here but the solution to what really happened and why is both close to home and elsewhere in the world. Both in the present and in the past. It was a fun read because of that. I was always interested and trying to figure out who did what and why. The characters were, for the most part, well constructed.

Recommended.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: when a body is found near the Monk's Weir in Kilby St. Benedict, Inspector Fleming has no problems in discovering a slew of suspects.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would have been four and a half stars if the ending was a bit better.

A beautifully written, fairly traditional English village murder mystery. The author writes with a very slight trace of wit that I have found enjoyable in this and his other books. Inspector Fleming is a nice character and the plot is clever notwithstanding that the ending was a bit unsatisfactory.

Highly recommended, especially for those who like Golden Age mysteries written in excellent English.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex village mystery with several characters and love interests to keep track of. The solution was cleverly done.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable and well-written story of murder. attempted murder, blackmail and high finance, set in an English village.

The characters are vividly drawn and the plot is nicely complex with some back story in the 1912 Armenian massacres and WW1.

The professional police led by Inspector Fleming do a solid job of detecting, but the ending is a little weak. There is a light sprinkling of romance.

Strongly recommended for lovers of good 1930's English detective novels.