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Francis McNab #5
Death of Mr. Dodsley
A bookshop is a first-rate place for unobtrusive observation,’ he continued. ‘One can remain in it an indefinite time, dipping into one book after another, all over the place.’
Mr. Richard Dodsley, owner of a fine second-hand bookshop on Charing Cross Road, has been found murdered in the cold hours of the morning. Shot in his own office, few clues remain besides three cigarette ends, two spent matches and a few books on the shelves which have been rearranged.
In an investigation spanning the second-hand bookshops of London and the Houses of Parliament (since an MP’s new crime novel Death at the Desk appears to have some bearing on the case), Ferguson’s series sleuth MacNab is at hand to assist Scotland Yard in this atmospheric and ingenious fair-play bibliomystery, first published in 1937.
This edition includes an introduction by CWA Diamond Dagger and Edgar® Award–winning author Martin Edwards.
Mr. Richard Dodsley, owner of a fine second-hand bookshop on Charing Cross Road, has been found murdered in the cold hours of the morning. Shot in his own office, few clues remain besides three cigarette ends, two spent matches and a few books on the shelves which have been rearranged.
In an investigation spanning the second-hand bookshops of London and the Houses of Parliament (since an MP’s new crime novel Death at the Desk appears to have some bearing on the case), Ferguson’s series sleuth MacNab is at hand to assist Scotland Yard in this atmospheric and ingenious fair-play bibliomystery, first published in 1937.
This edition includes an introduction by CWA Diamond Dagger and Edgar® Award–winning author Martin Edwards.
302 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1937
44 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
About the author
John Ferguson
73 books6 followersJohn Ferguson (1871-1952) was a Scottish clergyman, playwright, and mystery writer.
John Ferguson was born at Callander, Perthshire, but has made his home in many sharply contrasted places, from the misty isle of Skye to the sunlit island of Guernsey. And though now a resident in the New Forest near Lymington he lived for six years in the grim Dunimarle Castle in Fife, where Macduff's wife and child were murdered by Macbeth. As a dramatist Mr Ferguson is probably best known for his now famous play Campbell of Kilmohr, which at its first Royalty Theatre production was hailed by the dramatic critic of the Glasgow Herald as 'a new and significant type of Scottish drama'. Of John Ferguson's work one critic has said, 'As no two of his stories are in any sense repetitious, it is probably his practice of setting each tale against the background in which he writes that gives this variety in characterization and action to each of his works.' His books have been translated into many foreign languages, the latest of which is Turkish. In his story of the history and development of the detective story, Masters of Mystery, Douglas Thomson writes, 'Mr Ferguson is one of the most delightful stylists in this genre'.
John Ferguson was born at Callander, Perthshire, but has made his home in many sharply contrasted places, from the misty isle of Skye to the sunlit island of Guernsey. And though now a resident in the New Forest near Lymington he lived for six years in the grim Dunimarle Castle in Fife, where Macduff's wife and child were murdered by Macbeth. As a dramatist Mr Ferguson is probably best known for his now famous play Campbell of Kilmohr, which at its first Royalty Theatre production was hailed by the dramatic critic of the Glasgow Herald as 'a new and significant type of Scottish drama'. Of John Ferguson's work one critic has said, 'As no two of his stories are in any sense repetitious, it is probably his practice of setting each tale against the background in which he writes that gives this variety in characterization and action to each of his works.' His books have been translated into many foreign languages, the latest of which is Turkish. In his story of the history and development of the detective story, Masters of Mystery, Douglas Thomson writes, 'Mr Ferguson is one of the most delightful stylists in this genre'.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
May 13, 2023
Highs and lows…
When a beat policeman stops a man running down the road late one night and demands to know what he’s up to, the drunken young man tells a rambling story of a door that opened and closed as if by itself in a shop that should have been locked up for the night. The policeman investigates, and discovers the body of Mr Dodsley, shot in the head, in the office at the back of his bookshop. Meantime, the House of Commons is having a late sitting amid an air of anticipation – “coming man” David Grafton is scheduled to lead the debate on an amendment which, if successful, may bring down the government. While waiting for the debate to begin, he is reading Death at the Desk, the new debut mystery novel written by his daughter, Margery, who happens to be engaged to the son of Mr Dodsley…
This one is a real mix of high and lows. The best bits are great, but the bits between are a real slog to get through. It starts with the lengthy conversation between the drunk and the policeman, that seems to go on and on for ever. Then it jumps to Parliament, where Ferguson skilfully evokes the late-night atmosphere in the gentleman’s club-like environs of the Commons, as the MPs discuss Grafton’s chances of success in the debate. Next day we meet the Grafton family at home, and they are a bunch of interesting, well-drawn characters – the ambitious Grafton himself, his social-climbing second wife, his son, just reaching adulthood and more interested in cars than politics, his secretary, who is also a friend of the son, and we learn that Margery’s engagement to Dick Dodsley has caused an estrangement, since the son of a bookseller is in the wrong social class for this upwardly mobile family.
Sadly, we then leave the Graftons and they almost entirely disappear for most of the rest of the book, except for Owen, the secretary, and Margery, the estranged daughter. Now we move to the police investigation, and I’m afraid that’s where it becomes a slog. Far too much time is spent on cigarette ends, timings, etc. There are too many clichés, such as the broken watch fixing the time of the murder (or does it?), the mysterious code in Mr Dodsley’s diary, and so on. It becomes ever more convoluted and less interesting as it progresses. The police are joined in their investigation by a private investigator, Francis McNab, who had been hired by Mr Dodsley to look into the theft of some valuable second-hand books.
There continue to be highs – it comes to life when various people are being interviewed by the police, since Ferguson has a knack for characterisation and is good at setting people within their social class, always so important at that time. But these highs are always followed by another of the interminable bits where the police and McNab discuss the same clues again and again. The basic plot is well worked out. However, despite the fact that I wouldn’t say it was fair play, somehow the guilty party seemed fairly obvious from early on, as did the probable motive, and neither of these were as interesting as the early Parliamentary setting suggested they might be.
On the whole, then, I feel this one can be summed up as ‘unfulfilled potential’. I’d be willing to read more from Ferguson because of his skill with setting and characterisation, but in the hopes that next time he’d avoid too many clichés in his plotting and cut out some of the repetition and drag in the investigation.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, the British Library.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
When a beat policeman stops a man running down the road late one night and demands to know what he’s up to, the drunken young man tells a rambling story of a door that opened and closed as if by itself in a shop that should have been locked up for the night. The policeman investigates, and discovers the body of Mr Dodsley, shot in the head, in the office at the back of his bookshop. Meantime, the House of Commons is having a late sitting amid an air of anticipation – “coming man” David Grafton is scheduled to lead the debate on an amendment which, if successful, may bring down the government. While waiting for the debate to begin, he is reading Death at the Desk, the new debut mystery novel written by his daughter, Margery, who happens to be engaged to the son of Mr Dodsley…
This one is a real mix of high and lows. The best bits are great, but the bits between are a real slog to get through. It starts with the lengthy conversation between the drunk and the policeman, that seems to go on and on for ever. Then it jumps to Parliament, where Ferguson skilfully evokes the late-night atmosphere in the gentleman’s club-like environs of the Commons, as the MPs discuss Grafton’s chances of success in the debate. Next day we meet the Grafton family at home, and they are a bunch of interesting, well-drawn characters – the ambitious Grafton himself, his social-climbing second wife, his son, just reaching adulthood and more interested in cars than politics, his secretary, who is also a friend of the son, and we learn that Margery’s engagement to Dick Dodsley has caused an estrangement, since the son of a bookseller is in the wrong social class for this upwardly mobile family.
Sadly, we then leave the Graftons and they almost entirely disappear for most of the rest of the book, except for Owen, the secretary, and Margery, the estranged daughter. Now we move to the police investigation, and I’m afraid that’s where it becomes a slog. Far too much time is spent on cigarette ends, timings, etc. There are too many clichés, such as the broken watch fixing the time of the murder (or does it?), the mysterious code in Mr Dodsley’s diary, and so on. It becomes ever more convoluted and less interesting as it progresses. The police are joined in their investigation by a private investigator, Francis McNab, who had been hired by Mr Dodsley to look into the theft of some valuable second-hand books.
There continue to be highs – it comes to life when various people are being interviewed by the police, since Ferguson has a knack for characterisation and is good at setting people within their social class, always so important at that time. But these highs are always followed by another of the interminable bits where the police and McNab discuss the same clues again and again. The basic plot is well worked out. However, despite the fact that I wouldn’t say it was fair play, somehow the guilty party seemed fairly obvious from early on, as did the probable motive, and neither of these were as interesting as the early Parliamentary setting suggested they might be.
On the whole, then, I feel this one can be summed up as ‘unfulfilled potential’. I’d be willing to read more from Ferguson because of his skill with setting and characterisation, but in the hopes that next time he’d avoid too many clichés in his plotting and cut out some of the repetition and drag in the investigation.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, the British Library.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
April 11, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this story. One, I liked the mystery but the structure of the telling made it feel more like someone followed an outline to the point that it sacrificed the flow of the story. Also there is a number of reveals at the end that point to the fact that this was a very complicated situation and the author did not really play fair or even set up investigations that led to strange dead ends or anything... Everything you read is real time events happening vs simultaneous. I am not saying that you don't have clues to figure out who was the guilty party.
Would I read another Ferguson, I would give more a chance. I know that he started writing before 1930 and I find that authors of the more Edwardian style can be very plodding in their plots at times. However, it is not totally Edwardian, as the people in this story are actually up-to-date in behavior.
Would I read another Ferguson, I would give more a chance. I know that he started writing before 1930 and I find that authors of the more Edwardian style can be very plodding in their plots at times. However, it is not totally Edwardian, as the people in this story are actually up-to-date in behavior.
April 20, 2023
It was boring and the ending felt rushed and didn’t satisfy. Disappointing.
December 3, 2023
Oggi sono qui per parlarvi di un'altra bellissima novità arrivata nelle nostre librerie.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare? Assolutamente no.
Con il segnalibro personalizzabile per appuntare i libri che hai già. Da portare con te quando vai in libreria.
Non è un segreto che ormai questi gialli Vallardi abbiano riempito la mia libreria e le mie preferenze librose in tema gialli, nell'ultimo periodo. Le ultime due novità sono per l'appunto: Giallo a Oxford e Assassinio di un libraio a Charing Cross.
La novità in ogni romanzo sono proprio i segnalibri per segnare i volumi che già hai, una cosa davvero carina a dire mio, che non ho trovato in altri libri di saghe.
Farò una recensione generale sui due libri poiché non voglio fare troppi spoiler e si sa che nei gialli meno dici meglio è per non togliere l'emozione di scoprire da solo come finirà.
Se il primo volume mi ha convinta appena tra alti e bassi, meritando un tre, il secondo mi ha colpita molto di più e anche se alla fine il finale era prevedibile per me che mangio gialli a colazione, l'ho trovato molto più avvincente forse colpevole anche l'atmosfera che è tra le mie preferite.
Letture incalzanti, scritture semplici ma accattivanti. Entrambi negli alti e nei bassi sono, comunque, un'ottima idea regalo per natale e non solo! Assolutamente consigliati anche per i nuovi Sherlock approdati nei gialli per la prima volta.
Come sapete sono una grande amante del genere, quindi potevo mai farmelo scappare? Assolutamente no.
Con il segnalibro personalizzabile per appuntare i libri che hai già. Da portare con te quando vai in libreria.
Non è un segreto che ormai questi gialli Vallardi abbiano riempito la mia libreria e le mie preferenze librose in tema gialli, nell'ultimo periodo. Le ultime due novità sono per l'appunto: Giallo a Oxford e Assassinio di un libraio a Charing Cross.
La novità in ogni romanzo sono proprio i segnalibri per segnare i volumi che già hai, una cosa davvero carina a dire mio, che non ho trovato in altri libri di saghe.
Farò una recensione generale sui due libri poiché non voglio fare troppi spoiler e si sa che nei gialli meno dici meglio è per non togliere l'emozione di scoprire da solo come finirà.
Se il primo volume mi ha convinta appena tra alti e bassi, meritando un tre, il secondo mi ha colpita molto di più e anche se alla fine il finale era prevedibile per me che mangio gialli a colazione, l'ho trovato molto più avvincente forse colpevole anche l'atmosfera che è tra le mie preferite.
Letture incalzanti, scritture semplici ma accattivanti. Entrambi negli alti e nei bassi sono, comunque, un'ottima idea regalo per natale e non solo! Assolutamente consigliati anche per i nuovi Sherlock approdati nei gialli per la prima volta.
July 11, 2024
Originally published in 1937, the British Library Crime Classics series and Poisoned Press brought John Ferguson's DEATH OF MR. DODSLEY back in 2024. The book is a solid representative of Britain's Golden Age of Mystery, not a classic, like so many Agatha Christie novels, but a good book that deserves to be remembered.
If you like the aforementioned Christie, or if you like old PBS Masterpiece Mystery series, you will probably like this book. Ferguson does not create fireworks as he slow walks the unraveling of his mystery. The question at hand is "who killed Mr. Dodsley, an unlikeable old bookseller, in his store, in the middle of the night." The novel begins with 50 pages or so of useful throat-clearing, introducing characters who aren't central but who will help move a conclusion forward by the end of this book. The progress is slow, but comfortable, and we are allowed to revel in old-school Britsh proper society.
Subsequently, the story moves on to the scene of the crime and its immediate aftermath. It is a detailed, steady, step-by-step look at a murder investigation. At this point, Scotland Yard finally makes an appearance in the personages of Inspector Mallet and Detective-Sergeant Crabbe (don't remember if first names ever made an appearance). The putative investigative lead, private detective Francis McNab, eventually is introduced to the story while Scotland Yard is still at the crime scene, but his appearance and impact on the case can only be called subdued. And that is really the standard throughout, as McNab takes centerstage in the plotline, though it may be one of the most unassuming leading roles in memory.
After the lengthy stay at the crime scene the novel proceeds at a slightly more rapid pace over the course of the next few weeks. As is to be expected, McNab eventually invites all the players and suspects back to the crime scene for one final revelatory experience. Some of the revelations are surprising; some are not. But in the end, you don't read DEATH OF MR DODSLEY for its action or its cliffhangers. The characters are fine but not memorable, so that's not a driving force to read the book either. What makes this book worth your time and worth remembering is the depiction of a time and place, of an attitude that doesn't really suit the present but is certainly fun to remember.
Thanks to the British Library Crime Classics series and Poisoned Pen Press for resurrecting DEATH OF MR. DODSLEY. I may read other John Ferguson books, but I will certainly be looking for other reprints coming out of this partnership.
Mr. Dodsley's an
ass. McNab knows early on.
His death still counts though.
If you like the aforementioned Christie, or if you like old PBS Masterpiece Mystery series, you will probably like this book. Ferguson does not create fireworks as he slow walks the unraveling of his mystery. The question at hand is "who killed Mr. Dodsley, an unlikeable old bookseller, in his store, in the middle of the night." The novel begins with 50 pages or so of useful throat-clearing, introducing characters who aren't central but who will help move a conclusion forward by the end of this book. The progress is slow, but comfortable, and we are allowed to revel in old-school Britsh proper society.
Subsequently, the story moves on to the scene of the crime and its immediate aftermath. It is a detailed, steady, step-by-step look at a murder investigation. At this point, Scotland Yard finally makes an appearance in the personages of Inspector Mallet and Detective-Sergeant Crabbe (don't remember if first names ever made an appearance). The putative investigative lead, private detective Francis McNab, eventually is introduced to the story while Scotland Yard is still at the crime scene, but his appearance and impact on the case can only be called subdued. And that is really the standard throughout, as McNab takes centerstage in the plotline, though it may be one of the most unassuming leading roles in memory.
After the lengthy stay at the crime scene the novel proceeds at a slightly more rapid pace over the course of the next few weeks. As is to be expected, McNab eventually invites all the players and suspects back to the crime scene for one final revelatory experience. Some of the revelations are surprising; some are not. But in the end, you don't read DEATH OF MR DODSLEY for its action or its cliffhangers. The characters are fine but not memorable, so that's not a driving force to read the book either. What makes this book worth your time and worth remembering is the depiction of a time and place, of an attitude that doesn't really suit the present but is certainly fun to remember.
Thanks to the British Library Crime Classics series and Poisoned Pen Press for resurrecting DEATH OF MR. DODSLEY. I may read other John Ferguson books, but I will certainly be looking for other reprints coming out of this partnership.
Mr. Dodsley's an
ass. McNab knows early on.
His death still counts though.
November 30, 2025
This is one of the very good British Library Crime Classic series. 1920s London was such a different place from today. Bookshops have all but disappeared from the scene, replaced by fast food outlets and the like. Shop owners would not rely on a simple Yale lock on a glass door, especially if it were known that valuable items were kept there. Police officers walking the beat and trying doors disappeared years ago.
Mr Dodsley is found shot dead on the floor of his shop, and all the leads seem to be pointing to his nephew. Inspector Mallet, sometimes referred to as Chief Inspector and Sergeant Crabb are on the case from Scotland Yard. Is he following this avenue? Come in, MacNab, a private investigator; it is not entirely clear who is employing him, but he soon has the ear of the detectives. Mix this with a rising Member of Parliament and his estranged daughter, an author and the plot seems good. Unfortunately, the development of this plot is laborious and slow, making the book hard to follow. The sentence construction exacerbates this, although it is indicative of the era. Interesting, but not one to recommend unless this period is more of interest than the writing style. For me, it is a two star read.
Mr Dodsley is found shot dead on the floor of his shop, and all the leads seem to be pointing to his nephew. Inspector Mallet, sometimes referred to as Chief Inspector and Sergeant Crabb are on the case from Scotland Yard. Is he following this avenue? Come in, MacNab, a private investigator; it is not entirely clear who is employing him, but he soon has the ear of the detectives. Mix this with a rising Member of Parliament and his estranged daughter, an author and the plot seems good. Unfortunately, the development of this plot is laborious and slow, making the book hard to follow. The sentence construction exacerbates this, although it is indicative of the era. Interesting, but not one to recommend unless this period is more of interest than the writing style. For me, it is a two star read.
February 10, 2023
Interesting story - I guessed the murderer pretty early on but it was fun to see how it developed and how the detective worked it out.
June 8, 2023
I forgive a lot in Golden Age crime fiction, and this is a perfect example of why. Ferguson clearly admired the Freeman Wills Croft school of steady, methodical fair play crime fiction but doesn’t have Croft’s uncanny ability to make impossible crimes have not so much an elegant solution as a watertight, thoughtful and plausible solution. Similarly, he clearly loves Allingham and probably Heyer’s ability for characters and dialogue, and he does actually a pretty good stab at that by the end. Ferguson’s problem is that he has an extraordinary lack of self confidence in some of his ideas, so overwrites them - take Miss Preedy for example. He wants her to be the sassy, streetwise and shallow character here, but doesn’t know how to do it so cobbles together a clump of weird dialogue and verbal tics that doesn’t really reveal anything about the character but a lot about an author who’s trying very hard to get to something he can’t quite manage.
The whole book is like that - it’s a clever puzzle, and his best characters are great (I like that the detective respects the police work, and vice versa - he goes to great pains to have the police have their own clever ideas and theories, away from his series detective who is also refreshingly free or gimmicks aside from that weird John Knox thing), but he overwrites bits where he doesn’t quite feel the confidence of what he’s going for. Grafton’s wife may be the worst for this, who’s a cobbled together bunch of snobbery and fear of embarrassment with no character underneath all the brittle dialogue. For a while I wondered if Ferguson himself was a bit of a snob because of her dialogue, but no I think it’s because he’s overwriting it and forcing the dialogue to work so it comes across as weirdly vehement when it’s not meant to be
It’s very likeable and I enjoyed it a lot, but I suspect Ferguson is just one of those writers who can’t quite match his intended end point. I sympathise a lot with that, and it makes me like him a lot more as an author, but it can at times be a deeply frustrating read
The whole book is like that - it’s a clever puzzle, and his best characters are great (I like that the detective respects the police work, and vice versa - he goes to great pains to have the police have their own clever ideas and theories, away from his series detective who is also refreshingly free or gimmicks aside from that weird John Knox thing), but he overwrites bits where he doesn’t quite feel the confidence of what he’s going for. Grafton’s wife may be the worst for this, who’s a cobbled together bunch of snobbery and fear of embarrassment with no character underneath all the brittle dialogue. For a while I wondered if Ferguson himself was a bit of a snob because of her dialogue, but no I think it’s because he’s overwriting it and forcing the dialogue to work so it comes across as weirdly vehement when it’s not meant to be
It’s very likeable and I enjoyed it a lot, but I suspect Ferguson is just one of those writers who can’t quite match his intended end point. I sympathise a lot with that, and it makes me like him a lot more as an author, but it can at times be a deeply frustrating read
July 26, 2023
Two and a half stars.
Very slow going at the start with lots of re-hashing the facts by McNab and Scotland Yard. Fairly easy to spot the culprit. Nicely written though overall rather disappointing.
Very slow going at the start with lots of re-hashing the facts by McNab and Scotland Yard. Fairly easy to spot the culprit. Nicely written though overall rather disappointing.
March 3, 2023
For my full review click on the link below:
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https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...
August 3, 2023
A slow start but then an excellent read!! I love a BLCC and this one was perfection. Set in a bookshop what's not to love
January 14, 2025
Really struggled to finish the book. TMI. Characters are boring. It just plods along.
June 5, 2023
This book is subtitled “A London Bibliomystery” as it deals with a bookseller, a book shop, and a much-scorned crime novel written by one of the characters that receives an awful if classic review. This review is a very positive one, however, as it this novel features some vivid characters, a fascinating setting of a bookshop and its mechanics laid bare, and a complex and satisfying mystery with many layers. As the description says, “A bookshop is a first-rate place for unobtrusive observation…One can remain in it an indefinite time, dipping into one book after another, all over the place.” Indeed, the stratagems adopted by at least one mysterious character for close observation involve moving books to allow a clear view of what is really going on in a second-hand department, and how much where and tear is inflicted during the lingering visits of potential customers. It is a satisfying novel published originally in 1937 and now reprinted in the excellent British Library Crime Classics series, with an informative Introduction from Martin Edwards which details the life and works of John Ferguson, who won enthusiastic support from Dorothy L Sayers for his work. I enjoyed this book, especially the development of the characters, and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review it.
As the subtitle suggests, this book is mainly set in the bookselling area of London, the setting for many bibliomysteries of the Golden Age of detection. However, the book actually opens in the House of Commons, as a late-night sitting features the much-noticed MP Grafton. The discovery of an abandoned detective novel together with a poor review introduces a link to the case which will soon emerge. A young but capable police constable is then shown confronting a drunken reveller, who indirectly leads him to a bookshop with an unlocked door. When he investigates, his discoverer of a murdered man at a desk provokes a case which will provide precious few solid clues, including discarded cigarette ends. While the staff of the bookshop are interviewed, including a young woman who is obsessed with American gangster films and speaks accordingly, the investigation draws in those who may or may not have a connection with the murdered man, and sufficient motive to commit the crime. It is when MacNab, a private detective who will become Ferguson’s series sleuth, appears with his special knowledge of the circumstances and shop, that the investigation really takes off. The police officers perform their function well, but it takes MacNab to discover who has achieved the unlikely, if not impossible, and why.
I really enjoyed this book because of its setting, which is so well described with a basic floor plan included. The small details such as a woman’s hair clip being discovered shows the careful attention to detail which really supports a complex plot which is underlying the action of the novel. The real achievement of this novel, I think, is the dialogue and the voices allocated to each character which really bring this book alive; from cameos of MPs to a quiet but observant bookseller, to a young police officer quaking in the face of identification, the characters have their individual realities even if their overall contribution to the narrative is relatively small. MacNab emerges as a clever and resourceful man who is able to size up the other characters well, yet he is portrayed as fallible in his genuine confusion. I thoroughly recommend this particular republished novel for its distinctive characters and fascinating plot which make it a fine example of Golden Age Detection.
As the subtitle suggests, this book is mainly set in the bookselling area of London, the setting for many bibliomysteries of the Golden Age of detection. However, the book actually opens in the House of Commons, as a late-night sitting features the much-noticed MP Grafton. The discovery of an abandoned detective novel together with a poor review introduces a link to the case which will soon emerge. A young but capable police constable is then shown confronting a drunken reveller, who indirectly leads him to a bookshop with an unlocked door. When he investigates, his discoverer of a murdered man at a desk provokes a case which will provide precious few solid clues, including discarded cigarette ends. While the staff of the bookshop are interviewed, including a young woman who is obsessed with American gangster films and speaks accordingly, the investigation draws in those who may or may not have a connection with the murdered man, and sufficient motive to commit the crime. It is when MacNab, a private detective who will become Ferguson’s series sleuth, appears with his special knowledge of the circumstances and shop, that the investigation really takes off. The police officers perform their function well, but it takes MacNab to discover who has achieved the unlikely, if not impossible, and why.
I really enjoyed this book because of its setting, which is so well described with a basic floor plan included. The small details such as a woman’s hair clip being discovered shows the careful attention to detail which really supports a complex plot which is underlying the action of the novel. The real achievement of this novel, I think, is the dialogue and the voices allocated to each character which really bring this book alive; from cameos of MPs to a quiet but observant bookseller, to a young police officer quaking in the face of identification, the characters have their individual realities even if their overall contribution to the narrative is relatively small. MacNab emerges as a clever and resourceful man who is able to size up the other characters well, yet he is portrayed as fallible in his genuine confusion. I thoroughly recommend this particular republished novel for its distinctive characters and fascinating plot which make it a fine example of Golden Age Detection.
August 29, 2024
"Death of Mr. Dodsley" is the second British Library Crime Classic reissue that I've read from John Ferguson, this one is a bit better then the previous book. Written in 1937, this captures a very specific time and place in England as they are heading into another war, a look at the fading social hierarchy while the government is in the midst of changes as well.
For this is a story in two fields of play: the House of Parliament, where a Minister may be bringing about the fall of the current government, and a bookstore run by Mr. Dodsley, who is not a very nice man. We start with a late night drunk telling a fantastic story to a beat cop, a story which leads the police to finding the murdered body of Mr. Dodsley, a bookseller who was working late (expecting someone?) in his bookstore. Mr. Dodsley's employees, his son and the son's fiancée soon come under suspicion. The fiancée is the disgraced daughter of David Grafton, the MP who's rise to prominence is threatened by this criminal scandal. They bring detective Francis McNab to work with Scotland Yard and solve the murder before Grafton's career can suffer any damage. But will the truth help or hurt the ambitious politician?
Good plot, although Mr. Ferguson tends to meander quite a bit, taking much longer to make a point then necessary. The two sides of the story don't always flow together, but still a glimpse into a time where society was in an upheaval.
For this is a story in two fields of play: the House of Parliament, where a Minister may be bringing about the fall of the current government, and a bookstore run by Mr. Dodsley, who is not a very nice man. We start with a late night drunk telling a fantastic story to a beat cop, a story which leads the police to finding the murdered body of Mr. Dodsley, a bookseller who was working late (expecting someone?) in his bookstore. Mr. Dodsley's employees, his son and the son's fiancée soon come under suspicion. The fiancée is the disgraced daughter of David Grafton, the MP who's rise to prominence is threatened by this criminal scandal. They bring detective Francis McNab to work with Scotland Yard and solve the murder before Grafton's career can suffer any damage. But will the truth help or hurt the ambitious politician?
Good plot, although Mr. Ferguson tends to meander quite a bit, taking much longer to make a point then necessary. The two sides of the story don't always flow together, but still a glimpse into a time where society was in an upheaval.
May 22, 2025
A pretty decent entry in the British Library Crime Classics series. I liked the premise and the setting (it's a bibliomystery, so the crime victim is a bookstore owner), I didn't guess the killer (although I should have), and there are two strong, surprising twists. The idea of a police detective and a private detective coming at the puzzle from two different perspectives contributed to my enjoyment; I found myself wondering which would arrive at the solution first. The mystery is very much of its time, though - written by an Episcopalian priest during the Golden Age - and it wasn't as gripping as, say, Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh. In fact, it was plodding and repetitive in places, and it definitely privileged the perspective of the wealthy, political upper class, especially at the end. According to the introduction by series editor Martin Edwards, Ferguson was widely read at the time (this was published in 1937); he also wrote thrillers and was praised by Dorothy Sayers. If they publish another, I would give it a try, but there are so many other great authors to read in this reprint series that another novel of Ferguson's would definitely be on my back burner.
February 16, 2023
This is the best of the three Francis McNab novels I have read recently.
Dating from 1937, it has a more modern feel to it than Murder on the Marsh and Death Comes to Perigord, both of which, in style and in plotting, were redolent of an earlier period.
It is real bibliomystery as it deals with the murder of a bookseller, Mr Dodsley, in a bookshop, and one of the suspects has just published a detective novel, Death at the Desk, which features the murder of a bookmaker. The plot of this fictional book has features with parallels to the Dodsley case.
Scotland Yard Inspector Mallet soon fixes on his chief suspects but finds difficulties in fully substantiating his case. McNab is employed by Margery Grafton, a novelist, to prove the innocence of her fiance, the murdered man's nephew.
The plot has much of interest and there is some nifty characterisation. It is rounded off at a gathering in the bookshop where a couple of good late surprises are sprung.
Most enjoyable. Recommended to lovers of well-written GAD fiction.
Dating from 1937, it has a more modern feel to it than Murder on the Marsh and Death Comes to Perigord, both of which, in style and in plotting, were redolent of an earlier period.
It is real bibliomystery as it deals with the murder of a bookseller, Mr Dodsley, in a bookshop, and one of the suspects has just published a detective novel, Death at the Desk, which features the murder of a bookmaker. The plot of this fictional book has features with parallels to the Dodsley case.
Scotland Yard Inspector Mallet soon fixes on his chief suspects but finds difficulties in fully substantiating his case. McNab is employed by Margery Grafton, a novelist, to prove the innocence of her fiance, the murdered man's nephew.
The plot has much of interest and there is some nifty characterisation. It is rounded off at a gathering in the bookshop where a couple of good late surprises are sprung.
Most enjoyable. Recommended to lovers of well-written GAD fiction.
November 20, 2024
This book succumbs to the flaw of so many 2nd- and 3rd-tier mysteries from the golden age -- too much discussion, too little advancement of the story. The book is over 300 pages (long, for that time, I believe) and the middle third (at least) is a total slog of dialogs between the Scotland Yard Inspector Mallet and one or two others, re-hashing the case and the evidence and coming to one dubious and quickly abandoned conclusion after another. I think this could have been a pretty cracking story at 200 pages. As it is, though, it was all I could do to get through it.
Playing fair: I think the author played fair with the reader about the clues and motivations.
Whodunnit: I think this was a pretty obvious from fairly early on, but there was just enough doubt to be plausible.
There is an ending after the ending, which does wrap things up nicely, and makes the story more satisfying. I would have given this four stars if the middle hadn't been so shamelessly padded.
Playing fair: I think the author played fair with the reader about the clues and motivations.
Whodunnit: I think this was a pretty obvious from fairly early on, but there was just enough doubt to be plausible.
There is an ending after the ending, which does wrap things up nicely, and makes the story more satisfying. I would have given this four stars if the middle hadn't been so shamelessly padded.
Read
August 1, 2023I was buying this with three other books, all of which were 2-for-1 except this one, but the chap at the till rang it through as a freebie anyway. It’s one of the newest British Library Crime Classics and towards the “absolutely solid” end of their list. (I think some aren’t as good as others, but I’ve had good luck with them so far.) I can barely remember the minutiae of the plot now, but it’s to do with the murder of an antiquarian bookseller and one of the crucial clues involves the timing of a drunk’s encounter with a policeman on the night of the murder. (Or was he really drunk??! That is the question.) There are also some chapters set in the Houses of Parliament during a vote, which is fun.
April 28, 2025
Mi dispiace non aver letto il libro in lingua originale, temo che il mio giudizio potrebbe essere stato influenzato da una tradizione troppo letterale che ha reso molte conversazioni legnose e diverse reazioni improbabili e innaturali. Si tratta comunque di un romanzo pubblicato nella prima metà del 20esimo secolo quindi è naturale che alcuni passaggi risultino antiquati ma mai ho percepito una tale mancanza di naturalezza leggendo Agatha Christie, il che mi fa sospettare la scarsa qualità della traduzione.
In ogni caso l'indagine resta lenta e poco coinvolgente per tre quarti dei romanzo, il detective privo di personalità e gli altri personaggi non pervenuti, si fa veramente fatica a finirlo.
In ogni caso l'indagine resta lenta e poco coinvolgente per tre quarti dei romanzo, il detective privo di personalità e gli altri personaggi non pervenuti, si fa veramente fatica a finirlo.
March 5, 2025
This novel is a reprint under the "British Library Crime Classics" that I found at the Harvard Bookstore. Love that store!! I bought 3 and this was my first go. There is a nice warning in the preface that the editors have removed language that would be highly offensive to a modern reader, but left some of the ingrained bias so reader be warned. With that, I entered a murky world with perhaps too many characters. However, I was alternating with the audiobooks which was delightfully narrated by David Thorpe (replete with believable female voices and Scottish accents). I recommend it to anyone who wants to step back in time and revel in the golden age of mysteries.
February 19, 2024
After a bitty start (which makes perfect sense in the end) this is a nicely paced whodunnit that twists and turns both in terms of the investigation but also the protagonists without getting unnecessarily confusing. The gentle poking fun at both the detective story genre and newspaper book reviews are icing on the cake. A very good rainy day read.
April 28, 2024
It was quite tricky to remember who everyone was at first.
An enjoyable read but not the easiest plot to keep track of. I had started to suspect the murderer but wasn’t really sure till the reveal. A bit of a sub plot as well which was good! I would like to have found out if father & daughter were reconciled.
An enjoyable read but not the easiest plot to keep track of. I had started to suspect the murderer but wasn’t really sure till the reveal. A bit of a sub plot as well which was good! I would like to have found out if father & daughter were reconciled.
May 27, 2025
Ferguson affords the reader meticulous access to the discoveries, theories and reasonings of both MacNab and the police, yet still manages to spring a surprise of two (albeit in part due to glassy-eyed oversaturation). The prose is pleasant enough, its deployment underwhelming.
November 10, 2025
Gave up a third of the way. Start was confusing with the whole chapter about Parliament, then finally the murder is brought into the story. Found the details of the floor in the bookshop tedious and decided life's too short to spend on this.
February 12, 2023
Very enjoyable 😊
March 25, 2023
A slow starter but a reasonable finish.
November 30, 2023
History was right to forget this dud. I skipped sixty whole pages and didn't miss a thing.
January 8, 2024
I'm not sure if it's successful as a detective novel but it is fairly successful as a novel-novel. With serviettes
March 3, 2024
Bit of a ramble in explaining the plot line at times. Weird swathes with no seeming connection to the storyline in the end. Somewhat a predictable outcome albeit underlying mystery around it.
March 26, 2024
3.5 stars. A mixed bag. Some entertaining subsidiary characters and good moments marred by other characters who were complete ciphers and some parts that dragged. Quite fun though.
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