English Mysteries Club discussion

Here is the thread to discuss the Golden Age Mystery which has won the poll for our February group read. It is Mystery in White by J. Jefferson Farjeon, and is another seasonal mystery! It looks exciting!

Who's in for this one? We begin reading and discussion on February 1st.

I’m in! I found it as an ebook from our library!

I'm in too! Got this in a book of British Library Crime Classics for Christmas!

Great!

I'm out, I've already read this one.

I read this a year ago, so I won't be reading it this time. I enjoyed the setting-a snowed in house in the country.

I’m in - just ordered it. Haven’t read anything by this author before so looking forward to it!

I' m in! I love this kind of stories and I haven't read it yet.

France-Andrée, Rosemarie and anyone else who has read this one already, do please feel free to follow the comments and add your own :)

I ordered this from library. I am looking forward to it.

I read this on a snowy weekend last month and enjoyed it. I'll add my comments as others start to read.

I don't remember all the details, so I may reread it if I can get a copy from the library.

I read this three years ago and so enjoyed the winter/Christmas theme to the mystery, looking forward to reading comments from new readers.

Joining this read. New author for me, I'm excited to give this book a go!

I´ve got this at home, so will join in. :)

Completed this book last night.

I really enjoyed this book! It's not on the level of Christie or Sayers, but it's a perfectly respectable mystery. Snappy dialogue, fast paced action, a plot that keeps you guessing (at least I was guessing), sturdy characterization.

(view spoiler)[The train seems like it would enter more into the story, based on the cover, but there's the old saying about a book and its cover. I definitely consider this more of a country house style mystery. One thing that had me chuckling was how many people the author had roaming around the woods by the house, in a blizzard - seems like they could hardly take a step without running into someone else.

The dialogue between Mr. Maltby and Smith (around 34% mark in the kindle edition) had me crying with laughter. It reminds me of the old Abbott and Costello "who's on first" gag, the rapid fire dialogue that doesn't miss a beat and never achieves anything either.

It's an old sins cast long shadows plot, which is a type I particularly enjoy. Peeling through the layers of memories and the intervening years adds depth to the mystery. (hide spoiler)]

While reading, I kept imagining this as a BBC radio drama, I think that would be tremendous fun to listen to.

All in all, very pleased with this novel - my first by Farjeon, and I'm looking forward to reading another of his mysteries.

Favorite character: Lydia
Favorite scene: the Maltby/Smith banter (about 1/3 into the book)
Favorite quote: "I’ve come to the conclusion that real conversation isn’t half as clever as you find in books or plays, anyhow mine isn’t...."

It's the sort of thing BBC Radio 4 often does Cozy_Pug... maybe keep our fingers crossed for the end of the year!

Bionic Jean wrote: "It's the sort of thing BBC Radio 4 often does Cozy_Pug... maybe keep our fingers crossed for the end of the year!"

That would be great, except I'm in the U.S. :(

LOL Don't you get them all anyway eventually, on something called PBS?

I’m in. I’ve never heard of this author.

I hadn't either Fiona!

Apparently he was the brother of Eleanor Farjeon (lots of poetry and stories from my childhood comes to mind!) and Herbert Farjeon, a playwright I've vaguely heard of.

Bionic Jean wrote: "I hadn't either Fiona!

Apparently he was the brother of Eleanor Farjeon (lots of poetry and stories from my childhood comes to mind!) and Herbert Farjeon, a playwr..."

Hi Jean. I’ve only just discovered the Eleanor Farjeon connection. I remember her well from childhood too (we’re probably dating ourselves!) but I don’t think I knew that she wrote the words to Morning Has Broken. Quite a family, by all accounts! I’ve just started reading the book. Of its time but pulling me in.

Am starting the book today and hope to be able to contribute to the comments soon!

I’m about half way through - seems an apt choice given that the weather here (England) is freezing cold and snow! I’ll be finishing it by a decent fire, I think!

I really enjoyed this book. Like Mand above, the weather in Scotland is ideal for setting the scene. Posted review and will look forward to reading others.

Fiona wrote: "Bionic Jean wrote: "I hadn't either Fiona!

Apparently he was the brother of Eleanor Farjeon (lots of poetry and stories from my childhood comes to mind!) and [author:Herbert Farje..."

I'm also more familiar with his sister, Eleanor.

Like many of you, I found myself enjoying this a whole lot. I loved the introduction of the story in my version because it set it in context with other period writers, i.e., Agatha Christie, as well as what makes Farjeon's story stand on its own merits.

The introduction to the story is really interesting: A group of people take a holiday train ride and find themselves stuck on the tracks.

Then we meet those characters: the elderly bore, the chorus girl, the quiet, shy clerk, and the sibling duo. Instantly we have a picture of the characters. But then we are introduced to the old man in the corner, who terms to be a member of the Royal Psychical Society —don't you just love it?

But soon we are engrossed in their spur of the moment dash into adventure and intrigue, and meanwhile learn more about these characters because in many ways they are much more than that the descriptions that Farjeon has given them at the beginning of the story. Who are they? Are they what they seem? Or is there a backstory to them? I was taken by surprise by a couple of them.

And then there is the setting of the story. As a Southern California native, I have to admit, I've never had to deal with snow other than in settings where the sun was shining and I could leave whenever I wanted. That's not the setting these people found themselves and I could imagine that setting.

And then .... a secluded house appears out of the snow. That is good reading.

Loved it. Started Saturday and fell into it. At times I found it a bit tedious but I enjoyed the story and the setting very much. Exactly what I needed to cheer up.

That was very suspenseful, nearly spooky, so not the detective novel I had expected, but more like a thriller. I wasn´t sure whether they found out the reality by those tiny signs and their impressions.

I am so glad I decided to reread this-I enjoyed it even more on second reading. That was quite a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Just finished and really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of this author and I'm looking forward to reading more of his books. I loved how the story had creepy, supernatural elements along with the straightforward mystery. (view spoiler)[ What did everyone think of Charles Shaw? Should he have been let off the hook? I was also hoping poor Robert Thomson would end up with Jessie (hide spoiler)]

I'm delighted this one is proving so popular :)

Archiving, but leaving open for further comments.