Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our September 2021 group read: Mystery in the Channel (Inspector French #7) by Freeman Wills Croft Mystery in the Channel originally published in 1931 and the seventh book in the Inspector French series. There were 30 books in this long-running series, which ran from 1924 to 1957.

The captain of the Newhaven to Dieppe steamer spots a small pleasure yacht lying motionless in the water, and on closer inspection, sees a body lying on the deck. When members of his crew go aboard the yacht, they find not one male corpse but two. Both men have been shot, but there is no sign of either the murderer or the pistol.

The dead men, it quickly emerges, were called Moxon and Deeping, and they were chairman and vice-chairman respectively of the firm of Moxon General Securities, one of the largest financial houses in the country. Inspector Joseph French of Scotland Yard is called in, reporting directly to the Assistant Commissioner, Sir Mortimer Ellison. French soon discovers that Moxon’s is on the brink of collapse.

One and a half million pounds have gone missing, and so has one of the partners in the business. Moxon and Deeping seem to have been fleeing the country with their ill-gotten gains, but who killed them, and how? French faces one of the toughest challenges of his career, and in a dramatic climax, risks his life in a desperate attempt to ensure that justice is done.

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

I've finished this now and must say I really enjoyed it overall - I liked the way one trail after another turns out to be a dead end, so that French has to think again and follow another clue. I also thought both the beginning and the ending were very exciting, although the pace is quite leisurely in the middle.

I enjoyed this look inside a police investigation. I thought this was more about the police than the victim or suspects--the brainstorming, the hypothesizing, the reevaluation needed when trails turn out to be false. I could feel his frustration and discouragement, their exhaustion, and the satisfaction of solving the mystery.

I quite enjoyed this book despite its 'plodding' nature.

My review (with apologies to P D James but I thought of Dalglish when French interacted with his co-workers).

An interesting mystery as we trail behind Inspector French as he follows the clues through many twists and turns, bouncing back and forth between the coasts of Britain and France. The comradery between the policemen, both British and French, is one of the pluses of the book (and contrasts with P D James's detectives who weren't allowed a sense of humor). I expect Crofts' view of the men who need to work together, often under pressure, is more realistic. The book begins and ends on exciting high notes, but the majority is a basic police procedural as they trace leads, usually successfully but often to dead ends.

I also enjoyed this (a reread for me) but agree it does have a plodding nature about it (most of the GA procedurals do) and it does drag in the middle as a result of that, and perhaps of over-writing here and there.

This is perhaps not his best book, but over all a good one. He was never quite as good as, say, Christie or some of the others. But he deserves his place in the GA scheme of things.

Sandy wrote: "I quite enjoyed this book despite its 'plodding' nature.

My review (with apologies to P D James but I thought of Dalglish when French interacted with his co-workers).

An interesting mystery as w..."

Exactly! I felt the camaraderie between the officers - they’ve all shared the frustrations of dried up leads, suspects that seem to disappear into thin air, and the fear and adrenaline rush of physical confrontation. Along with the grim satisfaction, but terrific weight on the mind, of being the instrument of fierce justice to be visited on the guilty- hanging was still the punishment for murder.

Overall, a satisfying, realistic, if leisurely read for me.

ChrisGA wrote: "I enjoyed this look inside a police investigation. I thought this was more about the police than the victim or suspects--the brainstorming, the hypothesizing, the reevaluation needed when trails tu..."

Well put - this was the most striking part of this mystery for me - Lorac is similar for me, we see Macdonald’s dry humor in interactions with fellow officers, the often tedious nature of their work. This aspect reminds me of descriptions I’ve heard while watching dog shows on TV - the criminal has tried to cleverly cover up any clue to their wrongdoing, but our heroes have to plod along, slowly sometimes, but always thoroughly, sniffing out any clue, no matter the terrain or conditions! They really have to be determined and “dogged” (sorry, I’ll see myself out…)

I liked this too, although I think it would have benefited from the addition of a couple of different minor characters - too many finance directors and bank clerks!

I am so impressed by Inspector French’s stamina - backwards and forwards to France, and barely two hours sleep a night. No wonder he got discouraged at times, he must have been exhausted. I liked the way he got some small pleasure during his work from his sailing trips and walk around Dieppe - that’s something that has been lost with email and the internet I feel.

Overall this was probably 3.5* for me, I liked the writing style and the way French checked out his theories.

Pamela wrote: "I liked this too, although I think it would have benefited from the addition of a couple of different minor characters - too many finance directors and bank clerks!..."

That would have been nice, though I enjoyed it too. I admit I hadn't noticed until I read a review that there are no female characters at all in this book - Inspector French's wife is mentioned but doesn't appear, which is a pity as I liked her in Inspector French’s Greatest Case.

Oh, my gosh, I just realized, no women! Not even a devoted, ultra-efficient secretary for one of the deceased CEOs…I guess a product of the times! I’d like to meet French’s wife, he’s a likable character, I’d like to see what she’s like. I will definitely read more French!

I never noticed the absence of any women. There was a mention of French's wife and him going on holidays, and I did wonder why at the end of his day he was going to see the other detective, but dismissed it.

Nowadays detectives don't have comfortable wives - they have broken relationships, angst about missing wives, and problems with alcohol and/or PTSD.

It is noticeable that the women involved aren't given names (does even Mrs Moxon have a first name?) or words of their own. I doubt if it was Croft's intention to write them out so decisively, but now it's been mentioned it is rather worrying. But at least women weren't being used as murder-fodder.

Rosina wrote: "Nowadays detectives don't have comfortable wives - they have broken relationships, angst about missing wives, and problems with alcohol and/or PTSD.

It is noticeable that the women involved aren'..."

Good point! And you’re also right about modern detectives and their broken relationships, angst-ridden private lives. Another reason I’m not overly fond of current detective fiction!

Jill wrote: "I never noticed the absence of any women. There was a mention of French's wife and him going on holidays, and I did wonder why at the end of his day he was going to see the other detective, but dis..."
Perhaps Croft and his wife were going through a bad patch when he wrote this book. lol

I'm only about half way through but did not notice the absence of women either. I'm guessing the absence is due to the lack of women in finance until more modern day times.
One real punch that I did catch was when Sir Mortimer was soliloquizing about the innocent people who would be hurt and mentioned "Think of all the innocent people who will now have to give up sending their sons to a decent school."
It's just the way it was then.

I read this book about six months ago and was really startled by the complete absence of female characters, even in subservient roles as would have been typical of the times.

I also felt (perhaps a related point) that characterisation was not the author's strong point. All the characters seemed to merge into a similar set of businessmen to me, which made it difficult to care who did it.

I find myself thinking affectionately of Christie's A Murder Is Announced, which positively bursts with vivid and entertaining portraits of what is a quite average set of middle-class women living in a village. I could happily read a whole series about the Chipping Cleghorn community without needing any murders at all. (In fact I am suddenly realising how similar Christie's books are to the Mapp and Lucia ones in being able to bring ordinary people so humorously to life.)

I totally agree with you, Annabel, and her ability to portray people so vividly is probably why she's is still beloved today.

I'm glad you mentioned the Mapp and Lucia books. I loved them and I think its time to reread them. I could use some chuckles now.

I really liked this, and got his first case - at least one woman! ;)

Diane wrote: "I totally agree with you, Annabel, and her ability to portray people so vividly is probably why she's is still beloved today.

I'm glad you mentioned the Mapp and Lucia books. I loved them and I th..."

Yes, I loved Mapp & Lucia books so much, I bought the DVD as a birthday gift to myself years ago - the casting was spot on, and they kept closely to the books! I could use some laughs myself, might be time to revisit Queen Lucia! ;)

Diane wrote: "One real punch that I did catch was when Sir Mortimer was soliloquizing about the innocent people who would be hurt and mentioned "Think of all the innocent people who will now have to give up sending their sons to a decent school."

I smiled at that too, but decided that Croft was deliberately showing Sir Mortimer as blinkered. It is reasonable to assume that investors in Moxons (like Names at Lloyds) are from the son-at-public-school class, rather than the haven't-got-two-sixpences-to-rub-together classes.

Susan in NC wrote: "Yes, I loved Mapp & Lucia books so much, I bought the DVD as a birthday gift to myself..."

There are DVDs? And they were done well? That sounds wonderful and I've got to find them. Best of all, I have a birthday coming up.

I really enjoyed this book and send my thanks to whoever suggested and/or voted for it. I will definitely read more Crofts books. I like the detail of police procedurals, so this was a winner for me. Also the travel, dashing off to places repeatedly, and Detective French himself. Thanks again.

Diane wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Yes, I loved Mapp & Lucia books so much, I bought the DVD as a birthday gift to myself..."

There are DVDs? And they were done well? That sounds wonderful and I've got to find t..."

If you really want to see the characters come to like being played by actors who suit the roles, do yourself a favor and buy the 1980's series. Superior in every way to the remake.

https://www.amazon.com/Mapp-Lucia-Com...

Thom wrote: "Diane wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Yes, I loved Mapp & Lucia books so much, I bought the DVD as a birthday gift to myself..."
There are DVDs? And they were done well? That sounds wonderful and I've..."
Thank you both for the the wonderful information about the Mapp and Lucia series. My local library had the dvds and it was the 1980s series! They are delicioso! Sorry, after binging all ten episodes I've starting talking a bit like Lucia.
Prunella Scales and Geraldine McEwan are the quintessential Mapp and Lucia and Nigel Hawthorne is exactly as I always pictured him. Molte grazie.

Now, back to Mystery in the Channel. I liked the cleverness of the plot but not entirely. For me, at times, it did bog down. And I did guess the culprit although I didn't figure out the how. I couldn't see who else it could possible be.

Thom wrote: "Diane wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Yes, I loved Mapp & Lucia books so much, I bought the DVD as a birthday gift to myself..."

There are DVDs? And they were done well? That sounds wonderful and I've..."

That’s the DVD set I was talking about, Thom. I didn’t even know there had been a remake until a few years ago, I’ve never seen it so I won’t comment on it, but I really can’t imagine how they could’ve improved on the original!

Diane wrote: "Thom wrote: "Diane wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Yes, I loved Mapp & Lucia books so much, I bought the DVD as a birthday gift to myself..."
There are DVDs? And they were done well? That sounds wonder..."

Diane - sorry, I missed your previous question about M&L, but so glad you found them at your library and enjoyed them!

Joanne wrote: "I really enjoyed this book and send my thanks to whoever suggested and/or voted for it. I will definitely read more Crofts books. I like the detail of police procedurals, so this was a winner for m..."

I enjoyed it, too, I nominated it because I read the description, and it sounded like a clever premise- plus, the group previously read a Crofts book (The 12:30 from Croydon), which I enjoyed, and I wanted to read more. I usually try and nominate something that’s been out for awhile, and hope if it’s widely available in the US, group members overseas can get it as well. But that’s not always the case!

Susan in NC wrote: "That’s the DVD set I was talking about, Thom. I didn’t even know there had been a remake until a few years ago, I’ve never seen it so I won’t comment on it, but I really can’t imagine how they could’ve improved on the original!."

The casting in the remake was all wrong. Although I like both actresses, they just didn't fit those roles at all. As you say, that series in the 1980s was SO perfect. My only disappointment was that they didn't adapt the 2nd, 3rd and 4th books.

Thom wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "That’s the DVD set I was talking about, Thom. I didn’t even know there had been a remake until a few years ago, I’ve never seen it so I won’t comment on it, but I really can’t i..."

That would have been great! Thanks for the heads-up, I won’t bother seeking out the remake.