Book Review: Death of an Avid Reader by Frances Brody

Death of an Avid Reader is the sixth novel in the Kate Shackleton private detective series (the previous five have all been reviewed on this blog). It's set in 1920s Yorkshire and has become one of my favourite book series ever.

This novel straddles two investigations. Kate is originally tasked to track down the illegitimate daughter of Lady Coulton and throws herself into that investigation with the aid of her partner Jim Sykes. However, she is also plunged into a murder mystery when Dr Horatio Potter is found dead in the basement of the Leeds Library following an exorcism.

This was another thoroughly enjoyable read from Brody, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. I particularly liked the involvement of a Capuchin monkey and the way the story revolved around the library. It is pretty much like heaven for me to read a murder mystery set in a library, especially given how things wrapped up. There were some interesting tangents but, unlike some mysteries, the whole thing fit together very nicely in the end. The character introduced were necessary for the plot and they were well written - as usual.

Without ruining the various plot twist there's not much more I dare say about the novel. I will say, though, that the scenes involving the monkey were some of the most memorable. I just wish she'd kept Percy at the end of it all!

My Favourite Books of 2015

One benefit of not reading enough is that the good books I've read stand out that little bit more. Interesting thing? I read all of these in the first seven months of the year. You can find the complete list of books I've read this year here but these are my top five, in no particular order.

Dead to Me by Cath Staincliffe

The first book I read in 2015 is still one of my favourites. A prequel to the Scott & Bailey television series, this was an excellent read and the plan is still to read the next novel when I get a chance. My full review can be found here. 

Felix Holt, the Radical by George Eliot

It's taken quite a while for me to find an Eliot book that really got me but Felix Holt  turned out to be it. Almost a year later I'm still thinking about the evocative riot scenes and this is one of those rare novels I remember exactly where I was when I read it, down to the bumps on the track between Wakefield and Sheffield. My full review can be found here. 

Inseparable: Desire Between Women in Literature by Emma Donoghue

My favourite non-fiction book of the year, this is an excellent analysis of same-sex desire that has provided me with so much potential reading material that it's already paid for itself ten times over. My full review can be found here. 

Murder in the Afternoon by Frances Brody

My infatuation with Kate Shackleton doesn't seem to be easing but who cares? Out of the three Brody novels I reviewed in 2015, this one is my favourite thanks to the Wakefield setting. My full review can be found here. 

Here Be Dragons by Stella Gibbons

Here's another author who I could read forever. No matter what I think of a Gibbons plot, the settings are evocative and the characters memorable. Here Be Dragons is another excellent examination of post-war London and it struck a chord. My full review can be found here. 

Book Review: The Incredulity of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton

Despite owning all the Father Brown stories, I'm taking my time reading them because I enjoy them so much. You can find my reviews of Innocence and Wisdom here and here but Incredulity is the third collection and feels as though it goes in a slightly different direction.

Location plays a big part in these stories with Father Brown encountering different cultures and, significantly, several of them are set in America. I like these explorations and it's amusing how Father Brown is never a fish out of water - he blends into the background of any community.

I enjoyed all the stories in this collection. However, some are more enjoyable than others, of course. 'The Resurrection of Father Brown' is the first story and begins with the cleric's death. It's a charming little story, made all the more enjoyable by his irritation at becoming a celebrity. 'The Arrow of Heaven' deals with the murder of a millionaire, a circumstance that 'is, for some reason, treated as a sort of calamity'. Chesterton, naturally, then proceeds to include three dead millionaires in his story. In 'The Oracle of the Dog' I was tickled by the resolution and the peculiar murder of Warren Wynd in 'The Miracle of Moon Crescent' had me completely perplexed for a time. While I enjoyed the sensory details and depictions in 'The Curse of the Golden Cross', that might've been the weakest story in terms of progression, for me anyway. 'The Dagger with Wings' is one of the more atmospheric pieces, although I was slightly disappointed with the ending, probably on grounds of personal preference.

The final two stories in the collection are my favourites. 'The Doom of the Darnaways' takes the old trope of a decaying British manor with a foreign heir and creates a memorable story revolving around a photograph. In that story, the last lines are typical of Father Brown and, perhaps, that's why I enjoyed it so much. Lastly, 'The Ghost of Gideon Wise' really kept me on my toes with an atmospheric look at the murders of another three millionaires. That Chesterton still has the ability to startle me after three volumes of Father Brown stories is delightful.

These are gentle mysteries that visit the hard edges of humanity. If that sounds like a contradiction then that's probably because you're unfamiliar with the central character. There are lengthy dialogue digressions which won't appeal to all but I like being made to think as well as follow a mystery to its conclusion. I'll ration myself again before I read the fourth collection, The Secret of Father Brown.

Book Review: Murder on a Summer's Day by Frances Brody

Murder on a Summer's Day is the fifth book in the Kate Shackleton mystery series that I so adore (the previous four have all been reviewed on this blog). Set in the 1920s in Yorkshire, this series follows a private investigator and, in this novel, Brody brings a touch of India to the Yorkshire countryside.

Kate is asked by her cousin to travel to Bolton Abbey to help find Maharajah Narayan, a distinguished visitor who disappeared while hunting. When she arrives at the scene Kate finds puzzle after puzzle blocking her path and it soon transpires she's involved in yet another murder case. Superstitious locals believe shooting a white doe was the reason Narayan died but there's a missing diamond and an unsuitable local girlfriend waiting in the wings. Kate keeps coming up against brick walls, despite the aid of her partner Jim Sykes and housekeeper Mrs Sudgen and the mystery builds gently as the book progresses.

I thoroughly enjoyed the layering of Indian culture on the Yorkshire setting. It added a new dimension to Brody's books, which are already uniquely enjoyable (for me) because of the three key ingredients of a female detective, period setting and the base in Yorkshire. The mystery itself ties together the English and the Indian aspects of plot with plenty of twists and turns along the way and some completely believable characters. There are a couple of especially memorable scenes, specifically one involving a snake and another involving a fire, both of which have lingered with me since I finished reading.

In fairness, I don't think Frances Brody could write a Kate Shackleton novel that I didn't enjoy but that doesn't mean this one isn't worth reading. Once again, Brody refrains from neat conclusions and, beyond that, I seriously hope the question she posed in the last line of this book is answered in the next. It's a frivolous fangirly question but I still care nonetheless.

This book was read as part of the 'Women' reading challenge, details here.

Book Review: A Medal for Murder by Frances Brody

A Medal for Murder is the second book in the series of 1920s detective novels centred around the character of Kate Shackleton (of which I've read books one and four already). This one begins with Kate and her partner Jim being hired to investigate a robbery at a pawn-shop which could prove embarrassing for both the owner and his clients. She combines a trip to Harrogate to watch an amateur production of Anna and the Five Towns with delivering the news of the theft to one of the clients, but she finds the house doesn't exist. More pressingly, as she leaves the theatre later that night she stumbles over the dead body of local car salesman Mr Milner. The leading lady of the play has gone missing and a ransom note delivered and Kate soon finds herself tangled in a web of deceit that goes back to the Boer War.

As with the other books in this series, I enjoyed A Medal for Murder. I think what I especially like is the location, unsurprisingly enough. I adore being taken through Yorkshire in the 1920s and Brody is excellent at evoking both the time and place. Kate Shackleton is a very good protagonist to take us on the tour too, with a forward-thinking attitude that captures the essence of the era whilst still appealing to a modern reader.

The murder mystery itself was cleverly constructed and, though I knew the main suspects couldn't be the killer, I couldn't put my finger on who it was until Kate herself did. As with the other two novels, I enjoyed the ride and the amusing asides littered throughout the narrative. Brody's good at developing self-centred characters and there are some crackers in this novel. However, it also asks some powerful questions about guilt and responsibility, ending up ambivalent about punishment in more than one strand of the plot. That's something I noted in Dying in the Wool too and I appreciate the indecision - it makes the series feel very human.

Classic Film Review: The Lady Vanishes (1938)

The Lady Vanishes tells the story of Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood) and her fellow bunch of travellers who are stranded overnight in an inn before their train gets started the next day. Before she gets on the train, Iris has an accident and is looked after by Miss Froy (May Whitty). After a nap, Iris wakes and discovers Miss Froy has vanished and none of her fellow passengers claim to remember her. Iris reluctantly enlists the help of Gilbert (Michael Redgrave) and they try to unravel the mystery of Miss Froy's disappearance. The cast includes Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne as the cricket-mad Charters and Caldicott, Paul Lukas as Dr. Hartz and Cecil Parker as Mr Todhunter.

This is the third version of this story I've now seen. I reviewed the 1979 film starring Angela Lansbury last year and, though I watched the 2013 television adaptation, I didn't review it. However, Hitchcock's interpretation of the story is delicious and outstrips the others, no question. It's atmospheric and witty without being overblown. The scenes on the train, particularly, are well-executed despite the confined space.

The cast is practically faultless. Michael Redgrave's first appearances as the irritating Gilbert in the hotel felt like a flamboyant sideshow, but once they settled into their double-act 'Sherlock Holmes and Watson' personalities on the train, the relationship between him and Iris was one of the highlights of the film. In addition, Radford and Wayne are excellent in their supporting roles and everyone down to the nun played by Catherine Lacey fulfil their parts properly.

After seeing three versions, it's very difficult to come to the story fresh but it still kept my attention for the most part, mainly due to Margaret Lockwood as the heroine. It's a completely different role to to her partnership with Redgrave in The Stars Look Down (1940, reviewed here) and, as such, demonstrates the versatility of both. Their chemistry sees the film through with able support from everybody else.

ARC Book Review: Tinseltown by William J. Mann

The full title of this book is Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine, and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood. It centres on the murder of William Desmond Taylor in 1922, examining all available material to try and pin down the culprits after all this time. More than that, though, this book serves as a portal into the early world of Hollywood. Other people discussed at length include actresses Mabel Normand, Mary Miles Minter and Virginia Gibson along with Adolph Zukor, the ambitious founder of Paramount. This book attempts to uncover the 'real' Hollywood of the early 20s and, for the most part, it succeeds.

While the murder investigation does form the centrepiece of the book, it certainly isn't the only strand. I liked the fact that it begins with the day of the murder then flips back to document how the main players got to that point. Although I knew the murder was coming, sometimes I got so engrossed with the power plays of various people that I forgot about it. As a consequence, it came upon me as a bit of a shock, mainly because by this point I was emotionally attached - not so much to Taylor himself but to Mabel Normand. Mann's portrayal of Normand is nothing short of exquisite and, out of all the names who touch these pages, for me, the representation of Normand lingers most strongly.

Mann's style may not be to everyone's taste but it certainly works. He has painstakingly recreated as much of that period as possible using, as he explains in a note at the end, as many primary sources as he could get his hands on but, beyond that, he has immersed himself and his reader in the possible thoughts of his primary protagonists. This kind of speculation is just that but it works because of Mann's level of research: there is always the sense that his speculation stems from deep involvement in his subject and his use of photographs and weather reports to visualise what a street would've looked like from the view of one of his protagonists works extremely well. Similarly, the use of very short chapters, flicking around from person to person is something I enjoyed once I accustomed myself to it. Mann uses enough markers and reminders to satisfy his most forgetful readers and keeping all the major players in the air is a shrewd move for maintaining interest.

The book claims to offer the solution to the mystery that has foxed film buffs for ninety years. Do I think the conclusions are plausible? Yes, I do. Mann doesn't manipulate the evidence to fit his theory. He presents it all, including that for other suspects. In the end, though, the circumstantial evidence accumulated via Mann's diligent recreation of the Hollywood milieu swings it for me.

Tinseltown isn't only a gripping read but an excellent depiction of a world long gone. If you're interested in the early days of Hollywood and the power plays of the era then this book is highly recommended.

I received an ARC of this book direct from the publishers, HarperCollinsPublishers. And here's a nifty trailer for it:

Book Review: Dying in the Wool by Frances Brody

Last summer, when I read A Woman Unknown (reviewed here), I vowed to go back and discover the Kate Shackleton mysteries from the beginning. Dying in the Wool is the first in the series, serving as a good introduction to Kate as well as being a very intriguing mystery that kept me guessing.

Kate has done some investigative work in the past, for families who want conclusive answers on why their men didn't come back from the Great War. The job offered to her by old friend Tabitha Braithwaite is the first where she accepts remuneration for her work and takes on an ex-policeman, Jim Sykes as her partner. Tabitha wants to know whether her father, who disappeared in 1916, is alive or dead as she's getting married and wants him to be present. Kate begins her investigations, finding most of the people she needs to talk to quietly uncooperative, but there are a few chinks in the village's armour and, as she finds them, the situation begins to unravel, though not without a few casualties along the way.

There's a little bit of scene-setting towards the beginning of the book, introducing Kate's father, housekeeper and general background. For the most part, it slots well into the narrative of Tabitha's request and, if this is indeed the first Kate Shackleton mystery you've read, then it's very useful information. I liked the characterisation of Kate in this first book, especially the way her investigative abilities and love of photography intersect and occasionally collide.

The pace of this works quite well. It's a cosy mystery with a few grisly moments and some sharp writing. I liked the fact that not everything was neatly tied up in a bow at the end and appreciated the characterisation of a few of the more odious villagers. They came across as distinctive, always a difficulty in this type of novel. There was also a delicious scene where Kate meets up with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I'll leave you with one of her thoughts about him:

'I needed to divert Sir Arthur from his other-world views if there was to be an earthly chance of his talking sense.'

Book Review: The Wisdom of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton

Coincidentally, I reviewed the first collection of Father Brown stories in June 2013 - obviously I like reading Chesterton's short mysteries in the summer! The thing I enjoyed most about this collection was the eclecticism: Father Brown flits around all over the place, sometimes with his companion Flambeau and sometimes alone. It means that no one story is similar to the one preceding it, something which I greatly appreciated.

The first story is 'The Absence of Mr Glass' which ridicules a doctor's deductions and is quite hilarious. It's brilliant in its simplicity, as is the second story, 'The Paradise of Thieves', which, despite being fairly confident about what was going on, entertained me nonetheless. The fourth story in the collection, 'The Man in the Passage' is both ingenious and a little heartbreaking. It tells of an actress with several suitors in her dressing room and who is mysteriously struck down by a suspect who is described differently by every witness. Father Brown's cross-examination here in this story is downright wonderful.

Story number seven, 'The Purple Wig', is enjoyable for its variation in narrative style as well as the substance of the mystery while 'The Perishing of the Pendragons' is notable for its description of the environment as well as the mystery. Similarly, in the ninth story, 'The God of the Gongs', the desolate descriptions of a seaside town out of season are very evocative.

All of the stories in this collection have something to recommend them but my favourites are probably the last two, 'The Strange Crime of John Boulnois' and 'The Fairy Tale of Father Brown'. The former's characterisation is wonderful and, again, it toys with narrative style at the beginning. It tells of a philosopher accused of murdering his love rival but this philosopher is far too disinterested to lift a finger - he just wants to be left alone with his book. 'The Fairy Tale of Father Brown' is an exploration of a past event by Father Brown and Flambeau. I always love these two together and the tale of a prince who was shot when guns were banned from his kingdom is a wonderful little teaser to conclude on.

I suppose that by this point I'm more adept at spotting where Chesterton is going with his mysteries. However, much to my delight, he still manages to surprise me on occasion and, regardless, his stories are both evocative and clever. However, I do think I should put off reading the next collection for a few months - delay the pleasure!

Book Review: The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet by Burton E. Stevenson

Although one in a series about a New York lawyer, The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet can stand alone. I haven't read the earlier stories yet the characterisation was fine and any references to other mysteries were brief and not crucial to the plot. Lester, the lawyer, is visiting the home of his client and friend, Philip Vantine, discussing the new cabinet Vantine has just bought but which has been accidentally switched for another one. The cabinet that has been delivered is worth much more and has a rich history. However, a visitor arrives and, after waiting in the room containing the cabinet, is struck down dead. An investigation starts up but then Philip Vantine himself becomes the next victim. Both seemed to have been killed by poison administered via two marks on the hand but it would be a very deadly poison. Who has killed the men and what role does the cabinet have in the case? The police try to investigate but it is Lester's friend, Godfrey, who is more open-minded and willing to put himself at risk to unearth the mystery.

As I said, this book can easily stand alone, though the references to earlier book made me want to read them. The friendship between Lester and Godfrey is a pleasant one, contributing to the case but also adding a focal point that I suspect runs through the books. As for the mystery itself, there are plenty of twists and turns and a few red herrings that make it interesting enough to hold attention. Perhaps the final twist was one too far but it did lead naturally from the rest of the book so I suppose it's difficult to complain on that point. There were a few twists that I saw coming but sometimes that's part of the fun of reading mystery stories.

However, for all the intricacies of the plot, The Mystery of the Boule Cabinet is laxly written in parts. There are careless repetitions which draw attention from the central mystery, at least for somebody paying as close attention as I was. Still, they don't impede the book as a whole, just create a little irritation. The mystery is enjoyable and the characterisation of Godfrey is a delight. I'll read the other books in this series, I'm sure.

Classic Film Review: Town On Trial (1957)

Town on Trial stars John Mills as Superintendent Halloran, a detective brought in to investigate the death of an attractive young woman who was adored by all the men of the community and loathed by most of the women. The film begins with the arrest of a mystery man and, as a police officer begins reading his statement, we are taken back to the day of the murder. There are three suspects highlighted: married Mark Roper (Derek Farr), the victim's ex-boyfriend Peter Crowley (Alec McCowen) and Dr Fenner (Charles Coburn). Halloran finds his methods under scrutiny as the murderer evades justice and threatens to kill again.

This was a tense film with some expected twists and some unexpected ones leading to a genuinely nail-biting climax, beautifully filmed and acted. John Mills is as dependable as ever as Halloran and the rest of the main cast is acceptable, with the exception of Charles Coburn who is thoroughly excellent. However, the supporting cast of wives, parents and friends is patchy in places and, though they add to the overall effect of the 'town on trial', occasionally their scenes feel a little laboured.

Another problem with this film stemmed from the romance between Halloran and Dr Fenner's niece, Elizabeth (Barbara Bates). There was no need for this relationship to become romantic - it was awkward and unnecessary, seeming only to provide an ally for Halloran who would criticise him at the crucial moment. I think the relationship would've been much stronger as a mere friendship and this would've saved the audience from some shoddy scenes between the pair. Taken otherwise, however, Barbara Bates is very good as Elizabeth.

Overall, I enjoyed Town on Trial. It kept my attention throughout, particularly with the gigantic red herring towards the end which was excellently played. This film is worth watching for the finale alone with Mills at his best. This is a tense mystery with a good ending - to the actual murder plot, at least.

Classic Film Review: Murder on a Honeymoon (1935)

 Murder on a Honeymoon is the third in a series about amateur sleuth Hildegarde Withers and is the last of the films to star Edna May Oliver as the protagonist (I previously reviewed Penguin Pool Murder, 1932, here). Miss Withers is travelling to Catalina Island on a small plane with a few other passengers but when it arrives at its destination one passenger doesn't disembark - he's dead. Learning that the dead man was an informant against a gangster, Miss Withers' old sidekick, Inspector Piper (James Gleason), hops on a boat to help her out of what could be a sticky situation. There are plenty of twists and turns and some serious peril for our heroes in this one.

As with Penguin Pool Murder, I thought this was just wonderful. Edna May Oliver and James Gleason bounce off each other perfectly, with the mutual affection between Miss Withers and Inspector Piper coming through in their own grouchy ways. The characterisation of these two is ideal. Piper isn't the brightest and he also tends to rush into things whereas Miss Withers will hold her tongue and watch from a distance. Even so, her beliefs do put the pair of them in danger towards the end of the film and, even before that, she ends up tied up in a closet for getting too close to the truth. Although I had no real fear either character would be killed, there was the sense that some damage could easily be done in the final scenes.

The supporting cast is mostly unremarkable, with Lola Lane as Phyllis La Font probably the best of the bunch. There's a heavy reliance on stereotypes with the island doctor and police officer but since they're incidental characters it doesn't really impede the film much. The focus is on Miss Withers and her friendship with Piper as they solve the murder.

I can't help but think it's a pity this was Oliver's last portrayal of Miss Withers. The potent partnership between her and Gleason could've lasted a long time.

Classic Film Review: Penguin Pool Murder (1932)

Penguin Pool Murder stars Edna May Oliver as Miss Hildegard Withers, a schoolteacher sleuth who happens to be visiting the aquarium on the day a body tumbles into the penguin tank. This body belongs to unscrupulous stockbroker Gerald Parker (Guy Usher) who has just discovered his wife Gwen (Mae Clark) meeting with former flame Philip Seymour (Donald Cook). Suspicion naturally falls on those two with passing lawyer Barry Costello (Robert Armstrong) taking on defence of Gwen Parker. But Miss Withers throws herself into solving the case herself, much to the disgruntlement of Inspector Piper (James Gleason).

I adored this film. The case was intriguing enough, though I had my suspicions from the off about who the killer was, but the real delight comes from Miss Withers herself. She is a fantastic creation with the turn of phrase of Miss Gulch from The Wizard of Oz and the sleuthing skills of Jessica Fletcher of Murder, She Wrote, of course. An intelligent, sarcastic woman who refuses to take 'no' for an answer, she persists in showing Inspector Piper where he's going wrong. Eventually, he learns to defer to her authority and they form a nice little tag-team.

The rest of the cast is adequate enough. Once Piper accepts Miss Withers, the character comes into his own - think of it in terms of Sheriff Metzger in Murder, She Wrote but with a nice little twist at the end. I found Mae Clark as Gwen a little difficult but the majority of the male cast was acceptable. However, this was always Miss Withers's film and it shows. The mystery is good but the interplay is better - and there's a wonderful penguin involved too.

This is the first of three Miss Withers stories Oliver and Gleason made together. After this, the role was taken over by Zasu Pitts, who I didn't really enjoy in Sing and Like It (1934, reviewed here) and I can't see in the role of Miss Withers. However, Eve Arden did make a one-off appearance in the role in a television special in 1972 - given my love of Eve, I'm definitely going to keep an eye out for that one.

Ultimately, I loved this film because of Edna May Oliver - she's a character I'd love to be any day.

Classic Film Review: To Catch a Thief (1955)

To Catch a Thief stars Cary Grant as ex-cat burglar John Robie. When a new spate of burglaries occur on the Riviera, Robie is instantly suspected and, mindful that the police won't give him a fair hearing, he escapes from them and sets about proving his own innocence with the help of insurance agent H.H Hughson (John Williams). He identifies mother and daughter Jessie (Jessie Royce Landis) and Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly) as potential victims and latches on to them but Frances is wise to his deception and doesn't trust him an inch.

I'm afraid that the editing and dubbing on this film was one of the worst I've seen, especially in such an otherwise excellent film. It really put me off, particularly the use of a non-English speaking actor, Charles Vanel, as important character Bertani. Rather than getting immersed in the story I found myself thinking how bad the dubbing was and that's not to mention the pasting together of shots, most noticeably during the rooftop chase, that pulled me back from the story.

The actual plot is excellent and Cary Grant is at his best as the reformed cat-burglar. He and Grace Kelly work well together as friendly adversaries, though I have to say that my favourite scenes came with Grant interacting with Jessie Royce Landis as Jessie Stevens. The characters interacted so beautifully, particularly in the bedroom scene where she lets him escape. Equally, John Williams as the upright insurance agent is a pleasure to watch.

The scenery in this film is amazing and it's worth watching for that alone. Awe-inspiring and utilised as a good backdrop to the main story, it's stunningly shot. Also, the costume ball section of the film is luscious, filled with vibrant costumes and wonderfully directed by Hitchcock.

All in all, this would have been an incredible film, if not for the atrocious dubbing and occasionally off-putting editing. Nevertheless, it remains an excellent one with Grant at his charming and debonair best.

Classic Film Review: Star of Midnight (1935)

Star of Midnight stars William Powell as lawyer Clay 'Dal' Dalzell. He's approached by Tim Winthrop (Leslie Fenton) whose girlfriend went missing in Chicago a year ago. Dal agrees to try and find her but when a journalist is shot in his apartment just before giving Dal a vital clue, he realises the case may be more complex than he thought. Helping him out is the woman who insists she's going to marry him - Donna Mantin (Ginger Rogers).

I knew I was going to enjoy this film because Rogers was in it but I wasn't expecting to become as absorbed in the plot as I did. It's a good whodunnit and, although I had my suspicions, I was kept guessing until the final minutes. The supporting cast is very good, including J. Farrell MacDonald as Inspector Doremus and Vivian Oakland as Jerry Classon, but far and away the best support comes from Gene Lockhart as Dal's butler Horatio Swayne. He's a delight to watch, especially in his little conspiracies with Rodgers.

Powell and Rogers work well together, sparking off each other to an extent. I was happy to root for their relationship, which isn't always the case in this era for me. Rogers gets her fair share of zinger lines but her strength, as ever, stems from her facial expressions and reactions. She can steal a scene by simply being in the background. Then again, so can Powell so they're in competition in this film.

I won't say too much about the plot but it certainly captured my interest and I enjoyed this film immensely. Recommended for any fan of 30s mysteries but particularly for fans of Ginger Rogers.

Book Review: A Woman Unknown by Frances Brody

This is another book I was drawn to because of the cover. I bought it not knowing it was the fourth in a series or that it was set in Yorkshire. I therefore got a very pleasant surprise when I opened the front cover. Finding good period mysteries set outside the capital is rather difficult but A Woman Unknown introduced me to a new series that specialises in it. I have to admit to getting very excited when the heroine hopped on a train to Wakefield Opera House and wandered a little around my home town in 1923.

So - the story! Kate Shackleton is a private investigator who is approached by Cyril Fitzpatrick because his wife, Deirdre, is acting strangely. He's chosen Kate because her partner, Sykes, caught Deirdre shoplifting previously and let her off. But Deirdre's 'secret' is that she is spending (non-sexual) nights in hotels with married men who are providing their wives with grounds for divorce. Unfortunately, on one occasion Deirdre wakes up next to a dead man and flees.

Everett Runcie isn't short of enemies. His wife, Philippa, is divorcing him and moving back to America; his long-term mistress, Caroline, may be put out when she doesn't feature in his plans and he's not proving the best asset to the family firm either. But who killed him? From investigating a person acting strangely, Kate suddenly finds herself searching for a missing woman while skirting around the edges of a murder investigation chaired by her ex-boyfriend.

With some mysteries I like to guess ahead but with this one I just allowed the tale to take me. The fluid, readable style of Brody made for an enjoyable ride. And I was relieved to discover that, although there are references to previous books, it's not necessary to have read them in order to understand and enjoy this one.  Of course, I did have a few criticisms, primarily that the narrator switches at different chapters with no discernible pattern. It can be a little disorientating at times but, really, that's a gripe. The book was very enjoyable and I will certainly be going back to learn about Kate Shackleton from the very beginning.

Classic Film Review: The Mad Miss Manton (1938)

The Mad Miss Manton is a madcap film that stars Barbara Stanwyck as Melsa Manton, a socialite known for her pranks to police. However, when she finds a dead body (and the dead body disappears) the police are angry with her for wasting their time and she enlists her group of friends to help her prove there was a body - but all doesn't go to plan. She is faced with irate police officer Lieutenant Brent (Sam Levene) and journalist Peter Ames (Henry Fonda) who quickly falls in love with her but is still all for letting the police deal with the investigation.

This film's tricky. It obviously doesn't take itself too seriously and goes for the laughs whenever it can but there is still a murder at the heart of it and one of the final scenes between Melsa and the killer seems far too dark for the ending of such a film. The murder mystery aspect is also a bit convoluted with more faces than necessary put into the picture at one point. Without proper guidance, I was a bit confused about what was going on when Melsa was shot at.

The 'group' of socialite friends Melsa assembled was possibly too large - sometimes they blended into each other and their personalities on the whole seemed far too similar. However, Levene and Fonda as Brent and Ames raised the film a little with their distinctive personalities. Levene particularly added much amusement to the film, though I was slightly sick of his predictable reactions by the time the credits rolled.

However, that's not to say that The Mad Miss Manton isn't a funny film. It is. This was my first introduction to Barbara Stanwyck and it was a relatively good one. Melsa's a strong character, dominant over those around her, with the exception of her maid Hilda (Hattie McDaniel). I also liked the twist of Melsa and her friends 'proving' something only for it to backfire. All in all, this was an enjoyable comedy, hardly ground-breaking but entertaining enough for a lazy afternoon.

Classic Film Review: Spellbound (1945)

Spellbound stars Ingrid Bergman as a psychiatrist who goes to great lengths to protect a patient while she works out the truth of his case. The patient (Gregory Peck) originally appears at the institution where Dr Constance Peterson (Bergman) works, masquerading as the new chief, Dr Edwardes. However, Constance soon works out that he's not who he says he is and suspects that he has something to do with the disappearance of Dr Edwardes. This is complicated by the fact that Constance has found herself immediately attracted to the patient. She conceals his location from the police then sets off to find and then cure him, uncovering the truth in the process.

This is an atmospheric Hitchcock film with a supporting cast that includes Michael Chekov as Dr Alexander Brulov and Leo G. Carroll as outgoing chief Dr Murchison. The concept of psychoanalysis is explained in sometimes clunky terms during the film but it makes a good basis for the plot. To be fully immersed in the story you may have to believe wholeheartedly in psychoanalysis but, on the other hand, it's a good film even if you're ambivalent. The short dream sequence devised by Salvador Dali is too short for my liking but certainly adds something to the film.

The beauty of this one, though, lies in the leading actors. Bergman is phenomenal, from her first moments as a calm and in control doctor through to the finale where she's fighting to save the man she loves. There are too many excellent individual scenes to mention but the climax between her and the villain takes some beating. Equally, Gregory Peck manages a role that could have become far too melodramatic very well. During his episodes, yes, the patient is unpredictable and weak but this contrasts nicely with his obvious affection towards Constance. Also excellent is Michael Chekov as the talkative Dr Brulov who lightens the tension a little with his non-stop chatter though there is more to him than that.

Of course, there are aspects of this film which were badly handled. The completely artificial ski scene was one, which could have been better handled with a director like Hitchcock. In addition, I felt that the superfluous characters who were introduced at the beginning (another doctor and a female patient) wasted a little bit of time. While they were there to set up Constance as a character, I don't think they entirely worked. However, these are small gripes. Overall, I found Spellbound to be a captivating film and one which would've cemented my love for Ingrid Bergman - if it wasn't already cemented, that is.

Classic Film Review: Experiment Perilous (1944)

Experiment Perilous stars George Brent as Dr. Huntington Bailey, a man who becomes embroiled in the Bederaux family and suspects murder at the heart of it. He first becomes acquainted with Cissie (Olive Blakeney) during a difficult train journey and she lets slip that she's kept a secret diary about her brother, Nick Bederaux's (Paul Lukas), life. However, she doesn't want to return to his house in New York so she asks Bailey to arrange her a room at his hotel and send her luggage on. He parts from her but later learns that she died soon after her arrival at her brother's home. He visits the house and encounters Bederaux and his nervous wife Allida (Hedy Lamarr). He also finds Cissie's notes on her brother mixed up with his own luggage and finds himself on a quest to discover the truth behind Nick Bederaux.

As a mystery this works quite well. Paul Lukas shows the various sides to Bederaux without much villainous flourish and Hedy Lamarr's portrayal of the anxious Allida is contrasted neatly in flashbacks to how she was in her earlier days with Nick. However, whilst Bailey's attempts to free Allida are understandable, I didn't at all buy the whirlwind romance that has the hardy doctor essentially fall in love at first sight. It felt like an unnecessary strand of plot, though perhaps it was just hugely undeveloped. 

In addition, I felt a little betrayed by the progression of the plot. Cissie was an integral character for the first fifteen minutes of the film and, really, her suspicious death was the most interesting aspect for me. I thought this was swiftly passed over later during the confrontation between Bailey and Bederaux and unjustifiably so. The romance between Allida and Bailey becomes the centre of the plot and dilutes the effect of the confrontation scene somewhat. 

That said, Hedy Lamarr put in an excellent performance, particularly in the flashback scenes without Brent. He was also good but, together, the story seemed to falter. There was one scene, however, which stays in my mind as the most intelligent scene of the film. Bailey is visiting his sculptor friend Clag (Albert Dekker) and they discuss Bederaux while Bailey walks about the studio of half completed heads. If more of the film had been employed in such ways I would've enjoyed it more. As it was, though, I found it to be a tense little mystery, though one that relies too heavily on romance as its solution. 

Classic Film Review: The Lady Vanishes (1979)

Although it has many flaws, The Lady Vanishes still remains an enjoyable film, not to be taken too seriously with some amusing performances. Based on the novel The Wheel Turns by Ethel Lina White and the 1938 Hitchcock film, this version too self-conscious and hammy on occasion but, having neither seen the original film nor read the book, I can't really comment on comparisons.

Cybil Shepherd stars as Amanda, an American woman heading to England to marry for the fourth time. She makes a spectacle of herself in the hotel the night before her departure, leading to a hangover. Once on the train, the kindly Miss Froy (Angela Lansbury) looks after her and takes her for a cup of tea. They return to the carriage and Amanda falls asleep. But when she wakes up Miss Froy is gone and the other occupants of the carriage swear that she never existed. Amanda refuses to give up, enlisting the help of photographer Robert (Elliot Gould) and Dr. Hartz (Herbert Lom) to help her prove her case but things get stranger as the journey continues.

Apart from Angela Lansbury - who puts in a typically understated performance - the stars of this film are Arthur Lowe and Ian Carmichael as Charters and Caldicott, two British cricket-obsessives who are desperate to get home to England and find out the score of the test match. They provide some of the most memorable lines of the film and I cared more about their survival than Amanda and Robert's.

This a light mystery and an opportunity for Cybil Shepherd to be seen in a very nice dress for ninety minutes. Gould seems more suited in his role, mocking himself constantly, whilst Shepherd becomes shrill and too melodramatic, even for this film. It's not a spectacular piece by any stretch of the imagination but there are some good moments, mostly related to cricket and tea.