Cyril Hare

Warbeck Hall is an old-fashioned English country house and the scene of equally English murders.

All the classic ingredients are there: Christmas decorations, tea and cake, a faithful butler, a foreigner, snow falling and an interesting cast of characters thrown together.

The murders and detective work are far from conventional though ...

An English Murder

A group of people who don’t really like one another gather to celebrate the last Christmas with the family patriarch in a large country estate. A snowstorm hits, someone dies, and a wonderful mystery from the Golden Era ensues.

Cheri McElroy

Emmett

This was notably different - refreshing even - from the usual mysteries with an obvious main character who naturally takes the case upon him/herself. The main 'detective' here I felt wasn't formally introduced, at least in the way Hare writes this book. He remains one of the central characters, albeit with a more deliberate focus into his thoughts, but is barely distinguishable from the others, except at the end where everything falls into place thanks to his deductions. I liked how it was more of a domestic-political drama novel than a purely murder mystery novel, and how both elements remain tightly entwined (with the former taking the reins at the very beginning) even to the end (then again it seems inevitable since the drama had a major part in explaining the murder). Another thing which surprised - and gladdened me - was how Hare chose to leave murder waiting in the wings till 1/3 of the book where it officially becomes a murder mystery. Though the title clearly hints at homicide of some sort (the 'English' sort, presumably), I felt it more of a domestic drama novel with a dash of politics at the beginning. That was just the effect it had. However it is commendable to proceed as such as it left lots of room to explore the initial cracks, sour relations and tensions between the characters (which Hare does splendidly and succinctly with a touch of tangy wit), making the story so worthwhile reading in the first place and allowing me to genuinely 'feel' for the characters. Hare's mastery of prose really is quite wonderful especially the way he handles Dr Bottwink's words.

Sophie

thea

The snow is thick, the phone line is down, and no one is getting in or out of Warbeck Hall. With friends and family gathered round the fire, all should be set for a perfect Christmas, but as the bells chime midnight, a mysterious murder takes place. Who can be responsible? The scorned young lover? The lord's passed-over cousin? The social climbing politician's wife? The Czech history professor? The obsequious butler? And perhaps the real question is: can any of them survive long enough to tell the tale?

An English Murder

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