The Red House Mystery A A Milne 9781636000329 Books
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A.A. Milne was a prominent English author best known for his books featuring Winnie-the-Pooh. Milne is also notable for having served in both World Wars. On top of the classic Winnie-the-Pooh stories Milne also wrote The Red House Mystery, a classic locked room story. The action is set in an English country house where Mark Ablett is hosting a party.
The Red House Mystery A A Milne 9781636000329 Books
When the first of the "Winnie the Pooh" books appeared in 1926, Milne was already a successful novelist, playwright, screenwriter, poet, and essayist. Although not a "mystery writer" per se, he was a long-time fan of the genre and finally produced his only mystery novel in 1922. It was an instant success and American critic Alexander Woollcott called it one of the the three best mysteries ever written. That's nonsense, but it's an interesting period piece and well worth a read for lovers of classic British mysteries.It's both a "manor house" and a "locked room" mystery. Perhaps Milne only intended to write one mystery and figured he better cover all the bases while he was at it. It has all the usual ingredients of a Golden Age mystery - a well-staffed manor house in the country, a hospitable host, a large house party of well-bred guests, a ne'er-do-well brother showing up inconveniently from the Colonies, and a charming amateur detective.
It's well written, possibly too much so. Today it reads almost like a parody of a classic British mystery. The author's approach is light-hearted to the point of satire. Home-owner Mark Ablett is the genial, pompous host. He's a great guy as long as everything goes his way, but don't make fun of him! Tony Gillingham has a private income, but (being a younger son) is free to pursue a series of unlikely occupations, to which he now adds "detective."
His sidekick (Holmes and Watson as they impishly refer to each other) is the pleasant-but-dim Bill Beverly - the quintessential graduate of the English prep school system. He supplies the element of "I say, old boy, this is a frightful mess, what? I mean, murder is too, too caddish and all that, but when the suspect is one's host, well, it's dashed awkward, what?" How much you enjoy the book will depend on your tolerance for that sort of dialogue. You've been warned.
The elaborate plot depends on the reader being prepared to swallow a large dollop of improbable circumstances. Are you up for it? If so, you can enjoy a look back into a different world - a world filled with obliging servants and deferential policemen and luxury and time to pursue your interests and hobbies. (If, of course, you were rich or had good connections.)
It's those deferential, incompetent cops who stuck in the craw of Raymond Chandler when he used this book to explain the short-comings of the classic English mysteries. The most enthusiasm Chandler could work up for this book (and I think even that must have been a strain) was to call it "agreeable" (which it is) and to praise the meticulous plotting. However, he refused to believe that a police detective could be quite as foolish and easily fooled as Milne contends. As Chandler points out, the probability of the police being prepared to tolerate an amateur taking over the case is hard to swallow, even in 1920's England when the class system was still a strong social factor. I suspect most modern readers will agree.
I like it, but then I love classic British mysteries and can enjoy them with all their absurdities. And having read that Milne knew playwright J.M. Barrie, I'm wondering if the character of Mark Ablett - jovial on the surface, but almost psychotically narcissistic - was based (consciously or unconsciously) on the strange man who wrote "Peter Pan." No way to know, but an interesting speculation, what?
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The Red House Mystery A A Milne 9781636000329 Books Reviews
A murder is committed in the Red House. Sometime during "the drowsy heat" of a summer afternoon when the house party is outdoors and only the secretary/confidant is waiting in the hall, the deed is done. The long lost, never-do-well, down-on-his-luck, artist (?) brother Robert appears and is dispatched in short order. But who did it? And why? And how? Milne describes the house and its extensive park in detail - keep good notes, all of it is needed later on! A large cast of characters are involved in this mystery in "Mr. Mark Ablett's bachelor home." We meet the retired military man, the actress, the painter's widow with pretty daughter, the bachelor of independent means, a cook-house keeper, a maid, a police inspector and many more - several seemingly just populate the scenery. Solving the mystery is "an attractive gentleman of the name of Antony Gillingham" assisted by his friend "Bill Beverley, a cheerful young man in white flannel trousers and a blazer" acting as Holmes assisted by Watson (in Antony's words). Throughout this novel, we follow the pair as they think, debate and sleuth and then think, debate and sleuth again. It is a long slog this sleuthing. Finally! There is a letter and I really hoped that this was it. No, the ending followed much later. Several very good scenes, sub-plots, and developments - alas, too much other stuff crowded around.
It's okay, as far as mysteries go. Our amateur detective plods along, going from point A to point B until he finally figures it out. Problem is, maybe I've read too much Agatha Christie, but the moment Anthony and Matthew found the body, I knew who'd done it and how. I continued reading only to confirm my suspicion and learn the motive. If the story weren't near a century old, I'd say something about the shoddy detective work, but I suppose their methods were different back then.
It's not a bad story, if you're interested simply because it was written by A.A.Milne, but it's not brilliant either.
Evidently this is the only mystery Milne ever wrote, and what a shame since it is superb! It is from the point of view of a gentleman about town who has the leisure to indulge his whim to play Sherlock Holmes. Fortunately, his good friend happened to be staying at the country house where the murder occurred. I especially liked that all of the clues were detailed, and the two men discussed all the implications, unlike the Holmes stories where the average person doesn't understand all of the ramifications of drawing a certain conclusion. Bill is a perfect Watson, offering valuable suggestions but not seeing the inevitable conclusions that must be drawn by every clue. Tony was able, after thinking for a while, to explain why each scenario wouldn't fit. It is a quick read, the characters and setting are vivid and easily envisioned. The twist at the end is a surprise. There are a couple of things that don't "fit" in several conclusions so the true solution is a surprise. It's a "locked" room mystery of a long-lost brother being killed almost immediately after he arrives. As a chance, Tony happens on the scene just minutes after the gun shot is heard.
Don't you love these country homes where the doors and windows stand open so the casual passer-by gets drawn in. I guess it's an era in British history where a stranger is invited to stay because he knows one of the other guests, and they all behave according to a high code of honor. The country house of the golden age sub-genre is as fascinating as the locked room.
As I was near the end I realized there is one pivotal clue, that of a collar, that couldn't be used today. Otherwise, what a magnificent plot! I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a good mystery that takes a lot of deductive reasoning to solve. It would be fantastic if someone could adapt this mystery for the 21st century.
When the first of the "Winnie the Pooh" books appeared in 1926, Milne was already a successful novelist, playwright, screenwriter, poet, and essayist. Although not a "mystery writer" per se, he was a long-time fan of the genre and finally produced his only mystery novel in 1922. It was an instant success and American critic Alexander Woollcott called it one of the the three best mysteries ever written. That's nonsense, but it's an interesting period piece and well worth a read for lovers of classic British mysteries.
It's both a "manor house" and a "locked room" mystery. Perhaps Milne only intended to write one mystery and figured he better cover all the bases while he was at it. It has all the usual ingredients of a Golden Age mystery - a well-staffed manor house in the country, a hospitable host, a large house party of well-bred guests, a ne'er-do-well brother showing up inconveniently from the Colonies, and a charming amateur detective.
It's well written, possibly too much so. Today it reads almost like a parody of a classic British mystery. The author's approach is light-hearted to the point of satire. Home-owner Mark Ablett is the genial, pompous host. He's a great guy as long as everything goes his way, but don't make fun of him! Tony Gillingham has a private income, but (being a younger son) is free to pursue a series of unlikely occupations, to which he now adds "detective."
His sidekick (Holmes and Watson as they impishly refer to each other) is the pleasant-but-dim Bill Beverly - the quintessential graduate of the English prep school system. He supplies the element of "I say, old boy, this is a frightful mess, what? I mean, murder is too, too caddish and all that, but when the suspect is one's host, well, it's dashed awkward, what?" How much you enjoy the book will depend on your tolerance for that sort of dialogue. You've been warned.
The elaborate plot depends on the reader being prepared to swallow a large dollop of improbable circumstances. Are you up for it? If so, you can enjoy a look back into a different world - a world filled with obliging servants and deferential policemen and luxury and time to pursue your interests and hobbies. (If, of course, you were rich or had good connections.)
It's those deferential, incompetent cops who stuck in the craw of Raymond Chandler when he used this book to explain the short-comings of the classic English mysteries. The most enthusiasm Chandler could work up for this book (and I think even that must have been a strain) was to call it "agreeable" (which it is) and to praise the meticulous plotting. However, he refused to believe that a police detective could be quite as foolish and easily fooled as Milne contends. As Chandler points out, the probability of the police being prepared to tolerate an amateur taking over the case is hard to swallow, even in 1920's England when the class system was still a strong social factor. I suspect most modern readers will agree.
I like it, but then I love classic British mysteries and can enjoy them with all their absurdities. And having read that Milne knew playwright J.M. Barrie, I'm wondering if the character of Mark Ablett - jovial on the surface, but almost psychotically narcissistic - was based (consciously or unconsciously) on the strange man who wrote "Peter Pan." No way to know, but an interesting speculation, what?
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