Holy Disorders (original 1946; edition 1979)

by Edmund Crispin

Series: Gervase Fen (2)

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This 1945 classic British mystery from "a master of the whodunnit . . . combines a flawless plot, witty dialogue and a touch of surreal hilarity" (The New York Times Book Review). On holiday in the town of Tolnbridge with his butterfly net in hand, Prof. Gervase Fen, Oxford don of English Literature, is all set for a good frolic when he learns that the cathedral organist has been murdered. With Scotland Yard unable to make sense of the crime, Fen stands ready to step in. Whether he's chasing butterflies or catching criminals, it's all the same to this amateur sleuth with a penchant for literary allusions and an uncanny knack for solving the unsolvable: like why a small-town church musician would be mixed up with a local coven of witches-or a spy ring of Nazi sympathizers? Finding the answers provides endless amusement for Fen-and for readers as well-in this golden age English detective novel from Edmund Crispin, "an absolute must for devotees of cultivated crime fiction." -Kirkus Reviews Praise for the mysteries of Edmund Crispin "A marvellous comic sense." -P. D. James, New York Times-bestselling author of the Inspector Adam Dalgliesh series "Master of fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek mystery novels, a blend of John Dickson Carr, Michael Innes, M.R. James, and the Marx Brothers." -Anthony Boucher, author of the Fergus O'Breen series "One of the most literate mystery writers of the twentieth century." -The Boston Globe "Beneath a formidable exterior he had unsuspected depths of frivolity." -Philip Larkin, author of A Girl in Winter "One of the last exponents of the classical English detective story." -The Times (London.)… (more)

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Member:	arundhati2000
Title:	Holy Disorders
Authors:	Edmund Crispin
Info:	Walker & Company (1979), Hardcover
Collections:	Your library, To read
Rating:
Tags:	To Read

Work Information

Holy Disorders by Edmund Crispin (1946)

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The Secret Vanguard by Michael Innes (themulhern)
themulhern: German spies in a mystery written during WWII. I like Innes's a lot more, though. Crispin's witchcraft sub-plot was unnecessary and is kind of pointlessly nasty.

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This sophomore effort by Crispin is actually a bit sophomoric, but still full of cleverness. The action precedes that of "The Case of the Gilded Fly"; Fen mentions that he is looking forward to Robert Warner's play at some point in this book.

Crispin had incorporated a bit of an occult aside in "The Case of the Gilded Fly"; he throws in a whole lot more of the occult in this book, and it is all completely unnecessary.

The criminals are also German spies, who receive their comeuppance, so just the right propaganda for war time. I can't recall a single reference to rationing, but soldiers are very much in evidence in the train stations.

The opening passage describes a trip involving a taxi, a stop at a sports shop, and then a train ride from Paddington along the south coast. Parts of this description are wildly humorous, the encounter in the sports equipment shop especially so.

Colin Watson did not write his first novel until the late 50s, but I can see a Crispin influence in Watson's depiction of groups consisting mostly of offensive individuals; Crispin's descriptions of train passengers, etc. were less kind than Michael Innes's, and Watson's descriptions of almost everybody but the few he spared, were unsparing. (

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themulhern | Jun 9, 2024 |

This was a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read. I am glad to have read it. Gervase Fen is a gem - Crispin writes Fen perfectly, with every necessary idiosyncrasy, but never too much over-description.

The pseudo-Gothic history of Tolnbridge combined with the overlay of the Nazis in WW2 make this a really ripe setting for all sorts of goings on. Crispin capitalizes on all these things and writes a story with hilarity, good props, red herrings, and seemingly familiar characters.

So many "Easter eggs" and homages and little hints about other books make this a nested joy. For example, the second half of chapter eight, in which a visit is made to Garbin's house is absolutely awesome writing. The stoic straight-facedness of Garbin combined with the utter ridiculousness of the props in the setting make this chapter awesome. Highly recommended that readers with wit read this novel - if only for this amusing chapter.

Great vintage mystery. Easy to read, highly enjoyable. (

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Ruskoley | Dec 21, 2023 |

fun perspective on Anglican clergy - historical view of marijuana - wild (

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Overgaard | Jun 20, 2023 |

A mystery from 1940, the classic British gold age type with a map of the murder scene and the amateur detective draws up a timetable of everybody's movements and explains the crime to the police. The detective is a quirky Oxford don and this is the first in a series of at least ten.

It's wartime and characters say things like "Mustn't forget to fix the blackout curtains" and mention shortages. Most of the characters are strange or unpleasant or both but the plot is nicely twisted and the writing is top notch. I felt chuffed at recognizing quotations and certainly missed a lot more, and love his habit of saying "Oh my ears and whiskers!" I immediately ordered more Gervase Fen mysteries from Powell's. (

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piemouth | Sep 14, 2021 |

Gervase Fen and his friend, Geoffrey Vintner, are in the town of Tolnbridge where shenanigans are afoot and church organists are dropping left and right. In fact, Vintner nearly becomes a fatality on the way to join Fen. An amusing mystery, with many literary allusions, the mystery itself is pretty good, although solvable, I missed some of the clues which told me why I was correct. Probably because I was skimming the parts which annoyed me. The characters didn't seem consistent, and their moods and temperaments were difficult to justify. Also, similar weird names left me befuddled because the ones which bore them had no special characteristics to set them apart. In spite of all that, it was an enjoyable read, but I won't be seeking out more Crispin novels to read. (

)

MrsLee | Jul 30, 2019 |

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Belongs to Series

Gervase Fen (2)

Belongs to Publisher Series

DuMont's Kriminal-Bibliothek (1105)

Felony & Mayhem Mysteries

Penguin Books (1303)

Is contained in

The Edmund Crispin Treasury Volume 1 by Edmund Crispin

The Second Gollancz Detective Omnibus by Gollancz

6 Titles By Edmund Crispin Gervase Fen Series : The Case of the Gilded Fly - Holy Disorders - Love Lies Bleeding - Frequ by Edmund Crispin

Holy Disorders | Buried for Pleasure | Swan Song by Edmund Crispin

The Edmund Crispin Treasury Volumes 1 & 2 by Edmund Crispin

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Canonical title

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Original publication date

1946

People/Characters

Important places

Tolnbridge, England, UK (fictional)

The Whale and Coffin, Tolnbridge, England, UK (fictional pub)

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Epigraph

Ther saugh I first the derke ymaginyng
Of felonye, and al the compassyng;
The crueel ire, reed as any gleede;
The pykepurs, and eke the pale drede;
The smylere, with the knyfe under the cloke;
The shepne, brennynge with the blake smoke;
The tresoun of the mordrynge in the bedde;
The open werre, with woundes al bibledde...
The nayl y-driven in the shode a-nyght;
The colde deeth, with mouth gapyng upright...
CHAUCER

Dedication

To my parents

First words

As his taxi burrowed its way through the traffic outside Waterloo Station, like an over-zealous bee barging to the front of a dilatory swarm, Geoffrey Vintner re-read the letter and telegram which he had found on his breakfast table that morning.

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Wikipedia in English (1)

Gervase Fen

▾Book descriptions

This 1945 classic British mystery from "a master of the whodunnit . . . combines a flawless plot, witty dialogue and a touch of surreal hilarity" (The New York Times Book Review). On holiday in the town of Tolnbridge with his butterfly net in hand, Prof. Gervase Fen, Oxford don of English Literature, is all set for a good frolic when he learns that the cathedral organist has been murdered. With Scotland Yard unable to make sense of the crime, Fen stands ready to step in. Whether he's chasing butterflies or catching criminals, it's all the same to this amateur sleuth with a penchant for literary allusions and an uncanny knack for solving the unsolvable: like why a small-town church musician would be mixed up with a local coven of witches-or a spy ring of Nazi sympathizers? Finding the answers provides endless amusement for Fen-and for readers as well-in this golden age English detective novel from Edmund Crispin, "an absolute must for devotees of cultivated crime fiction." -Kirkus Reviews Praise for the mysteries of Edmund Crispin "A marvellous comic sense." -P. D. James, New York Times-bestselling author of the Inspector Adam Dalgliesh series "Master of fast-paced, tongue-in-cheek mystery novels, a blend of John Dickson Carr, Michael Innes, M.R. James, and the Marx Brothers." -Anthony Boucher, author of the Fergus O'Breen series "One of the most literate mystery writers of the twentieth century." -The Boston Globe "Beneath a formidable exterior he had unsuspected depths of frivolity." -Philip Larkin, author of A Girl in Winter "One of the last exponents of the classical English detective story." -The Times (London.)

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MURDER IN THE CATHEDRAL ...
SUCH AN UNGODLY WAY TO DIE ....

God didn't strike the church against the dead, of that much the ingenious Gervase Fen was certain. the Oxford don-turned-detective was on holiday in the English cathedral town of Tolinbridge when the organist was suddenly driven to madness - then death. The man had not an enemy in the world, and his music hadn't been remarkably bad either.

Then the choir-master was found crushed to death by a tombstone.

It was all devlishly odd. But then, Fen always did have a flair for the unusual.

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