H. Warner Allen (1881–1968)

On a Trent binge! The second book in the Philip Trent series was published 23 years after the first outing (though set about 10 years after the events of that one). Trent is forced back into detecting when the murder of a philanthropic millionaire (Yorkshire born this time) threatens the safety and happiness of several of his friends and even himself. A clever story where layers of misunderstanding are peeled away to show the truth - and the truth lies in the exposure of the character of show more each of the main players. There's a French interlude which perhaps could've been cut but which is extremely evocative so I'm glad they didn't (and you can skip the bits of French conversation as it's not vital to understanding the plot, the Greek quote from the Odyssey at the start is paraphrased in English during this part). A very easy and enjoyable read. Note that modern readers may find the occasional usage that whilst not (I believe) meant offensively in the context is jarring to early 21st century sensibilities. You don't need to have read Trent's last case to read this. show less

An eccentric millionaire philanthropist -- allegedly a saint, but facts quickly prove otherwise -- is shot in the back in his London pied a terre. Artist Phillip Trent, as before, offers to help Scotland Yard solve the crime. As it turns out, the old boy's schedule on the last day of his life was a great deal busier than initial reports might suggest, and had a lot more skullduggery in it. The mystery itself is pretty good, though I was annoyed at Bentley and co-author Allen for hiding the show more ball as to one item that comes up in an early chapter -- we're deliberately kept in the dark about it. And speaking of annoyance, Trent can be a bit of a pain. If one were stuck in a room with Philo Vance, Phillip Trent, and one's self, there'd be hardly a jury in the world that would convict on a charge of multiple homicide. The tossing off of substantial blocks of text in French is all well and good, but a bit of show-offery. Borderline recommendation. show less

Review to come

Big Ship
31 December 2021