The Mayfair Mystery: 2835 Mayfair (The Detective Club) (Detective Club Crime Classics)
by Frank Richardson
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Description
The first in a new series of classic detective stories from the vaults of HarperCollins involves a disappearing corpse, a supernatural theory, and a genuinely shocking finale. "The Detective Story Club", launched by Collins in 1929, was a clearing house for the best and most ingenious crime stories of the age, chosen by a select committee of experts. Now, almost 90 years later, these books are the classics of the Golden Age, republished at last with the same popular cover designs that show more appealed to their original readers. "This most entertaining detective story is concerned with an amazing crime. The body of a wealthy man is discovered by his valet. The valet hurried to a friend of the dead man to tell him of the tragedy. They return to find the body gone! The motive of the murder becomes a deeper mystery still, and no clue seems to lead anywhere. Little by little, however, evidence is built up round a theory, and clever detective work triumphs in the end. For ingenuity and dramatic situations "The Mayfair Mystery" is hard to beat." First published in 1907 as 2835 Mayfair, the book had caught the imagination of the reading public for its thrilling twists, its wit and imagination, and was chosen to be one of the first 12 classic books released by the Club. This new edition comes with a brand new introduction about the history of the Detective Club by HarperCollins' editor, David Brawn. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This is a truly bizarre book. Although presented as a classic 'detective' novel, there is very little to tie it to the genre as no ostensible crime is committed. The haphazard plot, ill-defined characters and inexplicable interpolations regarding facial hair should make 'The Mayfair Mystery' dismissable as an absurd period piece; it is, however, remarkably readable. Richardson's prose brims with Edwardian charm and offers an unexpected window on pre-war London society. The book also boasts an ending that is closer to 'Some Like it Hot' than 'Death on the Nile'. (Sadly the an angry octopus or squid suggested by the cover never emerges in the text.)
It opens with .... a murder.
For me, the story was a bit convoluted and long-winded. The clues were there but it took took long to get there and then ... *poof* ... it's all over.
For me, the story was a bit convoluted and long-winded. The clues were there but it took took long to get there and then ... *poof* ... it's all over.
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#JustTheFacts2019Gold
59 works; 1 member
#MysteryBingo2019Gold(Original)
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#MysteryBingo2019Gold(Revised)
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Author Information
2 Works 42 Members
Common Knowledge
- Original title
- 2835 Mayfair
- Original publication date
- 1907
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 42
- Popularity
- 703,281
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (2.25)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 4
- ASINs
- 1
