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Could there be a Jack-the-Ripper copycat in the sleepy village of Brentford? Two women have been found brutally murdered, each under the light of a full moon. When a third mutilated body is identified, brothers Simon and Keith Innes discover that their brother Jack was mysteriously absent from their home on that last moonlit night. After Jack's snob's knife goes missing from his tool box, Simon and Keith have no choice but to investigate and clear his name. With the help of the peculiar show more amateur detective Mrs. Bradley, the brothers race to find answers?before the rising of another full moon. The belovedly eccentric Mrs. Bradley and her ingenious sleuthing are sure to impress in this cleverly woven classic. You?ll never guess who lurks in the shadows?and why. show lessTags
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aulsmith Nesbit and Mitchell depict their children very similarly. The children in Rising of the Moon in the end have to deal with a real murderer, which the Nesbit children never do, so young readers might not be ready for the Mitchell book
Member Reviews
The Rising of the Moon is the most poignant of all of Gladys Mitchell's novels. Narrated by a gentle and perceptive 13-year-old orphan, the novel conjures up both the carefree atmosphere that always penetrates a school holiday and the awkwardness of living as a poor relation. The novel's subtle and fair portrayals of all the characters -- their strengths and their fecklessnesses -- makes this the best Mrs. Bradley novel I've read yet.
Simon Innes and his 11-year-old brother Keith spend their days wandering and playing in their idyllic town of Brentford some time prior to World War II. The boys live with their older, irresponsible brother Jack and his beleaguered and irascible wife June, but, for all that, they lead a more or less show more carefree existence until a madman begins murdering young women at night during the full moons. Romantically imagining themselves detectives, the two boys begin investigating the horrid crimes. But what they find makes them begin to suspect that their own brother Jack might be involved.
When Dame Beatrice Lestrange Bradley, psychiatrist to the Home Office and sleuth, arrives on the scene a little over a third of the way through the book, she partners with the Innes brothers to unmask a serial killer. Usually, delaying the detective's arrival weakens a mystery novel -- Ngaio Marsh's Overture To Death comes to mind -- but not in this case!
The Rising of the Moon paints a nuanced portrait of the Innes household. One can taste the longing of the Innes boys for a time when their parents still provided a more normalized life for them and before they had to shift with one self-absorbed guardian and one sometimes resentful one. One feels the pangs of young, unrequitable love through Simon's idolization of Christina, the kind-hearted, pretty young woman who lodges at the Innes household. One cringes as Jack tactlessly evokes jealousy in his wife, showing chivalrous kindnesses toward Christina that it never occurs to him to extend to June. One even feels for June, trapped in a marriage with a man who refuses to grow up and forced by circumstance to play mother to two boys in addition to her own 3-year-old. One admires the cleverness that Simon and Keith display, first in trying to assist the police and then in trying to foil them and protect Jack. The novel's suspenseful ending kept me reading into the wee hours. How wonderful that the novel has returned to print! But how sad that more people don't know about it!
I truly loved The Saltmarsh Murders, and I didn't think that Mitchell could improve on that slyly funny novel. But The Rising of the Moon is one of the best novels I've read in any genre. I won't soon forget the Innes brothers' exciting adventure. show less
Simon Innes and his 11-year-old brother Keith spend their days wandering and playing in their idyllic town of Brentford some time prior to World War II. The boys live with their older, irresponsible brother Jack and his beleaguered and irascible wife June, but, for all that, they lead a more or less show more carefree existence until a madman begins murdering young women at night during the full moons. Romantically imagining themselves detectives, the two boys begin investigating the horrid crimes. But what they find makes them begin to suspect that their own brother Jack might be involved.
When Dame Beatrice Lestrange Bradley, psychiatrist to the Home Office and sleuth, arrives on the scene a little over a third of the way through the book, she partners with the Innes brothers to unmask a serial killer. Usually, delaying the detective's arrival weakens a mystery novel -- Ngaio Marsh's Overture To Death comes to mind -- but not in this case!
The Rising of the Moon paints a nuanced portrait of the Innes household. One can taste the longing of the Innes boys for a time when their parents still provided a more normalized life for them and before they had to shift with one self-absorbed guardian and one sometimes resentful one. One feels the pangs of young, unrequitable love through Simon's idolization of Christina, the kind-hearted, pretty young woman who lodges at the Innes household. One cringes as Jack tactlessly evokes jealousy in his wife, showing chivalrous kindnesses toward Christina that it never occurs to him to extend to June. One even feels for June, trapped in a marriage with a man who refuses to grow up and forced by circumstance to play mother to two boys in addition to her own 3-year-old. One admires the cleverness that Simon and Keith display, first in trying to assist the police and then in trying to foil them and protect Jack. The novel's suspenseful ending kept me reading into the wee hours. How wonderful that the novel has returned to print! But how sad that more people don't know about it!
I truly loved The Saltmarsh Murders, and I didn't think that Mitchell could improve on that slyly funny novel. But The Rising of the Moon is one of the best novels I've read in any genre. I won't soon forget the Innes brothers' exciting adventure. show less
Gladys Mitchell's storytelling is at it's best when describing the place and time in which this mystery takes place. However, she has a rare ability to depict children in an unusual way. She grants them a level of respect and importance in her books right up with the main characters. In this book, they are the narrators and the whole story revolves around them. Never childish or sentimental, Mitchell's children are clever, into lots of mischief, and usually know much more than the adults in their midst. Most of all, they develop an immediate affinity to Mrs. Bradley. They bestow on her their confidence and recognize her genuine respect for them. In Mitchell's books, pay close attention to the children. She gives them interesting roles show more and very often, the best lines. show less
An excellent read! Like many of her mysteries, Mrs Bradley's arrival is later in the telling, but nonetheless worthwhile and spot on! Loved it, loved the honest, delightful youth's depicted from the start, and their loyalty to their near and dears. For a murder mystery, these are surprisingly full of life.
Fun mystery! Gladys Mitchell was a contemporary of Dorothy Sayers and Agatha Christie. The detective in the books is an outspoken psychoanalyst, Mrs. Bradley (the same one on whom the PBS Mystery! series with Diana Rigg was based).
In this story, a young tightrope walker from the circus is killed by a slasher on the first night the circus is in town. The attentions of the police are focused on the members of the circus until that end proves unlikely due to several subsequent similar murders of young women after the circus leaves town.
Mrs. Bradley doesn't appear until around the second half of the book, and instead, the story is narrated by a young boy who, along with his younger brother, is captivated by the exciting events. Armed with show more their horse pistol and sword, they are eager to investigate any suspicious movement. Because of their curiosity and their propensity for sneaking around at night, they end up gathering a lot of useful information, and when Mrs. Bradley arrives, they find an ally with whom they can pool that information.
I thought the book was excellent. Because the story is narrated from the perspective of a young boy, the narrator is not always reliable in attaching importance to events and doesn't have the same open avenues of investigation. Nevertheless, the writer is fair and gives the reader enough information to figure out the mystery, as long as the reader can translate the boy's interpretation and doesn't let the contagious enthusiasm distract from the facts.
If you already know Gladys Mitchell, you will like this book. If you haven't read anything by her but like Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, give this one a shot--you will probably enjoy it! show less
In this story, a young tightrope walker from the circus is killed by a slasher on the first night the circus is in town. The attentions of the police are focused on the members of the circus until that end proves unlikely due to several subsequent similar murders of young women after the circus leaves town.
Mrs. Bradley doesn't appear until around the second half of the book, and instead, the story is narrated by a young boy who, along with his younger brother, is captivated by the exciting events. Armed with show more their horse pistol and sword, they are eager to investigate any suspicious movement. Because of their curiosity and their propensity for sneaking around at night, they end up gathering a lot of useful information, and when Mrs. Bradley arrives, they find an ally with whom they can pool that information.
I thought the book was excellent. Because the story is narrated from the perspective of a young boy, the narrator is not always reliable in attaching importance to events and doesn't have the same open avenues of investigation. Nevertheless, the writer is fair and gives the reader enough information to figure out the mystery, as long as the reader can translate the boy's interpretation and doesn't let the contagious enthusiasm distract from the facts.
If you already know Gladys Mitchell, you will like this book. If you haven't read anything by her but like Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers, give this one a shot--you will probably enjoy it! show less
'full of very British eccentric goings-on',, 2 Jan. 2013
By
sally tarbox
This review is from: The Rising of the Moon (Mrs. Bradley) (Paperback)
When a murder occurs at an Easter circus, 11 year old Keith observes to his 13 your old brother "I'm not at all sure this isn't better, in a way, than the circus. After all, the circus only lasts one afternoon, and it's an awful sweat to get in unless you pay. This murder might last us all the holidays."
But the murder is just the first in a series of knife killings in the 1930s town of Brentford. Left largely to their own devices, the boys take to creeping out at night sleuthing by moonlight. But who could it be: the rag and bone man? their elderly friend and antique dealer, Mrs Cockerton? their show more elder brother (and guardian) Jack? or is Jack protecting his friend Danny?
And will their lovely lodger Christina remain safe?
When eccentric home office psychologist Mrs Bradbury is drafted in to help with the case, she and the boys liaise to catch the killer.
Quite an engaging if improbable read, set in the world of yesteryear. show less
By
sally tarbox
This review is from: The Rising of the Moon (Mrs. Bradley) (Paperback)
When a murder occurs at an Easter circus, 11 year old Keith observes to his 13 your old brother "I'm not at all sure this isn't better, in a way, than the circus. After all, the circus only lasts one afternoon, and it's an awful sweat to get in unless you pay. This murder might last us all the holidays."
But the murder is just the first in a series of knife killings in the 1930s town of Brentford. Left largely to their own devices, the boys take to creeping out at night sleuthing by moonlight. But who could it be: the rag and bone man? their elderly friend and antique dealer, Mrs Cockerton? their show more elder brother (and guardian) Jack? or is Jack protecting his friend Danny?
And will their lovely lodger Christina remain safe?
When eccentric home office psychologist Mrs Bradbury is drafted in to help with the case, she and the boys liaise to catch the killer.
Quite an engaging if improbable read, set in the world of yesteryear. show less
psychological mystery. How odd, I apparently read this in 2014, but do not recall it at all. Reread it in 2024. Interesting way to tell a mystery--from point of view of two young boys.
Didn't realize this was part of a series.
Two boys in a small town in England help solve a rash of murders that plague their town. I think this was one my mother picked up at a library book sale. Found it when we were clearing out our mountain cabin.
Two boys in a small town in England help solve a rash of murders that plague their town. I think this was one my mother picked up at a library book sale. Found it when we were clearing out our mountain cabin.
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Author Information
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Author Gladys Mitchell was born in Cowley, Oxfordshire, England on April 19, 1901. She was educated at Goldsmiths' College and University College, London. After graduating, she became a teacher and taught English, history, and games at numerous schools until her retirement in 1961. She is best known for her detective novels featuring Mrs. Bradley. show more She also wrote under the pseudonyms Stephen Hockaby and Malcolm Torrie. In 1976, she received the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger award. She died on July 27, 1983. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Belongs to Publisher Series
Virago Modern Classics (425)
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Rising of the Moon
- Original title
- The Rising of the Moon
- Original publication date
- 1945
- People/Characters
- Beatrice Adela Lestrange Bradley; Jack Innes; Keith Innes; Simon Innes
- Important places
- England, UK
- Related movies
- The Mrs. Bradley Mysteries: The Rising of the Moon (2000 | TV episode | IMDb)
- Epigraph
- 'For God's sake, Mrs. Pocock, what do you with this Rubbish?' - Francis Blandy
'...find out moonshine, find out moonshine!' - Shakespeare
'But would anyone murder a man without any other occasion than for the delight he takes in murdering? It is not credible' - Saint Augustine - Dedication
- To Mizpah Gilbert, F.L.A.
'Excellent accomplisht Lady . . . Pardon my presumption, lend patience to my prolixitie, and if any thing in all please, think it was compiled to please you.'
A Dedication, Thomas Nash - First words
- We were dressed as we wished to be dressed.
- Blurbers
- Cody, Liza
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