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plainbob's review
3.0
Reverend Tryst sources his change-ringing trainees for his Devonshire church from amongst the convicts at the local prison, and they achieve great proficiency. He eventually inherits the title and wealth of Lord Upnor, and they achieve their release, and together they tour the country ringing at churches and cathedrals. But every time they ring Herod's peal, someone within earshot is murdered...
An early victim is General Hansaw, uncle to Jill Fernleigh, despite having employed Captain Jack Carfax to provide protection. Carfax is in love with Jill, but vows to bring her uncle's murderer to justice before marrying her.
I was excited to discover a murder mystery involving change-ringing published three years before Dorothy L Sayers' "The Nine Tailors", but was disappointed with the first third of the novel - it does fall into the category of a load of old tosh. Jack and Jill are cardboard cutout characters and the ringing material is badly mangled. But I enjoyed the thumbnail sketches of the various murder victims which forms the middle third of the book. An air of surreal horror is generated which veers towards black comedy at the end with the ludicrous solution. So a load of old tosh, but quite entertaining.
An early victim is General Hansaw, uncle to Jill Fernleigh, despite having employed Captain Jack Carfax to provide protection. Carfax is in love with Jill, but vows to bring her uncle's murderer to justice before marrying her.
I was excited to discover a murder mystery involving change-ringing published three years before Dorothy L Sayers' "The Nine Tailors", but was disappointed with the first third of the novel - it does fall into the category of a load of old tosh. Jack and Jill are cardboard cutout characters and the ringing material is badly mangled. But I enjoyed the thumbnail sketches of the various murder victims which forms the middle third of the book. An air of surreal horror is generated which veers towards black comedy at the end with the ludicrous solution. So a load of old tosh, but quite entertaining.
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