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A review by chewdigestbooks
Seven Dead by J. Jefferson Farjeon
5.0
This was such a unique classic mystery that at times had me laughing, because of the foresightedness of the detective, his total willingness to accept a freelance reporter as a full partner in the search, and the general way they all got their parts of the story/crime and worked them out.
One of the unluckiest burglars I've ever come across breaks into a house only to find 7 people dead in the parlor. As he is running from the house like he's on fire, he runs into a freelance reporter that just happens to have docked his boat on the river nearby and they both go to the police. (The reporter trails him because how often do you see a shabby man running like their are ghosts after him, totally understandable.)
What's odd from there is that Detective Inspector Kendall almost takes on the reporter, Hazeldean as an investigative partner. Sure that happens in cop shows, but we're talking full partners here, like telling him everything and listening to his theories. DI Kendall also subtly sets Hazeldean up to do some of his investigating for him once he sees that the reporter is entranced by the portrait of a girl in another room. (It reminds me of the book/movie Laura.)
Hazeldean doesn't know it, but it is part of Kendall's plan to have him cross the channel in search of the girl, now woman, in the portrait to see what she knows. What he finds is more than he can handle though and eventually Kendall and the local police catch up to save his rear end.
The mystery itself is interesting and complicated, but it's really the wry humor and intelligence of human behavior of DI Kendall that did it for me in Seven Dead. Occasionally, the DI asks Hazeldean if he can trust him not to run to an editor before the mystery is solved and his answers, while not 100% yes, crack me up. Also, I wasn't aware that there were freelancers in 1939 when this was written.
This classic detective novel is a part of a group re-released by the British Library in the UK and Poisoned Pen Press here in the U.S. and I've loved all but one. They've aged well and there is something about the dry or witty British humor that just tickles me to no end.
If you love a good mystery, just about any in this series have been grand, so grab them before they disappear from print again!
One of the unluckiest burglars I've ever come across breaks into a house only to find 7 people dead in the parlor. As he is running from the house like he's on fire, he runs into a freelance reporter that just happens to have docked his boat on the river nearby and they both go to the police. (The reporter trails him because how often do you see a shabby man running like their are ghosts after him, totally understandable.)
What's odd from there is that Detective Inspector Kendall almost takes on the reporter, Hazeldean as an investigative partner. Sure that happens in cop shows, but we're talking full partners here, like telling him everything and listening to his theories. DI Kendall also subtly sets Hazeldean up to do some of his investigating for him once he sees that the reporter is entranced by the portrait of a girl in another room. (It reminds me of the book/movie Laura.)
Hazeldean doesn't know it, but it is part of Kendall's plan to have him cross the channel in search of the girl, now woman, in the portrait to see what she knows. What he finds is more than he can handle though and eventually Kendall and the local police catch up to save his rear end.
The mystery itself is interesting and complicated, but it's really the wry humor and intelligence of human behavior of DI Kendall that did it for me in Seven Dead. Occasionally, the DI asks Hazeldean if he can trust him not to run to an editor before the mystery is solved and his answers, while not 100% yes, crack me up. Also, I wasn't aware that there were freelancers in 1939 when this was written.
This classic detective novel is a part of a group re-released by the British Library in the UK and Poisoned Pen Press here in the U.S. and I've loved all but one. They've aged well and there is something about the dry or witty British humor that just tickles me to no end.
If you love a good mystery, just about any in this series have been grand, so grab them before they disappear from print again!