Who killed solo violinist Lucy Carless during a concert by the Markshire Orchestra? Was it her first husband? Or her second? Womanizer Bill Ventry? Or perhaps the clarinetist and fellow Polish émigré, Zbartorowski, with whom she'd had a violent argument? "A plot compounded of musical knowledge, a Dickens allusion, and a subtle point in law is related with delightfully unobtrusive wit, warmth, and style." - The New York Times

Suicide Excepted shows a man committing an almost perfect murder, only to find that a quirk of the insurance laws may deprive him of the reward.

Cyril Hare's short stories were mostly written for the London Evening Standard. Among them, The Story of Hermione, in which the eponymous character grows rich from the all too convenient deaths of several relatives, has been called one of the most chilling short stories ever written. Sister Bessie describes vividly the agonies of a blackmail victim and the desperate crimes he commits in the hope of freeing himself from his tormentor. Miss Burnside's Dilemma

Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark was born on the 4th September 1900 at Mickleham, Surrey, England.Born into a traditional legal family, Clark studied history at New College, Oxford, before being called to the bar in 1924. He enjoyed a highly successful legal career, practicing in civil and criminal courts and eventually serving as a Surrey County court judge from 1950 until his death.Clark began writing fiction at age 36, seamlessly integrating his impeccable, first-hand knowl...

Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark was born on the 4th September 1900 at Mickleham, Surrey, England.Born into a traditional legal family, Clark studied history at New College, Oxford, before being called to the bar in 1924. He enjoyed a highly successful legal career, practicing in civil and criminal courts and eventually serving as a Surrey County court judge from 1950 until his death.Clark began writing fiction at age 36, seamlessly integrating his impeccable, first-hand knowl...

The picturesque village of Yew Hill, Markshire becomes an idyllic retreat for Francis Pettigrew and his wife until Francis is suddenly summoned to sit in as the County Court Judge and an elderly neighbor is brutally murdered.

100 Masterpieces of Mystery maps the extraordinary breadth of mystery writing, from Gothic terror, sensation fiction, and locked-room puzzles to espionage, psychological unease, hard-boiled realism, and tales of the uncanny. Its selections place canonical investigations alongside atmospheric narratives of crime, deception, and suspense, revealing how mystery continually borrows from romance, adventure, social satire, and horror. Standout traditions include the deductive detective tale, the...

The Greatest Mystery Classics of All Time maps the evolution of mystery fiction from Gothic unease and sensation plotting to the analytic detective tale, espionage thriller, hard-boiled investigation, and psychological suspense. Its range embraces locked-room puzzles, criminal confessions, uncanny apparitions, conspiracies, and social mysteries, revealing how the genre repeatedly tests the limits of evidence, perception, and moral certainty. Particularly striking are the juxtapositions of ...

Contents:Josephine Tey. The Daughter of TimeRaymond Chandler. The Big SleepRaymond Chandler. Farewell, My LovelyDorothy L. Sayers. Gaudy NightDashiell Hammett. The Maltese FalconJohn Buchan. The Thirty-nine StepsEdmund Clerihew Bentley. Trent's Last CaseCyril Hare. Tragedy At LawWilkie Collins. The MoonstoneErskine Childers. The Riddle of the Sands

Cyril Hare's "Tenant for Death" is a masterful exploration of the interplay between justice and morality, set against the backdrop of a tranquil English countryside. The narrative unfolds through the eyes of a magistrate who finds himself entangled in a murder investigation that reveals the complexities of human nature and the societal norms of the 20th century. Hare employs a blend of sharp wit and intricate plotting, characteristic of the Golden Age of detective fiction, while engaging r...

In "Suicide Excepted," Cyril Hare masterfully intertwines crime fiction with social commentary, exploring the intricacies of human behavior and the moral dilemmas faced in a post-World War II society. Set against the backdrop of 1950s England, the novel revolves around a group of seemingly ordinary individuals embroiled in a murder investigation that turns their lives upside down. Hare's narrative style is both engaging and richly layered, employing sharp dialogue and keen observations to ...

In "He Should Have Died Hereafter," Cyril Hare intricately weaves a classic detective narrative that probes the nuances of morality and justice. The novel unfolds in a typically British setting, reflective of the post-war societal landscape, enveloping its characters in a web of murder and mystery characterized by Hare's sharp wit and insightful prose. The plot centers around a theatrical gathering where death strikes amidst an air of theatricality, presenting readers with a clever blend o...