Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

This story is one of Lorac’s rarest novels, out of print since its first publication and commanding four-figure prices in the rare books market. One of the bestselling authors of the series, with returning series character Robert Macdonald. Set in the world of books, writers and publishers, which may appeal to bibliophiles and booksellers.

The Surrays and their five children form a prolific writing machine, with scores of treatises, reviews and crime thrillers published under their family name. Following a rare convergence of the whole household at their Oxfordshire home, Ruth – middle sister who writes ‘books which are just books’ – decides to spend some weeks there recovering from the pressures of the writing life while the rest of the brood scatter to the winds again. Ruth has taken her life after an evening at the Surrays’ hosting a set of publishers and writers, one of whom is named as Ruth’s literary executor in the will she left behind.

CID Robert Macdonald investigates what could only be an ingeniously planned murder.

Wow! What an mystery we have for March!! Anyone in?

I’ll be reading this one. Sounds fun!

I finished it last month. It was really a page turner. I enjoyed it very much. Love this series. I wish we had more of the series published.

Our library system is able to take holds again. They have a copy of the book but the system is over-whelmed right now, so I'll place my hold late at night.
I'm so excited to be able to place holds for actual books again!

Rosemarie wrote: "Our library system is able to take holds again. They have a copy of the book but the system is over-whelmed right now, so I'll place my hold late at night.
I'm so excited to be able to place holds ..."

I can see why you're excited, Rosemarie! That must have been difficult to not be able to get books you want.

I'm almost finished with the book. I agree with Piyangie - it is a pageturner.

I am glad your enjoying this pageturner and author!

It’s cold, wet and grey out so I decided it was a great day to sit down and read a mystery. I’ve started this one and am moving through it pretty swiftly. It’s good. It started out like an episode of the Brady Bunch or some 1950s white picket fence sitcom. And then someone is dead! Excellent! It’s great fun so far.

I've just started on this one, and enjoying it so far (although its started a bit more slowly than Bats in the Belfry.

I’m about halfway through now and I really like her pacing. I’ve just ordered another by the author. I don’t read a ton of murder mysteries but I read and enjoy them very much. It’s a shame that this author is all but completely out of print. This is a reminder to me to treat my old mass market paperbacks with care. They may never be reprinted.

I totally agree, Chad. I have to admit that I was only mildly enthusiastic when this challenge was first announced, but I've really enjoyed every one that I've read so far, and I'm looking forward to the choices for the rest of the year.

I hadn't appreciated just how much British crime-writing of the period between the wars (roughly) was so dominated by excellent women writers. I wonder why that was - there must be a PhD in that topic for someone??

Isn’t it amazing that (in some cases) it took a generation of men slaughtered in mud and fire before publishers realized that there were great female writers that they could turn to?
In any event, I echo John’s question.
I’m really enjoying this murder mystery read. I think it picks up pace and then it does it again and again.

I've altogether read 11 books in E.C.R. Lorac's Robert McDonald series and have enjoyed them all.

That is wonderful news that you are enjoying this series and author!

I've liked all of the E.C.R. Lorac books that I've read. I finished this one last year, and thought it was good fun.

I received Two-Way Murder today and will read it after this one.
I’m more than halfway through now and I’m not sure “who dunnit”!

Some background on our Author for this month, just incase:

E.C.R. Lorac was an English publisher. She wrote under a variety of pen names, from Mary le Bourne to Carol Rivett, E.C.R. Lorac, and Carol Carnac.

The author was born Edith Caroline Rivett on May 6, 1894. When writing, she also chose to use the pen name Carol Carnac and the pseudonym E.C.R. Lorac for her books, the first three initials standing for her given name. She was born in what was then known as Hendon, Middlesex and what is now referred to as London in 1884.

She was born to her father Harry and her mother Beatrice, their youngest daughter. Her parents also had two sisters before her. They would choose to emigrate in 1898 and packed up all their things and moved to Australia. Their purpose for moving was a serious one, as Harry had severe tuberculosis and they were emigrating in order to be in the warmer weather in the hopes that it would have a positive effect on the malady of the patriarch of the family.

Unfortunately, the attempt was not to be ultimately successful in delivering a cure to Harry, and the family would leave to return to England in 1900. While en route on the S.S. Illawarra, Harry would pass away and be put to rest at sea, never reaching shore with his wife and children. The family would make it to the city safely, although in the grips of very fresh grief at the loss of their father and in his wife’s case, her spouse.

Once they had returned to the city, they found themselves in dire straights as they had not much to their name. The family did find refuge thanks to the generosity of Beatrice’s father Edward, who took them into his home with open arms. The children and Beatrice were welcome to stay in the home, with the only upfront disadvantage being that the home was slightly crowded.

The author’s mother would soon find employment working as an assistant rate collector.Her daughter Edith would go to school locally and would practice what she learned at the schools throughout the course of her life, working on calligraphy and embroidery and more, some of which were featured at Westminster Abbey in a special display.

Before Lorac was a crime writer, she went to school locally at South Hampstead High School. She would also go to London to attend the Central School of Arts and Club. There she would join the Detection Club, which was all about the art of being a detective or private eye. This only makes sense as her interest in mysteries and sleuthing would inspire many mystery novels and stories in the crime fiction genre!

The first book to come out from Lorac would be The Murder on the Burrows. The story was so well-written that it would prove to be the launching pad for both her main character, the detective Macdonald, and her literary career. She would write for over twenty-five years and received many positive reviews along the way. She would write for Sampson Low and then Collins Crime Club’s Crime Counter Crime, which she would belong to for the entirety of her life. The historian of the Crime Club John Curran states that the designers that did her novels’ cover artwork did a very good job and their work on the books made the physical books even more collectible than they would have been otherwise.

Lorac was able to live and write in settings that were both urban and rural, and felt comfortable in either. She was creative in many ways and also athletic, having an interesting in going skiing in the winter. She had such a passion for the sport that it became a main part of her Crossed Skis novel under the pen name Carol Carnac, which was been published also by the British Library.

The author would pass away July 2, 1958, close to Lancaster, and left behind a tremendous amount of novels and series for readers to enjoy. Throughout the course of her long and prolific career, she would pen 48 mystery novels just under her pen name of E.C.R. Lorac, and over a total of twenty books using her other main pen name. To this day she is an important part of what is referred to as detective fiction’s golden age.

E.C.R. Lorac did not marry throughout the course of her life. She would reside in Lonsdale, Lancashire along with Gladys Rivett, her older sister. She would continue to write detective and mystery stories while becoming beloved around the village. The local people continue to remember her fondly for her strong-willed, spirited nature and her social conscience. She is buried in Aughton at the St. Saviour’s Church churchyard.

The author’s books are part of the British Library, with eight of her novels belonging to the British Library’s Crime Classics series as of 2021.

Thanks for this lengthy bio on Lorac, Lesle. It's always nice to learn about the background of one's favourite authors. :)

I agree, Piyangie. The background info helps explain talent for writing in various settings.
I've just finished the book and she kept me guessing until the very end.
Regarding the Surray family, some of them would drive me crazy-being so "perfect"!

I enjoyed this story from the "golden age" of mysteries. It was well written and Lorac played fair. All of the information is there to solve the mystery. I'm with Rosemarie; it kept me guessing too!

Piyangie, sorry it was so lengthy, but I really found it interesting and wanted to share. I find I enjoy the author more when I know a little about them.
I appreciate you taking the time to read it.

Jeremy and Rosemarie I am glad you found this mystery of crime intriguing!

I thought Post After Post-Mortem was a fun mystery. I like these "country manor house" type of mysteries with a large family involved.

I've also read these two by Lorac and rated them both 4 stars:
Fire in the Thatch, which is part of the "Inspector MacDonald series, and Two-Way Murder, which is not.

Another I enjoyed by Edith Caroline Rivett was under the pseudonym Carol Carnac, Crossed Skis. It's partly set in the Austrian Alps. It's from the "Julian River" series.

Kathy wrote: "I've also read these two by Lorac and rated and Two-Way Murder..."

I just received this one in the mail. I thought it looked like a good one to buy!

I also enjoyed Post After Post-Mortem. The couple of her Inspector MacDonald books that I've now read give an interesting insight into the English upper-class of the period, who seemed to feel it was perfectly acceptable to refuse to answer questions from the police if they felt like it, and also felt little hesitation at taking a swing at a policeman who got in their way, or who was merely impertinent!

John wrote: "I also enjoyed Post After Post-Mortem. The couple of her Inspector MacDonald books that I've now read give an interesting insight into the English upper-class of the period, who see..."

I too was a bit shocked by how all the suspects and Surrey family members continually insisted on Macdonald telling them "why" he wanted the information before answering his questions. They also viewed Macdonald as more of a source for them to get information rather than the collector of information he was supposed to be.

I'd have been less patient and tolerant than Macdonald was, as he sometimes answered their questions. All I would say is: "because I'm investigating a murder." His usual calm demeanor made me a bit surprised when he overreacted and made some personal attacks when frustrated by Keith Brandon toward book's end. But I did think that Macdonald morphed into a slightly hard-boiled Marlowe/Spade type at the end.

I did like the book. I rated it 3 stars as explained in my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Brian E wrote: "John wrote: "I also enjoyed Post After Post-Mortem. The couple of her Inspector MacDonald books that I've now read give an interesting insight into the English upper-class of the pe..."

I enjoyed your review, Brian, and I also like Lorac's Inspector MacDonald character - I'll definitely be trying to read more of the series.

I also like Lorac's Inspector MacDonald, John. That is one reason for my enjoyment of the series.

Since I've finished the assigned book for April, I thought I'd read another Lorac novel - Fire in the Thatch. I've just started it, but enjoying it greatly already.

I've finished Fire in the Thatch and now started Death Came Softly, another in the Inspector MacDonald series.

Interestingly, these two books have reminded me how much I used to enjoy smoking! Characters, including Inspector MacDonald, are constantly lighting-up, and offering each other cigarettes, and the books contain things I'd forgotten about - like Balkan Sobranie (I loved those), cigarette cases, and lighters being carried even by non-smokers in order to light the cigarettes of any ladies who smoked.

Ah, those were the days.

John I only have two friends that smoke. Both are cigar smokers like Churchill . Both graduated with me. Neither smoke cigs. My closest friend only smokes on occassion.

The days of smoking on screen was a type of romance associated with it. Books seem to me to bring on a dark edge with smoking. Funny the things we think about!

I just finished this book - I enjoyed it!

John, I highly recommend another book by this author under the pseudonym of Carol Carnac, Crossed Skis, if you like to visit the Austrian Alps.

Great minds think alike. I see that Kathy also recommended Crossed Skis.

It would be a short trip - I'm almost finished Murder in Vienna.

Amazon UK are currently offering lots of her books on kindle for 99p
- so every time I decide I'm all Lorac'd out, I can't resist another bargain!

Less than a cup of coffee, John. And the enjoyment lasts longer.

John, Amazon has some really great deals and when its less than a buck it makes it too tempting! Enjoy with your coffee :)

I'm now reading yet another Inspector MacDonald book - Rope’s End, Rogue’s End. I'm beginning to worry that I'm addicted; I wonder if there are "Lorac's Anonymous" meetings?

John, here’s something to feed your Lorac addiction:
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Melanie wrote: "John, here’s something to feed your Lorac addiction:
https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog......"

Thanks Melanie - that was very interesting. If I'm in the Lancashire area in the next few months I must check if the exhibition is still running.

I bought my first paperback copy of Lorac. I've been doing audiobooks, and feel blessed to own a paperback copy. :) I understand your Lorac addiction completely, John. :)

John wrote: "I'm beginning to worry that I'm addicted; I wonder if there are "Lorac's Anonymous" meetings?"

John if your going to have an addiction Lorac is probably a really good choice lol!

I finished this book today because I had some other books I wanted to finish first. This is a wonderful mystery.
I really like how careful and logical Macdonald is. And the three surprise events in the middle (Fellowes falling in the pool, the workroom fire, and Richard and Stanwood being poisoned) added to the tension and suspense. The ending took me by surprise!
I do plan to read more British classic mysteries: they are so interesting!

Natalie so happy you got to read this one and found it to be interesting! to want to read more!

I took this one up late, finishing it the end of June. I'm surprised at the lively discussion here as the other books have generated many fewer posts. Seems the author is a popular one.

I liked this one too. Books about books - always a hit with me. so many rivalries in this family and the dedication to perfection. I was taken aback by the family's desire not to dig too deeply into the demise of their own flesh and blood in the interest of maintaining their privacy and keeping family matters out of the news. I like Macdonald and am happy to hear he is a recurring series character. He was so methodical and detail oriented. The ending was something of a letdown for me though I can't say why. Maybe I just wanted it to keep going. Would like to read more by this author. Thanks for the bio, Lesle!

I believe you are right Karen Lorac seems to be the hit of the series so far!!

Lesle wrote: "I believe you are right Karen Lorac seems to be the hit of the series so far!!"
Seems so! I liked Post After Post-Mortem enough that I just purchased Death of an Author so I could join this Group for the August British Library Crime Classic read of it.
It will be interesting to read a non-Macdonald Lorac.

Brian
I have been lacking in my duties as of late but finally have the new Lorac read open for August.
Enjoy!!!