Reading the Detectives discussion

Welcome to our December 24 group read of Impact of Evidence A book in the Julian Rivers series, first published in 1954, by E.C.R. Lorac, aka Carol Carnac.

Near St. Brynneys in the Welsh border country, isolated by heavy snow and flooding from the thaw, a calamity has occurred. Old Dr. Robinson, a known ‘menace on the roads’, has met his end in a collision with a jeep on a hazardous junction. But when the police arrive at the scene, a burning question hints at something murkier than mere accident: why was there a second body―a man not recognised by any locals―in the back of Robinson’s car?

As the local inspectors dive into the muddy waters of this strange crime, Chief Inspector Julian Rivers and Inspector Lancing are summoned from Scotland Yard to the windswept wilds, where danger and deceit lie in wait.

Puzzling and atmospheric, this exceedingly rare mystery from one of the masters of crime fiction’s Golden Age returns to print for the first time since its publication in 1954.

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.

I've just finished this and enjoyed it right to the end. The final scenes were very well done, including Rivers riding on the back of the car and the travelling through the thick mist/fog. The solution was satisfying, particularly choosing a murderer that we hadn't had a chance to know and like, and without landing on the dislikable characters.

I had rather thought that Rivers or Lancing might try to recruit Henry for police work, there was so much discussion about how clever and thoughtful (in the sense of thinking about things a lot) he was, but I suppose he needs to stay on the farm and inherit. Too bad it wasn't Kenneth who was so clever!

I think this was my first Carnac with Inspector Rivers and i agree with the other thread that he's a little hard to distinguish from MacDonald, but I also find (as I've commented before) that so many of the police detectives of that era blur a bit in my mind. I did like seeing a bit of his rural background come out, and enjoy the contrast to the DLS/Lord Peter genre of aristocratic detective solving aristocratic crimes-this slice of rural and farming life felt realistic and not at all patronizing.

Yes, I honestly thought there’d be a p.s. about Henry studying law or something! But as Carnac/lorac was at pains to point out, all that common sense, quick-thinking and grit will certainly not go to waste on the farm!

I know the sister (Gwyn, I think), had been expected to marry the killer at some point, said all along she didn’t want to be a farm wife, everyone tut, tutted and said she’d come around and accept her fate! Seems like she was right all along-at least about that particular farmer!

I really enjoyed this, too. I did have a couple of small thoughts at the end. I wish the author had given us some reason for why Bob didn't take the body up in the hills somewhere and dump it. Between his van and the sled, surely he could have done that, and by the time it was found no one would have linked him to to it.

And how could he be sure to sneak away at night, not having one of the women pop in to check up on him? I suspected him at first because of his van, but then it didn't seem likely that he'd be able to sneak out and not be taking a big chance on getting found out.

Still, I gave it five happy stars. It was a lovely read.

Susan in NC wrote: "I know the sister (Gwyn, I think), had been expected to marry the killer at some point, said all along she didn’t want to be a farm wife..."

Great point - I think this really misled me and made me think Bob must be a good guy who would get a romantic happy ending, so I never really considered him as the killer! I did briefly wonder if Henry might be, but decided he couldn't be, and I was at a loss for who it was going to be.

Judy wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I know the sister (Gwyn, I think), had been expected to marry the killer at some point, said all along she didn’t want to be a farm wife..."

Great point - I think this really m..."

Yes, I was hoping they wouldn't somehow make it Henry - or his father. That would have been tragic.

I was also pleased that Henry was not the killer. I can see him modernising the farm and being very successful locally...

Definitely, I could see him as a local leader, heir to the local magistrate who helps Rivers and Lancing (sorry, can’t remember if he’s a Colonel or Major).

I thought it was refreshingly different that the story involved an adopted son where his birth parentage then never came up and wasn't relevant. Usually, as soon as adoption is mentioned in a GA novel, you know the person in question will turn out to be the secret child of another character.

Judy wrote: "I thought it was refreshingly different that the story involved an adopted son where his birth parentage then never came up and wasn't relevant. Usually, as soon as adoption is mentioned in a GA no..."

True! Just another point that made the book feel realistic to me.

I noticed they used the term "snowed up" and not "snowed in" like I would. I've just read a middle grade story about three children caught in a blizzard in the mountains in Wales, and it's called Snowed Up. Does anyone know if that's British/Welsh term? I've not heard it before these two books.

Excellent book; very atmospheric. I found the detective bland and much prefer MacDonald. I never suspected the murderer but was glad it wasn't one of the many characters I liked.

I am confused as to how the body was put in the car as I thought Rivers had determined the car doors couldn't be opened while it was in the garage.