C. H. B. Kitchin (1895–1967)

Crime at Christmas by C.H.B. Kitchin is a vintage mystery that was first published in 1934. Set at Christmas time the book is set around a house party in Hampstead. When one of the guests is found dead, it is considered as an accidental death, but this becomes difficult to believe when another guest is brutally murdered as well.

What I didn’t know is that this book is the second of four books that feature London stockbroker Malcolm Warren but other than some referrals back to the first book, I didn’t feel as though I had missed anything by starting with the second. The mystery is centered around the family that live at Beresford Lodge, and although Malcolm isn’t the brightest detective that I have read about, he did keep stumbling over past secrets and connections. He certainly seemed more interested in taking naps than in solving the case, but luckily the second death brought the police.

I wouldn’t recommend reading Crime At Christmas as a way to feel festive, but I did find it engaging enough that I wanted to see how it was going to be resolved. I will certainly be reading more from this author in the future.… (meer)

Malcolm Warren receives a telegram asking him to come down for the weekend as his Aunt Catherine wants to see him. After a bit of thinking it over Malcolm proceeds to her home at Macebury. The next day she is poisoned and Malcolm finds himself in a mystery as to which of his relations might have engineered the murder. He's not a very good stockbroker and not much better at detection so the Who and the How remain elusive. Meanwhile the police have their own ideas. I might read another by this author.… (meer)

A forgotten story out of print for a long time and deservedly brought back by Valancourt Books gives an account of the residents of the posh apartment house at Ten Pollitt Place. The building and neighbourhood was based on Kitchin's own neighbourhood at 23 Montpelier Street (where, coincidentally Thomas Hardy lived in 1870) and is described well enough that it may be recognized by locals. Harrod's appears as Garrow's department store where Dorothy Fawley shops and has lunch. Justin Bray, a less than successful author, resembles Kitchin enough that he could be seen as a self portrait. Hugo, a disabled teenager with an odd crush on the dustman, predicts that someone in the house will die within the year. The dated chapter headings work as a countdown through a dismal Christmas to a dramatic turn at the end of the year. There is much to ponder over in this ostensibly simple story that reveals more complexity as it progresses. Kitchin is better known for detective novels, which is what drew me to his work, but this muted story is my favourite of what I've read so far.… (meer)

I think I liked this book so much for the same reason a lot of people didn't like it: the narrator is very delicate and high-strung and takes lots of naps. I'm so sick of these heroic detectives who have a lot of energy and are always interviewing people and hunting for clues. I truly identify with this valetudinary main character. If I were stumbling over bodies and helping to solve crimes, I'd need a lot of rest too. This detective novel is a true original. In my review of the first novel in the series, I speculated that the crime at Christmas might be securities fraud. Well, it's a murder mystery, but there is definitely some insider trading going on. That's not a spoiler because it's the first thing that happens. I can't wait to read the third book, Death of an Uncle!… (meer)