The White Priory Murders

 The White Priory Murders (1934) by Carter Dickson (John Dickson Carr) Sir Henry Merrivale #2

James Bennett pays a call on his uncle, Sir Henry Merrivale, and tells him about some puzzling events involving failed British actress turned Hollywood star, Marcia Tate. Bennett is a very junior diplomat whose main job is to make visiting dignitaries happy. And he met Miss Tate when he was showing Lord Canifest, his daughter, and others the sights. Since that moment, Bennett has been caught up in the affairs of Canifest and Miss Tate. Canifest plans to back a London play featuring the actress who has ditched her Hollywood contract for a chance to show the London critics how wrong they were about her acting skills. 

Marcia Tate makes for London with her producer Carl Rainger and publicity man Tim Emery following in her wake with hopes of talking her out of breaking contract and coming back to Hollywood. They all (including Bennett) wind up at Marcia's hotel suite in time to partake of some poisoned chocolates meant for the actress...oddly enough, Marcia doesn't like sweets. Now, as Bennett tells H.M., they've all been invited to White Priory, an ancient estate owned by the Bohun brothers--Maurice author of the play and who thinks he's lord not only of the manor, but of all creation and John who is in love with Marcia. 

When Marcia winds up dead in a classic "locked room" scenario--all alone in an ornamental temple on a small island in a small pond with one way in and unbroken frozen pond water all around and smooth, unblemished snow all around the pond, we have an impossible crime on our hands. The only footprints belong to John Bohun who discovers the body and it's proved that he visited the building at the time he said he did...several hours after the murder had taken place. The rest of the party, particularly Carl Rainger start pointing fingers at one another. There are certainly plenty of motives to go round--including the ladies of the party, Katherine Bohun who may have let jealousy get to her and Louise Carew who may not have wanted the temperamental actress as a step-mama. It's up to H. M. and Chief Inspector Masters to discover how the murderer got away from the building without leaving another set of footprints.

This is cleverly done. The solution is simple, but everything about the narrative and the way the mystery is investigated leads the reader to focus on the wrong questions and to ignore the possibility of the correct answer. And I certainly didn't have my eye on the culprit. Dickson/Carr thoroughly pulled the wool over my eyes in this one. The setting is also enjoyable. I'm always up for a murderous weekend at a snowy country place. Maurice Bohun got on my nerves a bit and it was fun to watch H. M. take the wind out of his sails when he tried to play god one too many times. ★★★★

First Line: "Humph," said H. M., "so you're my nephew, hey?"

The doddering scholar, it seems, has begun to cut capers on paper. (James Bennett; p. 10)

"Bah. Subtlety is only statin' a self-evident truth in language nobody can understand. And there's nothing subtle about trying to poison somebody." (H. M.; p. 14)

Tracks! You're talking like a fool detective in a play. (John Bohun; p. 38)

"Sic 'em, my lads," said the little doctor, with an air of refreshed interest. "I think I'll stop on a bit. Yes. Nothing adds zest to a criminal case like a free-for-all fight among the police at the outset." (Dr. Wynne; p.72)

"Son, frankness is a virtue only when you're talkin' about yourself, and then it's a nuisance....And when a person says he intends to be frank about other people, all it means is that he's goin' to give 'em a kick in the eye." (H. M.; p. 134)

Last Lines: "I'll go on, I suppose. Sittin' and thinkin'..."

*********************

Deaths = 2 (one hit on head; one strangled)

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