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The Red House Mystery
The creator of such beloved storybook characters for children as Winnie-the-Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore, A. A. Milne was also the author of numerous dramas, essays, and novels for adults — among them, this droll and finely crafted whodunit.
In it, Milne takes readers to the Red House, a comfortable residence in the placid English countryside that is the bachelor home of Mr. Mark Ablett. While visiting this cozy retreat, amateur detective Anthony Gillingham and his chum, Bill Beverley, investigate their genial host's disappearance and its connection with a mysterious shooting. Was the victim, whose body was found after a heated exchange with the host, shot in an act of self-defense? If so, why did the host flee, and if not, what drove him to murder?
Between games of billiards and bowls, the taking of tea, and other genteel pursuits, Gillingham and Beverley explore the possibilities in a light-hearted series of capers involving secret passageways, underwater evidence, and other atmospheric devices.
Sparkling with witty dialogue, deft plotting, and an intriguing cast of characters, this rare gem will charm mystery lovers, Anglophiles, and general readers alike.
In it, Milne takes readers to the Red House, a comfortable residence in the placid English countryside that is the bachelor home of Mr. Mark Ablett. While visiting this cozy retreat, amateur detective Anthony Gillingham and his chum, Bill Beverley, investigate their genial host's disappearance and its connection with a mysterious shooting. Was the victim, whose body was found after a heated exchange with the host, shot in an act of self-defense? If so, why did the host flee, and if not, what drove him to murder?
Between games of billiards and bowls, the taking of tea, and other genteel pursuits, Gillingham and Beverley explore the possibilities in a light-hearted series of capers involving secret passageways, underwater evidence, and other atmospheric devices.
Sparkling with witty dialogue, deft plotting, and an intriguing cast of characters, this rare gem will charm mystery lovers, Anglophiles, and general readers alike.
156 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1922
About the author
A.A. Milne
1,880 books3,374 followersAlan Alexander Milne (pronounced /ˈmɪln/) was an English author, best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh and for various children's poems.
A. A. Milne was born in Kilburn, London, to parents Vince Milne and Sarah Marie Milne (née Heginbotham) and grew up at Henley House School, 6/7 Mortimer Road (now Crescent), Kilburn, a small public school run by his father. One of his teachers was H. G. Wells who taught there in 1889–90. Milne attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied on a mathematics scholarship. While there, he edited and wrote for Granta, a student magazine. He collaborated with his brother Kenneth and their articles appeared over the initials AKM. Milne's work came to the attention of the leading British humour magazine Punch, where Milne was to become a contributor and later an assistant editor.
Milne joined the British Army in World War I and served as an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and later, after a debilitating illness, the Royal Corps of Signals. He was discharged on February 14, 1919.
After the war, he wrote a denunciation of war titled Peace with Honour (1934), which he retracted somewhat with 1940's War with Honour. During World War II, Milne was one of the most prominent critics of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, who was captured at his country home in France by the Nazis and imprisoned for a year. Wodehouse made radio broadcasts about his internment, which were broadcast from Berlin. Although the light-hearted broadcasts made fun of the Germans, Milne accused Wodehouse of committing an act of near treason by cooperating with his country's enemy. Wodehouse got some revenge on his former friend by creating fatuous parodies of the Christopher Robin poems in some of his later stories, and claiming that Milne "was probably jealous of all other writers.... But I loved his stuff."
He married Dorothy "Daphne" de Sélincourt in 1913, and their only son, Christopher Robin Milne, was born in 1920. In 1925, A. A. Milne bought a country home, Cotchford Farm, in Hartfield, East Sussex. During World War II, A. A. Milne was Captain of the Home Guard in Hartfield & Forest Row, insisting on being plain 'Mr. Milne' to the members of his platoon. He retired to the farm after a stroke and brain surgery in 1952 left him an invalid and by August 1953 "he seemed very old and disenchanted".
He was 74 years old when he passed away in 1956.
A. A. Milne was born in Kilburn, London, to parents Vince Milne and Sarah Marie Milne (née Heginbotham) and grew up at Henley House School, 6/7 Mortimer Road (now Crescent), Kilburn, a small public school run by his father. One of his teachers was H. G. Wells who taught there in 1889–90. Milne attended Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied on a mathematics scholarship. While there, he edited and wrote for Granta, a student magazine. He collaborated with his brother Kenneth and their articles appeared over the initials AKM. Milne's work came to the attention of the leading British humour magazine Punch, where Milne was to become a contributor and later an assistant editor.
Milne joined the British Army in World War I and served as an officer in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and later, after a debilitating illness, the Royal Corps of Signals. He was discharged on February 14, 1919.
After the war, he wrote a denunciation of war titled Peace with Honour (1934), which he retracted somewhat with 1940's War with Honour. During World War II, Milne was one of the most prominent critics of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, who was captured at his country home in France by the Nazis and imprisoned for a year. Wodehouse made radio broadcasts about his internment, which were broadcast from Berlin. Although the light-hearted broadcasts made fun of the Germans, Milne accused Wodehouse of committing an act of near treason by cooperating with his country's enemy. Wodehouse got some revenge on his former friend by creating fatuous parodies of the Christopher Robin poems in some of his later stories, and claiming that Milne "was probably jealous of all other writers.... But I loved his stuff."
He married Dorothy "Daphne" de Sélincourt in 1913, and their only son, Christopher Robin Milne, was born in 1920. In 1925, A. A. Milne bought a country home, Cotchford Farm, in Hartfield, East Sussex. During World War II, A. A. Milne was Captain of the Home Guard in Hartfield & Forest Row, insisting on being plain 'Mr. Milne' to the members of his platoon. He retired to the farm after a stroke and brain surgery in 1952 left him an invalid and by August 1953 "he seemed very old and disenchanted".
He was 74 years old when he passed away in 1956.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,816 reviews
May 31, 2020
An excellent, locked-room mystery, by the grand pooh bah, A.A. Milne, The Red House Mystery is great fun. I already was in on the secret thanks to spoilers in Eight Perfect Murders which I just finished, but I was intrigued by the description and I'm really glad I read it. The main sleuth and his sidekick style themselves, playfully, as a modern Holmes and Watson, modern, as in the 1920s, when this was written.
Our hero of the piece, Anthony Gillingham, decides to visit a friend of his, Bill Beverley who is staying at a local house. Gillingham arrives at the Red House just as it's owner's brother has been murdered. Gillingham is asked to stay and give his account to the police and for the inquest, as is Bill. The other guests are shuttled away, back to London.
Tony having no knowledge of the victim or the people looks at the mystery of who killed the bother of Mark Ablett and of where Mark is as a puzzle that may be fun to solve and enlists Bill to help. The intrepid two go great guns at the mystery. Tony is very smart and comes up with some scenarios right away. Bill, doing his best impression of Watson, tries humbly to keep up. Sometimes Tony is wrongheaded and unlike Holmes, deprecates himself for it. I liked his modesty, especially.
Our hero of the piece, Anthony Gillingham, decides to visit a friend of his, Bill Beverley who is staying at a local house. Gillingham arrives at the Red House just as it's owner's brother has been murdered. Gillingham is asked to stay and give his account to the police and for the inquest, as is Bill. The other guests are shuttled away, back to London.
Tony having no knowledge of the victim or the people looks at the mystery of who killed the bother of Mark Ablett and of where Mark is as a puzzle that may be fun to solve and enlists Bill to help. The intrepid two go great guns at the mystery. Tony is very smart and comes up with some scenarios right away. Bill, doing his best impression of Watson, tries humbly to keep up. Sometimes Tony is wrongheaded and unlike Holmes, deprecates himself for it. I liked his modesty, especially.
October 11, 2007
How I love this mystery!
It's terribly, terribly English and Edwardian, a la Agatha Christie's best, and bursting with delicious humor. Goes to show that A.A. Milne wasn't a one-trick pony. Like E.B. White, he could write great stories for adults as well as children.
I don't think the edition pictured includes this wonderful dedication page that appears in mine:
"To John Vine Milne:
My Dear Father,
Like all really nice people, you have a weakness for detective stories, and feel that there are not enough of them. So after all that you have done for me, the least that I can do for you is to write you one. Here it is: with more gratitude and affection than I can well put down here.
A.A.M."
If you're a really nice person who has a weakness for detective stories, give The Red House Mystery a whirl. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
It's terribly, terribly English and Edwardian, a la Agatha Christie's best, and bursting with delicious humor. Goes to show that A.A. Milne wasn't a one-trick pony. Like E.B. White, he could write great stories for adults as well as children.
I don't think the edition pictured includes this wonderful dedication page that appears in mine:
"To John Vine Milne:
My Dear Father,
Like all really nice people, you have a weakness for detective stories, and feel that there are not enough of them. So after all that you have done for me, the least that I can do for you is to write you one. Here it is: with more gratitude and affection than I can well put down here.
A.A.M."
If you're a really nice person who has a weakness for detective stories, give The Red House Mystery a whirl. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
March 30, 2020
Read in preparation for reading Eight Perfect Murders, otherwise published as Rules for Perfect Murders. Antony Gillingham arrives at a country house, The Red House, just as a murder is committed. He is a man who lives by his wits, taking up whatever occupation appeals to him or offers itself to him at any time, and so he becomes an amateur sleuth for the purposes of finding out whodunnit.
It’s a thoroughly enjoyable, locked room murder mystery. It’s full of By Joves! and I say, old chap! and men walking across the lawn arm in arm. It’s of its time (the early 1920s) and class. The Red House’s servants and local villagers are of the ooh arr variety - simple folks in more than one way! Milne dedicated the book to his father and I felt there were quite a few in jokes for his amusement. There is a lot of humour in it for us as well. Milne clearly had a very dry wit.
I guessed some elements of the outcome early on but that just held my interest in trying to work out how we got to Z from A (Gillingham’s analogy is an algebra problem). At the end, Milne out-Christies Christie and Gillingham out-Poirots Poirot with his forensic analysis of how and why the crime was committed. Between 4 and 5 stars for me but because it entertained me so much, I’m giving it 5.
It’s a thoroughly enjoyable, locked room murder mystery. It’s full of By Joves! and I say, old chap! and men walking across the lawn arm in arm. It’s of its time (the early 1920s) and class. The Red House’s servants and local villagers are of the ooh arr variety - simple folks in more than one way! Milne dedicated the book to his father and I felt there were quite a few in jokes for his amusement. There is a lot of humour in it for us as well. Milne clearly had a very dry wit.
I guessed some elements of the outcome early on but that just held my interest in trying to work out how we got to Z from A (Gillingham’s analogy is an algebra problem). At the end, Milne out-Christies Christie and Gillingham out-Poirots Poirot with his forensic analysis of how and why the crime was committed. Between 4 and 5 stars for me but because it entertained me so much, I’m giving it 5.
June 9, 2022
Novela entretenida.
Algunos la consideran una novela "whodunit" (habitación cerrada), aunque dista mucho de ser el tema central.
Los personajes principales, Anthony Gillingham y Bill Beverley, son muy interesantes y forman una buena pareja.
Hay un asesinato en el cual Anthony se ve envuelto sin querer. Entonces, Anthony y Bill inician una investigación paralela a la propia de la policía.
La trama está muy bien llevada, aunque, a mi parecer, le falta emoción y una resolución final más acertada.
Buena lectura.
--------------------------
Entertaining novel.
Some consider it a "whodunit" novel, although it is far from being the central theme.
The main characters, Anthony Gillingham and Bill Beverley, are very interesting and make a good couple.
There is a murder in which Anthony is unwittingly involved. Anthony and Bill then start an investigation parallel to the police's own.
The plot is very well handled, although, in my opinion, it lacks emotion and a more successful final resolution.
A good reading.
Algunos la consideran una novela "whodunit" (habitación cerrada), aunque dista mucho de ser el tema central.
Los personajes principales, Anthony Gillingham y Bill Beverley, son muy interesantes y forman una buena pareja.
Hay un asesinato en el cual Anthony se ve envuelto sin querer. Entonces, Anthony y Bill inician una investigación paralela a la propia de la policía.
La trama está muy bien llevada, aunque, a mi parecer, le falta emoción y una resolución final más acertada.
Buena lectura.
--------------------------
Entertaining novel.
Some consider it a "whodunit" novel, although it is far from being the central theme.
The main characters, Anthony Gillingham and Bill Beverley, are very interesting and make a good couple.
There is a murder in which Anthony is unwittingly involved. Anthony and Bill then start an investigation parallel to the police's own.
The plot is very well handled, although, in my opinion, it lacks emotion and a more successful final resolution.
A good reading.
April 15, 2020
I'd call this more of a locked room mystery than an isolated closed circle, but it definitely has some of the same charms as that kind of story and it certainly is a country house mystery. The thing that worked best for me was the writing itself-- the mystery was only OK, but I think that's probably because it was an early version of this kind of twist. Short & sweet, I'd recommend it to anyone interested in classic mystery or the origins of the genre. Sadly, Pooh was not the culprit
February 14, 2023
Odd to think it now, but before A. A. Milne thought up the most enduring characters and books of his legacy from the 100-acre Wood, Christopher Robin and Winnie-the-Pooh, he was an adept writer of mysteries of which The Red House Mystery is considered the best. I must admit that about ten years ago my oldest son (who is in his thirties now, God save me) brought to my attention that the writer of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories had written mysteries before becoming an author of children's stories. I had been shocked by that tidbit of information knowing that my oldest loved Pooh as a child. Armed with that knowledge I searched Amazon and found this novel. I added it to my Kindle with the intention of reading it immediately, but life gets in the way sometimes. Well, clearly, I finally read it. Clearly, I liked it a lot. This is a locked room murder mystery, with amateur detectives literally playing the roles of Holmes and Watson, but more along the lines of an Agatha Christie. A disgraced brother returns from Australia to ask for money from his affluent brother in the midst of a summer get-together. There are few red herrings, but the dialogue is quirky and flippant, almost in the vain of an Oscar Wilde play complete with ostentatiously memorable characters. I was very happy to read this mystery because it was new to me, but I really should have read it earlier. I may read more by Milne, but it will have to be after I get my TBR under control. This will be my #15 of 50 from my Over 5 yrs TBR goal for 2023.
October 31, 2020
I was only vaguely aware of this book when I saw a reference to it as being one of the Eight Perfect Murders earlier this year. Fortunately, by the time I came across it as one of the offerings in Audible's new free library program, I'd forgotten what element of the murder made it so perfect, so that I was left to enjoy The Red House Mystery with no preconceptions.
The word "confection" popped into my head when thinking of how to describe it. Also "silly", but in a good way. Nothing to take very seriously, just good fun all around. Although I guessed the "who" fairly early on, the "how" and "why" remained mysteries much longer.
I wouldn't say this is of the same caliber as one of Dorothy Sayers' Peter Wimsey golden age novels, but it was a quick read and not a bad bit of fluff.
The word "confection" popped into my head when thinking of how to describe it. Also "silly", but in a good way. Nothing to take very seriously, just good fun all around. Although I guessed the "who" fairly early on, the "how" and "why" remained mysteries much longer.
I wouldn't say this is of the same caliber as one of Dorothy Sayers' Peter Wimsey golden age novels, but it was a quick read and not a bad bit of fluff.
September 15, 2020
The Red House Mystery is a whodunit with an interesting plot albeit being lengthy, tedious and at times confusing.
At breakfast one day, Mark Ablett, the owner of The Red House, announces the arrival of his black sheep of a brother Robert Ablett from Australia.
Robert arrives but soon his body is found in the same room where Mark was heard threatening him. Mark having been disappeared, everyone thinks the worse.
Has Mark killed his own brother? If so, was it premeditated, an accident or self-defense? If Mark is innocent then who is the real perpetrator? Where is Mark?
At breakfast one day, Mark Ablett, the owner of The Red House, announces the arrival of his black sheep of a brother Robert Ablett from Australia.
Robert arrives but soon his body is found in the same room where Mark was heard threatening him. Mark having been disappeared, everyone thinks the worse.
Has Mark killed his own brother? If so, was it premeditated, an accident or self-defense? If Mark is innocent then who is the real perpetrator? Where is Mark?
November 21, 2023
Maybe 2 1/2 stars for the 1920s setting.
Like some other reviewers I’m glad Milne went on to write Winnie the Pooh. Detective fiction was not his strength. This book and Agatha Christie’s early hits are exact contemporaries so one wouldn’t have influenced the other. Something was definitely in the air though.
Milne has all the country house murder mystery boxes ticked, but this book just isn’t that fun. It starts with a country house weekend (very dull sounding— Christie’s house parties sound much more interesting), golf, breakfast on the sideboard, a hidden tunnel, and an amateur sleuth who thinks he is Sherlock Holmes and who marks a friend as his dummy Watson.
Most characters are hustled off immediately after the murder so there are few suspects right from the beginning. All characters are obnoxious or at least dull. The resolution is obvious pretty quickly.
Like some other reviewers I’m glad Milne went on to write Winnie the Pooh. Detective fiction was not his strength. This book and Agatha Christie’s early hits are exact contemporaries so one wouldn’t have influenced the other. Something was definitely in the air though.
Milne has all the country house murder mystery boxes ticked, but this book just isn’t that fun. It starts with a country house weekend (very dull sounding— Christie’s house parties sound much more interesting), golf, breakfast on the sideboard, a hidden tunnel, and an amateur sleuth who thinks he is Sherlock Holmes and who marks a friend as his dummy Watson.
Most characters are hustled off immediately after the murder so there are few suspects right from the beginning. All characters are obnoxious or at least dull. The resolution is obvious pretty quickly.
June 21, 2022
¡Impresionante! ¿Estaré acaso frente a la que podría ser mi mejor lectura del mes de mayo? Un libro que seleccioné de última hora, casi al azar y sin saber nada previamente de lo que me podría encontrar dentro, así como de su autor (aunque ahora sé que es quien también escribió Winnie-the-Pooh, uno de los personajes entrañables de mi infancia).
El misterio de la casa roja es una historia policiaca de 'cuarto cerrado' y hace total justicia al género. Tenemos a los típicos personajes que uno podría imaginarse en una novela como esta, la típica casona en provincias, el típico crimen y ¿las típicas deducciones por parte del detective? Creo que aquí, en este último punto, es donde cambia todo y lo que me hizo amar con creces esta obra.
En lugar de tener los típicos sospechosos, o los clásicos interrogatorios por parte de un policía o detective, nos encontramos aquí con Anthony Gillingham, un personaje que no tiene experiencia previa en casos policiacos, alguien que intentará seguir las huellas como detective principiante, y que no se dedicará a hacer preguntas a los demás personajes, sino a hacérselas a sí mismo; básicamente toda la historia gira entorno a este sin fin de interrogantes, pistas, misterios por descubrir, que nuestro protagonista se irá preguntando a fin de dar respuesta a ¿qué pasó?, ¿cómo pasó?, y no menos importante, ¿quién lo hizo?
En algún punto de la historia me sentía jugando mi juego de mesa favorito, Clue, ya que te hace cuestionarte —al mismo tiempo que a nuestro protagonista y a su "Watson"— si acaso podría ser B y no C. Es, de hecho, como un juego mental, en el que todos los detalles suman algo a la 'investigación' realizada por nuestro 'detective', y en el que la mente es la principal herramienta.
Una novela que me enganchó de principio a fin, que me hizo reír en ocasiones por esos diálogos que incluso intentan parodiar la fórmula de una típica novela policiaca, y el final, el cual se me hizo muy redondo y muy satisfactorio. Absolutamente recomendable.
—¿Te sientes dispuesto a convertirte en mi Watson?
—¿Tu Watson?
—Sí, ya sabes: el compañero, el confidente de Sherlock Holmes. "¿Me sigues, Watson?" ¿Estás dispuesto a oírme demostrarte con toda una retahíla de argumentos complicados las cosas más evidentes, a formularme toda clase de preguntas inútiles, a suministrarme ocasión de espetarte embustes, a hacer por ti mismo brillantes descubrimientos dos o tres días después que yo, y así sucesivamente? Todo esto, aunque en apariencia no conduzca a nada, es sumamente provechoso.
El misterio de la casa roja es una historia policiaca de 'cuarto cerrado' y hace total justicia al género. Tenemos a los típicos personajes que uno podría imaginarse en una novela como esta, la típica casona en provincias, el típico crimen y ¿las típicas deducciones por parte del detective? Creo que aquí, en este último punto, es donde cambia todo y lo que me hizo amar con creces esta obra.
En lugar de tener los típicos sospechosos, o los clásicos interrogatorios por parte de un policía o detective, nos encontramos aquí con Anthony Gillingham, un personaje que no tiene experiencia previa en casos policiacos, alguien que intentará seguir las huellas como detective principiante, y que no se dedicará a hacer preguntas a los demás personajes, sino a hacérselas a sí mismo; básicamente toda la historia gira entorno a este sin fin de interrogantes, pistas, misterios por descubrir, que nuestro protagonista se irá preguntando a fin de dar respuesta a ¿qué pasó?, ¿cómo pasó?, y no menos importante, ¿quién lo hizo?
En algún punto de la historia me sentía jugando mi juego de mesa favorito, Clue, ya que te hace cuestionarte —al mismo tiempo que a nuestro protagonista y a su "Watson"— si acaso podría ser B y no C. Es, de hecho, como un juego mental, en el que todos los detalles suman algo a la 'investigación' realizada por nuestro 'detective', y en el que la mente es la principal herramienta.
Una novela que me enganchó de principio a fin, que me hizo reír en ocasiones por esos diálogos que incluso intentan parodiar la fórmula de una típica novela policiaca, y el final, el cual se me hizo muy redondo y muy satisfactorio. Absolutamente recomendable.
—¿Te sientes dispuesto a convertirte en mi Watson?
—¿Tu Watson?
—Sí, ya sabes: el compañero, el confidente de Sherlock Holmes. "¿Me sigues, Watson?" ¿Estás dispuesto a oírme demostrarte con toda una retahíla de argumentos complicados las cosas más evidentes, a formularme toda clase de preguntas inútiles, a suministrarme ocasión de espetarte embustes, a hacer por ti mismo brillantes descubrimientos dos o tres días después que yo, y así sucesivamente? Todo esto, aunque en apariencia no conduzca a nada, es sumamente provechoso.
February 2, 2022
Ποτέ, ίσως, δεν θα μπορούσαν οι θαυμαστές του 'Ουίνι, το αρκουδάκι' να φανταστούν ότι ο Μίλν θα ξεπερνούσε κάθε λογοτεχνική προσδοκία και θα έγραφε ένα αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα μυστηρίου. Σύμφωνα με την εισαγωγή του βιβλίου, το έναυσμα το έλαβε από τον πατέρα του, ο οποίος ήταν λάτρης της αστυνομικής λογοτεχνίας, αλλά πίστευε ότι δεν υπήρχαν πολλά αξιόλογα 'δείγματα' μέχρι το 1922. Ο Μίλν αποδείχθηκε ότι πήρε την σωστή απόφαση να πρωτοτυπήσει συγγραφικά, αφού, έπειτα από πολλά χρόνια που είχε περάσει το βιβλίο του στη λήθη, ξαφνικά, το 1983, το ενδιαφέρον για το συγκεκριμένο μυθιστόρημα από ένα βρετανικό εκδοτικό οίκο ανανεώθηκε με αποτέλεσμα να επανεκδοθεί καί στα ελληνικά από τις εκδόσεις 'Καστανιώτη' (1988) και, αρκετά χρόνια αργότερα, το 2018, από τις Εκδόσεις 'Public Βιβλιοθήκη', όπου συμπεριλήφθηκε στη σειρά βιβλίων 'Public Classics'.
'To μυστήριο του κόκκινου σπιτιού' θεωρείται ένα από τα σημαντικότερα μυθιστορήματα 'κλειδωμένου δωματίου' μαζί με 'Το μυστήριο του κίτρινου δωματίου' του Γκαστόν Λερού και τον 'Ασώματο άνθρωπο' του Καρ και εντάσσεται στην κατηγορία 'whodunit' (τουλάχιστον, μέχρι τη μέση περίπου). O Μίλν βρίσκει τον μοντέρνο 'Σέρλοκ Χόλμς' στο 'πρόσωπο' του ερασιτέχνη ντετέκτιβ Άντονι Γκίλινγχαμ, ο οποίος μένει αξέχαστος στον αναγνώστη με την οξυδέρκειά του, τα λογικά του συμπεράσματα και το εύστοχο χιούμορ του.
Το βιβλίο αντικατοπτρίζει έντονα την επίδραση της μεταβικτωριανής κουλτούρας στην βρετανική κοινωνία της δεκαετίας του '20, όπου είναι έκδηλο το πνεύμα της εξέλιξης, το κυνήγι της επιτυχίας και �� κοινωνική καταξίωση. Εντυπωσιάζουν οι ειδυλλιακές περιγραφές των εξοχικών περιοχών της βρετανικής υπαίθρου, οι 'διφορούμενοι' διάλογοι των προσώπων του μυθιστορήματος, αλλά, κυρίως, οι μυστηριώδεις περιγραφές του 'Κόκκινου Σπιτιού' που περιλαμβάνει δαιδαλώδεις διαδρόμους και δωμάτια, μια κοντινή 'σκοτεινή' λίμνη όπως και μυστικά περάσματα ή χώρους, όπου παραμονεύει ο κίνδυνος και η.... έκπληξη.
Στην αρχή του βιβλίου, όταν γίνεται το έγκλημα, κάποιοι αναγνώστες μπορεί να απορήσουν με τις πολύπλοκες περιγραφές των δωματίων του 'Κόκκινου Σπιτιού', ωστόσο αυτό γίνεται για λόγους 'συγγραφικής' οικονομίας ώστε να αποφευχθεί μια μελλοντική επανάληψη των σημαντικών λεπτομερειών.
Ένα αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που διαθέτει μέτρο, 'γερή' δομή στην πλοκή και την 'αύρα' του 'κλασικού' - μέσα στα 20 καλύτερα αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα του πρώτου μισού του 20ού αιώνα (κατά τη γνώμη μου).
Υ.Γ.: Δεν είναι τόσο απλή η πλοκή, όσο φαίνεται στην αρχή και στη μέση του βιβλίου.
Υ.Γ2: Θα ήθελα ο Μίλν να είχε γράψει και άλλα αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα.
Βαθμολογία: 4,6/5 ή 9,2/10.
'To μυστήριο του κόκκινου σπιτιού' θεωρείται ένα από τα σημαντικότερα μυθιστορήματα 'κλειδωμένου δωματίου' μαζί με 'Το μυστήριο του κίτρινου δωματίου' του Γκαστόν Λερού και τον 'Ασώματο άνθρωπο' του Καρ και εντάσσεται στην κατηγορία 'whodunit' (τουλάχιστον, μέχρι τη μέση περίπου). O Μίλν βρίσκει τον μοντέρνο 'Σέρλοκ Χόλμς' στο 'πρόσωπο' του ερασιτέχνη ντετέκτιβ Άντονι Γκίλινγχαμ, ο οποίος μένει αξέχαστος στον αναγνώστη με την οξυδέρκειά του, τα λογικά του συμπεράσματα και το εύστοχο χιούμορ του.
Το βιβλίο αντικατοπτρίζει έντονα την επίδραση της μεταβικτωριανής κουλτούρας στην βρετανική κοινωνία της δεκαετίας του '20, όπου είναι έκδηλο το πνεύμα της εξέλιξης, το κυνήγι της επιτυχίας και �� κοινωνική καταξίωση. Εντυπωσιάζουν οι ειδυλλιακές περιγραφές των εξοχικών περιοχών της βρετανικής υπαίθρου, οι 'διφορούμενοι' διάλογοι των προσώπων του μυθιστορήματος, αλλά, κυρίως, οι μυστηριώδεις περιγραφές του 'Κόκκινου Σπιτιού' που περιλαμβάνει δαιδαλώδεις διαδρόμους και δωμάτια, μια κοντινή 'σκοτεινή' λίμνη όπως και μυστικά περάσματα ή χώρους, όπου παραμονεύει ο κίνδυνος και η.... έκπληξη.
Στην αρχή του βιβλίου, όταν γίνεται το έγκλημα, κάποιοι αναγνώστες μπορεί να απορήσουν με τις πολύπλοκες περιγραφές των δωματίων του 'Κόκκινου Σπιτιού', ωστόσο αυτό γίνεται για λόγους 'συγγραφικής' οικονομίας ώστε να αποφευχθεί μια μελλοντική επανάληψη των σημαντικών λεπτομερειών.
Ένα αστυνομικό μυθιστόρημα που διαθέτει μέτρο, 'γερή' δομή στην πλοκή και την 'αύρα' του 'κλασικού' - μέσα στα 20 καλύτερα αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα του πρώτου μισού του 20ού αιώνα (κατά τη γνώμη μου).
Υ.Γ.: Δεν είναι τόσο απλή η πλοκή, όσο φαίνεται στην αρχή και στη μέση του βιβλίου.
Υ.Γ2: Θα ήθελα ο Μίλν να είχε γράψει και άλλα αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα.
Βαθμολογία: 4,6/5 ή 9,2/10.
August 16, 2016
Even though I was on a very action packed holiday, I still think the length of time it took me to read this novel shows I wasn't totally engaged by it.
I've read the comments on the Reading the Detectives Group https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... & I think their suggestion that this was written as a parody was a good one. I was a bit obtuse on this, as I read it "straight." Reading it with my sense of humour switched off, I found it long winded, far too many characters early on & I guessed the murderer & very quickly.
What I did like was the relationship between this book's Holmes & Watson. The dialogue between Anthony & Bill was quite wonderful & I certainly wouldn't have minded reading another of their adventures.
I've read the comments on the Reading the Detectives Group https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/... & I think their suggestion that this was written as a parody was a good one. I was a bit obtuse on this, as I read it "straight." Reading it with my sense of humour switched off, I found it long winded, far too many characters early on & I guessed the murderer & very quickly.
What I did like was the relationship between this book's Holmes & Watson. The dialogue between Anthony & Bill was quite wonderful & I certainly wouldn't have minded reading another of their adventures.
June 5, 2020
I really liked this book, which is A.A. Milne's only mystery novel. Written in 1922, it reads like a cross between Wodehouse and Christie, which is probably the highest compliment I can give. It's a locked room mystery that features a self-aware amateur sleuth who just happens to arrive at the scene of the crime - the Red House - as he stops in to see a friend. Even though there's really only one suspect, the fun of the book is figuring out what actually happened.
I read this because it's listed in Eight Perfect Murders, but I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys golden age mystery or just wants an escapist read. It has secret passageways, midnight stakeouts, and ghost sightings, and it gently skewers Sherlock Holmes while including a Watson to aid in the investigation. The writing is sharp and funny, and it made me laugh. Very fun.
Other thoughts:
I read this because it's listed in Eight Perfect Murders, but I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys golden age mystery or just wants an escapist read. It has secret passageways, midnight stakeouts, and ghost sightings, and it gently skewers Sherlock Holmes while including a Watson to aid in the investigation. The writing is sharp and funny, and it made me laugh. Very fun.
Other thoughts:
July 28, 2021
Charming mystery for armchair sleuths!
The Red House Mystery is a 1922 golden age locked room mystery by A.A. Mile – author of Winnie-the-Pooh –and his only mystery novel.
In an English country house, Mark Ablett, an independently wealth bachelor, has been entertaining six guests at a house party. While some of them are golfing for the day, Mark’s estranged brother Robert suddenly arrives from Australia, but is found shot in the head soon after. After the police and doctor were called to the scene, the guests return, but are quickly relocated to local accommodations or transportation; thus, breaking up the house party. It is soon discovered that Mark is missing. Bill Beverley, a friend of Mark’s and a party guest, stayed to lend moral support to Matthew “Cay” Cayley, Mark’s cousin, and affairs manager.
Antony Gillingham, an old friend of Bill’s, who delights in meeting people, has arrived in town by happenstance, and learned Bill’s a guest at a nearby house. He decides to stroll over to refresh their acquaintance only to find a situation ongoing. Making a habit of trying new professions, Tony assesses that with his “brain which worked clearly and quickly”, he’d be an ideal as a private sleuthhound. He appoints a “Dr. Watson” to support his “Sherlock” persona and sets about investigating the crime.
The dissection of the clues by the duo was fun, lighthearted and took up most of the book. They schemed and tested various theories in the manner one might play a game. They uncovered a ghost story and a secret room. They go on clandestine night outings and search the lake for evidence. It’s no secret who their suspect is, but it’s the how and the why that fleshes out the story. Plus, I found their dialogue, thoughts, and whit entertaining!
The writing is smooth, light, and charming. It is full of expressions and mannerisms from the period. They often say things like, “By Jove!” and “Bother!”.
The mystery is concluded well and in the gentlest manner. The plot was interesting if ordinary. You’ll likely guess the outcome at some point, but the story is in the process of logically working out the truth.
William Sutherland was great narrating the audio. The emotion and inflection he used added to my overall enjoyment of the mystery. If you do not have access to the audio, this book is public domain, so you can download a copy from Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1872.
The Red House Mystery is one of the books mentioned in Eight Perfect Murders but be aware that it gives away the plot. Luckily, I did read Eight Perfect Murders a while back and didn’t recall the spoiler.
I would recommend this for readers who enjoy classic mysteries, amateur sleuths, and tidy crime.
The Red House Mystery is a 1922 golden age locked room mystery by A.A. Mile – author of Winnie-the-Pooh –and his only mystery novel.
In an English country house, Mark Ablett, an independently wealth bachelor, has been entertaining six guests at a house party. While some of them are golfing for the day, Mark’s estranged brother Robert suddenly arrives from Australia, but is found shot in the head soon after. After the police and doctor were called to the scene, the guests return, but are quickly relocated to local accommodations or transportation; thus, breaking up the house party. It is soon discovered that Mark is missing. Bill Beverley, a friend of Mark’s and a party guest, stayed to lend moral support to Matthew “Cay” Cayley, Mark’s cousin, and affairs manager.
Antony Gillingham, an old friend of Bill’s, who delights in meeting people, has arrived in town by happenstance, and learned Bill’s a guest at a nearby house. He decides to stroll over to refresh their acquaintance only to find a situation ongoing. Making a habit of trying new professions, Tony assesses that with his “brain which worked clearly and quickly”, he’d be an ideal as a private sleuthhound. He appoints a “Dr. Watson” to support his “Sherlock” persona and sets about investigating the crime.
The dissection of the clues by the duo was fun, lighthearted and took up most of the book. They schemed and tested various theories in the manner one might play a game. They uncovered a ghost story and a secret room. They go on clandestine night outings and search the lake for evidence. It’s no secret who their suspect is, but it’s the how and the why that fleshes out the story. Plus, I found their dialogue, thoughts, and whit entertaining!
The writing is smooth, light, and charming. It is full of expressions and mannerisms from the period. They often say things like, “By Jove!” and “Bother!”.
The mystery is concluded well and in the gentlest manner. The plot was interesting if ordinary. You’ll likely guess the outcome at some point, but the story is in the process of logically working out the truth.
William Sutherland was great narrating the audio. The emotion and inflection he used added to my overall enjoyment of the mystery. If you do not have access to the audio, this book is public domain, so you can download a copy from Project Gutenberg, https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1872.
The Red House Mystery is one of the books mentioned in Eight Perfect Murders but be aware that it gives away the plot. Luckily, I did read Eight Perfect Murders a while back and didn’t recall the spoiler.
I would recommend this for readers who enjoy classic mysteries, amateur sleuths, and tidy crime.
March 18, 2020
I read and thoroughly enjoyed Peter Swanson’s Eight Perfect Murders last week and wanted to read those books referenced. So who knew AA Milne wrote anything outside the hundred acre woods? Not me! Having the memory of a goldfish, I had already forgotten the spoilers revealed by Swanson, so despite the very dated style, I found I had to keep reading because I needed to know how the murder was done. Now I know.
July 7, 2016
A A Milne wrote a little remembered mystery book before he delved into the 100 Acre Wood and created one of the most beloved classic characters in fiction - Winnie the Pooh. The mystery is set during a country house party, in 1922. Our amateur sleuth arrives to visit a friend, to find someone hammering on the door and a body within. Asked to help, he decides to play Sherlock Holmes, with his friend acting as his Watson. The host has gone missing and his ne'er do well brother, who had just returned from Australia, is lying dead.
This is a charming book, much better than I thought it would be. My only complaint is that I worked out who the murderer was fairly quickly. The whole book is a little tongue in cheek, almost as though Milne were merely trying out the genre as a writing exercise. However, saying that, it is a very enjoyable read and comparable with other mystery books written at the time. Had Milne decided to carry the books into a series, I think he could have been very successful. However, he obviously went on to other things, so it is lucky that we do have this book to sample what he could produce as a crime writer.
This is a charming book, much better than I thought it would be. My only complaint is that I worked out who the murderer was fairly quickly. The whole book is a little tongue in cheek, almost as though Milne were merely trying out the genre as a writing exercise. However, saying that, it is a very enjoyable read and comparable with other mystery books written at the time. Had Milne decided to carry the books into a series, I think he could have been very successful. However, he obviously went on to other things, so it is lucky that we do have this book to sample what he could produce as a crime writer.
January 22, 2020
3.5*
“Like all really nice people, you have a weakness for detective stories, and feel that there are not enough of them. So, after all that you have done for me, the least that I can do for you is to write you one.”
Milne, famous creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, wrote one detective mystery, seemingly as a gesture for his father (as the dedication shows). Imagine my curiosity! And as it happens, I rather enjoyed it, even though it was a little too tongue-in-cheek for my liking.
Much of the ‘action’ consists in Anthony Gillingham, our would be investigator, taking on the mantel of Sherlock Holmes, finding himself someone to play the role of Watson, and thus attired, making the use of his grey cells to come up with various theories. The setting is pure classic murder mystery - a house with secret passages, a library, a lake, etc. The characters peopling this space did feel stereotyped but then they were not the focus of the novel. No, Milne concentrated on the conundrum, toying with the reader and the poor ‘Watson’.
From what I’ve gathered, the contemporary public enjoyed it and wanted more, but our author was attracted by very different pastures. Mind you, there is a parallel between mysteries and children stories - they both end with the order re-established and thus offer a very similar kind of ‘comforting feeling’. I guess that is one of the reasons mysteries are so popular :O)
“Like all really nice people, you have a weakness for detective stories, and feel that there are not enough of them. So, after all that you have done for me, the least that I can do for you is to write you one.”
Milne, famous creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, wrote one detective mystery, seemingly as a gesture for his father (as the dedication shows). Imagine my curiosity! And as it happens, I rather enjoyed it, even though it was a little too tongue-in-cheek for my liking.
Much of the ‘action’ consists in Anthony Gillingham, our would be investigator, taking on the mantel of Sherlock Holmes, finding himself someone to play the role of Watson, and thus attired, making the use of his grey cells to come up with various theories. The setting is pure classic murder mystery - a house with secret passages, a library, a lake, etc. The characters peopling this space did feel stereotyped but then they were not the focus of the novel. No, Milne concentrated on the conundrum, toying with the reader and the poor ‘Watson’.
From what I’ve gathered, the contemporary public enjoyed it and wanted more, but our author was attracted by very different pastures. Mind you, there is a parallel between mysteries and children stories - they both end with the order re-established and thus offer a very similar kind of ‘comforting feeling’. I guess that is one of the reasons mysteries are so popular :O)
April 2, 2023
Let me begin by saying that I am very much in the minority regarding this book. I am a devoted fan of the golden age of mystery and don't mind that many of the classics are dated as one would expect. I had high hopes for this book which appears on many of the classics lists. What a disappointment.
It is a "locked room"mystery which are always interesting but the story stalls from the very beginning. I couldn't stand any of the main characters, some of whom bordered on the idiotic. The plot goes nowhere and there are false starts and stops which are basically meaningless. If there is some deeper meaning, I certainly missed it
I am glad that the author stuck with his wonderful Winnie the Pooh books since this attempt at mystery writing missed the boat!
It is a "locked room"mystery which are always interesting but the story stalls from the very beginning. I couldn't stand any of the main characters, some of whom bordered on the idiotic. The plot goes nowhere and there are false starts and stops which are basically meaningless. If there is some deeper meaning, I certainly missed it
I am glad that the author stuck with his wonderful Winnie the Pooh books since this attempt at mystery writing missed the boat!
February 16, 2023
I really wasn't expecting this to be such a fun read. There's quite a bit of humor and the two main characters make a delightful "Holmes and Watson." I'm sad that this was A.A. Milne's only mystery novel - a series featuring Antony and Bill would have been especially fantastic.
October 11, 2023
I wasn’t sure what to expect when my husband recommended this book to me, but what I found lived up to the author name on the cover. Clever, thoughtful, and delightfully hilarious (would the author of Winnie-the-Pooh do any less?) with two compelling amateur detectives. I found it to be less of a whodunnit and more of a howwasitdun, which was still quite interesting. If I hadn’t guessed one of the twists, it would have been a five-star read, though that’s on me for being such a detective story fan. ;) Oh, and the dedication was adorable.
Recommended to fans of Sherlock Holmes (there are plenty of satisfying references) and anything by Agatha Christie.
Recommended to fans of Sherlock Holmes (there are plenty of satisfying references) and anything by Agatha Christie.
October 15, 2012
AA Milne wrote this novel - his only foray into the murder mystery genre - in 1922, during the period he worked as a columnist for Punch magazine and before the Winnie-the-Pooh books were published. It's a pleasant read, with an attractive amateur sleuth hero and an entertaining if slightly dim sidekick. Much more of a why-and-howdunnit than a whodunnit (the culprit is reasonably obvious early on), the charm of the work is more in the witty prose and the clever allusions to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson than in the mystery itself. Had it not been for the way in which the mystery is resolved, I would have been tempted to give this an extra 1/2 star. However, I have a (probably quite unreasonable) aversion to the lengthy-and-discursive-confession-by-the-culprit device. When I come across it - in this case it takes the form of a letter written by the culprit to the sleuth - it makes me a bit crazy.
I'm not sure that the adventures of Anthony (amateur sleuth) and Bill (sidekick) could have been spun into a series. In reality, probably not. Still, I'm glad that Milne had a go at the genre and I'm glad I read his effort. This was a quick and easy read and fun to share with my friend Jemidar and others in the English Mysteries Club.
September 10, 2018
WHAT a delightful book!! I really, really enjoyed this little mystery by A.A. Milne. I had no idea he had written anything besides Winnie-the-Pooh and was excited when this was picked for our book club!
An interesting mystery, dead bodies, intrigue and quirky characters make for a lovely read and keeps you guessing over and over [though I had most of it figured out by the end - that is the problem when you read a ton of mysteries every year; it didn't take away from the pure joy of reading this] until the end.
So glad that I got to read this and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery!
An interesting mystery, dead bodies, intrigue and quirky characters make for a lovely read and keeps you guessing over and over [though I had most of it figured out by the end - that is the problem when you read a ton of mysteries every year; it didn't take away from the pure joy of reading this] until the end.
So glad that I got to read this and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a good mystery!
June 2, 2024
Entertaining mystery listening 🎶🔰
Another will written British 🏰 murder mystery adventure thriller novel by A. A. Milne about the murder of a bother by the other bother. The investigation is ongoing by the chief detective as they search for the murderer. But all changes when the dentist identifies the body as the bother the police are searching for. Who is the killer? I would highly recommend this novel to readers of mysteries. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye damage and health issues from shingles. 2022 😮🏰👑⏰
Another will written British 🏰 murder mystery adventure thriller novel by A. A. Milne about the murder of a bother by the other bother. The investigation is ongoing by the chief detective as they search for the murderer. But all changes when the dentist identifies the body as the bother the police are searching for. Who is the killer? I would highly recommend this novel to readers of mysteries. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye damage and health issues from shingles. 2022 😮🏰👑⏰
October 25, 2015
Such a shame there aren't more of these fantastic mysteries.
August 26, 2018
It may be that this story was spoiled for me by Raymond Chandler who in his 1944 essay, The Simple Art of Murder, (my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) ripped The Red House Mystery to shreds. Still, I found that all Chandler's barbs were on target: Milne had written a mystery in which the only interest was to solve the crime as a logic puzzle, after all, the characters were uninteresting and unsympathetic, the whodunnit puzzle element was all that was left. But here, the problem was that logically speaking, the crime was nonsensical and would have been solved in an instant if the police had followed normal police procedures. Winnie the Pooh was sublime. This was just silly.
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November 25, 2019Who knew A.A. Milne wrote a mystery before he began his poetry and stories for children? Clearly a great many people, because his Red House Mystery has been issued in 142 editions.
It’s a delight. Clever, gently satirical, lively and absolutely of its time (1922). So many clues the air is full of red herrings - yes, I’m visualising a red house full of flying red fish.
It’s a delight. Clever, gently satirical, lively and absolutely of its time (1922). So many clues the air is full of red herrings - yes, I’m visualising a red house full of flying red fish.
September 24, 2021
راز عمارت سرخ بسیاری از قواعد اصلی رمان های جنایی را زیر پا میگذارد ( اگر نکته بین باشید هزار سوراخ دارد ) با این حال به شکلی استثنایی جالب و خواندنی است و به راحتی با سیر وقایع داستان همراه میشوید.
May 4, 2020
I had no idea that the author of Winnie the Pooh also wrote a mystery novel. I really had a lot of fun reading this one. It was a parody of English mysteries and I found it rather amusing.
The main character of Anthony Gillingham is a young man with the means to pick up random jobs here and there, just to see what they are like. He is in between one of his odd jobs, when he stumbles into a murder scene while coming to visit his friend Bill at The Red House. He startles one of the house's residents who has heard a gunshot and is trying to get inside a locked room to find out what happened. After finding out it is a murder, Anthony decides he wants to act like Sherlock Holmes and make Bill his Watson.
These two go out investigating the murder while not letting the police investigators or anyone else in the house know what they were up to. It was fun to read about them coming up with theories and also trying to follow up on their theories while sneaking around, especially when they had an idea who they thought might be the murderer.
I really wanted to read more about Anthony and Bill going on to solve other crimes, but sadly this seems to be the only mystery that Milne wrote.
I read this book as part of my project to read all the books referenced in Eight Perfect Murders. This book also fulfills the Building Blocks challenge in A Book for All Seasons group where we were asked to locate and review a book titled or primarily about some form of structure in which people can enter.
The main character of Anthony Gillingham is a young man with the means to pick up random jobs here and there, just to see what they are like. He is in between one of his odd jobs, when he stumbles into a murder scene while coming to visit his friend Bill at The Red House. He startles one of the house's residents who has heard a gunshot and is trying to get inside a locked room to find out what happened. After finding out it is a murder, Anthony decides he wants to act like Sherlock Holmes and make Bill his Watson.
These two go out investigating the murder while not letting the police investigators or anyone else in the house know what they were up to. It was fun to read about them coming up with theories and also trying to follow up on their theories while sneaking around, especially when they had an idea who they thought might be the murderer.
I really wanted to read more about Anthony and Bill going on to solve other crimes, but sadly this seems to be the only mystery that Milne wrote.
I read this book as part of my project to read all the books referenced in Eight Perfect Murders. This book also fulfills the Building Blocks challenge in A Book for All Seasons group where we were asked to locate and review a book titled or primarily about some form of structure in which people can enter.
November 16, 2010
The so-called "Golden Age of Detective Fiction" was a largely British phenomenon that took place in the 1920s and 1930s and its masters are among the most well-known names in the mystery genre (Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, etc.). The stories of this time had a number of conventions (which they did not invent, but certainly popularized), and they were so prevalent that several essays were written codifying them. These will be familiar to anyone with a passing familiarity with older mysteries: the amateur detective, the country house, a murder, a cast of suspects staying at the house, all clues revealed to the reader and sleuth at the same time, hints of romance, etc. Apparently, the man who later gave the world "Winnie the Pooh" was interested enough in the detective genre that he decided to have a stab at it himself. The resulting book, which, while anemically titled, has to be considered a very entertaining example of the "Golden Age" novel.
The protagonist is Andrew Gillingham, a young man receiving a fine inheritance who, rather than gadding about (a la Bertie Wooster), finds it interesting to try out different professions for a year or so. One day, while out in the country, he realizes that a good friend is a guest a nearby manor house. He heads out for a brisk walk to pay a surprise call on his friend, only to stumble into the immediate aftermath of a murder (in the office, with a revolver). It doesn't take long for him to realize that instead of being a supporting player in the police investigation, he can, instead, try out a new profession -- that of detective.
And so the game is afoot, as the sharp young man uses his powers of logic and deduction to try and reason out the murder (with the typically plodding help of his sidekick friend). If you've read many of these kinds of stories, you'll probably be able to figure it out reasonably easily (although I didn't), but the real charm of the book is in the light, witty prose, which carries the reader along effortlessly. It's a style likely to appeal to fans of P.G. Wodehouse, though obviously not as farcical as that. It's well worth reading if you've got a taste for the world of Britain between the wars. Had Milne not made his fortune with Pooh Bear, this book demonstrates that he certainly could have done well as a mystery writer and he did write several other mystery plays and stories, just not novels.
The real mystery is why this particular novel has never been made into a film!
The protagonist is Andrew Gillingham, a young man receiving a fine inheritance who, rather than gadding about (a la Bertie Wooster), finds it interesting to try out different professions for a year or so. One day, while out in the country, he realizes that a good friend is a guest a nearby manor house. He heads out for a brisk walk to pay a surprise call on his friend, only to stumble into the immediate aftermath of a murder (in the office, with a revolver). It doesn't take long for him to realize that instead of being a supporting player in the police investigation, he can, instead, try out a new profession -- that of detective.
And so the game is afoot, as the sharp young man uses his powers of logic and deduction to try and reason out the murder (with the typically plodding help of his sidekick friend). If you've read many of these kinds of stories, you'll probably be able to figure it out reasonably easily (although I didn't), but the real charm of the book is in the light, witty prose, which carries the reader along effortlessly. It's a style likely to appeal to fans of P.G. Wodehouse, though obviously not as farcical as that. It's well worth reading if you've got a taste for the world of Britain between the wars. Had Milne not made his fortune with Pooh Bear, this book demonstrates that he certainly could have done well as a mystery writer and he did write several other mystery plays and stories, just not novels.
The real mystery is why this particular novel has never been made into a film!
April 2, 2017
Long long ago, not so very far away, I read this, completely delighted by the fact that the creator of Winnie-the-Pooh wrote a murder mystery. I loved it then, and so was happy when The Red House Mystery was chosen as a book of the month for the Goodreads English Mysteries Club.
Unfortunately, I didn't love the reread so much.
The writing was fun, with occasional Pooh-ish moments –
"Perhaps it was true that inspectors liked dragging ponds, but the question was, Did Cayleys like having them dragged?"
- But there were a great many moments that stopped me cold, thinking Sorry, what was that now? The latitude the amateur detective is given is a figment of the mystery writer's imagination; the ineptitude of the constabulary in their failure to make certain surely routine checks and confirmations was absurd; parts of the mystery itself were more than a little silly.
But still. As a light and undemanding read it was enjoyable. In fact, it rather has to be read as undemanding, the sort of thing you just settle in with a cup of tea and enjoy without questioning. If you think about it too much it all falls apart.
Unfortunately, I didn't love the reread so much.
The writing was fun, with occasional Pooh-ish moments –
"Perhaps it was true that inspectors liked dragging ponds, but the question was, Did Cayleys like having them dragged?"
- But there were a great many moments that stopped me cold, thinking Sorry, what was that now? The latitude the amateur detective is given is a figment of the mystery writer's imagination; the ineptitude of the constabulary in their failure to make certain surely routine checks and confirmations was absurd; parts of the mystery itself were more than a little silly.
But still. As a light and undemanding read it was enjoyable. In fact, it rather has to be read as undemanding, the sort of thing you just settle in with a cup of tea and enjoy without questioning. If you think about it too much it all falls apart.
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