Murder in the Basement by Anthony Berkeley

published 1932

I have read a good few books by Anthony Berkeley, and blogged on some of them: I think this might be the one I have liked best.

I am no great fan of the Poisoned Chocolates Case: I said in a blogpost ‘I find the concept a bit tiresome…In the end, the endless speculation on the people involved meant they had no depth, because their morality changed with every chapter.’ (though I know I am in a minority in this view)

I very much disliked The Wychford Poisoning Case, refusing to give it the benefit of historical doubt even if it may ‘reflect attitudes of the times’.

I seem to have a neutral attitude to Dead Mrs Stratton/ Jumping Jenny, enjoying the fancy dress aspects as ever… 

 And although they have not featured on the blog (read too long ago) I liked the Francis Iles books.

Murder in the Basement I enjoyed very much, with its unusual and innovative structure.

If you see the cover of the recent British Library edition you might be guessing that the murder takes place in the cellars of a stately mansion, but that is far from the case: a small terraced house in the London suburbs.

It is not at all obvious who is the victim – Berkeley very cleverly manages to keep this secret till a long way into the book. But the trail does quickly lead to a school – ivy-clad cover ahoy - and then, of all things, it turns out that annoying series sleuth Roger Sheringham (‘insufferable’ is the correct word for him) worked there as a temporary teacher, and helpfully embarked on a novel about the place. We are given his text, which forms a big section of the book, and must try to work out what was going on. The most impressive bit of plotting by Berkeley is the brilliance with which he gives convincing reasons why a large number of characters might have been the victim. You’d think (given time has passed) it would be very hard to have so many unknown fates…

The picture of life in the school is amusing and entertaining – I enjoyed the struggle between the master who wants to keep a boy in for bad work, so he can’t play in a sports match, to the outrage of a different master. (This turns up in the much later Jennings books by Anthony Buckeridge too). And ‘Mr. Rice always made a point of addressing Mr. Harrison as “headmaster,” as in a real school.’

The main women in the headmaster’s life – 2^nd wife and daughter – are hilarious:

“the point of our discussion is really your concern, you being responsible for the boys’ health here.”

“Am I?” asked Phyllis doubtfully, with a glance at her fuming step-daughter. It was a point on which she had never been at all sure.

And

“I should prefer Miss Harrison to stay,” replied Mr. Rice, very formally and correctly. Mr. Harrison blinked at him. People seldom wanted Amy to stay when there was a good chance of getting rid of her.

I’m not sure you could really have guessed the full story of the solution, but it was ingenious, and the thinking about the way it works out is actually funny, even to someone like me who is fussy about a moral framework.

Berkeley likes a joke on his fellow Detection Club members, and in this one a naval officer is serving aboard the Duchess of Denver (this being the title of Lord Peter Wimsey’s sister-in-law).

And there are some nice clothes:

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a slender, white-clad figure approaching across the court. She hailed him, and as if with a start of surprise he despatched the ball towards a clump of bushes that stood in a corner, surrounding a summer-house.

(The Tennis player, top, is from the cover of an Australian magazine in the 1930s.)

She was a tall girl, with a neat figure which her plain dress of pale-green linen made neater still

(Green dress from the NYPL collection.)

A good honest read, nice to see it republished by the BL after a long time out of print.

You can read other recent reviews from blogmates JJ at Invisible Event (who picks out one of the same lines as I did above, so is obviously correct) and Kate at Cross-Examining Crime (who has done two most perceptive posts on the book).