Grey Mask (1929) by Patricia Wentworth – another review

Review by Mary Grover (containing spoilers): Reading my first Patricia Wentworth, heralded as a writer from ‘the Golden Age of British Crime Fiction’ my expectations were overturned. Her first novel, Grey Mask 1928 lacks most of the features associated with the kind of titles recently republished by the British Library. Where are the closed communities, … Continue reading →

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) by James M. Cain

Book Review by Sylvia D: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) was James M. Cain’s first published novel. Cain (1882-1977) was initially a journalist and an editor but he came to be seen as one of the creators of the roman noir. He also spent many years in Hollywood working on screenplays.

Sally’s in the Alley by Norbert Davis (1943)

Book Review by George S: Norbert Davis was an American author of detective fiction. I first heard of him when I was reading about Ludwig Wittgenstein’s taste in popular fiction. The great reclusive philosopher was (perhaps surprisingly) fond of P.G. Wodehouse, and also enjoyed a monthly subscription to Street and Smith’s Detective Magazine, which gave … Continue reading →

Only Mugs Work (1938) by Walter Greenwood

Book Review by George S: Only Mugs Work is subtitled ‘A Soho Melodrama’, so Walter Greenwood is a long way from the Salford of Love on the Dole. The novel starts promisingly with a bustling description of Soho, centre of the theatre and film worlds by day, and by night something more sinister: