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Because Bobbie Cheldon's father was killed in the war, his Uncle Massy inherited the family estate leaving Bobbie and his mother living on a tight budget. However, their reduced means did not keep his mother from raising him as a gentleman. Bobbie grew up living life as one of the titled class might live, expecting the finer things in life to come his way without much effort on his part. Bobbie falls in love with a dancer who is at least as smitten with Bobbie's expected inheritance as she is with Bobbie. Bobbie, eager to marry and shower his bride to be with the life she expects wants his uncle to settle a bit of money on him now. Unfortunately for Bobbie his Uncle Massy is a quite healthy and robust fifty-three and not all that fond of his lazy nephew. Uncle Massy is most definitely not inclined to give his nephew a shilling but does make arrangements for Bobbie to get an entry level job. Obviously, this is not what Bobbie or his girlfriend want.
When Massy Cheldon is murdered in a train station Bobbie looks to be the obvious suspect since he has the most to gain. However, Chief Inspector Wake of Scotland Yard thinks otherwise. He has met Bobbie and quite frankly doesn't think Bobbie has what it takes to plan the crime. But if Bobbie is innocent, then who is guilty? Or could the Inspector be wrong?
MURDER IN PICADILLY, first published in 1936, has been released as part of the British Library's Classic Crime series. It's interesting to read vintage novels for a couple of reasons. With them readers get a glimpse into another era as seen by writers of the day, reflecting on a time and place accurately, if not always politically correctly by today's standards. It presents a slightly different view of an era than historical fiction. But if what is considered politically correct thinking changes, readers also will quickly find that motives for crime really do not. Greed, lust and jealousy are truly a motives for the ages.
Poisoned Pen Press is the United States distributor for a series of Golden Age mysteries being reissued by The British Crime Library. If MURDER IN PICCADILLY is any indication of what is to come, mystery lovers are in for a treat.
§ Caryn St.Clair resides in University City, Missouri and is a former elementary school media specialist, President of the Parks Commission and a docent at the St.Louis Zoo.
Reviewed by Caryn St Clair, May 2015
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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