Series
Publication
Vintage Books (2012), 320 p.
Original publication date
1936
Collections
Genres
Subjects
Description
A VINTAGE MURDER MYSTERY Fergus O'Brien, a legendary World War One flying ace with several skeletons hidden in his closet, receives a series of mocking letters predicting that he will be murdered on Boxing Day. Undaunted, O'Brien throws a Christmas party, inviting everyone who could be suspected of making the threats, along with private detective Nigel Strangeways. But despite Nigel's presence, the former pilot is found dead, just as predicted, and Nigel is left to aid the local police in their investigation while trying to ignore his growing attraction to one of the other guests - and suspects - explorer Georgina Cavendish. A Nigel Strangeways murder mystery - the perfect introduction to the most charming and erudite detective in Golden Age crime fiction.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Matke
Really a superior detective novel. A classic in form: house party, limited characters, a snowstorm, odd clues and even odder characters; this book is a delight and a huge improvement on the first in the Strangeways series.
Strangeways, (isn't that a great name?) a private detective, has been
Obviously, Strangeways can't prevent O'Brien's death, which is presented in the time-honored "locked room" manner. Several possible plots are teased out, with Our Hero providing the correct solution at the very end. A minor love story doesn't hamper the book at all.
Recommended for all lovers of Golden Age mysteries.
Strangeways, (isn't that a great name?) a private detective, has been
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contacted by Fergus O'Brien, a famous aviator and WW I hero. He's having a Christmas holiday gathering of old friends and enemies, and feels threatened by letters he's received indicating his imminent death.Obviously, Strangeways can't prevent O'Brien's death, which is presented in the time-honored "locked room" manner. Several possible plots are teased out, with Our Hero providing the correct solution at the very end. A minor love story doesn't hamper the book at all.
Recommended for all lovers of Golden Age mysteries.
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LibraryThing member cmbohn
My friend Nancy has been reading some Nicholas Blake and after reading her review, I decided to see what my library has of his books. I found an anthology with three books: Thou Shell of Death, The Beast Must Die, and The Corpse in the Snowman.
The first one, Thou Shell of Death, features regular
Blake throws in plenty of clues and red herrings, giving the reader a fair chance to figure it out, but I have to admit I got it wrong until last quarter of the book, and even then, there were several twists I didn't anticipate. Overall, a very fun read that has me looking forward to other two books in this collection.
The first one, Thou Shell of Death, features regular
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Blake sleuth and private investigator Nigel Strangeways. A famous aviator has been receiving death threats and wants a detective on hand to try to catch the killer during a Christmas dinner party. But come the 26th, Nigel finds the aviator dead in a shed, with only a single set of footprints leading to the building. Suicide? Or murder?Blake throws in plenty of clues and red herrings, giving the reader a fair chance to figure it out, but I have to admit I got it wrong until last quarter of the book, and even then, there were several twists I didn't anticipate. Overall, a very fun read that has me looking forward to other two books in this collection.
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LibraryThing member aulsmith
I'm not a big fan of mysteries where the puzzle is really complex and not much else is going on. This is one of those. I found the beginning very slow, but the solution was interesting in the end.
LibraryThing member Riyale
Cerebral, witty, twists and turns...whoa didn't see that one coming. Can't wait to read more Blake.
LibraryThing member devenish
Fergus O'Brien a reclusive ex flying ace,receives a series of letters containing death threats. He invites Nigel Strangeways (our series detective)together with a number of others he suspects of being the sender of these letters to a Christmas party.
Despite the presents of Strangeways, O'Brien is
The twists and turns in the tale did become somewhat too obscure in the middle of the book. I did however feel that the final solution and the unmasking of the killer was extremely clever and certainly unguessed by me.
Despite the presents of Strangeways, O'Brien is
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found shot dead,in a 'locked room' type situation. The official police are quickly on the scene,but of course it is Strangeways who finally solves the case.The twists and turns in the tale did become somewhat too obscure in the middle of the book. I did however feel that the final solution and the unmasking of the killer was extremely clever and certainly unguessed by me.
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LibraryThing member leslie.98
It took me a while but I eventually figured the solution out (mostly) before Nigel Strangeways gave his final explanation :) In truth, for quite a long time I had been convinced that Fergus O'Brien was a German agent and that was why Georgia had to kill him even though she loved him. Then I thought
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it was because he was dying and somehow it was a mercy killing... . Having read some of the later books in the series, it was fun to see how Nigel & Georgia met. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Thou Shell of Death by Nicholas Blake is the second Nigel Strangeways Mystery and in this outing the author relies on many of the conventions of the Golden Age of Mysteries including a Christmas House Party where all the guest are suspect and anonymous threatening letters that predict the host of
Although an amateur detective, Strangeways is connected to the Assistant Commissioner of Police which appears to give him access to all aspects of the case and in fact, the local police treated him almost as a superior and included him in all their discussions. This was an interesting murder mystery with plenty of twists and red herrings along the way. The entire 18 page last chapter was given over to Nigel’s conclusions as to the who, what, when where and whys of the case.
Well written and intelligent even though it relied upon a certain amount of coincidences, I look forward to reading more mysteries from Nicholas Blake, whose real name is Cecil Day Lewis, who at one time was the United Kingdom’s Poet Laureate.
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the party will be killed on the day after Christmas. Strangeways has come to the party in order to oversee the safety of the owner, Fergus O’Brien, a famous World War I fighter pilot. When the guests wake up on December 26, sure enough, their host is found dead.Although an amateur detective, Strangeways is connected to the Assistant Commissioner of Police which appears to give him access to all aspects of the case and in fact, the local police treated him almost as a superior and included him in all their discussions. This was an interesting murder mystery with plenty of twists and red herrings along the way. The entire 18 page last chapter was given over to Nigel’s conclusions as to the who, what, when where and whys of the case.
Well written and intelligent even though it relied upon a certain amount of coincidences, I look forward to reading more mysteries from Nicholas Blake, whose real name is Cecil Day Lewis, who at one time was the United Kingdom’s Poet Laureate.
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LibraryThing member DebTat2
Nigel Strangeway's is back in another with another oddly worldy english detective novel.
Some wonderfully colourful characters set in a golden era of crime detection.
A great different take on a crime procedurals.
Some wonderfully colourful characters set in a golden era of crime detection.
A great different take on a crime procedurals.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780099565369
Physical description
320 p.; 5.12 inches
Other editions
Thou Shell of Death by Nicholas Blake (Digital audiobook)
Pages
320