Simon

I came across this author thanks to the BLCC anthology "The Edinburgh Crime", edited by Martin Edwards.First published in 1919, this is a tale of murder in a rather generic Scottish country setting, which has some interesting features.It offers an object lesson in how best to represent the speech pattern of native Scots without condescension, or reducing the reader to exasperation or a state of incomprehension.The butler is satirised for other reasons, but is not guyed for his way of speaking. He is also the antithesis of butlers found in other contemporary crime fiction.Additionally, the novel is lightly humorous without being facetious or "jokey-blokey" in any way, and contains quite believable but understated romantic elements.For seasoned GAD fiction readers, the plot hinges on a device which is fairly obvious, but well-handled. The involvement of the police is negligible, but Carrington, the private detective, does his stuff, piecing together physical clues and information garnered from interviews.The "Simon" of the title is lawyer to the local gentry, and also Procurator Fiscal, which puts him in a unique position here.Most enjoyable and very readable.3.5 stars.

I agree in every way with the other most learned reviewer . I too discovered this author from the BLCC Scottish mysteries collection. In addition I had seen the 1939 film based on this author's screenplay ( Superb first collaboration between Powell and Pressburger with location filming in The Orkneys).The generic Scottish settings have good atmosphere and the railway settings are pithy but most effective. I thought the female characters were most effective and although the clever ending was " old hat" to many GADfans ,it still worked very well here . In addition this author gave an object lesson in how to deal with dialect ; this was clear and not too lengthy yet retained some authenticity. Shame on you D L Sayers ( Five Red Herrings ) and J D Carr ( Constant Suicides ).

Better known for Edwardian farce, Clouston does a credible job at murder mystery. In spots the clues are a bit transparent but he nonetheless was able surprise me at the end. Keep a lookout for the humor, even though this is a serious subject, Clouston just can't help himself...