Frequent Hearses
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Author Description
From the blog Crime Fiction Lover: "Between 1944 and 1977, Robert Bruce Montgomery wrote a string of novels under the name Edmund Crispin. Today he is considered to be one of the underappreciated masters of the Golden Age of crime fiction. His novels featuring eccentric Oxford professor Gervase Fen were always witty and literate, and Frequent Hearses is one of the picks of the bunch. In this, the seventh in the series, Fen visits a film studio to advise on the production of a biopic of poet Alexander Pope. It may be difficult to conceive of a Pope biopic being produced in 1950s London, but it does allow for some of Crispin’s trademark humour and literary knowledge to flourish. The novel’s title is from one of Pope’s poems about people dying left right and centre. While Fen is advising on the production, young starlet Gloria Scott throws herself to her death from Waterloo Bridge. Fen has no reason to suspect anything other than suicide, until it becomes clear that Gloria Scott was just a stage name, that she was pregnant and that someone has searched the young actress’ apartment and tampered with the corpse to remove any hints as to her real identity. A lecherous cameraman is then found poisoned, and tests confirm it was murder. But what, if anything, links the two deaths? Of course, Fen is the man to find out."
Menrva's Summary
THE PULSE
A film studio's production of a poet's biopic becomes the backdrop for a series of suspicious deaths. Gervase Fen, an eccentric Oxford professor, visits a film studio to consult on a biopic of Alexander Pope. His advisory role is interrupted when a young starlet, Gloria Scott, dies by apparent suicide from Waterloo Bridge. Fen's investigation into her true identity and the subsequent poisoning of a cameraman reveals a complex web of deceit and murder, forcing him to uncover the connection between the two deaths.
INSIDE THE PAGES
- Gervase Fen, an eccentric Oxford professor, serves as the amateur detective.
- The setting is a 1950s London film studio during the production of a biopic about Alexander Pope.
- The initial death is ruled a suicide but is complicated by the victim's assumed identity and pregnancy.
- A second death, a cameraman, is confirmed as murder by poisoning.
- The investigation seeks to link the starlet's death with the cameraman's murder.
- The novel incorporates literary references and humor, characteristic of Edmund Crispin's style.
- The title is derived from a poem by Alexander Pope concerning mortality.
THE COLLECTIVE ECHO
As one of Edmund Crispin's notable works featuring Gervase Fen, 'Frequent Hearses' is recognized for its witty and literate style, characteristic of the Golden Age of crime fiction. The premise, involving a film studio and a biopic of Alexander Pope, allows Crispin to blend his trademark humor and literary knowledge. The mystery unfolds with the suspicious deaths of a starlet and a cameraman, prompting Fen to uncover the hidden connections. The novel is considered a strong entry in the series, appreciated for its clever plotting and intellectual engagement.
Page Count:
224
Publication Date:
2023-01-01
Publisher:
HarperCollins Publishers Limited
ISBN-10:
0008530521
ISBN-13:
9780008530525
Fiction
Mystery
Detective
High Fantasy
