Anatomy of Murder

"The Detection Club" (founded in 1930) was a group of mostly (but not exclusively) British mystery writers. The club was largely the brainchild of [a:Anthony Berkeley|246785|Anthony Berkeley|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1408927615p2/246785.jpg] (a/k/a [a:Francis Iles|178255|Francis Iles|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325430235p2/178255.jpg]). He wanted to create a network of the leading mystery novelists of his day. The club included [a:Agatha Christie|123715|Agatha Christie|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1321738793p2/123715.jpg], [a:Dorothy L. Sayers|8734|Dorothy L. Sayers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206564934p2/8734.jpg], [a:John Dickson Carr|5622|John Dickson Carr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1238207184p2/5622.jpg] (a/k/a [a:Carter Dickson|131375|Carter Dickson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]), [a:G. K. Chesterton|7014283|G.K. Chesterton|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1365860649p2/7014283.jpg], and [a:Freeman Wills Crofts|277192|Freeman Wills Crofts|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1273256772p2/277192.jpg]. The Club funded its dinners and pay for the rent of their club building through "round robin" mysteries such as [b:The Scoop and Behind the Screen|1891121|The Scoop and Behind the Screen|The Detection Club|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1352711988s/1891121.jpg|1892520] and "collective" novels such as [b:The Floating Admiral|719399|The Floating Admiral|The Detection Club|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1324235251s/719399.jpg|2742444]. "The Anatomy of Murder" is one of the latter, albeit nonfiction.

Seven writers each selected a crime to write about with somewhat inconsistent results.

1. Death of Henry Kinder - by Helen Simpson (note: the "Helen Simpson" listed on GR is a totally different person)

This is an obscure Australian murder that I had never heard of prior to reading this book. Henry Kinder was the principal teller in the City Bank of Sydney. Initially, it was thought that he had committed suicide by shooting himself. However, it quickly became obvious that he had been murdered. It also did not take long to figure out who had committed the crime - his "friend," Louis Bertrand, who had been having an affair with Mrs Kinder. Mrs Kinder and Bertrand's young wife Jane were arrested as well. Simpson's prose is rather old-fashioned, which I think suits this tale from 1865. I'm not sure if the crime is interesting enough, though. It's a very commonplace domestic murder, though Simpson does a good job of portraying Bertrand's obsession with Helen Kinder. However, Mrs Kinder never really comes to life. She is seen only through others' eyes, principally Bertrand. A better choice would probably have been Edith Thompson and Frederick Bywaters.

2. Constance Kent - by [a:John Rhode|280354|John Rhode|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1320143165p2/280354.jpg]

This is one of the most famous murder cases and an inspiration for many authors, including [a:Wilkie Collins|4012|Wilkie Collins|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1192222099p2/4012.jpg] ([b:The Moonstone|6138|The Moonstone|Wilkie Collins|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1403192382s/6138.jpg|1044477]) and [a:Charles Dickens|239579|Charles Dickens|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1387078070p2/239579.jpg] ([b:The Mystery of Edwin Drood|329957|The Mystery of Edwin Drood|Charles Dickens|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1430101428s/329957.jpg|3058467]). Young Francis Saville Kent, almost four years old, vanishes one night and his body is found in a privy on the property. He had been brutally murdered. Eventually, his half-sister Constance confessed to the crime. Rhode gives a very detailed account of the crime, investigation, and the aftermath. He also gives a surprisingly sympathetic portrait of Detective Inspector Jack Whicher, who had conflicted feelings over what he had done.

3. The Case of Adelaide Bartlett by [a:Margaret Cole|575285|Margaret Cole|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png]

With her husband and co-writer, [a:G.D.H. Cole|5157643|G.D.H. Cole|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1324683413p2/5157643.jpg], Margaret Cole was the author of several mysteries. However, they are mostly forgotten today. Cole gives a very good account of another famous mystery. Adelaide Bartlett was tried for the murder of her eccentric, health fanatic husband, Edwin Bartlett. The prosecution was unable to prove just how she had done it. To quote Sir James Paget, "Now that she has been acquitted for murder and cannot be tried again, she should tell us in the interest of science how she did it!" Cole tells the story with some light humor and actually gives one of the more interesting accounts of the crime.

4. An Impression of the Landru Case by [a:E.R. Punshon|6583643|E.R. Punshon|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1372103174p2/6583643.jpg]

A rather verbose account of the French serial killer, who is known to have taken the lives of at least 10 women and a teenage boy. Punshon seems to believe, "Why use one word when I can use a dozen?" I can honestly say that this is the most boring account of a murder that I have ever read. It's enough to make one's eyes glaze over. Ugh.

5. The Murder of Julia Wallace by[a:Dorothy L. Sayers|8734|Dorothy L. Sayers|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1206564934p2/8734.jpg]

A very detailed, meticulous account of another famous murder. Sayers believed that Mrs Wallace's husband, William Wallace, was innocent. However, this did not stop her from examining every bit of evidence impartially and playing devil's advocate on occasion. Unlike Punshon, Sayers is never dull and makes the story interesting and easy to understand. I wish she had written more true crime. She was very good at it.

6. The Rattenbury Case by [a:Francis Iles|178255|Francis Iles|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1325430235p2/178255.jpg]

If Sayers is impartial and fair in her account of the Wallace murder, Iles (Berkeley) is definitely partial in his of the Rattenbury murder. Alma Rattenbury and her young lover (and chauffeur), George Stoner, were charged with murdering her much older husband, Francis Rattenbury. It was a crime that reminded many people of the Thompson-Bywaters case in the 1920s. Alma and George conducted their affair right under Rattenbury's nose. Finally, George snapped one night and brutally murdered the old man. This is the second account I've read of the murder and is definitely superior to the other (which kept harping on Alma Rattenbury's "commonness" and "lack of taste" in a very snobbish way). Iles sympathized with the lovers, especially Alma, whom he believed to have been wrong. No, this is not an unbiased account of the crime by any means, but is certainly a well written and interesting one.

7. A New Zealand Tragedy by [a:Freeman Wills Crofts|277192|Freeman Wills Crofts|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1273256772p2/277192.jpg]

Another obscure murder, this one from New Zealand. Crofts is a good, workmanlike writer, very meticulous and detailed. I just read one of his short stories, "The Match," and the style in this true crime story is very much the same. Personally, I prefer "A New Zealand Tragedy" to "The Match." Crofts is deeply disturbed by this double murder (he calls it an "abominable murder") and details the fate of the killer with some satisfaction. This story is very much on the same level as Rhode's "Constance Kent" - solid, well written, and very detailed. **