I finally got around to reading this Martin Edwards’ anthology from 2016. In his Introduction, Edwards makes the case that the Golden Age of Murder featured crime in the manor house rather than the alley’s of London. I’ve read over a dozen anthologies edited by Martin Edwards and Serpents in Eden continues his successful pattern of mixing well-known mystery writers with those not-so-well known. And, even when Edwards includes well-known writers like Arthur Conan Doyle and G. K. Chesterton, he chose a non-Sherlock Holmes story by Doyle and a non-Father Brown story by Chesterton.
My favorite story in Serpents in Eden is R. Austin Freeman’s “The Naturalist at Law,” a Dr. John Thorndyke mystery. A body is found with feet sticking out of the water. Who is the victim? Why was he murdered? Who had a motive to kill him? Thorndyke approached the case with logic and cleverness.
The most unusual story in Serpents in Eden is “Inquest” by Lenora Wodehouse. Yes, Lenora Wodehouse is the step-daughter of P. G. Wodehouse. The story was originally published under the pseudonym of “Loel Yeo.” This is the first time “Inquest” has been published under the author’s true name.
If you’re interested in classic Golden Age mystery stories, Serpents in Eden will deliver hours of entertainment for you. GRADE: B+
Table of Contents:
Introduction, vii,
The Black Doctor Arthur Conan Doyle, 1,
Murder By Proxy M. McDonnell Bodkin, 24,
The Fad of the Fisherman G.K. Chesterton, 50,
The Genuine Tabard E.C. Bentley, 73,
The Gylston Slander Herbert Jenkins, 93,
The Long Barrow H.C. Bailey, 119,
The Naturalist at Law R. Austin Freeman, 146
A Proper Mystery Margery Allingham, 181,
Direct Evidence Anthony Berkeley, 190,
Inquest Leonora Wodehouse, 213,
The Scarecrow Ethel Lina White, 234,
Clue in the Mustard Leo Bruce, 252,
Our Pageant Gladys Mitchell, 260,
April 3, 2016 is when I read this. I try to keep up with all of Edwards’s anthologies. I’ve never read an H.C. Bailey novel, but I’ve mostly enjoyed the stories of his in these collections.
Jeff, I try to keep up with Martin Edwards anthologies, too. But SERPENTS IN EDEN had to wait almost a decade before I got around to reading it. So many books…
I just discovered that there is another Edwards anthology that came out last year: LESSONS IN CRIME: Academic Mysteries. I got it from the library.
Jeff, I think I have a copy of LESSONS IN CRIME around here somewhere…
I have read novels by a lot of these writers but not short stories. ME sure gets great covers.
Patti, I like all the covers on Martin Edwards’ anthologies, too!
Here’s an update from last week I ordered volumes 1 & 2 of that Dick Vlark collection you reviewed, and Jackie loves it, despite the fact that we have the songs on various other collections.
Jeff, I’ll have DICK CLARK’S ALL TIME HITS, VOLUMES 3 & 4 up on the blog tomorrow. Glad Jackie likes Volumes 1 & 2. There are some fun songs on those two CDs!
I have only read two of of Edwards’s anthologies in the British Crime Classics series. I keep meaning to get more of them.
Tracy, Martin Edwards has edited over 50 mystery story anthologies so you have a lot to choose from!