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Malice Aforethought

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

26 posts | 14 read | 1 reading | 25 to read

A classic crime masterpiece - and major TV adaptation On a balmy summer's day in 1930 the great and the good of the county are out in force for the annual, much-anticipated tennis party at the Bickleighs, although not everyone has much enthusiasm for the game. The tennis party exists for other reasons - and charmingly mannered infidelity is now the most popular pastime in the small but exclusive Devonshire hamlet of Wyvern's Cross. Which is why, in his own garden, the host, Dr Edmund Bickleigh, is desperately fighting to conceal the two things on his mind: a mounting passion for Gwynfryd Rattery - and the certain conviction that he is going to kill his wife . . .

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review

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Pick

pick

This was a very cat and mouse mystery. We are in the mind of the murderer but there are outside forces arrayed against him that we are not privy to. So, who is the mouse and who is the cat? I did not really like any of the characters but that‘s part of the fun of trying to piece it all together. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aimeesue This was a good one! 12mo

Suelizbeth @Aimeesue So good! It really kept my attention! 📚❤️ 12mo

36 likes2 comments

review

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Pick

pick

Thanks to reviews from @Ruthiella @batsy and @erzascarletbookgasm for putting this on my TBR 😘

Scratch beneath the surface of a pretty little English village and you get a variety of small minded self centred people being nasty to each other. But could one of them go as far as murder? We know right from the first sentence who has murder on his mind but the delight of this book is the dark humour as the plot unfolds ⬇️

Centique Photo is unrelated to book. Sculpture outside Wellington Art Gallery. 1y

batsy So glad you liked it. The humour and the stoic creepiness really made it stand out. Also: that's a fab photo 1y

erzascarletbookgasm And the ending was great wasn‘t it? Gorgeous photo ! 📸 1y

See All 6 Comments

Ruthiella Glad you liked it! Such a small, uncomfortable mystery but fascinating. And yes, the end is gold. 1y

LeahBergen This book really surprised me. Loved it! 1y

Centique @erzascarletbookgasm the best ending!! 1y

58 likes4 stack adds6 comments

review

erzascarletbookgasm

Malice Aforethought: The Story of a Commonplace Crime | Anthony Berkeley

Pick

pick

I enjoyed the psychological aspects of the crime, and seeing how Dr Bickleigh goes about his evil plans, and the desperate measures he has to take. A satisfying read, and what a splendid ending.
#goldenagecrimeclub

Ruthiella Love the ending! 2y

57 likes1 stack add1 comment

review

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Pick

pick

I can't think of a more delicious creepazoid than Dr. Bickleigh, the memorable villain in this "whydunnit" Golden Age crime classic. From the beginning the reader is privy to his nefarious plans, but what's truly baffling is how he gets to pull as many women as he does. I guess life in a small village can truly mess with a girl! A great read; scathing gallows humour & some truly repugnant people. #GoldenAgeCrimeClub #TitlesAndTunes #GuiltyPleasure

Cathythoughts Excellent review! I see I have it stacked already. 👍🏻❤️ 2y

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Great review 🙌🏻 2y

batsy @Cathythoughts Thank you! I think it's something you might enjoy 😘 2y

See All 12 Comments

batsy @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Thank you! 🙂 2y

jlhammar Total creepazoid! 😂 Glad you enjoyed. 2y

batsy @jlhammar He is the worst! 😩😆 2y

erzascarletbookgasm Hahaha love your review! 2y

batsy @erzascarletbookgasm Thanks, J 😁 2y

LeahBergen This book really surprised me. I loved it! 2y

batsy @LeahBergen Me too! It was so unlike what I thought it would be. 2y

Annmcoop I have this on my list because I enjoyed Before the Fact, which I read as a fan of the film Suspicion. I just realized this is the same author as Poisoned Chocolates Case, which is also excellent. 2y

batsy @Annmcoop I have both of those on my list! I enjoyed Suspicion a lot too, but it's been awhile since I last saw it, so it'll be fun to revisit the film after reading Before the Fact 🙂 2y

75 likes5 stack adds12 comments

review

lauraisntwilder

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Pick

pick

You know the murderer on page 1, but this still managed to be suspenseful. Seeing the world from the perspective of a sociopathic killer definitely called into question all the perceptions I had of all the characters. Was Madeleine really so bad? Maybe, maybe not. I felt sorry for Ivy, for sure. A great, but twisted read. #goldenagecrimeclub

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

My goodness, Dr Bickley is a horrible human being. People‘s ability to rationalize awful behavior to themselves is amazing. The audio, narrated by Bruce Montague, is wonderful.
#GoldenAgeCrimeClub

batsy Yes! It's very easy to read but I have to stop every so often and just sort of disengage from the creep that he is. 2y

Aimeesue @batsy It‘s definitely the narration that‘s keeping me engaged - he does the voices SO well! I was thinking last night that Bickley‘s kind of the precursor to the “incels” of today- the (so-called) henpecked men who don‘t have as much power as they think they should have and resent the hell out of everyone who places demands upon them until hey erupt in rage. If nothing else, it‘s an interesting portrait of the resentful- ragey man type. 2y

batsy @Aimeesue I just finished. You're on the right path with the precursor to the incel, in my view. I felt much the same. The idea that having the rep of being a player ("ladies' man" in the era of the book, I guess!) to gain social status, but in reality they don't like women much at all. 2y

Aimeesue @batsy Yessss. Made me think of one of my favorite Terry Pritchett quotes, too: “Evil starts when you begin to treat people as things.” Women, and people in general, I guess, were just things to be used for his own ends or gotten rid of. Ugh. 2y

39 likes4 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Over to you guys …… anything you‘d like to throw into the discussion?

#goldenagecrimeclub

AmyG I found it amazing he was able to find young women enamored by him. He must have been very charming and attractive….and knew the allure of an omder man. 2y

jlhammar @AmyG I also had a hard time seeing how any woman would welcome his affections. Maybe it was more his intensity and pushiness and perhaps, in the short term, the adoration, the neediness, that got them? I actually quite liked Julia (aside from her disdain of reading and listening to the radio!) because she wasn't enamored and seemed to see him more for what he was. 2y

Mitch I know @AmyG ! Knowing we‘re both fully signed up members of the older, wiser, stronger type of woman - what we‘re these girls thinking! But he was in a position of authority. A doctor must have given such a heavy appearance of respectability and stability. But I pictured him physical as a weasely little man! 🤮 2y

See All 9 Comments

Mitch Has anyone seen the TV adaptation of this? 2y

jlhammar @Mitch No, haven't seen either the 1979 or 2005 adaptation yet, but definitely interested. 2y

Ruthiella Does anyone think that Madeleine actually murdered Denny and let the Dr. take the fall? Like the irony is he is actually convicted of the one crime he didn‘t commit? 2y

jlhammar @Ruthiella I loved that the crime he was convicted of was the one he didn‘t commit! Such a great ending. I was wondering the same about Madeleine. A definite possibility, I think! Or it really just was the unfortunate outcome of the outdated sewage system that Bickleigh had feared for Madeleine. It does make you think that a seed was planted… 2y

AmyG Oh wow….a TV adaptation! 2y

kspenmoll Yes great ending! 2y

30 likes9 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Frances Iles is a pseudonym for Anthony Berkeley. Are you tempted to read more by this author - or was one enough? !

#goldenagecrimeclub

AmyG I‘d read another. Yet not ao fast as I have a million other books tor read. 🤣 I really enjoyed this one. (edited) 2y

jlhammar I'd be open to reading another book by this author sometime. 2y

Mitch Yeah - interestingly having just spent time with a misogynist sociopath I think I would go back for more! He has an interesting take on #goldenagecrime I‘m not sure any of his books though will have the any strong female leads ☹️ 2y

See All 6 Comments

Ruthiella I initially read this as prep for another book, “Eight Perfect Murders” a couple of years ago and at that time didn‘t think of reading more by him. But on this reread I was struck by how well crafted the book was and am now considering trying another, if I can find one easily. 2y

Mitch @Ruthiella 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 2y

kspenmoll I would read something else by this author depending on reviews 2y

25 likes6 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

As we know the murderer right from page one - how is this book so filled with suspense! I raced though and was turning pages swiftly right to the very last one! How was the suspense created for you?

#goldenagecrimeclub

Cuilin I think the suspense builds by asking how will he do it and will he get away with it? 2y

AmyG I wanted to see how he kills….and does he get away with it. Knowing it was coming…I wanted to see it happen! 2y

jlhammar Same! I found this to be a real page-turner. How will others react to him? Will he get away with it? What crazy thing will he say/think/do next? 2y

See All 8 Comments

Mitch I agree @AmyG @Cuilin @jlhammar I was desperate to see how he did it and then about half way through my ingests switch to will he get away with it. Will justice prevail was the theme that got me hooked I think. 2y

Ruthiella For me the tension was between whether or not he‘d get away with it and the whole situation in the village…like would his position survive the potential scandal. 2y

Mitch @Ruthiella the power of the village ‘gossip‘ I thought was a really interesting angle 2y

kspenmoll So much tension! How he killed, who he killed & why, if he got caught- all this created tension for me! 2y

Mitch @kspenmoll I couldn‘t believe just how tense it was, considering the first sentence of the book ! It was the most page turning book I‘ve read for a while , I couldn‘t stop reading! 2y

24 likes8 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Oh my goodness - Dr Bickleigh! So at times he gives us slapstick comedy, haplessness at others arrogance and entitlement. He walking that line between sympathetic and repellant - where does he sit for you? ( this is such a big question I know!!!)

#goldenagecrimeclub

Cuilin It‘s kind of strange, because even though Julia is an horrible wife and you feel sorry for him in chapter 1, Edmund‘s attitude towards women is completely repellent. 2y

AmyG @Cuilin Right? Julia seems awful yet not as awful as Dr B….a predator of young women. 2y

jlhammar Oh my gosh, so repellent! A terrible little man really--delusional, pathetic, egotistical. The complete lack of self-awareness was so fascinating. One of those people for whom the problem is always everyone else. Look in the mirror, dude! But it was oh so funny to follow his very flawed reasoning, justifications and self-congratulations. And very satisfying to follow his demise. 2y

See All 14 Comments

Mitch @Cuilin agreed. I cringed at her superiority over him and her micro managing of him. But he was just abhorrent. I think the author was clever in allowing us micro moments to kind of feel sorry for him in amongst his nasty traits. I bet that wasn‘t easy (edited) 2y

Mitch @jlhammar his reasoning was fantastic - he made a way to really convince himself of his actions and attitudes. But real@people do this don‘t they- sadly! 2y

Mitch I‘d read that the author was going through a messy divorce whilst he was writing this book @amyg @jlhammar @Cuilin and his anger towards women and how they had ‘wronged‘ him, came out in this fictional vent! 2y

Ruthiella My sympathy for the doctor definitely waxed and waned! The author really kept it balanced. 2y

Mitch @Ruthiella he did a good job didn‘t he of building complex character that are grey rather than black or white! 2y

AmyG @Mitch Ha! Better the author write a book then actually commit a crime. 2y

Ruthiella @AmyG @Mitch Apparently that‘s how Sue Grafton got her idea to write murder mysteries-she was so angry with her ex husband, she started thinking about ways to murder him. 2y

AmyG @Ruthiella Ha! Too funny. Much safer. 🤣 2y

lauraisntwilder I think Iles was smart to make Julia seem like a monster and slowly show how awful Edmund was. Poor Gwynyfryd! He was so arrogant and terrible. I think my favorite part is that he's so arrogant that botches up the science and doesn't know it. 2y

kspenmoll @jlhammar 😂 so well said!!! Including all your adjectives. I just loved this book! 2y

kspenmoll @Ruthiella That is wild about Sue Grafton! (edited) 2y

23 likes14 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

For the first sentence (and covers!) we know the murderer - it‘s more of a howdunnit than a whodunnit. How does this transform your reading experience of this crime novel?

#goldenagecrimeclub

Cuilin I‘m not sure I‘m a fan of the inverted detective story. I prefer an whodunnit but this had plenty of suspense. 2y

AmyG I liked this as I found it a bit of a psychological study of Dr B. Quite the sociopath. 2y

jlhammar That first sentence just grabs you! Couldn't wait to see how it all played out. 2y

See All 11 Comments

Mitch @jlhammar I think it‘s up there as one of my favourite opening sentences! How can you not read on! 2y

Mitch @AmyG it was I agree. I think he was quite inspired by a real life case at the time of a solicitor who was hanged for murdering his wife

[tagged book]

The Poisonous Solicitor: The True Story of a 1920s Murder Mystery

2y

Mitch @Cuilin I think I prefer a whodunnit too - although I never try to guess who it is! But I was surprised how gripping this was. 2y

Ruthiella I definitely prefer a whodunnit over a howdunnit and a “will they get away with it. I think what keeps this book going is the great characters. No one is nice but Iles occasionally generates the reader‘s sympathy by showing their pathetic sides. 2y

Mitch @Ruthiella I think if we didn‘t see a different side of a few characters every@now and then I don‘t think I could have read it! Pure evilness is hard to engage with! 2y

lauraisntwilder I prefer a whodunit, but there was something intriguing about this format and wondering first how far he would go and then if he'd get away with it. 2y

kspenmoll This book had such great characters- & Dr. B was so incredibly evil that it made it so much more intense for me, watching him do his evil deeds- Not knowing that he was the would be murderer would make this a very different story. The author was so clever to present him this way 2y

Mitch @kspenmoll I think the calm way he went about it all was super chilling. And I agree @lauraisntwilder finding out if justice would prevail became the tension rather than who did the crimes 2y

27 likes11 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Hi Everyone. It‘s time for this months #buddyread for our #goldenagecrimeclub. Looking forward to the discussion on this one - I think there will be lots! First off what we‘re your initial thoughts / impressions of this 1931 classic?

AmyG I didn‘t realize it was from 1931. Seems quite relevant today. Dr. B cheating on his wife with all these young women. Ha, same old, same old no matter the time period. 2y

jlhammar Thoroughly enjoyed! Loved the dark humor. 2y

Mitch @AmyG agreed. There was so much here that felt so ‘now‘ which was utterly depressing - particularly around that weird mentality of women MUST be attracted to me! 2y

See All 9 Comments

Mitch @jlhammar there were so great one liners weren‘t there. I wasn‘t expecting it to have such a humorous side. I wonder if the author that that made everything else a little more palatable! 2y

Ruthiella This was my second read and I had forgotten how humorous it was. The psychological astuteness also stood out to me on this reread. 2y

Mitch @Ruthiella it‘s intense and farcical at the same time - which I thought was brilliant! 2y

lauraisntwilder Dr. B seems sympathetic for about 5 pages, then just gets worse and worse! I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this. 2y

kspenmoll I just loved this book! Dark humor, Dr. B turned from a henpecked man into a man who enjoyed murder for murder‘s sake. 2y

Mitch @kspenmoll He was a complicated character wasnt he - I felt real energy from the author in his creation! 2y

26 likes9 comments

review

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Pick

pick

It feels a bit wrong to say that I enjoyed being in the mind of a murderer, but I really did. This book is so darkly funny. So many great lines. And that ending was pretty perfect.

Looking forward to Sunday‘s discussion!
#GoldenAgeCrimeClub

tagged users icon

Aimeesue I‘m halfway through and am finding it very funny as well. Such dry, dark humour! Exactly my sort of thing. 2y

63 likes1 comment

review

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Bailed

bailed

Apparently I like the idea of Golden Age mysteries better than the reality. Also, I seem to have overestimated my ability to enjoy books with unlikeable characters. I hate everyone I‘ve met so far and Dr. B makes my skin crawl. He‘s disgusting and his wife deserves what she gets. I have too much else I want to read to keep slogging through this. #allhailthebail

ChaoticMissAdventures Writing good unlikable characters is a true skill. There has to be balance with the writing and storytelling to make it worth it. 2y

batsy I've just started but was unprepared for how dark it is! Even though it kind of says it right there in the title with "malice" and all ? 2y

kspenmoll It is a very dark book w despicable characters! I persevered through it & ended up liking the book. 2y

55 likes3 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

I‘m only a few chapters in but this is a cracker of a book! I think they‘ll be lots to talk about in our buddyread at the end of the month. Join us if you‘d like! Chat opens Sunday 25th
#goldenagecrimeclub

AmyG Dr B is a fascinating character. 2y

DGRachel I am swapping out one of my other planned books for this one so hopefully I can get it read in time! 😍 2y

jlhammar I can't wait to get started! 2y

55 likes1 stack add3 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

This bookmark is title on the back - “High Jinks”. Seems thoroughly suitable for this book! 🤣
#goldenagecrimeclub

kspenmoll Yes!!! 2y

82 likes1 comment

quote

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Arrogant. Delusional. Wicked. @Mitch This book is at the top of my list for #goldenagecrimeclub choices! Thank you! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

35 likes3 stack adds

quote

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

“ it was not until several weeks after he had decided to murder his wife that Dr.Bickleigh took any active steps in the matter.”
So begins this month‘s #goldenagecrimeclub mystery.

tagged users icon

AmyG I‘m enjoying this one. 2y

Tamra Want to read! 2y

jlhammar That‘s a promising beginning! My copy should arrive soon. Looking forward to it! 2y

See All 6 Comments

batsy Oooh, yes! A good start! 2y

kspenmoll @AmyG So am I ! 2y

kspenmoll @jlhammar @batsy @AmyG That first sentence set the tone & drew me in! 2y

59 likes6 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Trying to kill two challenges with one book here 😅 Mysteries & thrillers tend to be my #guiltypleasure reads so I'm going with Malice Aforethought this month, which is conveniently also the #GoldenAgeCrimeClub pick! Lol.

Debbie Gibson's Out of the Blue album was my obsession when I was 7 or 8. I never grew out of bopping along to some of her songs 😁 'Only In My Dreams' remains a fave 🍭🎶 #TitlesAndTunes @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen

BarbaraBB I‘m off to listen to that song ❤️ 2y

TrishB Blast from the past with that album 😁 2y

Cinfhen I was OBSESSED with this song!! I was probably more like 17/18 😂😂😂 2y

See All 22 Comments

Cinfhen Did you like both like Tiffany too @TrishB - 🎶I think we‘re alone now….the beating of your heart is the only sounnnnd 🎶 2y

batsy @Cinfhen @TrishB Yes!!! Was obsessed with that song ... Thought she was so cool with the red feathered hair and the denim jacket 🤩 2y

batsy @BarbaraBB It's pure bubblegum pop 😁 2y

Cinfhen Definitely Bubblegum pop!!!! 2y

Books_et_al Aah Debbie Gibson! That takes me back 😆 2y

Liz_M Debbie! 2y

batsy @Books_et_al @Liz_M 🤩 2y

erzascarletbookgasm Ahh yes, I remember Debbie Gibson! 😂 2y

sarahbarnes Omg! Debbie Gibson - I saw that face on your post and it transported me back to being 11! I‘m pretty sure she had a perfume that I spritzed all over myself at that age. 😂 2y

batsy @erzascarletbookgasm 🕺🏼🎶 2y

batsy @sarahbarnes OMG, I had no idea there was a perfume! I would have totally been bugging my parents to get it if we had it available here 😂 2y

Bookzombie 💗 For me, it was her Electric Youth album. I wore out my cassette, lol. I also loved Tiffany. 🙂 2y

LeahBergen I loved this book! And now I‘ll be singing this song all day. 😡😆😆 2y

dabbe @Bookzombie Oh, Lordy, me, too! 🤩🤣😍 2y

jlhammar Debbie Gibson! Haven't thought of her for ages. I was also a fan in my girlhood. And that cover of Malice Aforethought is pretty cool. Really looking forward to reading that one later this month. 2y

batsy @Bookzombie That album was so good, too! Electric Youth was such a banger lol. And that was the name of her perfume too (I had to look it up, @sarahbarnes 😂) 2y

batsy @LeahBergen My job here is done 😂😂🎶 2y

batsy @jlhammar It looks like we've all been under the spell of Debbie at some point 😁 The book sounds like it'll be a good one! I'm looking forward to it, too 🙌🏾 2y

sarahbarnes Omg yes! Electric Youth - that was it! It was hot pink of course. 😂 2y

72 likes22 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

repost for @Mitch:

Can‘t believe we‘re 6 months in ! Junes #goldenagecrimeclub pick is more of a WHY dunnit rather than a WHO dunnit.
We‘ll be chatting about the book on the last Sunday of June. Happy reading!

#BuddyRead

original post:
https://www.litsy.com/web/post/2591936

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Can‘t believe we‘re 6 months in ! Junes #goldenagecrimeclub pick is more of a WHY dunnit rather than a WHO dunnit.
We‘ll be chatting about the book on the last Sunday of June. Happy reading!

LeahBergen I loved this one! 👍 2y

TheAromaofBooks Looking forward to this one!! Is this group continuing past June? I only seem to have written down titles through this coming month, so I wasn't sure if I missed an update somewhere along the line!! 2y

Mitch @TheAromaofBooks thanks for reminding me! I‘d set the first six months of books and can‘t believe we‘re running out of titles already! I‘ll get the next batch up asap! 2y

See All 11 Comments

TheAromaofBooks I'll keep an eye out!! I haven't been on Litsy much lately so I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed it!! 2y

Mitch @TheAromaofBooks I‘ve chosen the book and have them in order. As soon as they all arrive I‘ll do a photo of covers to get you excited! I‘ve tried to find really different things! 🤞🏼 2y

TheAromaofBooks Yay!! I haven't been able to read all of the books this year, but the ones I have read, I've enjoyed!! I have Malice Aforethought on my list for this month!! 2y

kwmg40 I love the choices you've made so far and am looking forward to seeing what you have lined for the rest of the year! 2y

Mitch @kwmg40 thank you! I‘ve agonised over them! Later in the week I‘m going to post the next 6 months of books 2y

Mitch @TheAromaofBooks the list has just gone live! 2y

Mitch @kwmg40 just posted the next 6 books 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 2y

TheAromaofBooks Oooo thank you!! 2y

58 likes11 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

I‘ve just started the next read for my IRL book club.

Summer, 1930. Dr. Edmund Bickleigh is hosting a tennis party and has discovered that he needs to kill his wife. And that‘s good enough to intrigue me! 😆

This is one of the classic crime novels mentioned in Peter Swanson‘s Eight Perfect Murders (for any of you who‘ve read and enjoyed that one).

batsy Ooh! I would like to read this. Hope you enjoy it! 3y

CarolynM Sounds good 3y

Cathythoughts This sounds good 👍stacking 3y

See All 6 Comments

LeahBergen @batsy @CarolynM @Cathythoughts I‘m thoroughly enjoying it! It‘s subtly witty and weird and yet oddly cozy. 😆 (edited) 3y

Ruthiella This is an interesting mystery. Not a whodunnit but a “will they get away with it”. 🤔 (edited) 3y

LeahBergen @Ruthiella That‘s right! I‘m really enjoying it. 3y

65 likes2 stack adds6 comments

blurb

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

I bought this as part of my preparation for Eight Perfect Murders...one of the books not available from either of my libraries. I was surprised when this tiny book showed up on my doorstep! It is part of the Macmillan Collector‘s Library edition. It‘s so cute but also beautiful with its gilt edges, endpapers, and ribbon bookmark.

erzascarletbookgasm Nice! 😍 5y

Freespirit This was recommended to me! 5y

Ruthiella @erzascarletbookgasm Thanks!😍 5y

Ruthiella @Freespirit I haven‘t read it yet but it is supposed to be a classic! 5y

26 likes4 comments

review

Malice Aforethought (Revised) | Francis Iles

Pick

pick

Classic golden age mystery. Berkeley/Iles was a genius at plotting. It‘s a shame that he only wrote a few and his books have been allowed to go out of print (mainly due to the closure of several publishers, I think.) This book is better than some of Christie‘s or Sayers‘. In this one, we know whodunnit and why, but the fun is the how - and finding out how Dr Bickleigh is finally caught. 4.5/5.0⭐️ #2019 Highly recommend for mystery fans.

shanaqui I really want to read more of Berkeley's books, I've only read The Poisoned Chocolates Case! 6y

rretzler I‘ve read several and have recently been collecting them when I can find them for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, many of them are way out of my price range until another publisher picks them up for reprint. The cheapest copy of Murder in the Basement I can find is over $40 used and goes up to $600+.☹️😳 6y

63 likes1 stack add2 comments

review

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Pick

pick

A delightfully creepy suspense story worthy of its classic status. One of the first whydunnits or howdunnits. Great from the first line to the last.

27 likes1 stack add

quote

Malice Aforethought | Francis Iles

Rude!

dsfisher That‘s a woman who needs a courtesy lesson ( was going to say a good smack but I don‘t want to encourage violence) 7y

rabbitprincess @dsfisher Her husband's plotting to murder her, although not for this reason 😁 7y

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