I picked up this book after reading a review by Margaret at BooksPlease, hailing it as an easy-going, holiday-appropriate piece of literature. This is exactly what I needed, being in the middle of a difficult book (To Rise again at a Decent Hour, review to follow), which I've abandoned twice until now. Holiday reads are meant to be relaxing and not much mind-engaging, but nevertheless attention-grabbing and entertaining! With this in view, I started reading The Santa Klaus murder by Mavis Doriel Hay (ok, perhaps it was also the title that triggered an interest ...)
The book starts off with a bit of background narrative: essential information about the Melbury family, just like watching a screen adaptation of any good crime story, sets the tone of the story. The additional element of having chapters narrated by different members of the family not only provides different perspectives, but also made me think of films noir (thanks to my wild imagination) and so I read through a good chunk of the book in no time. I waited eagerly for Santa Klaus to die...
The story is pretty much standard crime-style: wealthy family, patriarch (Sir Osmond) squeezing everyone around him, mother absent (deceased), children unhappy. Family meets for Christmas as per father's wishes, everyone wants something...
Five children are present at the Flaxmere estate for the Christmas gathering: Jennifer, the last remaing child living with her father, has her father promoting Oliver Witcombe for her while she wants to marry an unsuitable Philip Cheriton. Hilda, the daughter who dared to go against her father, and was practically disinherited, is there with her daughter Carol. Dutiful daughters (i.e. having married well) Eleanor and husband Gordon Stickland and Dittie and husband David Evershot, a possible lunatic; and finally George, the only son, who's losing money on horses. Also present are Miss Portisham, the efficient secretary, distrusted by everyone in the family; and the two chauffeurs: John Ashmore, the former one, who's still part of the family and Henry Bingham, the new driver, who's already a favourite with Sir Osmond.
And, of course, aunt Mildred - the unmarried aunt with fixed ideas of past grandour:
I really enjoyed this introduction because it fills all the requirements for a good crime story: a maladjusted family with secrets and morbid thoughts; family members living in their own little bubble of a world, while others already had a harsh experience; an immense desire for financial security coupled with not knowing of Sir Osmond's intentions; an outsider (Miss Portisham) planting the fear among the family that she'll be the next Lady Melbury... A recipe for disaster waiting to happen...
The story begins when Sir Osmond arranges for Witcombe to distribute the presents in the house as Santa - but is missing the costume. With a second one hastily ordered, all seems to go to plan, until Sir Osmond retires to the study - where he's found dead. When it's clear that it is murder, police suspects Oliver Witcombe, who was with Sir Osmond at the time.
In classic whodunnit fashion, we get different sides of the story depending on who was standing where, who heard what and who saw what, giving the flow of events a different flavour. Chapters follow with each person's narrative, including staff and the police (Col. Halstock is an old acquaintance of the family - obviously), and provide just one additional detail, just one more aspect to this ever-evolving story: crackers that were not planned, a concealed door, a mysterious typed note and people being in the wrong place at the wrong time...
Actor Kenneth Stour arrives and takes over matters. He is Dittie's former love and intends to take her away for good - in the meanwhile, he asks everyone for a detailed account of events leading up to Christmas day. This helps the police in completing the narrative and it is thus we come to know of Sir Osmond's will. Or two wills for that matter, with two very different divisions of assets, adding to motive for murder...
The book reads very easily and does not disappoint. While it does not provide any ingenious plot, it serves its purpose of entertainment. There are twists throughout the story and I, for one, did not see the ending coming. These were 1 1/2 days (including a late, late night) well spent in the company of the Melbury family...
The book starts off with a bit of background narrative: essential information about the Melbury family, just like watching a screen adaptation of any good crime story, sets the tone of the story. The additional element of having chapters narrated by different members of the family not only provides different perspectives, but also made me think of films noir (thanks to my wild imagination) and so I read through a good chunk of the book in no time. I waited eagerly for Santa Klaus to die...
The story is pretty much standard crime-style: wealthy family, patriarch (Sir Osmond) squeezing everyone around him, mother absent (deceased), children unhappy. Family meets for Christmas as per father's wishes, everyone wants something...
Five children are present at the Flaxmere estate for the Christmas gathering: Jennifer, the last remaing child living with her father, has her father promoting Oliver Witcombe for her while she wants to marry an unsuitable Philip Cheriton. Hilda, the daughter who dared to go against her father, and was practically disinherited, is there with her daughter Carol. Dutiful daughters (i.e. having married well) Eleanor and husband Gordon Stickland and Dittie and husband David Evershot, a possible lunatic; and finally George, the only son, who's losing money on horses. Also present are Miss Portisham, the efficient secretary, distrusted by everyone in the family; and the two chauffeurs: John Ashmore, the former one, who's still part of the family and Henry Bingham, the new driver, who's already a favourite with Sir Osmond.
And, of course, aunt Mildred - the unmarried aunt with fixed ideas of past grandour:
"the "in-laws" complicate matters ... they are not part of our own family, properly speaking, and cannot be expected to fit in perfectly"
I really enjoyed this introduction because it fills all the requirements for a good crime story: a maladjusted family with secrets and morbid thoughts; family members living in their own little bubble of a world, while others already had a harsh experience; an immense desire for financial security coupled with not knowing of Sir Osmond's intentions; an outsider (Miss Portisham) planting the fear among the family that she'll be the next Lady Melbury... A recipe for disaster waiting to happen...
The story begins when Sir Osmond arranges for Witcombe to distribute the presents in the house as Santa - but is missing the costume. With a second one hastily ordered, all seems to go to plan, until Sir Osmond retires to the study - where he's found dead. When it's clear that it is murder, police suspects Oliver Witcombe, who was with Sir Osmond at the time.
In classic whodunnit fashion, we get different sides of the story depending on who was standing where, who heard what and who saw what, giving the flow of events a different flavour. Chapters follow with each person's narrative, including staff and the police (Col. Halstock is an old acquaintance of the family - obviously), and provide just one additional detail, just one more aspect to this ever-evolving story: crackers that were not planned, a concealed door, a mysterious typed note and people being in the wrong place at the wrong time...
Actor Kenneth Stour arrives and takes over matters. He is Dittie's former love and intends to take her away for good - in the meanwhile, he asks everyone for a detailed account of events leading up to Christmas day. This helps the police in completing the narrative and it is thus we come to know of Sir Osmond's will. Or two wills for that matter, with two very different divisions of assets, adding to motive for murder...
The book reads very easily and does not disappoint. While it does not provide any ingenious plot, it serves its purpose of entertainment. There are twists throughout the story and I, for one, did not see the ending coming. These were 1 1/2 days (including a late, late night) well spent in the company of the Melbury family...
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