It’s the 1962 club this week, hosted for us again by Simon from Stuckinabook and Karen from Kaggsy’s Bookish Ramblings. Two of the titles I ended up reading were read on my Kindle, one of those I had had for years, but the first book I read was an ebay purchase which turned out to be a bit of a bargain. I found An Error of Judgement listed for less than four pounds as a used book but when it arrived I was delighted to see the Capuchin Classic paperback was absolutely pristine and had clearly never been opened. A bit of golden age crime is always a good bet for these club weeks, so I downloaded Hand in Glove by Ngaio Marsh to my Kindle, then a conversation on Twitter sparked a vague memory and I discovered I had The Wells of St. Martins on my Kindle already, I can’t think how long it must have been there. The three provided three great reads – 1962 must have been a very good year.
An Error of Judgement (1962) Pamela Hansford Johnson
Pamela Hansford Johnson was a prolific writer and this was something like the tenth of her novels I have read. Many of her novels are darkly comic, she can be wonderfully satirical and entertaining and so far I have found her very readable. I particularly like those novels of hers that are very slightly darkly comic. I enjoyed this one very much, although not as much as the Dorothy Merlin trilogy which were the last novels I read by her. Anthony Burgess is quoted on the back of this edition as saying this was one of the best English novels since 1939 – I doubt I would go quite that far, but it is good, so well observed – a subtle exploration in human frailties it is by turns a slightly strange and disturbing story.
Our narrator is Victor, a middle aged man, married to Jenny who as the novel opens, has reason to consult William Setter a Harley street consultant – about a largely imagined illness. Thereafter the two men run into each other a few times, once in New York even – and our narrator encourages his mother-in-law to consult him too. Bit by bit Victor and Setter become friends – Victor and his wife begin socialising with Setter and his wife. Setter is becoming bored with his Harley street practice, he seems to see himself as a different kind of healer. He begins to devote himself to the rehabilitation of various lost souls that he collects around him. He starts a weekly discussion group – Victor’s old friend Malpass, an Anglican priest is drawn into Setter’s circle, as is a troubled young man from his parish. Setter becomes convinced that this young man is responsible for a particularly horrible and senseless crime – and decides that it is for him to find a suitable punishment.
Partly a darkly wry social comedy, this novel is also a story of good and evil, human weakness and conflict. Hansford Johnson is a good writer, her themes are often quite big, she is usually concerned with the darkness within people. I am very pleased that I have many books by her yet to read.
Hand in Glove (1962) Ngaio Marsh
It’s been a long time since I read an Inspector Alleyn mystery – well here he is now Superintendent – but he is still very much hands on and still has his trusty Inspector Fox in tow. I did find this a slight slow burn, but saying that I appreciated the slow build up created by a good writer – good characterisation and all those scene setting details that help explain who everyone is to everyone else.
I soon got thoroughly engrossed in this mystery – which starts on April Fools day in what appears to be a fairly typical English village, it certainly has its characters.
As the novel opens, Nicola (who happens to be a friend of Alleyn and his wife Troy) arrives at the home of the oddly named Percival Pyke Period to begin typing for him. PPP (as he is often referred to) shares his home with Henry Cartell, this is a fairly new arrangement and it isn’t really suiting the fussy old man whose home this is. Cartell is also a rather difficult character and his step son, Andrew who Nicola met on the train, has reason to be annoyed with him, when he refuses to help him in his plan to leave the service of the Guards and open a gallery. Nicola and Andrew immediately fall for one another – and are all sweet and defensive of one another – another couple are rather less adorable. Cartell’s sister Connie lives nearby and has an adopted niece Mary who Henry can’t stand and a boyfriend, Leonard, who is quite clearly a bad influence, and probably up to no good. There is a lot of squabbling about the behaviour of Henry’s dog – who everyone hates. Andrew’s mother (Henry’s former wife) and her third husband also nearby are hosting a party that night with a treasure hunt – but before that there is lunch at Percival Pyke Period’s house, where Mary and Leonard are just about tolerated until an antique cigarette case goes missing.
The next morning a letter of condolence from PPP arrives for someone before a death has even been discovered. A body is found in a ditch, and Alleyn is called in to solve this very odd little case.
A really enjoyable mystery that became increasingly hard to put down.
The Wells of St. Mary’s (1962) R C Sherriff
Best known for his play Journey’s End, and the novels reissued by Persephone books, he also wrote several other lesser known novels as well as many plays and film scripts. Several novels by him were reissued by Bello books a few years ago – no doubt that is when I acquired this one – they are still available for Kindle readers. It’s a surprisingly compelling novel – and I flew through it.
The story is narrated by Colonel Joyce. He lives quietly in his country house – surrounded by the land he inherited from his father, some of which had to be sold off over the years. He is visited by an old friend, Lord Colindale, formally a giant of British politics and a newspaper magnate. Colindale had disappeared from public view for over a year and the Colonel had been puzzled at his apparent retirement from public life. Now, though, the Colonel is shocked to see his old friend horribly crippled by severe rheumatism. A man known for his robust spirit and tremendous strength and energy, it explains his disappearance from public view – Colindale is not the man he was.
On a trip around the local area to visit some houses that are for sale, Joyce and Colindale stop at the Wells of St Mary’s, an old well that stands on Colonel Joyce’s land. The well was apparently famed for its curative waters in ancient times, but the well and the story have long ceased to attract much interest. When Colindale takes a drink of the water he can have little idea of what will follow. The following day he notices some marked improvement in his condition – and begins to wonder if it’s the water. He sends his chauffeur off to get more. After some weeks it begins to look as if the water is responsible for Colindale’s remarkable improvement – soon he is back to his old self – back at the top of British politics and ready to tell everyone how it all came about. Life will never be the same for Colonel Joyce and the residents of St Mary’s.
A new company is launched, shares are sold, a committee is formed. Plans are put in place for accommodation in the town, a casino and pleasure gardens to be built near the well, the whole area redesigned and made ready for thousands of visitors. While a fascinated public awaits the grand opening, discoveries are made that could put the whole project in jeopardy and a murder is committed by someone desperate for it to go ahead.
Although there is a murder in this novel it is not a crime novel – it has the pace of a thriller in parts but is also really quite funny. The committee is wonderfully portrayed – and various moral conundrums brilliantly explored. This was a real treat.
Three really lovely choices for 1962, Ali. I haven’t read any Marsh probably since my 20s but I did used to enjoy her books. PHJ is also in my sights – I really must read something of hers. And the Sherriff sounds a real treat. I’ll definitely keep my eye out for it!!
Yes, I have really enjoyed my 1962 reading. I was delighted to discover I had that Sherriff such a treat.
3 wonderful sounding books, especially the Sherriff which I’ll try and get hold of, thank you for these Ali!
Glad you like the sound of the Sherriff, it’s a good fun read.
So glad you enjoyed the Sherriff! It’s one of my favourites of his – such a treat. I found the PHJ really upsetting, not one I enjoyed reading – though I could see it was technically good
I can see why the PHJ might be upsetting, it’s not my favourite of hers to be sure. She really explores the darkness in people sometimes and it isn’t always very comfortable.
After reading The Fortnight in September I’d definitely love to read more by Sherriff!
Oh yes The Fortnight in September is a lovely book, I highly recommend Greengates and The Hopkins Manuscript too though.
What a cool idea.
That Marsh is very enjoyable with some terrific characters. I’d love to get my hands on the R.C. Sherriff, after reading The Hopkins Manuscript and The Fortnight in September I’m curious to explore more of his work. A lovely selection of 1962 books.
Yes, I enjoyed reading Marsh again, I’ve enjoyed quite a few of her novels, but I’ve not read one for a while. R C Sherriff is such a good writer.
Wonderful choices! The Sherriff especially sounds good. He’s such an interesting and varied writer.
Yes, I have enjoyed all four of the R C Sherriff novels I have read to date. The stories are quite varied, but his characters are fairly recognisable and ordinary.
What luck to find three such good ones. Pamela Hansford Johnson is a new name to be but I will look out for her. The Alleyn is not one I’ve read before and my only experience with Sherriff so far is The Fortnight in September so the other two are going on my list as well.
PHJ was very prolific and some of her novels were reissued a few years ago. She’s worth looking out for. I definitely recommend reading more R C Sherriff.
These all sound wonderful reads! 1962 does seem a bumper year. Have you seen the tv adaptation of the Marsh with Patrick Malahide as Alleyn? John Gielgud plays PPP and is clearly having a lot of fun in the role.
I did see some of the TV adaptations, but don’t remember that particular one. John Gielgud as PPP sounds fun!
Love the sound of Sherriff’s novel, especially as The Fortnight in September was so good. Thanks for the tip about those Bello reissues, I shall have to take a look. And the Pamela HJ appeals, too. I’ve yet to try her but feel sure I would enjoy her books. Where would be a good place to start, do you think?
I can’t decide what PHJ you should start with. It might depend on what style of novel you want. Some are more comic than others I think. My first was An Impossible Marriage, you might also like The Honours Board, about staff at a boarding school.
Ooh, I like the sound of that. Thank you. I shall have a look… 🙂
I just finished that Marsh myself–I was a bit surprised how much I liked it–I think of her as past her best by then.
I see in a comment above that John Gielgud played Period–oh, that would be fun!
Yes, I must say I hadn’t associated Ngaio Marsh with the 1960s. This was enjoyable, though, and it was nice to encounter Alleyn again after quite some time.
What a lovely selection – well done! Pamela Hansford Johnson’s one reminds me a bit of Murdoch’s “A Message to the Planet” with the healer collecting lost souls, and who doesn’t love a novel about a committee (well, probably lots of people really) so that last one looks enticing!
I had forgotten about A Message to the Planet. I love a committe portrayed well, they are comedy gold or at least ripe for satire.
Haha, until this very moment, I hadn’t really thought of whether or not I am the sort of reader who loves a novel about a committee. Wheeeeee!
No I hadn’t ever wondered that before either.
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