Murder in the Mill-Race, also published as Speak Justly of the Dead, takes place in a small, somewhat isolated town North Devon. Dr. Ferens has taken over the practice of the mostly retired town doctor and he and his wife are happy to move away from the grit and grime of the city. Of course, villages come with their own sets of difficulties, and in this particular village, one of those is Sister Monica who runs the children’s home. Mrs. Ferens has an instant dislike to her and while the townsfolk all praise her, you know something’s not quite right. It’s no surprise when she ends up dead in the stream just beyond the mill.

We meet the people in town as Dr. Ferens does and we are allowed to settle into the setting nicely before the murder occurs. Even then the local guy does a bit of investigating before MacDonald is called in. The villagers are not keen on answering the detective’s questions. They’d all like to pretend the death was an accident – although it clearly wasn’t.

MacDonald is a good series detective. Smart, but understanding too. He pays as much attention to the people as he does the clues. And he and his sidekick Reeves work together well. This is a fair mystery, we see the clues, actually our attention is drawn to them over and over, but I didn’t put it together, maybe because the killer was not exactly typical.

Murder in the Mill-Race works well as a stand-alone. The secondary characters and setting are as new to MacDonald as they are to us. And, at least in the two that I’ve read, he doesn’t have much of a personal life that changes over time, even if the world does. The last one I read was set in London during the war which gave it a very different feel than this one in the countryside. Honestly, I prefer this one slightly in that respect, but that’s a personal taste.

I love that so many of these Golden Age mysteries are being reprinted.

Murder in the Mill-Race is another “Golden Age” mystery released by national treasure Poisoned Pen Press. I love these unearthed treasures and look forward to all of them. Murder in the Mill-Race opens with Dr. Raymond and Anna Ferens moving to the picturebook beautiful village of Milham in the Moor. They are welcomed on moving day by Sister Monica, the manager of a small orphanage for preschool children. She is strikingly tall and eerie, dressed as an old-fashioned religious. Both Ferens Mr. and Mrs. are repulsed by her manner. Anna, in particular, thinks she is not only not humane, as would be expected in her position, but actually malignant.

So, of course, she is murdered and the small town closes ranks as small towns do, impeding investigation with stolid citizens can do with a bit of playing the rural yokel to the city police investigators, but also with misdirection and falsehoods. Inspector Macdonald is not going to let them get away with that. One strategy is to refuse to accede to the local myth-making of Sister Monica and insisting on calling her Miss.Torrington, a shocking breach of custom.

Murder in the Mill-Race is one of those books you just snatch and gobble up like a bonbon. Like a bonbon, it’s delicious and comforting in part because it is so predictable. The solution becomes pretty obvious before the end, in part because the murderer is fairly clever. What is fresh and new is the level of misdirection, where it comes from, and why. I enjoyed Murder in the Mill-Race but think it could use a few more viable suspects.

Murder in the Mill-Race will be released on August 6th. I received an e-galley from the publisher through NetGalley.

The dark secrets that lie beneath the surface of a picture-postcard village is almost a defining trope of the cosy crime genre: what Lorac does here is prop up the convention with better writing and characterisation than we sometimes see. With charming newcomers, local police and Scotland Yard, old events, lies and hurts soon rise to the surface... One of the better mysteries in this lovely series.

Murder in the Mill-Race by E. C. R. Lorac is an old fashioned British mystery.

Set in the gorgeous British village in the middle of last century, it revolves around Dr. Ferens and his wife who move from the city to the countryside due to the doctors failing health, expecting to lead a quiet and stress free life.
Little did they know that they will find themselves in the midst of a murder of a beloved Sister Monica, warden of children's home, who is considered a saint but not loved by many. As time passes it appears the she was no saint at all, but a hard, domineering tyrant who made people's lives miserable.
Still who would dare to take her life?

I especially liked Mrs. Ferens, young woman of the world who is level headed, smart and realistic leading character. She can't help but get intrigued by the locals and the murdered sister.
Whole set of eccentric and quirky characters add to the charm of this classic story.
Mystery is well written and presented, with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing.

I really could not get into this story. It was boring and I could not relate to any of the characters. I just had to put it down.

"Murder in the Mill-Race" is an enjoyable vintage mystery but it is not my favorite work by the author. By all means, this is a well-written golden age era mystery, but it certainly is not Lorac's most memorable work let alone an unique read from the period. The plot is quite predictable, and clues pretty much point to the only obvious suspect. I didn't enjoy it as much as her other works which have been republished to date ("Fire in the Thatch," "Murder by Matchlight" and "Bats in the Belfry.)

Far away in a self-sufficient and remote English village where people usually live in peace, the village sergeant knows the two drown cases that he has been dealing with are no accidents. Calling in the Scotland Yard to step in, Inspector Macdonald has to tackle villagers who usually turn blind eye and pretend ignorant when horrible things happen. The inhabitants' tendency to harbor malice by following the unspoken norm, "never made trouble in the village," does not make the investigation any easier. Macdonald, once again, exercises his wits and experiences to solve the puzzles when there are no apparent motives and witnesses.

What I love about the book:
- E.C.R. Lorac's description of the village and scenery is simply stunning and beautiful. And I love her subtle way of showing the post-war traumas to civilians at the beginning of the story
- a well constructed and believable plot

What I don't like about the book:
- the plot is predictable. There are just a small number of suspects, and clues are obvious
-The pace is a little too slow

"Murder in the Mill-Race" is still an enchanting vintage mystery. Readers of old-school crime novels would find Lorac's writing appealing and entertaining.

I am really enjoying discovering some new to me authors through this British Library Crime Classics series. Like many of the other books that I've read, I hadn't heard of E.C.R. Lorac before this series (although this is the second of her books that I've now read). I always enjoy a good classic mystery and this one was no exception.
The story is set in a small out of the way village. I suspect that such places are now populated with holiday cottages and outsiders who want to escape to the country. That said, I grew up in a small village and in it, I recognised some of the characteristics of the people who populated this fictional village.
The mystery revolves around the death of a local saintly type, who of course turns out to be far from the image that she has tried to cultivate. There are plenty of potential suspects. I did guess who it was before the end, but I wasn't completely convinced that I was right.
This was a gripping read. I suspect for some people it perhaps moves a little slowly, especially by modern standards, but I enjoy this slower-paced style of mystery from time to time. I don't know if there are plans for many more books in this series, but I'll be reading them. I'd also quite like to collect the hard copies, as I love the covers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really quite enjoyed this book. I have been delving into a lot of "classic" crime fiction lately and this book was interesting and different enough to sustain my interest! The book was set in the fifties, which is not an era I am completely familiar with, but the book gave me plenty of scope to imagine the times - police procedures are quite different and the way of life in small villages quite different to the modern day, a world still reeling and feeling the effects of the war. The characters were so strongly written that it was very easy to visualise and imagine each and every one of them. This story follows Dr and Mrs Ferens as they move into small village life to escape his highly stressful job and to take it a bit easier and slow down. The action begins with Dr and Mrs Ferens and you think you begin the story through their eyes until the Inspector McDonald arrives on the scene when one of the characters meets their untimely death - and the rest of the story unfolds through his perspective. I did not pick who had done it - until very close to the end, when one or two clues tipped me off, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of this book. It is very much a cozy crime, very much told in the style of many police interviews and a bit of surveillance work on the part of the police. The characters in this story are almost painted as caricatures and are almost larger than life and more sterotypical than "real" but I didn't mind that. If you are a fan of Phryne Fisher, or you like to read Agatha Christie, or other period crime fiction / cozy crime fiction you will enjoy this. An easy and quick read.

A classic British mystery that strikes (particularly appreciated by me) a balance between character study/village tableau and crime procedural - fans of both styles should find plenty here to enjoy. The dialect in the dialogue is finely crafted, the author applies the class-skewering to the upstairs and downstairs both, and there's some lovely landscape description, especially in a moment of reflection between our Scotland Yard-outsiders. The mystery is a bit catch-as-catch can, and I'm not wholly convinced that the detective work pans out, but it's a fun ride while it lasts. A strong recommend.

An expertly crafted mystery in an isolated Devonshire village in the early 1950s. Shortly after a new doctor & his wife come to town the Warden of the local orphanage is found dead. But there don't seem to be many clues to the death of the local "saint."

I must admit that I had my doubts that all the loose ends I was seeing as the book progressed would be tied up. But they were in a most satisfactory way.

I'd never heard of Lorac, and this was a solid mystery with an interesting plot and good dialog. Set in the 50s, it also has interesting characters. Recommended for mystery fans.

I really appreciate the copy for review!!

MURDER IN THE MILL-RACE by E.C.R. Lorac is part of the British Library Classic Crime fiction and as such represents an excellent example of books written during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. In this novel, Lorac introduces the reader to an English Village by having Dr. Raymond Ferens accept a position there. Dr. Ferens and his wife move to the village, he being glad of a post that allows for a less stressful caseload.
As the Ferens settle in, the reader learns through them that the village, while idyllic when viewed from the outside, has grown somewhat insular. There is a sense that all is not as it should be, although the villagers seem blind to the fact that there is something or perhaps someone rotten among them.
Enter Sister Monica, an honorary title as she is neither particularly religious nor even kind. She does rule the local children’s home with an iron fist, and everyone in the village seems focused on proclaiming what a wonderful person she is. When asked about anything negative, the village answer seems to be that no one “knows anything”. It’s no surprise when Sister Monica is discovered dead, drowned in the mill-race. The villagers are focused on making her death appear an accident, however, the police constable is unsure and reports it to his superiors.
Enter DCI MacDonald and his Sergeant Reeves, to investigate. Detective MacDonald is Lorac’s recurring detective, however this books has no relation to any other book she has written. The entire cast of characters as well as the location are new to MacDonald and Reeves in this book. The result is that the book stands alone and there is no need to have read any other novels by Lorac to become fully acquainted with the pair of detectives.
Through diligent investigation, MacDonald and Reeves unmask the murderer. They explain the case and their investigations to the Ferens and learn that it is much as the doctor had surmised. He, however, told them throughout their investigation that he would gladly tell them the facts as he knew them, however he would not engage in speculation.
Once the murderer is unmasked, the reader is left to imagine how the village will change now that the inhabitants have been forced to see things without the convenience of claiming ignorance. It also remains to be seen if the fresh eyes and attitude of the Ferens will change the village for the better, which are all questions left to the reader to answer.
My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Digital Copy of the book which they provided in exchange for an unbiased review.

Initially published in 1952 with republication scheduled for August 2019, this cozy puzzle mystery was a light and fun read. I enjoy traveling vicariously through a novel that evokes a strong sense of place, and this one did a fantastic job of transporting me to a picturesque village in Devon and wrapping me up in the sights of the countryside, the feel of the village, and even the smells of the place.

"Gramarye smelt of floor polish and carbolic and soap: something of the unwelcoming smell of an institution, but behind the overlay of modern cleanliness, the smell of the ancient house declared itself, of old mortar, of stone walls built without damp courses, of woodwork decaying under coats of paint, of paneling and floor boards which gave out their ancient breath as the coldness of the stone house triumphed over the warmth of the midsummer evening."

I enjoyed hanging out with Scotland Yard detectives Macdonald and Reeves as they solved the (accident? murder? suicide?) mystery and although the resolution wasn’t mind-blowing, it was a fun little puzzle. I’m interested in reading other books by this author, some of which have already been republished.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a digital advance review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is an enjoyable vintage mystery by a relatively unknown author. It is a combination of traditional British, police procedural, and cozy village mystery. Despite the fact that it was written in 1952, it remains very readable. I’m a fan of these classic vintage novels and therefor, I was happy to find an author that was fairly new to me. This is the second Inspector MacDonald book that I have read by E. C. R. Lorac and I will definitely be looking for more of her novels. Apparently at least three other novels featuring the Inspector have been re-published.

I really enjoyed this book. It is well written, the main characters are well developed and it kept my interest. There really isn’t any overt violence in this book. Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn’t have a clue as to who the murderer was. It seemed so logical when it was all explained, but I wasn’t anywhere close to figuring it out. I liked both Inspector MacDonald and DI Reeves, (who was almost too good to be true!).

If you enjoy vintage detective mysteries with a cozy mystery feel, you should enjoy this book.

"Murder in the Mill-Race" is a mystery set in England that was published in 1952. The locals keep telling the same story to the police--the saintly dead woman must have had an accident. They even helpfully provide misleading evidence in addition to not telling what they know or suspect. Still, the detective and his partner managed to trick people into saying helpful information and discovered clues from the body. Even "what a person doesn't say" was a clue.

I enjoyed the two clever detectives and how they managed to get their information. I was able to correctly guess whodunit early on, and I had no other suspects due to the obviously misleading clues. So whodunit was guessable, though more so after the true clues started to show through. There was occasional use of bad language. There were no sex scenes. Overall, I would recommend this interesting mystery.

This book is another of the recently rereleased books from the Golden Age of Murder. This story was written in 1952 and surprisingly doesn't sound out of time. It stays true to the era however. I really enjoyed Chief Inspector Macdonald and his attempts to solve the apparent murder (or is it?) of a nun. She was quite possibly not the nice, caring woman everyone thought she was and there is where the mystery really finds it footings. I am a big fan of these older mysteries and this one does not disappoint.

Well the title gives it away, a murder in the millrace – or is it? This is the modern reprint of a 1952 publication – Lorac setting the tale, like her others, in rural Devon away from the urban grime. Dr Raymond Ferens a GP and his wide Ann will settle in a small village Millham in the Moor. They rent the Dower House, close to the “big house” the church and Gramayre a small children’s home run by Miss Torrington. Otherwise known as “Sister Monica” she is readily described as saintly as she looks after a cluster of small children with a small staff – many “rescued” teenagers. She will be found dead in the mill-race a year after one of these girls is also found drowned there, this time “the Yard” will be called in. Enter Chief Inspector Macdonald and sidekick DI Reeves.
The relatively new arrival of the Ferens means that alongside the death the issue of living in a small village community is explored – how it hangs together, what are the unwritten rules and what it will tolerate and for how long. It will be hinted that aberrant behaviour will be dealt with – but maybe not immediately rather on a slower time scale that the wheels of official “justice”.
The supposed details of the death should be relatively obvious – as indeed was apparently the earlier death too. Examination will prove otherwise. But the novel following the procedural of outside police examining people new to them and building “evidence” from scratch can be a good way for an author to introduce various village characters to the reader – albeit most of them not in great depth. But it is a good way nonetheless to draw the reader along. The underlying police assessment of how and where the dead “Sister” died allows a picture of the Devon countryside to emerge. For the modern reader, too, there are the attitudes and mores of a generation gone.
It is of interest that the Ferens, new to the village, instinctively dislike the saintly Sister M. But, other than receiving hints that she retaliated strongly to the other newcomer (and estate manager) raising concerns about her, they will not act. All is not as it seems. The second death trips the more intensive police investigation. The community will try and persuade them that this death too is an accident. But eventually the full truth of who, how, what – no I will not act as “spoiler” - will be revealed.
If you like reprints of older detective novels then this should be one for you. It has a good sense of time, people and place. It also meets the author’s brief to show a closed community and how it functions – but the possible price of the reticence and the operation of a policy of “being private in a very public place”. With the unravelling background of characters and actions it also makes it harder to spot the murderer too soon. In reality of course murder is not a great drama involving super people. It will rarely come out of nothing. But it is an unfortunate aberration, often sordid, that builds from life and impacts on the immediate victims.
But behind the murder investigation is also an exploration of how an influential but unpleasant woman, not really admired or liked, gains a positive public reputation and is allowed to operate in a position of power over others who are vulnerable and requiring the fuller support of the wider community. That is not an “historical” issue but is one that is timeless and one that many of us face on a regular basis at work or elsewhere, even though mill races are now in short supply.

A solid four star read for me, this novel, published in 1952, was titled Speak Justly For the Dead in the United States. Murder mysteries written by E. C. R. Lorac (Edith Caroline Rivett) have become great favorites of mine since I discovered their reissues by the British Library Crime Classics. Lorac moved the location of her novels around England; this one takes place in Devon with lovely descriptions of the moor lands in which the village of Milham in the Moor is situated. This is truly an isolated and insulated village and that's exactly the way all the inhabitants like it. Sister Monica is in charge of the orphanage for very young children, Gramarye. Sister Monica also has a finger in the life of everyone in the village. Naturally when she turns up drowned in the mill stream all the villagers declare accident. Not so fast says Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard.

Martin Edwards of Poisoned Pen Press is the editor of this reissue and I couldn't help but chuckle when he referred to those of us who enjoy these stories as "seasoned readers of detective fiction". Yes, I'll happily agree to that as a description for myself and my enjoyment of this style of novel. The village of Milham in the Moor is the real star in this novel because it shows the psychology of how the villagers see themselves and protect themselves against all incomers. Much better to sell a notion to Scotland Yard that keeps the village safe than provide help to someone seeking out one of their own. How will Macdonald ever solve this case?

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an e-Galley of this novel.

cosy-mystery, England, small-town, law-enforcement, murder-investigation

Classic is right! Due diligence beats lack of legal evidence and unavailability of forensic technology. I mean, it was written in 1952! The local constabulary know that the clannishness of the villagers will be a real hindrance if they continue to try to work the case, so they call for help from The Yard. Enter MacDonald and Reeves, an exceptionally well matched team of investigators. Follow along as MacDonald leads and Reeves follows unobtrusively to ferret out the truth. Excellent!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

I enjoyed this. Well-written, with some especially great characters, and great "deducing." I'd never heard of this author but am a fan of golden age mysteries, and this made a nice change from the usual. I'll read more by this author (if I can find them) and hope that some of the characters--especially the doctor and his wife, and the two detectives--reappear. Recommend.