This was not for me. I had quit this book because I got bored. I tried to read it a few times but each time I just didn't enjoy what I was reading so I can not recommend.

I own a few of the author's works which I purchased in a second-hand book store, but true to form, I am yet to read them. When I saw this reprint and the fact that I will feel pressure to review it since it is an ARC, I decided to start here.
I was quite surprised by the content. I have read quite a few authors of the time by now, and this felt very technically involved and more movie-like than many of the others I have previously read. There is an author's note and an editor's preface to set the entire tone of the book.
I will start with the second reaction first. As I was reading the book, I could see it in the form of a movie. It felt like it was made for such a setup. We have snatched of scenes, to begin with, where we are introduced to the different people who are all set to work together. The stage is set in a very intriguing fashion to show us the lives of most of the letter writers prior to their starting their role in a medical capacity. We also get to meet the postman, who is more than a little interested in the letters and their writers.
The time then jumps forward one year to show us how everyone has settled in. They have paired off in a fashion, with some more steady than others. Their lives are hard, and they are making it as normal as possible to maintain their sanity. It all begins with a chance comment, followed by a suspiciously botched operation and a friend who is also official police is brought in to check things out.
The book is technically focused because we get to see the small cogs that are part of the daily grind for those working in the hospital. You have people hurt in raids, laid down beside the people who need regular operations.
I will not go into the murder investigation itself because it happens well into the tale (or what felt like it) and felt like just another scene set for the actors to play out their roles. This is not a bad thing. It makes for a very dynamic read. When I first started the book, I was moving very slowly. Once the people were established and the murder had occurred, the pacing picked up, and I managed to work my way to the end quite quickly.
The red herrings here are very strong. It is not till the final reveal that the reader will get an opportunity to be sure of who the actual culprit is and what roles the others played (if any).
It is the kind of book that felt even better at introspection and rechecking (as before writing this review) than during my first read. Its punch is packed towards the very end, and I continue to feel it will make a great movie/mini-series.
I will be getting to the two others I have on my shelf soon. It may or may not be this year - it remains to be seen. I would recommend this book to readers of this genre or to anyone who wants a solid mystery book.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for a review copy of this book via NetGalley!

A military hospital amidst the blitz; a closed group of doctors, nurses and VADs working together, an unexplained but unsuspicious death on the operating table—a tense situation but nothing exceptional. But add to it one more incident (this time clearly a murder) and you have the recipe for a gripping and very readable murder mystery that author Christianna Brand gives us.

Green for Danger opens with a postman delivering 7 letters, each concerning or concerned with one of those who soon form our closed group of suspects—Mr Moon, Dr Barnes and Mr Eden (two surgeons and an anaesthetist), Nurse Bates, and VADs Jane Woods, Esther Sanson, and Frederica ‘Freddi’ Linley. Sometime later we join them at Heron’s Park, a military hospital just outside Kent, where all seven are working, coping with the stream of patients that come in because of the blitz, as well as the usual run of patients. We get a sense of the personal dynamics between them—as friends and co-workers of course, but also the tensions brought in by romantic and perceived romantic attachments (Eden especially being the Casanova of the group); and of course, each has their secret. Amidst all this one evening, a man rescued from the blitz who has an injured leg and needs surgery is brought in. A fairly simple operation, no one is much bothered, but when the patient dies on the operating table, moments after anaesthesia is administered, the team is naturally upset but there doesn’t seem anything out of order with this unanticipated death.

Nonetheless, an inquiry much must be conducted and it is Inspector Cockrill or Cockie to whom the matter is assigned, and who turns out to know at least two of our group. Expecting nothing more than a formal inquiry, the Inspector speaks to all concerned, but then something happens which convinces him (and everyone else) that it has to have been a murder. Before long Cockie lets his bunch of suspects know that he has identified whodunit, but he is still working out the how. While investigations continue, tensions build amongst the group for there is seemingly none with a motive, and no reason for any to suspect the other, yet one of them is a killer. But who? And indeed, why?

Green for Danger turned out an engrossing and interesting read which had me hooked all though (apart from the first few chapters that I had started at bedtime, I read all the rest in one sitting the next afternoon [Sunday] and didn’t want to put it down till I knew who and why). Brand builds the tension excellently and keeps up the suspense right till the end, even then throwing one off course right till the very moment of the reveal. That feeling of danger in green always lurking around stays with one, and another surgery that we witness with the same team especially keeps one entirely on the edge of one’s seat.

The whodunit and why are exciting of course (neither of which I could work out), but as much a perplexing part of the puzzle is the howdunit. I enjoyed watching Inspector Cockrill figure out how it was done (very much reminiscent of Robin Cook and Coma making me realise that he wasn’t the first to use this method; and also in a way an Enid Blyton published, believe it or not, in the very same year).

As Brand’s husband was himself a surgeon (I can’t remember if she was a VAD, but I think she may have been), we have very authentic descriptions of the hospital (the layout of the operating theatre, equipment—much of it the latest in terms of the time) as also the routines of the doctors, nurses and VADs, the small bits of time snatched out of a busy schedule for a break or rest or even small entertainments (like a party when the commanding officer is away), or the (unsurprisingly) awful meals at the mess, and the constant arrival of patients, often in pain or distress, to be tended to and comforted in the midst of the blitz which has by this time become so commonplace that none bats an eyelid, or bothers to go into a shelter unless compelled by the authorities. The story takes us right in the midst of the time and place, and the tensions created by these and the human elements and relationships involved.

This was the first mystery I’ve read by Brand, who I only recently discovered wrote mysteries (previously I was aware of--but still haven’t read—her children’s books—specifically the Nurse Matilda [whom we know through films as Nanny McPhee]) and I enjoyed every bit of it. With excellent atmosphere, well drawn out characters—each with their secrets and complications, yet none sinister or seemingly capable of murder, an excellent puzzle which keeps us engaged on the who, why and how all the way through, this is a book I very much recommend. My only tiny complaint was it did take a bit of time for the first death to occur but after that … we zoom right through!

One of my favourites in the British Library Crime Classics series of reissues. The mystery is set in a military hospital in the Second World War, which gives a lot of fascinating detail into an aspect of the war that I did not know a huge amount about. Despite a limited number of suspects, Brand manages to maintain suspense right until the end, in a very skillfully written work. Highly recommended.

I first read Green for Danger many years ago, though well after it was first published. I very much enjoyed it then, was delighted to see that the book has been reissued and, enjoyed it all over again.

Brand sets her story in a military hospital during WWII. Since the novel was first published in the 1940s, there is a genuine sense of history as it was unfolding in the background. This adds to the experience of reading it.

Green for Danger is the kind of story beloved by many readers of the genre. There is a locked room kind of feeling and a number of suspects, along, of course, with the victim. One thing that I enjoyed was getting to know the characters/suspects as individuals and watching their interrelationships.

Who would want to murder a postman? Why? And, why a second murder? There is a capable detective who will help readers to sort it all out.

Anyone who enjoys historical fiction/mysteries should absolutely take a look at this title. Be sure to read the material at the front of the book including an introduction by Martin Edwards, and notes from both the current publisher and author.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 04 April 2023

The
story set in a military hospital inEngland during WWII was atmospheric to start
with. Six doctors and nurses form a small coterie of friends. When a routine surgery
goes wrong and it is found that it is due to an anesthetic wrongly administered, Inspector
Cockrill knows he is facing a clever, professional who is actually mocking Inspector
Cockrills efforts to solve the case.

When a second death occurs the investigation can no longer be slowly attended to and cracks
appear among the friends, because one of them is the killer.

The investigation and detection was good, but the setting amidst the battles of WWII added
to the story.

The British Library Crime Classics series has re-issued one of my favorites, Green For Danger. My Mother favored British mysteries of the Golden Age (it was her generation) and passed it on to me. Set in 1944 at a military hospital which treated civilians, this is sort of a locked room mystery. The list of possible suspects is only seven people each with secrets to protect. When a patient dies during surgery it is a possible result of the surgery. When one of the nurses is stabbed to death the word murder is applied to both cases. Enter Det. Cockrill and his sharp mind and grumpy demeanor.
The first chapter introduces the first victim, a postman delivering seven letters, one to each of the suspects in the mystery. From there things get very interesting and twisty. Some of the characters are not likable and the fact that this was written in 1944 with attitudes, language, etc means some readers might be uncomfortable with it but, for me, that is not a minus. Times change as do attitudes. The British Crime Classics series gives readers a slice of historical setting wrapped in a puzzle to solve.
My thanks to the publisher Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Well, this book took so much longer than I expected. Now, normally, I would read crime books quite quite quick - two weeks max - but this took a while. And I hadn't heard of this author till I was listening to an episode of the podcast Shedunnit and I went down a rabbit hole with British Library's Crime Classic back catalogue (I have several on my TBR which I will slowly be reading over the coming few months)

Set in a military hospital during World War Two, a patient dies on the operating table. It's believed by the doctors and nurses that it was a reaction to the anesthia, but when one of the nurses is found stabbed, it's becomes clear that both these cases are murder and are connected.

This book has pros and cons. Let's start with the pros. The writing is sharp (and the main reason I kept reading), the mystery so well laid out and this felt so refreshing compared to some of my our crime reads.

The cons. The characters are pretty unlikeable. Now, nothing wrong with that. I can happily read books with unlikeable leads, but for some reason, in this book, it felt out of sync with the rest of the book. I think it was because each character was referenced by several names by the narrator: their surname, their first name, their nickname and they would interchange all the time, so unless you were really on the ball, it got very easy to get muddled.

Even the detective - Inspector Cockrill - had a nickname and all the other characters and narrator would use it.

But I did like the writing and I am going to try Death of Jezebel soon...

1942. Seven letters have been sent to the hospital delivered by Postman Higgins. Only for Higgins to die on the operating table. DI Cockrill determines there are seven suspects for this one death. All are suspect for the next death. What motive could any of them have, and who is the guilty party. How many have to die before Cockrill arrests the killer
An entertaining, well-plotted and well-written WWII mystery, with its cast of varied characters. A good addition to the series which can easily be read as a standalone story
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Christianna Brand writes clever mysteries and I liked her characters and find her mystery well plotted.
Somehow they don't work for me, I like them but I don't love them.
This is a good story and I recommend to anyone who loves Golden Age mysteries. The final decision will be left to the reader as the book is good even if I'm not a fan
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Nice plot and stylish writing, but I couldn’t get into the characters…

It’s unusual to find a murder mystery that is so obviously set during World War II that was also written during the war, rather than after the fighting was over. And Christianna Brand’s Green for Danger is one of those books. It was published in 1944, and, per the introduction to the upcoming Kindle re-issue, Brand definitely was writing what she knew. Green for Danger is set in a frequently-bombed military hospital, while Brand herself had lived through the Blitz early in the war, and had a surgeon for a husband. And her familiarity with the setting is obvious throughout the book.

As the story opens a group of new recruits to the Heron’s Park hospital are introduced rather cleverly by having the postman muse about their letters on his way to the facility. And at the end of this first chapter, Brand then lets readers know that among this small group of seven people is (or will be) a murderer. So, although not technically a “murder in a manor house isolated by snow”, Green for Danger is quite similar in feel. And Brand does a very nice job of creating a twisty plot to fit. So far, so good!

Green for Danger, however, has some issues – foremost of which is the awkwardness of the characters, many of whom are both unlikeable and hard to believe in. A few of them work: it is easy to imagine the put-upon postman grumbling about having to toil up a steep hill to deliver no more than a handful of letters. But most are hard to credit: Gervase Eden, who has “an ugly face” and a “thin, angular body”, but still seems to be compellingly attractive to women; or Frederica, who is more-or-less promised to the local anesthetist, Dr Barnes, but seems oddly, almost self-sabotagingly, more interested in Eden; or Barnes himself, “shy [and] honest to a painful degree” – which works out to be an irritating degree as well.

On a personal level, although Green for Danger has gotten a lot of praise over the years, I was left rather cold. I liked the plot, which carried the book, and the writing was sharp, but I kept looking for more from the cast – and didn’t find it. I debated between three and four stars, and eventually decided that I’d round up, but it was a close thing. And finally, my thanks go out to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the review copy of the new e-book edition of Green for Danger.

Christianna Brand’s Green for Danger was first published in 1944 and was instantly seen as a classic. It was filmed with Alastair Sim as Inspector Cockrill in 1946, the first film to be made at Pinewood Studios. Other reviews and the publisher’s blurb will tell you all you should know about the plot before reading it – I won’t expand upon that for fear of introducing spoilers.

This is an excellent book. The first chapter introduces the characters who are going to work at a military hospital but the second chapter jumps ahead several months. This means that the relationships between members of the group have been established and the author doesn’t need to spend time showing us what bonding takes place. Instead, she can just show them bickering and joking as a group – brilliant technique!

There is a death on the operating table and Inspector Cockrill swiftly establishes that, IF it was murder (which does seem unlikely), then one of our group of seven must be the murderer. Unfortunately, there is then definitely a murder, which means that the first death was almost certainly murder too.

“Cockie” then ensures our group are always supervised by a police officer who is instructed to be highly visible and to ensure that they don’t ever feel comfortable or relaxed. Cockie says he knows “who” and he knows “why” but he doesn’t know “how”. The answer, when it comes, gives rise to one of those moments where we say “Oh! Of course! Why didn’t I see that?” But we didn’t!

I really recommend this book. It gives an insight into Britain during WWII without dwelling upon mundane detail of no interest to us eighty years later. It’s a masterclass in various techniques for writing a novel (whether or not it’s a whodunnit); and it’s a great example of a closed circle mystery novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the excellent Poisoned Pen Press for a free review copy.

I've read several books from the British Library Crime Classics series, and "Green for Danger" falls somewhere in the middle--I loved the World War II setting, which was nicely imagined and conveyed, and the cast of characters and locked room aspect of the plot were intriguing, but the mystery and solution itself felt a bit convoluted and ultimately unsatisfying. This was actually the second book in the 7-book Inspector Cockrill Mysteries, and there were previous connections between him and certain of the characters, presumably forged and portrayed in the first book of the series, that I would have appreciated some background on. Still, this is a reasonably diverting read for lovers of Golden Age Mysteries and World War II era books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

Green for Danger is an atmospheric Golden Age medical murder mystery first published in 1944, mainly set in a military hospital in Kent during the Blitz. Amazingly, in spite of war raging all around, life went on. It had to. Doctors and nurses were exhausted and saw horrendous injuries. In this novel war is a constant which adds a layer of tension. Not only is the setting fascinating but so is the closed-circle mystery itself.

Right off the bat my mind was held captive envisioning the postman clutching seven letters he was about to deliver on his rural route. What information did these letters contain? Later a man dies on the operating table at the hospital, much to the horror of the doctors and nurses who were the only ones who could have possibly been responsible. Dark shadows cover a multitude of sneaky secrets. But not for long. Suspicion is cast upon the staff and Inspector Cockrill investigates. He is witty, cunning and has an arresting personality. His inquisitive mind works out twisty clues. Good thing because there is more to come.

Christianna Brand was a brilliant, smart-as-a-whip author. Her military hospital experience shows...and the medical details and setting are my favourite aspects of this mystery. Characters are quirky and amusing and I was swept away entirely.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this delectable novel! How exciting to discover another of Brand's books. Such fun!

A man dies on the operating table. At first it seems like a simple matter of chance, but as Inspector Cockrill digs in—and as someone else is found dead in rather more violent fashion—it becomes clear that a murderer is on the loose, and the pool of suspects is very small indeed.

First published in 1944, this is being brought back to life in a new edition, and it is a *delight*. I'd never heard of Brand before picking this up, but if "Green for Danger" is anything to go by, she was a force to be reckoned with. This is on the relatively lighter side of things—bodies do start piling up, yes, but the characters/suspects don't ever devolve into paranoia and anger, and there's a great deal of wit and humor to go around. I'm not all that interested in the inspector (he does tend to think himself quite superior), but the story focuses so closely on the rest of the cast that it actually took me a while to realize that this is one in a series featuring Cockrill.

It's helpful to go in aware that this was written some eighty years ago and is feeling its age—the publisher has included a note about problematic language and so on, but generally speaking there's also just a whole lot here that wouldn't pass muster if first published in 2023. But if you know that going in, and especially if (*cough*) you're already fond of the occasional piece of 40s or 50s genre fiction, it's a quick, atmospheric read that will keep you guessing about the details until the very end. I may need to see what other of Brand's books can be hunted down.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

Let me get this out of the way. I don't like Inspector Cockrill. He thinks too highly of himself, and is dismissive of others, especially women. BUT, Christianna Brand is such a good writer, her plots are so well-developed, and her characters are so real, that I like her books, anyway, even if the sometimes irritate me.

"Green for Danger" is probably her best-known work. She used her wartime experience to populate her tale with the doctors and nurses who would have been found in a WWII medical facility. Maybe that's why sometimes her writing is uncomfortable for me. I feel like these are people she may have actually known, if only in composite. They are also somewhat unlikeable, overall, and by the middle of the book, I didn't care either way if most of them made it to the end, but the writing was so good, that I had to finish.

The characters are a little shabby, a little tawdry, and there's none of the "stiff upper lip" or "make do and mend" mentality sometimes shown in WWII mysteries.

3.75 out of 5 stars, rounded up.

I received an advance copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Christianna Brand's Green for Danger is a recent release in the British Library series re-releasing classic crime fiction. Green for Danger is my favorite title in this series thus far, and I would recommend it to anyone who appreciates a good, classic mystery novel, particularly one set during WWII.

The novel opens as a postal carrier bicycles uphill to a large building that has been transformed into a hospital during the Blitz. He's carrying seven letters. We're told at the end of this brief introduction that within a year he'll be dead, murdered by one of the seven who received a letter that day. It's a great set-up.

The suspects are all doctors or nurses working at the facility. At first it appears that none of them has a motive for murder, but that changes as the novel progresses. An Inspector Cockrill (apparently a figure who appeared in several of Brand's novels) is sent in to solve the crime. Cockrill is a sort of WWII-era Columbo, a quick thinker despite a somewhat disorganized and disheveled persona. He serves as an excellent hub around whom the suspects orbit.

The suspects are a close group—in some ways too close. The women are housed together in tight quarters. One doctor is a serial seducer, a friend, but also a rival, of the remaining doctors. Romances, brief and ongoing abound. There are also tragedies from the past that emerge as possible motives. Brand does an excellent job of parceling out clues that keep each of the suspects in the running until the book's denouement, which—at least for me—came as a real surprise.

Green for Danger is typical of its time (it was originally published in 1944) in terms of its gender-based assumptions, which can cause a roll of the eye every few chapters. But if a reader can get past this stereotyping, the novel is a truly compelling read that will leave readers guessing until the end.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title fro the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

"Green for Danger" was a fine specimen of the golden age of detective era. The characters were well developed and the plot consisted of the aftermath of the characters which was, to me, quite thoughtful.

Similar to many mystery novels from the same era, modern readers might find the writing and the plot development dated. Overall, "Green for Danger" was an enjoyable re-released from the British Library. While not one of the strongest, but fans of vintage crime novels would find this title charming and delectable. .

Two murders, one attempted murder and seven potential suspects all part of a medical staff working in a military hospital in rural England during the Blitz...

A cunningly plotted whodunit full of unexpected twists and turns, sparkling and often humorous dialogues and blessed with a terrific cast of exquisitely drawn characters, Green for danger is also a fiendish immersion into the chaos of war and the heavy price that medical personal had to pay while working under very dire conditions. I found this murder mystery utterly captivating from start to finish!

A highly recommended read that deserves to be enjoyed without any moderation whatsoever!

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen and Netgalley for this fabulous ARC!

Crime isn’t my preferred genre but recently I’ve been looking at some early Golden Age crime novels (Christie, Dorothy L Sayers) and this one by Christianna Brand seemed a logical next step. Set in a military hospital in WWII there is an unexpected death on the operating table and Inspector Cockrill decides to investigate further – perhaps it wasn’t a straightforward medical accident but a murder. The book then goes round and round narrating who could have been involved, who was there at the time, who might have had access to the operating theatre, who had an alibi etc. etc. All much as expected. And it’s a clever enough plot and the solution is relatively satisfying and I can see it ticks all the boxes for many readers. But personally I found it dull, dull, dull. Not helped by the fact that Inspector Cockrill is a bit of a non-entity. Nothing like the charismatic inspectors we get elsewhere, certainly no Poiret or Lord Peter Wimsey. The cast of doctors, nurses and VADs all seem to merge into one another, and are essentially little more than stereotypes. I did enjoy the historical setting but that was about all. Not tempted to try another Brand, for sure, as it all fell flat for me and I wasn’t engaged.