Grade: C+

This is the first E.C.R. Lorac that I’ve read, which I think plays an important role in my thoughts about this book. While I don’t believe that reading previous books is necessary for the plot of this one, nor do I think this book spoils earlier installments, I do think that my view of this book is more limited than it would be if I had read the previous 37 books.

I have rarely read a mystery that is as intricately plotted as this one. This machine has so many moving pieces, and Lorac keeps them all moving in perfect order. If we think of many mysteries operating in a puzzle box, this one operates in a puzzle dodecahedron. I am not someone who frequently correctly solves a mystery, but I usually have a solution in mind. This time, however, I had no clue going into the end—yet I could still look back and see how things worked.

Here is where my unfamiliarity with the series may come into play. I really felt that the one place that this novel struggles is with character development. The central detective, Robert MacDonald, comes across as generic. He’s not someone who I can picture in my head, and there was nothing about him that made him stand out. Again, had I read the other books in the series, I might not need that characterization in the 38th book. The secondary characters seem to be exactly who you would think they are when you think of “country folk,” the local Vicar, the shepherd, etc.

The character issues here definitely impacted my enjoyment of the book, but I was sucked in by the plot. I’m not done with E.C.R. Lorac—I plan to go back and read at least a few of the earlier books in this series and see how they work for me.

“Crook o' Lune” is another fine golden age mystery rescued from obscurity by the British Library Crime Classics reissues. This is my tenth(!) book by Edith Caroline Rivett, here writing as E.C.R. Lorac, and the ninth to feature Chief Inspector Robert MacDonald, and all of them have been extremely entertaining examples of early police procedurals.

This one is from 1953, and Inspector MacDonald is visiting some friends and contemplating purchasing a farm for his retirement (since this is 38th outing, he’s definitely getting up there in years). And putting aside the “Old MacDonald has a farm” jokes, he’s staying with his friends and looking at the Lancashire countryside. Having been informed about a potential property in High Gimmerdale, a neighboring village/valley, that a city heir might be looking to sell, MacDonald stumbles into a hodgepodge of rural crime.

First of all there’s sheep rustling, causing some of the neighbors to try to take the law into their own hands. Then there’s arson, which burns up the old land records that may be hiding some shady deals. And the arson also leads to murder, as the house wasn’t as unoccupied as people were led to believe… or was the killing deliberate?

MacDonald lends a hand to the local police (who know him from a previous case), trying to solve all of the issues while dealing with the local rivalries, long histories, and the post-war England issues dealing with rationing, unemployment, and displaced youth.

As mentioned earlier, another great procedural from a bygone era, MacDonald is a slow and steady plodder in the best way possible. But the real joy is the depiction of this little corner of England at this particular period of time – it is obvious that Ms. Rivett loves the people, loves the land, and in fact the story is based on her farm in this country. Her stories continue to amaze me in their characters and the quality of the writing. I look forward to the remaining 35 or so books of hers!

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

1950s, British Crime Classics, British-detective, vintage-cozy-mystery, Yorkshire, Lancashire, series, suspense, crime-fiction, sheep, theft, arson, gossip, rural, manslaughter, vacation*****

Better than Midsommer Murders!
Originally published in 1953, so don't look for any cell towers in this beautiful countryside.
Chief Inspector MacDonald is on vacation visiting an old friend and kind of looking for a nice small farm to retire to. He finds the right neighborhood, but he also finds a bit of sheep stealing and arson as well. He's hardly averse to investigating and the local is more than happy to have him. It's a nice, low-key investigation with very interesting characters, suspects, and red herrings. Loved this classic!
I requested and received an EARC from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

A somewhat cozy mystery, well crafted but not really my own taste. Right book wrong time, I’d say probably.

A Plethora Of Crime…
A Lancashire mystery from Lorac with the usual excellent and well observed introduction from Martin Edwards. Chief Inspector Macdonald, visiting friends and looking at farmland, is about to have a change of pace - his trip turns professional when a plethora of crime lands in his lap. With a perfectly done, atmospheric setting, a cast of nicely painted characters and a solid mystery at heart this is another most enjoyable reissue from the Golden Age of Crime.

Another cracking read from E. C. R. Lorac (the pseudonym of the British writer Edith Caroline Rivett). The introduction gives us an interesting insight into the novel's Lancashire setting, as we find out that it is fairly closely based on the Lancashire countryside where the author herself lived. The novel features Lorac's recurring detective Inspector MacDonald, but functions perfectly well as a standalone read. The setting is very well realised and it is interesting to learn about farming practices and attitudes in this period (the novel was first published in 1953). There are several intriguing and sympathetic characters apart from the inspector, and the climax is excitingly portrayed.

Reading one of E.C.R. Lorac’s Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald novels is always a treat, and Crook o’ Lune is no exception. The titular crook is not a criminal but a turn in the real-life River Lune in Lancashire, where Macdonald wants to settle after his retirement.

That’s not to say that there isn’t a crook at the heart of this novel. Someone has set a fire at Aikengill, the finest home in the Lune Valley, and, whether with intent to murder or accident, has killed the manor’s longtime, loyal housekeeper. Was the fire connected with sheep-stealing? Or is something else afoot?

Lorac’s ending caught me completely by surprise, as I had never even considered the possibility that the perpetrator was who it ended up being.

While Crook o’ Lune is 38th book in the series, these novels can be read in any order, and newbies won’t have any trouble with it. I’ve been devouring Lorac novels one after the other, and I can’t wait for British Library and Poisoned Pen Press to rerelease the next novel!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, British Library and Poisoned Pen Press in exchange for an honest review.

Books of these vintage really give a view of what life and crime writing was all about. I really enjoy these books as they have a reality entwined in them that drops a reader into a very readable and gentler type of writing.
In this one we have chief Inspector Robert Macdonald,, visiting friends, and looking for a home to retire to in the north-west of England, a place called Lunesdale. Of course like is never easy, and he find himself with a murder, sheep thieving and fraud entangled into his bushman's holiday. Thanks you NetGalley and the publishers for the DRC

Robert MacDonald is on leave and has gone to Lancashire to spend it in Fell country; whilst there, he plans to look around for a farm with a view to retiring there. While there some funny business occurs in a neighbouring village. There have been some sheep thefts, and now a farmhouse has been set alight, killing the housekeeper and destroying some papers of historical value. MacDonald agreed to help Bore, a fellow inspector he has met previously on a couple of cases; (it would be nice to see those re-published too).

This one is a bit of a slow burner, but still compelling, and with a very strong sense of place; the Fells were almost a character in itself. I didn't even try to guess who the culprit was, I just enjoyed going along for the ride.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest opinion*

This is a beautifully written mystery. Not only is the plot complicated, but Lorac's writing about the Lancastershire also fell country, where she made her home, is lyrical. I loved this mystery!

A good old fashioned mystery set in rural England. With missing sheep, local politics and murder, there is a lot going on. When Macdonald comes looking for a place to retire he gets involved with looking at the case. A bit different than being a detective in London, but the clues lead him to the solution. Good story, although at times a bit more detail than I needed. Still though, enjoyed it and would recommend this book and author.

A methodical detective story set in a rural agricultural community. I didn't find it very interesting or memorable, but it was solidly written. Somewhat unique among Golden Age mysteries, the problems involve sheep-stealing and some centuries-old legal provisions made for the local church and school. I suppose I prefer my mysteries to have a bit more personality on the part of the investigator, which wasn't the case here. Still, if you enjoy a pastoral setting and a methodical police-detective approach, this one might be for you.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for a review copy of Crook o’ Lune, the thirty-eighth novel to feature DCI Robert MacDonald, set in the Lunesdale area of Lancashire in 1953, when the novel was originally published.

MacDonald is on holiday in the Lune Valley when he is roped in to help his friend, DI Bord, with a deadly house fire in High Gimmerdale, the culmination of a spate of petty crimes.

I thoroughly enjoyed Crook o’ Lune, which is a well told story of murder and sheep stealing. I had never heard of the author before, but I like her methodical, no frills approach to crime writing, so it probably won’t be the last time I read her work.

The novel reflects its era, so there is a level of classism inherent in the characterisation and writing, but it’s not enough to be offensive, just subtly there. More to the point it is an old fashioned murder mystery, where the emphasis is on the plot and the clues are all there if the reader can see them. This reader couldn’t, so the denouement was a surprise and not necessarily a pleasant one in terms of what happens. There is a lot for the reader to chew on as the novel progresses, is the murder linked to the sheep stealing or are they separate crimes? MacDonald spreads his investigative net wide as he looks into the history of High Gimmerdale, tramps the fells in search of a potential suspect and, above all, talks frequently to the locals. It is an absorbing read.

I don’t know much about farming, but I think the author is very informative on how it was done at the time, never mind enlarging my vocabulary immensely. Thank goodness for the vocabulary option on Kindle! It was a hard life and some of the complaints, like pricing, resonate today.

Crook o’ Lune is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Another excellent mystery that is given new life by the British Library's Crime Classics department. Quick and easy to read, while still very enjoyable.