The landscape is the true main character here, it is what shapes the story. The novel reads as if the author intimately understands the workings of a country village, isolated from the world by melting snow. More of an atmospheric novel where a murder just happens to occur, rather than a gripping mystery.

The premise is intriguing, but the pacing is slow and repetitive. Rivers doesn’t even appear until a third of the way through, and the same details are rehashed repeatedly. There’s a nostalgic charm, almost like watching an old BBC special on tape, but the conversations feel too plodding and tedious.

Unfortunately, the ending is predictable and lackluster. I’d recommend this to fans of classic mysteries—modern readers may find it lacking in momentum.

"Impact of Evidence" is a mystery set in Wales, which was first published (and is set) in 1954. The author included interesting descriptions of life on farms in this remote area and having to deal with bad flooding that cut the area off from easy access. The characters were interesting, though it seemed like the city detectives were offended by smart farmers. They assumed a smart farmer must either be doing something super sneaky or hiding from secrets in their past.

The clues as to whodunit were not hidden and were even repeated several times, so whodunit was guessable. I didn't correctly guess the exact details about how, though the detective did figure out different parts of 'how' throughout the story. He withheld the most important clue until the end. I also couldn't guess a motive until nearly the end, so the story did keep me engaged and guessing even though I was pretty sure of whodunit.

There was no sex. There was a fair amount of bad language. There were simpler ways to dispose of a body, but, hey. Overall, I'd recommend this intriguing mystery.

Impact of Evidence is a grand title for this enticing British Library Crime Classics rare reprint. Carol Carmac or E. C. R. Lorac is a particular favourite of mine with her vivid slice of life descriptions and intriguing characters. The 1954 setting in the stunning hills in rural Wales was as important as the characters themselves. Weather can be predictably unpredictable and downright dangerous at times, especially when roads are coated in ice and floods rage. Dr. Robinson, half blind and mostly deaf, drove to his death one day. Unusual circumstances required Scotland Yard inspectors to meet and question the locals who largely kept to themselves and loyal to their own. No one confessed to knowing the extra body in the doctor's car. But there were more crimes to contend with as well.

Golden Age mysteries are wonderful to sink one's teeth into, knowing they are bound to be good. This one falls into that category. The details are so rich I felt like I was in the homes alongside the characters. I grew up on a farm much more recently than 1954 but we still used a cream separator and made butter to "build character"! The mystery itself was satisfying but for me was secondary to the pure enjoyment and nostalgia I felt absorbing the atmosphere. Knowing this novel is extremely rare added to the euphoria of discovering hidden treasure.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this arresting novel.

I loved the Welsh setting and the insight into the villagers' minds where everyone knew everyone else's business but there was a sense of camaraderie where they kept their own counsel and protected the old Doctor who really wasn't fit to drive and looked out for each other in the bad weather conditions. Having said that I found the story slow and ponderous.

I continue to enjoy the British Library Crime Classic reprints of lesser known or forgotten golden age mysteries, I am coming up on 100 of these novels completed. “Impact of Evidence”, a Welsh borders mystery, is one of the latest to be reprinted by Carol Carnac (real name was actually Edith Caroline Rivett), who also writes as E.C.R. Lorac, author of the fantastic Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald stories. Ms. Carnac features Chief Inspector Julian Rivers and Inspector Lancing from Scotland Yard in her stories, somewhat different but still quite entertaining.

As usual with Ms. Carnac, we have a detailed description of life in the British countryside during the 1950’s, the rhythm and flow of small villages and farming communities, the unhurried pace and mutual aid that defines how these places can survive on their own. Instead of the Fells that Macdonald often explores, this time we are in border country, near Wales, in the small farming village of St. Brynneys, where the snowmelt and rough weather have led to a fatal car crash. The victim was Doctor Robinson, an old retired doctor who was known to be a poor driver but still took his car out daily (weather permitting) to take in the view over the countryside. This time Robinson was struck by the jeep of Bob Parsons, a young farmer, at a dangerous intersection. Bob was thrown clear and was able to survive the collision, but Robinson unfortunately did not. The crash is heard throughout the valley, and pretty soon Will Lambton, with his son Henry and another farm worker, go out to the site to help where they could, since the flood waters are starting to make travel hazardous/impossible and the local phone lines are down. They are able to tend to Bob and retrieve Robinson’s body, but they get a shock when they find a second body in Robinson’s car, a stranger who none of them recognize.

Recognizing that this is a police matter, they make their way to the local squire, Colonel Wynne, who (the next day) is able to get across the river and summon help in the form of Chief Inspector Julian Rivers and Inspector Lancing from Scotland Yard. Rivers and Lancing make it through as the waters rise and St. Brynneys is (practically) cut off from the rest of the world. Confirming that the second man was murdered, and the fact that the floods and melting snows make the list of suspects quite small, Rivers and Lancing have to work with the insular community and discover the identity of the dead stranger and the strange circumstances of the accident. It seems that everyone has a secret to hide, that people are trying to escape their pasts. But which of these secrets had led to murder?

Another fine mystery from Ms. Rivett, who is one of the best at capturing the rhythms of rural life. In this case maybe a bit too much time is spent on day-to-day farm life, but still a compelling story, with the rising floodwaters providing an interesting twist on the country murder.

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

I have lost track of how many books by Edith Caroline Rivett I’ve read that she published under her pen name of E.C.R. Lorac. Those feature the exploits of the clever, practical Scottish-born Scotland Yard Robert Macdonald. Impact of Evidence, however, is my first exposure to the books Rivett released under the pseudonym Carol Carnac, and Rivett certainly didn’t disappoint.

Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Julian Rivers heads to St. Brynneys, located in the Welsh borderlands of England, to investigate a fatal car wreck that turns out to be more than just bad luck. No one’s surprised that old Dr. Robinson, nearly deaf, half-blind and a universally regarded “menace of the roads,” has killed himself, but who’s the dead stranger in Robinson’s backseat? One who was dead before accident?

Despite Impact of Evidence being the 11th novel in the Julian Rivers series, I had no trouble following along. It appears to be like the Robert Macdonald books, which you can read in any order. I enjoyed both Chief Inspector Rivers and his cockney sidekick Inspector Lancing very much, and I really hope that British Library Publishing and Poisoned Pen Press will release many more of these Carnac novels.

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

I wasn’t too sure about this book but decided to give it a chance. This was such a great book. I love the characters and I couldn’t put this book down. I recommend this book if you like mysteries.


I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

Atmospheric Mystery..
A rare reissue from the Golden Age of Crime in this intriguing and descriptive mystery set on the Welsh Borders. Well constructed in plot and benefiting from the author’s descriptive prowess, the reader is immediately drawn into the atmospheric landscape and lives of the characters. Intriguing and interesting and with a, perhaps, rather unexpected denouement. A worthy reissue with beautiful cover art.

An okay addition to the Carnac/Lorac catalogue.
The setting of the Welsh hills was nice to read about and atmospheric with the rain and flooding, and traipsing about the countryside to all the farmhouses.
The mystery itself was intriguing but the detective work and solution was slow going.

Impact Of Evidence is a 1954 mystery novel by Carol Carnac (pen name of prolific author Edith Caroline Rivett who best known works were published as E. C. R. Lorac). Rivett wrote over seventy novels during her career. Surprisingly, this book disappeared shortly after it was published. This new British Crime Classics edition is the first printed in seventy years.

The story is set in Welsh border country in a region isolated by melting snow and floods. An unfortunate auto accident claims the life of the local doctor who was known as a terror on the roads. But when the body of a second man who had been killed days before in the back of the doctor's car, it becomes a murder investigation. Soon detectives from Scotland Yard are called in to unravel the mystery.

Having read and enjoyed several of the Lorac novels, I had high hopes for this book. I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed. For one thing, the descriptions are so detailed and lush you feel as though you're in the middle of the Welsh hill country. She also does a great job of leading the reader through the investigation and even throwing the reader off with ample false leads along the way.

I really enjoyed this book. I have really come to appreciate Rivett's writing. She has an ability to immerse the reader in the settings of her novels. Her descriptions are so detailed you feel like you're really there. I'm convinced that Rivett is one of the more underrated authors of the Golden Age. Thanks to the republication of books like this one, more readers will be able to discover her books.

A very readable Golden Age mystery set in a small and remote farming community; it has all of the hallmarks of a well-constructed mystery of the era - plenty of secrets, red herrings, and local color, with a mystery which is solved by logical deduction (by a professional, in this case a police officer) - but Carnac approaches all of her characters with a sympathetic or at least understanding eye. They feel real and understandable and she doesn't slide over the line into caricature, which makes spending time in this small community a pleasure - even as mysterious deaths are investigated.

Well written and with red herrings that will keep all readers guessing until the end. This is one of those mystery books where if you think you know the solution, you probably don't. Credit is due to the editor, Martin Edwards, and to the British Library, for continuing to bring back to the public these lesser known, or lost, gems of the British mystery genre.