Fell Murder (Robert MacDonald #24) in Reading the Detectives

From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Fell Murder (Robert MacDonald #24)

E.C.R. Lorac,

Martin Edwards (Introduction)

Start date: July 1, 2020

Finish date: July 31, 2020

Discussion: Group reads

Why we're reading this: Winner of the poll for our July group read.
[close] Winner of the poll for our July group read.

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 320 topics — 11,698 comments total

Group reads

* VOTE NOW for July 2025 group read!
By Judy · 19 posts · 16 views

last updated 15 hours, 24 min ago

* May 25: One by One They Disappeared (Hugh Collier #1) by Moray Dalton (1929)
By Susan · 6 posts · 13 views

last updated May 04, 2025 11:43PM

showing 3 of 3 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jun 21, 2020 Susan rated it really liked it

Normally, I dislike reading books out of order, so I was unsure whether to try, 鈥淔ell Murder,鈥� published in 1944 and the 24th book in the Robert MacDonald series. However, not many of E.C. R. Lorac鈥檚 (pen name of Edith Caroline Rivett 鈥� incidentally, born in Hendon, fairly close to where I live) are in print. However, I am delighted that publishers are re-printing some Golden Age authors and I am sure that, having enjoyed this so much, that I will be trying more books by this author.

It is warti Normally, I dislike reading books out of order, so I was unsure whether to try, 鈥淔ell Murder,鈥� published in 1944 and the 24th book in the Robert MacDonald series. However, not many of E.C. R. Lorac鈥檚 (pen name of Edith Caroline Rivett 鈥� incidentally, born in Hendon, fairly close to where I live) are in print. However, I am delighted that publishers are re-printing some Golden Age authors and I am sure that, having enjoyed this so much, that I will be trying more books by this author.

It is wartime and farming is full of regulations, but the farming community of Lunesdale, just South of the Lake District, are fairly untouched by events. Their job is to feed the country and the Garth family, headed by patriarch, the elderly Robert Garth, are one of the best known farming families in the area. Robert Garth lives with his daughter, Marion, son Charles, who has returned to England from the Far East, having lost everything, and younger son, Malcolm, who is more interested in poetry than the land. They are helped by a relative, Elizabeth Meldon, and, although Robert Garth sneers at women farming, it is clear that Marion and Elizabeth are much more help than either Charles or Malcolm.

Robert Garth had another son, his heir, Richard. He hasn鈥檛 seen him since 1919, when Richard married a local girl, he disapproved of and who left the country. Now Richard is back, tramping over the local area he has missed. Although he does not go to visit his family, he does see a local man, John Staples, and tells him he is on leave from his war work on the Atlantic convoys, and now widowed. When Robert Garth is found murdered, Richard鈥檚 whereabouts and rumours of his visit, spread quickly and it is up to MacDonald to discover whether he is the culprit, or not.

As a lover of Golden Age mysteries, there was much I enjoyed about this book. I liked the thoughtful, intelligent and sympathetic MacDonald. I liked the characters and the struggles of the Garth family, as well as the portrayal of the other locals. Very enjoyable, well written and definitely an author whose work I wish to explore further.
...more

20 likes · Like · see review

Jul 01, 2020 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: my-library

I really enjoy this author-this is her fourth book I鈥檝e read, two set in London (Murder by Matchlight, Bats in the Belfry: A London Mystery), and another set in rural England, like this one, during WWII, with the blackouts and agricultural restrictions (Fire in the Thatch: A Devon Mystery).

Two things I have found consistently enjoyable in her mysteries are her interesting, humble, smart and very able detective, Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard, and her ability to create a fascinating s I really enjoy this author-this is her fourth book I鈥檝e read, two set in London (Murder by Matchlight, Bats in the Belfry: A London Mystery), and another set in rural England, like this one, during WWII, with the blackouts and agricultural restrictions (Fire in the Thatch: A Devon Mystery).

Two things I have found consistently enjoyable in her mysteries are her interesting, humble, smart and very able detective, Chief Inspector Macdonald of Scotland Yard, and her ability to create a fascinating sense of place.

Whether the creepy, crumbling ruin of the Belfry, or blacked out, bomb-scarred London, or the beautiful, timeless countrysides of Devon or Lancashire, I felt drawn into a place and time. Macdonald is so enjoyable to read about because he鈥檚 smart and humble enough to appreciate the people and places he鈥檚 called upon to investigate, and he鈥檚 decent and respectful enough to find out what makes the locals live as they do, and what might prompt them to kill.

Here, in rural Lancashire, he knows the farmers work hard, love the land, but aren鈥檛 chatty with strangers; unlike the impatient local detective, who thinks farmers are dumb, Macdonald knows they keep their own counsel. It took time and subtlety to get them to talk,

There was always a preamble, perhaps considering the weather or the crops, in which the stage was set for discussion. Haste was but wasted time; it simply did not work.

Like her detective, Lorac does an excellent job setting the stage in this one, showing the hardships of farming. Cranky, hot-tempered 82-year-old Robert Garth was the patriarch of the Garth family, which had farmed the land and lived in the cavernous Garthmere Hall for generations. He was hard but fair and respected, but found shot in an outbuilding on his land. There are several viable suspects between his long-suffering family and neighbors, but no witnesses and not many clues. Macdonald doesn鈥檛 appear until about halfway through, and he鈥檚 got his work cut out for him. I enjoyed this one, and hope for more reissues of Lorac鈥檚 Golden Age mysteries from British Library Crime Classics. ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Sep 26, 2019 Carol Evans rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery

In Fell Murder, Lorac does a great job setting the scene. Before the murder even happens, we know the family and their quarrels, the neighboring farmers and the landscape well. For some, the prolonged introduction may make the book seem to start off slow, but I like getting to know the eventual suspects and seeing how they interacted with the victim when he was alive.

Garth was a respected, rather than loved, elderly and wealthy landowner. Even though he was tough and mean, he was a hard-worker a ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2019 Gardener0126 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have only recently discovered E. C. R. Lorac. This one, like the others that I have read was very enjoyable. Lorac skillfully paints a picture of a little slice of time during the war. The novel isn鈥檛 only a mystery, it鈥檚 a beautifully presented snippet of history. I enjoyed the picture of life and relationships in this farming community in the Lake District very much. The love of the farmers for their land and their particular codes of behavior made for interesting reading.

The beginning of t ...more

Like · see review

Dec 09, 2019 Annarella rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Even if it's not my favorite E.C.R. Lorac I think it's a great book, well written and entertaining.
Since the first pages you can feel how much the author loved the places and I appreciated the great descriptions.
The mystery is solid, there's plenty of suspects and it's a great work of deduction in discovering the culprit.
I had some doubt about the culprit but the solution came as a surprise.
I loved the character development, characters are well thought and realistic. McDonald is as a great chara ...more

Like · see review

Jul 25, 2023 Jenn Estepp rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: comfort-food, sleuths-and-gumshoes, paper-kindling, better-together

Similar to other Lorac's I've read, I thought this was a good, solid mystery with a terrific sense of place and appealing characters. I'm glad that so many in this series are being republished and look forward to reading more of them. ...more

Like · see review

Apr 08, 2023 Sarah G rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this. Great story, dialogue, location and characters. I wish the detective MacDonald had appeared rather earlier though. (Audiobook)

Like · see review

Aug 02, 2020 Diane rated it really liked it

Shelves: mysteries-gr-britain

I actually guessed who the murderer was! but I still am giving it 4 stars because I liked the writing.

Like · see review

Jun 23, 2023 Laura Anne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, british-isles, world-war-ii

Lorac doesn鈥檛 always write the most twisty or memorable mysteries but they are always an enjoyable read; strong in setting and tone. This one is a leisurely-paced tale chock-full of hardworking farmers and picturesque scenery, but a forgettable mystery.

Like · see review