The Belgrave Manor Crime (1935) by Moray Dalton, for #RIPXVIII

🔴 I must thank Dean Street Press for recommending this book for Halloween read; it is a wonderful crime story, and, with occultism and a satanist rite, made it a perfect read for Halloween.

🔴 Cosmo Thor is a psychic investigator (of course he is, with a name like that!), thus an authority in occult sciences. On board a train, he met Madame Luna, a downtrodden palmist who had been unjustly imprisoned, and now was going home to pick up her daughter, whom a philanthropist woman has been willingly taking care of. One day Madame Luna desperately sought Thor's help when he's not home. But when he knew about it, he couldn't find her. He confides in his friend, Inspector Hugh Collier, about this puzzling incident, and later find out that she was actually dead, murdered.

🔴 Tracing her footsteps, Thor visits the Belgrave Manor, where Mrs. Maulfry, a wealthy eccentric philanthropist, is keeping Allie, Madame Luna's little beloved daughter. She hires a governess, a Miss Kent, to look after the child. But the whole arrangement is hushed up and very suspicious to Thor.

🔴 Thor makes friend with Dennis Garland, the property agent who'd rented the Belgrave Manor to Mrs. Maulfry. The young man is infatuated with Miss Kent. Then a series of sinister things happen. Thor escaped a grave accident after having invited to dinner at Belgrave Manor, and is now unconscious. With no evidence of foul play, but only strong instinct, Inspector Collier decides to unofficially investigate the case during his holiday, without backup from Scotland Yard.

🔴 This was the 5th book in the series, and I found that Inspector Collier is none the wiser than in his first case in One by One They Disappeared. He talks too much about the case to persons involved, like he trusts them too much. Not the sign of a good detective, methink, but perhaps Dalton intended him to be more believable? With the vulnerability of a human being, and not a superhero?

🔴 But besides that, this is an unusual crime story. Belgrave Manor as the setting provides an eerie atmosphere to the case - the red pillars on the hall almost felt like a living being. It was quite suspenseful when Dennis entered it in order to save the woman he loves. I loved Dennis Garland, by the way. He is a brave, dependable, and loving person. I also liked Celia Kent, though I think she is too trustworthy to her employer. When your boss must conceal you from public eyes, there's got to be something amiss, despite all the boss' kindness or charities.

🔴 The villains are mostly honorable and high ranking people, and the Superintendent's first reluctance is quite understandable. The dilemma between saving your own career (and with it, people you loved most) and seeking truth and justice is often nerve wrecking. I admired the Superintendent's decision when revealing the true identity of the Master behind the Satanic occultism rites.

🔴 All in all, it is a fast-paced, eerie, sinister, suspenseful, but enjoyable crime story with a little hint of sweet romance. Another superb writing from Dalton!

Rating: 4 / 5

This book counts for:

#RIPXVIII

British Crime Classics Challenge 2023

For Monthly Theme: Spooky Mysteries