The Layton Court Mystery (1925) by Anthony Berkeley

💙 Anthony Berkeley Cox was one of the most influential authors during the Golden Age detective fictions era. He was also the initiator of the Detection Club, which was formed in 1930 by several murder mystery authors such as Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, and their peers. As a fan of that sub genre, I was a little ashamed that I have not yet read many of Berkeley's works. I have read The Wintringham Mystery two years ago, and quite liked it, but none of his Roger Sheringham series. And so, I plan to work through the series by starting properly at the beginning, our first introduction to Roger Sheringham, the amateur detective. Interesting fact, The Layton Court Mystery was first published anonymously. 

💙 Roger Sheringham is a writer with intelligent mind. Along with his friend, Alexander Grierson, was invited to a house party at Layton Court by a wealthy businessman Victor Stanworth. At first, the atmosphere of the party was a jolly one; particularly for Mr. Grierson, or Alex, as Sheringham calls him, who has just been engaged to a girl called Barbara, also another guest at the party. However, things were quickly changed. First of all, Barbara suddenly calls off the engagement, with no clear reason. Then, the host, Mr. Stanworth was found dead in the library, shot on the head, with his hand still clutching the gun. The room was locked from the inside. The police and the coroner concluded that it was a suicide. But was it so? Roger Sheringham found some facts that didn't match with suicide idea, and with the help of Alex (the Watson to his Sherlock), Sheringham decided to investigate the murder, which, he was sure, was the true cause of his host's death.

💙 Berkeley had an idea to create an imperfect detective - contrary to the typical Golden Age detectives, which were usually good in their jobs, who could find the whodunnit when no one else could. They might made a few mistakes at first, but usually solved the case near the end. Roger Sheringham isn't that. He is confident of his deduction skill - and boasts about it a lot to Alex - but he made a lot of rush judgement, which usually leads him to a humiliating failure. I don't think this aspect appeals to me; I like it in fictions when the hero, well, acts like a hero, not fallible like we readers should be. Another thing, I felt that interactions between Sheringham and Alex were mostly redundant. I would love it if Berkeley involved the other characters more. I admit that the redundancy had something to do with the plot twist at the end (a very good one), but I have had lost interest long before the juicy part of the mystery came out. And thanks to Sheringham's many faulty deductions, and the redundancy, I have guessed the plot twist a chapter before it's supposed to be revealed. 

💙 On the whole, it is interesting as a debut series, but I would have enjoyed it more had it followed the usual course of Golden Age detective stories. I wonder if Roger Sheringham would turn better in the next cases. I might try another one, but if it's the same as this one, I might stop reading the series altogether.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read for:

Cloak and Dagger Reading Challenge 2026

hosted by Carol's Notebook

The House Without a Key (1925) by Earl Derr Biggers #1925Club

🏄🏻‍♂️ The 1925 Club is here! Thanks to Simon and Karen for hosting these events for a decade now. Unfortunately, this book would be my only contribution for #1925Club. Since the last club in April, I've been looking for amusing books published in 1925, preferably from authors I have not read before. I gathered half a dozen, but only this one is available at this moment, and I was excited to read it. This is the first book of Charlie Chan series. He's probably the most exotic detective you'd ever read about; a Honolulu police detective, who is a Chinese-Hawaiian. Charlie Chan is portrayed as intelligent and honorable. His eagerness to learn English through poems shaped his way of talking, always polite and with admirable choices of words. It's one of the amusements this book provides, besides, of course, the mystery.

🏄🏻‍♂️ John Quincy Winterslip, a twenty nine Bostonian stock trader, was sent by his family to sail to Hawaii and 'retrieve' his aunt, Minerva Winterslip, from the 'semi-barbaric' Pacific Islands. The aunt had been staying for holiday too long in Hawaii, but she can't help it. Winterslips are known for their gypsy-streak, and maybe this is the problem. But not young John Quincy, he's on the puritan side of the Winterslips. It's evidently true, considering how miserable he was during his first days on board the ship. But an encounter with a pretty Hawaiian girl who's coming home to her dear father, would change everything.

🏄🏻‍♂️ It was at Dan Winterslip's house that 'the boy' - as the writer always calls him - would stay. But just before his arrival, Dan Winterslip was murdered. But that's not all. While on transit in San Francisco, staying at his other uncle, he was instructed by Dan via telegram, to retrieve an old box from his cottage, and to throw overboard from the ship. But he was attacked while doing so, and the box was stolen. What was in the box? He learned later on from his aunt Minerva, that Dan was a notorious man with a dark past. And now that past is catching up with him, and eventually, he'd have to pay a just retribution.

🏄🏻‍♂️ John Quincy, as representative of the family, was involved in the investigation - reluctantly at first (his inclination was to go home to his fiancé asap) - but, whether it's the Hawaiian air, or his hitherto hidden gypsy-streak, John Quincy's slowly enjoying his role as a sleuth. Along with Charlie Chan, whom became his best friend, John Quincy was nearer to the truth everyday. He loved actions, and welcomed, even, dangerous adventures. But I think what he loved most is the presence of two pretty girls: Barbara Winterslip (his distant cousin), and Carlota Egan (the girl he met on the ship, whose father was entangled into the case, and one of police's prime suspects). Boston and his fiancé became farther and farther away in John Quincy's heart. Would John Quincy be able to catch the murderer? And equally important is which girl he would marry, and where would he spend his future? Boston, San Francisco, Honolulu?

🏄🏻‍♂️ All in all, it was a charming and exciting mystery. It has the right composition between the investigation, the action, and love interests. Charlie Chan's character brings a refreshing change to the mystery; his oriental background and European culture made him a unique detective - a far cry from any others we used to read. The era which the story is set (1925), and the Hawaiian background (history, culture, landscape) add a unique charm to it. Both the denouement and the love-story ending are perfectly satisfying: sophisticated but light, sweet and exhilarating.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read for:

The 1925 Club

hosted by Simon and Karen

The Black Cabinet (1925) by Patricia Wentworth #20BooksofSummer2025

⚫ I've just realised, while starting this review, that I should have saved this book for the #1925Club next October! But then I thought, I would have forgotten altogether what the story is about by then, so here it is. I have planned to read it for #20BooksofSummer2025 anyway, and it did not disappoint me. Patricia Wentworth never disappoints me - so far.

⚫ Young, pretty, independent, sensible Chloe Dane worked at a dressmaker. She had been born in a wealthy family in Danesborough, but then the family fell on hard times. She didn't enjoy stitching fine clothes for rich but tasteless women, and was keen on doing something more exciting. It came to her unexpectedly soon after a party. A wealthy man called Mr. Dane, who was distant relative of hers. He had bought Danesborough, and made Chloe his heir - despite of her reluctance. Along with the property, is a black cabinet that had always been a fixture when she was a child.

⚫ Apparently, Mr. Dane's fortune came from blackmailing. He had built a safe inside the black cabinet, with intricate locks. He showed Chloe how to open the safe, and its contents - packet of letters which some people wouldn't hesitate to murder to be in possession of. Mr. Dane also warned Chloe not to trust anyone. Short time later, he died, and Chloe found herself a mistress in Danesborough. But it's not what she had expected. She felt alone among the pack of wolves in sheep's clothing. Mr. Dane was right, she couldn't trust anyone - not even the two suitors who said they loved her. Was one of them worked for the enemy? But which one? Or was it only her illusion? Was she really alone with no one to trust?

⚫ This was a delightful mystery-thriller to read, and I had so much fun reading it! Though sometimes romantically foolish, Chloe is brave and intelligent. Her determination of not letting anyone gets into the letters, and of refusing Mr. Dane's fortune when she'd come of age, was exemplary. Overall, it's a cozy thriller, the hapless heroine fighting alone against the enemies, with great plot, and sweet romance. It's another success for me with Wentworth, and I can't wait to read through her other numerous books!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Read for:

20 Books of Summer 2025

hosted by Annabel and Emma

Under the Tonto Rim (1925) by Zane Grey

🌳 Lucy Watson is a welfare worker who was assigned by the government to teach home and social skills to the mountainous backwoods families in the forest under the Rim Rock in South West. A city girl, Lucy is an orphan, and a sister is all she has in the world. Her rebellious sister Clara had eloped with a young man years before. Now all alone in the world, Lucy is determined to impart household skills and social etiquette the these simple backwoods people, to make their lives better. Would she be able to achieve her ambition?

🌳 Lucy's first obstacle is the backwoods young men - the wild and rugged of them - or so people, with whom she met before arriving at her destination, warned her. They predicted that one of them would soon marry Lucy before she finishes her job, just like few teachers before her. The young men's leader seems to be Edd Denmeade, the elder of the Denmeades' offspring, in whose family Lucy would work first. This adds to Lucy's apprehension.

🌳 This is neither a pure western world with gunshots and actions, nor adventure novel I've expected it to be. Rather, it's a romance, glorifying the power of nature and love. Lucy soon discovers, that when her 'pupils' have benefited from her guidance, she, too, has gained a lot more. First, that these people, some of them at least, show higher moral standard than city people. Second, Lucy learns the strength and comfort from the forest - its tree, its streams, its foliage and bush.

"She [Lucy] found out presently, that going into the forest was a source of comfort. When there seemed no comfort she went to the lonely solitude of trees and bush, of green coverts and fragrant wild dolls, and always she was soothed, sustained. She could not understand why, but it was so. She began to prolong the hours spent in the woods, under a looming canyon wall, or beside a densely foliaged gorge from which floated up the drowsy murmur of stream. All that the wild forest land consisted of passed into her innermost being."

🌳 You might imagine this book is a bit boring. It is not. Especially when Clara, the "lost" sister sent an appeal to come and live with Lucy. She comes in pale and dejected condition, but the woods and it's simple backwoods people soon mend her health, both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, the dark past follows her even into the woods, and its consequences is about to change her, Lucy, and the Denmeades' lives forever.

🌳 I was completely charmed by Grey's comforting prose and his minute description of the woods and nature elements. I felt like I was in the deep of woods with Lucy, every senses in me quiver with excitement as I experienced everything myself. If you ever need to escape in a book, this one will satisfy you!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2