BelEdit Book Reviews
A Case of Mice and Murder takes you to London’s Inner Temple in 1901. Lord Chief Justice Dunning has been found dead and barrister Gabriel Ward KC is tasked with investigating the murder. In parallel, Ward is looking into a case involving an unidentified author of a children’s book that has become a worldwide success.
I absolutely loved this journey into the closed world of the law courts, with its diplomatic but highly charged professional rivalries and its strict codes of conduct, and the extended supporting cast of police, servants and the legal professionals’ families. A Case of Mice and Murder is an immersive novel with vividly described scenes.
The two narrative threads – the murder and the enquiry into the mysterious author of a children’s book – are wound together expertly (if you’ll excuse the pun). Both mysteries are solved very gradually. This is not a novel of high-speed action and sensational plot twists, but a decorous unravelling.
There’s a wonderful cast of characters. The barrister, Ward, wise and staid, is an absolutely endearing character and Constable Wright an excellent foil. Sure, they are all archetypal — the barrister, the policeman, the vagrant, the governess, the judge’s wife, the kitchen maid, etc. are all dressed in the right costumes, with the right voice and vocabulary for their role and social station. Nonetheless, they also stand out as wholly convincing individuals with their own unique personalities. And there’s not one of them that I wouldn’t look forward to meeting again in another novel!
I see that A Case of Mice and Murder has been compared to novels by Agatha Christie and Rumpole of the Bailey. Not sure I’d agree. While indeed it’s in the classic murder mystery tradition, it reminded me more of J.S. Fletcher, albeit more sedate.
Note on the narration:
When I listened to the audio extract, I found Matthew Lloyd Davies’ voice perfectly suited to the novel. He sounds exactly as you would expect a somewhat elderly barrister in 1901 to sound like, lending a warmth and gravitas to the character. Unfortunately though, while listening to the book I found his voice frequently over-modulated: I couldn’t always hear what he was saying, especially on the dips where the volume dropped significantly in the lower pitches at the end of sentences.However, I won’t deduct a star from my rating because of the narration; I just recommend reading A Case of Mice and Murder rather than listening to it if you have any hearing difficulties.
All in all, it’s an excellent, entertaining mystery. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
My thanks to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.
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