Bodies from the Library 2

Selected Lost Stories of Mystery and Suspense by Masters of the Golden Age

By: Tony Medawar, Agatha Christie, Edmund Crispin, Dorothy L. Sayers, Philip Bretherton

Narrated by: Philip Bretherton

This anthology of rare stories of crime and suspense brings together 13 tales from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction for the first time in book form, including a newly discovered Gervase Fen novella by Edmund Crispin that has never previously been published.

With the Golden Age of detective fiction shining ever more brightly thanks to the recent reappearance of many forgotten crime novels, Bodies from the Library offers a rare opportunity to read lost stories from the first half of the twentieth century by some of the genre’s most accomplished writers.

This second volume is a showcase for popular figures of the Golden Age, in stories that even their most ardent fans will not be aware of. It includes uncollected and unpublished stories by acclaimed queens and kings of crime fiction, from Helen Simpson, Ethel Lina White, E.C.R. Lorac, Christianna Brand, Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, to S.S. Van Dine, Jonathan Latimer, Clayton Rawson, Cyril Alington and Antony and Peter Shaffer (writing as Peter Antony).

This audiobook also features two full-length novellas – one from a rare magazine by Q Patrick, the other an unpublished Gervase Fen mystery by Edmund Crispin, written at the height of his career. It concludes with another remarkable discovery: ‘The Locked Room’ by Dorothy L. Sayers, a never-before-published case for Lord Peter Wimsey!

Selected and introduced by Tony Medawar, who also provides fascinating pen portraits of each author, Bodies from the Library 2 is an indispensable collection for any crime fan.

©2019 Tony Medawar (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

‘Ingenious, unique and perfectly curated’ Dorset Book Detective

‘This is one of the best mixed anthologies I’ve come across … If you’re already a vintage crime fan, then this is one to grab; and if you’re new to the genre, then you’ll find this a very enjoyable way to introduce yourself to some of the greats. Highly recommended!’ FictionFanBlog

‘Rather like a box of chocolates … The sheer variety of tales means there will be something for everyone.’ Cross Examining Crime

‘The prize gems of this entertaining and informative anthology must be a previously unpublished Dorothy L. Sayers (featuring Lord Peter Wimsey) and Edmund Crispin (featuring Gervase Fen). If for those alone, it is worth stepping over the bodies in the library to grab this volume off the shelf.’ Mike Ripley

‘I think I've learned more from [Tony Medawar’s] researches than from the research of any other Golden Age fan’ Martin Edwards, doyouwriteunderyourownname.blogspot.co.uk

‘A stunning array of lost stories’ Puzzle Doctor, classicmystery.wordpress.com

After Volume One, Something of a Disappointment

The highest points are the four longer pieces. Christianna Brand’s “NO FACE” is chilling and expertly constructed. “Exit Before Midnight” transfers that staple of the Golden Age—a collection of suspects at a house party—to a New York office building, while the Edmund Crispin tale, “The Hours of Darkness”, gives us a house party served up with his trademark humor. The final story by Dorothy Sayers is a classic house party with a classic problem—a locked room—and a solution most of us have seen before. Nevertheless, Sayers is Sayers; the way the story is constructed, as well as the style with which it is told, are well worth the 50-some-odd minutes of your time.

As that mention of NYC suggests, this collection, though concentrating on the British Golden Age of Detective Fiction, pays homage to the parallel development of the Hardboiled School in America. “A Joke’s a Joke”, by Jonathan Latimer, is a good punch-in-the-gut sample as is, in its English way, “Hotel Evidence”. Both manage to hold you without a body, library or detective in sight. And the same is true of the madcap comedy of errors, “The Adventure of the Dorset Squire”, by C. A. Allington.

Finally, there’s “The Almost Perfect Murder Case”, by American S. S. Van Dine. Whether Hardboiled or Golden, it’s so good that I looked him up on Audible immediately, only to discover that the three recordings available are in what sounds like, to my untutored ear…Chinese.

However, some of the other shorter pieces just don’t deliver. The Agatha Christie is disappointing—I’m guessing it’s simply too short, making the dénouement seem rushed. And the same is true of E. C. R. Lorac’s “Chance is a Great Thing”. All I can say about “Before and After”, by Peter Antony, is that it didn’t hit me right—maybe your experience will be different. Clayton Rawson’s “The Mental Broadcast” features an older magician explaining a card trick to his younger assistant and… well, that’s it. Finally, besides being more than a little silly, Ethel Lina White’s “White Cap” features Bretherton’s awful attempt at a Canadian accent. Yet that last pan comes with a caveat: two of White’s novels became classic Hitchcock films—and both are available through Audible—so I’ll probably give her another hearing.

The final score: eight good or even great stories and five duds. Not a bad average, but something of a disappointment after the first “Bodies” collection, which was a treasure trove: Christianna Brand, Georgette Heyer, John Rhode, Cyril Hare, Freeman Wills Crofts, Nicholas Blake (aka poet C. Day Lewis) and A. A. Milne (yes, that A. A. Milne) and others—all names available through Audible. This effort is more uneven. Still, except in the case of S. S. Van Dine it will serve as a good guide to further listening. And Philip Bretherton, aside from that Canadian accent, is his usual superb self at the mic, even delivering creditable American voices.

Okay but not the best.

After Agatha Christie, most of these pale in comparison. Okay to pass the time but not spellbinding.

Wish I could make this a 10 star.

Can’t speak highly enough of this annotated collection of great but mostly uncelebrated short stories edited by Tony Medawar.
At the end of each story Mr Medawar tell the listener some history about author and background on the story.
I have sought out a number of works by the authors presented and my listening pleasure has leaped 10 fold.
I recommend this book heartily. But when you are listening keep a pen and paper handy to catch the authors ananym and research more books.

Love these old short stories...

It’s too bad that the short story has somewhat fallen out of favor... especially the mystery genre which is well served by the format where character development isn’t as necessary and where contrivance only highlights the cleverness of the thing... Since some of these stories are rare they aren’t the stories best weathered by time but I like listening to them and getting to know a few of the more obscure authors. Glad that Mr Medaware dug these up and I will continue to purchase the “Bodies” series for as long as the publishers crank them out!

Good

worth the wait... puts us firmly in the golden age of detective stories.. more please!

Not as good as Volume I but enjoyable

A mix of storied by Golden Age of detective fiction writers that often accent what we know about their characters. such as Edmund Crispin's Gervase Fen. There were one or two stories I skipped over, but that is a matter of taste. You might love them. So I won't say which ones. Philip Bretherton is a wonderful narrator. I will have to look for more by him. The author introductions by Tony Medawar are a highlight of the collection.

Disappointment

Bodies from the Library 2 was a disappointment. A number of the stories are not from the Golden Age, and unlike the first collection, a number are mediocre.

If a third volume is planned, I sincerely hope Mr. Medawar’s choices align more closely to the first volume.

just not that good

Bodies in the Library 1 is very good. Book 2 not so good. Kept falling asleep.

a past to be forgotten

after listening to bftl 1. i expected good things from 2. not so. selected stories generally unsatisfying. 3 top drawer; rest best forgotten

A collection of rubbish stories. Don’t waste your time. I have already done that for you!

I have the distinct impression that this is a desperate attempt to generate a sale. The stories are for the most part, very poorly written. I forced myself to finish the collection in the hope that it would get better. Nope. The narrator did his best. But even that was not enough to salvage the collection.