# Reading > Write a Book Review >  The Arcturus Crime Classics

## LitNetIsGreat

I came across the Arcturus Crime Classic series of books while browsing around The Works the other day and I must say that I'm having great fun with them, well recommended to scratch that detective fiction itch! 

As it says on the back, the "Arcturus Crime Classics showcase unjustly neglected works by great writers from the 1930s through to the 1970s...from conventional whoddunnits to slick thrillers". As far as I can make out there are six in the collection, all by different authors, some of which are written under pseudonyms of once popular household names in crime fiction, I imagine. They are:

*Before the Fact by Francis Iles* (currently munching my way through this one - inspired Hitchcock's _Suspicion_)

*Blueprint for Murder by Roger Bax* (finished yesterday, top stuff)

*The Tyler Mystery  by Francis Durbridge*

*Death Walks in Eastrepps by Francis Beeding* (Mrs Neely's currently reading this and says it's very good)

*The Whip Hand by Victor Canning*

*My Friend Mr Campion and Other Mysteries by Margery Allingham*

After having a quick nod around it appears that many of these authors are out of print, but this series has done a good job of bringing some good old classic detective/thrillers back to the table. 

_Before the fact_, the novel I'm currently reading, is described upon its publication as "one of the finest studies of murder ever written". If you've not seen _Suspicion_, though this is much darker, then the story revolves around a wealthy young women who marries a "rotter" with the usual fun and games that follow.

From the back:


> Before the Fact tells the tale of wealthy but plain [and stupid] Lina McLaidlaw, who marries the charming and feckless Johnny Aysgarth against the advice of her father. Lina is certain she can change him for the better [always a mistake], until she is forced to acknowledge that he is a compulsive liar, a crook and a murderer. But still she loves him, while fearing she will inevitably become one of his victims...


OK, it's not quite Dostoyevsky, but it is, and they are all it seems, quite yummy books, a mini crime feast indeed and I'm getting back to them right now!!!

----------


## qimissung

These sound like a lot of fun, Neely, and just the thing for summer. I'm pretty sure I've read something by Margery Allingham, back in the day.

What is "The Works," by the way?

----------


## LitNetIsGreat

Oh, definitely a good bit of fun and ideal for summer reading as you say. 

Oh The Works is a discount shop selling books and kids stuff, paints and games and that sort of stuff. Many of the books in there are often no good at all but you sometimes come across some good things - I expect it's just a UK discount store. They are available on Amazon as well and other places as well I would guess.

----------


## wessexgirl

Ooh, thanks for bringing this to our attention Neely. *Before the Fact* is one of my all-time favourite books, and I have been after a copy for years, with no luck. I read our battered old Library copy years ago, and have been telling everyone who would listen what a brilliant book it is. I have it on my wishlist at Waterstones, but knew it was one of those difficult to get hold of books, and was hoping that it would get re-printed soon, as it is always on the top 100 crime books lists that appear every so often. I may just have to investigate the Works online, as it's difficult for me to get to a shop, and there's no guarantee they would have it in if I managed to get to one in my holidays. Whooohoooo!  :Banana:   :Thumbs Up:   :Biggrin: .


I've just checked Waterstones and Amazon and they seem to have it advertised now, but it's not published until the end of August, although there are copies in stock....... :Confused:  I also tried the Works and I was denied access to my request for some reason  :Eek: . How have you got a copy already Neely?  :Frown5:

----------


## kasie

I overlooked these the last time I was in The Works - thanks for drawing attention to them, Neely. I had already found myself 3 for £5 when I noticed the Francis Durbridge and was carried back to the first time I was 'hooked' on a tv 'whodunnit', _The Teckman Biography_, I think it was called. I used to go round to my aunt's house to watch each episode as we didn't have a tv - she had bought one for the Coronation. (Yes, I'm that old....) My uncle insisted on calling every serial 'East Lynne' - that must have been the first Sunday Tea Time Classic serial we watched though I can't say I remember that one, except for 'Dead! Dead! And never called me Mother!'

----------


## LitNetIsGreat

> Ooh, thanks for bringing this to our attention Neely. *Before the Fact* is one of my all-time favourite books, and I have been after a copy for years, with no luck. I read our battered old Library copy years ago, and have been telling everyone who would listen what a brilliant book it is. I have it on my wishlist at Waterstones, but knew it was one of those difficult to get hold of books, and was hoping that it would get re-printed soon, as it is always on the top 100 crime books lists that appear every so often. I may just have to investigate the Works online, as it's difficult for me to get to a shop, and there's no guarantee they would have it in if I managed to get to one in my holidays. Whooohoooo!   .
> 
> I've just checked Waterstones and Amazon and they seem to have it advertised now, but it's not published until the end of August, although there are copies in stock....... I also tried the Works and I was denied access to my request for some reason . How have you got a copy already Neely?



Oh great stuff. I've just finished that book today, oh what an annoying woman she is - good stuff though!!! 

The book is available on Amazon is it not and they are piled up in The Works in Sheffield? If you can't get it though just let me know and I'll pick you one up and happily send it you, no charge, no worries. Just pm me, no probs. (I'm getting Mrs Neely to read it after Blueprint for Murder which was really top stuff - they don't write 'em like that anymore.)





> I overlooked these the last time I was in The Works - thanks for drawing attention to them, Neely. I had already found myself 3 for £5 when I noticed the Francis Durbridge and was carried back to the first time I was 'hooked' on a tv 'whodunnit', _The Teckman Biography_, I think it was called. I used to go round to my aunt's house to watch each episode as we didn't have a tv - she had bought one for the Coronation. (Yes, I'm that old....) My uncle insisted on calling every serial 'East Lynne' - that must have been the first Sunday Tea Time Classic serial we watched though I can't say I remember that one, except for 'Dead! Dead! And never called me Mother!'


Yes they are 3 for a fiver can't go wrong with them at all. It is ashame they don't go beyond and get some more re-published. There is a lot of them available on Amazon but they are hardbacks originals from the 30s and 40s, and so obviously not in good condition - not fun to read when they are yellow and falling apart in your hand. So good on the series and more please.

----------


## kasie

Trouble is, The Works is a clearance shop - they sell warehouse clearouts so there's no knowing what you might find in store. I got hold of a hardback of _Sea of Poppies_ by Amitar Ghosh a year or so back - the pretty glittery cover caught my magpie eye and the first page just forced me to take it to the till - best £3-worth I've had in a long time. Unfortunately it's first of a trilogy: part 2, _River of Smoke_, has just come out in h/b so now I have a dilemma - The Works is very unlikely to have it in, or I'll be very lucky to catch it if they do, so, do I buy it from Amazon or wait for the p/b to come out? In the meantime I just cannot walk past The Works - who knows what little treasures may be inside waiting for me?  :Wink:

----------


## wessexgirl

> Oh great stuff. I've just finished that book today, oh what an annoying woman she is - good stuff though!!! 
> 
> The book is available on Amazon is it not and they are piled up in The Works in Sheffield? If you can't get it though just let me know and I'll pick you one up and happily send it you, no charge, no worries. Just pm me, no probs. (I'm getting Mrs Neely to read it after Blueprint for Murder which was really top stuff - they don't write 'em like that anymore.)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .



That's kind of you Neely, thanks, but I'm going to order it from Amazon now they have it, along with a boxed set of Oscar Wilde plays going *really* cheap. 

http://www.shop.express.co.uk/i-ll-o...ion-3-dvd-set/

You may be interested in that, as I know you're a fan, (it's only around £6 at Amazon  :Thumbsup: ). I was just puzzled, as the publication date for the book was at the end of August, and I know from past experience that we could not put out books in the Library before the publication date. Perhaps it was a mistake and they meant the end of July.

----------


## LitNetIsGreat

Good stuff. I don't know, I saw them in The Works a couple of weeks ago. I would definitely recommend _Blueprint for Murder_ by Roger Bax of the three we have read so far as the best. Thanks for the Wilde link.

----------


## LitNetIsGreat

*Final ratings:*

_Before the Fact_ by Francis Iles
******* 

_Blueprint for Murder_ by Roger Bax
******* 

_The Tyler Mystery_ by Francis Durbridge
*******

_Death Walks in Eastrepps_ by Francis Beeding 
*******

_The Whip Hand_ by Victor Canning
*******

_My Friend Mr Campion and Other Mysteries_ by Margery Allingham
Not read.

_Blueprint for Murder_ and _Death Walks in Eastrepps_ stand out in particular for traditional mystery kicks.

----------


## Paulclem

Mrs P likes a good crime book. I'll look into these in the Works today. (I'm always in there too).

----------


## wessexgirl

I managed to get to The Works last week, so got them there instead of on Amazon. I was embarrassingly excited to get the Iles, as you know I was after it for ages. I am currently reading that, along with other books, but it is so far as good as I remembered. I went for *Blueprint for Murder*, and *Death Walks in Eastrepps*, and it sounds as if I chose the best ones, so I'm looking forward immensely to them. There wasn't an awful lot of choice as to titles, so perhaps it's only those you've mentioned so far Neely that have been reprinted? I didn't fancy the Campion ones for some reason. I couldn't make up another 3, but I did get *The Doll* by Du Maurier for £1.99, which sounds interesting, and I got 2 wonderful editions of *The Raven* by Poe, and *Dante's Divine Comedy* both illustrated by Gustave Dore. Great stuff. It did seem to me that there were less books in there than previously though, although it is great for art materials.

----------


## LitNetIsGreat

> Mrs P likes a good crime book. I'll look into these in the Works today. (I'm always in there too).


Great stuff, she's sure to appreciate that.




> I managed to get to The Works last week, so got them there instead of on Amazon. I was embarrassingly excited to get the Iles, as you know I was after it for ages. I am currently reading that, along with other books, but it is so far as good as I remembered. I went for *Blueprint for Murder*, and *Death Walks in Eastrepps*, and it sounds as if I chose the best ones, so I'm looking forward immensely to them. There wasn't an awful lot of choice as to titles, so perhaps it's only those you've mentioned so far Neely that have been reprinted? I didn't fancy the Campion ones for some reason. I couldn't make up another 3, but I did get *The Doll* by Du Maurier for £1.99, which sounds interesting, and I got 2 wonderful editions of *The Raven* by Poe, and *Dante's Divine Comedy* both illustrated by Gustave Dore. Great stuff. It did seem to me that there were less books in there than previously though, although it is great for art materials.


Yes I think you have picked up the best of the set there, as well as some other goodies. Mrs N also preferred those three over the others. _Death Walks in Eastrepps_ was her favourite and _Blueprint for Murder_ probably mine. 

Yes I am sure that it is only these titles that have been reprinted as it's all I've come across online or in store. I didn't get to the last one as I'm a bit blown out with the mystery stuff after reading five on the bounce, but I'll probably get around to it sometime. Currently reading _Cold Comfort Farm_ by Stella Gibbons which I'm enjoying.

----------


## Paulclem

> Great stuff, she's sure to appreciate that.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I think you have picked up the best of the set there, as well as some other goodies. Mrs N also preferred those three over the others. _Death Walks in Eastrepps_ was her favourite and _Blueprint for Murder_ probably mine. 
> 
> Yes I am sure that it is only these titles that have been reprinted as it's all I've come across online or in store. I didn't get to the last one as I'm a bit blown out with the mystery stuff after reading five on the bounce, but I'll probably get around to it sometime. Currently reading _Cold Comfort Farm_ by Stella Gibbons which I'm enjoying.


Got her 3 today. Thanks for the nod.

----------


## Paulclem

I've been in The Works again. They have some classic collections and I bought Doestoyevsky's The Devils, J Fenimore Cooper's The Deerslayer and Confessions of an Opium Eater by De Quincy. All for a fiver. I shouldn't be buying any more books either, but you know how it is.

----------

