Six Against the Yard (1936) – The Detection Club

This collection has an intiguing premise. Five writers from the Detection Club (plus Russell Thorndike) wrote six stories of the "perfect murder", and then Superintendent George Cornish, who had recently retired from the C.I.D., was tasked with explaining how the police would have caught all these clever criminals and outwitted the best detective writers in Britain. I enjoyed his commentaries - they surprised me with how speculative they were. He doesn't stop at the facts given in the stories; he re-imagines them, and sometimes…

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The 12:30 From Croydon (1934) – Freeman Wills Crofts

Charles Swinburn needs money, and fast - his business is failing, and the woman he loves has just declared she'll only marry a wealthy man. His Uncle Andrew is rich, but stingy; and old, but healthy. If only Charles could find a way to hasten the arrival of that inheritance…He comes up with an ingenious plan, which comes to fruition in an unexpected setting. Charles remains confident, despite the police sniffing around. But can his plans stand up to the scrutiny of Inspector Joseph…

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