Friday, August 28, 2015

Friday Forgotten Book: MURDER GONE MAD (possibly 1931) by Philip MacDonald


I suppose Philip MacDonald is best known as the author of THE LIST OF ADRIAN MESSENGER - an Anthony Gethryn book - which was turned into a rather strange 1963 Make-up Fest movie joke by John Huston, a joke that didn't work. The only things that saved the film (at least for me) were the basic plot (one of the most ingenuous of all time), the actors George C. Scott, Jacques Roux, Herbert Marshall, Clive Brook AND a terrific ending. In fact, the movie has a much better ending than the book. MacDonald's endings always seemed to need work.

MURDER GONE MAD as another example, a very odd book in one major respect: the murderer is really, REALLY mad but no reason for the madness is given by the author. Now, normally, I wouldn't mind that so much if only I got a hint of the sort of mania plaguing the killer (not that I want a whole chapter devoted to the killer's thoughts - no, I hate that) but a hint here and there seems, to me, a bit necessary for this sort of thing.

Killer mania in and of itself - existing in a vacuum so to speak - is just not that interesting. So the ending of MURDER GONE MAD is a bit deflating, even if the choice of killer is surprising. (Mystery experts among us might begin to figure it out about three quarters of the way in.) I mean, why was this person driven to kill? Give us a hint. (Or maybe MacDonald did and I missed it?)

Still, I'm recommending this book for those who enjoy a real, rip-roaring, can't put it down, old fashioned serial killer rampage set in an English country town. Warning, though, the first murder is very hard to take and I wonder at MacDonald's beginning the book this way, but if you skim it, you'll be all right - the rest of the book is terrific. It all depends on what you read these books for. They're not meant to be real life after all - that's what I tell myself. Hard as it may be to believe, I read vintage mysteries for relaxation. Yeah, strange, I know. But I think it's all about the bad guy getting it in the end. I'm not, lately, in the mood for ambivalence.

What makes MURDER GONE MAD eminently readable - at least to me - is the frenzied hunt for the killer. Philip MacDonald was a master at creating mass hysteria, nasty murderers and police turmoil.

In MURDER GONE MAD, we have a killer sending taunting letters (significantly signed, 'the butcher') to the newspaper, and a bunch of local cops unable to get a handle on things as the murders mount. Superintendent Arnold Pike of the Criminal Investigation Department - a guy with an obvious rep - is taken off another job and sent to the village of Holmdale, in order to catch a clever killer and most importantly, stop 'questions from being asked in the House'.

"...If only these country police would ask us in at once instead of waiting until they've made a mess of everything, life might be easier."

Pike nodded. "By jing, sir," he said, "I echo that wish!" He turned to the door; then checked. "By the way, sir," he said, 'heard anything of Colonel Gethryn [Anthony Gethryn] How he is, I mean, sir?"

Lucas grinned and shook his head. "No. Beyond the fact that he's going to be in bed for another three weeks with that leg, nothing." He smiled at Pike with some slyness. "Why? Want help already?"

Pike laughed. "I'm not proud, sir, you know. I was just wondering whether, if he wasn't doing anything, he might like to come down."

"Well, he can't," said Lucas and laughed again. "And, anyhow, it's not his line, and you know it. This isn't a job for a man so much as a job for an organization. When you can't find a motive - in fact, where there isn't a motive, you're dealing with some form or other of lust-killing; and to pick a lust-killer - who may be, on the surface, a most ordinary, respectable citizen - out of a crowd of six thousand citizens isn't a job which can be done by deduction. It's got to be done by massed police work, cleverly directed..."

So Pike is sent to 'cleverly direct' and we know it's not going to be an Anthony Gethryn book.

But all in all, despite the ending, MURDER GONE MAD is worth tracking down. (Abe Books has some very cheap copies with free delivery.)

An aside: MacDonald wrote at least one other serial killer book (also read recently by yours truly) called, MYSTERY OF THE DEAD POLICE which is almost as good (despite needing major editing and tightening). But the difference is that in this book, we do learn the killer's motivation through several chapters written from his point of view. Yeah, yeah, I said I hated that - but I hung in there with this one (the chapters aren't that long or involved). You all know how contrary I can be.

I will definitely be hunting down more Philip MacDonald books even if I didn't like the first Anthony Gethryn, THE RASP and didn't think much of THE RYNOX MURDER, (mainly because I figured out the big surprise early). Thankfully, MacDonald wrote a lot of books.

Friday Forgotten (or Overlooked) Book is a weekly meme hosted by author Patricia Abbott at her blog, Pattinase. Don't forget to check in and see what other forgotten or overlooked books other bloggers are talking about today.

16 comments:

  1. Glad you enjoyed this one Yvette - I'm a big MacDonald fan and at the time the serial killer idea was a much fresher one. He did another similar story in MYSTERY OF THE DEAD POLICE (aka WARRANT FOR X) which was filmed twice by MGM (MYSTERY OF MR X and THE HOUR OF 13) and wrote some fo the best MR MOTO and CHALRIE CHAN film of the era too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I did, Sergio, it's good to know that there are other MacDonald fans out there. I know he also wrote FORBIDDEN PLANET (remember that old sci-fi chestnut?) and I did read MYSTERY OF THE DEAD POLICE (mentioned it on my post). I'm going to see what Charlie Chan films he wrote. That interests me a lot. I'll be disappointed though if he didn't write my favorites. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He only did the 'novelisation' of FORBIDDEN PLANET I'm afraid - he wrote CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS, one of the best, and CHAN IN LONDON, which is slightly less good. He co-wrote all the best of the MR MOTO films however!

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the update, Sergio. I misread someone's comment I suppose. You know, it didn't sound like something MacDonald would come up with. I'm going to go watch CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS again. Most of the Chan films has such preposterous (and often nonsensical) plots. I must try again with the Mr. Moto films, I've tried before and just couldn't get into them. But I'm willing to give it another go. :)

      Delete
  3. Good review, Yvette. Funny thing about the movie, ADRIAN MESSENGER, I remember the makeup gags, but nothing else about the film.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, despite the make-up gags, it's still one of my favorite movies because of George C. Scott who played Anthony Gethryn. I adore him in this.

      Delete
    2. I need to find a copy and view it again. It has been a very long time since I first saw it. And I agree with you, Scott was a great actor. I recently saw ANATOMY OF A MURDER again and thought he was terrific – sharp, tough and also subtle. And that great voice.

      Delete
    3. That voice, that voice - yes. :)

      Delete
  4. This author should be easy to find then! I'll be on the look out. Will look for the film too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yvette – I was able to see “The List of Adrian Messenger” and have written a review of it for Todd Mason’s Tuesday’s Overlooked Films. It was a lot of fun and a better picture than I remembered. I also realized I had not seen in more than 40 years. Thanks for reminding me of this film and I hope you check out my post (I have given you credit for sending me back for another look).

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm running around today, but soon as I get a chance, I'll take a look. I'm glad you had a favorable impression. I own the film so I get to see it whenever I want. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sorry, I have to step in and make a few corrections to what Sergio wrote above.

    The Nursemaid Who Disappeared (UK title) is also known as Warrant for X in the US. It was filmed twice: once under the UK title and once as 23 Paces to Baker Street, reviewed by Yvette here on her blog. The second version is probably best described as "inspired by" Macdonald's original novel since it barely resembles the book.

    The Mystery of the Dead Police (US title) is also known as X. vs. Rex (UK title) and that was filmed as The Mystery of Mr. X.

    I can see how all those X's in the various titles might get someone confused as to which movie was which book. ;^)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the update info, John. Yeah, it is confusing. Haven't read WARRANT FOR X yet. Thanks for the link, too. A link on my blog to my blog post. I like it. :)

      Delete
  8. Sorry to be so late to comment. Work is just doing me in and I don't have much energy once I get home. I don't think I have read anything by this author. A lot of authors from the 30s and 40s I have read long, long ago, but not this one. With all the titles mentioned here, I think I really need to try one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't worry about it, Tracy. We can only do what we can do - reality-wise. :) I'm always running out of time to do anything much as you can see by my blog when I forget or have no energy to post much - especially these days.Try MacDonald when you have a moment, I think you'll like much of his work.

      Delete

Your comment will appear after I take a look.