Cole, GDH and M - The Blatchington Tangle (1926)

Review by Nick Fuller

3/5

“Murders do break up a house-party… It doesn’t seem worth one’s while to try and do anything pleasant.”

The Coles’ third novel shows their unexpected gift for comedy. We have a body in the library, naked and eccentric noblemen (with more than a touch of Lord Emsworth about Lord B.), fabulous jewels and equally fantastic spies, and a general air of conspiracy. Even though the solution is (deliberately) a fizzle, the reader doesn’t mind, as the book is lively, fresh and fast-moving. Note that Wilson covers the business up at the end (probably to spite Lord Ealing, who is now Prime Minister).