Edgar Wallace's 'The Coat of Arms' 1931

 

Crime-Book Society paperback edition - 1936?

Good old Edgar. After two Crime-Book Society novels without one, at last a murder - admittedly, not until page 166 (of 256); but it was immensely satisfying, although 'flagged up' from quite early on. The book takes its title from the hostelry situated in the village of Sketchley. The pub is run by Mr. John Lorney, newly come to Sketchley [who] received and returned the antagonism proper to a foreigner...he was a large man, broad-shouldered, bald, stern of face, harsh-voiced, a driver of men. He had no enthusiasm, little sense of public interest. One to watch, then. Nearby, is Arranways Hall, where Lord Eddie Arranway, middle-aged, irascible, is living with his newly-wed second wife, Marie. His first marriage had ended in a messy divorce in India, when his good-looking A.D.C. was found in his pyjamas in the Residency garden with a bullet through his shoulder; the first Lady Arranways had fled in her night things to the house of his military secretary. Unfortunately, the second marriage is not going well, either. On their honeymoon in Egypt, the Arranways meet a very agreeable young man, Mr. Keith Keller, the son of a very rich Australian. He comes with them to England. In Berlin, on their way home, Marie loses a diamond bracelet, one of her wedding gifts. Fact to squirrel away for later. Lord Arranway is not happy, but Keller consoles her. For a while all is well. Keller ingratiates himself with his lordship, whilst appearing to take little notice of the latter's wife. Aha, you think; and you would be right. It's an action replay of his lordship's first marriage.

Meanwhile, young Anna Jeans descends on The Coat of Arms. She is the niece of a friend of John Lorney's and had been to stay last year. An intelligent girl, she is on vacation from studying at a pension in Switzerland. Staying with the Arranways is Richard Mayford, the brother of Marie. Anna played tennis most proficiently; she played golf; she rode; she played the piano rather well. Richard is smitten. He spends rather a lot of time at the pub.  Then Arranway Hall burns down and they all have to move temporarily to The Coat of Arms. It is now that the real mischief takes place. Not only is Keller clearly having an affair with Marie Arranway, but he is also setting his eye and hands on the younger Anna. The man is an absolute bounder. Moreover, is he really who he says he is? Hence the involvement of sometime American police captain, Carl Rennett, and Chief Inspector T.B. Collett, officially liaison officer between Scotland Yard and foreign police forces. Clearly, something, or someone, has attracted their attention and presence.

Wallace keeps tight control of all these characters, bringing them into the foreground when necessary and keeping the reader guessing. What is clear by the aforementioned page 166, is that several of the characters could have killed Keller - Arranway and his wife; Anna Jeans or Richard Mayford; the surly, ex-con Charles Green, who John Lorney had employed as general factotum at the pub; and Lorney himself. I guessed which of these was the murderer well before the end but, no matter, it was a compelling yarn. And, as with the burglars who got away with it in Wolf-Net, so did the murderer this time, thanks to Rennett and Collett. The author also had good, if mildly malicious, fun poking at the local P.C. Plod - Superintendent Blagdon, who managed to chase every wild goose available. I also liked the unveiling of Anna Jeans' antecedent; and the uncovering of the various aliases of Keller, including Boy Barton.