A Crime is Afoot

Rare Treasure Editions, 2025. Book Format: Kindle Edition. File Size: 593 KB. Lenght: 282 pages. ASIN: B0CWLPBJLR. ISBN: 978-1773230931. Originally published in 1928 by Geoffrey Bles Ltd. UK, and by Dodd, Mead & Company US in the same year.

The Murders in Praed Street is a 1928 detective novel by John Rhode, the pen name of the British writer Major John Street. It features the fourth appearance of the armchair detective Lancelot Priestley, who figured in a long-running series of novels during the Golden Age of Detective Fiction.

In 1936 it was adapted into the film Twelve Good Men produced by the British subsidiary of Warner Brothers at Teddington Studios. Directed by Ralph Ince, it starred Henry Kendall, Nancy O’Neil and Joyce Kennedy. It is the only one of the author’s novels to be filmed. (Source: Wikipedia)

Book Description: The story revolves around the mysterious murder of Mr. James Tovey, a well-known greengrocer, followed by another death in the same area. The narrative introduces various characters, including Mr. Tovey’s daughter Ivy, and the herbalist Mr. Elmer Ludgrove, who may play significant roles in the unfolding mystery. At the start of the novel, the setting is introduced through the dreary and neglected Praed Street, which serves as a backdrop for the unfolding drama. Mr. Tovey is depicted as a hardworking fruit merchant who enjoys a quiet life with his family until his daughter Ivy’s friendship with young Ted Copperdock raises concerns. When Tovey is called to St. Martha’s Hospital to identify an accident victim, he tragically becomes a victim himself, found murdered under mysterious circumstances. The narrative quickly draws the reader into the investigation, exploring the interconnections between the characters and the motivations behind the crimes, hinting that the bustling street hides darker secrets waiting to be uncovered. (Source: Amazo.es)

My assessment: John Rhode was the primary penname of Cecil John Charles Street (1884-1964), a prolific British mystery writer who authored over 140 detective novels between 1924 and 1961. He was a key figure in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction and was particularly known for his meticulous attention to scientific and technical details in his murder mysteries.

Rhode’s most famous character was Dr Priestley, a mathematician and amateur detective who appeared in more than 70 novels. His works were characterized by intricate plots involving unusual methods of murder, often incorporating detailed knowledge of chemistry, engineering, and other technical subjects derived from his military background.

Street also wrote under other pseudonyms, including Miles Burton and Cecil Waye, producing different series with distinct detective characters. His experience as an artillery officer in World War I influenced his technical knowledge and contributed to the analytical nature of his mystery plots.

The author was one of the founding members of the Detection Club, a prestigious organization of British crime writers that included Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. Though his popularity has waned since his death, Rhode’s contributions to the development of the scientific detective novel remain significant in the history of crime fiction.

The critic and author Julian Symons classed him as a prominent member of the  so-called “humdrum” school of detective fiction, observing that “Most of them came late to writing fiction, and few had much talent for it. They had some skill in constructing puzzles, nothing more, and ironically they fulfilled much better than S. S. Van Dine his dictum that the detective story properly belonged in the category of riddles or crossword puzzles. Most of the Humdrums were British, and among the best known of them were Major John Street.”

Curt Evans has written the only detailed account of Street’s life and works: “I wrote my new book, Masters of the “Humdrum” Mystery: Cecil John Charles Street, Freeman Wills Crofts, Alfred Walter Stewart and the British Detective Novel, 1920–1961 (published by McFarland Press) in part to give a long overdue reappraisal of these purportedly “humdrum” detection writers as accomplished literary artists. Not only did they produce a goodly number of fine fair play puzzles, but their clever tales have more intrinsic interest as social documents and even sometimes as literary novels than they have been credited with having.” (Source: Wikipedia and others)

A series of seemingly senseless murders takes place in Praed Street, a desolate neighbourhood in London. The first victim is Jim Tovey, a fruit and vegetable vendor. One night, he receives a telephone call urging him to go to St Martha’s Hospital, where a man has reportedly been struck by a car and cannot be identified except for a piece of paper in his pocket bearing Tovey’s name and address. Upon arriving at the hospital, Tovey discovers that there has been no accident and that it may all have been a cruel joke. However, on his way home, he suddenly collapses. He has been stabbed to death.

The murders in Praed Street were thus peculiar in the annals of crime. In nearly every case of a crime being committed, there are others besides the criminal who know all the facts. The police know this, but their great difficulty is to secure evidence sufficiently convincing to lead to a convisction. There is a certain esprit de corps in the constant strife between the professionalcriminal an the police, an those who know are careful to keep their knowledge to themselves. But in this case, had there been any of the inhabitants of the district in the secret, Mr. Ludgrove would have obtained some hint of it. It seemed conclusive that the criminal was either working alone and independently, or came from some other district.

This crime is followed by others, all committed in the same area. They all appear to be random, with no apparent connection between the victims. Scotland Yard is struggling to find any leads.

The only characteristics which they had in common were that they had all receives counters numbered in the order of their deaths, that they were all males, and that their ages had all been over fifty.

However, it is not until the second half of the story that Dr Lancelot Priestley, a well-known “armchair detective” renowned for his logical, methodical, and scientific approach, appears after the police turn to him for help.

As the story unfolds, several suspicious figures emerge, including a mysterious herbalist and rumours of an enigmatic “Black Sailor”. It is then that Dr Priestley identifies subtle links between the victims and uncovers the hidden motive behind the crimes.

The Professor [Dr Priestley] had never shirked danger throughout the whole course of his career. And in this case, as he reflected, he already stood in such imminent danger that his present action could hardly increase it. If his theory were correct, a determined and unknown assassin held in his hand already the weapon which was aimed against his life. Why had he not struck, months ago, when the Professor was in blissful ignorance that his life was threatened? This was one of the aspects of a case which, in spite of the perils which it held for himself, thrilled him as no case had ever thrilled him before.

The story concludes with a final explanation revealing that the murders were not random, but rather part of a carefully orchestrated pattern driven by revenge and long-hidden connections.

The Praed Street Murders is notable for introducing, perhaps for the first time, a serial killer — a completely original idea at the time.

As one would expect from John Rhode, the mystery is constructed with great meticulousness and attention to detail, incorporating red herrings and hidden connections to create an intricate puzzle.

Nevertheless, unlike more iconic detectives such as Poirot or Holmes, Dr Priestley remains a somewhat distant figure and does not become prominent until quite late in the narrative. As a result, the novel may feel less character-driven than some readers might expect.

Furthermore, some readers and critics have noted that the identity of the killer is fairly obvious since the very beginning, which may diminish the sense of suspense. It should also be noted that Dr Priestley does not discover the identity of the true killer through his logical, methodical, and scientific deduction, the reason why it might not appeal to some readers.

In summary, although some critics regard The Praed Street Murders as a solid example of the Golden Age detective novel, in my view it is not one of John Rhode’s best works, due to the lack of substantial detective work leading to the solution, as well as the presence of an all-too-obvious culprit.

The Murders in Praed Street has been reviewed, among others, by Jim Noy at “The Invisible Event”, Steven Barge at “In Search of the Classic Mystery Novel”, TomCat at “Beneath the Stains of Time”, Nick Fuller at “The Grandest Game in the World”, and by Martin Edwards at “Do You Write Under Your Own Name?”.

(Source: Facsimile Dust Jackets)

Dr Priestley Book Series:

1 The Paddington Mystery (1925)

2 Dr Priestley’s Quest (1926)

3 The Ellerby Case (1927)

4 The Murders in Praed Street (1928)

5 Tragedy At the Unicorn (1928)

6 The Davidson Case (1929) aka Murder at Bratton Grange

7 The House on Tollard Ridge (1929)

8 Dr Priestley Investigates (1930) aka Pinehurst

9 Peril At Cranbury Hall (1930)

10 The Hanging Woman (1931)

11 Tragedy On the Line (1931)

12 Dead Men At the Folly (1932)

13 Mystery At Greycombe Farm (1932) aka The Fire At Greycombe Farm

14 The Claverton Mystery (1933) aka The Claverton Affair

15 The Motor Rally Mystery (1933) aka Dr Priestley Lays a Trap

16 The Venner Crime (1933)

17 Poison for One (1934)

18 The Robthorne Mystery (1934)

19 The Corpse in the Car (1935)

20 Hendon’s First Case (1935)

21 Mystery At Olympia (1935) aka Murder At the Motor Show

22 Shot At Dawn (1935)

23 Death At Breakfast (1936)

24 In Face of the Verdict (1936)

25 The Harvest Murder (1937) aka Death in the Hop Fields

26 Death on the Board (1937) aka Death Sits On the Board

27 Body Unidentified (1937) aka Proceed with Caution

28 Invisible Weapons (1938)

29 The Bloody Tower (1938) aka The Tower of Evil

30 Death Pays a Dividend (1939)

31 The Elm Tree Murder (1939) aka Death on Sunday

32 Death on the Boat Train (1940)

33 Murder At Lilac Cottage (1940)

34 Death at the Helm (1941)

35 They Watched by Night (1941) aka Signal for Death

36 The Fourth Bomb (1942)

37 Dead On the Track (1943)

38 Death Invades the Meeting (1944)

39 Men Die At Cyprus Lodge (1944)

40 Vegetable Duck (1944)

41 Bricklayer’s Arms (1945) aka Shadow of a Crime

42 Death in Harley Street (1945)

43 The Lake House (1946) aka Secret of the Lake House

44 Death of an Author (1947)

45 Nothing But the Truth (1947)

46 The Paper Bag (1948)

47 The Telephone Call (1948)

48 Blackthorn House (1949)

49 The Fatal Garden (1949) aka Up the Garden Path

50 Two Graphs (1950) aka Double Identities

51 Family Affairs (1950)

52 Dr Goodwood’s Locum (1951) aka Affair of the Substitute Doctor

53 The Secret Meeting (1951)

54 Death in Wellington Road (1952)

55 Death At the Dance (1952)

56 The Mysterious Suspect (1952) aka By Registered Post

57 Death At the Inn (1953) aka The Case of the Forty Thieves

58 Death On the Lawn (1954)

59 The Dovebury Murders (1954)

60 Delayed Payment (1955) aka Death of a Godmother

61 The Domestic Agency (1955) aka Grave Matters

62 An Artist Dies (1956) aka Death of an Artist

63 Open Verdict (1956)

64 Robbery with Violence (1957)

65 Death of a Bridegroom (1958)

66 Murder At Derivale (1958)

67 Death Takes a Partner (1959)

68 Licensed for Murder (1959)

69 Three Cousins Die (1960)

70 Twice Dead (1960)

71 The Fatal Pool (1960)

72 The Vanishing Diary (1961)

Most of John Rhode’s mystery novels are hard to find, but Mysterious Press/Open Road Media, to my knowledge, has so far published: The Paddington Mystery (1925); Dr Priestley Investigates (1930); Peril At Cranbury Hall (1930); Tragedy On the Line (1931); The Claverton Affair (1933); The Venner Crime (1933); Death in Harley Street (1945) and Blackthorn House  (1949).

The Life and Times of John Street, aka John Rhode, aka Vintage Mystery’s Master of Murder Means by Curtis Evans

The Eventful Life of Cecil John Charles Street

John Rhode page at Gadetection

John Rhode and Miles Burton by Mike Grost

Further reading: Masters of the “Humdrum” Mystery: Cecil John Charles Street, Freeman Wills Crofts, Alfred Walter Stewart and the British Detective Novel, 1920-1961 by Curtis Evans, McFarland, 2014.