This is my first read by Lorac, which is set outside of the UK. I don’t think this was something she did very often, so it would be interesting to hear of other mysteries she set abroad. Martin Edwards, in his introduction to this reprint, situates the novel within crime fiction culture of the time, writing that Murder in Vienna:
‘[…] was one of a number of British detective novels from that period which were set in enticing overseas locations. Crime writers were responding to the desire of readers, wearied by years of domestic post-war austerity and keen on escapist fiction, to enjoy a vicarious sense of glamour of foreign travel.’
Martin gives examples of other contemporary mysteries which fit this remit from Agatha Christie, Christianna Brand and John Bude. I would also add that Delano Ames set many of his Jane and Dagbert Brown novels outside of the UK during the 1950s and Nicholas Blake also joined the trend in 1959 with The Widow’s Cruise.
Martin then goes on to discuss the use of Venice as a setting in Lorac’s book:
‘It’s also worth bearing in mind that, in 1956, Vienna was a cutting-edge choice for a background. Over the years, the city’s history was particularly dramatic. What happened during those years [Nazi Germany occupation, followed by being occupied by Allied Forces (Britain, America, Soviet and French), before finally gaining independence in 1955 via the Austrian State Treaty] would have been fresh in the mind of readers of the first edition, especially given the success of The Third Man, the wonderful film noir written by Graham Greene and released in 1949, which captures the seedy, menacing quality of the city in the wake of the conflict.’
It was also sad to learn that Lorac died two years after the publication of this book, due to lung cancer.
One question I do have is whether Lorac ever holidayed or travelled to Venice in real life? Given the level of detail she puts into describing the locality, I thought Lorac might have done, but then again she could have done a lot of research second-hand via books. If anyone knows, please comment below!
Synopsis
‘After all, under its gaiety and brilliance Vienna has always been a centre of intrigue. The distinguished industrialist, the fair girl and the aggressive young man – although Superintendent McDonald tried to avoid studying his fellow-passengers, he simply couldn’t help it. For him, it was difficult to adjust to being on holiday. He turned away deliberately. These people weren’t his problem, he was on holiday – or so he thought. Set against the enchanting background of post war Vienna, with its beautiful palaces and gardens, its disenchanted residents and scars of war, E.C.R. Lorac constructs a characteristic detective story, sure to puzzle and excite.’
Overall Thoughts
When I read the opening of this mystery, my mind immediately jumped to Christianna Brand’s Tour de Force (1955), (which has also been reprinted by the British Library) as they both start with their series sleuth taking a flight to a European destination. However, their approach and style are different. For example, Brand’s Inspector Cockrill is afraid of flying:
‘Inspector Cockrill looked out and down and saw nothing but a very small patch of grass which they were certainly going to miss and a very large building composed entirely of glass which they were quite certainly going to hit. The young woman on his right had immediately buried her face on his shoulder but this was no time for quixotic knight-errantry and he merely humped himself slightly away from her and gave himself over to prayer […] Green to the gills, he shook off the clutching hands of the young woman, distastefully removed a long, curly red hair from the sleeve of his summer suit […]’
Brand then continues to poke gentle fun at holidaymakers in general. Conversely, Lorac’s aeroplane opening is centred on relaying typographical information about the landscape as seen from a plane and moreover her narrative emphasises the benefits of travelling by air:
‘There are many ways of travelling from London to Vienna, and those who love roads and seas wax scornful over the lazy unintelligence of air-travel; but for a tired man, intent on a comfortable holiday, there is a lot to recommend the ease of flying. From the passenger, no effort is demanded: once his baggage has been checked in, he is taken in hand by benevolent authority. He becomes freight – human freight, handled with care – and there’s nothing he need do about it: only watch a silver wing-tip describe an arc over the land he is leaving, and enjoy (if he is wise) the blended colours far below.’
Was British Airways sponsoring this book, I wonder?
This is a mystery which involves a number of smaller incidents that ultimately connect up to a bigger murder plot. For instance, in a similar vein to Ethel Lina White’s The Wheel Spins (1936) the protagonist encounters a woman abroad, travelling to a job post, who then disappears not long after arrival. Another character tells Inspector Macdonald about a robbery her daughter faced, unusual in nature because the only items which seemed to have been taken were left in suitcase on the roof. Then there is a famous opera singer who has returned to Vienna and is in the market to sell some papers which once belonged to a general Hitler had had executed. And there are several other curious events which occur before any murder happens, but I will leave you to discover those for yourself. Some of the interest in these events is trying to discern their potential connection to one another.
This series of minor events, escalating in severity, give the story a different structure as it is made up of lots of small parts, rather than just having one central murder to focus on. Furthermore, this structure also shapes the pattern of investigation. Inspector Macdonald is not quick to jump in, wishing to avoid stepping on any official toes, but this soon has to change when some strings are pulled, and he is officially asked to take part in the police work. Naturally he gets on well with the police from Vienna. Since Macdonald is not the only one investigating the curious goings on, I did wonder if the attention of the plot got spread across too many people. The origins of this feeling did spring from one particular character, whose speech is painfully long-winded. But one cannot deny that they do hold a key part of the puzzle.
The final solution is quite complicated, and it does require some confessional moments to fill in the details. Nevertheless, I think Lorac’s mystery does deploy some clever clues and at times some sneaky red herrings. I wonder if the choice of the setting for the finale was influenced by films of the time, as I can imagine it being a dramatic scene to watch on the silver screen.
Rating: 4/5
Source: Review Copy (British Library Crime Classics)