‘The Case of the Michaelmas Goose’ by Clifford Witting

Published by Galileo Publishers,
26 October 2023.
ISBN: 978-1-915530-12-7 (PB)
Originally published 1938.

The impressive Etchworth Tower, built on top of High Down, dominates the surrounding area.  However, Tom Lee, its custodian, isn’t looking at the view.  He has had to leave his post and find a PC in the High Street, who has had to get to the telephone box to tell the Station Sergeant at Lulverton that a dead man is lying at the foot of the Tower.  From there the call has gone out to Inspector Harry Charlton who, breakfast interrupted, has driven the police photographer to the scene of crime where the doctor had already looked at the body.  Apart from confirming the death, he surprises them with the information that the body is wearing a false beard.

The book itself is divided into three parts, The Goose, The Killing, and The Golden Eggs.  Charlton has first to find who the dead man was and whether he died accidently, committed suicide, or was murdered.  These inquiries lead him into some murky territory, featuring blackmail, forgery, theft and murder and a fine cast of dubious characters.  A major task is to find who was visiting the tower that Sunday afternoon, sort out the times of visits and groups of visitors, a tedious task set out in some detail, but which provides useful information.

The story moves through the various phases of a murder investigation, the gathering of information, the inquest, a final exciting chase, and ends in a hospital.  Apart from the aforementioned dubious characters, Charlton, the local people and, indeed, the local scenery, help to provide the background atmosphere.  There is also a quiet love affair. 

This is the fourth of the Inspector Charlton series.  It should encourage those who have not yet embarked on the series to have a further look at this fine Golden Age crime writer.
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Reviewer: J Hesslewood
Other books by this author:  in the Inspector Charlton series:  Murder in Blue, Midsummer Murder, The Case of the Michaelmas Goose, Catt out of the Bag , Measure for Murder, Subject: Murder, Let X Be the Murderer, Dead on Time
Stand-alones:  A Bullet for Rhino, The Case of the Busy Bees, Silence After Dinner Mischief in the Offing, There Was a Crooked, Driven to Kill, Villainous Saltpetre, Crime in Whispers

Clifford Witting (1907-1968) was born in Lewisham, England. He was educated at Eltham College, London, between 1916 and 1924. During World War II he served as a bombardier in the Royal Artillery, 1942-44, and as a Warrant Officer in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, 1944-46. He married Ellen Marjorie Steward in 1934 and they had one daughter. Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked as a clerk in Lloyds bank from 1924 to 1942. He was Honorary Editor of The Old Elthamian magazine, London. from 1947 up to his death. His first novel Murder in Blue was published in 1937 and his series characters were Sergeant (later Inspector) Peter Bradford and Inspector Harry Charlton. Unusually, he didn’t join The Detection Club until 1958 by which time he had written 12 detective novels.

Jo Hesslewood.  Crime fiction has been my favourite reading material since as a teenager I first spotted Agatha Christie on the library bookshelves.  For twenty-five years the commute to and from London provided plenty of reading time.  I am fortunate to live in Cambridge, where my local crime fiction book club, Crimecrackers, meets at Heffers Bookshop .  I enjoy attending crime fiction events and currently organise events for the Margery Allingham Society.