‘Measure For Murder’ by Clifford Witting

Published by Galileo Publishers,
27 October 2021.
ISBN: 978-1-91291652-8 (PB)
Originally published 1941.

Measure for Murder is set in familiar Witting territory with Inspector Charlton leading the investigation. The action centres early in WW2 around the activities of the Lulverton Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS). A murder is discovered at the very start, but the plot is unusual in that we do not find out the identity of the body until halfway through the novel – and it comes as a surprise. The first half of the story is narrated by local estate agent Vaughan Tudor, the second the progress (sometimes under subtitles) of Charlton’s investigation.  

Some of the members of LADS are residents of a guest house run by the redoubtable Mrs Doubleday, and they form an interesting and diverse group. Most of the important action takes place between the guest house and the theatre where the murder was committed. Tudor (known as ‘Turtle’ at school) takes on an old school friend ‘Tiddler’ Ridpath in his agency. There is no reason for Tudor to employ Ridpath other than old ties as the latter has no experience whatsoever and is clearly something of a womanizing wastrel. Elizabeth Faggott, an ambitious aspiring actress, is something of a femme fatale (even Charlton is ‘captivated by her dark, fascinating loveliness’ and has ‘to remind himself firmly that he was not there to be wooed by the magic of her voice and presence’). Faggott has various men running after her, yet her ability to impersonate the voices and mannerisms of other people does not endear her to everyone.

LADS leases the building that it has turned into a theatre from someone who initially wishes to remain anonymous, but before long this person makes himself known to Tudor when he insists on Faggott being replaced as Isabella in Measure for Measure by another actress, Hilary Boyson, as he has his reasons for believing that this will guarantee his son-in-law promotion at work. If Boyson does not get the role, LADS’ lease on the theatre building will be terminated with immediate effect. LADS has no alternative but to give in to this blackmail. Tempers within the cast begin to flare. There is an incident with a dangerous staircase and a £10 note goes missing. Aspersions are cast on Faggott’s morals and Ridpath makes a hasty exit from Lulverton. As the investigation progresses there is mention of possible fifth columnists, and this gives the novel an added dimension.

As always with Witting there is a convincing plot and his willingness to depart from convention is demonstrated by the two-part plan: first person narration which gives us most of the background followed by the investigation. His characters are well-drawn, and his trademark wry observations pepper the book. The denouement comes quickly. I am very pleased that Galileo continues to reissue Witting’s novels, and Measure for Murder is another one to be enjoyed.
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Reviewer: David Whittle 

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. 

David Whittle is firstly a musician (he is an organist and was Director of Music at Leicester Grammar School for over 30 years) but has always enjoyed crime fiction. This led him to write a biography of the composer Bruce Montgomery who is better known to lovers of crime fiction as Edmund Crispin, about whom he gives talks now and then. He is currently convenor of the East Midlands Chapter of the Crime Writers Association.