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Ask a Policeman
- Narrated by: David Timson
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
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Ask a Policeman
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Summary
This new edition, which is reproduced from a first printing of the book, is introduced by the author Martin Edwards, archivist of the Detection Club, and includes a never-before-published Preface by Agatha Christie, ‘Detective Writers in England’, in which she discusses her fellow writers in the Detection Club.
Lord Comstock is a barbarous newspaper tycoon with enemies in high places. His murder in the study of his country houseposes a dilemma for the Home Secretary. In the hours before his death, Lord Comstock’s visitors included the government Chief Whip, an Archbishop, and the Assistant Commissioner for Scotland Yard. Suspicion falls upon them all and threatens the impartiality of any police investigation. Abandoning protocol, the Home Secretary invites four famous detectives to solve the case: Mrs Adela Bradley, Sir John Saumarez, Lord Peter Wimsey, and Mr Roger Sheringham. All are different, all are plausible, all are on their own – and none of them can ask a policeman…
This classic whodunit adopted a completely new approach: Milward Kennedy proposed the title, John Rhode plotted the murder and provided the suspects, and four of their contemporaries were asked to lend their well-known detectives to the task of providing solutions to the crime. But there was to be another twist: the authors would swap detectives and use the characters in their sections of the book. Thus Gladys Mitchell and Helen Simpson swapped Mrs Bradley and Sir John Saumarez, and Dorothy Sayers and Anthony Berkeley swapped Lord Peter Wimsey and Roger Sheringham, enabling the authors to indulge in skilful and sly parodies of each other.
The contributors to ASK A POLICEMAN are: John Rhode, Helen Simpson, Gladys Mitchell, Anthony Berkeley, Dorothy L. Sayers, Milward Kennedy with Agatha Christie and Martin Edwards.
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Critic reviews
‘One of the most original – and entertaining – mysteries I have ever read… A brilliant tour de force that the most jaded fans will relish.’ R. A. J. Walters
‘A reminder of the genial heyday of the genre when the KGB other ingredients of the esurient modern thriller were barely a gleam in Stalin’s eye.’ Christopher Wordsworth, The Observer
‘A must for all connoisseurs of detective fiction.’ James Harris, Literary Review
‘This year’s most welcome reissue.’ Francis Goff, Sunday Telegraph
‘A book of irresistible charm for students of the detective story.’ Ruth Dudley Edwards, Times Literary Supplement
What listeners say about Ask a Policeman
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Steven
- 05-06-23
Intellectual exercise by crime writers
A crime takes place, a press baron has been shot in his study. The Home Office insists the police allow famous amateur sleuths to have 48 hours to crack the case. Each chapter is the investigation of one of the sleuths written not written by their creator.
Each of them solves the crime in a different way and with a different suspect for the crime.
The final chapter is the official investigation into the case using some of the information from the precious chapters to give the final resolution.
Don't treat it as a regular mystery novel or it will frustrate you. Treat it as a party game with some of the most famous writers of that age.
I enjoyed it immensely.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Liz H.
- 18-06-20
very confusing
struggled to finish and very confusing. i found this hard to follow and very unenjoyable
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Jo Mitchell
- 18-02-21
So disappointing.
I love these authors and was hoping for a real treat with this combined effort. I have given up during the Mrs. Bradley section. Instead of being a coming together of brilliant story tellers, this comes across as having no structure. It is confusing, meandering and even very boring in places. I really wish I’d used my credit on something else.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- traveller
- 02-04-24
Underwhelming
This shows that putting the best writers of their time together can still produce something mediocre. Confined by their format, it's a confusing read that I almost didn't bother finishing, and now I have finished it I can't remember and don't care what the outcome was
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 29-04-20
hard going
I couldn't finish this book. it was too long winded, didn't get to the point and frankly quite dull and boring.
a real shame.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
- T W.
- 02-05-23
Dreary academic exercise
Virtually impossible to make sense of this without having the plan of the crime scene. Apparently, there is such a plan in the printed version. It might have proved entertaining to the members of the club but must be of limited interest to the wider public. The narrator doesn't help but the material he's working with could possibly excuse this.
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