Tangled Web UK Review January 2009
Raffles: The Amateur Cracksman (Crime Classics) by
E.W. Hornung
pbk out December 08
(Atlantic Books)
at £7.99
Another of the reprints of old classic crime novels, this one from 1899 about the famous posh man-about-town who was also an occasional thief.
As with Sapper’s Bulldog Drummond book from two decades later, there is an expansive and very informative Note by Professor Robert Giddings, which is well worth reading.
Ernest Hornung married Conan Doyle’s sister and his stories owe much to Sherlock Holmes, even to the rather dim side-kick, Raffles old school fag, Bunny Manders, who like Dr Watson, kept a journal of his friend’s exploits.
Raffles first appeared in the 1890s in a series of magazine articles, again like Holmes, later collected into a series of successful books. This one is a series of short stories, rather than a continuous narrative like the Bulldog, but the main character also gave rise to innumerable films , stage plays and television series throughout the 20th century, many with famous actors like David Niven and Nigel Havers.
The stories are the usual upper-crust tales of living in the Albany, attending weekends and parties at large country houses and the heist of the Duchess’s pearls. Well-written and feeling more modern in style than many of the period, it is less 'gung-ho and Boy’s Own’ than Sapper’s more unlikely tales of melees and shootings.
Worth reading, especially for Professor Giddings’ commentary.
(
Bernard Knight
ex Home Office Pathologist and author of the highly acclaimed Crowner John series)
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