Customer Reviews

The Dead of Winter: A John Madden Mystery (John Madden Mysteries)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The only problem with Rennie Airth's work is that those readers like myself who have discovered his books have had to wait so long between each novel. But when the results are as good as this, that feels like a very minor quibble indeed, because John Madden, the detective that Airth has conjured up from thin air, is just as compelling a personality as P.D. James's Adam Dalgliesh.

Madden, a veteran of the First World War, solved his first mystery in Airth's excellent River of Darkness, set in the aftermath of that bloody conflict. Airth's second mystery featuring Madden -- now married and much more content as a gentleman farmer, although he can't resist using his skills to solve a series of horrible murders of young girls -- was set in the early 1930s, just as the first hints were taking shape of another global war. Now, in Airth's third novel, it is the winter of 1944. While it seems clear that Germany will be defeated, Londoners are exhausted by rocket attacks, rationing and the brutal winter weather. Rosa, a young Polish refugee, works on Madden's farm, has traveled to London to visit her only remaining relative. Emerging from a Tube station after the 'all-clear' signal, Rosa sets off for her destination through the blacked-out nighttime streets -- where she encounters a murderer.

But was Rosa's murder, first seen as horrible act of a madman, really a random crime? John Madden becomes increasingly less confident of this and the events that follow seem to bear out his instincts. Is there a connection to the brutal murder of a Jewish furrier in Paris on the eve of the German occupation of the city -- an event that may have been witnessed by a young Polish couple who, themselves, were trying to flee the Nazis and travel to England?

Airth's hallmark is intricate and careful plotting, combined with wonderful character studies. In this third book, he not only brings back favorite characters from the first two books, such as Madden, Angus Sinclair of Scotland Yard and Madden's former sergeant, Billy Styles, but also introduces new ones who immediately grab our attention, such as the young policewoman determined to become a Scotland Yard detective despite that organization's rampant misogyny. Airth is never didactic -- he shows and never tells, the hallmark of a good storyteller. I actually found myself feeling what it might have been like waiting for the Germans to march into Paris in June of 1940; what it was like to grope one's way through pitch-black streets and colliding with other pedestrians; the biting cold of a winter where fuel supplies were rationed.

What I enjoy most about Airth's books is the pacing; the way he unveils, step by step, the full dimensions of both the crime(s) and its solution. There are twists and turns aplenty along the way, but never anything that strained my credulity. Delivering a real surprise -- one that makes me sit up and go 'wow!' -- that isn't too well-telegraphed in advance is a real art, and Airth has mastered it. And the tension in the final scenes, when Madden comes face to face with the killer, is beyond description. It reminded me of sitting and watching one of those classic murder mystery or horror films, where you get so caught up in the events on the screen that you find yourself screaming at the hero(ine) from your seat in the movie theater, or putting your hands over your eyes and slinking down in your seat. In the case of this book, the marks of my fingernails are still visible in the dustjacket of the (British) hardcover and even made an imprint in the binding itself. The dramatic tension caused me to damage it badly enough I couldn't sell it as a 'like new' copy. But then, why would I want to sell it at all? This book, like Airth's others, is so good that I expect I'll be re-reading over and over again, even though I now know whodunnit. That's how good this author is.

Highly recommended to anyone who loves a great mystery. Fans of Alan Furst will particularly enjoy both the setting and the slightly 'noir' atmosphere, although Airth's books are, at heart, police procedurals rather than suspense novels. If you're looking for something else set in the same time period and place, try Laura Wilson's The Innocent Spy. (Published under the title Stratton's War in the UK). Wilson's novel emphasizes psychological suspense and the relationships between principal characters more than Airth does, and involves espionage as well as detection. It's very good, but I prefer Airth's book by a nose; it felt more convincing and more focused.

I am a total fan of Airth's first two books. Unlike the first two this one plods along to a reasonable story line. Its okay. Whats missing is the drive of a central character and the emotional pull his first two books had. This is a collage of characters, side stories, and atmosphere. This is not a driven story where you wonder whats going to happen to the central character. Yes, Madden is there but he's only summoned periodically for sagely advice. Helen his wife is around baking cookies. Yes, there's Sinclair but even he's in and out. There's a curious single paragraph in the first person which looks like it missed the editor's pen. The rest is characters telling each other stories. I believe if you read the first two books you will be mildly disappointed in this book. Definitely if you haven't don't start with this book. If you like Alan Furst -you will enjoy this book though its not as heavy handed on the historic detail. I would rate this book as mildly okay. Not Great.

All of the principle characters from Rennie Airth's first John Madden novel "River Of Darkness" are back for this go-round (along with a number of interesting and pivotal new characters), and this gives a feeling of familiarity and belonging that I found quite enjoyable. The author again displays his rare talent for constructing a detailed and intricate plot with elements of actions and reactions spanning many years that neatly dovetail into a satisfying dénouement. The setting of the story in World War II England, particularly London, gives the story an interesting and atmospheric background that the author uses to full advantage with historical and cultural references that I found fascinating. The story is again a murder mystery, but with so much more: John Madden is no longer a tortured soul, but he is still a person capable of great insight, and he uses this skill to the utmost advantage as the crime is investigated and the full story is unravelled. Another big winner from Rennie Airth.

I really liked the first two books, primarily because they combined a wonderful evocation of life in inter war England with a well paced and thought out plot; I didn't like this so much and I think that's because the conceit of using a retired detective (ie John Madden) as the protagonist doesn't really work anymore, so I found it hard to buy into the central thesis.

In the first book, he was a serving detective, in the second ten years retired but in this one over 20 years (more or less), so it's hard to accept the idea that Scotland Yard would continue to consult someone who'd been away that long. Not that you can't but it doesn't quite work.

To be fair, Aird seems to recognise this flaw as Madden is more of a bit part player in this story, except for in the closing stages and I think I read that this is the last in the series, which makes sense.

This book is not even close to being as enjoyable as the first two in the series. It seemed just plain tedious to me. The charm of the period feel to the other books was largely missing in this book. The plot seemed routine and unengaging. I was relieved to finish.

Loved the first two books, but this one is a big disappointment: plodding, padded, redundant. Most of the action is conveyed second-hand, so characters tell, tell, tell--and repeat the same information over and over. John Madden really isn't the protagonist, so the plot is scattered across way too many characters, many who seem artificially tossed in; by the end, it's all pretty implausible. And do we really need all those characters chuckling? The shame is that the murderer is a very interesting character; too bad the novel didn't focus on his life and actions. That would have made for a tremendous read.

"The Dead of Winter" is the deliberate and slow recounting of a series of killings in wartime London and the pursuit of the criminal by a group of talented police professionals. The book could define the sub-genre of police procedural as two old friends, retired supercop, John Madden and Chief Inspector Angus Sinclair, painstakingly track down a criminal with an obsessive/compulsive need to eliminate anyone who may have an inkling of who he is or what he has been. This turns out to be a long list of often innocent victims--and the list continues to grow as the crime spree continues.

Author Airth does his usual splendid job of evoking the crime scenes as well as the larger setting of London and other parts of England during the latter days of WWII. His slow reveal of the murderer and his motivations as well as the gradual enlargement of the circle of people--victims, future victims and the investigating police--result in a delicious building of tension and a rousing ending.

The one thing that Airth does not do in this novel is to delve deeply into the personalities of his characters, at least not as profoundly as others writing in the same genre. This is not a psychological mystery per se, but there are plenty of interesting personal stories included here and definitely some clear indications of how people's lives were affected by the ongoing war, missing family members in the line of fire and the actual loss of friends and family.

An excellent read. Highly recommended.

During a blackout, in London late in 1944, an Air Raid Warden bumps into a young woman. He offers to accompany her to her destination; she thanks him and declines his offer. A short time later, the Air Raid Warden stumbles over her dead body. It isn't clear why Rosa Nowak was murdered: there is no obvious motive, there are very few clues and not many witnesses can be identified. An ageing police force is stretched: there may be a shortage of police manpower but not of opportunistic criminals. Chief Inspector Angus Sinclair is concerned: will the police be able to find who killed Rosa and why? Rosa Nowak worked - as a Land Girl - for John Madden, a former police inspector and now a farmer who lives in Surrey with his wife Helen. Rosa had travelled to London to visit her aged aunt. John Madden is keen to assist the police - some of whom he knows from his own time in the force - in any way he can.

A witness is identified and then, after initial questioning, is found dead. As the investigation proceeds, others connected in some way with the case are also found murdered. But why? At first it seems unlikely that anyone can make the connections required in order to identify either the motive or the murderer.

There are multiple layers within this story as it moves between locations in Surrey and London, and while the pace often feels quite slow it seems appropriate for the period depicted and enables the characters to be more fully realised. I have mixed feelings about aspects of the ending, but overall I found this an enjoyable read and a satisfying third story in the John Madden series.

While it would be possible to read and enjoy this novel without reading the earlier two books, knowing John Madden's backstory and the earlier events referred to really adds depth to the story. The first novel (`River of Darkness') is set in 1921 while John Madden is still in the police force, the second (`The Blood-Dimmed Tide') in set in 1932 after John Madden has moved to Surrey. I understand that `The Dead of Winter' is to be the final John Madden novel.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

The Dead of Winter held my interest. I would not consider it a 'page turner.' but I did finish it. I wanted to try Airth but will not read another by him. I am glad I read it. It gave me insight into the plights of the French and other WWII occupied areas and showed ties that still exist to this day of events that occurred many years ago.

"The Dead of Winter," by Rennie Airth, focuses on a series of grisly murders that take place in different countries across the span of many years. Following a prologue set in Paris just before the German occupation, Airth jumps to a bitterly cold London in 1944. The British hope that the "Luftwaffe had finally shot its bolt." Unfortunately, while the danger of flying bombs and V-2 rockets still exists, air raid wardens continue to make their rounds and blackout curtains remain in place.

On a pitch dark night, one warden stumbles upon the body of a female homicide victim. Overseeing the investigation is Chief Inspector Angus Sinclair, who is seventy, suffers from gout, and was ready to retire when the assistant commissioner convinced him to stay on in a supervisory capacity. Sinclair eventually learns that the victim had worked for an old friend of his, a former detective named John Madden. Angus invites John, a creative thinker who sees connections that others miss, to offer whatever insights he can to help solve the case. As the inquiries proceed and the bodies pile up, it becomes clear that the murderer, who is still at large, is a vicious and clever sociopath who plans his crimes carefully and eludes capture with ease. Can he be caught before he takes even more lives?

Airth's strength is his vivid depiction of wartime England as a place where food is scarce; wives worry themselves sick over their absent husbands; and those who remain at home try to help their families, friends, and neighbors survive from day to day. The author's large cast of characters includes the aforementioned Angus, who wants to close out his career on a high note; John Madden, a gentleman farmer who cannot resist the temptation to track down a felon who considers himself above the law; Bess Brigstock, a tough old bird with a soft spot for those is need; and Lily Poole, an ambitious young constable who will do anything to impress her superiors. The villain of the piece is sketchily drawn. He is depicted as a master of disguise who changes his identity at will, and executes his victims quickly, stealthily, and without remorse.

The plot of "The Dead of Winter" is so complex that it requires a scorecard to make sense of its byzantine trajectory. The author has a tendency to digress, and although his tangents can be engrossing, they slow down the action considerably. To his credit, however, Airth beautifully captures the atmosphere of London during the Second World War, when challenging times brought out the worst in some individuals but the best in others.