Murder on the Celtic: A Mystery [Hardcover]

Conrad Allen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 6, 2007

George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield have crossed the Atlantic Ocean numerous times in their capacity as ship's detectives for many of the huge passenger lines of the early twentieth century. On several of those crossings they've had the pleasure, and in some cases the trouble, of sailing with some very famous passengers. Dukes. Duchesses. Artists. Actors. Musicians. Kings and queens from exotic foreign lands. They have even broken bread aboard ship with J. P. Morgan. But few names have quite the level of fame and fortune as their fellow traveler on this particular ocean crossing aboard the Celtic: They'll be sailing with none other than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of the most famous detective in the world, Sherlock Holmes. As the two excellent investigators encounter the usual array of card sharps, cat burglars, drug smugglers, and crooked passengers of all kinds, will the famous writer help them---or hinder them?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A dangerous fugitive and a series of thefts mar a voyage the Celtic makes in 1910 from New York to London in Allen's satisfying eighth shipboard mystery to feature the husband-wife detective team of Bostonian George Porter Dillman and Englishwoman Genevieve Masefield (after 2006's Murder on the Oceanic). While the lovely Genevieve fends off suitors vying for her affections (the pair conceal their marriage supposedly for more efficient sleuthing), she and George are on the lookout for Edward Hammond, a thief wanted for murder who might have sneaked on board. Among the legitimate first-class passengers is novelist Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, whose cherished first edition of his novel A Study in Scarlet—which introduced the character of Sherlock Holmes—goes missing. The light, well-executed plot will live up to the expectations of Allen's fans. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

This is one of those series that one wouldn't have expected to go on as long as it has. George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield are happily married, although when they're at work, as detectives aboard transatlantic cruise ships in the early years of the twentieth century, they pretend not to know each other. The series, of which this is the eighth installment, follows a fairly strict formula: Dillman and Masefield solve a murder onboard an ocean liner while juggling various complications and trying to find a spare moment to be alone together. But it's a formula that leaves plenty of room for variation, and here the variation is that our heroes must deal with the galumphing enthusiasm of Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, who absolutely insists on assisting them. The Dillman-Masefield series succeeds, despite the built-in repetitiveness, because its creator, the prolific mystery novelist Edward Marston, writing here under a pseudonym, is such a graceful stylist. In his hands, elegant shipboard mysteries with charming protagonists never grow old. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books; 1st edition (February 6, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312356196
• ISBN-13: 978-0312356194
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #849,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great sea cruise mystery, March 11, 2007

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Murder on the Celtic: A Mystery (Hardcover)

On land George Porter Dillman and Genevieve Masefield are happily married, but when they work on a cruise ship they have to pretend they are single so they can meet a larger number of first class passengers. The latest voyage begins in 1910 in New York City abound the Celtic sailing to England. While they start the journey, they are mortified that a burglar and murder Edward Hammond might be on board. George is positive that if he is on the ship he will begin stealing valuables in first class cabins.

The most famous passenger of all is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who ironically is the victim of the first theft on board the ship. His first edition autographed book A STUDY IN SCARLET with notes in the pages is stolen. Tragedy strikes when Jane Lowbury reports her husband David missing after she sent him to get her heart pills from their cabin. Evidence points to the fact that he was thrown overboard. A rash of robberies lead the ship's detectives to believe that Edward Hammond is responsible but they don't know what he looks like, what class passage he is staying at, or who his contacts are. It takes excellent detective work to break this case wide open.

There is a lot of activity going on this ocean voyage. Readers get a look at how people cope in steerage and how arrivals report at Ellis Island. One group even made a bet as to who could make Genevieve fall for him first. Ironically a passenger in steerage and one of Genevieve's suitors point the detectives in the right direction to find the killer. This is a great sea cruise mystery.

Harriet Klausner

5.0 out of 5 stars Celtic, September 17, 2010

By 

Sebastian Paquette (Lexington, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder on the Celtic: A Mystery (Hardcover)

All books by Conrad Allen are a pleasure to enjoy.

Thank you,
Srp

5.0 out of 5 stars Sophisticated dynamic duo, May 30, 2010

By 

Rita Derbas (Newark, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Murder on the Celtic: A Mystery (Hardcover)

I'm hooked on George and Genevieve as they glide across the ocean aboard a famous luxury liner solving murders. If you are fascinated by the early twentieth century lifestyle and enjoy great characters,you won't be disappointed. Celtic is the seventh in this series, but Edward Marston, a.k.a.Conrad Allen has many, many more series to get addicted to.