SUCH GOINGS-ON

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21506, 22 June 1935, Page 17

SUCH GOINGS-ON

LORD GORELL'S NEW CRIME

Lord Gorell's new crime—so called on the wrapper—is the murder of a thoroughly repulsive fellow who describes himself as a "pastor" and is in fact a blackmailer. After a good deal of blind-alley work Scotland Yard and the local police appear to have a clear case against the wretched little Professor Edward Pozzett, who scuttles off to London in a panic and is dead, a .suicide, when they find him, with a perfectly genuine written confession at his elbow. A clear case, but for two untidy facts, which refuse to fit in anywhere, until the clever old lady, Miss Olley, talks confidentially to Inspector Farrant in the last chapter. No honest reader, and not even a very clever reader, will anticipate this development. SON AND CARDBY The Gaol Gates Are Open. By David Hume. Collins. 25G pp. The philanthropist who extended his kindly aid and protect;on to so many prisoners discharged after serving sentences for crimes of violence was of course a supercriminal. One can only be sorry for poor old Mr Cardby, formerly the big man at Scotland Yard, now uneasily hovering about, waiting and watching while his son Mick pops in and out of danger, performing brainless prodigies of strength and valour, and laying the philanthropist flat, of course, in the end. And Mr Hume promised better things.

BLACKBEARD AND BONNET Hung for a Song. By George Dilhvyn I'arrish. George G. llarrap and Co. Ltd. 287 pp.

Bonnet was a rather stodgy fellow, really, but tired of living on a military pension and in the oppressive society of Mrs Bonnet; so he turned pirate. He fell in with Teach, th» terrible Blackboard, and sailed with and under him in pitiful subjection for some time. Frightful things they did. And when Blackbeard was dead and Bonnet was caught and came before his judges, the simple feliow could only blurt out that he didn't know why he had to Icon to piracy, it was not the sort of thing he liked or was used to. he just had to. So they hanged fvm. It is a sort of savage, sentimental fairy story, this, which links with history here and there, by accident, Mr Parrish says; and it is uncommonly good reading. Some drawings by R'chard Flocfhe a.-e done in an odd y pleasant, crude, consonant style. HARILEK CONTINUED Wras: ham's Romance. By "Ganpal." IKoilder ami Stou'rhtoii. 316 pp. From W. S. Smart.

In "Harilek," nobody who read that exciting story will have forgotten, the Harry Lake whoseshirred name forms the title, with his friends Wrexham and Forsyth, discovered the mountain-walled country of Sakaeland in Central Asia and they hod adventures there ?cii!ii; a people whose civilisation bad been untouched by change in the world beyond. Impossible to summarise this new story set in the same territory, but wider in its reach; but it is a thrilling bit of work, and "Ganpnt" has n right to be called Rider Haggard's successor.

SECRET SERVICE Room U. Ky Michael /nneslcv. Geor;;n G. llarrap and Co. Ltd. 319 pp. Mr Anneslcy's story is first-rate in its kind. It introduces quite familiar types—the smooth, immaculate imperturbable hero, the lonely heroine in the toils, forced to do the loathsome work of a spy, and so on—but it gives them plenty of life; and the nlot. besides providing for endless thrills. does rest on a plausible motive in European politics and a plausibly invented situation. RUSSIAN FORMULA Red Stefan. By Patricia Wentworth. Hocldcr and Stoufjhlon. 320 pp. From W. S. Smart. English secret service agent in Russia picks up by chance an English girl, widow of an engineer who knew how to make an extremely light new alloy for aeroplane construction; she is the sole repository of the formula; she is also the personal quarry of the Commissar Petroff; and the agent, or Red Stefan, falls instantly in love with her. From these simple and not un-heard-of premisses Miss Wentworth builds up a good story of touch-and-go adventure, purple-and-rcd romance.

The Silver Jubilee number of "Punch," May, 1935, is a wonderful shillingsworth. Mr Punch's humorists in word and line find some topical inspiration in the jubilee, but do not overwork it; his real attempt to mark the great event is to be found in the historical supplement of cartoons and in Bernard Partridge's very fine two-page colour-plate. The Roya] Jubilee number of "Nash's Pall Mall" magazine, May, 1935, contains excellent portraits oi the King and Queen by David Jagger. R. 0.1., a short novel by Pearl Buck, and a brilliant colour cartoon by David Low, to name' on'y three notable features.—From Gorf don and Gotch.

The "B.P. Magazine" for June, being the winter number of this excellent Australian quarterly, presents a special section of eight magnificent _ photographic plates of subjects in the winter sports country. As usual, the magazine is beautifully produced. The May "Cornhill" continues Mr R. H. Mott ram's new novel. "Flower Pot End," and is, as always, well var.'ed and generous. An amusing and wise paper—recommended to parents, teachers, and other sociologists—is Jane Findlater's "Out lines."—John Murray.

- The chief feature of "Short Stories" for early May is a long and exciting story by William Chamberlain, "The Agra Skull." Another good thing is a "Baldy Sours" extravaganza by Charles Tyler.—From Gordon and Gotch.