Death Knows No Calendar
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1942 |
| Founder | John Bude |
| Products | Detective novel |
| Parent | Cassell (original publisher) |
Death Knows No Calendar is a detective novel published in 1942 by the British author John Bude. Diverging from his usual series centered on Superintendent Meredith, this independent story features Major Boddy, a former military officer, as the lead investigator. The narrative incorporates classic elements of the locked room mystery and a closed group of suspects. Initially released by Cassell, the book was republished in 2020 by British Library Publishing alongside Bude's Death in White Pyjamas, contributing to a collection that celebrates Golden Age detective fiction.
Maurice Willson Disher, writing for the Times Literary Supplement, observed that while earlier detective stories might have been episodic, contemporary audiences demand sustained suspense. He commented that revealing the murderer's identity midway diminishes both the story's tension and its intellectual engagement.
Synopsis
Lydia Arundel, a wealthy artist residing in a small village in Sussex, stirs animosity through her flirtatious behavior, generating several potential suspects such as a remorseful clergyman and an envious young woman. After Lydia is discovered shot inside her locked studio, the official verdict is suicide. However, Major Boddy, a retired army officer with a passion for detective work, along with his assistant Private Gammon, decides to revisit the investigation.
Major Boddy deciphers the mechanics behind the locked-room killing but encounters numerous suspects, including Lydia’s husband—a struggling actor who stands to inherit her wealth. His inquiry takes him beyond Sussex to locations including East London and Gloucestershire as he strives to uncover the truth.
Bibliography
- Hubin, Allen J. Crime Fiction, 1749-1980: A Comprehensive Bibliography. Garland Publishing, 1984.
- Reilly, John M. Twentieth Century Crime & Mystery Writers. Springer, 2015.