Tenant for Death by Cyril Hare


Tenant for Death
Title : Tenant for Death
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0060805706
ISBN-10 : 9780060805708
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 206
Publication : First published January 1, 1937

Two young estate agent's clerks are sent to check an inventory on a house in Daylesford Gardens, South Kensington. Upon arrival, they find an unlisted item - a corpse. Furthermore, the mysterious tenant, Colin James, has disappeared.

In a tale which uncovers many of the seedier aspects of the world of high finance, Hare also introduces his readers to the formidable Inspector Mallett of Scotland Yard.


Tenant for Death Reviews


  • Susan

    This is the first Inspector Mallett mystery, first published in 1937. I had previously read, “An English Murder,” by Cyril Hare which, although it first appeared a typical, country house, murder mystery, felt quite modern by comparison with other, similar books of the era – addressing political, and social, tensions. Likewise, this also has quite a modern feel to it, with an immediacy to the characters, and the time, that are refreshing.

    Lionel Ballentine is a big name on the stock exchange, so, when he is found dead, his murder sells a lot of newspapers. Inspector Mallett, is called in to investigate. Cyril Hare gives him a half-hearted personal quirk, in that he is a man who dislikes missing meals, but that isn’t really necessary. The plot itself is quite involved and there are lots of twists and turns, plus a good number of suspects. A rather suspicious secretary, a young man who has suddenly come into money, a ruined man who has just been released from prison, the valet of a man who seems not to exist and the husband of Lionel Ballentine’s mistress…

    Without doubt, this is an interesting start to a series. Cyril Hare wrote intelligent, focused, interesting mysteries, which still stand up today. I look forward to reading more and, as always, am delighted that more books, and authors, from this era are being re-printed.

  • Ivonne Rovira

    I was unfamiliar with author Cyril Hare, an English judge whose real name was Alfred Clark. He began writing mystery novels in the 1930s, and wrote six of them, most of which feature Inspector John Mallett.

    Hare’s writing has the archaic tone and diction of a
    Mary Roberts Rinehart or
    Anna Katherine Green novel, and I was a bit surprised to find that the setting was the 1930s rather than at the turn of the 20th century. But I enjoyed the novel well enough, thanks to the likable Mallett. The inspector isn’t an aristocrat, like
    Dorothy L. Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey or
    Ngaio Marsh’s Roderick Alleyn; nor is he eccentric to the point of silliness, like
    Nicholas Blake’s Nigel Strangeways or
    Margery Allingham’s Albert Campion. No, he’s merely a plodding police official who explores every lead and easily gets peckish. Mallett may never reach the heights of
    Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot,
    John Bude’s Inspector William Meredith,
    Patricia Wentworth’s Miss Maud Silver or
    Gladys Mitchell’s Mrs. Bradley; however, I enjoyed Hare’s creation very well, indeed. I’ll be reading more, no doubt.

  • Jan C

    Interesting Golden Age mystery. I really liked Inspector Mallet. Suddenly realizing that he never ate lunch - often has a late lunch. Been there, done that.

    I'll be looking for more of these stories.

  • Kusaimamekirai

    This was a nice palate cleanser after reading a pretty heavy book before this one. Love the character of Inspector Mallett and his all consuming love of logic and lunch. This is a copper who really loves his meals and a nice nap.
    The mystery was interesting enough but not particularly compelling. The reveal was clever I guess but nothing earth shattering.
    Basically a decent whodunnit with some nice 1930s lingo and atmosphere that makes it pretty fun. I’ll probably be back to visit Mallett again. Preferably with some beef sandwiches with a tasty mustard sauce.

  • Christine PNW

    This was a bit sparse, but I still didn't figure it out. I got part of it right - and I wonder at how long it took Inspector Mallett to realize what seemed to be fairly obvious.

    I liked Mallett and would definitely read another book in his series. I do feel like the book was somehow lacking in something, although I can't quite put my finger on it.

  • Tania

    3.5
    As others have said, the opening was a bit confusing. We are introduced to several characters who mostly become the main suspects in the murder of Ballantine, who has been found dead in a house that was being rented by a mysterious individual. Once the book gets going, it is an enjoyable mystery with a clever solution.

  • Elizabeth (Alaska)

    This is a Golden Age mystery by other than the well known women of the era and I liked it. The beginning provides a lot of information about neighborhoods and a few of their residents and I wondered how I was going to keep it all straight. I found myself just moving forward and not stressing about it. I felt sure, if the author was worth reprinting 80+ years later, the novel would be worth my while. And, for perhaps the only time in the novel, I was right.

    This is the first in the Inspector Mallet series. I expected to have some background on him so as to justify reading the series in order. I quickly found there is no such background for Mallet. What we know of him is that he doesn't work nor think on an empty stomach. We might not be privy to the exact details of those meals, but eating is his favorite activity and he apparently has the girth to prove it.

    I liked the mystery, too. There are coincidences in which some might find objection. There was at least one red herring - well, sort of a red herring - that I thought significant. It turned out to be significant yet not in the way I thought. My thoughts were almost entirely all wrong. The ending was not a twist as is sometimes in mysteries. It simply followed logic which I was unable to see. Yes, I have confessed many times that I am not a good guesser, and other readers might see the puzzle solved long before the end.

    I'm quite content to give this a solid 3-stars and will happily read this author again.

  • Susan in NC

    3.5-4 stars —I was having a hard time keeping track of some of the suspects, but really liked this first outing with Inspector Mallett and his Sgt. Frant, and the ending cleared up all the loose ends for me.

    It seemed pretty obvious from the beginning what was going on with the murder victim assuming a rather noticeable disguise, but the why’s and wherefore’s weren’t really clear (at least for me!) until the tidy ending. I appreciated Hare’s characters, his very human detective, and his use of humor in solving a knotty murder mystery.

    I will read more Cyril Hare in the future, and am glad the Reading the Detectives group has brought yet another new-to-me Golden Age writer and his detective to my attention!

  • Jim

    Starting about thirty years ago, Dover Publications published a series of little-known English mysteries and collections of horror stories that I return to now and again. Cyril Hare (actually a jurist named Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark) published Tenant for Death in 1937. For Dover to pick it up, I assume that it had somehow gotten into public domain -- a pity for such a tight and craftsmanlike little story. Its Scotland Yard officers, Inspector Mallett and Sergeant Frant, work well with a limited -- but still puzzling -- list of suspects and a much larger cast of supporting characters. This is, to use Poe's term, a pure tale of ratiocination.

    While there is nothing spectacular about Tenant, it is always exhilarating to read something so rational, so English, so 1930s:

    "X," answered the inspector. "The unknown quantity, who may upset all our calculations. It's fatal to forget him. Whenever you make a list of possible criminals, you are apt to put yourself in blinkers and forget that anyone exists outside your list. Always put in X, and keep a sharp look-out for him."
    These words have a powerful effect on Frant, who reveres his boss Mallett.

    As I started writing this review, I gave Tenant for Death a rating of three. I've just upgraded it to four stars because I obviously like the book as I read what I say. So be it!

  • Leslie

    January 2018 reread:

    I found that, although it has been a long time since I read this (10 years or more), I recalled it in great detail. Even so, it was a pleasure to follow Inspector Mallett's progress as he unravels the mystery.

  • Polly

    A fine Inspector Mallet mystery about a murdered businessman with a lot of enemies.

  • Novella

    I've been on a quest to read books published early on, this one in 1937 featuring Inspector Mallet of Scotland Yard. This book is a series of short chapters. Each chapter title reveals what that chapter is about. After reading a few chapters, I noticed each one seemed to be independent of the other and I thought maybe it was setting up the storyline. Some of the same characters would show up but it didn't seem to carry over a storyline, or at least I had a hard time following it, nor did I feel invested in the characters overall it seemed like a dry read. There were also phrases used which I thought made no sense it was sort of like I felt left out of the joke! Sometimes when I watch certain movies and the actors are so dramatic and it's lost on me because I have no clue what all the drama is about. The ending was nothing dramatic, overall sort of a boring read I'm sorry to say. No foul language, nothing offensive.

  • Sandy

    A very good golden age mystery with a sensible Scotland Yard detective as the main character and an interesting plot.

  • ShanDizzy

    Lionel Ballantine was murdered. Did someone kill him because he "madoff" with their money? The beauty is in the telling of this twisty and intriguing mystery.

  • Sharla

    Even though this book was first published in 1937, it has a surprisingly modern feel. As golden age mysteries go this is a good one featuring a great plot twist and interesting characters.

  • Lisa Kucharski

    Enjoyed this mystery, which was a re-read for me but was obviously a long enough time ago that I didn't remember who-did it.

    This one features Insp. Mallet and he is a fun detective. He is investigating the death of a swindler and most people would like to pin a medal on the man who killed him than jail him. However, the law marches on! Great characters and details in this story and some really funny and ironic bits which add the human element into this story. The women in the story also are portrayed in an interesting way.

    While this is a police procedural it is not hard boiled/ or hard edged. There's a human element in the telling of the story. Also, I like that Mallet is a man doing his job and that he is not the subject of all sorts of neurosis. Fair play- can you guess who did it.

  • Harriet

    Enjoyed this one, and all of Cyril Hare's books! Thank you Faber Finds for reprinting his books.

  • Janet

    fun: and the kind of whodunit where you can figure out something about the who did it.

  • Todayiamadaisy

    This is the first of Cyril Hare's books I've read that doesn't involve a tricksy piece of law as part of the motive; this one is a more straightforward procedural about the murder of a shady businessman. An interesting structure, beginning with short chapters about a collection of unrelated people, whose connection gradually becomes apparent. Overall I thought it dragged in the middle and ended abruptly, but not without some fine moments.

  • Kathy

    This was the first book written by Cyril Hare (Alfred Gordon Clark), 1937...I enjoyed it and particularly appreciated the fact that it was available for 1.99 from Amazon for Kindle as his books are difficult to find and it doesn't appear that any others have been converted to ebooks.
    I have to go by reviewers who have read several of his books that they got better over time. This one introduces Mallet, a Scotland Yard Inspector who is pretty much all business without any supporting characters in his personal life. There is colorful background of the London scene of the time and the reliance of long and careful gathering of information to solve the murder of a bank swindler. All levels of society are represented in the story, starting off with the local news vendor in the Kensington neighborhood whose observations kick off the story of masquerade and murder.
    I will add his name to my list for searching through stacks at Used Book Sales.

  • Daryn

    Cyril Hare's first detective novel is written with style and wit. The description of a London suburb in the opening pages is proof alone of Hare's rare talent. The other reason to read this book is to see how Hare departs from the country house milieu of the Golden Age mysteries and introduces new, more modern criminals and motives from the world of high finance.

  • Jill

    I did like the story and thought the plot was well thought out, but I did find the beginning somewhat confusing . I didn't feel any particular liking for Inspector Mallet, but maybe he becomes more interesting in the later books, once one has got to know him better.

  • Kate

    Click on the link to read my full review:

    https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

  • Sam Reaves

    Cyril Hare was a lawyer who wrote mysteries with a legal background; most of his plots turn on some recondite point of English law. This one, his debut novel, is an exception; it is more or less a police procedural featuring Inspector Mallett, who appears in later novels in a supporting role. In this one he's the star.
    A financier is found dead in a rented house; the man who rented it has disappeared. Investigation shows that the financier's empire was on the verge of collapse. Various people have motives, including a former associate of the victim who was released from prison shortly before the murder. A shady company secretary and an impecunious young suitor are somehow involved. Mallett sorts it all out. The solution involves the kind of clever trick that golden age mysteries so often turned on.
    Not Hare's best, but it's written with the usual eloquence and wit, an entertaining read for fans of Golden Age English puzzlers.

  • Francis

    Well my first book by Cyril Hare and his first as well. A pretty decent start I'd say. I thought he writes well and creates interesting characters. Occasionally he throws a little humor in as well, which is always refreshing. I thought the plot a bit convoluted and there was quite a bit of improbable stumbling upon clues but on the other hand I enjoyed how many eventually lead to dead ends, leading to another reexamination of the crime, possible motivations, etc., and I appreciated how Inspector Mallet took it all in stride and patiently returned to the hunt, remaining patient and confident in his ability.

    So an interesting start to a series. Not sure that it will become one of my favorites but certainly worthy of another try.

    After all, patience is a virtue.