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Snobbery With Violence

by Marion Chesney

Marion Chesney is a very productive writer, with a vast number of books to her credit, including the Agatha Raisin and Hamish Macbeth murder mysteries, which she writes under the name of M. C. Beaton. In Snobbery With Violence Marion Chesney's expertise travels outside the confines of contemporary England to display her knowledge and research of aspects during its historical Edwardian period.

After a somewhat slow beginning, the reader becomes totally immersed in the adventures of a Lady Rose. Lady Rose is the beautiful, but unfortunately for the denizens of that period also intellectual daughter of the Earl of Hadshire. Young, independent and blunt, Rose is scornful of her peers, whom she rightfully deems empty-headed vanities with only one purpose in mind – that of securing a husband. Lady Rose has also had the temerity to join one of the suffragette demonstrations. The other major character in Snobbery With Violence is Captain Harry Cathcart. Youngest son of Baron Derrington, the captain is handsome but brooding and taciturn, having been invalided with a bad leg from the Boer War, where he was an undercover operator behind the lines. Both Lady Rose and Captain Carthcart remain at odds throughout the entire volume of Snobbery With Violence, in spite of growing hints of attraction between the two. The book's ending does provide imagination for a furthering of that relationship.

Snobbery With Violence begins with the Earl of Hadshire hiring Captain Cathcart to inquire into the activities of one Sir Geoffrey Blandon, with whom his daughter Rose has become enamoured. Resolution of that investigation leaves the Lady Rose less than happy with her former object of affection, and angry with Harry Cathcart for spoiling her dreams of liaison. Rumors of Cathcart's abilities spread, and the next case for which Captain Cathcart is hired seems primarily to be substantiation for that ability, although nonetheless interesting: He is requested to fix 'a delicate situation' for a Lady Glensheil, who approaches him with a recommendation from the earl. This is also resolved quickly and satisfactorily. The rumors for discreet detection have solidified Harry Cathcart's reputation, supplying a society sorely in need of such a service and allowing his purse to gain from the exposure.

Two separate occasions follow, both involving Captain Cathcart's services at Stacey Court, where the Earl of Hadshire resides. These schemes in the village of Stacey Magna both require a circumspect avoidance of a visit to Stacey Court by His Majesty, King Edward of England. Even though such a visit would be financially prohibitive, demanding the best in food and lodging for a huge retinue, it isn't the cost such a visit would entail for the earl that causes him to hire Harry. It's rather the fact that the King's desire to 'try his luck' with the Lady Rose was overheard. Harry Cathcart has been hired to redirect the kingly purpose without the earl's refusal to play host. Both of the King's efforts are successfully sidetracked. The presence of Captain Cathcart at Stacey Court, however, serves only to increase the ever-present hostility between himself and the Lady Rose. Daisy, the new personal maid to Lady Rose, encourages her mistress in the Captain's direction, but is ignored.

The most devastating condition in Snobbery With Violence occurs when Lady Rose, with her parents, is invited to visit the Marquess of Hedley at Telby Castle. The castle itself isn't an original structure. It's been built in place of a beautiful Georgian structure boasting furniture and rooms designed by Robert Adams, torn down to accommodate the present monstrosity. The castle is a monument to its owner's ego and desire for a show of antiquity; it has both the look and lack of convenience found in any ancient fortress – turrets, battlements, window slits for arrows, and even a moat and drawbridge. It also possess all the
draughts and disadvantages found in every historical English building.

Other guests have been invited, including a Mary Gore-Desmond, a girl who winds up dead. Her death fairly shouts with all the curious, suspicious circumstances proclaiming murder, but it's fobbed off by the titled owners of the castle as merely an accident. The Marquess doesn't want his station to become affected by anything so common as a murder. Since he hobnobs with people of highest society such as the Prime Minister, who like the Marquess, abrogates anything which could negatively reflect upon himself, any requirements of a mere policeman are scuttled.

The further disappearance of another guest's personal maid is equally ignored as having no significance. Then Lady Rose is pushed from the roof of the castle by an unseen hand. Fortunately, she lands in the moat – and is rescued by Captain Cathcart. Her rescue also uncovers the body of the missing maid. The protests of disaffected peers from the privileged class are no longer of any use, and Harry Cathcart shares the final solution to the murders by his discovery of the motive while Lady Rose uncovers who the murderer actually is.

Snobbery With Violence is a classic murder mystery. Marion Chesney has written about a class system which now is not only outdated, but seems impossibly narrow in its viewpoint. Perhaps it might be wise to remember that even here in America an identical state of affairs existed during the same time frame.

Alan Paul Curtis

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