The Case of the ‘Hail Mary’ Celeste: The Case Files of Jack Wenlock, Railway Detective
On the eve of the nationalisation of Britain’s railways in 1947, Jack Wenlock, last of the GWR company detectives, monikered the Railway Goslings, returns to his office where a spirited young woman, Jenny, is waiting to ask for his help in finding her missing aunt. Thus begins a twisting track of a tale that will see them tackle the infamous case of the ‘Hail Mary’ Celeste and its legendary cargo of nuns. Taking everything devious officialdom can throw at them, Jack and Jenny manage to avoid being derailed in their quest to solve this state-shattering case.
Imagine a stew of Agatha Christie, P.G. Wodehouse and a dash of George MacDonald Fraser thrown in, and you begin to approach the sensibility of this fantastical narrative adventure. This is a world where characters talk about the news of a train delay as a relative’s death and where, amazingly, a man can love a woman just as much as a train. Trains, as you would expect, are at the heart of the story, but while there is much to please trainspotting readers, there is plenty more for readers who think of railways simply as a mode of transport.
Set just after the Second World War, Malcolm Pryce’s detective, Jack Wenlock, is a man out of his time; he has an almost Victorian belief in Empire and fair play. His partner in crime solving, Jenny, is a more modern Millie and far more worldly-wise; the two contrast wittily in style. And style is the true delight of this novel. The narrative is framed with excerpts from an old-fashioned Boys’ Own annual, including the hilarious magazine responses to a seemingly murderous junior readership, while minor characters pop up with names like Cadbury Holt and Clerihew Gape. This is a delightfully surreal pleasure.
