The Moquette Mystery
‘Moquette’ is the fabric used on the seats of buses and trains. In August 1938, Detective Sergeant Price enters the Soft Furnishings Department of Quarmby & Bates, in Tottenham Court Road, and shows assistant May Mitton a sample of moquettte that has been sent to Scotland Yard with a note saying that it is a clue to a ‘forthcoming murder’
May knows that most moquette is produced in her hometown of Halifax and persuades the sergeant to let her take a sample of the cloth on her upcoming visit to try to identify its origin and use.
When railway artist Rex Brandon is shot dead, he is presumed to be the victim referred to, leading May to delve into the London art scene. She meets journalist Tom Crosby, who could be her saviour or the murderer. Her hunt takes her to Halifax, the Isle of Wight and Oxford. Twice she faces guns. But even if she identifies the source, how will it lead to the killer?
If moquette sounds like a dull subject for a murder mystery, it is not. The story is intriguing with twists and turns throughout to keep the reader alert. The characters are all plausible, even those with walk-on parts, and May is particularly attractive. The pre-war locations are carefully described. I particularly liked the evocation of old-fashioned department stores. Public transport is pivotal: buses, trains, Underground and trams. The story will appeal to a range of readers but mainly to lovers of murder mysteries.
From time-to-time we all come into contact with moquette, but few of us notice it. Martin has written a book, The Seats of London, on the subject. This novel may not be great literature, but it is great fun. Recommended.
