Recently, scouting the periodicals of the British Library for stories lest I undertake a second Ye Olde Book of Locked Room Conundrums, I found a small pamphlet entitled ‘Everythynge I Know About Detectyve Fiction’ which appears to have been self-published in a single volume around 1925 in an act of vanity by the author Captain Sir Hugh J. Lee Boryng-Payne Q.C. A.B.V. (certainly, on taking it to the desk, it didn’t appear to be on the library’s catalogue, so you may search for it online in vain…).
A brief consultation of its pages shows Boryng-Payne to be something of a self-styled expert on the emerging GAD field, and I wanted to share with you his perspectives on the writing of such novels, especially with regard to the creation of the amateur sleuth archetype that was beginning to emerge as central to the genre. I’ll skip the opening eight-page tirade entitled ‘Why I Should Be Free To Hunt Foxes and Servants Wherever I Bally-Well Like’ (it doesn’t have any bearing on the remaining manuscript, and makes an unusual prologue) and start a the point — mid-sentence — where he suddenly seems to remember his chosen topic…
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Wow. I would give my right arm for a copy of this delightful tome!
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I think you must have read a revised reprint of this tome. Either that or he was psychic, writing about the imposition of Hitler in 1925…
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He does seem a remarkably far-sighted man in many regards…
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Ha.
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haha great “find” JJ! Not sure how Captain Sir Hugh J. Lee Boryng-Payne would have coped with the changes the 1930s made upon mystery fiction – got to admit still chuckling about this bit: ‘so don’t make him too complex or expect him to — heaven help us — “grow” (he is not a plant)’
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“Wimmin detectives, eh? Don’t like it, don’t like it one little bit…”
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Now I know where John Rhode got his ideas! 😉
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😀
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Though the original manuscript is indeed hard to track down, there are a few contemporary reviews of this:
“Jolly sound on hunting and servants (the harder you beat ’em, the more they respect you, that’s what I say). Don’t approve of detectives though. Sniffing about the place, digging up the flowerbeds, looking sideways at a chap just because his aunt, uncle, second cousin and nosy swine of a butler have all been rather unlucky with their salmon mousse supplier, within a fortnight. Just read the first bit, that’s what I say and use the rest to swat the maids.”
Sir Lee Grayte-Broot, Bart. (Parkhurst Literary Quarterly)
“Captain Sir Hugh J. Lee Boryng-Payne’s wonderful treatise changed my life and cured my eczema. Highly recommended. In fact, buy three, in case of fire.”
Captain Sir Completely-Anonymous-Chap (letters to the Times, the Spectator, Vanity Fair etc)
“While there is much to admire in the Captain’s little pamphlet, especially as regards women (god bless ’em) and as regards infallibility (I myself have refused to be wrong ever since 1892 – if the evidence contradicts you, find more agreeable evidence, that’s what I say ) I do have to take exception to one small point (it’s contractual). I myself have presided over three separate police line-ups with inadvertent chickens and believe me, it’s ruddy hard to spot ’em. Vicious beaks, you know and beady little eyes.”
Lord U. Reilly Juan Twopunch-M’lightsout (literary critic for The Wafflers Club and gentleman sleuth: twenty three cases solved, two without lawsuits pending)
I really hope you dig up some more on this distressingly overlooked authority.
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I am so glad that there’s a contemporary record of this curing someone else’e eczema — I thought it was just a coincidence.
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It restores lost ‘Joie de Vivre’ in 78% of cases, doubled your pep and turns any given frown upside down. Also, good for scrofula.
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Wow – this is such an impressive find JJ! In fact, it’s so intriguing that I am undertaking great personal expense to travel to England so I can read the original copy that you cite. I’ll let you know how it goes!
This list does remind me of a recent feeling that came over me. Having read several Queen novels (taking place in New York), a Helen McCloy (again, New York), JDC’s Poison in Jest (Pennsylvania), and several Paul Halter novels (taking place in a fairy tale vision of England), I had a pressing desire. I wanted a British country house mystery and nothing else would do.
1. It must be set in England.
2. It must take place on a massive estate.
3. Related to #2, it must be populated with the upper crust. Servants may naturally grace the pages, but they’d better not get too involved with the actual plot.
4. Related to #1, it would be preferable if there is a fair amount of fog or rain.
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Well, Ben, since you ask so nicely I’ll let you in on a secret — the second chapter of this pamphlet deals with the settngs of GAD novels, and I was considering transcribing that for next week’s post.
Also, on account of this not actually being on the BL’s catalogue, I may have — hurrum, entirely accidentally, you understand — sort of walked out with it.
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