Excellent Intentions (British Library Crime Classics)

Excellent Intentions (British Library Crime Classics) | Richard Hull

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While I have read several of my Bingo books this week, this was my actual #BookSpin. The story opens with an accused murderer on trial - but the reader doesn't know who it is. The author wends back and forth between the courtroom and the events leading up to the murder, all without telling us who has been accused until the very end. It was a little slow to get into, and it did drag in places (an entire chapter of the jury debating at the end ⬇️

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) for instance felt clunky), but overall this was an interesting read with a fun set-up. It was originally published in 1938 and follows the then-popular method of making the murder victim as unlikable as possible. This book explores a little the idea of whether killing someone like this is a “public service“ - i.e. is murder okay if you have excellent intentions? 4y

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shanaqui

Excellent Intentions (British Library Crime Classics) | Richard Hull

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I think the format got a bit confused at times, but it was an interesting choice and it mostly worked out!

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deirdrebeecher

Excellent Intentions (British Library Crime Classics) | Richard Hull

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I love a bit of golden age British crime. Richard Hull is a new find for me and I am enjoying him a lot. Clever and well written his books were very original at the time. This one interweaves a trial with the investigation. What's more his investigator is an ordinary hardworking policeman, not an aristocratic dabbler or a gentleman detective with a private income. 90% holds its own with modern books. 10% let down by sentimental ending.

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