Simon Nash was the pseudonym used by Raymond Chapman (1924-2013), Professor of English at London University and an Anglican priest. He published five mysteries with Adam Ludlow, also a Professor of English at London University, as an amateur detective who works with Inspector Montero of Scotland Yard. All five books were originally released by Geoffrey Bles between 1962 and 1966 in a brief productive burst and published by Harper Row in 1985 for U.S. readers. For more information about Chapman, see his page on the Golden Age Detection Wiki, http://gadetection.pbworks.com/w/page/51351388/Nash%2C%20Simon.
The second book in the series is Killed by Scandal (1962). It was republished by Garland in 1983 as one of the Fifty Classics of Crime Fiction 1950-75. Ludlow is dragooned by a colleague to deliver a short lecture to an amateur theatre group in Haleham Green, a village on the outskirts of London. The troupe is preparing to present the classic 18th century comedy of manners The School for Scandal by Richard Brinsley Sheridan and decided they would like to know more about the play and its author.
Ludlow finds considerable conflict within the company which did not create the teamwork necessary for a successful dramatic production. The director has professional credentials and he is despondent over the rank amateurs he is trying to shape into competent actors. The actors and the sole stagehand resent his continuous stream of criticism. The real-life father and daughter in the play are at odds due to her engagement to another member of the cast whom the father dislikes. The fiancé and the father exchange barbs and no one else keeps their thoughts to themselves so acrimonious jabs are frequent.
After his brief talk Ludlow is pressured to attend the dress rehearsal scheduled for a few days later. He returns reluctantly and does not find the players any happier with each other. However, they stumble through the dialog and at the climactic point of the drama, the most troublesome member of the company is found dead on stage. Nearly everyone had quarreled with the victim, and most could not provide a witness as to their whereabouts during the critical time.
The intricate investigation required careful plotting, as it consists largely of tracing the movements of every person present. According to initial statements, no one could have committed the murder and for a time the police actually wondered if an unknown killer had managed to enter the building unseen.
Ludlow is a sardonic and self-absorbed character, but often more perceptive about the people around him than appearances suggest. Montero appreciates his insights into the various personalities and treats him as an equal. Ludlow has several scenes in his university setting which makes this well-written traditional mystery especially appealing to admirers of academic mysteries as well as to fans of theatrical mysteries. Recommended.