Dean Street Press, that champion of forgotten authors, has undertaken to reprint the entire set of Antony Maitland courtroom mysteries, all 48 of them. This series has unaccountably remained out of print for an unconscionable length of time. Written by Sara Woods (1922–1985), an English author who began writing after she moved to Canada, using her experience as a solicitor’s clerk as background. The main character is Antony Maitland, a barrister in his early thirties when the series opens. His wartime experience was in intelligence operations and he carried the investigative abilities he developed then into his legal career. His wife Jenny is quiet and supportive of Antony’s fits and starts, serving as a steadying influence. Antony works in his uncle’s chambers, i.e., law firm, and he and Jenny live on the top two floors of his uncle’s house, which means they often talk shop at all hours. His uncle Sir Nicholas Harding is a formidable presence in the courtroom but he’s reduced to jelly by his tyrannical butler and cook. Sir Nicholas may be my favorite character of the lot.
DSP released the first five titles of the series this week. I am looking forward to acquiring copies of the books that are not battered and worn, which mine mostly are. DSP is using the same cover art for each volume, only changing the color of the background. I have to wonder what colors they will use for 48 books; I am not sure Crayola has enough. An introduction by crime fiction historian Curtis Evans provides a comprehensive biography of Woods and a review of her place among the crime writers of the 1960s, a transitional period, he points out.
The first book in the series Bloody Instructions (Collins Crime Club, 1962; Harper & Row, 1963) introduces the three main characters, along with others who will become important as the series progresses. Antony is in the law offices of Mr. James Winter to pick up an affidavit when Mr. Winter is found with a knife in his back. Many clients had been in and out that afternoon but suspicion fastened quickly on Joseph Dowling, the impressive stage actor who was currently starring to great acclaim in a production of Macbeth. Winter was representing Mrs. Dowling in a divorce action and Dowling had improperly stopped by her solicitor’s office that afternoon to protest. The police collected enough evidence to bring a case against Dowling and Sir Nicholas agrees to defend him.
This first courtroom mystery sets the pattern for those that would follow. U.S. readers will find the English legal system somewhat confusing, but the basic plot of contradictory identification of a man leaving Winters’ office by a private entrance is plain enough. Antony is more intuitive than most and he sees connections between apparently unrelated details which takes him to conclusions not considered by the police. Readers who enjoy courtroom banter will especially appreciate the zingers exchanged between opposing counsel here. Later books vary in quality of plot, to be expected in a series of this length, and Woods became overly preoccupied with the idea of an organized crime kingpin, but mostly the storylines are original and well thought out, and the characters remain well-defined and interesting. One of my favorite series in a lifetime of reading crime fiction. Highly recommended!
Can’t thank you enough for this marvellous review for the first of our new issues. “One of my favourite series” – high praise indeed, coming from you!
Oh but it’s only the truth. One of the few series that survived when I culled the books to relocate.
This is exciting. I loved that series.
I did too. I don’t think I ever managed to find copies of all of them.
“I have to wonder what colors they will use for 48 books; I am not sure Crayola has enough.”
It will have to be one of those big double row boxes with the craton sharpener.
I’m glad you are some who fondly remembers the series. The books haven’t been in print for over 35 years so I guess one has to be, ahem, of a certain age to remember them. I’m still in my fifties and remember buying her books at used bookstores and still finding in libraries. As you will know Jacques Barzun was a big admirer.
I considered the big box of 64 crayons and decided some of the colors are so close as to be difficult to distinguish clearly (blue violet and violet blue, for instance) and some of the darker colors will not provide enough contrast to show the line art. DSP may have to repeat colors when they get to the later volumes. We will see.
My hometown library tended to hold on to books for a long time. I do not think that I discovered the series while it was still actively being produced. I was always searching for titles I had not read; certainly I could not read them in order.
Woods had a huge fan base during her life. It is amazing to me that she fell off the public’s radar so quickly.
I haven’t seen one of those crayons boxes in years. I remember we always used to try out all the “weird” colors lol. Anyone for burnt umber?
Margaret Erskine is another one I wanted to reprint, but has been more difficult. Sara Woods should keep us busy for a few years though.
Oh reprinting Sara Woods is an ambitious undertaking. I have decided to find the mysteries she wrote under other names.