The British Library is steadily re-releasing the catalog of E. C. R. Lorac, title by title. Edith Caroline Rivett (1894–1958) published more than 70 mysteries under the names E. C. R. Lorac and Carol Carnac. Nearly all of the Lorac titles, about 45 of them, feature Chief Inspector Robert Macdonald, a Scot on the London police force.

The latest Macdonald from the British Library is Post After Post-Mortem, first published by Collins in 1936 and scheduled for release in the British Library Crime Classics series on 7 Feb 2023. On its website the British Library says “This story is one of Lorac’s rarest novels, out of print since its first publication and commanding four-figure prices in the rare books market.”

The eleventh appearance of Macdonald, this book is a big improvement over the last Lorac I read, which wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t remarkably plotted. I can’t say that about Post After Post-Mortem, it’s as complex as one could ask for. And, as Martin Edwards says in his instructive introduction, the reader sees more personal information about Macdonald than usual.

The Surrays are a close-knit family whose grown children are notably successful in their chosen professions. They gather at their country home in Oxfordshire to celebrate the birthday of Mrs. Surray at the beginning of the book, where we get a profile of each of the five children. A week later daughter Ruth, the well-known author, found dead in her bed with a bottle of sleeping tablets nearby, an apparent suicide.

The mandatory post-mortem issues the expected verdict. A few days later one of her brothers receives evidence that makes him question if his sister really did kill herself. He reviews the new information with Inspector Macdonald, who advises him the coroner’s ruling should be re-visited. In due course Macdonald undertakes the official investigation.

Nothing is straightforward about his inquiry, and the safety of the entire Surray family is threatened at one point. The killer and the motive surprised me, although the clues are neatly placed throughout. Suspects include a publisher, another author, and a famous explorer whom Ruth had been seeing. Interestingly enough, in a departure from the books I’ve read, Macdonald took an immediate dislike to the explorer and his antipathy shows in their interactions. I cannot remember a case in which Macdonald’s feelings come into play so clearly.

Lorac had an artist’s eye for nature. Every book shows her love of the countryside. Here it is present in the lavish descriptions of the country house and its gardens, in full bloom at the height of the summer. They are almost photographic in their exquisite detail.

This may be my favorite Lorac story out of the several I have read so far.

Booklist starred review.