When a blaze destroys Little Thatch and its tenant, Nicholas Vaughn, perishes in the blaze, it is ruled that the cause of death is an accident. But his friend, who recommended the property to Nicholas Vaughn for a lease, is not quite satisfied. Did Vaughn die due to an accidental fire, or was there some foul play? In comes Chief Inspector Robert MacDonald of Scotland Yard to make further inquiries into the matter and to find the real truth behind his death.
Like most of the mysteries in the series, Fire in the Thatch is also a good mystery. The plot, although it looks simple in the beginning, slowly becomes intricate with the appearance of more clues and characters. There is a considerable amount of ambiguity in the clues set out and a deliberate forcing of some red herrings to send the readers off track. The real criminal, as it turned out to be, was given so little prominence throughout the story that apart from few appearances, he was almost made oblique. Only towards the end, when the entangled threads were loosened, could we see the light of him and understand the true nature of his character. I felt this was to be a bit of unfair play. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the mystery and generally thought it to be one of the clever plots in the series. Since the ending was satisfactory, I could somewhat overlook my disappointment with an easy conscience.
As I’ve always observed, the enjoyment of Lorac’s mysteries is not confined to the murder-mystery alone. The setting and the atmosphere also equally contribute to the overall enjoyment of the story. Here, too, Lorac doesn’t miss her rhythm and aptly takes us into the beautiful countryside and a farming community in Devonshire. With her vivid description, she craftily transports the readers to the surrounding setting of the mystery. I also liked her neutral descriptions of the characters with whom we are called to be acquainted. It helped to form our own opinion of them without being prejudiced by the author’s account.
The Chief Inspector, Robert MacDonald, shines again with his analytical power and his meticulous attention to detail. I’ve always liked him and his methods of work, and it was unaltered here. Except for a few repetitive inquiries, which my impatient self thought to be unnecessary, I had no complaint against him and was much impressed by his efforts and methods at apprehending the criminal.
Overall, I enjoyed this murder-mystery. It is difficult not to, for Lorac’s writing is, as always, so good.
Rating: 4/5
