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A review by shanaqui
The Ha Ha Case by J.J. Connington
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
J.J. Connington's The Ha-Ha Case is a fairly run-of-the-mill mystery for the period, in many ways, but it relies on an interesting little quirk of inheritance law that I'd never seen before. "Borough English" is an inheritance law whereby the youngest child inherits, and it's part of the mystery that the story revolves around, adding to the thicket of red herrings and complicating one's intuitions. It sets up a neat little puzzle, and there's a neat little trick to draw you astray as well.
It's not really a fair-play mystery, in some ways, but I think that made it a better story... and I think a thoughtful reader can get there anyway. It's more interesting as a puzzle than for any great insight into character, for all that the police detective is vividly evoked (with all his faults, including total self-absorption).
If you're interested in mysteries of this period, then it's a fun one; if you read mysteries of this period now and again for the soothing predictability, this one isn't a stand-out in the bunch, but a solid choice. If you lack any special interest at all and are just a bit curious, it's not where I'd start you out, but it wouldn't be a terrible choice either. All in all, it's pretty middle-of-the-road. I won't say no to trying a couple more by Connington.
It's not really a fair-play mystery, in some ways, but I think that made it a better story... and I think a thoughtful reader can get there anyway. It's more interesting as a puzzle than for any great insight into character, for all that the police detective is vividly evoked (with all his faults, including total self-absorption).
If you're interested in mysteries of this period, then it's a fun one; if you read mysteries of this period now and again for the soothing predictability, this one isn't a stand-out in the bunch, but a solid choice. If you lack any special interest at all and are just a bit curious, it's not where I'd start you out, but it wouldn't be a terrible choice either. All in all, it's pretty middle-of-the-road. I won't say no to trying a couple more by Connington.