“Last Act In Bermuda”: 1940 Murder Mystery
Think of it as the mid-Atlantic answer to one of Agatha Christie’s English country house murder mysteries — David Burnham’s 1940 novel ”Last Act in Bermuda” features an unexpected killing in an isolated location with a limited number of suspects.
Introducing intrepid sleuth Inspector Steve Hamilton of the Bermuda Police Department, the book has been described as a good example of the Golden Age mystery novel genre — “better than good, as a matter of fact.”
” The socialites had their world and a certain segment of the reading population liked their detective fiction to take place in that world — not that they were part of that world, but that they enjoyed the opportunity to take a peek into that world and [perhaps] to see segments of that society broken down just a little,” said a critic at the Mysteryfile.com blog. ” … That’s the kind of mystery this one is. And since the youngish Inspector Hamilton’s kid sister Joan is romantically involved with the owner of the estate on the island just off Bermuda, he’s also there johnny-on-the-spot before the crime of murder is committed.”
After the murder takes place, the suspects include a young actor and actress; a man-about-town and his wife; a famous director’s wife and a renowned female artist.
The Mysterfile reviewer continued: “Besides being involved with the host, Tony Bound –not to Inspector Hamilton’s pleasure — his sister Joan also plays Dr. Watson to his Sherlock Holmes as she amusingly discovers that a murder investigation is something very much to her liking: eavesdropping in on the questioning of the suspects, making timetables, and all of the other accouterments and other apparatus of solving a crime.
“The detective work in this book, I thought, was excellent.”
Although the ending of “Last Act In Bermuda” hints at a pending sequel, this was the only novel by author David Burnham [1907-1974] which was set on the island.
The writer was born in Chicago and educated at Princeton University, where he was involved with its celebrated choral group, the Triangle Club.
Mr. Burnham’s other books include ”This Our Exile” [ 1931], “Wedding Song” ['1934] and “Winter in the Sun” [1937] and he was also a contributor to such magazines as “The Saturday Evening Post.”
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Just to let the world know that this book is not actually available. It was written in 1940 and doesn’t seem to be available from any sources that I can find. It does look interesting and I would love to borrow it as whoever wrote this review obviously has the only copy!
Thank you for your feedback, Bermuda Bookstore. It’s hard — but not impossible — to track down second hand copies of “Last Act In Bermuda.”
David Burham’s Bermuda mystery can actually be ordered through any number of on-line vendors.
Check http://www.alibris.co.uk/books, they had a few copies for sales from £20 upwards.
Carole is correct. Copies are available on Alibris from £32 upwards