Hamlet, Revenge! (1937)

Hamlet, Revenge! is a 1937 detective novel by Michael Innes (the pen name of J.I.M. Stewart), his second novel. It centres on the investigation into the murder of the Lord Chancellor of England during an amateur production of Shakespeare's Hamlet, in which he plays Polonius, and other crimes which follow at the seat of the Duke of Horton, Scamnum Court.

Synopsis

Inspector John Appleby is called by the Government to investigate the fatal shooting of Lord Auldearn, theologian and Lord Chancellor of England during a private production of Hamlet at Scamnum Court.

Themes

Quotes from Shakespeare set an ominous tone for the novel and are used as death threats to the Lord Chancellor and to open each part. Also the book repeatedly mentions the gothic features of the estate.

Structure

The book is split into four parts; Prologue, Development, Denouement and Epilogue.

Prologue

The guests begin to arrive at the magnificent Scamnum Court as their hosts make the final preparations. However here is perhaps a slight apprehension from some of those involved, which soon seems to be warranted when one of the actors is killed by an unknown assassin.

Reception

The Times Literary Supplement said: "Michael Innes is in a class by himself among writers of detective fiction". In 1990 it was placed at number 68 by the Crime Writers' Association in its Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time.