Maxwell's House

by M. J. Trow Narrated by Peter Wickham

Overview

The derelict house on the edge of the sleepy seaside town was a haven for courting couples, down-and-outs - and someone with altogether more sinister intentions. It was there that they found the corpse of 17-year-old Jenny Hyde. She'd been strangled. Peter "Mad Max" Maxwell didn't have to become involved at all. But one of his pupils had been murdered and Maxwell took it personally. However, his efforts to discover the truth about Jenny's death land the genial Head of Sixth in deeper trouble than he could ever have thought possible.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A deeply cynical view of modern British schools informs this absorbing series launch, which pits a teacher who prides himself on his eccentricity against a killer, the police and the educational establishment. After 17-year-old Jennifer Hyde is found dead, ostensibly after being raped, in a deserted building called the Red House near Birmingham, the police, led by ambitious Chief Inspector Henry Hall, mobilize their resources. But one of her teachers, Peter Maxwell-aka Mad Max to his students and some of his colleagues-feels responsibility for her fate and decides to investigate, questioning police effectiveness and dedication. His probing brings on deep trouble, as his interest is interpreted as possible guilt or prurience. Another death digs the pit deeper. Trow, author of the Inspector Lestrade crime novels, serves up clever, biting commentaries on modern life and introduces, in Maxwell, a compelling, literate protagonist who quixotically battles the bureaucratic degradation of all he holds dear. (July)

JULY 2017 - AudioFile

Narrator Peter Wickham deftly introduces teacher/curmudgeon/movie buff Peter (“Mad Max”) Maxwell and his first foray into crime solving. In this 1994 title, Maxwell is upset when one of his students is brutally murdered, and he decides to mount his own investigation. The words of incredulous teachers and classmates are convincingly rendered, as are Maxwell’s gruff but compassionate asides, movie quotes, and impersonations. Most entertaining is the feisty Dodd family of criminals, who contradict each other when being questioned by the police, and a drunk neighbor of Maxwell, who makes unguarded comments about him. Wickham also excels in depicting Chief Inspector Henry Hall, Maxwell's first fight in 25 years, and his experience in jail when he himself becomes the murder suspect. Listeners will be moved by the unsettling conclusion and the murderer's disturbing confession. S.G.B. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940177261423
Publisher:	Soundings, Limited
Publication date:	07/01/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

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