The Moving Toyshop by Edmund Crispin

The Moving Toyshop (Gervase Fen Mystery, #2)

by Edmund Crispin

It is late at night when poet Cadogan stumbles on the dead body of an old lady in an Oxford toyshop. The following morning, the toyshop has vanished and in its place is a grocery store. Nobody, not even the police, seem surprised.

Reviewed by Cameron Trost on

3 of 5 stars

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The Moving Toyshop is a romp of a read with fun characters. The protagonist is aware that he is a character in a book and even helps the author think up titles. There is plenty of witty and unrealistic dialogue and action galore at the end. The main drawback is that the mystery element of the book is less successful than the overall setting, interplay between characters, and literary shenanigans. The culprit is an unsurprising choice and the resolution rather unconvincing. Recommended for the mystery fan who's in the mood for a lighthearted detective adventure, or for readers who aren't into mysteries but looking for an old-fashioned parody, the kind you might have seen at theatres in the 30s or 40s.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 18 December, 2019: Finished reading
  • 18 December, 2019: Reviewed