Agatha Christie meets Sherlock Holmes in this fantastic mystery ‘whodunnit’ by A.A Milne who has branched away from his well know children’s literature for this one and only mystery novel for adults.

The story focuses on Mr. Gillingham who by nature is a bit of a drifter, and by chance is staying at The George Inn in the next village over from an old friend Bill Beverley who is staying at the Red House. We learn that Mr. Gillingham has tried his hand at many jobs and vocations, and due to his timely arrival at the Red House just as a murder occurs, this time round he is trying his hand at detective work.

A fantastic murder mystery full of the old quintessential English country life, lots of “By Jove” and “I say old chap!” And features scenes almost from a game of Cluedo - with secret passages and hidden rooms. The mystery itself unfolds in a brilliant manner, keeping the reader guessing right up until the last page. With the detective work only Sherlock could be envious of, there was a twist worthy of Agatha Christie at the end. Indeed Gillingham himself refers to himself as Sherlock Holmes, and Bill as ‘his Watson’, there are lots of funny moments in the book where Gillingham / Milne jovially mocks detective fiction, for example this break in the story by Milne to describe the key character in an act of humorous intertextuality:

“He is an important person to this story, so that it is as well we should know something about him before letting him loose in it. Let us stop him at the top of the hill on some excuse, and have a good look at him.”

And this funny quote from Gillingham when he is hypothesizing his ideas to Bill, his very own Watson:

“Properly speaking, I oughtn’t to explain till the last chapter, but I always think that that’s so unfair.”

Overall, a fantastic entertaining and cleverly written whodunnit, which in some places made me sit bolt upright with suspense, and in others made me chuckle to myself in humor. I couldn’t guess the ending and I wanted more after I’d finished it. What a shame that Milne only wrote the one mystery novel - I think he would have been as if not more successful as a mystery writer than as a children’s author.

Like a lot of people I'd only heard of AA Milne in the context of the Winnie the Pooh books. So I decided to give this cosy crime novel a go out of curiosity. It's not unusual to find closed room mysteries set in the 1920s - it's a popular genre - but this one has the advantage of being written by someone around in that time which for me adds to the authenticity.

'The Red House Mystery' centres on the house of the title. The lord and master of the house, Mark, is due a visit from his undesirable brother Robert. The long lost relative arrives, and within a short time has been shot dead and Mark vanished. Into this dramatic scene walks Antony Gillingham, a stranger who has timed his visit rather badly - or well, depending on your perspective. After finding the body, Antony decides to stick around and solve the mystery with the help of his friend and fellow houseguest, Bill.

It's well written, immediately drawing you in. There is plenty of humour and it's well paced. I liked the characters of Antony and Bill, who made a really likeable crime fighting duo. There's enough in the plot to keep you guessing, it's not as fiendishly complex as some, but it works well and I was entertained throughout. I was a bit disappointed that there aren't any sequels in fact.

If you enjoy 'cosy crime' and/or Golden Age detective stories, this should definitely be on your reading list.

I had no idea A.A Milne wrote a mystery. I really enjoyed the experience. I think it was well written and he did a great job keeping the reader guessing

Mark Ablett is sitting down to breakfast with a small group of friends at his home, The Red House, when he learns of the impending arrival of his brother Robert. It soon becomes apparent to the guests that Robert Ablett, a wastrel who has been in Australia for the past 15 years, will not be welcomed with open arms, and an already planned round of golf gives them a welcome escape. So, when Robert arrives, the house is empty, save for Mark, his cousin Matthew Cayley, and several servants. He is shown into the office, and within minutes a shot is heard.

Enter Antony Gillingham, who has come to visit one of the guests, his friend Bill Beverley. Anthony arrives as Cayley is attempting to get into the locked office. When they enter they find Robert dead, and Mark has disappeared. Puzzled by many of the events, Gillingham sets himself up as amateur sleuth, with Beverley as his Watson.

The Red House Mystery is one of the first Golden Age mysteries I remember reading, and it has always remained a favorite of mine. Milne jammed it full of everything that a mystery could need. There is a murder at a country house, it occurs in a locked room, and there’s a smart amateur detective with his very intelligent Watson by his side—what more do you need!

Antony Gillingham is a gentleman of independent means who has decided to “see the world” by observing people “from as many angles as possible.” To do so, he took on everyday jobs such as newspaper reporter, waiter, valet, or shop assistant. Currently in between positions, and on the spot at the time of the murder, he believes he is in a unique position, that of unbiased outsider, and can treat the case with open-minded interest. And so, he comes to take on a new job of amateur sleuth. Bill Beverley is a charmingly eager young gentleman, but not fatuous in any way. While he is quite often impressed by Gillinngham’s sleuthing abilities, he is not one to fawn over his friend. And in working out several of the key issues on his own, he makes an extremely intelligent sleuth in his own right.

Milne writes with humor, filling the story with witty dialogue and satire. And with lines such as when Beverley calls Gillingham a “Silly old ass”, there are even faint whispers of Pooh and his friends that brought a smile to my face. And while Beverley often looks on the investigation as a lark, the older and wiser Gillingham acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, and the probable outcome of their investigation. Through him, Milne also does very well in conveying the darkness of human nature and the crime that has been committed

The only real fault in is the incredibly small group of suspects, which results in an ending which comes as no surprise. But still, this is an immensely satisfying read. What a pity that Milne didn’t write more mysteries. Highly recommend!

A great “classic” locked room mystery with Agatha Christie vibes. Wish he would have written more books like this!I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.