Miscellanous Mystery Short Stories

Many of you will know that I have set myself a short story collection reading challenge this year and this month’s collection is Byomkesh Bakshi (2013) by Saradindu Bandopadhyay (trans. by Monimala Dhar). I have read the collection and will be reviewing it later this month. Since this volume is slimmer than some of the other anthologies I have coming up later this year, I decided January would also be a good month to tackle some of the uncollected short stories I have floating around my TBR pile in one format or another.

Miscellaneous Short Story No. 1: ‘Cockle-Gatherer’ (1958) by Cledwyn Hughes

This story was included as a pamphlet with my review copy of Crimes of Cymru: Classic Mystery Tales of Wales, which I am planning on reading next month. Originally the tale was published in Argosy Magazine.

A mine washing up on shore causes alarm in this short story and the bomb disposal team get more than they bargained for. It is an interesting tale as you are not sure what will happen next or from what source danger or peril might come from. Like many a good short story this one does not outstay its welcome and concludes with a satisfying ending.

Miscellaneous Short Story No. 2: ‘Detective Dora’ by Beryl Bruce

This story appears to come from a larger collection, although there are no indications on the pages as to what collection that might have been. I have tried Googling this short story but to no avail, so I am unsure of the publication date. It is demonstrably written for a younger audience and has an aspirational tone to it. The tale centres on Policewoman Dora Garnet, who has a retired secret service agent for a father. There is no conflict on the home front over Dora’s chosen profession: ‘It’s in her blood, I suppose, he thought to himself. She’s always been a cute ‘un. She ought to make a good detective.’

The story sees Dora being enrolled on the new CID police training course, after a timely rescuing of a stolen dog. The new course is being run according to Dora because ‘the authorities say they’ve got to have a force of women detectives. It’s all this increase in female and juvenile delinquency, and, after all, Daddy, a woman should know a bit about the mind-workings of her own sex and those of children.’ It would be interesting to find out when the story was published as I am curious if current events were influencing it. That said the story has strong Famous Five-esque vibes and as such creates some nativity and unrealism. Dora is supposed to be a grown woman who is part of the police force, and she ultimately goes undercover for her job. Yet the way she is portrayed and the way she is perceived makes her sound like a child going on a grand adventure.

The big case Dora is sent to solve concerns stolen manuscripts from a country home whose library is open to members of the public such as a local girl’s school. The plan is to lie in wait and see if the thief strikes again. Dora is naturally disguised as one of the students and experiences some doubt about her capabilities from the library owner. Inevitability this only ‘put[s] the girl on her mettle. She felt that the reputation of the women’s branch of Scotland Yard’s C. I. D. was – at least as far as the “Readers” household were concerned – in her keeping.’ Note the use of the word ‘girl’, despite the fact she must be an adult to be in the police.

In keeping with vintage juvenile mystery fiction, the denouement is full of action including a dramatic chase and near-death experiences, which never come to pass. Dora naturally saves the day.

So, if you do have any information concerning ‘Detective Dora’ and her creator do let me know.