Green for Danger by Christianna Brand
I have a well read Penguin paperback edition of this novel by Christianna Brand. My copy was printed in 1967, but the novel was first published in 1945 and it is set during World War Two.
The Mystery opens with Joseph Higgins postman begrudgingly going out of his way to deliver a small handful of letters to Heron's Park, Now home to a military hospital.
We are introduced to the main characters through the letters Higgins is carrying...
"A nice linen envelope and a Harley street postmark"...introduces Gervase Eden a Harley street Doctor. An Ugly, but yet attractive man with a magnetic attraction for the opposite sex. "for the thousandth time he looked at himself in the mirror , looked at his ugly face and greying hair, at his thin restless hands- and wondered what on earth women saw in him, and wished they wouldn't. He rang the bell for his pretty little secretary and asked her to post the letter. She immediately burst into tears at the thought of his going, and after all it was only common charity to spend a few minutes in comforting the poor soul"
The next character introduced in this way is the writer of the second letter.."A huge, square envelope, covered with a huge, square handwriting...vigorous, generous, splashed across all the available space.." S he is Jane Woods, "Woody" Woody is on her way to be a VAD at Herons Park. (The main role of a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) member in the first World War was that of nursing orderly in hospitals by World War Two they also received some medical training)
Other Characters introduced in this way are
Esther Sanson.. "a girlish hand, sloping downwards a little at the end of each line,"
Dr Barnes, Mr Moon..."The crabbed old fist of Mr.Moon who had been surgeon in Heronsford as long as one could remember.."
"Two more letters both from women" Frederica Linley "One very neat and correct, a pretty round hand, a pretty grey-blue notepaper" and Last but not least Sister Bates "a cheap white envelope,....the handwriting sputtering across the paper, uncertain and ill at ease.".
The first chapter ends with the memorable statement.."Seven letters,......Higgins shuffled the envelopes together impatiently, and wrapped them round with a piece of grubby tape and thrust them into his pocket, plodding on,wheeling his bicycle up the hill. He could not know that just a year later, one of the writers would die, self-confessed a murderer"
I really enjoyed this mystery, Christianna Brands experience of life in a military hospital during World war lends an authentic feeling to the story, it's well written and kept my interest and attention. An enjoyable and satisfying read.
There is a film of the book available that stars a favourite actor of mine Alastair Sim ..it's well worth watching if you haven't seen it before!
