Death Makes a Prophet

John Bude

Jan 2018 · Sourcebooks, Inc.

About this ebook

Mystery crime fiction written in the Golden Age of Murder

"The 'stranger in a strange land' premise works really well in this revived mystery...Bude infuses the tale with comic commentary throughout." —Booklist

'Small hostilities were growing; vague jealousies were gaining strength; and far off, wasn't there a nebulous hint of approaching tragedy in the air?'

Welworth Garden City in the 1940s is a forward-thinking town where free spirits find a home—vegetarians, socialists, and an array of exotic religious groups. Chief among these are the Children of Osiris, led by the eccentric High Prophet, Eustace K. Mildmann. The cult is a seething hotbed of petty resentment, jealousy and dark secrets—which eventually lead to murder. The stage is set for one of Inspector Meredith's most bizarre and exacting cases.

This witty crime novel by a writer on top form is a neglected classic of British crime fiction.

Ratings and reviews

I've read a few John Bude crime mysteries, but this was the first one in which I had absolutely no idea right until the end who the murderer was! A jolly good romp! Note that certain expressions used by the characters might be perceived as racist now, but those expressions were of their time and these books are certainly old fashioned. My main criticism is that, given that the first half the book is dedicated to getting to know the characters of the cult, I wish there had been more of an ending, expla

About the author

JOHN BUDE was the pseudonym of Ernest Elmore (1901–1957), an author of the golden age of crime fiction. Elmore was a cofounder of the Crime Writers' Association, and worked in the theatre as a producer and director.