P. M. (Philip Maitland) Hubbard (1910-80)

Gothic Mysteries

The Gothic novel is much older than the detective story, although there has always been an amount of mystery in the genre. P.M. Hubbard did not have a series detective -- in fact he rarely had a detective in the true sense at all, although his protagonists often made deductions -- but his books can be classified as mystery novels with a large admixture of the 'Gothic', always involving greed, passion, and homicide as well as grotesque horror, a tried and true amalgamation that has always been a sub-genre of mystery fiction. His greatest skill was in startling the reader by throwing in a sudden shock in the midst of some clean, straightforward prose (much like LeFanu and Richard Hughes, for example):

Note, as an aside, the narrator's basic indifference to the fate of poor Levinson, but rather an egoistic reaction as to how he was affected -- most of Hubbard's protagonists are basically amoral and self-centered. Another of Hubbard's characteristics is a great skill in describing an outré environment, usually involving an unpleasant landscape with mud, overgrown trees, and rotting smells. In fact, he overdoes that as one will find on a marathon read -- one can only take so much of stinking tidal mud-flats bordered by a sinister wood. And he tends to be depressing; one needs to be in the mood for that.

Hubbard himself had an interesting life: winner of the Newdigate poetry prize at Oxford, member of the Indian Civil Service for many years before independence, contributor to the magazine 'Punch', among other things (never a truck driver or cowhand, though). Definitely one of the best of the mystery writers of the 20th Century.

Although he is not strictly a detective-story writer, Hubbard was admired by critics as varied as Boucher and Barzun, and was lauded by 'mainstream' critics for his wit, clean prose style, and characterization. He counts as a 'Golden Age' author, not for when his books were written, but for when he was born, because he was a contemporary of many of the late classical mystery writers. -- Grobius 10/2003

Bibliography

1. Flush As May (1963) -- A good debut based on the hoary old device of somebody out for a walk discovering a dead body, which then disappears. There is something sinister going on in this English village, built along a prehistoric ley line. Pagan survivals and a conspiracy of silence, as of course one might predict. Nicely done, though, even if so subtly that nothing seems to happen.

2. Picture of Millie * (1964) -- An atypical Hubbard (well-adapted characters with little malice or amorality). The story has the death by drowning at a seaside resort village (middle-class boatsmen) in the West Country of a visiting vampish woman; the men in her life here are well described. Although there is no suspicion of murder, we, as readers, of course know better. The author shows his skill at one-liners (e.g., "There couldn't be any eternal triangle with the Trents. It was more like a perpetual polygon." Also "...he saw Mr Menloe was smiling. The effect was slightly ghastly, as if the Hound of the Baskervilles had suddenly wagged its tail."). Another plus is also his fine descriptive abilities when it comes to landscapes and environment. In this case, for example, an excellent description of an excursion by fishing boat under the cliffs on a fine calm day that to the reader is actually experience. What is also intriguing is how the victim was perceived and regarded differently by the other characters, hence the title. Slow-starting, but an exciting ending, with a scary scene on the cliffs and a real surprise at the end of the book. (Unusually for this author, the protagonist is a police detective, someone we readers would have liked to meet again, who is on vacation.)
   
   
3. A Hive of Glass ** (1965) -- Johnnie Slade, while sybaritic as to sex and food, is an obsessed collector of antique glassware (as are his closest friends). We all know how fanatical collectors behave when they sniff out a new morsel; there is no surprise that this is what happens in this book. With a vengeance. One of the best efforts in the mystery genre on this theme, with many scenes of gruesome violence, evil and obnoxious characters, and unpleasant settings (the seaside 'village' of Grane). The female co-protagonist is an excellent example of another person driven to amoral behavior and egoism (in her case, involving greed, hatred, and a sexual penchant for older men). There is a scene when the hero, while driving the two of them down a dark road at night, hits and kills a deer being chased by a giant hound, and our dear Claudia goes after the dog with the bloody torn-off antler out of sheer wantonness. The ending, in an abandoned mine, is gruesome and exciting. Great book.

4. The Holm Oaks ** (1966) -- Unrelentingly creepy and depressing. There is something that will haunt you forever about the fate of the hero's wife in the dark holm oak copse behind the flat seashore, where she goes at night to hunt the wild nicticorax (a bird that sounds like someone vomiting) with her tape recorder, not knowing that their hostile neighbor has introduced a herd of feral Tamworth pigs, particularly revolting animals, into the wood. The final sentence reads: "I stumbled...along the beach, with the empty gun in my hands, full of a growing consciousness of total and intolerable loss."

5. The Tower (1967) -- Set in a rather backward English village (Coyle), and involving a vicar who is an Anglo-Catholic religious fanatic, his efforts to raise money to save the monstrous bell tower from collapse, local gentry, publicans, etc. There is a nice set-piece involving the October bonfire festival, a pagan survival the vicar has preempted into some sort of medieval saint's festival, at which there is an attempted murder; and a nice bang-up ending, when the tower collapses. Otherwise, with a death but no murder, this is a rather dull book -- all atmosphere with little plot.

6. The Country of Again * (1968) -- This book is set in post-Raj India, and is a great complement to the 'Jewel in the Crown' series: well-recommended although not as a detective story. The contrast between what the English expected of the rule of law back in the 'Golden Age' and what happens now is very effective. No doubt, Hubbard's experience in the Indian Civil Service is reflected in this novel. It involves a visit by an English ex-district-judge who worked there before Independence/Partition (pre-Pakistan), and is caught up in old local politics and modern corporate activity in repurcussions from an old murder that happened during his period of administration. Class differences, new vs old, the vendetta mentality, and a cynical nostalgia -- all are involved (and a nice, subdued inter-cultural love affair).

7. Cold Waters (1969) -- This one is set on a remote island in an unspecified loch in Scotland, with only five people, including the narrator and two women (his employer's wife and a maid), both of whom, this being that sort of Hubbard hero, he sleeps with. The narrator is one of those cynical, depressed, but over-curious types the author does so well. While this does not rank as best Hubbard, it is enjoyable, the menace creeps up (something to do with spies), and the ending is abrupt and violent. Water and isolation are the recurring motif as it so often is with this writer.

8. High Tide * (1970) -- A good little thriller. The hero, Curtis, large and bad-tempered but still a Hubbard sort with an interest in books, sailing, and unusual women, has just come out of prison after serving a sentence for wrongful death (the victim had run over the hero's dog and in a rage Curtis man-handled him a bit, causing a fatal heart attack). He decides to go 'walkabout' by car to the West Country, driving all night, sleeping at inns by day. It turns out he is being followed, and the mysterious and genteel 'Mr Matthews from Surbiton' eventually confronts him and asks what the manslaughter victim had said when he was dying. Curtis doesn't remember, and that seems to be it. But he is curious, and now recalls the words 'high tide at --:--' (same numbers as the license plate on his old car). Decides now to investigate, maybe find profit in what the victim was so urgently trying to get. But of course the villains haven't given up... The book also has a well-described and interesting setting along the cliffy south coast of Devon, and some good single-handed sailing.

9. The Dancing Man ** (1971) -- A novel of obsession, this time archeological: a medievalist vs a prehistorian. It has a wonderful setting in the hills of rural Wales: an isolated house, a ruined Cistercian abbey, and a neolithic ring larger than Avebury, ... and pagan gods and ghosts. Hubbard's most creepy environment to my taste (speaking as an aficionado of the ancient Celts). There is a small but well-presented cast of intelligent characters (most of Hubbard's people are highly intelligent no matter how crooked or messed up they might be), including the village loonie, the mad professor, the sexy wife, and the enigmatic virgin sister whom the protagonist becomes obsessed with. There is also a nice M.R. Jamesian set-piece involving the translation of a 9th Century Latin church edict. And, as usual, an exciting and creepy ending.

10. The Whisper in the Glen * (1972) -- Scottish Highlands setting: a married couple in a rut move from London up to Scotland for the husband to take a job teaching in a rather third-rate boys' school. She becomes obsessed with the local laird, and her dealings with the sinister 'stalker' (gamekeeper), the primitive and hostile Gaelic wife of the headmaster, a gay phys-ed instructor who is an excellent photographer, and various locals. Whisper in the glen refers to the highland bush telegraph -- everybody is so cut off and bored that other people's business is the main interest in life, along with Celtic mores and a feudalistic attitude. The scenery is gorgeous but daunting (steep hills and sudden mists). There are some amusing observations about the Highland folk, Gordonstounish schools, and holiday camps. (The gymnast's comment when he shows her a 'candid' photograph he happened to take of Catriona and her Heathcliff up on the fells: "Cheer up. I expect even Helen of Troy looked pretty silly with her legs in the air.") Chapter 15 has a very well-done adult conversation that is all the more convincing by being conducted over the telephone. There is a quick and violent climax when dark secrets are revealed. Strictly a romance novel with some perceptive and striking moments, but a good job.

11. A Rooted Sorrow (1973) -- The protagonist is an author with writer's block -- depressed (and depressing) and obsessed to near immobility, though he fusses a lot, cleaning dirty dishes immediately after use, etc. He withdraws into his country cottage, which he had fled 'mysteriously' five years before, gets re-involved with the locals and old friends, and behaves rather oddly. A so-called 'novel of suspense' (that catch-all phrase critics use when they can't specify more detail), and pretty dull reading for Hubbard. Gloomy book. Talky too. But there is, at least, a somewhat unexpected ending.

12. A Thirsty Evil (1974) -- A writer becomes obsessed with a very unforthcoming woman; she has two kid siblings (Beth and Charlie) who are monsters of one sort or another. Is one of them evil, or just a lunatic? The creepy events take place in an artificial 18th Century 'folly' pool or lake with a sinister underwater rock spire called The Mole. The countryside is pleasant hill country, with an ancient round barrow as well as the lake, but there is little involvement with the villagers -- this is strictly a small-cast affair. Brooding, as always, and the protagonist works himself into a state of helplessness as often happens in a Hubbard book. A characteristic book by this author, although not outstanding.

13. The Graveyard * (1975) -- Set in the Scottish Highlands, with a very simple plot -- a secret buried on a hillside, sought after by a villain and a pretty young lass with the help of the narrator. The description of the area around the lock with its know-everything inhabitants, the fickle weather of near winter, the gorgeous but treacherous scenery is wonderful. The toilsome business of culling deer herds is portrayed brilliantly so that one becomes fascinated with a nasty occupation. The ending is abrupt and saddening. A good story, if weak on plot.

14. The Causeway * (1976) -- The author is very good when it comes to describing small-boat sailing, as in this book. Protagonist is a farm-machinery salesman in southwest Scotland, who is an enthusiastic sailor. He runs aground on a small off-shore island (with a muddy causeway to the mainland exposed only at low tide) and becomes involved with an eremetical couple with a deep secret. Of course he falls in love with the wife and is terrorized by the taciturn husband. What is the secret on the island? A simple but violent solution reveals all.

15. The Quiet River (1978) -- Was this the last book? It is a rather tired effort that repeats earlier themes (what is it about Hubbard and water?), involving an uncomfortable marriage, the relocation of a London couple to a remote house in the country, a sinister local farmer of the Mellors sort, and some creepy moments amongst mist and flood. This countryside lacks any aspect of the picturesque -- dull, flat, agricultural land somewhere in the Midlands, with an unpleasant river winding through it. As in the better Whisper in the Glen the point-of-view character is the wife. One recurring motif is isolation, both physical and mental. The story is not in a traditional sense a mystery.

16. Kill Claudio (1979) -- Maybe I was wrong, and this is the last book (British edition may have appeared in 1977, though). In any case, this is not much more than an extended novella. Beyond its simple plot, however, it is a fine example of the British hunter-and-hunted theme as exemplified by The Thiry-Nine Steps for example. It involves a pair of ex-spies (or international crooks, take your pick) after an unspecified treasure buried some twenty years before after a shipwreck on the Island of Jersey (or perhaps Guernsey). Very well done and with some nice descriptive prose and nasty moments such as a cat-and-mouse adventure in an empty train. The title refers to "Much Ado about Nothing," in which Beatrice's first request to her new lover Benedick is "Kill Claudio." Here, the amoral hero, a night watchman, is asked by the widow he is attracted to to kill the murderer of her husband.

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