Well-Schooled in Murder
Encyclopedia
Well-Schooled in Murder is a crime novel
by Elizabeth George
first published in 1990
. Set in the late 1980s at an elite
public school
in the South of England founded in 1489, the book, which is a mystery novel in the tradition of the whodunnit, revolves around the strict yet unwritten code of behaviour prevalent at independent schools which says that under no circumstances must pupils ever tell on their schoolmates, no matter what they have done. Accordingly, when a 13 year-old boy goes missing one Friday afternoon and two days later is found dead in a churchyard
an hour's drive away, Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, both of the Criminal Investigation Department
of New Scotland Yard
, are up against a wall of silence as none of the 600 pupils of Bredgar Chambers School seems to be willing to co-operate with the police and communicate what they know.
in West Sussex
.
They find a letter from Matthew to Jeannie Bonnamy, a daughter of Colonel Bonnamy. Matthew has visited them three days before his death to dine and play chess
with the colonel. When Jeannie brought Matthew back to school, they saw 6th form student Chas Quilter in a school minibus
, returning from a visit to Cecilia Feld, a girl in Stoke Poges. Chas didn't want anyone to find out about his relationship with Cecilia, and the fact that he was the father of Cecilia's child, which has Apert syndrome
. Cecilia herself was transferred from Bredgar Chambers to another school when she was pregnant.
Chemistry teacher Emilia Bond tried to burn child pornography
photos that belonged to John Corntel; she was in love with Corntel, but found out he was collecting those photos. This explains why Corntel didn't patrol in spite of being duty master. That same evening 6th grader Clive Pritchard nabbed Matthew Whateley to torture him, because Matthew had made a tape recording of Clive bullying schoolboy Harry Morant. When Clive found Matthew dead he felt responsible, unaware that the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning
.
During the investigation there's an attempt to kill Jeannie Bonnamy with a rake. Chas Quilter hangs himself.
The investigators find out that Matthew's biological parents were Mrs Pamela Byrne and Edward Hsu, a Chinese former pupil at Bredgar Hall who killed himself after this scandal. Giles Byrne felt financially responsible for the child of his late wife. As a board member he obtained a scholarship
for Matthew at Bredgar Chambers. Giles' 18 year old son Brian turns out to be the culprit. He killed his half-brother in the fume cupboard
in the chemistry lab. He then transported the body to Stoke Poges in the school minibus Chas Quilter was driving. His motive was to win Chas Quilter's lifetime loyalty. Brian also tried to kill Jeannie Bonnamy for the same reason. Brian Byrne and Clive Pritchard are arrested.
In a subplot
Barbara Havers visits her demented mother, and finds her father dead. Another theme is Lynley's aristocratic
descent (he is sometimes referred to as "Lord Asherton")—shown through his working relationship with his working class
colleague Barbara Havers from Acton
and his unrequited love for Lady Helen Clyde.
wrote: "Ms. George has crafted a fine and powerful novel sure to delight readers in the mood for a thought-provoking, hard-hitting mystery."
People wrote: "Like P. D. James
, George knows the import of the smallest human gesture; Well-Schooled in Murder puts the younger author clearly in the running with the genre's master.
Chicago Tribune
: "George is a master[...] An outstanding practicioner of the modern English mystery."
Los Angeles Times
: "A spectacular new voice in mystery writing."
Daily News (New York): "A compelling whodunnit[...] A reader's delight."
Well-Schooled in Murder was awarded the MIMI, a German prize for suspense fiction.
. Several changes were made to the plot. Matthew's biological mother is Patsy Whateley instead of Pamela Byrne. Corntel is gay but doesn't actually collect child porn. Deborah and Simon St James are omitted. So is Cecilia Feld, and there's no mention of Chas Quilter having a child. Lorry driver Barry Summers is a new suspect.
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
by Elizabeth George
Elizabeth George
Susan Elizabeth George is an American author of mystery novels set in Great Britain.Eleven of her novels featuring her lead character Inspector Lynley have been adapted for television by the BBC as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.-Biography:George was born in Warren, Ohio to Robert Edwin and Anne ...
first published in 1990
1990 in literature
The year 1990 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*J. K. Rowling gets the idea for Harry Potter while on a train ride from Manchester to London. She says "I was staring out the window, and the idea for Harry just came. He appeared in my mind's eye, very fully formed...
. Set in the late 1980s at an elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
public school
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
in the South of England founded in 1489, the book, which is a mystery novel in the tradition of the whodunnit, revolves around the strict yet unwritten code of behaviour prevalent at independent schools which says that under no circumstances must pupils ever tell on their schoolmates, no matter what they have done. Accordingly, when a 13 year-old boy goes missing one Friday afternoon and two days later is found dead in a churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
an hour's drive away, Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley and his partner, Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers, both of the Criminal Investigation Department
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
of New Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
, are up against a wall of silence as none of the 600 pupils of Bredgar Chambers School seems to be willing to co-operate with the police and communicate what they know.
Characters
- DI Thomas Lynley
- DS Barbara HaversBarbara HaversBarbara Havers is a fictional detective in The Inspector Lynley series created by American mystery author Elizabeth George. The character of Detective Sergeant Havers serves as a sidekick and foil to the lead character, Detective Inspector Thomas Lynley of Scotland Yard.Their relationship is a...
- Jimmy Havers: Barbara's father
- Mrs Havers: Barbara's mother
- DI Mike Canerone
- Simon Allcourt-St James: forensic scientist
- Deborah St James: Simon's wife
- Lady Helen Clyde: absent object of Lynley's affection
- Matthew Whateley: 13 year old schoolboy
- Kevin Whateley: Matthew's adoptive father
- Patsy Whateley: Matthew's adoptive mother
- Harry Morant: schoolmate of Matthew
- Arlens: schoolmate of Matthew
- Smythe-Andrews: schoolmate of Matthew
- Chas Quilter: 6th grader
- Clive Pritchard: 6th grader
- Brian Byrne: 6th grader
- Giles Byrne: Brian's father
- Mrs Pamela Byrne: Brian's mother (deceased)
- Alan Lockwood: headmaster
- Mrs Kathleen Lockwood: Alan's wife
- John Corntel: teacher, former Eton schoolmate of Lynley
- Emilia Bond: chemistry teacher
- Cowfrey Pitt: German teacher
- Judith Laughland: sanatorium sister
- Frank Orten: porter
- Elaine Roly: matron
- Colonel Bonnamy: lives in the neighbourhood of the school
- Jeannie Bonnamy: Colonel's daughter
- Yvonnen Livesley: Matthew's old mate from Hammersmith
- Cecilia Feld: 17 year old girl in Stoke Poges
- Edward Hsu: former Chinese pupil who killed himself
Plot summary
Teacher John Corntel asks his former Eton schoolmate Lynley for help when the 13 year old schoolboy Matthew Whateley has disappeared. Initially Lynley refuses, until Deborah St James finds the naked body of the boy in a churchyard in Stoke Poges. Lynley and Havers start their investigation at Matthew's school Bredgar Chambers, an elite boarding schoolBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.
They find a letter from Matthew to Jeannie Bonnamy, a daughter of Colonel Bonnamy. Matthew has visited them three days before his death to dine and play chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
with the colonel. When Jeannie brought Matthew back to school, they saw 6th form student Chas Quilter in a school minibus
Minibus
A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...
, returning from a visit to Cecilia Feld, a girl in Stoke Poges. Chas didn't want anyone to find out about his relationship with Cecilia, and the fact that he was the father of Cecilia's child, which has Apert syndrome
Apert syndrome
Apert syndrome is a form of acrocephalosyndactyly, a congenital disorder characterized by malformations of the skull, face, hands and feet. It is classified as a branchial arch syndrome, affecting the first branchial arch, the precursor of the maxilla and mandible...
. Cecilia herself was transferred from Bredgar Chambers to another school when she was pregnant.
Chemistry teacher Emilia Bond tried to burn child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
photos that belonged to John Corntel; she was in love with Corntel, but found out he was collecting those photos. This explains why Corntel didn't patrol in spite of being duty master. That same evening 6th grader Clive Pritchard nabbed Matthew Whateley to torture him, because Matthew had made a tape recording of Clive bullying schoolboy Harry Morant. When Clive found Matthew dead he felt responsible, unaware that the cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
.
During the investigation there's an attempt to kill Jeannie Bonnamy with a rake. Chas Quilter hangs himself.
The investigators find out that Matthew's biological parents were Mrs Pamela Byrne and Edward Hsu, a Chinese former pupil at Bredgar Hall who killed himself after this scandal. Giles Byrne felt financially responsible for the child of his late wife. As a board member he obtained a scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
for Matthew at Bredgar Chambers. Giles' 18 year old son Brian turns out to be the culprit. He killed his half-brother in the fume cupboard
Fume hood
A fume hood or fume cupboard is a type of local ventilation device that is designed to limit exposure to hazardous or noxious fumes, vapors or dusts. A fume hood is typically a large piece of equipment enclosing five sides of a work area, the bottom of which is most commonly located at a standing...
in the chemistry lab. He then transported the body to Stoke Poges in the school minibus Chas Quilter was driving. His motive was to win Chas Quilter's lifetime loyalty. Brian also tried to kill Jeannie Bonnamy for the same reason. Brian Byrne and Clive Pritchard are arrested.
In a subplot
Subplot
A subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance...
Barbara Havers visits her demented mother, and finds her father dead. Another theme is Lynley's aristocratic
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
descent (he is sometimes referred to as "Lord Asherton")—shown through his working relationship with his working class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
colleague Barbara Havers from Acton
Acton, London
Acton is a district of west London, England, located in the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross.At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people...
and his unrequited love for Lady Helen Clyde.
Quote
We live by codeCodeA code is a rule for converting a piece of information into another form or representation , not necessarily of the same type....
s, he [Lynley] thought. We call them our morals, our standards, our valueValue (personal and cultural)A personal or cultural value is an absolute or relative ethical value, the assumption of which can be the basis for ethical action. A value system is a set of consistent values and measures. A principle value is a foundation upon which other values and measures of integrity are based...
s, our ethicsEthicsEthics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
, as if they were part of our genetic make upGeneticsGenetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
. But they are only behaviours that we have learned from our society, and there are times to act in defiance of them, to fly in the face of their conventionsConvention (norm)A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted standards, norms, social norms or criteria, often taking the form of a custom....
because it is right to do so.
Literary significance and reception
The Baltimore SunThe Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun is the U.S. state of Maryland’s largest general circulation daily newspaper and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries....
wrote: "Ms. George has crafted a fine and powerful novel sure to delight readers in the mood for a thought-provoking, hard-hitting mystery."
People wrote: "Like P. D. James
P. D. James
Phyllis Dorothy James, Baroness James of Holland Park, OBE, FRSA, FRSL , commonly known as P. D. James, is an English crime writer and Conservative life peer in the House of Lords, most famous for a series of detective novels starring policeman and poet Adam Dalgliesh.-Life and career:James...
, George knows the import of the smallest human gesture; Well-Schooled in Murder puts the younger author clearly in the running with the genre's master.
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
: "George is a master[...] An outstanding practicioner of the modern English mystery."
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
: "A spectacular new voice in mystery writing."
Daily News (New York): "A compelling whodunnit[...] A reader's delight."
Well-Schooled in Murder was awarded the MIMI, a German prize for suspense fiction.
TV adaption
Well Schooled in Murder is the second episode of the first season of The Inspector Lynley MysteriesThe Inspector Lynley Mysteries
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries is a series of BBC television programmes about Detective Inspector Thomas "Tommy" Lynley, 8th Earl of Asherton of Scotland Yard and Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers...
. Several changes were made to the plot. Matthew's biological mother is Patsy Whateley instead of Pamela Byrne. Corntel is gay but doesn't actually collect child porn. Deborah and Simon St James are omitted. So is Cecilia Feld, and there's no mention of Chas Quilter having a child. Lorry driver Barry Summers is a new suspect.
Release details
- 1990, UK, Bantam Press (ISBN 0-593-01973-3), Pub date 25 October 1990, hardback (First edition)
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