Tragedy at Law by Cyril Hare
Published: 1942 | Series: Francis Pettigrew 1
A legal mystery in which High Court judge Mr Justice Barber receives anonymous death threats while traveling England's Southern Circuit, prompting barrister Francis Pettigrew to investigate before the threats become reality.
About Cyril Hare
Cyril Hare was the pseudonym of Alfred Alexander Gordon Clark (1900-1958), an English barrister and judge who began writing detective fiction at the age of 36, creating acclaimed legal mysteries featuring characters like Inspector Mallett and lawyer Francis Pettigrew which drew on his extensive experience in criminal courts and wartime service with the Director of Public Prosecutions.
This book was the Shedunnit Book Club's chosen read for September 2025, so there is a two part primer about it: part one (no spoilers) and part two (full spoilers). During this discussion, both Leandra and I agreed that Hare succeeded fully in putting across the peculiar atmosphere of the English legal system at the very start of WW2.
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