The Frightened Man by Laurence Meynell

"He wanted to stay alive - until Friday!"

The Frightened Man is a 1952 British private-eye mystery novel starring Hooky Heffernan, with an eye-catching cover image that unfortunately has nothing to do with the story.

H. Heffernan is prepared to give a hand to anyone in trouble from his Gerrard Street office in London's SoHo. The nervous little thin man in the shabby suit is Edward Ryder, science master at a North London school, who brings Hooky a case of intimidation and foul play; he has been in contact with a German scientist and together they have a breakthrough in creating a synthetic substitute for wool which could shake the foundations of industry. He has declined a thousand pounds for the formula by a mysterious Mr. Todhunter, his office was ransacked, and he managed to escape abduction. He needs to be alive for his meeting with the German on Friday.

Heffernan begins to investigate. In Ryder's home address, a young woman named Joyce Malden states he never lived there, at another address a Mrs. Deighton claims she has been having an affair with Ryder and is ready to leave her husband, and even a visit from a beautiful actress of the stage causes a derailing diversion in the case. Heffernan works on Joyce Malden, and finds she is connected in a very personal way to a Mr. Spurrier, a suave DonJuan who works for Mr. Todhunter...the web tangles and Heffernan agrees Mr. Ryder is in serious danger.

This mystery is 'all about Hooky', as he wanders the streets of London, visits hip bars where he knows the staff, and upscale parties of friends - whom also happen to invite Joyce, Mr. Spurrier and even Mr. Todhunter. He meets all sorts for double brandies and snooker at his club, including Tubby, who in his beautiful Bentley is always up for an adventure - as a later chapter entitled 'Moonlight Diversions' suggests.

The formula for substitute wool is not a factor, indeed the frightened Mr. Ryder himself plays a small part as this is mainly Hooky Heffernan's story, and that's not bad. I see now that this was the second of 20 mysteries starring Heffernan, and so his feeling that "maybe it was time to stop sticking my neck out quite so much... or maybe, after all, there was just one more adventure round the corner...maybe" is more than prophetic.

An entertaining read for ambiance over action, and mystery over violence.

(For Neeru)

1952 / Paperback / 190 pages