The 12.30 from Croydon by Freeman Wills Crofts

The 12.30 from Croydon by Freeman Wills Crofts ISBN-13: 9781464206733 Paperback: 358 pages Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press Released: Feb. 7, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Andrew Crowther, a wealthy retired manufacturer, is found dead in his seat on the 12.30 flight from Croydon to Paris. From there, we flash back to the killer's perspective. We live with the killer at every stage, from the first thoughts of murder to the strains and stresses of living with its execution.

Seen from the criminal's perspective, a mild-mannered Inspector by the name of French is simply another character who needs to be dealt with. This is an unconventional yet gripping story of intrigue, justification, and self-delusion. And will the killer get away with it?


My Review:
The 12.30 from Croydon is a suspense novel that was originally published in 1934 and is set in England. While Inspector French is on the case, we don't hear the case from his perspective until the very end. Most of the novel was from the murderer's point of view.

We know exactly how the murder was committed because we see it happen from the first thoughts to how he carefully planned and committed every step. Like the criminal, we don't know where any mistakes were made or what clues the Inspector has found. Will Inspector French settle on the right suspect?

I liked the other characters and hoped they didn't get accused. I didn't like or dislike the murderer. His reasons were understandable and not entirely selfish, but they didn't justify murder. Still, I found myself unaccountably sighing with relief along with him! The story certainly made me tense with suspense.

There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, suspenseful "reverse mystery."


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.