| The Boathouse Riddle | |
| Author: | J.J. Connington |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | Sir Clinton Driffield |
| Genre: | Detective |
| Release Date: | 1931 |
| Media Type: | |
| Preceded By: | Nemesis at Raynham Parva |
| Followed By: | The Sweepstake Murders |
The Boathouse Riddle is a 1931 detective novel by the British author Alfred Walter Stewart, published under his pseudonym J.J. Connington.[1] It is the sixth in his series of seventeen novels featuring the Golden Age Detective Chief Constable Sir Clinton Driffield.[2] The title is also written as The Boat-House Riddle.
Two years earlier with Nemesis at Raynham Parva had effectively seemed to have retired his lead character, in a style similar to Arthur Conan Doyle attempt to conclude the Sherlock Holmes series in The Final Problem. An attempt to replace Sir Clinton with a new lead character, Superintendent Ross in two novels had been less successful and he returned as Chief Constable.[3] Significantly for the formula of the series, Clinton's friend Wendover who had only appeared in two of the first five books featured in every novel of the series afterwards.[4] The Boathouse Riddle received a positive review in A Catalogue of Crime by Jacques Barzun and Wendell Hertig Taylor.[5]
Overworked and needing a break, Sir Clinton accepts an invitation to stay at the country house of his friend Wendover. Wendover has a new boathouse and the two men are looking forwards to a few weeks quiet fishing. But the murder of a gamekeeper on the adjacent estate provides a series of puzzles that intrigue Sir Clinton who directs the local police force in their investigation.