Book 17: The Red House Mystery

Although A. A. Milne is indisputably best known as author of Winnie the Pooh, to disregard his other works would be foolish, as The Red House Mystery, one of Milne's earliest novels, easily proves. The novel unfolds in Mark Ablett's Red House, as his visiting brother, Robert, is shot within minutes of his arrival. Since Mark disappears immediately after the murder, all suspicion lies on his shoulders, but Tony Gillingham, a visitor to The Red House, is not satisfied with this conclusion, and takes on the role of Holmes, appointing his close friend, Bill Beverley, to be his Watson. With the help of Gillingham's photographic memory, and Beverley's occasional bumbling genius, the pair eventually discover the truth about the death of Robert 

Although the plot is not dissimilar to that of many other amateur detective stories, through Milne's writing the story is transformed. One particularly notable example of this is Milne's casual use of the second person 'we' at various points throughout the novel, referring to the author and reader, making the reader feel increasingly involved in the novel while also serving as a reminder that this novel is fiction, as Milne refers to his writing process. Another point of interest to the novel is the introduction, added four years after The Red House Mystery was first published, in which Milne expresses and justifies his preferences for detective stories, such as the importance of the detective being an amateur, and of the role of 'Watson'. Milne's explicit references to Sherlock and Holmes throughout add an element of playfulness to the novel, giving the impression that Gillingham and Beverley are acting out their parts in the drama. Furthermore, the references could also be seen as a nod to Arthur Conan Doyle, a cricketing friend of Milne's. 

Although The Red House Mystery was very well-received at the time of publishing, it has been all but forgotten today, and has been criticised for the implausibility of certain aspects of the plot. However, I would argue that this adds to the charm of the amateur detective novel, providing a further element of escapism. Milne's unmistakable playfulness and humour brings an alternative approach to the genre, making for a more enjoyable but less suspense-ridden read than many of Agatha Christie's similar novels.