Malice Aforethought

Malice Aforethought

‘But to diagnose is not to cure.’ - Dr Bickleigh

‘Malice Aforethought’ is an engaging Anthony Berkeley Cox crime fiction novel written under the pen name Francis Iles.

Initially when I first began the novel I was overwhelmed and unimpressed with the number of characters all introduced to me at once, though this may’ve been done to show the small size of Wyvern’s Cross and that everybody knows everybody, it left me rather confused and I needed to refer back to this as I continued through the novel to understood the characters and their relationships, so it was still beneficial in a way.

Although ‘Malice Aforethought’ starts by clearly stating the  protagonist’s - Dr Bickleigh- intent to murder his wife, its main focus is to show his reason for doing so including lack of sex and his own inferiority complex due to factors such as his height. It was reasons such as these that caused me to at first feel sorry for the Bickleigh as he was constantly belittled and without love in his marriage and the death of his wife seemed the only way to stop this as it would allow his relationship with the newcomer in town, Madeline Cranmere.

As his relationship with Miss Cranmere grows as does Bickleigh’s confidence, most likely aided by her as she praised his artwork among other things that he only contained in his dreams. This confidence is the driving force that causes him to plot how he intends to kill his wife in addition to him not deeming it murder but instead necessary despite Julia offering him a divorce if their relationship lasts for a year but he saw this as an insult although from Juia’s perspective is very justifiable due to his numerous affairs in their village.

Bickleigh then begins to methodically plan his wife’s death by morphia overdose inspired by her constant headaches. He even goes as far as to tell her family that she has a drug problem although they themselves didn’t seem to care too much suggesting that the lack of love from their childhood contributes to Julia’s loveless marriage. The way in which Julia is killed is hidden in plain sight on the front cover of the novel indicating that the novel is what is called a ‘cosy murder' as the treatment/effect of the crime is focused upon more than the crime itself.

 It is during this time that Bickleigh appears less like a man that is fighting for love but a man that is trying to get one up on everyone else as use of medical knowledge allows him the think he is committing the prefect undetectable murder - though he still doesn’t believe it is such. This, however, doesn’t prevent Bickleigh from being a likeable character as his reasoning and self appraisal is highly entertaining. For instance he is quite sure of himself when Madeline begins a relationship with Dennis Bourne, viewing him as no more than a pawn in their love affair, but once he discovers that they are engaged after he has killed Julia his thoughts consist of remorse and anger.

The novel doesn’t end there but goes to see Dr Bickleigh spiral out of control while continues to view himself as intellectually superior. This is the first novel I’ve read by choice with such ease in a while and though towards the end I was not as engaged as I once had been, it is definitely a novel I’d recommend.